These Are the Best Exercises to Un-Hunch Your Shoulders and Build a Stronger Back
We take our back for granted because we don't realize how much we use it every day. Whether you have an office job and are constantly hunched over your desk, or you're running around town carrying heavy groceries, the weight on your shoulders quickly adds up. That's why it's so important to exercise your back. It's home to one of the largest muscle groups in your body and has many important functions, such as keeping your core and shoulders stabilized. Your back is also the bridge between your upper and lower body.
"Your back is the powerhouse of your body, and it's what keeps you erect. It helps you maintain your posture and keeps your spine aligned. We also tend to do a lot of forward motions, such as texting and typing, which rounds our backs and makes them weak," explains Larysa DiDio, a certified personal trainer and creator of Tone Up in 15, a fitness DVD filled with 15-minute workouts that target a variety of muscle groups.
"Strengthening your back helps you decrease your risk of injury, makes you overall stronger, and helps make everyday activities easier," DiDio says. Good news for you: The back exercises below target every muscle in your posterior chain, including the traps (upper back), rhomboids (shoulder blades), deltoids (front and back upper-arm and shoulder muscles), and the latissimus dorsi (the mid- to lower-back). That said, DiDio recommends you do back exercises two to three times a week and work your back twice as much as your chest when doing a total-body workout. "So if you're doing two chest exercises one day, I suggests doing four back exercises too," she says.
When you're doing back exercises, maintaining form is key: "You need to make sure that your back isn't rounded and always flat. Keep your head in a neutral position and engage your core as much as your back," DiDio says.
Ready to put some back into it? Try the workout below to help you build a stronger upper body and prevent back pain.
Reps: 8 to 12 reps per exercise for 3-4 rounds
Equipment: Gaiam Reversible Yoga Mat and AmazonBasics Neoprene Dumbbell Pairs
Apparel: Sweaty Betty Power Workout Ankle Leggings, Sweaty Betty Stamina Sports Bra, Athleta Speedlight Tank in Neon Orange, and Mizuna Wave Shadow 2
Squash back fat and look good from behind.
