Women can tone and shape beautiful back and shoulder muscles without looking like football players or fitness freaks! You don’t have to settle for the “flabby look” on your shoulders and back! But, you do have to work hard to tone your shoulder and back muscles---it just won’t magically happen!
Build your back and shoulder muscles to avoid injuries and keep your upper body in muscular balance. Many of you put in too much training time on the front side of your upper body. The back side of your upper body is an important part of your core muscles so don't ignore them!
The core is your center of gravity and all movement begins with the core. So, it is critical that you stabilize and strengthen your core. Your back and shoulder muscles are a critical part of your core. So, why do so many people not adequately train their back and shoulder muscles? One reason is that it is more glamorous to do exercises like chest press and bicep curls so that you look good in the mirror!
Seventy to 80% of Americans have back pain (many times low back pain) at some point. The spine also needs to be protected. Many people also have shoulder injuries due to lack of training.
Build muscle and burn fat on your lower back with these exercises:
--Deadlift and squats
--Good mornings
--Back extension
--Low pulley cable row
--Cobra and superwoman
--Plank
--Bridge
Build muscle and burn fat on your middle and upper back with these exercises:
--Bentover dumbbell rows or seated cable rows:
--Face pulls with ropes on cable machine
--Pull-ups or chin-ups
--Lat pulldowns
--Inverted rows
Build muscle and burn fat with these shoulder exercises:
--Standing dumbbell shoulder press (overall shoulder work)
--Standing dumbbell front raises and upright rows (front deltoids)
--Standing dumbbell lateral raises (side deltoids)
--Bentover lateral raises (rear deltoids)
Use dumbbells because it will force each arm to do equal workloads and it will correct muscle imbalances. If you are right-handed, your right arm will probably be stronger than your left arm.
Two advanced back exercises are:
--Medicine ball slams
--Medicine ball soccer throws
These medicine ball exercises can be done at full speed to develop power (how fast your muscles produce force) and further tone your muscles.
By all means, put in the necessary work to shape and tone your back and shoulder muscles! You will prevent injuries and look great in those tops, t-shirts and bikini tops!
Mark Dilworth, Certified Personal Trainer
Her Fitness Hut http://herfitnesshut.com