5 Best Back Fat Exercises for Great Physique

Back fat, also known as love handles, is the fat stored between the top of the butt and the bottom of the rib cage on the back side of the body.

Both men and women can have it, but women are more likely to have it due to estrogen.

Whether you are into sports, are active, or just want to stay fit, a back that is strong and toned is the key.

Lower back pain is common today because of the amount of time we spend sitting in front of a computer, driving, and being generally inactive. Having strong back muscles reduces the risk of injury and helps maintain posture while standing or sitting. It also helps support the spine and can boost energy level.

Best Exercises to Get Rid of Back Fat

Remember that toning is a colloquial term used to describe building muscle. To build muscle, you need to focus on weight training, gradually increasing the number of repetitions you do and having enough calories and protein in a day.

On that note, here are five great workouts to get rid of back fat:

1) Dumbell Row

If you're working out with dumbbells, you can do rows with one arm or two arms. If you do them with two arms, you will need to stand more upright to protect your lower back from injury. You will typically use less weight, so this type of row mainly works the lower back muscles.

How to do it?

Set a pair of light dumbbells either side of a bench.
Put your left knee on the bench, and bend forward at the hips so that you're sitting up straight.
Pick up the dumbbell with your right hand, and hold it at arm's length next to your side.
Use your back muscles to raise the weight so that your elbow moves towards the ceiling, keeping your arm close to your body as you exhale.
For one count, squeeze the ball, and slowly reverse the movement. Repeat 10-12 times, alternating sides.

2) Pull-up

For this exercise, brace and tighten your entire body, using your back muscles to lift you. It works all the major muscles in the upper body — particularly in the back— and helps build muscle while also getting stronger.

To do this exercise:

Stand beneath a bar with an overhand grip, and keep your hands at least twice as wide as your shoulders and body straight.
Squeeze your glutes, and brace your body.
When you pull your body up, keep your elbows down to your sides.
Lift your chest till it's near the bar, and your chin is over it.
Squeeze your mid-back muscles (lats) before reversing the motion with control.

3) Lat Pulldown

Lat pulldowns isolate the back muscles and reduce the work from the rest of the body. They're easier than pull-ups, but with less reward.

However, lat pulldowns are great for adding volume if you cannot perform more pull-ups or want variety. They're also a good alternative if you cannot perform a pull-up yet.

How to do it?

Engage your abdominal muscles, and keep your chest up and back slightly arched.
Pull the bar till it reaches the top of your chest while pulling your elbows back to your sides.
Return the weight slowly, avoiding letting it touch down. Do that for 10-12 repetitions.

4) Jumping Jack

Many rely on dumbbell side lateral raises to get rid of back fat, but the exercise isn't optimal for burning body fat. Instead, try jumping jacks; this high intensity cardio routine can help you lose weight quicker than traditional forms of cardio.

How to do jumping jacks?

Stand straight, with your legs together and arms by your sides.
Bend your knees, and jump in the air.
As you do so, spread your legs to about shoulder-width apart.
Stretch your arms out and over your head.
Land in a standing position with bent knees, and jump back to where you started. Repeat.

5) Deadlift

Deadlifts are a great exercise for building muscle, strength, and power in the body. They're one of the main compound lifts and use a variety of muscle groups at once to increase fitness across different areas.

How to do this exercise?

Grab a loaded barbell with an overhand grip at shoulder width, and rest your shins on it.
Lower your body till your thighs are parallel with the floor.
Keeping your back straight, pull up on the barbell to remove any slack, and hold it at arm's length in front of you.
To activate your glutes, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and rotate your femurs outward.
Keeping your chest up, push through your feet, and keep the barbell close to your body to protect your lower back.

Takeaway

The aforementioned exercises to get rid of back fat target the upper back, lower back, and oblique muscles.

It's important to remember that the exercises are only effective if they're performed consistently. If you perform them three times a week with progressive overload, you will notice great results.