Over the years, I have learned that back fat is a very common detest with my clients. It can make you look thicker from the side profile, appearing to seem flabby if the dress doesn’t fit right on your back. Most of this is due to weak back muscles with a tight chest and arms.  

By strengthening the muscles on your back, chest, and arms, you can tone up your back quickly. In this article, we will suggest the best exercises for losing back fat.

Quick Summary

Here is a summary of the exercises that I recommend to lose your back fat:

• Bent Over Rows with Weights
  • Provide trainings focusing on trapezius, infraspinatus, rhomboids, latissimus dorsi, teres major, teres minor, and posterior deltoid
  • Equipment Needed: All-Purpose Dumbbells in Pair, or Set with Rack 

• Wood Chop with Medicine Ball
  • A great exercise focusing on deltoids, lats, obliques, core, arms, legs, bum 
  • Equipment Needed: Dead Weight Slam Ball

• TRX Mid Rows
  • Focusing on trapezius, infraspinatus, rhomboids, latissimus dorsi, teres major, teres minor, and posterior deltoid and core
  • Equipment Needed: TRX

• Stability Ball with Back Extensions
  • Focusing on the upper back, mid-back, lower back, glutes, hamstring
  • Equipment Needed: Multi Colored Stability Ball 

What Causes Back Fat? 

Excess fat commonly accumulates on the back and can increase your shirt size, bra size and can be an indication of being overweight. Medical conditions, genetics, and medicine can cause weight gain, while a lack of physical activity and poor nutrition habits are the most common culprits. 

Usually, people that have excess back fat are hunchback and the head is cocked forward. This is all due to poor posture. 

Who Should Do These Back Fat Burning Workouts?

Anyone that has a weak back (upper, mid, or lower), slouches forward, experiencing neck and shoulder pain, and one with excess fat in the upper back behind the bra or excess fat in the back waistline. 

You can do these exercises if you are looking to improve and maintain your whole body shape too.

Best Back Fat Burning Workouts/ Exercises

Bent Over Rows with Weights 

The two-arm, bent over dumbbell row, targets many muscles in the upper and middle back. These include the trapezius, infraspinatus, rhomboids, latissimus dorsi, teres major, teres minor, and posterior deltoid. The pectoralis major of the chest and the brachialis of the upper arm also get worked while your shoulder rotators are employed. 

The Bent Over Rows with Weights is a compound, functional exercise and you may use this same motion throughout the day when picking up things. Knowing how to properly position your back and brace your abs can protect you from strain and injury.

How to Do Bent Over Rows with Weights: 

• Stand with both legs shoulder-width apart, keeping the knees soft or slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing the body while holding them shoulder-width apart.
• With a dumbbell in each hand, bend over at a 45-degree angle (no farther). Keep the back straight throughout the exercise and brace your abdominals when breathing in.
• Lift the weights straight up, exhaling. While lifting, the arms should go no higher than parallel to the shoulders—slightly lower than the shoulders is ok. While lifting, try to keep the wrists from excessive extra movement down or to the side. Do not squat down and up after the initial pose. There should be no movement of the legs throughout the exercise.
• Lower the weights in a controlled manner, while inhaling.
• Remain bent over until all repetitions are complete.

Suggested Reps: 20 reps (3 rounds) 

Equipment Needed: All-Purpose Dumbbells in Pair, or Set with Rack 

I like these Dumbbells as they are great tools to do many exercises to tone your whole body. It’s versatile and compact so that you can store them under your bed or in a corner of your room. 

Tips: Start with no weights first to get the correct posture and the feel of the exercise before adding in light weights and increasing as it becomes easier 

Wood Chop with Medicine Ball

The wood chop works the entire body with a strong focus on the core and back muscles, from deltoids, lats, core, arms, legs, to bum, especially the internal and external obliques (which are the sides of your waistline). 

This move will raise your heart rate if you speed up the pace and use a two- to four- kilogram medicine ball. 

How to Do Wood Chop with Medicine Ball: 

• Start with the feet a little wider than hip-distance apart. 
• Twist to the right, raising the ball over to your right shoulder.
• On an exhale, pull your abs toward your spine and “chop” the ball down diagonally across your body toward the outside of your left knee. Imagine you are chopping some wood at this angle and the ball is your ax — the move is a bit percussive.
• Focus on the rotation initiating in your torso.
• Control the ball back up to the starting position. This completes one rep.

Suggested Reps: Do 3 sets of 15 reps on each side

Equipment Needed: Dead Weight Slam Ball, Available in Many Weights and Styles 

I always have one in my studio, these medicine balls are a quick way to add a progression and it’s easy to handle for clients.

Tips: Remember you are moving with force but also control. Don’t give in to the momentum of swinging the ball around. 

TRX Mid-Rows 

The TRX Mid-Rows is a great exercise to tone up your major back muscle groups, from trapezius, infraspinatus, rhomboids, latissimus dorsi, teres major, teres minor, and posterior deltoid to core.

How to Do TRX Mid-Rows: 

• Stand hip-distance apart, extend arms, palms down
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together and sink your shoulders down 
• Pull your chest up between your hands, keep your elbows close to your body and squeeze your shoulder blades together behind you. 
• Pause at the top of the move, then slowly lower until your arms are extended again.

Suggested Reps: 20 reps (3 rounds) 

Equipment Needed: TRX ALL-IN-ONE Suspension Training: Bodyweight Resistance System

TRX is always my go-to vacation equipment. It only weighs 5 lbs and it can hook onto anywhere, so you can get a workout in on the go. And it is super easy to store!

Tips: Squeeze your core tight and breathe steadily, throughout the exercise 

Stability Ball with Back Extension 

This move doesn’t only sculpt your back but also activates your glutes. The stability ball is great for multiple core exercises and is also great to sit on, as it becomes a posture corrector when you’re working from home. 

How to Do Stability Ball with Back Extension: 

• Lie facedown on a stability ball, hands behind your head, feet against a sturdy object. 
• Squeeze your glutes and lift your torso up, until your body forms a straight line.
• Hold for one or two seconds. Slowly return to start. That’s one rep.

Suggested Reps: 20 reps (3 rounds) 

Equipment Needed: Multi Colored Stability Ball 

The stability ball is a piece of equipment that I use when my clients have lower back problems or need to strengthen their core. It provides cushioning and is a fun way to workout. 

Tips: Squeeze your core tight so that your lower back doesn’t start hurting and put your feet against a wall to support your body from rolling backward. 

Useful Tips and Information

These are some useful tips when you are planning to do these back fat burning exercises

•  Always remember to roll your shoulders back and squeeze the shoulder blades together. Keep sinking the shoulders, away from the ears, to engage in all of these exercises to get the best out of them. 
• If you do not engage those muscles, then you will just be moving through the motions and not strengthening or toning your body. Injury may occur if you do not engage all of the correct muscles. 
• Always do warm-ups and sketching before and after exercise, these will help to improve the effectiveness of the training and reduce the chance of injuring yourself.
• Take your time, don’t push yourself too much, some back muscles could be very weak compared to your arms, legs, and hips. You need to give them some time to get used to the “training and exercising” mode.
• If you have back or spinal injuries before, do consult your doctor before you start working out
• Considering wearing a back support brace to protect your back during the workout if you have a weak back

Final Thoughts 

So we have talked about the best exercises to lose back fat, combining with a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle, you will be able to tone up your back shape in an efficient way. 

What are some of your favorite back exercises that have helped you in the past? Share them with us in the comments below!