7 Effective Exercises To Get Rid Of Folds On Your Back And Sides
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While exercising in an attempt to look good, most of us usually focus on toning up the abdominal region. Some may even take arms and legs into account, but that’s where the line will mostly be drawn. Almost nobody really thinks about losing all those folds on the sides and the back. However, if you wish to get into a nice backless dress for your BFF’s wedding, this kind of attitude will simply not do!
Although toning your back muscles will require a lot of hard work and patience, the end result will make it all seem worth it. If you don’t have a clue about the exercises that can help you achieve a toned back and sides, we’ve got 7 of them here to get you started.
1. Barbell Deadlift
A barbell deadlift is the best exercise for your back as it serves as an entire back workout, covering every area – from your upper back to your lower back along with calves and hamstrings. Moreover, deadlifts are compound exercises, which means they work out several body parts together and even help burn a lot of calories. To do this exercise, you simply need to raise a barbell slowly from behind your back and above your head.
2. Pull-Ups With Weights
If you wish to gain muscle mass and burn fat at the same time, you won’t find an exercise better than pull-ups with weights. Besides, just like the barbell deadlift, this exercise too is a compound exercise. So, you can get a nice, almost full body workout with just one exercise. For this exercise, you need to do pull-ups with a small weight hanging around your waist with the help of a belt. You can increase the weight gradually if you wish to.
3. Overhand Barbell Row
Have you seen weightlifters work out with barbells? Well, this exercise is pretty much a leaf from their book. Though you can reduce its intensity by going for lighter barbells so you don’t end up buff like a man. This exercise requires plenty of energy and specifically focuses on the muscles of your back.
Start by holding the barbell in your hand with your palms gripping the equipment facing downwards. Now, bend your knees a little and push your torso towards the front by bending your waist. Your back should be straight at this time. Next, lift the barbell up to your tummy and then lower it again to the original position. This is a great upper and lower back workout!
4. Underhand Barbell Row
There’s not much of a difference between the overhand and underhand barbell row. The basic mechanics of both the exercises are pretty much identical. The only difference is in the way you hold the barbells. In overhand, your palms face downwards, while in the underhand barbell row, they face upwards. One thing to keep in mind while you’re doing this exercise is to ensure your head faces upwards. Apart from flexing your back muscles, this exercise will also work out your arms.
5. Lat Pulldown
One of the easier exercises on this list, a lat pulldown can come extremely handy if you want to give your metabolism a boost while working out your back muscles. The reason this exercise helps in speeding up your metabolism is because large muscle groups make up the posterior chain. And working them out can lead to the burning of more calories. The only way to carry out this exercise is to use a lat pulldown machine. The machine consists of a bar that you’re supposed to hold and pull down to your chest and then release multiple times.
6. Side Bends
For those of you who wanted a freehand exercise, here you go! Side bends are meant to work out and tone up your obliques so you get a truly curvy look. They also help in sculpting your midsection. You simply need to stand firmly on your feet and bend sideways (once left, once right) to do this workout. You can add weights to make this exercise more intense and effective. Your regular dumbbells will do. Keep your back straight while doing this exercise.
7. Chin-Ups
An exercise that needs no introduction, chin-ups are another way to shape your back. They are essentially very similar to pull-ups. For chin-ups, you need proper equipment so this is again one of those exercises that can only be done in a gym. When doing chin-ups though, ensure you hold the bar firmly and raise your chin above the bar as you pull your body upwards. There should be no jerking when you do so. This exercise might seem difficult at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll enjoy it.
Apart from exercising your sides and back, you should also keep tabs on your diet. Eating healthy and avoiding junk food is a must for a shapely body.
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