You may be like me and do a lot of exercises to build your chest, shoulders and arms. We’re risking back pain because there are back muscles which are opposing muscles groups to the chest muscles.

Chest, shoulder and arm muscles workouts are what I call my ‘lazy exercises’. I just find them easy to do – they don’t seem like work to me and I get results that I can see, fast.  I do a lot of bench presses, flys and pushups.

While researching ways to build my chest, shoulders and arms, I have come across several questions that had been asked online, about nagging back pain that came even though that person was working out a lot.

If you don’t work the opposing (to the chest) muscles, then you risk overworking those (back) muscles. This can cause injury.

 A great stretch to use before you commence your chest, shoulder and arm workout, is to reach up with your right hand/arm, on the right side of your head, reaching towards the middle of your back, like you were trying to scratch in the middle of your back. Then, at the same time, bring your left hand up behind your back to meet your right hand. The secret is to have a rope, band or towel held in both those hands, so they have a tug-o-war. Have your hands as close together as you can get them, (by crawling them along the rope, band or towel) then just steadily pull, like you were trying to rip it apart. Do this for 10 to 15 seconds then change hands, over to the other sides.

This will stretch and loosen up your rotator cuff muscles.

There are a couple of good exercises that will build these opposing (to your chest) muscles.

1. Flys.

 Lay on a bench (slightly inclined is best but I only have a flat one) lay on your back and using lightish dumbbells, (I use 2kgs) lower them out to the sides with your arms extended. Hold for at least 10 seconds or more, if you can, then bring your arms back to the upright position. Do this two or three times.  When extending your arms with the dumbbells, don’t lower the dumbbells down past your shoulders.

Lay face down on the bench (again, slightly inclined is best) and do the same, raising the dumbbells up and to the side, while at the same time, squeezing your shoulder blades together, for about 5 seconds. Do this 5 to six times, slowly increasing the weight as it gets easier.

2. Chinups (or pullups)

 Underhand chinup (with palms facing body) with the hands positioned slightly narrower than the shoulders. Do these started with the arms fully extended. If you’re like me, you can use a step or an upturned milk crate until you are strong enough to do without.  You can cross your feet and have your knees bent if it makes it easier for you.

Overhand chinup (palms facing forward) with hands positioned wider than the shoulders. When you pull up, get the bar below chin level.  Try to keep your body under control so you don’t sway. I only do one or two of these… if you can do more, great.

Doing these exercises in balance with your chest exercises will help minimise back pain because of muscle imbalance.

Go here for a balanced  build chest muscles  workout.

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