Upper back exercise

piratebear1
piratebear1 Posts: 88 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I realise you can not spot target to lose weight in certain areas. However I would like to work my upper back - the part I like to call my 'Back boobs'.

In the past I always Yo-yo diet - lose a heap ... get happy .. eat ...gain a heap. I'm 5ft and my comfort weight (where I get to when i pig out) is 15stone - 210lbs. In the past I have dropped to 10 stone - which Im happy with, but always had the back boobs - weight dosent shift from here.

This time round is different - i started at 210 , got down to 196 and found MFP.

For the first time EVER I have lost weight in this area! - not as much as I wanted, but enough to make me sooo happy and want to work this area some more.

I have been doing the same as always - my Vicky binns DVD , Walking, swimming breaststroke every few weeks - the only different thing is I have been doing 3 sets of 15 push ups -that is litterally the only change. Ive never been able to do push ups, but decided I could do wall push ups at work - so did! Im now onto inclined push ups from a work top.

Could this be the reason for the back boob weight loss? really? just this simple amount of push ups??

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Replies

  • indigoigloo
    indigoigloo Posts: 20
    While you are certainly not "spot-losing" on your back, you are slowly bulking the layer of muscle underneath the fat. If you throw a blanket over differently sized objects, it's going to look different. Your fat is getting pushed into new places because muscle is taking up a little more space.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    push ups are not a back exercise- they are mainly a chest/tricep exercise.

    You're loss of fat comes from a calorie deficit.

    Back exercises would be
    Pull ups
    Inverted rows/inverted pull ups
    L sits
    DB rows/BarBell rows/Sandbag rows
    Lat Pull downs
    Seated rows.

    Good job on the weight loss- keep up the good work!!!
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    what's an L sit?
  • piratebear1
    piratebear1 Posts: 88 Member
    Wow - thats a whole lot of exercises Ive never heard of . . .blush.

    I never thought of push ups as back exercises - just thought it must be due to them as I have never lost weight here before.

    I appreciate all the help - especially If I can find some exercises I can do whilst at the office ;-)
  • Number_44
    Number_44 Posts: 97 Member
    what's an L sit?

    228b974bd49da4f5e3f12ba306c53a7e.gif?1386766483
  • piratebear1
    piratebear1 Posts: 88 Member
    Oh my . . .that dosent look like something I would be able to do!

    Guess the reason I dont lose much back weight is that I have a bad back :-(
  • TarynAngeline
    TarynAngeline Posts: 95 Member
    what's an L sit?

    228b974bd49da4f5e3f12ba306c53a7e.gif?1386766483

    :laugh:

    Off to the gym to try this one!
  • Number_44
    Number_44 Posts: 97 Member
    what's an L sit?

    228b974bd49da4f5e3f12ba306c53a7e.gif?1386766483

    :laugh:

    Off to the gym to try this one!

    This is an L sit.

    guy_L_sit_520_2.jpg

    I REALLY just wanted to post that other one! :tongue:
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    a calorie deficit and properly fitting bra's and bikini tops.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Wow - thats a whole lot of exercises Ive never heard of . . .blush.

    I never thought of push ups as back exercises - just thought it must be due to them as I have never lost weight here before.

    I appreciate all the help - especially If I can find some exercises I can do whilst at the office ;-)

    it's okay- i've been doing this for a while- LOL I know a lot of random (mostly useless information) if you are new to working out it can DEFINITELY be overwhelming.

    Office stuff... I actually do like fake pull downs... extend my arms over head straight up- grasp and imaginary bar- and pull my elbows to my waist (so my hands land outside my head as if you put your hands up if someone was pointing a gun at you like OH WAIT UNARMED UN ARMED!!!)

    You can just do the movement but you can also generate lot of your own resistance doing that. So imagine someone is putting their hands on your elbows pushing UP while you PUSH DOWN... it's internally generated and it's great for office stuff or when you are injuried- because you can vary the amount of push back you give yourself- obviously this is limited but its' WAY better than nothing.

    L Sits are hard- but they hit an area of the back widely over looked- the nice thing is you can do a variation at your desk if you have either a corner desk- OR a chair with arms on it (be careful with this obviously)... you can just lift yourself up with your arms- leaving your feet on the floor to aid you. Good way to get started.

    Guess the reason I don't lose much back weight is that I have a bad back :-(
    weight loss is a derivative of diet- not working out- the working out burns more calories creating a larger caloric deficit- but it's not the exercise itself- it's the calorie deficit. You can lose weight without working out at all actually- it's like 80% diet- working out helps- but the diet does it for you. :)
  • piratebear1
    piratebear1 Posts: 88 Member
    it's okay- i've been doing this for a while- LOL I know a lot of random (mostly useless information) if you are new to working out it can DEFINITELY be overwhelming.

    Office stuff... I actually do like fake pull downs... extend my arms over head straight up- grasp and imaginary bar- and pull my elbows to my waist (so my hands land outside my head as if you put your hands up if someone was pointing a gun at you like OH WAIT UNARMED UN ARMED!!!)

    You can just do the movement but you can also generate lot of your own resistance doing that. So imagine someone is putting their hands on your elbows pushing UP while you PUSH DOWN... it's internally generated and it's great for office stuff or when you are injuried- because you can vary the amount of push back you give yourself- obviously this is limited but its' WAY better than nothing.

    L Sits are hard- but they hit an area of the back widely over looked- the nice thing is you can do a variation at your desk if you have either a corner desk- OR a chair with arms on it (be careful with this obviously)... you can just lift yourself up with your arms- leaving your feet on the floor to aid you. Good way to get started.

    Guess the reason I don't lose much back weight is that I have a bad back :-(
    weight loss is a derivative of diet- not working out- the working out burns more calories creating a larger caloric deficit- but it's not the exercise itself- it's the calorie deficit. You can lose weight without working out at all actually- it's like 80% diet- working out helps- but the diet does it for you. :)
    [/quote]

    Wow - thank you so much - at desk pretending I have a gun to my head as we speak ! lol
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    lmao- yep- start extended above your head then just pull down.

    I don't know how else to describe it- so that's what I went with LMAO.

    Hopefully you can feel it -
    As I start I feel shoulders- top and slightly toward the back
    then just contracting shoulder blades- so upper back- pulling scapula to the spine
    then down into the outside lower back- almost under your arm pits.

    desk workouts.. the awesome. :D
  • piratebear1
    piratebear1 Posts: 88 Member
    My desk faces a glass window onto the street - I must look very amusing to passers by! lol
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    what's an L sit?

    228b974bd49da4f5e3f12ba306c53a7e.gif?1386766483

    :laugh:

    Off to the gym to try this one!

    it looks like that dude is banging the equipment...

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