Try Effective Back Strengthening Exercises From the Following List

As with many of the back strengthening exercises described in this section, the use of free weights, both dumbells and barbells, will bring into play many other muscle groups and stabilizer muscles. This is why using free weights can be much more effective than machines in doing your workouts. With the possible exception of the Bowflex most machines provide one-direction forces or resistance that limits the need for stabilizer muscles and thus limits the benefit of some exercises for overall strengthening.

So grab those free weights and lets go!

Dumbell Shoulder Shrug

Using a foot stance about 16 inches apart, place a dumbell at each side of your feet. Bend down and grasp the dumbells with both hands. Stand erect with the dumbells hanging at each side of your thighs at arm's length. Drop both shoulders down to the front of you as much as possible.

Inhale and raise your shoulders up and rotate them in a circular motion from the front to the rear returning to the starting position at the end of the rep.

Exhale as you return to the starting position. Keep your back straight.

Depending on your conditioning, start with about 5 lbs of weight on each dumbell for this back strengthening exercise and work up from there as they become easier over time.

Alternating Dumbell Shoulder Shrug

Drop your right shoulder and rotate it in a circular motion from the front to the rear returning to the starting position. As you return to the low position with your right sholulder, drop the left shoulder and repeat the exercise.

Go from right shoulder to left shoulder, Inhale as you commence to rotate each shoulder and exhale as you return to the starting position. Both movements are considered one repetition.

When you are doing them right, you will quickly learn that these are effective upper back strengthening exercises.

Barbell Shoulder Shrug

Place a barbell on the floor in front of you. With a foot stance about sixteen inches apart, bend down and grasp the bar with both hands about twenty-four inches apart. Stand erect with the bar hanging in front of you at arms length.

Drop both shoulders down to the front of you as much as possible. Inhale and raise your shoulders up and rotate them in a circular motion from the front to the rear returning to the starting position at the end of the repetition.

Exhale as you return to the starting position. Keep your back straight.

See this page for some more back stengthening exercises

Return to Exercise Index for more back strengthening exercises

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