Mid Back Exercises

Back Rows For Mid Back                                          October 8, 2016

I trained six female clients in a row once followed by a male client.  Its unavoidable that how you to talk to one gender is not the same as you talk to the other gender–normally.  As my male client was doing one arm back rows on a bench I said to him what I had said for the last six hours to most of my female clients when they did back exercises.

My male client stood up and said:  “Did you just tell me to stretch out like a lioness?”

“Yeah,” I replied uneasily and quickly mumbled out an explanation,  “I trained female clients for six hours before I saw you.”

He said, “Save that talk for the shower.”

The reason to stretch out like a lioness or lion is so the spine is in neutral alignment the entire set.

We don’t have a picture of someone doing a one arm back row on a bench so look at the alignment of Gloria’s spine.  That’s how your back should look the entire set!

Start position of One Arm Back Row (bent over)

Gloria Antwi (PT)                                    gloria.antwi@bell.net

Either put your free hand on a solid object: park bench back rest, rail, exercise equipment at a gym, stability ball if you want to challenge yourself, OR, your thigh like Gloria is so you support your lower back.

You should feel the mid latissimus dorsi (mid lats) to the mid trapezoids and rhomboids contracting (back of armpit to between your shoulder blades).  You Should Not feel your upper traps contracting.  If your head lowers below parallel, and your upper back curves, you are performing the back rows incorrectly.

Finish position.  Chest should always be out.  If it isn’t you’re rounding your shoulders and upper back.

Bent-over Back Rows (start position)

Knees bent to comfort and upper torso about 60 degrees.  Some people get dizzy performing this exercise, so adjust the degrees until you feel comfortable (I don’t recommend parallel to the ground or lower).  There should be no discomfort in the lower back, knees, or neck.

Bent-over Back Rows (Finish)

Krystal (Hamel) Gohl.  My very first model!  Thanks to Bill Labron and Lynne McRuer of Music Plus, Kitchener http://musicpluscorp.com/ for allowing us to use their facility years ago.

 

The strength bands are similar to using a cable back row machine.  You can lean forward but keep the weight low if you do.  The heavier the weight the less movement from the hip joint (not lower back).

Feel free to Share our Blogs but all pictures are the property of twhealthhumour, Dan Watt, and the respective models.

Keep in mind that the back has numerous muscles and layers of muscles that need to be worked with a variety of exercises.