Bring Sexy Back, Ladies!

There are so many women out there who neglect to work out one of the most important body parts—the back! I believe this is one of the most underrated parts of the body when it comes to women. If you think about it, your back is a huge part of your body, but many girls shrug it off as unimportant or a group of “guy” muscles. If you've thought this before, think again: Bikini season is right around the corner, and when you peel off your shirt, you don't want your bikini straps to be strung across your back between layers of pudge, do you? Also, don't you want your entire body to be long and lean, especially with all the backless dresses that are in style right now? Thought so :)

There's more reasons to shape your back than just for looks, though. A strong back will be able to support your core and give you better posture, therefore making you appear thinner. You will have less lower back pain for those of us that stand or sit on desk chairs all day. That being said, here's some info on muscles in your back you may not have known you had. Now when you hear a guy ask you to feel his traps, you'll know what the heck he's talking about!

Instructions: Do 10-12 reps of each move of Superset 1 with no rest in between moves. Rest 1 minute and repeat 2x before moving on to the next Superset. If you're trying to keep your metabolism high to burn fat, throw in a 2-5 minute cardio burst in between Supersets (jumping rope, jumping jacks, burpees, cardio machines at high intensity, etc.). These cardio bursts also give your upper body time to rest to prepare itself for the next exercise—while checking off your cardio for the day in the process! Awesome time-saver. 

Descriptions for exercises below.

Superset 1

1. Back Extension with Row

2. Bent-over Reverse flies

Superset 2

1. DB Deadlift with Upright Row

2. Lat Pulldown

Superset 3

1. Close-grip Row

2. Barbell Military Press

Superset 4

1. Pull-ups

2. Superman

1. Back Extension with Row (works lower back, delts, and lats)

I like to do this exercise on a roman chair, but you can also do it on a stability ball. In a basic back extension, you could use no weight or hold a weight in front of your chest. Once that gets easier, try this variation: hold 2 DB's in each hand that are challenging for you. Let your arms hang straight down in the starting position. As you rise, pull elbows back and squeeze back muscles to perform a row.

 

2. Bent-over Reverse flies (works delts and lats)

Make sure to keep elbows and knees bent. I would recommend bending over even lower than the woman in the picture so your torso is more parallel to the ground.

 

 3. DB Deadlift w/Upright Row (works lower back & traps)

Bring DB's to toes, keeping back flat and knees bent. As you rise, squeeze lower back and glutes, thrusting hips forward. Perform an upright row at the top. 

 

4. Lat Pulldown (works lats)

This is one of the most frequently used machines at the gym, and it can be a great back exercise. Personally, while machines have their place, I believe if they are used too often in one's workout routine one can plateua more easily. That being said, the lat pulldown is a great exercise, so break the plateau with this killer variation using DB's or a resistance band. Sit up straight on a bench, mimicking the exact stance that you would on the machine: arms up, palms facing forward, elbows bent at a 90 degree angle so that you upper half looks like a goal post. If you are executing proper form, you should already be feeling some tightness in your back muscles. Bring your elbows down to meet the sides of your back, squeezing your lats together. Bring them up slowly to meet at the top, the same way you would in a chest press. 

 

5.  Close-grip Row (works delts and lats)

Instead of your usual bent-over row stance, start with the weights touching in front of your chest, elbows bent. The actual rowing movement is much slighter than a wide-grip row, but your back stays in a constant “strained” position, therefore getting a better workout faster!

 

6. Barbell Military Press (works traps and shoulders)

Keep your core tight throughout this move to keep your body steady.

 

7.  Pull-ups (works entire back)

If you can't do one on your own (I can't, either!), use the assisted machine at the gym, or have a friend hold your feet.

8. Superman (works entire back)

If you don't have a stability ball, lean over a twin bed, a wide chair, or a coffee table with a pillow on top. Keeping your back flat, raise your right arm and left leg at the same time, squeezing back muscles and glutes. Palms and tops of feet should be facing down. They key here is to keep your face pointed down and neck relaxed. Repeat, alternating sides. You can also do this move on all fours.