10 Back Exercises with Bands to Counteract Work-from-Home Posture?
1. Standing T’s:
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Stand up straight, facing a wall with your feet hip-width apart and your arms to the side of the body at about shoulder height. Alternatively, you can put one hand on a chair or other sturdy object for extra support. Keeping your arms pressed against the wall, move them until they form a 90-degree angle, with your forearms and upper arms forming right angles (T position). Please keep your fingers pointing straight ahead and do not let them tip forward; only rotate from the wrists outwards. Hold this tension for 3 seconds and release. Repeat ten times.
2. Lateral Arm Raises:
Face away from a wall or sturdy object again with feet hip-width apart and place your hands on the waist. Keep your back straight, slowly lift your arms to shoulder height, and then return them to their original position. Repeat ten times.
3. Standing Bicep Curls:
While standing up with feet hip-width apart, hold a dumbbell or band in each hand with palms facing outwards towards you at arm’s length by your side. Slowly move the dumbbells up to touch your shoulders while keeping your elbows pointing down. Repeat ten times.
4. Standing Front Raise using Band/Chair:
Holding on to a chair or other object for balance, step one foot forward while keeping it straight, lean forward from the hips while squeezing both shoulder blades together, and engage the core muscles if possible without compensating form (causing other areas of the body to compensate for lack of strength). Keeping the arms straight, lift both hands out in front of you at shoulder height (don’t let them rise too high) and slowly lower back down. Repeat ten times.
5. Side Bends with Band/Dumbbells:
Hold onto a band or dumbbells with your feet hip-width apart or closer, depending on your strength level. Slowly bend laterally towards the left until you feel tension, then return to the center without rotating your torso up and down during this movement pattern, not allowing your legs to move forward & backward but only side to side. Keep doing this for 30 seconds. Try it on both sides
6. Prone Plank Row Using Band/Dumbbell:
Place yourself face down on an exercise mat with your forearms on the ground shoulder width apart, clasping hands together in a fist. Your legs should be kept straight and squeezed firmly together. Keep your back straight from head to hips without overextending or allowing it to sag down. Engage your core muscles by imagining that you are bracing yourself against being punched in the gut. Hold this position for 30 seconds, then repeat three times
7. Standing Bicep Curls using Band/Dumbbell:
Stand upright, facing away from a sturdy object or wall with feet hip-width apart. Holding onto both ends of either band or dumbbell, slowly curl them up towards your shoulders, keeping elbows still and palms facing you. Then, lower back down. Repeat ten times and do three sets, remembering to switch arms halfway through.
8. Standing Triceps Dips:
For this exercise, stand before a sturdy object or chair while holding on with hands shoulder-width apart for balance. Flex your knees so the thighs are almost parallel to the ground, and cross one leg behind the other (I recommend 3×30 secs on each side). Put your entire body weight onto your toes to feel the weight on your elbows. Keeping elbows close to sides, bend them until they are at right angles, creating an upside-down V shape with forearms perpendicular to the torso. Hold this position for 2 seconds before slowly straightening up again. Repeat ten times.
9. Lateral Sway/Russian Twists:
Sit on a mat with your legs as far apart as is comfortable for you, and lean back until you feel the weight evenly distributed on both buttocks. Keep your feet flat, with your knees pointing right ahead, and squeeze both shoulder blades together while pressing your lower back into the ground. Keep arms straight out in front of you at chest height, slowly swing them from side to side, keep a slight bend in elbows only, and keep hips still throughout the movement. Do this about 20 times per direction, but do it equally on both sides.
10. Side Crunch using Band/Dumbbell:
Sit down with either a band or dumbbells hanging over each leg ( I recommend a band), then slowly bring both knees toward your chest while keeping the upper body straight without leaning backward. Breathe deeply and exhale as you crunch up further, squeezing your abs for 2 seconds. Please don’t hold it there, but breathe out and relax after this for 10 seconds before repeating. Repeat three sets of 15 reps on each side.
Bonus:
Be active the whole day by taking brisk walks or doing some stairs instead of using a lift; try to reduce carbs intake; avoid sugar-loaded drinks if possible; try to sleep at least 6 hours/day; maintain consistency in your workout routine no matter what.
Tips:-
Do not substitute form with speed and drop tension between reps. Slow down, squeeze harder during holds ( especially on leg/arm day), and remember to breathe correctly throughout the workout. Never compromise with form or, more importantly, choose several reps over form, as this will put you at a greater risk of injury. Build both equally, if possible.
So these are my top 10 ab workouts that work; I hope they help you get those abs, but remember that increasing muscle mass is a long process, so be patient and always stay motivated! Train hard & train smart by not pushing yourself too hard because one can lose motivation quickly doing high-volume workouts every day. Plus, it takes a lot of time no matter what you do, so don’t aim for perfection. Keep gaining strength until you reach your goal, which isn’t impossible, especially if you are consistent. As long as you eat clean, sleep right, and work hard, you will see results, so smile & repeat the process.
I want to thank everyone who comes to my blog, especially those who comment or email me. I appreciate all your support very much! Lastly, keep in mind that these exercises are meant for beginners/intermediate lifters (if you can’t do all of them properly, then please stick to easier ones till you build strength), but if they prove too easy for you, then either aim for increased resistance or increased reps in next cycle after resting at least two days before repeating no matter what is written here.