It’s summertime! Which means less clothing and more skin… and that could be a dreaded prospect for some.
Hello open-back tops, dresses, bathing suits, and workout gear. A sun kissed tan along with a toned back is obviously preferred. More than just the aesthetics of it, a strong back comes a lot of its own positive health benefits.
During the day, many of us are hunched over our laptops and phones for numerous hours. Back exercises during the day, will give you better posture and easier functional movement; which can also help prevent back injury. Think about just how much you use your back throughout the day – from tying your shoes and holding luggage, to lifting any items throughout the day. The back is the most used and also one of the most commonly injured parts of the body for all age groups.
Related: 5 Simple Bodyweight Workouts You Can Do at Home
With that being said, you can start by doing a few at-home exercises a couple of times a week, to gain an attractive strong looking back as well as maintaining back health.
Here are three exercises to try at home:
1. Superman
To begin this exercise, lie facedown with your chin on the ground, your arms placed in front of you shoulder width apart, and your palms placed flat on the floor. Your ankles should be touching along with your toes which will be pointed under you. Contract both arms and legs and elevate them so your arms and legs are at the same relative height at the top of the static hold position. Hold this “superman” position for 15-30 seconds and then relax for 30 seconds, repeat this 5-10 times.
2. Good Mornings
Just like they are named, this exercise is a great way to get yourself going in the morning. To begin the exercise, stand up straight with your hands on your hips. Place your feet slightly wider than your hips, engage your core, pushing your ribs down, and pull your shoulders back while your neck is in a neutral position. Then, bend forward at the waist slowly, while keeping your shoulders in line with your hips. Throughout the exercise focus on keeping your glutes, hamstrings, and back engaged. Bend over until you are parallel to the floor before you bring yourself back up into the starting position. Repeat this for 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps with a 30-60 second rest in-between sets.
Note: Perfect form is crucial for this exercise. It is common for people to round their back, which loses the neutral spine position, which can cause injury. Try doing this exercise in front of a mirror to perfect your form.
3. Y, T, and I Raises
Y Raises: To begin the exercise, lie facing down on the floor with your arms stretched straight out at a 30-degree angle to your body – forming a Y. Your palms should be facing one another so that the thumb side of your hand is pointing up. Then, raise your arms as high as you comfortably can and hold this for 10 seconds, then relax, and repeat for 20 repetitions.
Related: 6 Ways To Get Motivated To Exercise
T Raises: To begin the exercise, lie face down with your arms out to your sides and your thumb side of your hand pointing straight up. Then, raise your arms as high as you comfortably can and hold this for 10 seconds, then relax, and repeat for 20 repetitions.
I Raises: To begin exercise, lie so that your body forms a straight line from your feet to your fingertips. Your arms should be stretched out in front of your body with your palms facing one another and your thumb side of your hand pointing up. Then, raise your arms as high as you comfortably can and hold this for 10 seconds, then relax, and repeat for 20 repetitions.
Note: For all Y, T, and I raises your feet should never leave the floor.
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