Fitness trainer Anna Fedorova named the top 5 exercises for the back

Why is it so important to strengthen your back muscles? What exercises can you do at home and in the gym, and what do your back muscles consist of? We'll talk about all this with fitness trainer Anna Fedorova .

So, what are the back muscles made of?

The back muscles include:

• trapezius muscle;
• latissimus dorsi;
• muscles that straighten the spine;
• rhomboid muscle;
• long head of the triceps brachii.

These are the muscle groups that need special attention. Very often in my practice I meet people who, not knowing such basics, perform the same exercises, without realizing at all which muscle is working and why they need this exercise.

Why is it so important to strengthen your back muscles?

The 21st century is not only the century of information technology, but also the century of scoliosis and other various back problems. We spend most of our time on gadgets, lead a sedentary lifestyle, and many have sedentary jobs. Think about how often you encounter back and lower back pain during various everyday movements. If often enough, then it's time to fix it!

If you want to get rid of back and lower back pain, have correct and beautiful posture, and control the position of your spine, then here are the top 5 exercises for the back at home, as well as their analogues in the gym.

1. For home: "Superman"

Technique of execution

• We lie down on the floor face down, arms extended forward.
• At the same time, lift your arms and legs (without bending them) and your head off the floor.
• Your task is to lift it as high as possible while forming an arc.
• At the top point, hold for 3 seconds, then slowly return to the starting position.
• I recommend doing 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.

For the gym: Hyperextension

Technique of execution

• Adjust the height of the machine so that the front of your thighs are on the pads and your pelvic bones remain free of support - this will allow the movement to be performed in full amplitude.
• Secure your feet to special rollers.
• We smoothly bend the body down, holding our hands in front of the chest.
• As you inhale, lift your body up, contracting your buttocks.
• As you exhale, return to the starting position.
• I recommend doing 3 sets of 15 repetitions.

2. For home: Forward bend with arms extended

Technique of execution

• Place your feet hip-width apart.
• Stretch your arms out in front of you.
• Bend your knees slightly.
• With a straight back, bend down until you are parallel to the floor and return to the starting position.
• I recommend doing 3 sets, 12-15 repetitions.

For the gym: Good morning exercise

Technique of execution

• We place the bar on the racks at shoulder level.
• We approach the bar, positioning the body in the center of the bar so that the weight is distributed evenly.
• We place the bar slightly below the shoulder blades, gathering the shoulder blades towards the center.
• Take the bar slightly wider than your shoulders, your task is to fix the bar as tightly as possible.
• We remove the barbell, fix the body in a standing position, legs at the width of the pelvic bones, feet parallel to each other.
• We bend the body forward by bending at the hip joint, with the knees slightly bent.
• We return to the starting position.
• I recommend doing 1 warm-up set, then adding a comfortable weight to the bar and doing 3 sets of 10 reps.

3. For home: Slopes against the wall

This exercise can be performed near any vertical flat surface.

Technique of execution

• We stand near the wall.
• We stretch out and raise our arms up.
• We begin to bend to the right and left, each time returning to the starting position.
• I recommend doing 3 sets, 12 bends in each direction.

For the Gym: Body Bends with a Fitball

Technique of execution

• Feet are hip-width apart.
• Straighten your arms upward, holding the fitball above your head.
• We begin to bend our body to the right and left without bending our arms, holding the ball above our head, and after each bend we return to the starting position.
• I recommend doing 3 sets of 10 bends in each direction.

4. This exercise can be performed at home, outdoors, or in the gym: Hanging on a horizontal bar

Technique of execution

• Hang on the horizontal bar as long as possible.
• Your task is to relax as much as possible and feel how the intervertebral discs are stretched.
• We return to the ground smoothly and without a sharp jump.

5. This exercise can be performed at home, outdoors, or in the gym: Pull-ups with a medium grip

• Hang on the horizontal bar with a medium grip (slightly wider than shoulder width).
• Begin to pull your chest up towards the bar, using your shoulder blades to perform the movement.
• Focus on your elbows, your task is to “press” them down as you lift your body so that the load on the latissimus dorsi is maximum, at the top point - the elbows are practically pressed to the body.
• Slowly lower yourself down, relax your back muscles and repeat again.
• I recommend doing 3 sets of the maximum number of reps.

*If it is difficult to do pull-ups with your own weight, use a special rubber band.

• Related news:
• coach
• board
• health
• 3 November 2023

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