Men Over 40 Can Build Big Backs With More Support

Author, fitness model, and trainer Kirk Charles, NASM-CPT CES, knows that as you get older, life can get more complicated. But that shouldn’t prevent you from being on top of your game. He’ll help to answer the tough training questions that come with age so you too can be Fit Beyond 40.

You can never do enough rows. Posterior chain work is a must for all my clients, especially my older clients, because back strength is critical to your long-term health. Strengthening your lats, rhomboids, and mid-back muscles has endless benefit, improving your posture, preserving your shoulders, and giving your body the muscle it needs.

The classic dumbbell row is a staple move to build this ever-important back strength, but as you get older, you may find you need other options. Enter the incline bench row, and get ready to keep making the back gains you need while eliminating a great deal of risk for your lower back.

During standard dumbbell rows, your entire core must stay engaged to protect your spine. You have to think about your lower back position intently: Don’t let your back round and don’t let it arch, because either can be a compromising position.

The incline row eliminates much of the anxiety of exercise for those who are older with back issues. Lying on the bench puts your back in perfect alignment, so there’s no concern about the lumbar spine taking on too much load. You also don’t have to worry about your back rounding during your reps. Plus, you have the benefit of working your lower lats a little more, due to the angle of the bench.

To set up, adjust your exercise bench to approximately a 45-degree angle. Grab a pair of dumbbells you’re comfortable rowing with (try a light weight like 20 pounds to start if you don’t typically row). Sit with your belly down on your bench with your head over the end of the bench. Hold the dumbbells with a neutral grip (palms facing one another). Before you start rowing, lock yourself into position by squeezing your glutes and lifting your shoulders up to squeeze your shoulder blades together. When squeezing the shoulder blades, it is important to keep your chest glued to the bench. Your goal isn’t to lie on the bench. It’s to form a straight one from shoulders through feet, maintaining total-body tension. This is your starting position.

Row upward, driving the weights toward your ribcage on every rep and working to keep your shoulders from shrugging. Pull as high as feels natural, aiming to get your upper arms in line with your torso. When you’ve pulled as high as you can, squeeze your shoulder blades, then lower down with control. I recommend working up to a point where you pull up, hold at the top and squeeze for about 2 seconds, then releasing down to the starting position.

The incline bench row is one of those exercises that’s hard to overdo because back work is so necessary, due to the positions we put ourselves in due to our lifestyles. Much of the sitting we do while Zooming, driving, or lounging on the couch, as well as standing or working in awkward positions, like a dentist or surgeon, put our bodies in compromising postures that weaken our muscles. Horizontal pulling exercises are critical to counter that.

Try the incline bench row once or twice a week on upper body training days. Try 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps each time.

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