Back exercises with dumbbells - a set of 6 movements for women and men to strengthen muscles

If your back is strong, you will be able to avoid many injuries both in the gym and in everyday life. The health of your entire body depends on how healthy your spine is.

Poor posture contributes to the incorrect location of internal organs , which leads to their improper functioning.

The diaphragm, which is compressed due to incorrect posture, affects the body’s poor supply of oxygen. A person gets tired faster, remembers information worse, and reduces daily activity. Specially selected back exercises using dumbbells, which are suitable for both women and men, will help you avoid this.

A short excursion into anatomy

The muscle group of the back is represented by deep and superficial muscles:

Deep muscles – serratus superior, serratus inferior, erector spinae.
Superficial muscles: Trapezius, latissimus dorsi or so-called “wings” of the back, rhomboid, serratus inferior posterior, lumbar, pectoralis. Superficial muscles are smaller in volume and are located in two layers.

All of the muscles listed are responsible for our posture and keep the spine straight. They have the greatest extent and form a V-shaped back - exactly the one that many athletes strive for.

Before drawing up a training program, you need to determine which muscle groups need to be worked on . The load must be targeted, that is, aimed at a specific muscle group that needs it.

Therefore, “just doing exercises at home” most often does not give results. It is necessary to include those exercises that will contribute to the high-quality development of the target muscle group. The spine and muscle groups of the back are the main, one of the largest structures of the body in terms of area and volume.

Be sure to check out the rating of 7 methods for getting rid of back fat.

Standing row to the chin

Dynamic warm-up with elastic band

Reps: 8-12
Number of approaches: 3-5
Rest between sets: 10-25 seconds.

When you pull the band towards you, hold for 1 second, with your elbows slightly higher than your shoulders, as in the video. Loosen the tension of the tape for 1 second, not sharply. Straighten your arms and immediately pull the band toward you, without resting.

Main Exercise: Cable Row

Reps: 12-20
Number of approaches: 5-9
Rest between sets: 30-45 seconds.

While pulling the handle toward your face, squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for 1 second. Straighten your arms slowly to avoid inertia.

“Finishing” with an elastic band

Reps: 30-50
Number of approaches: 2-4
Rest between sets: 30-45 seconds.

Maintain a constant fast pace - do not linger either in the starting position or by pulling the band towards you. For all 30-50 repetitions, make sure your elbows are slightly higher than your shoulders.

Set of 6 exercises

A home set of the exercises listed below ideally works all the muscle groups of the back and gives it a sculptural shape, helping to get rid of fat in this area. You can select among them those that may interest you more.

Exercises to strengthen the back muscles can be performed one at a time, or you can use one or two of the listed complexes in each workout. On average, it is recommended to exercise two to three times a week.

Instructors strongly recommend using an individual approach to training.
What does this mean? The load that is ideal for one person may be completely inappropriate and even harmful for another. This applies to the selection of dumbbell weights, the number of approaches, and other important factors. Important! You must first rehearse all stages of performing this type of exercise without dumbbells, or using minimal weight.

Deadlift

Well suited for both men and women whose goal is to work out and strengthen the back muscles. With the correct technique, the exercise works in a targeted manner, without transferring the load to other muscle groups.

about the 3 different types of deadlifts and the differences between them here.

Works well on the main muscles of the back, buttocks, and quadriceps femoris. Gives excellent results in the formation of a slim figure and sculpted muscles. To hold the body while performing this exercise, all muscle groups are involved in the work to varying degrees.

Carefully! This is a rather traumatic exercise; if you are a beginner, then hyperextension is more suitable for back extensors.

At the beginning - a warm-up, which can consist of active movements aimed at warming up the muscles.
The legs are slightly apart, the arms with the dumbbells are lowered, the back is straight, but we bend it a little in the lower back.
We lean forward, while our legs remain straight. If this is difficult, it is permissible to slightly bend them at the knees . As a result, your hands with dumbbells slide down and are located above your feet. Then we move the dumbbells up.

We do an average of about ten repetitions.
Watch the video for more details: Pay attention! As the muscles strengthen and stretching improves, it is necessary to increase the number of approaches - from three to five.

Bent-over row

The exercise is aimed at working the latissimus dorsi muscles, which give it relief. The muscles also involved are the back extensors, trapezius and rhomboids. This movement is excellent for removing fat from the shoulder blades.

About other types of bent-over rows and the 7 most common mistakes when performing them here.

We stand straight, feet wider than shoulders.
Dumbbells lie on the floor in front of the feet.
We squat and take dumbbells in our hands with a straight grip. You cannot bend over while doing this, so as not to harm your lower back.
We slightly bend our knees and lift the dumbbells up so that they slide along the side of the thigh from the knees to the hip joint, and then we try to pull them to waist level.

The exercise can be performed with the head resting on the upper part of the gymnastic bench, in order to partially relieve the load from the lumbar back. We repeat the required number of times: on average, from ten to twelve, three approaches. The number of exercises for beginners is ten times using minimal weights.

Lifting dumbbells to the back to the waist

We work on the latissimus muscles, biceps and deltoids.

Hold a dumbbell in your right hand with an overhand grip.
Place the knee of your left foot on the bench. We bend our right leg at the knee, bend forward and rest against the edge of the bench with our left hand, bending our back a little - so that its natural curve is preserved. The body is parallel to the bench.
We straighten the arm with the dumbbell completely, lower the shoulder a little. Raise your hand with the dumbbell as high as possible. Attention! Only the hand works .
With this movement of the arm, the latissimus muscles are perfectly developed. We repeat ten times.
We continue the exercise, also putting the load on the left side.

Incline flyes

Working muscles are trapezius and deltoid. The next level of load is received by the broadest backs and all other muscle groups. For beginners, the option of resting your head on the bench is more suitable.

Bend over so that your hip joints form a right angle and your body is parallel to the floor.
The arms are parallel to the legs. Palms are turned inward.
We bend our arms at the elbow joint, bringing the dumbbells together under the chest. Straining your upper back, we spread the dumbbells to the sides and return them, bringing them together under the chest.
The back is strictly parallel to the floor. The lower back retains its natural curve.

We repeat ten times to begin with. We increase the number of approaches gradually. This also applies to the weight of dumbbells.

Lateral bends

We work the trapezius, deltoid muscles and remove fat from the sides.

Hold a dumbbell in your right hand, back straight. Bend your knees slightly.
Bend over, lowering the dumbbell to your left leg. The hand with the dumbbell slides from the hip joint to the foot and back.
We repeat the exercise a specified number of times.
We take a dumbbell in our left hand and train the opposite muscles of the body.

Lift to the chin

The trapezius and deltoid muscles are worked, and the biceps and shoulder muscles are also included. High dumbbell rows are not suitable for those who have a history of shoulder injuries or other shoulder problems.

Take dumbbells from the floor, back straight.
Raise your arms with dumbbells to shoulder level. The elbows are located higher than the hands.
We slowly lower our hands down and repeat the exercise a specified number of times. On average - ten, three approaches.

General recommendations for performing the complex

There are a number of general recommendations that can be used to achieve maximum effect in back training at home with dumbbells:

It must be remembered that all exercises with dumbbells for the back are dangerous if you ignore the technique of performing them correctly. There is a risk of injury to the lower back , since it first receives a strong load. Sometimes, if the lower back muscles are weak and unadapted to loads, instructors recommend wearing a belt for the first time.
You should not neglect warming up before doing exercises with dumbbells - the muscles need to be prepared for the load. Even experienced athletes can get injured without using a warm-up!
It is not recommended to lift dumbbells from the floor by bending over them, especially if you are using heavy weights. Bend your knees and keep your back straight. Take dumbbells and lift them by straightening your knees.
It is necessary to pay more attention to mastering the technique of performing exercises with dumbbells, and not trying to get results as quickly as possible. Exercises with dumbbells should not be rushed. You need to practice measuredly, slowly, paying attention to each movement you are working on.
Before starting strength training, consult with your sports physician, especially if you have a history of back or joint injuries.
Do not start your first workouts by using heavy weights - this is fraught with injury.
The basis of proper breathing is the formula: always tense your muscles while exhaling, and relax your muscles while inhaling.
Deadlifts with dumbbells of minimal weight are a strength exercise that can be recommended for men starting training who have not yet had time to adapt to heavy loads.

General recommendations

In order for back exercises with dumbbells to bring maximum benefit, you should follow the technique and recommendations of specialists in the process. The complex proposed above is not universal, so before using it, you should consult your doctor. The following tips should also be taken into account:

The first training should be carried out by wearing a special support belt for the lower back. This will eliminate the possibility of injury, especially if you want to beat your record.
When bending over, no weight is lifted from the floor; you should first squat down, then grab it with your hands and stand up. It is important to follow this rule always, without exception, and not just during training.
Before enrolling in an enhanced training program, you should undergo an examination to make sure there are no pathologies or problems with the musculoskeletal system.
During exercise, it is worth controlling your breathing, the process of tension as you inhale, and relaxation as you exhale.
On average, the training duration should be no more than 40 minutes, but for beginners, 20 minutes is enough to get a sufficient load.
Each athlete must adhere to an individual training program and try not to deviate from the schedule.

During training, it is important to eat properly so that the body receives a sufficient amount of useful components for the full development of muscle tissue and recovery after exercise. To achieve this, a large amount of protein is included in the diet.

Compliance with safety precautions is the basis for obtaining a good result

Features of performance for women and girls

Girls can exercise with dumbbells two to three times a week;
Start with minimal weights , gradually increasing them;
What type of exercise should you start with? Deadlifts with dumbbells are an excellent exercise for women, designed to strengthen the muscle corset and give it relief.
If you have recently started doing strength training, do three sets of ten exercises;

The number of approaches for girls can be adjusted both upward and downward. A decrease is recommended if after training you feel very tired and weak. Exercises should bring joy and pleasant fatigue to the muscles.

Text neck syndrome[edit | edit code]

Text neck syndrome - curvature of the spine when reading and writing.
The load on the cervical spine increases significantly if the head tilts forward and down. For example, at a tilt angle of 15 degrees, the load on the spine is approximately 12 kg, at a tilt angle of 30 degrees, the load increases to 18 kg, and at a tilt angle of 60 degrees, the load increases to 27 kg. A similar increase in load occurs when reading books, using smartphones and other devices, and prolonged overload of the spine in turn leads to spondylosis, disc degeneration, osteochondrosis and irreversible curvature of the spine. In the medical community, the position with a large tilt of the head is called “text neck.”

According to a medical specialist at New York Spine Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, this problem became epidemic in 2015 [1]. Statistics show that the average user spends 2 to 4 hours a day in this position. Violations are detected in 58% of users. This problem is especially relevant for schoolchildren. In addition to disorders in the cervical spine, changes in the natural curvature are also observed in other parts of the spine. This also entails additional complications.

: decreased lung capacity up to 30%, headaches, depression and cardiovascular disease.

Recommendations:

Try to always keep your head straight, looking down at the screen only. Warm up your neck systematically. Use arm resistance from the front, back, and sides to train. Other exercises that help correct posture will also be useful. In order not to forget about the correct posture while reading and writing, it is recommended to make yourself a reminder (on your phone screensaver and desktop).

Features of training for men

Men very often repeat the same mistake - they try to immediately lift heavy weights. This leads to various injuries , such as sprains and torn ligaments.
If you do not follow the technology for working with dumbbells from the first workout, you may get injured for this reason and forever lose interest in strength exercises.
To begin with, it is recommended to do three to four sets of ten exercises with minimal weights. This is especially true for those who have not exercised for a long time. When your muscles adapt to the load, the weight of the dumbbells can be gradually increased. The main principle of doing exercises at the very beginning is to do no harm.

If you enjoy doing strength training and after training you feel like you did a good job, this means you are doing everything right.
Note! If you have heaviness throughout your body and it is difficult for you to move, the number of approaches and the weight of dumbbells should be adjusted downward.

Find out about the 5 main causes of back fat here.
To strengthen the back muscles, you can use a complex with a fitball or expander
The scientific basis for the legendary Japanese roller technique.
The Crocodile complex from Dr. Antipko is used to relieve back pain.
The “Cat” exercise will help with lower back pain.

Royal posture and a beautiful gait are pleasant results that you can get by performing exercises with dumbbells for the back. Well-developed back muscles support the spine and prevent curvature and other problems.

How to train with dumbbells: instructions

Step 1. First, you need to go to a sports store and purchase dumbbells that are suitable in weight. There is no need to immediately buy very heavy ones - you should choose those that will be comfortable to work with.

Get some dumbbells first

Step 2: It is recommended that you learn proper dumbbell training technique. Either experienced trainers or video lessons on the Internet will help here. Mistakes when performing exercises should not be made - they can cause harm to health.

Proper nutrition[edit | edit code]

It should also be added that your nutrition will be an important factor in success. The correct shape of the skeleton is supported by a muscular corset, and muscles respond very poorly to strength training without adequate nutrition. Regardless of gender, you need to adjust your diet:

Increase your protein intake
Avoid simple sugars and consume mostly complex carbohydrates
Limit your fat intake
Take a vitamin-mineral complex

Girls very often begin to worry about this, mistakenly believing that this will lead to excessive muscle hypertrophy. However, this is absolute nonsense; practice shows that without the use of pharmacological (hormonal) drugs, your figure will remain feminine and slim.