Exercises With Dumbbells Or Weights To Work The Back
Dumbbells and weights are useful for working the muscles of the body. In addition to strengthening them, they delay the loss of muscle mass. Know the exercises you can do to improve your back.
Strengthening your back muscles has benefits beyond aesthetics. Incorporating a routine of exercises with dumbbells or weights for the back improves body posture and can prevent injuries due to muscle weakness or atrophy.
According to research published in the Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine , weight training positively affects the body in multiple ways:
- Improves motor coordination, necessary to give movements and displacements speed, strength and resistance.
- Strengthens the muscles, which affects the reduction of body pain.
- It promotes the optimal functioning of the organs.
- Promotes recovery from spinal injuries.
How can weight training help my back?
Dumbbell workouts that target the back and other muscle groups are important to stimulate contraction, as the tissues try to counteract external resistance generated by the weight. This contributes to its strengthening. A strong back is not easily hurt!
Exercising with these instruments can reduce the risk of muscle atrophy. When the muscles around the spine and torso are weakened due to lack of physical activity or due to illness, lower back pain appears that reduces mobility in some cases.
In addition, dumbbell exercises promote muscle hypertrophy, that is, the increase in the size of the muscles. They also delay the loss of mass associated with age, inactivity or trauma, as indicated in an article published by the Journal of the Hospital de Clínicas of the University of Chile.
Recommendations prior to the start of the exercises
Before doing the exercises that we share with you on this occasion, keep these previous recommendations in mind:
- If you have a back injury or illness involving your spine, consult your doctor or physical therapist before beginning.
- Take 10 minutes of cardio to warm up your muscles and prepare them for the routine.
- Start with dumbbells of moderate weight (3 to 5 kilograms). You should first work on conditioning the body with light weights. Once your stamina and strength increase, you can add more.
- Remember that if your body is not prepared and you use a lot of weight, you can injure yourself.
- Activate your abdominal muscles in each exercise to keep your spine strong and healthy.
- Concentrate on performing them consciously and slowly to ensure correct practice.
Dumbbell exercises to work your back
A study in the Journal of Sports Sciences suggests that the effectiveness of resistance training depends on the selection and order in which they are performed, their frequency and rest periods. All are factors that have an effect on increasing muscle mass.
Another study published by the journal Frontiers in Physiology affirms that in order to gain greater strength and muscle it is pertinent to adapt the intensity of the routine to the physical state of each person. In addition, he notes that working with dumbbells and light weight also increases the volume of the muscles.
Know, then, the exercises with dumbbells or weights that will help you work your back and strengthen your muscles.
1. Good morning exercise
This exercise owes its name to the traditional greeting of Eastern culture: the bending of the trunk. Practicing it increases the strength of the erector spinae, a set of muscles and tendons that cover almost all of the lumbar, cervical and thoracic region.
According to an article by PeerJ , adding weight to this exercise tends to increase the activity of these muscles. However, they consider that more research is needed in this regard. To do so, follow these steps:
- Begin standing with your legs shoulder-width apart.
- In each hand hold a dumbbell. Bend your arms so that the dumbbells are to the side and above your shoulders.
- Bend your knees a little and bring your hips back, past your heels.
- Lower your trunk so that it is parallel to the ground.
- Extend your knees and lift your torso to return to the starting position. Repeat this exercise for 30 seconds, rest, and do two more sets.
2. Deadlift with dumbbell
Like the previous exercise, the weight deadlift works the erector spinae muscles and lower back. To know how to specify it, we give you the following instructions:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your legs extended. The dumbbell, bar, or weight should be on the floor in front of you.
- Squat and grab the weight with one or both hands.
- Stand up keeping your arms extended and parallel to your body. Squeeze your glutes and bring your hips forward a little.
- Perform the squat again bringing the weight to the ground and repeat the exercise. Complete three sets of 1st reps.
3. Bent over row
This exercise with dumbbells to work the back strengthens different muscles, including the traps, lats and rhomboids, which is why it is considered one of the most complete. For its implementation you must do the following:
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
- Standing with your knees and hips slightly bent, lean your trunk forward.
- Bend your arms, bringing your elbows back and over your back.
- This movement brings the scapulae together, two bones that are also known as the shoulder blades .
- Hold this position for a minute and extend your arms in front to repeat the exercise. Complete three sets of 10 reps.
4. Superman
An article in the Journal of Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy in which three groups were analyzed when they performed exercises for the treatment of lower back pain determined that the superman exercise with resistance by weight increased the activation of the muscles of the lower back, strengthening it . Do you want to know how to do it?
- Lie on your stomach with your legs hip-width apart and your arms extended in front.
- Each hand holds a light dumbbell.
- Squeeze your glutes and abdomen. Keeping your torso and pelvis on the floor, raise your arms and legs at the same time.
- Once you get as high as you can, hold this position for a second.
- Lower your limbs and repeat the exercise. Complete three sets of 10 reps.
5. Lateral arm raise
In addition to working the trapezius, this exercise involves shoulder and neck muscles. Its realization implies completing the following steps that we detail below:
- Lie face down on a mat to exercise. The forehead should be on the mat and the gaze directed to the ground to relieve neck tension.
- In each hand hold a dumbbell.
- Keep your legs hip-width apart and your arms extended to each side. To achieve this position, think about your body forming the shape of a cross.
- Without lifting your chest, pelvis, or legs off the mat, lift your arms laterally until your elbows are at shoulder height.
- During the movement, take care not to bend your arms.
- Lower your arms and dumbbells to the floor and repeat. Perform this exercise in two sets of 10 reps.
Take care of the health of your back and tone it
Encourage yourself to perform these exercises with dumbbells to work your back at least three times a week alternately. This way you will strengthen your muscles and you can see and feel the results in the medium and long term.
Remember that, when in doubt about the most appropriate routine for you, it is advisable to consult a personal trainer. He will be able to guide you in the performance of the exercises, their intensity and the best weight or resistance.
