Back Workout Tips

This week on Fitness To A Tee, it's been all about my favourite body part to strengthen - the back!

Why work the back anyway?

No matter what your fitness goals are, doing workouts for your back is key. The back is one of the biggest muscle groups in your body, so if weight loss is one of your goals - working your back will have you burning heaps of calories.

Your back muscles are also the main support for your trunk and spine. Your back muscles help you move including your head, neck, shoulders, arms and legs. They let you bend over, twist, turn your head and extend your back.

How I fell in love with back workouts more than 10 years ago

In 2021, I started a series of posts on my Instagram and Facebook titled “Bodybuilding VS Build A Body”. I was telling you my bodybuilding story from my competing days as a fitness model BUT also my personal story and how my life prepared me not just to step on stage to get a gold medal - but how to set a foundation for my body for LIFE. 

Building a body is not just about exercises, but what rises up from WITHIN as you connect with your body and use it as a vessel to carry you through life's situations.

What's this got to do with back workouts? My back is my favourite body part to work. When mum got critically ill from cancer in 2010, I was preparing to move to Melbourne from Cairns, Australia. I got a call from dad to fly home to Zimbabwe asap. So I moved - then dashed home.  

After mum passed away, I came back to Melbourne - a new city; having shifted careers from law. I felt lost and angry - no one can ever explain the void that comes with losing a mum. Life didn't make no sense.

I joined a gym in Melbourne. I hadn't started my fitness course (it was 2 yrs before I founded #fitnesstoatee). I found solace in the good ol' lat pulldown machine (works the back). Pulling the bar down and feeling my back work brought an inner strength I didn't feel outside of the gym.

I started looking up back exercises and understanding how important the back is, for holding our body up and shaping it. It was my first glimpse into the bodybuilding world as I began to follow fitness models. 

Not long after I started to settle into Melbourne  - a new jolt came. I had to fly back to Zimbabwe as my dad became ill after losing mum. I packed my bags again and flew home. To be continued at a later date…

First days of my back workout routine

So how often do I work my back? When I first started working my back over a decade ago, I worked it out once per week. When I started training for my bodybuilding competitions as a fitness model, I started training it once to twice per week, but after I had gained experience in my first competitions - I realised that it was my best asset and I could use it to my advantage on stage. So I stepped it up to three times per week, ensuring I gave it at least one day break between training sessions. That is the time I really learnt the art of shaping the body, as I then focused on hitting my shoulders and arms more too - the connecting muscles to the back. This helps to really get a great silhouette (no I wasn’t skipping leg day lol. I’m focusing on the back/upper body here as that’s the topic).

My back at age 41. Shorts: Fitness leaf by Fitness To A Tee.

My current back workout routine at age 41

I had to eat humble pie this past year as I can no longer do pullups, chinups or the hanging moves I used to do, due to an area of my health. Those really helped to build my back years ago. At first, it was hard to accept that I can’t do them anymore but I finally accepted it, particularly as I realised that there are so many other back moves I can do. I also accept that at age 41, my body will go through different seasons and instead of me resisting it - I can flow with it and keep adjusting my exercise to suit. The key thing is to keep moving!

And the proof is in the pudding when it comes to shaping my back. Check out this video of me this week showing you my favourite back exercises!

So my current routine with my back is that I exercise it twice per week. I always ensure I touch all the muscles of the back so the outer, inner and lower back muscles. So for example, a one-arm bent over row works more of the inner back muscles whilst the wide lat pull down works more of the outer back muscles and shoulders. To differentiate between the moves where my arms are close to my body (inner back muscles), then the ones where my hands are wide apart (outer back muscles) - see the video where I show you my favourite back moves here.

I focus on using medium to heavy weight, but my emphasis is always on feeling my muscles activate, more than lifting 5000 kg. You can lift a heavy weight but if your technique is off and you’re not focusing on activating the muscle (feeling it work) - then that’s not doing much to give you good results.

I usually work 2 - 3 different muscle groups per session so e.g. legs, back + waist. I work my lower back once/week. This type of timetable works well for my busy schedule. Bear in mind that this type of split is something that works for my body. Everybody is different, so what may work for me and my goals may not necessarily work specifically for someone else. If you want to ask more questions about training your back alongside your goals - contact me here.

Nutrition

This is the most important thing to achieve great toning results or any other goal with your fitness. I’ve definitely maintained my fitness and kept shaping my body at this age by being consistent with healthy eating. I still have treat or cheat meals twice per week and that helps me sustain my healthy eating, as I don’t cut or deprive myself of foods I like.

So what kind of healthy foods do I eat to stay toned at age 41? I love greens and more greens; fruit and/or veg smoothies with superfood powders; wholemeal carbs e.g. brown rice, sweet potato. You can see my healthy food shopping by clicking here.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my tips and do get in touch here for any questions you might have.

Click here to watch my favourite back exercises!