Home Gym: Back and Chest Exercises

And finally we got to the exercises for the back and chest. Some young people pay great attention to the pectoral muscles, and the back muscles are considered not so important. As a result, on the street you can often find such a "bodybuilder" - a pumped chest and stooped shoulders, since the back is not able to keep such wealth in an even position.

These exercises are paired to maintain the necessary balance.

1. Standard push-ups

Lifting your own weight is not an easy task. And this is one of the safest ways to strengthen your pectoral muscles, since you will definitely not drop the barbell on yourself. Let me remind you once again that the whole body should be tense, the stomach is pulled in, the arms are shoulder-width apart, the legs rest on the toes, the elbows are bent close to the body (and not to the sides). And do not try to reach your forehead to the floor - it seems that you are doing push-ups low enough, although in fact the load on the pectoral muscles decreases!

2. Push-ups "Dolphin"

Starting position - dog head down position with an emphasis on the elbows. You begin to dive gently, as if pushing your body forward until your head practically touches the floor. Then, just as slowly and carefully with the help of your hands, return to the starting position.

3. "Donkey kick"

Get into the starting position for a standard push-up with your feet together. Then sharply push off simultaneously with both legs from the floor, bending them at the knees, and sharply straighten them in the air. It turns out something like the movement that donkeys and other cloven-hoofed animals make when they kick. Try to land softly on your toes, slightly sprung at your knees.

4. Push-ups in the position of "handstand"

This is an exercise for professionals, but if you are confident in your abilities and you have someone to back it up, you can try to do at least a few. Stand on your hands near the wall so that you can rest your feet on it and at the same time there is no strong deflection in the back. And start pushing up from the floor, bending your elbows at an angle of 90 degrees.

5. Push-ups in the style of "Judo"

The starting position is a standard push-up rack. You push back a little with your hands, lifting your pelvis up. Then you start push-ups, moving the body forward, the elbows are bent along the body, the pelvis is slightly raised, the hips are not touching the floor. Continue downward until you almost touch the floor with your chin. At this point, you abruptly push your body up into the "cobra" pose. Then return to the starting position, doing everything in the opposite direction. In this case, the hips and knees must not touch the floor!

6. Flying "in reverse"

Starting position - feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, body slightly tilted forward, holding dumbbells or plastic water bottles (for homemade ones). Begin to slowly spread your arms to the side, bringing your shoulder blades together. In the top position, you can linger a little, then also slowly lower your arms. In this case, the upper body is tense, the back is straight, the shoulders are lowered. You should feel how your back works and the muscles between your shoulder blades are tense!

7. "Superman"

Lie on a flat surface with your arms extended forward. Raise your arms and legs at the same time to the maximum, linger in this position for a few seconds and return to the starting position. The exercise can be made more difficult by adding a little weight to the hands. In this case, the head should not be raised - you should look clearly down, and it is advisable to keep your arms straight in front of you.

I want to add one more exercise from myself that is very similar to this. Lie on your stomach, arms stretch out to the sides, palms down, slightly bent at the elbows. Then you lift the front of the body along with the arms, the arms are spread clearly to the side so that the shoulder blades come together. And you lower yourself to the starting position. Then you do the same thing, just add the leg raises. If you feel comfortable doing this exercise, add some weight to your arms. But make sure that the weight is lifted precisely with the contraction of the back muscles, and not with your hands. It is very simple to check it - if after the exercise your neck and arms hurt, then you did it wrong. Tension and fatigue should be felt in the area of the shoulder blades and along the spine closer to the lower back.

You can diversify it with different counts: first 4 up and 4 down counts, then everything in two counts, then 8 rises in one count, then stay in the top position, do 8 springs, freeze for 8 counts and relax:)

8. Raising arms and legs

Lie facedown on your stomach with your arms extended in front of you. Begin to slowly raise one hand without raising your face. When the hand reaches its maximum point, continue to hold it and slowly begin to lift the opposite leg. Then you lower your hand, and then your leg. Then do the exercise with the other arm and leg.

Workout is gaining more and more popularity among people who are not indifferent to their health. How do you feel about this movement and where is it easier for you to exercise: at home, on the street or in the gym?