Losing weight is hard work and once you’ve achieved this feat you might not be aware of back fat, a spot often overlooked since it’s not easily visible in the mirror. The answer to this troubled weight issue lies in isolating back muscles and strengthening them, in addition to cardio exercise. A further plus of back muscle focused exercises is that it improves your posture.
Dumbbells
You’ll need a 3-5 pound weight for this exercise. Begin by placing one knee on a sofa, bench or table and pick up the light weight in your opposite hand. Bend forward slightly with your back flat and in a row motion pull the arm back straight. Contract your upper back and let your elbow skim the side of your body as your arm moves. Do a set of 12 of these exercises and then another 12 with the other arm.
Rows and weights
This exercise will also require a 3-5 pound weight. Get into plank position, with your arms positioned directly beneath your shoulders, while squeezing your buttocks and pulling in your abs towards your spine. In each hand hold a weight and using one arm at a time, pull the weight backwards, in a row movement. This exercise will engage both the upper back and the deltoids.
Jumping rope
While it seems like more of a shoulders-oriented exercise, jumping rope, exercises your back muscles. You don’t need to belong to a gym to do this and it's also a fantastic cardio workout, and burns fat all over your body.
Pull-ups
This exercise scares people because they are really hard, but it’s the best way to strengthen your back muscles because it encompasses the toning and sculpting of many muscles. You can modify your basic pull-up to make it slightly easier in 3 different ways:
TYI-shaped exercises
This exercise is named after letters in the alphabet your body will imitate. You will need two 3-pound dumbbells. Lie on your stomach or balance on a physio ball. In each hand, you should hold a dumbbell, engage your back and then lift your chest a bit. Move your arms up and then out, creating a T-shape. Release this position creating a Y-shape and then move your arms into an I-shape, with your arms touching straight out above your head. Most people are quite weak in this area, so a very light weight is recommended.
Push-ups
While push-ups primarily strengthen your chest, when you lower yourself into a contract position you engage your back muscles. Get yourself into a standard push-up position, making sure that your hands are on the ground with a wider than shoulder-width space in between. Slowly lower yourself down, focusing on the downward movement, holding at the bottom for 3 seconds before pushing back up and contracting the chest.
Rowing
Emulate the sensation that you are rowing with a rowing machine, try a rowing workout class or go row a real boat. This basic movement exercise targets your back and is one of the best ways to give your back muscles a workout.
Upper body bike
Most people prefer the lower body bikes at their gyms, but the upper body bike allows you to engage in exercises that work your triceps and back. Aim for a 5-minute ride. If you want a real challenge for strong back burn, try cycling backwards.
Source: youbeauty
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