My Top 3 Back Exercises (For the Gym)

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been blogging about posture and how to improve kyphosis, a postural problem known as ‘rounded shoulders’. Back exercises are particularly helpful, as they can help to strengthen weak muscles. This can help you to sit, or stand, straighter and reduce hunching. Good posture is really important for mobility, but it can also help with self-confidence too!

Jump to: 

• Top 3 back exercises
• Lat Pulldown
• Seated Row
• Reverse Fly

To help you work on your posture, I've put together some back exercises you can use to gradually strengthen those key muscle groups. 

My top 3 back exercises

These are my favourite back exercises for the gym, which use a couple of key pieces of equipment!

Lat Pulldown

Note: For this exercise, you will need to use the Lat Pulldown machine.
 

1. Connect the long bar attachment to the Lat Pulldown machine. 
2. Place your hands on the bar slightly wider than your shoulders in an overhand grip (palms facing away from you) and sit down on the bench, ensuring that your feet are shoulder-width apart and your legs are secure under the leg pads. This your starting position.
3. Lean back slightly from your hips and bend your elbows to bring the bar into your chest.
4. Lean forward and extend your elbows to return to the starting position. Repeat this process for 12-15 repetitions. 
    

Seated Row

 
Note: For this exercise, you will need to use the Seated Row machine.
 

1. Connect the close-grip attachment to the Seated Row machine.
2. Place your hands on the close-grip attachment with a neutral grip (palms facing in). Sit down on the bench and place your feet on the foot plates. Extend your arms to hold the attachment at belly button height. Sit up tall and draw your shoulders down and back. This is your starting position.
3. Using the muscles in your arms and back, bend your elbows to bring the attachment in towards your belly button, making sure that your elbows gently graze the sides of your body.
4. Extend your elbows to return to the starting position. Repeat this process for 12-15 repetitions.

Reverse Fly

 
Note: For this exercise, you will need to use the Dual Cable.
 

1. Remove any attachments and set the cable pulley at the bottom of the pole.
2. Holding the left handle in your right hand and right handle in your left hand, stand with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart. While keeping a slight bend in your knees, hinge forward from your hips so that your torso is almost parallel to the floor. Extend your arms directly below your chest. This is your starting position.
3. Separate the handles and lift them both outwards and upwards (like a bird!). You should feel a small squeeze between your shoulder blades.
4. Lower the handles to return to the starting position. Repeat this process for 12-15 repetitions.

 
There you have it, ladies! Those are my top 3 back exercises you can work on next time you are in the gym. For those of you who prefer to do your training at home, make sure you check out the top back exercises for home workouts. 
 
Hopefully this little series of blogs has helped you to understand a bit more about posture, and you’ve learned some new exercises too! 
 
Love, Kayla xx