Sweating for the Wedding: Back

January 22, 2013 Crystal Conde

As my wedding day draws nearer, I’ve become increasingly aware that all eyes will be on my back as I walk down the aisle passing each guest. Like many women, I’ve struggled with the appearance of back fat, and I know it takes hard work to reduce and even eliminate it. As women, our bodies want to cling to those fat deposits for dear life. Not fair!

But don’t get discouraged; incorporate these basic back exercises into your workout regimen! For each of the exercises below, you’re going to be in a pitched position. To prepare for the exercises, engage your core muscles as you hinge forward at the waist, aligning your head and neck with your spine — Dancers Shape owner Jennifer McCamish says it’s essential to perform the moves properly to avoid muscle strain and injury. She advises doing these exercises every other day. You’ll eventually notice more sculpted muscles. Here’s a bonus: those tight-fitting shirts and open-back numbers will look even more flattering on you.

Pitched Fly:

Imagine you’re a graceful bird preparing for flight when you do the pitched fly. McCamish says it’s important to control the movement up and down as you squeeze your shoulder blades together. “You want to isolate the muscles you’re working,” she says. I find this strength exercise to be one of the most challenging for me, so I choose a lighter weight (6-8 pounds) and do more reps (12-15). Stronger gals may want a heavier weight (10-12 pounds) with fewer reps (8-10).

Pitched Row:

There’s a reason rowers have such phenomenal upper bodies. This move is a classic, and all you need is a set of dumbbells to do it. “You’ll definitely notice lean muscle definition if you make the pitched row part of your regular routine,” McCamish says.

Pitched Lat Pull Down:

This exercise gives you the same workout you get from the lat pull down machine but without having to go to the gym. McCamish says lat pull downs and the other back exercises illustrated here result in more than improved muscle tone and increased strength. “These back exercises work the postural muscles that help you stand taller. This kind of strength training also prolongs calorie burning throughout the day,” she says.

About the Author

Crystal Conde is an Austin-based writer with more than a decade of experience in the journalism industry. She graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism in the magazine sequence. In her free time, she enjoys sewing, going to movies and concerts, and spending time with her fiance, Patrick, and her dachshund mix, Saffron.