One of the fundamental
aspects of living a healthy lifestyle is having a strong core. But this doesn’t
mean just your abdominals. Your lower and upper back are key components of this
area and they assist in your movements every day. Having a strong back improves
your stability, balance and helps you avoid injury. You should try to work out your
back just as much as other parts of your body. Here are a few simple exercises
you can do at home to keep your back strong.
Reverse
Fly
This is a great
exercise to work your shoulders and upper back. Stand up straight with your
feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. With a pair of lightweight
dumbbells in each hand, lean forward at the waist and keep your palms facing in.
With your elbows slightly bent upwards, raise the weights out to the sides and
up as far as you can, as if you were spreading your wings to fly. Squeeze your
shoulder blades together and engage your abdomen. Lower the dumbbells back down
slowly and repeat. We recommend doing two sets of 16 reps.
Swan
Dive
A classic yoga move,
this relaxing exercise is another great movement to improve your posture and
increase your stability. Start by lying face down with your arms stretched out
overhead. With your toes pointed out and a big inhale, lift your arms and legs
about 6 inches off the ground. Hold for 1 second. To better concentrate, think
of your legs being pulled out away from your hips. Next, rotate your arms in a
large circle out to your sides, wrapping them around, and ending behind you.
Exhale, reach your arms toward your toes with your palms facing inward, and
flex your back muscles. After 1 second, slowly bring your arms back around to
the front, lower your feet and relax. It’s best to repeat this entire exercise
six to eight times.
Bent-Over Row
This exercise is
designed to work your lower and middle back. Exercising this area is important
for flexibility and injury prevention. Hold one dumbbell in each hand and stand
upright with your feet hip-width apart. Bend your knees slightly. Lean forward from
your hips and while keeping your back flat, pull the dumbbells upward to your
chest. Be sure that the dumbbells are in front of your knees and you’re keeping
your upper arms and elbows close to your ribs. Focus on squeezing your shoulder
blades together and then lower the dumbbells slowly. Try doing two sets of 10
to 12 reps, and increase over time.
Opposite Arm and Leg Reach
This simple movement
will not only help to stretch and work your back muscles, but also improve your
posture. First, start on all fours. With your right arm, reach forward. At the
same time, stretch your left leg back while flexing your foot. Hold this
position. After holding for five seconds, slowly release and repeat using the
left arm and right leg. Both of these movements count as one rep, so no
cheating! About 10 to 15 reps per side should be enough to work your back
muscles and help stretch out any kinks.
Hip Bridge (Bridge Lifts)
Rounding out our list
is an easy exercise that will engage your lower back and glutes. Lie on your
back with your feet flat on the floor. Keep them hip-width apart, relax your
arms, and bend your knees as if you were about to do a crunch. Lift your hips
upward and squeeze your buttocks really tight, creating a straight line all the
way from your knees to your shoulders. Hold for three seconds and lower slowly.
Start low with five or six repetitions, but once you are accustomed to this
movement, build up to 10-12.
You can choose your own
dumbbell weights in any of these exercises based on your own ability. Remember
that these exercises should be challenging, but not impossible. You don’t need
an expensive trainer or gym membership to work out your back. You can work your
core in the comfort of your own home with simply a few dumbbells and a yoga
mat. For those of you looking for extra back support, check out our selection
of back
braces, which include the popular Thermoskin
Elastic Back stabiliser and Thermoskin
Back Brace.
