YAWT: How can I work these muscles?

[jmcoreymv]

Yesterday I shoveled ~10 tons of dirt and I woke up this morning with very sore muscles in the middle of my back. I workout regularly, but I'm not quite sure what exercise I can do to reach the middle of the back. Any ideas?

 

[cchen]

Originally posted by: jmcoreymv
Yesterday I shoveled ~10 tons of dirt and I woke up this morning with very sore muscles in the middle of my back. I workout regularly, but I'm not quite sure what exercise I can do to reach the middle of the back. Any ideas?

Do you mean middle by your lats?? http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htm

 

[User1001]

Heres a good one:
1. Lie flat on the floor
2. Arms relaxed by your sides
3. Lift your legs (knees not bent) no more than 8 in and no less than 6 in off the ground
4. Hold for 30 secs
5. Relax for 10
6. Repeat from step 3

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: User1001
Heres a good one:
1. Lie flat on the floor
2. Arms relaxed by your sides
3. Lift your legs (knees not bent) no more than 8 in and no less than 6 in off the ground
4. Hold for 30 secs
5. Relax for 10
6. Repeat from step 3

Back, not abs.

 

[jmcoreymv]

Originally posted by: User1001
Heres a good one:
1. Lie flat on the floor
2. Arms relaxed by your sides
3. Lift your legs (knees not bent) no more than 8 in and no less than 6 in off the ground
4. Hold for 30 secs
5. Relax for 10
6. Repeat from step 3

I do those, it works my stomach though.

 

[jmcoreymv]

Originally posted by: cchen

Originally posted by: jmcoreymv
Yesterday I shoveled ~10 tons of dirt and I woke up this morning with very sore muscles in the middle of my back. I workout regularly, but I'm not quite sure what exercise I can do to reach the middle of the back. Any ideas?

Do you mean middle by your lats?? http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htm

Looks more like the rhomboids.

 

[User1001]

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: User1001
Heres a good one:
1. Lie flat on the floor
2. Arms relaxed by your sides
3. Lift your legs (knees not bent) no more than 8 in and no less than 6 in off the ground
4. Hold for 30 secs
5. Relax for 10
6. Repeat from step 3

Back, not abs.

whoops sorry
Edit: just checked. If you do it properly it should workout both.

 

[cchen]

Originally posted by: jmcoreymv

Originally posted by: cchen

Originally posted by: jmcoreymv
Yesterday I shoveled ~10 tons of dirt and I woke up this morning with very sore muscles in the middle of my back. I workout regularly, but I'm not quite sure what exercise I can do to reach the middle of the back. Any ideas?

Do you mean middle by your lats?? http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htm

Looks more like the rhomboids.

Rhomboids (middle back) are the unsung hero of the back. They add thickness to a back. You never hear of anyone working them out. However everyone does when they do most of lat and trap work. Wide grip pull ups to the front work this muscle very well, so do Bent Over Rows and Seated Cable Rows. There are only a few exercises that target this muscle primarily.



And here they are:



Bent Over Barbell Rows. Do these the same way as Bent Over Barbell Rows for upper back, the only difference being a slightly wider grip. Your really have to try to feel your shoulder blades coming together due to rhomboid contraction. Doing this exercise for upper back though, should be good enough.



Seated Cable Rows. Execute this exercise exactly the same way as Seated Cable Rows done for lats with one major difference. Instead of pulling the weight to your stomach area, pull it to where your abs meet your chest.



Rhomboid Shrugs are done either with a low pulley or on one of the Cybex or Stairmaster type Rowing Machines (this said in full recognition of your preference for free weights!!) Begin as if you are going to do regular rows but rather than bending the arms, keep then (relatively) straight and try to pull the shoulders back - can use a rotating motion but recall your caution about rolling the shoulders while doing shrugs. This is rather like a seated, horizontal shrug. Really gets to the middle of the back - involves the trapezius also. Could be done with a barbell or dumbells in the bent over rowing positionbut you might not be able to focus on the proper movement. ( thanks to Mike Nix )

 

[edro]

Rows and pullups (palms out)

 

[Special K]

deadlifts and rows

 

[dfi]

Originally posted by: jmcoreymv
Yesterday I shoveled ~10 tons of dirt and I woke up this morning with very sore muscles in the middle of my back. I workout regularly, but I'm not quite sure what exercise I can do to reach the middle of the back. Any ideas?

I know an exercise, but it involves a shovel and a lot of dirt.

dfi

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: dfi

Originally posted by: jmcoreymv
Yesterday I shoveled ~10 tons of dirt and I woke up this morning with very sore muscles in the middle of my back. I workout regularly, but I'm not quite sure what exercise I can do to reach the middle of the back. Any ideas?

I know an exercise, but it involves a shovel and a lot of dirt.

dfi

 

[jmcoreymv]

Originally posted by: dfi

Originally posted by: jmcoreymv
Yesterday I shoveled ~10 tons of dirt and I woke up this morning with very sore muscles in the middle of my back. I workout regularly, but I'm not quite sure what exercise I can do to reach the middle of the back. Any ideas?

I know an exercise, but it involves a shovel and a lot of dirt.

dfi

Yea I was thinking about that, but last time I checked they didnt have any shovels or dirt at the gym.