There is nothing more frustrating than putting on your Sunday best and noticing your back and armpit fat rolls poking out. As a rule, we neglect our backs and armpits during workouts as we focus on the parts of the body we see in the mirror more often like our abs, legs, and butt. Today we are going to draw your attention to some efficient chest and back workouts that will help you look your best in any dress you put on.
At Bright Side, we’ve prepared for you (and let’s face it, for ourselves too) a workout plan for back and chest muscles that will help you build these areas up in just a month! After the first workout, you will surely feel like you were working muscles you didn’t even know you had.
Don’t forget that resistance training is effective only when combined with healthy diet and cardio activities! Perform this workout 2 or 3 times a week, resting as little as possible between exercises.
1. Jump rope
It’s good to start your workout with a 2-minute upper body warmup. Jumping rope is a great way to work your shoulders and back. Don’t forget about technique — turn the rope only with your wrists.
2. Jab cross with dumbbells
This exercise comes from boxing. It not only works on your back and arms, but it also warms up the upper body, improves speed and coordination.
- Stand with your feet a little wider than hip’s length and keep your knees slightly bent.
- Bring your arms up and push your left arm out in a punching motion.
- Return to the starting position and then push your right arm out.
- Keep switching arms for 60 seconds.
- Repeat 3 times with 20-30 second breaks.
3. Chest press with legs extended
This exercise is a full body move! It strengthens the chest, abs, back, triceps and improves posture and flexibility.
- Lie on your back with your arms over your chest and knees bent at a 90-degree angle while holding dumbbells.
- Bring your arms up over your chest and lift the shoulders off the mat while raising your legs.
- Return to the starting position and repeat for 45 seconds.
- Repeat 3 times with 20-30 second breaks.
4. Upright row
This exercise targets the upper and middle back, improving the symmetry of your core and helps to maintain proper posture.
- Stand up and hold the barbell (or dumbbells) with your hands.
- Raise the barbell until it reaches the top of your chest.
- Lower it back down slowly.
- Keep doing the exercise for 60 seconds.
- Repeat 3 times with 20-30 second breaks.
5. Swiss ball chest press
This exercise strengthens your shoulders, triceps and chest muscles. In this exercise, the Swiss ball complicates the task by increasing the range of motion. But if you don’t have the ball at home, you can perform this exercise on the floor.
- Lie the middle of your upper back on a stability ball or a bench with dumbbells in your hands and your palms facing each other.
- Lower your arms out to the sides and keep your elbows slightly bent.
- Keep doing the exercise for 60 seconds.
- Repeat 3 times with 20-30 second breaks.
6. Push-ups
Push-ups are considered to be the most efficient exercise against armpit fat. Doing push-ups daily will surely do the trick. If you cannot manage the standard position, begin with knee push-ups.
- Get down into a push-up position.
- Slowly lower your chest to the mat and focus on engaging your back muscles.
- Push back up to the top position.
- Repeat for 45 seconds.
- Repeat 3 times with 20-30 second breaks.
7. Curtsy lunge with side kick raise
As a compound movement, this exercise engages and stimulates the entire body. Beginning with the second training week, perform this exercise with a dumbbell in your working hand.
- Take a big step back with your left leg, crossing it behind the right, and lunge.
- Stand up, kick your left leg out to the side and raise the left hand up to shoulder height.
- Repeat for 30 seconds and then switch sides.
- Repeat 3 times with 20-30 second breaks.
8. Plank rotation
Doing planks is a great way to improve your flexibility and strengthen your entire core. Beginning with the second training week you can perform this exercise with dumbbells in your hands.
- Get down into plank position, with your hands straight under your shoulders, and your feet at hip’s width apart.
- Twist your core and lift your left hand toward the ceiling.
- Bring your left hand to the initial position and repeat on the right side.
- Keep switching arms for 45 seconds.
- Repeat 3 times with 20-30 second breaks.
9. Superman hold
The superman hold is one of the most popular back exercises! It is a great bodyweight core move that perfectly works back stabilizing muscles.
- Lie facedown with your arms extended up alongside your head.
- Engage your core and glutes to lift your arms, chest, and legs off the floor, turning your palms to face each other.
- Hold for 20 seconds, then lower and return to the starting position.
- Repeat 3 times with 20-30 second breaks.
10. Stretching
Finish your workout with back stretching. You can perform any stretching exercises you know like cat or camel stretching, for example. We advise using a Swiss ball, as it effectively stretches the lower back by providing greater freedom of movement.
- Put the center of your back on the ball.
- Bend carefully.
- Spread your legs and arms.
- Hold for 20 seconds.
Following this workout plan, you’ll not only get rid of armpit and back fat, but you’ll also build muscles to maintain good posture!
Do you know more effective chest and back exercises? Feel free to share them with us in the comments!
Please note: This article was updated in April 2022 to correct source material and factual inaccuracies.
Illustrated by Marat Nugumanov for Bright Side
