Powerful Back and Shoulder Workout for Confident Posture
Nothing says “power” like a stacked backand-shoulder combo. And that power is within reach. A posterior like Mary Dinner’s is only six moves away – no matter what your age.
Good posture can strip pounds – and even years – off your frame. Test it out the next time you’re sideways to your reflection in a mirror or window: a subtle push-back of the shoulders and a lift of the chest can make your waist look slimmer, your upper body look stronger, and you look about 150% more confident. (That last stat is purely anecdotal, but we at D’FYNE stand by it.) Devoting twice-weekly workouts to two of your main posture muscle groups – your shoulders and back – can lead to all these benefits and more. And the addition of trisets – groupings of three exercises done in succession with no rest – provides a bigger metabolic boost, plus valuable time savings by cramming as many exercises as possible into a blink-and-you-miss-it session. Trust us: you’ll be looking in the mirror to check out more than your posture in no time.
TRISET1
PLANK ROW
[A] Hold a dumbbell in each hand and get into a push-up position on the ground. (Hint: Hexagon dumbbell heads work best to prevent unwanted wobble.) Brace your core to align your body from your head to your ankles.
[B] Exhale as you pull one dumbbell up to your side, leading with your elbow and trying to keep your shoulders level with the ground. Lower the weight, then repeat on your opposite side.
MAKE IT EASIER: Do this move from your knees.
OFFSET PUSH-UP
Place both hands on the floor and step your feet back to bring your body into a straight line from your head to your heels. Move one hand ahead of the other to stagger them. Bend both arms to lower your chest toward the floor. Hold for one count at the bottom, then extend your arms to return to the start. Do 10 reps, then switch sides.
MAKE IT EASIER: As with the plank row, do the move on all fours.
WALKING PLANK
[A] Begin on the ground with your elbows under your shoulders, palms on the floor directly under your head, and your legs straight behind you.
[B] Press your left palm into the floor and extend your left arm. Follow with your right.
[C] Reverse the move, lowering down first with your right arm and then your left. Do 10 reps leading with your left arm, then switch to your right.
MAKE IT EASIER: Hold the starting position for as long as you can. Once your shoulders and core start to fatigue and you can’t stay up, your set is through.
TRISET2
ONE-ARMED DUMBBELL CLEAN AND PRESS
[A] Grab a dumbbell with one hand and step your feel out wide. Bend your knees and kick your hips back to sink into a low squat.
[B] Press through your feet to stand. As you rise, pull your hand up in front of your chest, leading with your elbow.
[C] Flip your arm to point your palm forward, then press your arm toward the ceiling. Fluidly reverse, then drop immediately into your next rep. Finish your set, then repeat on your opposite side.
MAKE IT EASIER: Lower only partially into your squat.
SINGLE-DUMBBELL FRONT RAISE
[A] Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart on the floor, holding a dumbbell with both hands. [B] Keep your chest lifted and chin up as you raise the weight directly in front of you to shoulder height. Pause for one count, then slowly lower back to the start.
MAKE IT EASIER: Hold the weight lengthwise with one head
in each hand.
STRAIGHT-ARMED DUMBBELL PULLOVER
[A] Place your upper back across the broad side of a bench; bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips to straighten your body from shoulders to knees. Hoist a dumbbell with both hands straight above your chest.
[B] Hinge only from your shoulders to move the weight behind your head in an arc. Pause for one count, then raise your arms back to the start. Repeat.
MAKE IT EASIER: Perform the move on your back on the ground to shorten the range of motion.
PHOTOS BY West Studio Follow @west_studio
Model Mary Noble Follow @keepn_fit
