Back & Shoulder Exercises
One Arm Dumbell Row
Muscles Involved:-
- Trapezius
- Lattisimus Dorsi
- Infraspinatus
- Teres Major
- Teres Minor
- Posterior Deltoid
- Brachialis
- Brachioradialis
Steps to follow:-
Stand to the right of the bench, holding a dumbbell in your right hand with your palm facing in.
Place your left knee and your left hand on top of the bench for support. Let your right arm hang down and a bit forward.
Pull your abdomen in and bend forward from the hips so that your back is naturally arched and parallel to the floor, and your right knee is slightly bent.
- Pull your right arm up until your elbow is pointing to the ceiling, your upper arm is parallel to the floor, and your hand comes to the outside of the ribcage.
Lower the weight slowly back down.
Lat Pull Down
The lat pull-down is a cable-based back builder exercise. It is highly effective at building back size and strength. It’s usually trained in moderate to high reps, such as 8-12 reps per set.
Muscles Involved:-
- Lattisimus Dorsi
- Teres Major & Teres Minor
- Infraspinatus and Trapezius
- Brachialis and posterior deltoid
- Brachio radialis
Note : For a wide grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance wider than shoulder width.
For a medium grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance equal to your shoulder width and for
a close grip at a distance smaller than your shoulder width.
Steps to follow:-
- Sit down on a pull-down machine with a wide bar attached to the top pulley.
- Grab the bar with the palms facing forward using the prescribed grip. Then bring the orso back around 30 degrees or so while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest
out. This is your starting position. - Now while breathing out, bring the bar down until it touches the upper chest by drawing the shoulders and the upper arms downward and backward. Try to squeeze the back muscles once you reach the full contraction.Do not try to pull down the bar using the forearms.
- After a second at the contracted position squeezing your shoulder blades together, inhale and slowly raise the bar back to the starting position when your arms are fully extended and the lats are fully stretched.
Bend Over Row
A bent-over row is one of the best ways to target the underused muscles in the back. Bent-over rows can be done with a dumbbell, kettlebell, resistance band or barbell. It strengthens muscle to support good posture and reduce back pain.
Muscles Involved:-
- Lattisimus Dorsi
- Teres Major & Teres Minor
- Middle and Lower Trapezius
- Rhomboids
- Infraspinatus and posterior deltoid
- Brachio radialis and Brachialis
The key benefit of a bent-over row is the ability to workout your upper back and bicep muscles through dynamic movement. At the same time you are developing your posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings and lower back) and improving your posture.
Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raises
From the starting position, raise the arms upward and outwards until the dumbbells are parallel to the floor. Breathe out as you lift and pause at the top for a second. Keeping a slight bend in the elbow and palms tilted forward will increase the effectiveness of this exercise. Lower the dumbbells back and down as you breathe in and return to the starting position.
Muscles Involved:-
- Lateral Deltoid
- Anterior Deltoid
- Serratus Anterior
- Biceps Brachii
Take hold of suitable weight dumbbells, keep your core tight, your torso straight and stand with your feet flat on the floor.
Standing Barbel Front Raise
The barbell front raise is a great exercise for building your shoulders and the upper parts of your chest.
Muscles Involved:-
- Lateral Deltoid
- Anterior Deltoid
- Serratus Anterior
- Upper Pectoralis Major
Steps to follow:-
- Exhale as you lift the barbell forward and upward until your arms are a little above horizontal.
- Hold for a few seconds.
- Inhale as you lower the barbell back to the starting position.
- Repeat 8-12 reps for the desired number of sets.
- The barbell should be held with an overhand grip, with the hands shoulder-width apart and elbows extended.
- The back should be neutral and the core should be engaged throughout the exercise.