There’s nothing more unpleasant than putting on one of the nicest outfits you have in your closet only to find unflattering back and arm flab hanging out. In fact, this unpleasantness happens to almost all of us, because even if we exercise, our focus is usually on the body parts we can see in the mirror - the abdominal muscles, the legs, and the buttocks - and we completely ignore our back muscles which are less exposed.
In order to make sure you don’t forget them and then discover unwanted flab, we’ve put together a series of 8 excellent exercises to strengthen your back, chest and back arm muscles to help you sculpt these areas without too much effort.
1. Punching with weights
The next exercise is taken from boxing, but there’s no need to enter the ring to perform it. All you have to do is get a pair of weights and lots of energy. This exercise will help you work on your back and arms, as well as keeping your abdomen tight and improving your speed and stability. Make sure to use light weights.
- Stand with your feet apart, slightly wider than your hips, and your knees bent slightly. Hold the weights in both hands, and keep your arms close to your body.
- Bend your arms up, then punch your left arm forward.
- Return to the starting position, then punch forward with your right arm. Continue to switch between the arms for 60 seconds.
- Repeat the exercise 3 more times as you change hands, with intervals of 20-30 seconds between reps.
2. Chest press with extended legs
This exercise will provide full movement to all parts of your body - helping to strengthen the chest muscles, abdomen, back, and triceps, as well as improving posture and body flexibility. So what are you waiting for? Get a pair of weights and go for it.
- Lie on your back with your arms slightly above and in line with your chest, and your legs straight.
- Push your arms up directly over your shoulders and straighten your feet in the air.
- Return to the starting position and repeat the exercise three more times, with intervals of 20-30 seconds between reps.
3. Weight lifting
The following exercise works directly on the upper and middle back muscles and helps to strengthen and improve the symmetry of the body's core, as well as to ensure proper and balanced posture. In order to perform it, you will need to equip yourself with a pair of weights, or alternatively with one weight that is not particularly heavy.
- Stand straight and hold a weight in each hand.
- Lift the two weights at the same time until they reach your chest.
- Slowly lower them down.
- Repeat the sequence three more times, with intervals of 20-30 seconds between reps.
4. Chest compressions on an exercise ball
Shoulders, triceps and chest muscles - all of these will be greatly enhanced by the next exercise. In order to do this, you’ll need to equip yourself with a gym ball in addition to weights, to help increase your range of movement. If you do not have an exercise ball, you can do this exercise on the floor as well.
- Place the center of your upper back on the exercise ball, with the weights in your hands, your arms raised up, and your hands facing each other.
- Spread your arms to the sides, and keep your elbows slightly bent.
- Return your arms to the center of the body, and repeat the sequence three more times with intervals of 20-30 seconds between reps.
5. Curtsy lunge with side kick
The complex movement that the next exercise produces makes it capable of strengthening all your muscles. You can start doing it with no weights in your hands, but once you feel ready and want to increase your effort, add them in.
- Stand straight with both legs straight and close to each other, then take a big step backward with your left leg, slide it behind your right leg and kneel down.
- From this position return to standing, stretching out the left leg with a kick. At the same time, raise your left hand to shoulder height.
- Return to the starting position, repeat the exercise for 30 seconds, and then switch sides.
- Repeat the sequence three more times, with intervals of 20-30 seconds between reps.
6. Plank rotations
The Plank, also known as static abdominal exercise, is a great way to improve flexibility and strengthen the body's core muscles, while the circular motion we add to it during this exercise only serves to improve and intensify its effect. You can start doing it without weights, but if you feel ready to increase the level of difficulty later, add them in.
- Lie down on your stomach and bring your body into plank position - with your arms stretched straight under your shoulders and your legs slightly apart at waist width.
- Turn your body to the left and lift your left hand toward the ceiling.
- Bring your left hand back down to the floor and return to the starting position. Repeat, but this time rotate your body to the right and lift your right arm.
- Repeat the exercise while swapping sides about 3 more times, with intervals of 20-30 seconds between reps.
7. Superman pose
Although the name of the pose sounds like it's only for superheroes, it's actually a fairly simple exercise that is considered one of the most popular back exercises. The Superman pose provides you with an excellent exercise to strengthen and stabilize your body’s core muscles.
- Lie facing down on the floor, with your arms laying forward above your head.
- Tighten your core and buttocks and stretch your arms and chest forward and your legs back and up. Turn your palms so that they face each other.
- Hold your body like this for 20 seconds, then lower your arms, chest, and legs down toward the floor and return to the starting position.
- Repeat the exercise three more times, with intervals of 20-30 seconds between reps.
8. Back extension over an exercise ball
Finish your effortless and fun workout with a slight back extension. You are welcome to do this in any way you know, but we recommend using an exercise ball because it allows you to effectively stretch your lower back by giving you greater freedom of movement.
- Place the center of your back on the ball.
- Carefully stretch out.
- Spread your legs and hands slightly.
- Stay that way for 20 seconds, then release and finish your workout.
