Eager to know the best back exercises for women? You are at right place. Not only are back exercises great for both strengthening and toning, but they are also important for reducing back pain.
did you know With one in six people in England complaining of back pain, according to the charity Arthritis Research UK, more of us should probably be looking into weight training exercises for our backs – so you’re already well ahead of the curve.
When we have back pain, many people think that the right thing to do is to avoid movement. But having a strong back is the best way to improve and prevent pain (though if you’re currently dealing with any back pain, it’s best to check with your GP first, FYI).
research Published since 2018. Frontiers of Neuroscience The journal found that back pain in both athletes and non-exercisers is caused by weaknesses in their spinal muscles, while 2021 paper found that 16 weeks of posterior chain resistance training (meaning training the muscles of the back of the body) significantly reduced back pain and disability compared to normal exercise.
It makes sense that a strong back is more flexible. The spine is busy – we ask it to hold us up and move in all kinds of directions, yet we put it under stress from carrying very heavy bags and sitting at our desk in a less than ideal position for eight hours a day. Let’s put it (just us)?). Strengthening the muscles that surround the spine is a great start to taking better care of our bodies.
Glute exercises and abs exercises can also help with back pain, but for now we’re going to focus on back exercises. I’m Chloe Gray, a health and fitness writer and personal trainer who has the privilege of talking to the best in the biz on a regular basis. I asked expert PTs to share their favorite moves, which are outlined below.
Don’t Forget Our Guide to Glute Exercises (opens in new tab)resistance band exercises (opens in new tab)dumbbell exercises (opens in new tab) and kettlebell exercises (opens in new tab),
Back Exercises for Women: Your Guide
There are lots of different muscles in your back, so there’s no one exercise that will work them all. The three main muscles are involved:
- trap, below the neck
- rhombusmiddle of upper back
- Let’s go backwards
Targeting all of these will give you well-rounded back strength. Remember that strength comes from challenging your body by working against resistance for up to 15 reps. You shouldn’t feel like you can do more reps at the end of your set – there’s more to it than that. strength training for beginners guide.
Most back-focus exercises are performed by pulling a weight toward you, whether it’s pulling a barbell or dumbbell off the floor, a resistance band toward your face or your body weight against a bar. Try the exercises below to strengthen your back.
back exercises for women
1. Pull Ups
Pull-ups are one of the best exercises for your back because they require very little kit. Using only your body weight, you’ll target your lats, as well as engage your traps and rhomboids.
How to do: Stand under a sturdy pull-up bar (on a box or bench if you can’t reach it). Take a long resistance band and loop it around the bar. Grasp the bar a little wider than shoulder-width apart and place your feet in the loop. Pull your shoulders back and down and squeeze your core, then begin to pull your body weight up. You want your chin to come just above the bar, then slowly lower it.
how long: 60 seconds.
top tip: The thicker the resistance band, the easier it is to do pull-ups. If you don’t have bands, negative pull ups are a great alternative. These include jumping at the top of the movement and slowly lowering yourself down.
2. Bend Over Row
Bent-over rows can be performed with barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands (or even bodyweight for pure back activation during warm up exercises). (opens in new tab), It targets the entire back, so you get a real bang for your buck with this move.
How to do: Hold your piece of kit in both hands with an underhand grip, with your palms facing away from you. Hinge at the hips so that your upper body tilts toward the floor. Engage your core and roll your shoulders down. Pull your elbows back, shave the sides of your body and squeeze your back. Slowly lean backward.
how long: 60 seconds.
3. Single Arm Dumbbell Row
Rows are a great way to target the entire back, but especially the upper back. “It’s a unilateral exercise that strengthens the back but also incorporates core and arm work,” says Molly. Unilateral exercises are also great because they help to correct any imbalances by working one side at a time.
How to do: Stand on the edge of your bench, exercise ball, sofa or table. Place your right knee on the surface and hinge at the hips to reach your right hand down — your knee should be directly under your hips and your hand under your shoulder — keep your hips flat so they don’t twist to one side.
Hold a dumbbell in your left hand and roll your left shoulder back and down. Begin pulling your arm backward, bending your arm so that your elbow shaves the side of your body. Slowly lean backward.
how long: 60 seconds.
4. Seated Cable Row
This exercise uses a cable machine, which is a great little piece of kit – there are lots of different ways to set it up, so it can always be the right one for you. “By alternating grips, you can target every part of your back from the lats to the traps to the rhomboids,” says Eleanor. “I love to incorporate a one-second squeeze when I retract—I feel powerful yet in control of the movement.”
How to do: You can sit on a stair or floor in front of a cable machine, placing your feet firmly against the machine or on the floor. Position the adjustment at chest height, holding the long bar, V bar or handles.
Roll your shoulders back and down, engage your core and pull the attachment toward you, keeping your elbows behind your ribs. Squeeze, then return to starting position.
how long: 60 seconds.
5. Close Grip Lat Pull-Down
“I love this exercise either as a warm-up before pull-ups or as an exercise in its own right,” says Georgie. “I’m able to slow down the reps under the control of a cable and fully activate my back. It’s a great way to build strength to help you achieve a full pull-up.”
How to do: Attach a V bar to a lat pull-up machine (Alternatively, use a longer bar but keep your hands together. You can also use a resistance band attached to a high surface).
Holding the bar or band above you, roll your shoulders back and down and pull the bar toward your chest. Slowly raise it back to the starting position.
how long: 60 seconds.
6. Kettlebell Gorilla Row
“This is a great way to work each side of the back individually while maintaining a stable foundation. Keep your back flat and knees bent with a neutral spine,” says Jess.
How to do: Place two kettlebells on the floor between your feet. Hing at the hips to reach down and grab the handles. Engage your core and land with your feet down on the floor as you lift one kettlebell up, driving your elbows back and shaving your ribs. Slowly lean backward. Repeat on the other side.
how long: 60 seconds.
Which is the best workout for the back?
Any combination of the above six moves — which include pull ups, bent over rows, dumbbell rows, cable rows, lat pull downs and gorilla rows — will make a great workout, share the experts.
The main thing to pay attention to is correct form, and don’t overexert yourself if you haven’t been to the gym for a while.
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