- Lean forward into an incline bench
- Using a neutral grip, hold a dumbbell in each hand so your palms are facing in.
- Your arms should be fully extended and hanging straight down. This is the start position.
- Pull your shoulder blades back and flex your elbows to pull the dumbbells up to your sides.
- Hold and squeeze your shoulder and back muscles.
- Return to the start position in a slow, controlled movement.
- Repeat.
back
1 min
·
6 exercises
Dumbbell Incline Bench Rows
Dumbbell Overhead Shoulder Press
Rear Delt Pull
Single Arm Dumbbell Bench Rows
One-Arm Kettlebell Rows
Reverse Flyes
This back 1 min-minute gym workout plan effectively targets your back and shoulders. Easily follow this workout with confidence on your phone or printable exercise program with our clear exercise demonstrations. You can also look up step-by-step instructions for each of the 6 exercises and see which muscle groups they target. Enjoy!
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back
1 min
·
6 exercises
Dumbbell Incline Bench Rows
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back, Middle Back / Lats
Secondary:
Biceps, Forearms, Shoulders
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps
- Stand tall with a tight core and flat back. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your side with an overhand grip. Bend slightly at the knees as you push your hips back. Keep your chest and head up. Upper body should be almost parallel with the floor.
- With your elbows at a 60-degree angle, bring the dumbbells up. Pause when your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Contract the muscle then slowly return the dumbbells to the starting point.
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back
Secondary:
Biceps, Shoulders, Upper Back & Lower Traps
- Connect a V-bar attachment to the low pulley on a cable station or cable rowing machine.
- Sit down at the station and place your feet on the foot pads or crossbar provided, while keeping your knees slightly bent.
- Lean forward, keeping your back straight and grip the V-bar handles with both hands.
- Keeping your arms fully extended pull back until your torso is at a 90-degree angle from your legs.
- Your back should be slightly arched, with your chest should be pushed out. This is the start position.
- Keeping your torso stationary, pull the handles back towards you while squeezing your back muscles.
- Keep your arms close to your sides until your hands reach your abdomen. Exhale as you perform this movement.
- Hold for a count of one.
- Inhale as you return to the start position in a smooth movement.
- Repeat.
Do not swing or rock back and forth as you perform this exercise. Doing so can cause lower back injury. <strong></strong> You can perform this exercise using a straight bar instead of a V-Bar. You can use an underhand or overhand grip.
Primary muscle group(s):
Middle Back / Lats, Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Biceps
- Stand tall with a tight core and flat back. Hold a pair of water bottles at your side with an overhand grip. Bend slightly at the knees as you push your hips back. Keep your chest and head up. Upper body should be almost parallel with the floor.
- With your elbows at a 60-degree angle, bring the water bottles up. Pause when your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Contract the muscle then slowly return the water bottles to the starting point.
Primary muscle group(s):
Middle Back / Lats
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps
- Begin the movement by stepping on to a resistance band with your feet at shoulder-width, toes pointed slightly out.
- Bend slightly at the knees and forward at the hips. Maintain a braced core and flat back throughout.
- Leading with your elbows, pull the handles of the resistance band back, bringing your shoulder blades closer together. Hold this contraction and slowly release to the starting position.
Dumbbell Overhead Shoulder Press
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Abs, Triceps, Upper Back & Lower Traps
- Sit on a military press bench or bench that has a back support, holding a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip.
- Place the dumbbells on top of your thighs with your palms facing down.
- Raise the dumbbells to your shoulders.
- Rotate your wrists so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you. This is the start position.
- As you exhale, push the dumbbells up and over your head by extending your arms until the dumbbells touch at the top of the movement.
- Pause for a count of one.
- Slowly return to the start position inhaling as you do so.
- Repeat.
This exercise can be performed standing or sitting on flat bench. For people with lower back problems, the version described is better.
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Shoulders
Secondary:
Triceps
- Holding a water bottle in each hand, stand straight, with your feet shoulder width apart.
- Raise the water bottles to head height by rotating your arms forward and up.
- Your triceps should be parallel to the floor and your elbows bent at 90 degrees. This is the start position.
- Keeping your back straight and using only your arms, extend through your shoulders and elbows to drive the water bottles straight up, exhaling as you do so.
- As your arms reach the fully extended position, bring them in towards each other until the water bottles touch lightly together.
- Hold for a count of one, while squeezing your shoulder muscles.
- In a controlled movement, return to the starting position, inhaling as you do so.
- Repeat.
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Abs
- Place your left foot onto the middle of a resistance band. Step forward with the right. Tighten your abdominals and avoid arching your back.
- Press the handles of the resistance band up and stop once your upper arms are parallel with the ground, making a scarecrow formation. The band should be behind your arms.
- Slowly press the resistance band overhead. Do not lock out the elbows. Lower to the starting position and begin again.
Rear Delt Pull
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Lower Back
- Stand tall facing a pulley that has been adjusted to higher than head-height.
- Attach a rope or dual handles to the pulley and grab hold of each end with your palms facing your head.
- Engage your abs and pull the weight towards your face. Separate your hands as you pull.
Try to keep your arms parallel to the floor.
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back
Secondary:
Biceps, Shoulders, Upper Back & Lower Traps
- Connect a V-bar attachment to the low pulley on a cable station or cable rowing machine.
- Sit down at the station and place your feet on the foot pads or crossbar provided, while keeping your knees slightly bent.
- Lean forward, keeping your back straight and grip the V-bar handles with both hands.
- Keeping your arms fully extended pull back until your torso is at a 90-degree angle from your legs.
- Your back should be slightly arched, with your chest should be pushed out. This is the start position.
- Keeping your torso stationary, pull the handles back towards you while squeezing your back muscles.
- Keep your arms close to your sides until your hands reach your abdomen. Exhale as you perform this movement.
- Hold for a count of one.
- Inhale as you return to the start position in a smooth movement.
- Repeat.
Do not swing or rock back and forth as you perform this exercise. Doing so can cause lower back injury. <strong></strong> You can perform this exercise using a straight bar instead of a V-Bar. You can use an underhand or overhand grip.
Primary muscle group(s):
Middle Back / Lats
Secondary:
Biceps
- Attach a V-bar / Triangle Bar to the Lat Pulldown machine. Sit on the bench and make sure your knees are secure. Reach up and grab the V-bar with an overhand grip. Be sure to brace your core.
- Begin the movement by leaning back slightly while pulling down on the V-bar. Be sure to engage your middle back during the movement.
- Once the V-bar is at your chest, pause, contract the muscle, and slowly release to the starting position.
Single Arm Dumbbell Bench Rows
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back, Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps, Shoulders
- Place a dumbbell on each side of a flat bench.
- Place your right knee on the end of the bench.
- Bend your torso from the waist until your upper body is parallel to the floor, while placing your right hand on the bench in front of you for support.
- With your left hand, pick up the dumbbell with an overhand grip. The palm of your hand should be facing into you.
- Keep your lower back straight. This is the start position.
- Using your back muscles, pull the dumbbell straight up to the side of your chest, keeping your upper arm close to your side. Exhale as you do so.
- At the top of the movement, hold for a count of one and squeeze your back muscles.
- Return to the start position inhaling as you do so. Repeat.
- Complete all repetitions for one side before switching sides.
This exercise can be performed using a cable station, with a stirrup handle attached to either the high or low pulley.
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps
- Stand tall with a tight core and flat back. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your side with an overhand grip. Bend slightly at the knees as you push your hips back. Keep your chest and head up. Upper body should be almost parallel with the floor.
- With your elbows at a 60-degree angle, bring the dumbbells up. Pause when your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Contract the muscle then slowly return the dumbbells to the starting point.
Primary muscle group(s):
Middle Back / Lats
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps
- Begin the movement by stepping on to a resistance band with your feet at shoulder-width, toes pointed slightly out.
- Bend slightly at the knees and forward at the hips. Maintain a braced core and flat back throughout.
- Leading with your elbows, pull the handles of the resistance band back, bringing your shoulder blades closer together. Hold this contraction and slowly release to the starting position.
Primary muscle group(s):
Middle Back / Lats, Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Biceps
- Stand tall with a tight core and flat back. Hold a pair of water bottles at your side with an overhand grip. Bend slightly at the knees as you push your hips back. Keep your chest and head up. Upper body should be almost parallel with the floor.
- With your elbows at a 60-degree angle, bring the water bottles up. Pause when your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Contract the muscle then slowly return the water bottles to the starting point.
One-Arm Kettlebell Rows
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back, Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps
- Place a kettlebell in front of you
- Place your right leg forward and rest your left leg on the ball of your left foot.(Similar to a lunge stance)
- Bend your knees slightly as you bend over to get in the starting position.
- Keep your back straight.
- Rest your right hand on your right knee for stability.
- Grip the kettlebell with a neutral grip in your left hand.
- Pull the kettlebell up to your stomach, retracting your shoulder blade and flexing your elbow. Keep your back straight. Lower and repeat.
- Complete all the repetitions for one side before switching.
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back, Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps, Shoulders
- Place a dumbbell on each side of a flat bench.
- Place your right knee on the end of the bench.
- Bend your torso from the waist until your upper body is parallel to the floor, while placing your right hand on the bench in front of you for support.
- With your left hand, pick up the dumbbell with an overhand grip. The palm of your hand should be facing into you.
- Keep your lower back straight. This is the start position.
- Using your back muscles, pull the dumbbell straight up to the side of your chest, keeping your upper arm close to your side. Exhale as you do so.
- At the top of the movement, hold for a count of one and squeeze your back muscles.
- Return to the start position inhaling as you do so. Repeat.
- Complete all repetitions for one side before switching sides.
This exercise can be performed using a cable station, with a stirrup handle attached to either the high or low pulley.
Primary muscle group(s):
Middle Back / Lats
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps
- Begin the movement by stepping on to a resistance band with your feet at shoulder-width, toes pointed slightly out.
- Bend slightly at the knees and forward at the hips. Maintain a braced core and flat back throughout.
- Leading with your elbows, pull the handles of the resistance band back, bringing your shoulder blades closer together. Hold this contraction and slowly release to the starting position.
Reverse Flyes
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Secondary:
Abs, Upper Back & Lower Traps
- With a dumbbell in each hand in a neutral grip, lie face down on an incline bench. Your palms should be facing inwards.
- Extend your arms out in front of you so that they are at right angles to the bench. Keep your legs stationary but with pressure on the balls of our feet and toes. This is the start position.
- Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, move the weights away from each other in an arcing motion exhaling as you do so.
- Continue expanding your arms until they are parallel to the floor.
- Hold and squeeze your shoulder blades together
- Return to the starting position inhaling as you do so.
- Repeat .
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
- Begin by holding a pair of dumbbells and standing with a braced core. Bend at the knees slightly and lean forward from the hips. Maintain a flat back throughout.
- Keeping your elbows slightly bent throughout the movement, lift the dumbbells up and out to the side. Be sure to focus the contraction in the back of the shoulders.
- Pause at the top of the movement then slowly bring the dumbbells to the starting position.
Primary muscle group(s):
Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Middle Back / Lats
- Adjust the cables so that the handles sit at chest height.
- Grip the handle, across your body in a neutral grip, with both hands.
- Keeping only a slight bend at your elbow, pull the cable back across your body using the muscles in your back.
- Hold the flexed position for a full second before allowing the cable to pull you slowly back to the starting position.
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
- Adjust the seat on the Rear Delt Machine so that your chest is against the padding and the handles are at shoulder level. Tighten your core throughout the movement.
- Holding on to the handles in front of you, engage your rear delt muscles (back of the shoulder). Pull the weight, focusing all of the tension in your shoulder muscles.
- Pause when the handles are at your sides then slowly return to the starting position. Do not allow the plate to touch the weight stack.
Primary muscle group(s):
Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Shoulders
- Begin by holding a pair of water bottles and standing with a braced core. Bend at the knees slightly and lean forward from the hips. Maintain a flat back throughout.
- Keeping your elbows slightly bent throughout the movement, lift the water bottles up and out to the side. Be sure to focus the contraction in the back of the shoulders.
- Pause at the top of the movement then slowly bring the water bottles to the starting position.
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Exercises done
of 6
Approx. time left
32:15
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