Online Personal Training Blog

Amazing Back Workouts

The back is part of the core of the body. It has many important functions including helping the body bend, twist, stand and carry items. Regular back workouts can assist in strengthening the core of the body, helping individuals reduce back pain, improve posture and even prevent back injuries from occurring.

Back workouts also help you sculpt a strong back, improving the way you look, and giving you the confidence to bare your back at the beach. The back muscles are also one of the largest muscle groups in the body. Great back workouts are designed to help you safely engage the three major muscle groups of the back: the upper, middle, and lower back.

Rows are one of the most popular and effective back workouts, since they can be performed in a variety of different ways and using different resistance levels. Bent over rows can be done with a barbell. Load up the barbell with the amount of weight desired and place hands on the barbell at shoulder width apart. The body should then be tilted to a 45 degree angle with the back straight and knees bent. While you keep your head up, contract the back and pull the weight up to the torso level then lower as far as possible.

Rows can also be done with free weights to really work the small muscles of the lower back. To perform hold a free weight in each hand and bend the body over in the same position as before or until the torso is parallel with the floor for a greater challenge. Keep the knees slightly bent and contract the abs. Have arms extended fully with dumbbells hanging down. Then start rowing by bending the knees and pulling the dumbbells up into the torso area.

Back extensions are a great move for working the lower back. To perform, lay face down on a mat and place hands behind the neck, keep your abs contracted, raise the upper body a few inches from the floor, then lower the body back into the starting position. This move can also be done at a back extension machine at the gym.

Another nice alternative to a regular extension is a hyperextension. This move works the lower back but is low impact. The move needs to be done near a wall so the feet can use the wall for leverage. Placing the chest over a stability ball, extend the legs until they touch the wall. Cross the hands over the chest then lift the chest up, forcing the lower back to flex, then lower the chest back down.

Back exercises can be performed up to three times a week in nonconsecutive days. Repetitions of 16 can be done in sets of 4. Beginners may want to start out with 8 repetitions of 2 sets than gradually increase. Those lifting heavier weights should allow the body two days to rest before training the back again.

Because the back muscles work to rotate and pull the shoulders down, back workouts are usually combined with bicep workouts on the same day. Amazing back workouts are about variety, add some chin ups, reverse flies, dead lifts, and more. Switch up your routine every 6 weeks in order to avoid plateaus. Also when you work out, be sure to use a variety of back exercises that work to target the back from different locations and target different muscle groups of the back.

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