How Strong Is Your Back?

         Healthy posture and proper form is a product of a strong back. A weak back is what can lead to problems with posture, form, and further health issues. Your back is divided into two parts: Upper and Lower. The upper back provides a foundation for the shoulder girdle and supports our head and neck. The lower back is primarily involved in lifting, carrying and supporting our upright posture. The muscles in your back help dictate how these limbs can function and how much protection surrounds your spine. Your spine is highly important to the functioning of your body and condition of your health. Having a strong back will help you with mobility, day to day movement, lifting, holding proper posture and even boost your confidence. When you have a stronger back, you walk more upright and hold your head high, showing confidence in your stride. Having a strong back also helps improve your quality of life. A strong lower back will help keep your hip flexors and core in good shape for functional movements or training. Your lower back will also play a huge role in supporting your posture and helping with daily tasks such as lifting, standing, sitting and squatting with proper form.
                Your upper back is generally stronger in comparison to your lower back. Since your upper back has far more muscles to train and build, your lower back can often be more important to strengthen and support. It is more common for people to have lower back pain which usually means they have very little strength in their core and lower back. If back pain is ignored it will cause further health issues down the road. Working out your back stretches and strengthens the muscles that support its structure. If the muscles are weak, your spine is unsupported and may become vulnerable to pain and dysfunction. Back training may help prevent strains and sprains that can occur during sports and daily chores or activities. Examples are when moving furniture or boxes, any pulling motion, coming up to standing position too quickly, or even turning your torso wrong from one position to the next.
Reasons To Build A Strong Back
– The act of strength training is protective against back pain
 – Strength training for the upper back was the best intervention for pain in desk bound office workers
 – A strong back helps maintain your optimal posture. The mid back is a common site for osteoporotic fractures (strength training prevents this).
–  After the legs, the back muscles are the biggest and strongest in the body, training them expends a lot of energy, helping maintain body composition and blood glucose level
Here is an example of an exercise that strengthens your upper and lower back
DeadLift:
– Hold a pair of dumbbells in front of you with an overhand grip, palms facing the body.
Hinge forward at your hips, slightly bending the knees, lowering the dumbbells to the ground without allowing your back to round.
Brace core and lift back to the starting position.
Repeat movement 10 reps / 2 – 3 sets
Ashley LaMorte is a nationally certified fitness instructor and has been in the fitness industry for many years. Over the years Ashley has gotten the opportunity to instruct group X boot camps at gyms and train private clients from all walks of life, all over the bay area. She now has her own mobile fitness business LaMorte Lift. You can learn more about Ashley at LaMorteLift.com