Stubborn fat clings to certain areas of the body and holds up mighty resistance against our best fat-loss efforts. When it comes to the upper body, fat around our back and shoulders often results in the dreaded bra bulge. Thus we look for exercises to get rid of back fat even at home.
Bra bulge, back boob, back fat — whatever you want to call it, if you’re not happy with it, you’re probably dying to get rid of that fat. There is nothing that ruins a strapless dress for instance, like the bra bulge.
Your Back area is known as one area of the body where the fat is very stubborn and hard to come off. Now, the first step is to make sure you’re wearing the right size bra, and the second is to tone up your upper back area.
You cannot get rid of back fat without possibly finding out the underlying factors. We will also show you the causes and how to tone up your upper back using fat burning workouts.
Sometimes, women neglect the upper back area because they’re afraid of bulking up and getting “man shoulders,” but nothing could be further from the truth. We will show you the causes of back fat and how to lose back fat and even love handles.
Back fat is one of the main obstacles of people looking for the optimal physical shape. It makes you self-conscious and wants to cover up. Not just that back fat is hard to get rid of, it is also frustrating when it doesn’t go away after doing few push-ups here and there.
Adopt these 9 effective exercises, alongside a healthy diet, and you will get rid of that stubborn back fat in no time!
Further Reading: 6 Best Abs Exercises to Get a Six-Pack Ab in 30 days
What Causes Back Fat?
The human body consists of various hormones that are responsible for physical looks, behavior, development, and growth. Scientists have studied the functions of hormones and its effects on human physiology.
Some of the most common causes are hormonal imbalances with cortisol, leptin, testosterone, estrogen hormones as the main culprits. Being overweight or obese due to poor nutrition and a lack of exercise, sleep deprivation, some medical conditions, and drug side effects, as well as genetics, are also related to excess body fat.
Back fats are common fats accumulated on the back which can increase your shirt size, bra size etc. It’s also an indication of being overweight. The appearance commonly results from the combination of several things including atrophy of the muscles of the back and excess body fat.
Atrophy of the body back basically means they have lost their strength and muscle tone. The main causes of muscle atrophy include poor nutrition and a lack of targeted exercise.
You should know that ‘Spot fat’ reduction is not possible. Fat is removed from all over your body and you can’t control it.
You may want to ask this question…
Why does everybody have different areas of fat accumulation? This is because everybody has different genetics. The only way to get rid of stubborn back fat is to lose more fat overall.
The stubborn back fat will eventually come off. You can’t accelerate it sometimes. The body isn’t designed to work that way. So what do you have to do to lose back fat and bra overhang?
#1. Lose the extra weight via calorie reduction and
#2. Exercise your back muscles for better tone and posture.
This takes hard work and discipline with the patience of course. Getting to lose the extra weight via calorie reduction can only be achieved by identifying the causes of back fat.
12 Best Exercises to Get Rid of Back Fat
Dieting alone cannot get rid of back fat, at least not in two weeks. You have to incorporate some workouts daily While working on your overall body composition, there are simple exercises to do.
Cardio activities are particularly effective for getting rid of back fat and toning the back muscle. They will burn calories and strengthen your back muscles. Exercise at least thirty minutes at a time for five days a week or more as your body can carry.
What You’ll Need:
There are only 3 basic pieces of equipment you’ll need for this workout. And the great thing is, they’re all relatively cheap to buy on Amazon and they’re multi-purpose, meaning you can use them for a variety of different workouts and exercise routines beyond this one.
A light workout gear; I get all of my Women’s Workout & Training Pants from Amazon for less than half the price (the quality, price, and prints are awesome) A gym timer (free apps are available for download), and A floor mat to lay on the floor.
1. Jump Rope
Jump ropes are an old-school favorite for boxers, and for good reason. It’s a great way to work your shoulders and back and build a lean mean physique!
Get out for a 15-minute jump rope session 2-3 times per week.
Note that, For every drop of sweat you drop during exercises to get rid of back fat, you are burning through a little more fat!
2. Side Fly Extension
How To:
- Start by standing with feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart, a dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging in the center of the body with palms facing forward.
- Then in a controlled motion, without bending the arms, swing the arms out to the sides until they are even with the shoulders.
- If you have to swing your upper body in order to raise the dumbbells, decrease the weight. Pause at the top. Return the arms back to center.
That is one rep.
N.B Your shoulders will start to burn after a few reps of this move.
3. Push-Ups
How To:
Push-ups do a great job at strengthening your chest and revealing your new streamlined back!
- Start with modified push-ups from your knees.
- Then slowly lower your chest to the ground, focus on engaging your back muscles.
- Push back up to the top position.
Remember, if you can perform 20 reps with good form, switch to normal push-ups from your feet with straight legs. Enjoy this major instance of exercises to get rid of back fat.
Repeat about 10-20 times.
Further Reading: Best Armpit Fat Exercises To Lose Underarm Fat In 7 Days
4. Dumbbell Shrugs
How To:
- Grab a set of dumbbells and hold them down by your sides, palms facing in.
- Now, raise your shoulders as high as possible (the shrug) and lower.
- Try not to roll your shoulders at all.
5. Cat/Camel stretch
How To:
First, get down on your hands and knees.
- Then, relax your back and gently arch it upward (the movement will mimic the cat’s arching).
- Still relaxed, bend it down, as if you wanted to touch the floor with the abdomen
- After 5-6 repetitions (while holding each position for a few seconds), you can rest.
Repeat this exercise a few times daily.
6. Wall-Assisted Handstand
Handstands are a mighty exercise for shoulders, back, and core. Using a wall to assist takes away the balance element, allowing you to focus on fully engaging your back and shoulders.
How To:
- Start by “rolling in” to a suitable wall and walking up your feet.
- Ensure that you support your head and neck by pushing off the floor with your hands.
- Hold this stable position for as long as you can before lowering pushing off the wall.
- As your strength allows, press your hands and shoulders to raise and lower yourself slightly.
7. Hip Twister Plank
How To:
Begin forearm plank position with shoulders directly over elbows.
- Your body should be in a straight, diagonal line from your head to your heels.
- Keeping your abs in tight and your shoulders above your elbows,
- rotate your torso as you drop your left hip to the ground.
- In a controlled motion, rotate your torso to the opposite side, dropping your right hip to the floor.
That is one rep;
N.B In between rotations, don’t forget to stop in the middle to get control of your balance, if necessary. ( repeat for the allotted time)
8. Triceps PushUps On Bench/Chair
How To:
First, sit back to the table/bench/chair.
- Put your hands on the edge of the support.
- Bend your knees and shift your body weight onto your arms.
- Bend your elbows (so you’ll bear the entire body weight).
- Push up, stretching your arms, and bend your elbows again.
- Perform slow movements without forgetting to regulate your breathing during exercise. Do at least 2 sets of 10-12 reps.
For a proper back fat “burning”, you must feel the back muscles work during every exercise. If you don’t have a bench, you can use a solid and stable table that can support your body weight while going through reps of exercises to get rid of back fat.
9. Pushup With Hand Raise
How To:
Perform a standard pushup.
- As you return to the starting position, raise one hand so it’s in line with your body, extended straight out from your shoulder.
- Then, hold for 2 seconds, after, return your hand to the starting position.
- Do another push-up and then repeat with your other hand. Continue alternating sides each rep.
10. Resistance Band Rows
How To:
- Hold the handles of the resistance band in each hand and rest your arms by your sides.
- Step onto the resistance band with both feet, positioning them shoulder-width apart.
- Bend forward 45 degrees. Push your hips out on the back and engage your back.
- Now, bring your hands under your shoulders and pull the handles next to your chest without sticking out the elbows.
- Pause for a few moments and put your arms down. Complete 15 to 20 repetitions at a time.
11. Triceps Dips:
Further Reading: 10 Best Exercises To Lose Thigh Fat Fast At Home
Tricep dips are body-weight exercises that do not require much equipment and can be done using the support of any solid and secure surface. It can be done using a bench or on the floor.
How To:
- Sit on a stable bench, chair or stair keeping our hand’s shoulder width apart and elbows slightly bent.
- Stretch your legs out in front with a slight bend in the knee.
- And gradually lower your body towards the floor with the support of your arms until the elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
- Now, press down into the bench straighten your elbows and raise your body up to the starting position.
- This entire down and up movement makes 1 repetition. Complete 15 to 20 repetitions at a time.
12. Lat Pull Down
How To:
- Grab a cable bar and raise it to an overhand position.
- Place your thighs underneath the support and straighten the legs.
- Your knuckles should be facing upward. When you are fully stretched you should find the bar just within reach.
- Otherwise, you need to adjust its height. Bring the bar down to your chin and keep the back straight.
- Use one single flowing motion as you bring your shoulder blades together.
- Slowly return the bar back to the starting height for a single rep. Do 3 sets of 15 reps each
The beauty of these exercises to get rid of back fat is the variety. Whether you have access to free weights, machines, or nothing but your own floor, you can sculpt your upper back and make bra bulge a thing of the past, so what are you waiting for? Get down to work and get that shape you have always wanted.
We would love to hear from you. Share with us your own success story!