Having problems targetting back muscles

[TzuChan]

hey guys, I asked a while ago about training my shoulders, I'm doing it, and it's going nice, thanks alot. But I'm having doubts if I'm training certain muscles or not. You know the muscles down your neck (they go in an upside down V shape towards your shoulder pads), and the muscles between your shoulder pads (btw shoulder pads, I'm talking about those two big bone plates on your back bellow your neck), how do you know you are training them ? I mean I can feel I worked out my shoulders after doing several exercises (yes with small weights ;)) the triceps especially. But I feel absolutely nothing on those back muscles, and I really want to have them trained and fit and strong, cause those things are great for your spine support.

Any help/exercise tips is welcome

Thanks all !

[rubthebuddha]

if i'm reading what you're saying right, they're your upper trapeziuseseses. working them out is simmmm-pllle. simply grab a dumbbell in one hand, grab an equally weighted dumbbell in your other hand and shrug your shoulders up to ear level. relax your shoulders and repeat. i like doing this slowly as not to tweak the neck or shoulders at all.

this is a real easy exercise and it's very easy to get real strong, real quick doing this.

[TzuChan]

Thanks dude I'll try it, again it's you who gives me the exercises ;)

Last post you gave me these exercises to train my shoulders, anterior/medial/posterior ;) I'll do this too then from now on, cause those exercises you gave me seem to work nicely.

Also do you happen to know any other exercises to make you walk more straighter ? I mean to make your spine support even better ? I know sit ups do very well, now this seems to do great too, I try to stretch myself out once in a while while hanging from a bar or something. That's basically all I know.

Thanks dude !

[Robinf]

A couple to further work your back:

Seated row, on the pulley machine (there should be one with a seat), with the close grip hands or even the wide grip (personal comfort).

Use those dumbells, bend over, keeping your back "straight" (tighten our abs) and do a reverse fly (the opposite of a chest fly). I prefer to hold my palms facing my legs as this is the more natural position of those back muscles.

[Cyborg]

I have had back problems for 8 years now from a work injury. The single exercise that has helped the most has been heavy deadlifts. It works the low back to lift and the stomach to stabilize. I find that it helps me more to work the (dang I forgot the scientific name!) side stomach muscles, the ones just above the hips.

Second to deadlifts have been kettlebells. They're expensive but I made my own and bought the video. If you can do something like that I HIGHLY recommend it. With those I lost weight and my stomach gained even more than with deads. Didn't have the maximal strength though.

Good luck!

[Kempo Guy]

I totally agree with Cyborg!

I also saw a big difference after a few cycles of Kettlebell snatches, swings and clean & jerks. I've also done a few cycles of DL's which helped a lot as well. Besides the exercises above the only other back exercise I do is pull-ups.

I dig DL's cause it works almost all of your muscles at once! :D

KG