Exercises to develop and strengthen back muscles

Exercises for the back muscles help reduce the load on the spine, improve posture, and reduce pain.

Every day the spine faces a colossal load. Uncomfortable shoes, bed or workplace, weights – all this leads to strong tension of the back muscles.

Before choosing a set of exercises, it is best to consult a specialist who will prescribe a full examination of the spine and then give recommendations regarding training. Ideally, a set of exercises should be selected by a doctor, since there are exercises, in particular with dumbbells, that not everyone can do.

The back can hurt for a variety of reasons and in each case it is necessary to perform individual exercises. In some cases it is recommended to increase the load on the spine, in others, on the contrary, the load should be reduced. With osteochondrosis, exercises improve the mobility of the vertebrae and strengthen the muscles. At home, it is best to start with stretching the back. The most common and accessible method is simply hanging for one or two minutes on a horizontal bar or a Swedish wall. This exercise allows you to relax and stretch the vertebrae. Pull-ups help strengthen the shoulder girdle, arms, and neck.

In case of scoliosis (curvature of the spine), the following exercise will help strengthen the back:

• get on all fours, bring your right elbow to your left knee, rounding your back, then arch your spine and stretch your arm and leg as much as possible, then repeat with the other arm and leg (do no more than ten repetitions).

When performing the exercise, it is important to maintain balance by keeping your back muscles tense.

The following exercise will help to strengthen the back muscles well: lie down on a couch (or other hard surface), face down with only the upper half of the body, then, holding onto the support, slowly raise both legs so that you get a straight line and hold this position for a few seconds, then slowly lower your legs. Repeat the exercise 5-8 times.

If after performing simple exercises there is no pain or other unpleasant sensations in the back, then the load can be increased.

The exercise "Strong Back" is very effective and can be performed as a preventative measure against spinal diseases. This exercise helps to strengthen the abdominal and spinal muscles:

• Lie down on the mat, place a bolster under your back, bend your knees and elbows slightly, place your legs slightly wider than the shoulder line. Point your toes in your direction with maximum force, and press your heels on the floor, tense your hands and point them toward your shoulders. The exercise is done with a press: you need to lift the back of your head, press your chin hard to your chest. During the exercise, you should feel a stretch in the muscles from the neck all the way down your back. Your arms and legs should remain tense. Hold this for a few seconds, then relax.

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Exercises to strengthen the back muscles

Back muscle exercises are necessary for almost everyone, since the back is the basis for supporting the entire body. But, at the same time, the back is the most vulnerable structure, which is quite easy to damage, so it is important to pay special attention to the back muscles.

Exercises are an important part of the complex for strengthening and maintaining the spine in a normal state. As a rule, all the proposed exercise complexes are designed for those who do not experience pain in the spine. In case of pain or other pathological conditions, a doctor's consultation is necessary.

Exercises that help strengthen the back muscles are divided into three types: strength exercises, exercises to stretch the vertebrae, and aerobic exercises. All exercises should be performed slowly, without causing discomfort, otherwise injuries are possible. During stretching and strength exercises, it is important to monitor your breathing (exhale during maximum load, inhale during relaxation).

Strength exercises allow you to strengthen your back muscles in a short time:

• twisting - lie on the floor with your back down, arms along the body, legs bent (you need to press your pelvis to the surface so that the bend in the spine disappears). Raise your head and shoulders from the floor for 10-15 seconds, then return to the original position.
• Superman is the most effective exercise for strengthening the back muscles. Lie face down on the floor, arms freely placed along the body. Raise your head and shoulders as high as possible and hold this position for 5-10 seconds, then lower yourself.
• Arm and leg raises – lying face down on the floor, alternately raise the opposite arm and leg up, holding this position for 3-5 seconds.

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Exercises for developing back muscles

It is important to keep your back muscles in good condition, because our health depends on them. Many people pay a lot of attention to their abs, arms, leg muscles, and buttocks during training, but their back muscles often go untrained. But it is worth noting that training your abdominal muscles without a well-trained back can cause injury.

Exercises for the back muscles should be performed only with a straight back, each movement should be done by working the back muscles well, and not the muscles of the arms or legs, while performing the exercise you need to feel the tension of the back muscles.

Exercises that develop back muscles are divided into three types:

• development of the trapezius muscle
• development of the latissimus dorsi muscle
• development of spinal muscles

Many exercises are universal, i.e. during training all back muscles are involved in the work, and therefore developed. But some exercises are aimed at developing a specific group of muscles, which is where the division of exercises came from.

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Exercises for the latissimus dorsi

The latissimus dorsi muscles are located in the upper back. This group of muscles is necessary for lowering, lifting, rotating the shoulder blades, humerus.

The main exercises for developing this muscle group are pull-ups, as well as upper block pulls (in front, behind the neck, with a narrow grip).

Exercises for deep back muscles

Deep back muscles (or static) create a kind of axis around which other movements are performed. Deep muscles are small and connect the vertebrae. A person is not able to independently control the tension or relaxation of this group of muscles; all movements of the deep muscles are performed at a reflex level. This group of muscles is located deep, so it is problematic to influence them.

Traditional back exercises with flexion or extension of the body usually develop superficial muscles. The following set of exercises is suitable for strengthening deep muscles:

• kneel down, rest your hands on the floor and alternately bend and arch your back. At first, the exercise is performed at a slow pace, then the change of positions should occur more quickly.
• kneel down, rest your hands on the floor. Straighten the opposite arm and leg one by one.
• Lie on your stomach, stretch your arms forward, spread your legs slightly apart. Simultaneously lift your arm and leg from the opposite sides off the surface.
• Lie on your stomach, legs together, hands behind your head. With a jerk, simultaneously lift your head and legs off the surface (do not lift too high).
• Lie on your back, bend your legs, put your hands behind your head. Pull your left knee to your right elbow with a jerk, then do the exercise in reverse (left knee to right elbow).

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Exercises for the rectus abdominis muscles

The rectus abdominis muscles control the spine, they are the basis of human strength and performance. If the rectus abdominis muscles are not developed, a stoop appears, even when the latissimus dorsi muscles are well developed. The rectus abdominis muscles are responsible for the safety of the lower back, which is the most vulnerable part of our body, and help to straighten and maintain the spine.

If you don’t have access to special sports equipment, you can do back muscle exercises yourself at home, for example, by performing a set of isometric exercises:

• lie face down, put your hands behind your head, put them on your lower back or stretch them forward. Arch your lower back, shoulders and legs, lifting them higher from the floor.
• lie on your stomach, stretch your arms up, put them behind your head or on your lower back. Arch your lower back, raise your shoulders up, press your legs to the floor (if necessary, you can secure your legs to furniture or do the exercise with the help of a partner).
• lie on your stomach, place your hands at your discretion, as indicated in the previous exercises. Arch your lower back, lift your legs up from the floor, press your body to the floor (if necessary, you can fix the upper part of the body by holding onto a support with your hands).
• lie on your back, straighten your legs. Arch your lower back, when doing the exercise you can use the muscles of your neck and legs, but the muscles of your back should work as much as possible.

Exercises for the lateral muscles of the back

To develop the lateral muscles of the back, you can do several types of exercises. Basically, additional equipment is required for training - an expander, exercise machines, dumbbells, etc.

A special exercise machine that can be used to securely fix your legs is the most effective for working out the lateral muscles of the back. To do the exercise, lie on your stomach, put your hands behind your head, and secure your legs well. Using only your back muscles, perform body lifts. Over time, you can add weight for greater effectiveness.

At home, exercises for the back muscles can be done using an expander:

• stand up straight and stretch the expander over your head with your hands.
• Standing, stretch the expander in front of you to the sides.

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Exercises for the oblique muscles of the back

Abdominal exercises also work the back muscles well. Crunches are good for developing the oblique muscles:

• lie on your back, for convenience, you can fix your legs to furniture. Raise your body with a turn to the hip, fix the body position for a few seconds and return to the starting position, then lift with a turn to the opposite hip (repeat 10 times in each direction).

Strengthening the oblique muscles is helped by lifting in the other direction: lie on your stomach, put your arms along your body. Raise your head, shoulders, tensing your gluteal muscles. The lift must be done as high as possible and hold at the top point for a couple of seconds (do 10 lifts).

To strengthen the spine, exercises for the back muscles with cross-raising of the arms and legs are good:

Lie on your stomach, place a bolster or pillow under your head, stomach, pelvis, and stretch your arms above your head. Perform cross-lifts of your arms and legs (right leg - left arm and vice versa), when lifting, you need to fix the position for a couple of seconds (do 10 lifts for each side).

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Exercises for the lower back muscles

Lower back exercises help strengthen the lumbar region. During the workout, there should be no discomfort in the lower back; if pain or other unpleasant sensations occur, you should finish the back muscle exercises.

Exercise one: kneel down, rest your hands on the floor, perform synchronous cross-raises of your arm and leg (make sure they form one straight line parallel to the floor) and hold this position for 2-3 seconds, then gradually return to the starting position and repeat the movements for the opposite arm and leg.

Exercise two: lie on your stomach, rest your heels against the wall, stretch your arms along your body. Raise your head and shoulders to the maximum possible height and hold the position for a couple of seconds, then gradually return to the starting position.

Push-ups are good for developing the lower back muscles. However, in this case, push-ups have some nuances. First of all, your hands should be as close to your waist as possible. When doing push-ups, you need to lift your legs one by one to the maximum possible height, while making sure that the raised leg remains straight.

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Exercises for the longitudinal muscles of the back

Scoliosis is the most common spinal deformity, especially among adolescents. The curvature usually develops as a result of weak longitudinal muscles of the back.

At the initial stages of curvature, the main treatment is physiotherapy, the purpose of which is to correct the disorder.

To strengthen the longitudinal muscles, you need to do the following exercises for the back muscles:

• lie on your stomach, put your hands under your chin. Raise your head and shoulders, bring your shoulder blades together (while keeping your stomach pressed to the floor) – hold the position for a few seconds.
• Lie on your stomach, hands under your head. Raise your legs one by one, making sure your pelvis remains pressed to the floor.
• Lie on your stomach, hands under your head. Raise both legs at the same time and hold the position for 10 seconds.

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Exercises for the rhomboid muscle of the back

The rhomboid muscles are used for the performance of the scapula. Back muscle exercises that train the rhomboid muscles make the back thicker and improve relief. The rhomboid muscles work in various basic exercises for the upper back, so there is no special complex for the rhomboid muscles.

One of the main exercises for developing the rhomboid muscles is push-ups using parallel bars. This exercise also helps develop the chest muscles and triceps. To perform the exercise, you will need a machine with parallel bars.

Pull-ups are the most common exercise. The exercise is performed with a variety of grips - straight, reverse, different widths, etc., which increases the load on a certain muscle group.

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Exercises for the trapezius muscle of the back

The trapezius muscle of the back got its name because of its shape. The muscles are located on the back and cover the neck above and below the shoulders. This group of muscles helps control the shoulders, helps support the spine. With a pumped up trapezius muscle, the risk of neck or spine injuries is significantly reduced.

Exercises for the back muscles can be performed without additional equipment (weights, exercise machines). One of the main exercises that strengthens the trapezius muscles is arm rotation: stand up straight, spread your arms to the sides to form a straight line with your shoulders and rotate clockwise, increasing the speed of rotation over time, and after 15-20 rotations, perform the exercise in the opposite direction. To increase the load, you can use weights (dumbbells, bottles filled with water, etc.).

The most effective exercise for strengthening the trapezius muscles is an exercise with dumbbells, reminiscent of a shrug. If you don’t have dumbbells, you can take bottles filled with sand or water. To perform the exercise, stand up straight, take dumbbells (bottles) in your hands, lower them down (palms inward) and lift your shoulders, trying to do it as high as possible.

You can also do arm raises. The exercises can be done with dumbbells (bottles) or without weights, as the exercise is quite difficult.

Bend your body forward at 900, bending your knees slightly, stretch your arms straight out in front of you, then spread them to the sides as high as possible (elbows slightly bent, back straight), then return to the starting position.

Exercises for the large teres back muscle

The teres major muscle is connected to the latissimus dorsi. It is thanks to this muscle that the back acquires a wide shape. The most effective exercises for developing this muscle group are pull-ups and traction. Exercises for the back muscles that involve the teres major muscle often involve the biceps, but, according to professionals, biceps movements should be limited to increase the effectiveness of training.

The dumbbell row develops the large teres and latissimus dorsi muscles. When performing the exercise, it is important to ensure that the back remains straight, as this provides maximum load on the muscles. The weight of the dumbbell should not be too large, as this reduces the amplitude and increases the risk of injury.

The overhand pull is performed standing, with one hand resting on the knee, the other (with the dumbbell) positioned on the same vertical line with the shoulder. Raise the dumbbell up to chest level (pull the shoulder back, chest forward), then slowly lower the dumbbell (the back should feel a slight stretch).

Exercises to relax the back muscles

The main cause of many back problems are muscle spasms, which may not go away for quite a long time. In addition, a hard day at work, an uncomfortable position during work, etc. lead to the fact that in the evening the back begins to hurt. In this case, it is necessary to do exercises for the back muscles, which will help to relax tense muscles and reduce pain.

The "Cat" exercise is the most effective for relaxing tense and tired back muscles. To do the exercise, you need to kneel and rest your hands on the floor, tilt your head down and round your lower back, arch well, then slowly raise your head up and arch your lower back.

The following exercise also stretches and relaxes the muscles well: sit on the floor, bend one leg at the knee, then you need to stretch towards the straight leg, while making sure that the lower back does not round and the leg does not bend at the knee. When doing the exercise, you need to try to reach your toes.

Another good relaxing exercise is the one that is best done with a partner. You need to sit opposite your partner (legs straight, back straight), hold hands tightly and alternately pull each other back and forth, while it is important not to bend your knees or round your back.

After doing exercises to relax the back muscles, you need to avoid any overexertion for some time; the muscles should be well relaxed and rested.

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Back Stretching Exercises

As already mentioned, exercises for the back muscles are necessary at least for the prevention of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. To stretch the back, you can do a simple set of exercises at least three times a week to get the desired effect:

• Sit on the floor, stretch your legs. Bend forward, trying to touch your ankles (make sure your knees don't bend).
• Sit on the floor, bend one leg, the other remains straight. Bend forward, trying to reach the toes of the straightened leg (make sure that the knee does not bend), then change legs and repeat the exercise.
• Sit on the floor, cross your legs. Raise your arms up, then bend them to touch your shoulder.
• Move your elbow back with the other hand, then change hands.
• Sit on the floor with your legs crossed. Turn your body in different directions with your arms crossed behind your head.
• Sit on the floor, cross your legs, put your hands behind your back and clasp them. Bend your body forward, while trying to raise your clasped hands behind your back as high as possible.

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Back Muscle Exercises with Dumbbells

Dumbbells are the most commonly used type of additional sports equipment. Back muscle exercises with additional sports equipment improve muscle tone, and also help to get rid of extra pounds.

• Lie down on the bench, put your feet down, take the dumbbells and lift them up. Spread your elbows to the sides, lower your arms down. When doing the exercise, you need to make sure that your elbows remain horizontal to the floor.
• standing, bend your body forward, take the dumbbell with one hand and lower it down, with the other hand you can grab a support (chair). Pulling your elbow back, lift the dumbbell to your chest.
• stand up, arms to the sides. Raise the dumbbells to chest level, bending your elbows (do not lower your elbows, keep your arms parallel to the floor).

For training, take dumbbells weighing 3-5 kg and repeat 8-10 times in 2-3 sets.

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Basic exercises for back muscles

Basic exercises for the back muscles serve to gain muscle mass. This action occurs as a result of shock effects on the muscles, so professionals advise starting training with basic exercises.

Pull-ups on a horizontal bar (with a wide grip) develop the latissimus dorsi muscles. This exercise allows you to make your back wider. In addition, pull-ups develop a large group of muscles.

The following exercises are the basis for developing the back muscles:

• Pull-ups on a horizontal bar or crossbar. A simple exercise that involves a large group of muscles. In the early stages of training, pull-ups will help strengthen the muscles of not only the back, but also the arms, and improve the relief of the muscles.
• Barbell row (deadlift, bent over) helps to build muscle. During the exercise, many muscles are involved, which allows you to visually enlarge your back.

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A set of exercises for the back muscles

Exercises for the back muscles are performed 15-20 times in 2-3 sets:

• stand up straight (if desired, you can take dumbbells or bottles of water in your hands). Bend your body forward, simultaneously stretch your arms forward and return to the starting position.
• kneel down, put your hands on your shoulders. Stretch your right arm up, at the same time move your left leg back, return to the starting position, repeat on the other side.
• Lie face down, arms along the body. Raise your head and shoulders, connecting the shoulder blades and return to the starting position.
• stand up straight, bend your arms slightly and move them to the sides (take dumbbells or bottles), pull your elbows towards your body, trying to bring your shoulder blades together.
• stand up straight, arms to the sides. Put your hands behind your back, connecting your hands, the back muscles should be as tense as possible, then return to the starting position.
• Lie on your back, bend your knees, place your feet as close to your buttocks as possible, spread your arms out to the sides. Using your hands as support, bend your chest (your head and lower body remain on the floor).
• Stand in front of a chair and lean on the back, spread your legs slightly. Leaning on your hands, slowly arch your back and return to the starting position.

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Best Exercises for Back Muscles

Exercises for back muscles can be different. It is impossible to say which exercise will be the best for the back, since everything depends on the purpose of the training. For some diseases of the spine, accompanied by pain, exercises are needed that improve the mobility of the vertebrae, strengthen the muscles, and restore posture.

The most optimal exercises to start with are considered to be stretching the vertebrae (especially if the exercises take place at home). The best stretching exercise is the usual hanging on the bar. During the exercise, the spine relaxes, the vertebrae are stretched. After this, you should do a pull-up, which involves the maximum group of muscles of the back, arms, and neck.

If the goal of training is to increase muscle mass, then in this case exercises that develop the back muscles are recommended. The best exercises that help improve muscle definition are the same pull-ups (due to the fact that this exercise involves different muscle groups), block or barbell pulls, exercises with dumbbells.

Wide grip pull-ups are good for pumping up the back muscles, which allows you to strengthen and develop the latissimus dorsi muscles.

The deadlift is a basic exercise for muscle growth. When lifting the barbell, almost all the muscles of the back, gluteal muscles, and thighs are involved.

The upper back is well developed by training with dumbbells, which help to increase the trapezius.

Exercises for the back muscles are aimed primarily at strengthening, since it is the spine that bears the maximum load. The back is the most vulnerable part of our body. According to experts, every person at some point faces problems related to the spine. Back pain, as doctors say, is the price to pay for walking upright. Therefore, in order to reduce the load and strengthen the muscles, it is necessary to do several exercises for the back muscles a couple of times a week. Developed muscles will not only make the figure more attractive, but will also help to avoid the development of serious diseases of the spine.