5 Best Strength Exercises for Women To Banish Back Fat
We hate to be the bearer of glim news, but as much as you want to shrink excess fat in a certain area of your body, you can't spot-burn. Dealing with back fat—which becomes much more apparent when you put on a bra or slip on a form-fitting shirt—can be downright frustrating, to say the very least. What you can do is take the necessary steps in your diet and exercise routine to burn fat all over your body, which in turn will help you melt it off your back. We spoke with Tyler Read, the founder of PTPioneer.com and a personal trainer who's been involved in the health and fitness world for the past 15 years, who shares with us some of the best strength exercises for women to get rid of back fat and reveal a toned physique.
Performing strength training will improve the appearance of your back via caloric burn, boosting your supply of lean muscle, body composition, and better posture, Read explains. First off, strength exercises will help you sculpt lean muscle, which burns a greater amount of calories when compared to fat tissues, even when your body's at rest. Your total amount of daily energy expended increases, resulting in fat loss.
In addition, Read explains, "These exercises burn calories during the workout and also stimulate the 'afterburn effect' or Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC), where your body continues to burn calories after the workout." When you start to burn fat and sculpt muscle, you'll see noticeable changes in how you look.
And lastly, building up strength in your back muscles promotes better posture. You may be surprised to hear that solid posture can make your waistline look leaner and decrease the appearance of back fat!
Building up your muscle tone, establishing a calorie deficit, and eating healthily is the name of the game. Keep reading to learn all about Read's best strength exercises for women to get rid of back fat. And when you're finished, be sure to check out these 7 Strength Exercises for Women To Melt Hanging Belly Fat After 30.
Lat Pulldowns
"Lat pulldowns primarily target your latissimus dorsi (the broadest muscle in the back)," Read tells us.
Set up for this first exercise by sitting down at a lat pulldown machine. Grab onto the bar using an overhand grip, placing your hands a bit outside shoulder-width. Bring your shoulders down and back. Then, lower the pulldown bar to chest level. Use control to gradually bring the bar back up. Complete three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
Seated Cable Rows
Next up is the seated cable row, which engages your upper and lower back muscles. You'll begin by taking a seat at the cable rowing station. Plant your feet on the foot pad, and bend your knees just a bit. Grab onto the handle, and sit up straight. Then, row the handle toward your belly, and make sure your elbows don't stray from the sides of your body. Use control to bring the handle back to the position you started in before performing the next rep. Complete three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
Renegade Rows
Renegade rows will fire up your entire back along with your abs. Begin by assuming a high plank on the balls of your feet and holding onto a dumbbell in both hands. Lift one of the weights off the floor, and row it toward your torso. Again, your elbow should not stray far from the side of your body. Bring the dumbbell back down, and do the same motion on your opposite side. Perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps on each side.
Deadlifts
The deadlift is an excellent exercise for your core, glutes, hamstrings, and of course, your whole back. Begin by planting your feet hip-width distance apart. A set of kettlebells or a barbell should be on the ground ahead of you. Press your hips back, and bend your knees in order to take hold of the barbell or weights using an overhand grip. Push your hips forward in order to stand back up with the weight in hand, maintaining a straight back. Then, lower the weight back toward the floor. Perform three sets of eight to 10 reps.
Superman
Last but certainly not least on Read's list of strength exercises for women to get rid of back fat is Superman. Gear up to work your lower back, in addition to your hamstrings and glutes.
Start by lying on your tummy on a workout mat with your arms extended overhead and your legs out straight behind you. Then, raise your head, arms, chest, and legs off the ground. Lift them as high as you're able to so that your body forms the letter "U." Remain in this position for a moment before returning to where you started. Perform three sets of 12 to 15 reps.
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