Upper and Lower Back

1. Lie face down on a hyper extension bench with your upper thighs and lower hips on the support pad. You must be able to bend at the waist freely.
2. Lock your ankles under the footpads.
3. Start with your body in a straight line head to toe.
4. Place your arms across your chest, behind or at the side of your head.
5. Slowly bend forward by relacing your, back and abdominal muscles.
6. Continue as far as possible without rounding your back or raising your thighs from the support pad. You should feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings.Hold for a count of one.
7. Return to the start position by contracting your back and abdominal muscles until your body is once again straight. Do not arch your back up at the end of the movement. Pause and repeat.

As your strength and flexibility increase, you can hold a weight plate against your chest for extra resistance.

1. Lie face down on a mat, with your arms fully extended above your head and your legs fully extended behind you.
2. Lift your chest, arms and legs off the floor by arching your back. Only the tops of your quads and your lower abdomen should be in contact with the floor.
3. Hold for a count of 2 while squeezing your abdominals and obliques.
4. Return to the starting position for a count of one, then repeat.

This exercise can be done using one arm and it's opposite leg at a time. For example, right arm and left leg raised while your left arm and right leg remain on the floor. This method of execution allows you to use the free hand to push down on the floor to lift your chest higher from the ground.

1. Place a barbell in a clear space on the floor. (Make sure there are no obstructions in your way.
2. Stand facing the barbell with your legs about 4-6 inches from the bar.
3. Place your feet shoulder width apart.Your feet can be pointed straight ahead or turned outwards slightly.
4. Squat down, keeping your back straight and grip the bar with an overhand grip at shoulder width.
5. Keep your arms fully extended and stand up with the barbell.
6. As you lift the barbell, your hips and shoulders should rise together and your back should be straight.
7. As you reach the top of the lift and are standing straight, rotate your shoulders back slightly until you feel a slight stretch in them.
8. Lower the barbell back to the floor in the same squatting motion you used to lift it.

This exercise can be very dangerous if performed incorrectly. If you are a novice, only perform this exercise with an experienced trainer's supervision.

1. Place two dumbbells on the floor.
2. Stand facing the dumbbells with your feet shoulder width apart.
3. Bend knees and hips to lower your torso in a squatting movement,keep your back straight.
4. At the bottom of the squat grip the dumbbells with an overhand grip,keeping your arms fully extended.
5. Return to an upright position holding the dumbbells with your palms facing towards your body and extending your hips forward. Do not round your back.
6. Return the dumbbells to the floor in the same manner you picked them up.
7. Repeat.

1. Holding the handles of the resistance band, step on to the middle. Place your feet at shoulder-width with toes pointing forward. Tighten your core and keep your chest up.
2. Bend your knees slightly and drive your hips back but NOT lower than your knees. Again, keep the chest up. This is the starting position.
3. Forcefully contract your glutes, driving them forward. Do not just lean back. Your glutes should be fully contracted. Pause then return to the starting position.

1. Set up a barbell on the floor and stand facing it with your legs slightly wider than shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent.
2. Bend forward at your waist and grip the barbell with an overhand grip.
3. Keep your back straight and nearly parallel to the floor.
4. Keep your head and neck straight. This is the start position.
5. Without moving your torso, exhale and lift the barbell up towards you.
6. Keep your elbows close in to your bodyand use your forearms to support the weight.
7. At the top of the movement, hold for a count of one and sqyeeze your back muscles.
8. Return to the start position inhaling as you do so.

If you suffer from lower back problems, this exercise is not recommended. Always keep your back straight throughout this exercise. This exercise can be performed using an underhand grip to engage the triceps also.

1. Connect a V-bar attachment to the low pulley on a cable station or cable rowing machine.
2.  Sit down at the station and place your feet on the foot pads or crossbar provided, while keeping your knees slightly bent.
3. Lean forward, keeping your back straight and grip the V-bar handles with both hands.
4. Keeping your arms fully extended pull back until your torso is at a 90-degree angle from your legs.
5. Your back should be slightly arched, with your chest should be pushed out. This is the start position.
6. Keeping your torso stationary, pull the handles back towards you while squeezing your back muscles.
7. Keep your arms close to your sides until your hands reach your abdomen. Exhale as you perform this movement.
8. Hold for a count of one.
9. Inhale as you return to the start position in a smooth movement.
10. 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.

1. 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.
2. 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.

1. Begin the movement by stepping on to a resistance band with your feet at shoulder-width, toes pointed slightly out.
2. Bend slightly at the knees and forward at the hips. Maintain a braced core and flat back throughout.
3. 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.

1. Position yourself on all fours with knees underneath the hips and wrists under the shoulders.
2. Engage your abs and keep your spine neutral, pulling the shoulder blades towards the hips.
3. Lengthen the left leg until it is straight out and in line with your hips while simultaneously raising and straightening your right arm until it is parallel to the floor. Keep your head and shoulders aligned at all times.
4. Gently lower your arm and leg back to the starting position and alternate with the other arm and leg.

1. Lay on a yoga/exercise mat or towel with your arms outstretched, palms down in front of you, and your legs outstretched with your soles facing up.
2. Simultaneously lift your right arm and left leg off the floor.
3. When you reach your flexion point, hold for a second before slowly lowering back down to the floor.
4. Repeat the same movement with your left arm and right leg.

1. Position yourself on all fours on a mat.
2. Position your hands underneath your shoulders and place your knees under your hips.
3. Keep your right knee bent at 90 degrees and flex the foot as you lift the knee until it is level with the hip.
4. Lower the knee without touching the floor and repeat the lift.
5. Once you’ve completed the reps on the right leg, switch legs.

1. Step up to the bar and grasp it with your palms facing you and arms close together.
2. Your arms should be fully extended.
3. Cross your ankles and bend your knees,
4. Pull your body up until your elbows are completely bent and close to your body, reaching your chin to the bar.
5. Lower your body until your arms and legs are fully extended in the starting position.

1. Sit at a Lat Pulldown machine and secure your legs underneath the padded surface. Select an appropriate weight on the stack. Reach up to grab the barbell, taking a close-grip. Your hands should be at or closer than shoulder-width.
2. Tighten your core and keep your chest up as you pull the barbell down and towards your chest. Be sure to pull with your lat muscles.
3. Once the bar is at your chest, slowly allow it to return to the starting position but don’t let the weight stack touch. Repeat.

1. Set the bar to your waist height.
2. Lie on your back under the bar.
3. Reach up and grip the bar with an overhand grip with both hands.
4. Keeping your body straight,  pull yourself up towards the bar by pulling your elbows as far back as you can and trying to touch the bar with your chest.
5. Hold and squeeze your arm and back muscles.
6. Lower yourself back to the start position in a controlled motion.
7. Repeat.

For this exercise, you can use a Smith machine bar, an Olympic bar on a rack or any other straight, sturdy bar set to the right height. The lower the bar is to the floor, the more intense it will be due to the starting angles of your arms.

1. Set up a cable station with a straight bar attached to the top pulley.
2. Sit on the seat facing the station. Keep your feet flat and planted firmly on the floor.
3. Using an overhand grip, hold the bar as wide as comfortable. (Your hands should be about 1 1/2 – 2 times body width apart.)
4. Lean back slightly without arching your back.
5. Pull the bar towards the top of your chest using your shoulders while arcing your elbows out to the sides of your body.
6. At the end of the movement squeeze you shoulders together slightly and hold for a count of one.
7. Return to the start position by arcing your elbows forward while relaxing your shoulders.
8. Repeat.

1. Standing under a pull-up bar, reach up and hold onto the bar with an overhand grip. Make sure your hands are about twice your shoulder width apart.
2. Keep your arms straight and hang from the bar so that your arms are taking all of your weight.
3. Keeping your body straight and not swinging your weight, pull your body up towards the bar by pulling your elbows down towards your torso at an angle.
4. Continue lifting until your chest is nearly touching the bar. You should feel a “squeeze” at the base of your lats (about midway down your back and to the side) as they contract.
5.  Once your lats have completely contracted at the top of the movement, slowly lower your body to the starting position.
6. Repeat.

By using a wide grip, your lats are doing most of the lift, rather than your biceps. It doesn't matter if you keep your legs straight or bent at the knees with your feet crossed. The important thing is that you do not use your legs to assist in lifting your body weight. As your strength increases, you can add weight by using a weight belt.

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Keep the lower back straight and the core tight. Reach up and grab a pull-down bar with a wide grip.
2. Keeping your arms straight with a very slight bend in the elbow, pull the bar down to your hips. Breathe out and flex your lats as you do so.
3. Pause and slowly return to the top of the movement. Do not let the weight rest against the stack. Repeat the movement.

1. Lie on a flat bench, holding a barbell on your chest with an overhand grip. (Your hands should be shoulder width apart)
2. Get into starting position, raising the bar above your chest by extending your arms, but do NOT lock your elbows.
3. Keeping your arms slightly bent, slower lower the weight in a smooth arc to a position behind your head by rotating your shoulders. (as if putting your hands in the air)
4. Keep moving the barbell behind your head until you feel a slight stretch in your chest. Hold for a count of one.
5. Return to the start position in a smooth revers arc.
6. Continue holding the weight above your chest, then repeat.

1. Lie with your upper back perpendicular on a bench.
2. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor and flex your hips so that your body is in line.
3. Grasp a dumbbell between your hands under the inner plate, palms facing up.
4. Position the weight over your chest with your elbows slightly bent.
5. Keep your elbows bent as you lower the dumbbell over your head until your upper arms are in line with your torso.
6. To return to the starting position, pull the dumbbell up and over your chest.

Try to avoid raising your hips and maintain a small bend in your elbows throughout the movement.

1. Lie face down on a mat, with your arms fully extended above your head and your legs fully extended behind you.
2. Lift your chest, arms and legs off the floor by arching your back. Only the tops of your quads and your lower abdomen should be in contact with the floor.
3. Hold for a count of 2 while squeezing your abdominals and obliques.
4. Return to the starting position for a count of one, then repeat.

This exercise can be done using one arm and it's opposite leg at a time. For example, right arm and left leg raised while your left arm and right leg remain on the floor. This method of execution allows you to use the free hand to push down on the floor to lift your chest higher from the ground.

1. Lie face down on a hyper extension bench with your upper thighs and lower hips on the support pad. You must be able to bend at the waist freely.
2. Lock your ankles under the footpads.
3. Start with your body in a straight line head to toe.
4. Place your arms across your chest, behind or at the side of your head.
5. Slowly bend forward by relacing your, back and abdominal muscles.
6. Continue as far as possible without rounding your back or raising your thighs from the support pad. You should feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings.Hold for a count of one.
7. Return to the start position by contracting your back and abdominal muscles until your body is once again straight. Do not arch your back up at the end of the movement. Pause and repeat.

As your strength and flexibility increase, you can hold a weight plate against your chest for extra resistance.

1. Lie prone on a swiss ball with your feet hip width apart. You can place your feet against a wall for better stability. Clasp your hands behind your head with elbows pointing out.
2. Engage your abs and raise your torso off the ball, hyperextending your spine.
3. Return your torso to the ball to the starting position.

1. Secure a pair of suspension straps. Stand facing the straps, brace your lower back, and tighten your core.
2. Lean back, letting the straps hold your weight. Your arms should be straight.
3. Pull yourself up with your back, maintaining a tight core.
4. Squeeze the back muscles and slowly lower yourself. Repeat.

1. Set the bar to your waist height.
2. Lie on your back under the bar.
3. Reach up and grip the bar with an overhand grip with both hands.
4. Keeping your body straight,  pull yourself up towards the bar by pulling your elbows as far back as you can and trying to touch the bar with your chest.
5. Hold and squeeze your arm and back muscles.
6. Lower yourself back to the start position in a controlled motion.
7. Repeat.

For this exercise, you can use a Smith machine bar, an Olympic bar on a rack or any other straight, sturdy bar set to the right height. The lower the bar is to the floor, the more intense it will be due to the starting angles of your arms.

1. Place a dumbbell on each side of a flat bench.
2. Place your right knee on the end of the bench.
3. 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.
4. With your left hand, pick up the dumbbell with an overhand grip. The palm of your hand should be facing into you.
5. Keep your lower back straight. This is the start position.
6. 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.
7. At the top of the movement, hold for a count of one and squeeze your back muscles.
8. Return to the start position inhaling as you do so. Repeat.
9. 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.

1. 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.
2. 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.

1. Begin the movement by stepping on to a resistance band with your feet at shoulder-width, toes pointed slightly out.
2. Bend slightly at the knees and forward at the hips. Maintain a braced core and flat back throughout.
3. 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.

1. 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.
2. 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.

1. Standing under a pull-up bar, reach up and hold onto the bar with an overhand grip. Make sure your hands are about twice your shoulder width apart.
2. Keep your arms straight and hang from the bar so that your arms are taking all of your weight.
3. Keeping your body straight and not swinging your weight, pull your body up towards the bar by pulling your elbows down towards your torso at an angle.
4. Continue lifting until your chest is nearly touching the bar. You should feel a “squeeze” at the base of your lats (about midway down your back and to the side) as they contract.
5.  Once your lats have completely contracted at the top of the movement, slowly lower your body to the starting position.
6. Repeat.

By using a wide grip, your lats are doing most of the lift, rather than your biceps. It doesn't matter if you keep your legs straight or bent at the knees with your feet crossed. The important thing is that you do not use your legs to assist in lifting your body weight. As your strength increases, you can add weight by using a weight belt.

1. Connect a V-bar attachment to the low pulley on a cable station or cable rowing machine.
2.  Sit down at the station and place your feet on the foot pads or crossbar provided, while keeping your knees slightly bent.
3. Lean forward, keeping your back straight and grip the V-bar handles with both hands.
4. Keeping your arms fully extended pull back until your torso is at a 90-degree angle from your legs.
5. Your back should be slightly arched, with your chest should be pushed out. This is the start position.
6. Keeping your torso stationary, pull the handles back towards you while squeezing your back muscles.
7. Keep your arms close to your sides until your hands reach your abdomen. Exhale as you perform this movement.
8. Hold for a count of one.
9. Inhale as you return to the start position in a smooth movement.
10. 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.

1. 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.
2. 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.

1. 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.
2. 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.

1. Begin the movement by stepping on to a resistance band with your feet at shoulder-width, toes pointed slightly out.
2. Bend slightly at the knees and forward at the hips. Maintain a braced core and flat back throughout.
3. 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.