Female Back

Female Back
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Jordan Galloway
Jordan Galloway is a certified personal trainer and the fitness director for Women’s Health magazine and website.

Addison Aloian
Addison Aloian (she/her) is an editorial assistant at Women’s Health.

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It’s not all about the abs, you guys.
This is just a guess…but your back muscles could probably use some TLC right about now. In fact, 80 percent of people report pain in this area at some point, according to the American Chiropractic Association. If you're among them, a massage isn't your only option for relief. Strengthening your back goes a long way to help those aches melt away, too.
Before I dive into the best exercises to train your back, it’s important to understand all the back muscles. One group helps you lift heavy stuff like groceries, kids, and weights. The other group is responsible for posture and holding you up. These are typically undertrained yet primed for results, according to certified athletic trainer Vanessa Abrams, a human-anatomy lecturer at Howard University. “Back muscles are more resistant to fatigue than others,” she says. “While maxing out may be difficult, high reps and sets are especially beneficial.” Noted.
Meet the Experts: Vanessa Abrams is a certified athletic trainer and human-anatomy lecturer at Howard University. Colleen Conlon is a certified personal trainer with experience as an instructor at Equinox, a Studio Manager at Crunch, and a fitness producer at DailyBurn.
Teaching your back how to lift will not only help you build muscular endurance, reducing pesky aches, and helping sculpt your bod, according to Colleen Conlon , CPT, but they’ll also improve your posture (hi, folks who sit a lot during the day, myself included). “If you’re going to be stationary, you need to strengthen your back so you’re not rounded,” says Conlon.
Another perk? Targeting your spine-supporting muscles “can help decrease pain associated with large breasts, repetitive lifting, or prolonged periods spent sitting or even with shoulders retracted while accomplishing a DIY protective hairstyle, like braids,” Abrams says. Start with the back workout below to get in on these gains.
Equipment: free weights (10 pounds or less)
Instructions: Choose five moves below and perform the suggested number of reps for each, then continue immediately to the next; at the end, rest for up to two minutes. That’s one set. Repeat the entire routine once or twice more. You’ll know you’ve hit your strength sweet spot if the last couple of reps leave you thinking, w hew! Don’t feel that fatigue? Take it up a notch next time. Ready, set, sweat.

Back Workouts for Women: Build the Shape You Want!

July 26, 2021

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7 min read

July 26, 2021

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7 min read

4 sets, 15, 12, 10, 10 reps (rest 1 min.)

4 sets, 12, 10, 8, 8 reps (rest 1 min.)

4 sets, 12, 10, 10, 10 reps (rest 1 min.)

Add weight as needed to stay in the rep range. Do not go to failure on lower back movements like extensions. Once you feel fatigued, or lose control of your form, stop the set.
Add weight if needed to stay in the rep range. Do not go to failure on lower back movements like extensions. Once you feel fatigued, or lose control of your form, stop the set.
Perform all reps for one side, then switch to the other. Don't rest between sides and rest 1 min. between set.

4 sets, 12, 10, 8, 12 reps (left side, no rest)

4 sets, 12, 10, 8, 12 reps (right side, rest 1 min.)

4 sets, 12, 10, 8, 10 reps (rest 1 min.)

4 sets, 12, 10, 10, 10 reps (rest 1 min.)

Strong men and women still use lifting straps for back training. Why? If your grip is limiting the weights you can use, it's limiting your results. Strap up and go heavy!
Perform a single dropset after the final set. Alternately, perform wide-grip pull-ups with a band or on an assisted pull-up machine.

4 sets, 12-15, 12-15, 6-8, 6-8 reps (rest 1 min.)

Perform a single dropset after the final set. If your gym doesn't have a wide neutral-grip bar, use whatever neutral-grip handle they have.

4 sets, 12-15, 12-15, 10-12, 10-12 reps (rest 1 min.)

4 sets, 10-12, 10-12, 8-10, 8-10 reps (rest 1 min.)

Add weight as needed to stay in the rep range. Do not go to failure on lower back movements like extensions. Once you feel fatigued, or lose control of your form, stop the set.
Women's Back Workout for Size and Strength
Take each set to the point of muscle failure.
Take each set to the point of muscle failure. Use a band or assisted machine as needed.

4 sets, 10-12, 8-10, 8-10, 8-10 reps (rest 90 sec.)

Take each set to the point of muscle failure. Use the same weight for all 5 sets.

4 sets, 12-15, 10-12, 6-8, 6-8 reps (rest 90 sec.)

4 sets, 12-15, 12-15, 20-25, 20-25 reps (rest 1 min.)

Perform these face-down on an incline bench set to around 45 degrees, with your thumbs pointing up.

Back Workout

Women

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A muscle-focused back workout targeting both the upper and lower back is a must! Add strength that will carry over to other lifts, sports, and improve your posture. These are the best back exercises for women, in workouts for all experience levels!
I competed for many years as a pro bodybuilder, and when I competed, there was only one stage category. As I retired; figure, physique, and bikini were taking over , and I had to rethink how I should train my female clients—and myself. Nowhere was this training evolution clearer than in how women desired to build their backs.
Women's physique competitors—and most non-competitive women who lift—aren't just looking for a big back. They often want wider shoulders that flow gracefully down into a long, defined torso—that classic "hourglass figure" that says, "I lift and don't mind showing it."
A bodybuilding-style back-and-shoulder workout can also be a great accessory day for powerlifters , CrossFitters , and anyone else who focuses on strength and skill during their lifting week. No matter what type of back you want to build, these workouts will help you get there!
The best back exercises tend to target multiple muscles at once so knowing what each muscle does can help you become more targeted in your execution and prevent certain muscles (I'm looking at you, upper traps!) from taking over.
That's a lot of muscles, and a lot of movements. Luckily, training them all doesn't have to feel like an anatomy lesson ! I like to organize my back training simply, with what I call a "3x3" approach.
This is my all-encompassing approach to back training. It helps me make sure that each workout covers all the bases and provides easy ways to add variety into my training. If I notice that I haven't done a certain grip or position in a while, I'll add it back in the mix.
Now, let's put all these principles into action with a few workouts.
Back training can be a challenge to those who are new to lifting. It's not that the exercises are more complex, it's because you literally can't see the muscles at work, and may also struggle to "feel" the back working as a result.
For this reason, I suggest beginners start by mastering the basic exercises, using the three grips and the three angles. Alternate these two workouts 1-2 times per week. After a month or two, when the movements feel less awkward and you are more aware of your back working, move on and explore the diverse options available to you.
Plenty of women start their back-sculpting regimen by chasing down exercises to lose back fat, and then change that thinking once they see how adding shape and building muscle can give them the appearance they were seeking: gracefully wide shoulders, fully developed upper lats and posterior delts, and a tight lower back with prominent erector muscles. This workout is perfect for crafting that shape.
This is a high-volume workout, so consider it for intermediate lifters and above. And if it's too much for you, dial it back by a set, or skip the dropsets.
No matter if you're building back shape or size, extra protein will help you do it.
All the back workouts here will help build size and strength. However, this high-volume routine is for ladies who seek superior back strength and low, deep lats.
For lifters following this type of workout, I would suggest doing posterior delts on a separate day, with shoulders. By hitting all three angles, you can be assured that you will work all the muscles in your back. Similarly, by choosing your hand grips wisely you can be confident that you are building the design of your choosing.
High-volume back training is better with the powerful fatigue-fighting ingredients in the best pre-workouts !

Joanne Lee Cornish is a British, European, and World Bodybuilding champion. A former IFBB pro, she competed in the Ms. Olympia twice before retiring to concentrate on her personal training...

Great info! As a guy, I'm excited to add these in to my routines.

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Practically every movement you make involves your back in some way — bending, stretching, walking, sitting. A healthy back is key for maintaining balance and coordination , both during exercise and in daily life. Therefore, it’s important to help your back stay strong.
The back consists of an intricate network of muscles running down the length of your spine. Whether at the rhomboid muscles of the upper back or the erector spinae at the base of the spine, there are many places where pain and discomfort can potentially seep through. That’s why it’s important to exercise your back regularly.
Women approaching these exercises should go at their own pace. Expect to make gradual improvement rather than quick gains in strength.
As many as 80 percent of people experience low back pain at some point in their lives. The purpose of these workouts is to improve your back strength, which can help you avoid such pain or discomfort in the future.
All of these exercises can be done wherever you are — in the comfort of your home or at a gym.
This is an excellent back exercise that strengthens your latissimus dorsi muscle (on the back and sides of your body, below your arm), rhomboids (muscles next to your spine), and rotator cuffs (shoulder muscles).
Step 1: From a standing position and holding a pair of weights (or books if you don’t have weights), lower your knees and push your hips back so that your torso is bent over parallel to the floor.
Step 2: Extend the weights down toward the floor and then retract your arms in a straight line to your rib cage.
Step 3: Hold the weights to your ribcage for a moment, then lower them in a straight line again, and repeat.
You can repeat this 10 to 15 times.
This classic exercise works your upper body, including your shoulders, triceps (muscles on the back of your upper arm), and pectoral (chest) muscles.
Step 1: Get into a plank position , with your hands on the floor and your feet extended out behind you.
Step 2: Straighten your body, tighten your core, and bend your elbows until you just barely touch your chest to the floor.
Step 3: Lift yourself b
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