Toning Back!!!

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kvandenbush
kvandenbush Posts: 19
in Health and Weight Loss
My back has always been my problem area. I used to be real fit in high school due to playing sports, but now in college I do not have practice everyday like I used to so staying fit takes a lot more work. My back has always been a problem and I tend to store fat there more than in other places. Are there any good workouts that will tone back muscles preferably where women gain fat?

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  • Mustangsally1000
    Mustangsally1000 Posts: 860 Member
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    bump
  • MîîśÊmÿłõü
    MîîśÊmÿłõü Posts: 285 Member
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    I totally get where your coming from, as far as excercises I've been doing a lot of upper body strength training, and it has helped tones! :) maybe give something along those lines a go and see how you go? -)
  • Shizzman
    Shizzman Posts: 527 Member
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    A couple things I'd suggest...work on squats, deadlifts, and rows. Also check out rowing (like using an erg aka rowing machine), swimming (great for the whole body), or rock climbing (great for the whole body and just an awesome activity).
  • chellekoren
    chellekoren Posts: 273 Member
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    I am just guessing, but back bends really work your back, dumbbell rows, i don't know what you call these, but the ones where you lie flat on your stomach with arms out like superman and lift up trying to get thighs and chest off of the ground, repeat. those are some really good back exercises.
  • skingszoo
    skingszoo Posts: 412 Member
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    Any type of row.
  • Panda86
    Panda86 Posts: 873
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    Well, you have to get rid of excess fat through cardio, so that the muscles can actually show through. You can tone, but you can't spot-reduce fat. With that said, you can certainly be working on toning those muscles now, so that as you drop the weight, you will have a toned back. Some exercises that I do:

    Bridges: Lay on your back, knees bent, feet on the floor. Lift your butt, hold, and lower it back down. Its great for the lower back and glutes.

    Supermans: Lay on your stomach, feet out straight behind you, arms out in front of you. Inhale, and on the exhale lift your arms and legs off the floor. Hold for a few seconds, then release.

    Dumbbell rows: Plant your feet hip width apart, knees slightly bent. Bend slightly at the waist, keeping your stomach in and back straight. With dumbbells in the weight of your choice, hold them out in front of you, then pull them back, pinching your shoulder blades together.

    Pull-downs: With dumb bells in weight of your choice (I use 5s), plant your feet slightly wider than hip width. Raise arms up in a "V" shape, pull down, and feel the shoulder blades pinch together.

    All of these are workouts that can be found online as well, so you can get pics to go with them. I also recommend www.liveleanmd.com and www.blogilates.com for great toning workouts. :)
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
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    You can do:
    Lat pull downs,
    Pull ups (assisted if you can't on your own yet)
    Barbell bent over rows
    Dumbell rows
    Reverse pec deck

    Youtube and Google should bring up some good demonstrations on what these are if you're unsure and on how to do them :)

    These will help to build muscle on your back to "tone up" once your body fat is reduced but it won't get rid of the actual fat there. You need a calorie deficit for that, and where it comes off first is down to genetics, you can't spot reduce fat unfortunately :/
  • KyleJCooper
    KyleJCooper Posts: 44 Member
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    I would recommend seated row, back extensions, oblique machine, lat pulldown for targeted strength training in those areas. Lots of cardio and good eating habits are the only way to really get definition in that area though. :)
  • kvandenbush
    kvandenbush Posts: 19
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    I do rows all of the time, squats and other workouts such as these. I would most definitely go swimming as this was when i was the most fit when i was a lifeguard, however, the pool at my college is only open approx. 2 hours a day when sadly, I am at work.
  • Lift_hard_eat_big
    Lift_hard_eat_big Posts: 2,278 Member
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    There's no way to spot reduce the fat unless you have lipo performed. But for conditioning those back muscles, Heidi pretty much summed up the best exercises, I would like to add seated rows and deadlifts to her list.
  • kvandenbush
    kvandenbush Posts: 19
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    I know that you can't spot reduce... I was just looking for exercises to help this area. Obviously you can spot specify your workouts.

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