Ask an Expert: Back care

Athletic Training

Back care
02/23/2009

Question:

please tell me some basic back exercises(for women) to round off the chest workout

Answer:

If I understand your question correctly, it sounds as if you are already doing a chest workout and need some exercises to balance out the posterior aspect of your body. If this is correct, a few muscle groups that you will want to address are your latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and your rotator cuff group in the shoulder.
Some simple exercises that you could do to address these muscle groups are as follows:

Prone rows with free weights

Lat pull down

Reverse flys with free weights

Standing rows with theraband at chest level

Prone Ts and Ys with free weights doing one arm at a time: lie on side of table and raise arm out to the side as if creating a T; then raise above head as if creating a Y.

Side-lying shoulder internal rotation and external rotation with free weights

Standing shoulder forward flexion with free weights

Standing shoulder abduction with free weights.

You could look up similar exercises online or in strength and conditioning book. You may want to seek out the serivces of a strength and conditioning professional if you need further direction. Hopefully these exercises will address some of the areas that you wish to address. Best wishes!

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Response by:

Katrina B Stibel, MA, ATC
Former:
Assistant Athletic Trainer, Instructor
Department of Athletics
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University