Fitness Advice for a Healthy Lifestyle

Weight Training Exercises

pic of back muscles

We have seemed to talk much about abdominal muscles, kettlebell exercises, and proper form, but haven’t focused to much on specific weight training exercises for the back and shoulders. After all the upper back and shoulders are what keep us upright and help us maintain good posture. So it is good to do some weight training exercises for these areas.

One of the very basic upper back/shoulder exercises is the Upright Row. This exercise specifically targets your trapezius (upper back) and your rear deltoids. This is how you do an Upright Row:

  • Hold the bar shoulder width apart or closer with the arms fully extended down in front of your thighs with palms facing your thighs.upright row
  • Exhale and begin lifting the bar, keeping it close to the front of your body, leading with your elbows, as high as is comfortable, below your chin.
  • Keeping your wrists straight with knuckles facing the floor.
  • Lower the bar straight down in front of your body to the starting position in a very controlled manner.
  • Repeat 12 reps for 3 sets.

One of the best weight training exercises for your latissimus dorsi is the Lat Pulldown. You will need a specific apparatus at the gym for this and there is a variety of attachments that can be used on this cabled apparatus.

If you want a wider back use a longer attachment. This is especially an ideal attachment for women, because it can give the illusion of broader shoulders. This will balance the wider hips.

  • Select the weight.
  • Stand up and grab the bar,lat pull down placing the hands right at the bent part of the bar.
  • Sit upright on the seat with your knees secure.
  • Exhale and pull the bar down in front of your chest.
  • Inhale and gradually allow the bar to rise in a very controlled manner.
  • Repeat 12 times for 3 sets.

There is also the Reverse Fly which also targets the upper back and rear deltoids.

  • Sit on the edge of a bench with feet flat on the floor holding 2 dumbbells.
  • Keep the back straight, abs tight and hinge from your hips leaning forward.

    • reverse fly

  • Dumbbell in each hand with arms hanging straight down from the shoulders, palms facing behind you.
  • Head and neck in align with your spine.
  • Exhale, squeeze the shoulder blades together behind you, bend the arms, and lift the arms up and out, keeping the wrists straight and the knuckles face forward.
  • Inhale and lower the arms to the starting position.
  • Repeat the exercise 12 times for 3 sets.

I like to do Back Extensions for the lower back. There is usually an apparatus at the gym that can help you with this exercise. If your gym does not have this apparatus there are other ways to strengthen the low back.

After you have done ab exercises, roll over on to your stomach. Rest your forehead on your folded hands in front of you. Then, pull the navel to your spine and inhale, exhale lift both legs behind you and hold. Repeat that severalpilates swimming times. Move on by lifting the upper body with arms extended forward and keep the legs on the floor for a few reps. End the session with arms and legs extended and move arms and legs up and down like you are swimming . These exercises will surely help with the low back in the lumbar region. Strong abs also require strong lower backs.

These are a few weight training exercises for your back. There are many more, but these few should get you started on a stronger back and a straighter posture!