If you really want to be fit and improve your strength, doing back exercises at home can help. Many people ignore the back when they are working out, just because they cannot see it. Instead, they want to develop firm abs or strong biceps and triceps that look good in the mirror.
Unfortunately, even if they are out sight, leaving your back muscles out of your workout program is not a good idea. Working the muscles in the front of your body without strengthening your back muscles can lead to injuries that could prevent you to work out at all for weeks or months. Plus, remember that even if you cannot see your back, other people can! So, besides helping you health-wise, working out your back muscles is also going to improve the way you look.
A quick warning. If your reason to do back exercises at home is back or neck pain or injury, you should definitely consult your doctor before you go forward with it. The materials discussed in this article are exclusively geared toward people in general good health with no back pain and no history of back or neck injuries.
There are three main muscle groups that we need to consider when working on our back. They are:
Trapezius muscles, which are the muscles that start in the neck and go over the shoulder blades. The rhomboids are the other very important group of muscles in the upper back.
Latissimus dorsi, which generally means broadest muscles of the back. These muscles are triangular, with points that touch under the arm, above the waist, and over the hip.
The erector spinae muscles run on both sides of the spine. When they are strong they help to prevent lower back pain and injury.
One of the best exercises you can practice at home, with or without weights, is the ‘bent over row’, which really helps traps, rhomboids and lats.
If you own a set of dumbbells, you can hold them in your hands while you move forward from the waist down, making sure to keep your knees slightly bent. Your back can be kept at 45 or 90 degrees, and your arms should be kept straight down without locking your elbows. In the event that you do not have access to dumbbells, small plastic bottles filled with water are good to use as well.
Move the weights using a row motion, lifting them up and then lowering them down, so that your upper arm lines up with the rest of your body. Lower arms still hang straight down. Your shoulders should be relaxed throughout the exercise.
Aim for up to 3 sets of 5-16 reps.
For the erector spinae you should try the ‘good morning’ exercise.
Keep your feet separated to align with your hips, slightly bend your knees, and your arms stretched above your head. You can increase the workout by using dumbbells or water bottles.
While keeping your abs braced and your back straight, bend forward. Your arms should be lined up with the torso, so that when you bend, your torso and your arms should be parallel to the floor, while your face is looking down to the floor. Go back to your original position and repeat the exercise.
You should increase the workout gradually, so it would be best if you start with 1 set of 5 to 10 repetitions without weights and work your way up to 3 sets with weights.
You should make sure that you work all the muscle groups in your back, to ensure that none are left out and are prone to injury. Your program of back exercises at home must be a varied one.
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