Avoid Overdeveloped Mirror Muscles

Training for muscular balance is important, not only for aesthetics, but for stability and balance to prevent injury, correct posture and to have a full body training program. A common overall imbalance is between the front and back of the body.

The muscles of the front body: the chest, biceps, abs and quads, become overdeveloped. Especially in comparison to the neglected back body muscles: the upper back, triceps, lower back and hamstrings.

The front body muscles, or "the mirror muscles," are trained more frequently. It could be because they're the muscles we can see in the mirror the most. The back of the body muscles are also more challenging to train. The exercises can be a little boring. They're just not as fun as bicep curls and bench press! Without equipment, especially for the lats, you need to be creative!

Exercise Tips for Training the Back of the Body

The Back

The muscles of the back must be trained regularly. They are "pulling muscles," and should be kept strong in a functional sense (opening doors, moving furniture) but also because they're big muscles, and a weak looking back is noticeable.

If you have access to a cable machine, pull up bar, and resistance tubes, then in combination with barbell and free weight exercises, you should have no trouble training.

If you have no equipment or just a set of dumbbells there are still plenty of exercises but creativity may come into play to prevent boredom.

Dumbbells

-Some back exercises for the back are: bent over one arm row, or two arm row, and reverse flies. You can do these exercises alternating, holding only one dumbbell, lying over a bench, seated on a ball, or standing.

-Make sure the weights are heavy enough. Hold two smaller weights or place the weight and/or some cans from the kitchen in a durable tote bag.

Body Weight

-The best bet is pull ups and chin ups on a bar. If you do not have a bar use the monkey bars at a park, or even a very sturdy tree branch. Many people can't do a pull up. It is a very tough exercise. In this case try to make it assisted by either having someone hold your feet/foot, or by lightly supporting your feet on a chair or stability ball. Another alternative is to hold the "top" position of the exercise for as long as you can.

-"T-Flies" are not going to get you ripped but they will keep your back muscles activated and healthy. To do this one bend forward at the waist so that the back is very straight. Look down and with straight arms, slowly "flap." Each time your arms come up to as high as they can go, really focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together. When they come all of the way back down, focus on stretching the back and shoulder muscles forward.

-Holding yoga poses create effective isometric exercises. Try Ashtanga yoga for a killer full body strength, cardio and power training workout.

Training your lats and rhomboids will develop your upper back to achieve balance and body symmetry

Kaleena Lawless
Personal Training Specialist
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