Everybody wants to be healthy, but health doesn’t come that easy, especially nowadays when we’re forced to live these modern lifestyles. As far as we all know, fitness is one of the best things that you can do to live a happier and healthier life, but even for fitness, there are a lot of things that you need to know before you start doing it.
Many think that “just exercising” is enough to achieve results, but that’s not true. As each year goes by, there’s more science implemented into fitness. Professional coaches come up with new ideas and programs to satisfy the needs of their clients, and some of the things that were considered to be true a few years ago are completely irrelevant today.
The truth is, science is evolving, and the more you know about fitness and how our bodies function, the better results you can get. In this particular industry, there are tons of myths “cruising” around, and some people that are not informed enough tend to believe in them, which is something that sabotages their results.
Luckily, we’re here to help you learn a few things, so if you are currently struggling with back pain, or you simply want to make that part of your body strong and durable, feel free to read until the end.
Why am I experiencing back-pain?
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People nowadays are experiencing back pain because of many reasons, but the main one is sitting in front of their computer for a long time, every single day. Sure, a desk job is considered to be “a lot better” than having to work a physical job nowadays, but is that true? Although it is easier to sit in front of your computer, it isn’t healthier at all, and believe it or not, physical workers have a lot stronger bodies, so it’s not a simple trade-off.
Now, even if you are a desk-worker, you can achieve balance by implementing a few very effective back exercises a couple of times per week. By doing this you can compromise for all that time you’re spending on a chair. The following exercises that we’re going to list can be done both at home and in the gym, so depending on your lifestyle, you can choose the ones that seem most approachable.
Deadlifts
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Although this exercise requires a few sets of equipment, it can be done at home if you have a set of dumbbells, but we recommend getting a gym membership because it will help you in your journey of becoming fit and healthy.
Many professional lifters have stated that this is the single most important exercise that every person should do if they want to become stronger. It is the most “primitive” movement that simulates picking up any kind of an object from the ground and putting it back somewhere else. Deadlifts work your entire body and you’ll feel this after your first session because every muscle will be sore.
Although this is the best exercise that you can do, it is worthy to remember that the form is what matters the most, so don’t try to increase the weights until you master the movement pattern, unless you want to risk an injury.
If you are slowly becoming better at this exercise, your lower back will get strong and durable, and you’ll no longer experience any back pain ever again.
Machine Rows
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This is the second most important exercise that you can do both at your home and in the gym. If you want a strong back, this is a movement that you must implement in your routine. Unlike the deadlifts, the movement pattern here is pretty simple, and you can’t get injures unless you’re putting on some pretty unrealistic weights while still having a weak back.
Every beginner and professional athlete is doing machine rows, simply because there are numerous benefits that you can get from this exercise. If you are not sure where to find a rowing machine, you can click here and learn some more.
For the grip, you can use both wide and close grip, depending on what you want to achieve. A wide grip will work your lateral muscles a bit more, but with the close grip, you will be able to pull more weight. To get the best out of both worlds you can mix it up and use different grip every week when you perform this exercise.
Planks
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Many people are underestimating the power of this exercise, but it’s something that can strengthen your core and eliminate back pain once and for all. The famous Plank can be done anywhere, and all you need is some space and a straight floor. This exercise is usually a lot more effective when you do it after a few sets of sit-ups, but if you are not a fan of doing that, you can get straight to business with the plank and hold it for as long as you can.
Numerous tutorials and videos on the internet can teach you how to achieve the perfect Plank form, so if you are currently looking to build a stronger back, definitely implement this exercise in your routine. It’s a pretty simple one but very effective.
Pull-ups
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Although this exercise doesn’t work your lower back all that much, it is still a great movement to strengthen your upper back and latissimus muscles. It’s also one of the most common exercises that soldiers do in the army, and you can’t go wrong with doing these unless you’re adding weight, which is something that you shouldn’t do until you master the movement.
There are many variations of pull-ups that you can do, and the best thing is that you can perform them anywhere you want as long as you have a bar. Doing Chin-Ups will have more effect on your bicep muscles, but they will be a stepping-stone until you learn how to perform the perfect pull-up. Don’t be discouraged if you can’t do a single repetition in the beginning, we all have to start from somewhere.