Do you want to have a strong, healthy, and beautiful back? Let’s find out what are back muscles and great back exercises.
It’s good to know the muscles of your back and what movement they work in, to perform the back exercises correctly.
What are the main back muscles?
Your back consists of:
- Rhomboids
- Trapezius
- Latissimus dorsi
- Erector spinae
- Levator scapulae
- Serratus posterior superior and inferior
The erector spinae is a deep muscle. It lies on the vertebrae and extends from the head to the pelvis. This muscle is most developed in the lumbar and cervical spine parts.
The erector spinae is involved in straightening, twisting, and laterally bending the spine. It is also the postural muscle (responsible for a straight body posture) together with the gluteus maximus. Therefore, I am not sure if you are aware of it, but your body posture shows the condition of your muscles! 🙂
The rhomboids lie under the trapezius and pull and lift the scapula upwards.
The levator scapulae also lies beneath the trapezius. This muscle raises the shoulder blade and bends the neck to the side.
The latissimus dorsi is one of the broadest muscles in the body. It covers the lower part of your back.
It is involved in adduction (bring the arm to the body), extension, internal rotation (turns inward), horizontal abduction (moves arm horizontally) of the shoulder joint.
Therefore, it works very intensively, for example during discus or javelin throw.
The trapezius muscle covers the rhomboids and levator scapulae.
This muscle tilts back and turns the head.
The serratus posterior superior is located under the rhomboids muscle, and the serratus posterior inferior is located under the latissimus dorsi and partially trapezius muscle.
Both muscles have mainly respiratory functions.
What are the examples of back exercises?
Exercise 1
Below is an exercise for the erector spine and partially for the muscles of the legs, glutes, arms, and shoulders.
Start from a four-point kneeling position. Put your hands at the width of your shoulders, knees at the width of your hips. Look at the mat between your hands.
Lift alternately: the right hand and the left leg at the same time, then: the left hand and the right leg.
It is essential to keep your back straight and does not lean it while lifting your leg. Contracting your belly muscles will help you with it. It will also help you to flatten your belly.
Exercise 2
Below is an exercise mainly for the erector spinae and the trapezius.
Lie down on your stomach. Put your hands on your neck. Slowly raise your head and a part of your chest and gently lower it down. Look at your mat below your head while raising your head.
What are advanced back exercises for strong back muscles and burning calories?
The exercises below are great not only for the back but also for the shoulders, arms, and chest muscles.
What are great fat burning exercises for moms?
It often happens that moms, especially new moms, have weak back muscles. That state is common after pregnancy and taking care of the little one.
How can we help the body to come back to balance?
We can strengthen the back muscles. 😃
How to do it?
We can do it in a sitting or standing or even lying position.
You can use regular weights or bags of fruits if you want. 😉
Remember to keep your wrists straight to protect your joints.
The first exercise is great for the muscle of the upper back.
Put your arms sideways on the chest level and bend your elbows to the right angle. Move your elbows backwards as far as you can.
In the second exercise take your arms down and keep your elbows bent. Move the elbows backwards as far as you can.
Make a few repetitions of each exercise.
The exercises are also great for people who spend a long time in a sitting position.
Do your back muscles feel better after doing the exercises?
Did you know that back exercises can not only strengthen your back muscles but also improve your posture which can make your look better?
Do you do back exercises? 🧐 Tell me the truth!
Many people skip back exercises and focus on abs, legs, or chest workouts.
However, doing only one type of training can bring imbalance to your muscles and joints.
Therefore, it is important to train different parts of muscle groups, unless there is already an imbalance in the muscle.
In this case, it is better to focus on exercises that bring balance to the body which is strengthening weak muscles and stretching tight muscles.
Back exercises are also great for people spending a lot of time in a sitting position because back muscles may be weakened.
Back exercises could be done in different positions, for example lying down on the mat or in a standing position.
To do back exercises in a standing position, bend slightly your legs. The chest should face the floor.
You can do different versions of back exercises:
✔️ Pull your almost straight arms toward the ceiling.
✔️ Pull your arms toward the ceiling, bending at the elbow. Pull your arms toward the ceiling, bending the elbows to ninety degrees.
✔️ Pull your arms toward the ceiling with homemade barbells or weights 😉.
Do 10-15 repetitions and 2-4 sets.
Enjoy your back exercises and your great posture after it! 🙂
How can you burn more calories 🔥 in your workout?
You can use weights. 🏋🏻♀️
They could be regular weights, dumbbells, or even water bottles. In my case, they were vinegar bottles. 😂
Anyway, no matter what kind of weights you use, remember to keep your wrists straight to protect your joints.
In the movie, are presented a few examples of exercises with weights.
However, exercises with weights are not for beginners. You should have no problem doing bodyweight exercises before starting a weight workout.
1️⃣ The first exercise is for the upper back.
Pull your arms backward bending your elbows to the right angle.
2️⃣ The second exercise is for the shoulders (the middle part).
Raise your arms to the sides. (Elbows should be slightly bent.)
3️⃣ The third exercise is for the biceps.
Bend your elbows to the right angles.
Which exercises seem to be the easiest for you? 🤔
I hope you like the information about the back muscles. Check out more fun back exercises, the back workout, and watch the free training.
Source: “Functional anatomy in the field of physical education and physiotherapy studies” – Bogusław Marecki
