Back exercises
Q: What is the best exercise for the back? From Joy C. A: Joy, That is a great question and not an easy one to answer. When it comes to working the back, many things must be considered. One major thing is which part of the back are you looking to improve? And secondly, are you able to effectively work the muscle correctly, what I call muscle awareness. When I train back, I think about how an exercise will effect the part I am doing. Think about your spine and how it goes down the body. Majority of exercises will occur around the thoracic vertebrae region. The most common exercises most people do are Lat Pulldowns, for the latisimus dorsi or lat for short, and a variation of a Row. A variation of a Lat Pulldown (pulling down in front toward the chest as opposed to behind the head) and a Pull-Up are great not just for developing the lat but also smaller muscles in the back, arms and shoulders. A variation of a Row will target different parts of the back. Depending on the exercise, you will work the lat or rhomboid with some emphasis on the upper back, arms and rear shoulders. The lumbar vertebrae, is the region most people have back problems. Hyper Extensions/Back Extensions are great for the lower back or the erector spine, also commonly referred to as part of the core. If done correctly, a Deadlift is one of the best overall exercises. It will work everything! You will engage upper and lower back muscles. However, it's also one of the hardest exercises to execute because so many working parts are involved. If you are unsure about this exercise, I would certainly ask a professional for help. As I mentioned before, muscle awareness is critical. More often than not, people tend to pull with their arms. As a result, it takes away from the back working. So it stands to reason, even if I could say there was one best back exercise, if you do it wrong, it would not matter. Doing an exercise wrong will not only hinder that muscle from getting stronger but also increase your body's probability for injury. I believe when a person trains, they must have a strong connection between their body and mind. I sometimes come across people that just work out to work out and don't realize 1) they are doing the exercise wrong and 2) they are utilizing the wrong muscles. Everyone in the gym has a purpose and a goal, so what good is it to just do an exercise? When I first started working out, I used to use the wrong muscles. I would always get a great pump in my arms after doing chest and back. It took me awhile to figure out my mistakes. Accentuating the body part I am working and understanding how my body is effected each repetition has helped me develop some of the areas I had trouble with. I'll admit, I tell people to isolate the body part during an exercise, the truth of the matter is you can not isolate any body part. Your body is a fine piece of machinery, requiring cohesion during any movement. Always identify each rep with how well that targeted muscle is working. If you are unsure, always feel free to consult a personal trainer. When it comes to training, I firmly believe your body and mind share the work load. I hope this helps in your work outs and happy training!
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