It's Not Too Late To Get Your Sexy Back
By: Lisa L. Taylor, B.S.
Hi RxGirls,
TrainerLisa here after a wee winter break to say...it's Time to get your Sexy Back! Spring is less than 30 day away and if your back isn't where you want it, here's your Sexy Back Solution. Your back is the key to a strong core, good posture and let's face it, a tight, strong back is always in season, but you must know how to train your back for optimum results.
Your back is part of your core and is necessary for body stabilization. Stabilizing your core whenever you're working out is a must and if you have a tight low back (very common), core and back stretches and strength-training moves should be on your daily fitness agenda in some way, shape or form. This is also for those of you who have careers that involved long periods of sitting, standing in one place or lifting of heavy. Keep in mind, that as we get older we often lose some of that low back strength. Check out some of these statics:
• Younger adults (e.g. 30 to 60 year olds) are more likely to experience back pain from the disc space itself (e.g. lumbar disc herniation or degenerative disc disease) or from a back muscle strain or other soft tissue strain.
• Older adults (e.g. over 60) are more likely to suffer from pain related to joint degeneration (e.g. osteoarthritis or spinal stenosis) or from a compression fracture.
Getting your Sexy Back...The Basics:
Your back is the key to a strong core, good posture and let's face it, a tight, strong back is always in season, but you must know how to train your back optimum results. The following is a very simple basic list of your back muscles, how they work and what some of the best exercises to hit them are:
Trapezius – Trapezius (aka Traps), are the muscles directly attached to your neck in a triangle shape. The traps can move the scapula or shoulder blades in a number of ways beyond the shrug, and is also involved in the rotation of the head and neck. These muscles are also considered accessory breathing muscles, because they help to open up the chest for breathing, and they support the weight of the arms.
Posterior "Rear" Deltoid – As RxGirls know, you have three (3) heads of your delts; anterior (front of the shoulders), medial (middle/top), and posterior (back of the shoulders). When you're working your back, your posterior delts are assisting you to contract your shoulders.
If you want to target your rear delts alone, some of the best exercises include cable rear-delt cross-overs, incline/bent over rear delts.
Spinal Erectors: The Erector Spinae is a group of muscles that support the spinal column. They include the Longissimus, the Spinalis and Iliocostalis. The muscles of the Erector Spinae attach to the vertebrae, the ribs and the pelvis. The functions of the Erector Spinae group are to extend the spine as well as provide support for it. Exercises that work the Erector Spinae include: Hyperextensions, Deadlifts and Good mornings.
Lattissimus Dorsi (aka Lats): The Latissiumus Dorsi originates on the lower half of your back, along your spine and hips, and attaches to the inside of your upper arm. The exercises that work your Lats, include: Chin-ups, Pull-ups, Negative Pull-ups, Lat pulldown (under and overhand), lying/incline pullovers, Rows: (Bent-over)
Tres Major – The Teres Major muscle originates on the outer edge of the scapula and attaches to the humerus, and the function is to move the humerus posteriorly, meaning that it brings the arm towards the back. Exercises that work the Teres Major also works your Rhomboidsdumbbell/barbell, One-arm, Cable)
Rhomboids – The Rhomboid's (originates on the spinal column and attaches to the scapula) function to bring the scapula in towards the spinal column, essentially squeezing the shoulder blades together. The following exercises work both the Teres Major as well as the Rhomboids include: Wide Grip Pulldowns, Close Grip Pulldowns, Wide/Narrow Grip Pull-ups, Chin-ups, Bent-over/Seated/One-Arm Rows, just to name a few.
Bringing Your Sexy Back: The Workout: You can hit you back 1-2 times a week, while adding one or several of these exercises to your current routine. Always start with a 5-7 minute warm-up and with a total body stretch, with an emphasis to your back, core as well as hamstrings (they get very tight too!).
Bringing Your Sexy Back Exercises:
Pull-ups (or Negative Pull-ups)
Wide-Grip Pull-ups
Underhand Pull-ups
Close-Grip Pull-ups
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldowns
Underhand Pulldowns
Standing Cable Pull-downs (rope/v-bar)
Seated Cable Rows (machine/rope/v-bar/wide bar
Bent-over Rows (dumbbell/barbell/rope/v-bar/wide-bar)
1 Arm Row (dumbbell, cable)
High Pulley Cable Pulls (rope, single grip)
Lying Pull-overs (dumbbell/barbell)
Renegade Rows
Hyperextensions
Incline Bench High Cable Pullovers
Planks
Spider Planks
- Cheers to Life and see you in the Spring!
Fitfully yours,
Lisa L. Taylor, B.S. Holistic Nutrition, CPT ACE, AFAA, FITOUR
Taylor Made Fitness
AFAA CEU Provider
FITOUR Pro-Trainer
www.MyTaylorMadeFitness.com
[email protected]
www.Beachbodycoach.com/Trainerlisa
www.Facebook.com/TaylorMadeFitnesssd
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