After you're finished reading this blog post.. try my workout..hope you can see it on the photo!!! Do a warm up first for about 5 to 10 minutes to get your muscles warm and pliable!

Did you know that more than 80% of Americans experience back pain at some point?? That number is insane!!! The back muscles are more important than people tend to give them credit for. Most people focus on the arms and chest when they go to the gym because that's what society portrays to be the most important. Well the truth is every muscle is important and you should exercise all your muscles! But back to the back. We use our back muscles all the time from lifting objects, to standing, to sitting, and even to coughing and sneezing! Think about what would happen if you had some thing stuck in your throat and you where to weak to cough it up! I know it's drastic but it is realistic!

Having a strong back will also make your day to day life easier and less strenuous. There are three muscle groups in the back, the Latissimus Dorsi, Erector Spinae, and Rhomboids. The Latissimus Dorsi muscles are found on the sides of the back and are used for flexibility and extension for the upper body as well as rotation. The Erector Spinae is known mainly as the lower back but it actually spans from the buttocks to the neck. The Erector Spinae is used for flexibility and extension for the upper body as well as rotation. The Rhomboids are made up of minor and major muscles that go between the shoulder blades to help with rotation, elevation, and retraction of the shoulder blades. The back is worked through exercises like seated rows, bent over rows, kneeling bench dumbbell one arm rows, dead lifts, and reverse fly's.

So as you can see, the back muscles should be a regular part of your training plan. Not working the back will lead to injury and obviously back problems! The main reason most people end up having back problems is due to the fact that they neglect the back muscles and go on working their arms and chest. Then they end up hurting their back doing something as simple as kneeling over to pick up their keys they just dropped on the floor! Also remember to avoid sitting too much throughout the day, sitting is terrible for your back and it is something we all do too much!

Make it a priority each day to stretch your back as well as the rest of your body to build flexibility and be active! Get some good circulation throughout your body and you will start to see the improvements in tight or sore muscles. It's all about living an active healthy lifestyle and maintaining a good amount of flexibility. Always warm up and stretch before working out as well as cooling down and stretching after working out. Also learn to stretch your back in the morning before your feet even touch the ground. This will help with back soreness and tension a lot!

Below are some fantastic stretches you can do for your back and neck to help strengthen the muscles.