You haven’t broken your New Year resolution yet. Your arms are toning up, your legs are getting stronger by the day and you can see that muffin top shrinking in size. But wait, what’s with that back bulge? While there is no miracle move to get rid of the back bulge, these five exercises will help you tone your back in no time!
Turn up the cardio
Be it jogging, swimming, kickboxing, Zumba or spinning, you must perform 60 minutes of cardio at least five times a week. For a more intense workout, try interval training. The training comes with the ‘afterburn effect’, which means that your body can burn up to 200 calories even when it is at rest.
Push it!
On days when you’re too tired to hit the gym, do push-ups at home. Push-ups work wonders for your back. Get into a push-up position with your hands on the ground, slightly wider than the shoulder width. Your body should form a straight line from head to heels. Lower yourself slowly and focus on the downward movement. Make sure you hold at the bottom at least for three seconds before you push back up. Do just as many repetitions as you can, but make sure your form is correct.
Dumbell shrugs
Dumbell shrugs are a great traps workout. They focus on the top of the back muscle right below your neck. Grab a set of dumbbells and hold them by your sides. The idea is to squeeze the trap by attempting to touch the barbell of your ear. If you’re doing weight training for the very first time, do it under the supervision of an experienced trainer and master the form by standing before the mirror, while doing your sets.
The Bow Pose
Dhanurasana or the Bow Pose not only strengthens the back and abdominal muscles, but also tones your leg and arm muscles. It adds greater flexibility to your back. Lie on your stomach with your feet hip-width apart and place your arms on the side of your body. Then, fold your knees and hold your ankles. Lift your chest off the ground as you breathe in and pull your legs up and back. Look straight ahead and stretch your muscles, while taking long breaths. As you exhale, gently bring your legs and chest to the ground, release the ankles, relax and repeat.
The Locust Pose
Salabhasana or Locust Pose is a stretching pose that focuses on the abdomen, thorax as well as the back muscles. To begin with, lie on your belly with your arms on the side of your torso and your legs together. Your forehead must rest on the ground with your palms facing up. As you inhale, lift your legs, head, and upper body off the floor. Place your hands on the floor for support. Extend the crown of your head like a turtle, and stretch your spine as much as you can. Hold the position for five breaths, release and repeat.