Back muscles exercises for women, any suggestions?

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karolinapr86
karolinapr86 Posts: 8 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi
Does anyone have experience in working with women on their trapezius muscles (back/neck) and the group of muscles under your shoulder blades?
I would like to avoid getting bulky and grew them but rather just straighten them.
Is there any exercise/ gym equipment to avoid?
Is there any exercise/ gym equipment to go for?
Thanks in advance

Replies

  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    I'm a bit confused. You "grew" them or is that a mistype?

    Also in would be helpful knowing your recent training history, equipment available, diet(carnivorous?), caloric intake, & weight goal.

    Are you sensitive to training?

    Could you please explain what you mean by "straighten them"?
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,330 Member
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    I’m guessing you might mean that you want “toned” rather than big traps and lats? So the great news is that you won’t unintentionally grow big muscles - unless you’re an outlier. Which is why @chieflrg is asking if you’re particularly sensitive to training.

    “Toned” muscles are genuinely just muscles with little body fat on them (if that is what you’re looking for). There are a tonne of exercises you can do to help those areas but it will depend on what you’ve been doing so far, how fit / strong you are (ie have you ever tried a pull up? Great for the lats but no good if you can’t yet do them), and whether you’re wanting to lose weight, maintain or gain… can you give us more info?
  • penguinmama87
    penguinmama87 Posts: 1,158 Member
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    claireychn074 wrote: »
    I’m guessing you might mean that you want “toned” rather than big traps and lats? So the great news is that you won’t unintentionally grow big muscles - unless you’re an outlier. Which is why @chieflrg is asking if you’re particularly sensitive to training.

    “Toned” muscles are genuinely just muscles with little body fat on them (if that is what you’re looking for). There are a tonne of exercises you can do to help those areas but it will depend on what you’ve been doing so far, how fit / strong you are (ie have you ever tried a pull up? Great for the lats but no good if you can’t yet do them), and whether you’re wanting to lose weight, maintain or gain… can you give us more info?

    Yes. Women generally don't get bulky. Some definition, sure, especially with lower body fat. But even then, women generally will have higher body fat than men because that's how we're made. Unless you're highly, highly unusual, you don't need to be afraid of "accidentally" getting big.

    I actually did back exercises today. Not lifting very heavily by any stretch of the imagination just yet, but more than I thought I would be able to do a few months ago. I just use dumbbells at home. Deadlifts, single arm rows, and bent rows. YouTube has a lot of videos to consult for proper form, which is always something I am concerned about.

    This is a really nice thread with a lot of information: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
  • KickassAmazon76
    KickassAmazon76 Posts: 4,558 Member
    edited August 2021
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    Very generally, exercises done in sets of 12-15 reps tend to build less muscle volume than sets of 5-12.

    So if you are muscle definition adverse, you may want to go with a higher rep /lower weight workout.

    The less fat you have, the more muscle definition you'll see, but as noted above, it won't happen by accident.

    Eg... I've been working crazy hard to get the definition I see. (see temp profile pic)

    But really.. The only way to have a smooth back is to not develop the muscles and leave a layer of fat covering them.

    FWIW... Strong muscular backs are hot, but I know that's a matter of opinion.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,070 Member
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    penguinmama87 wrote: »
    claireychn074 wrote: »
    I’m guessing you might mean that you want “toned” rather than big traps and lats? So the great news is that you won’t unintentionally grow big muscles - unless you’re an outlier. Which is why @chieflrg is asking if you’re particularly sensitive to training.

    “Toned” muscles are genuinely just muscles with little body fat on them (if that is what you’re looking for). There are a tonne of exercises you can do to help those areas but it will depend on what you’ve been doing so far, how fit / strong you are (ie have you ever tried a pull up? Great for the lats but no good if you can’t yet do them), and whether you’re wanting to lose weight, maintain or gain… can you give us more info?

    Yes. Women generally don't get bulky. Some definition, sure, especially with lower body fat. But even then, women generally will have higher body fat than men because that's how we're made. Unless you're highly, highly unusual, you don't need to be afraid of "accidentally" getting big.

    I actually did back exercises today. Not lifting very heavily by any stretch of the imagination just yet, but more than I thought I would be able to do a few months ago. I just use dumbbells at home. Deadlifts, single arm rows, and bent rows. YouTube has a lot of videos to consult for proper form, which is always something I am concerned about.

    This is a really nice thread with a lot of information: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    I agree with the post I'm quoting, with one addition: Even if you're a highly, highly unusual woman, one who adds muscle mass more easily than most other women, you don't have to worry about *accidentally* getting big.

    Even with favorable genetics, and ideal practices, it's going to take time, large amounts of it (workout time, calendar time) to add mass. It's slow, even under ideal conditions.

    If you start strength training, you'll learn how your body responds, under your conditions. No matter how it responds, you're not going to wake up one morning, and poof, bulky. Instead, when you reach the level of muscularity you like, you stop training in ways more likely to increase it, and drop back to maintenance amounts/types of training, or even stop training altogether.

    Because the process is inherently slow, you have time and opportunity to adjust, if necessary . . . which it likely won't be.
  • karolinapr86
    karolinapr86 Posts: 8 Member
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    Thank you so much everyone! All your comments make me feel confident to work my upper body now.
    Sorry if I wasn’t clear in my post (English isn’t my first language) but yeah I meant to say that I wanted to avoid the “bulky traps and lats” and just have a lean rather than muscular back.
    Thanks a lot for the pictures and exercise suggestions, I will definitely check out the link too.
    For the context: I have about 15 kg yet to loose to be at my ideal weight. It’s going great and I feel I can do more everyday so hopefully I’ll get to a point where I can start pull-ups. I think right now I am a tad to heavy and need to educate myself more how to train safely/correctly.


  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,509 Member
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    Back muscles are the same for women and men, so the exercises are the same. The biggest difference in training is how much resistance is used and the volume of sets and reps.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • SnifterPug
    SnifterPug Posts: 746 Member
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    karolinapr86 wrote: »
    Thank you so much everyone! All your comments make me feel confident to work my upper body now.
    Sorry if I wasn’t clear in my post (English isn’t my first language) but yeah I meant to say that I wanted to avoid the “bulky traps and lats” and just have a lean rather than muscular back.
    Thanks a lot for the pictures and exercise suggestions, I will definitely check out the link too.
    For the context: I have about 15 kg yet to loose to be at my ideal weight. It’s going great and I feel I can do more everyday so hopefully I’ll get to a point where I can start pull-ups. I think right now I am a tad to heavy and need to educate myself more how to train safely/correctly.


    Pull ups are an aim of mine and I have been working on them for some 3 years now! I'm getting close. The changes in my back musculature are very pleasing (if hard to see unless I really flex, as I have a good layer of fat over them).

    Carrying extra weight of course makes them harder but there is no reason not to start training towards a pull up. Inverted rows are a great exercise. Even assisted pull ups on the machine at the gym (not ideal form-wise, but OK if needs must) or with resistance bands are good. Dead hangs are good. Plus things like lat pull downs, barbell or dumbbell rows. And even hollow body holds on the floor are awesome because you need good core strength for pull ups.

  • karolinapr86
    karolinapr86 Posts: 8 Member
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    Thank You for the exercise tips, will definitely try them and post my progress.
    You guys feel free to add me as friend! Would love to see your progress too!

    Pull ups are an aim of mine and I have been working on them for some 3 years now! I'm getting close. The changes in my back musculature are very pleasing (if hard to see unless I really flex, as I have a good layer of fat over them).

    Carrying extra weight of course makes them harder but there is no reason not to start training towards a pull up. Inverted rows are a great exercise. Even assisted pull ups on the machine at the gym (not ideal form-wise, but OK if needs must) or with resistance bands are good. Dead hangs are good. Plus things like lat pull downs, barbell or dumbbell rows. And even hollow body holds on the floor are awesome because you need good core strength for pull ups.

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