How To Get A Strong Back
Fitness trainer John Peel shows us how to get a strong back using The Total Gym. In this segment, John demonstrates three different exercises that will help strengthen your back and improve your posture.
The first exercise John demonstrates is the “Seated Row.” Do this by sitting up straight, lean slightly back and hold the cables with your palms facing down. Pull the cables toward you bringing your hands all the way to your ribcage and extend back out. If you want to challenge yourself further, pause for three seconds when bringing the cables toward your before releasing back down.
Next, John transitions a great tricep and chest exercise. Stay seated on the glide board and stick your arms straight out with palms facing down. Push down bringing your arms to your side and bring them back up. This is going to work your lats as well as triceps and also strengthen your core. Adjust the level to a comfortable setting and remember to keep moving!
The third and final exercise is a combination between a push up and a lat pulldown. Lay flat on your stomach with both cables in hand and keep your knees up. From here, pull yourself to the top while keeping your elbows wide and squeezing your lats. Try to do around 15-20 reps if possible.
We would like to thank John Peel for joining us today on Total Gym Pulse. Look out for more great Total Gym workouts coming from John soon!
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Diane
7 Sep 2015Hi Total Gym,
I want to thank you for your gym and giving me a quick recovery from a lumbar fusion. I received my gym in January 2015. I was told by 2 different Neurosurgeon’s that I needed a lumbar fusion, but I wanted to wait it out. How silly of me. The doctor agreed that working out would definitely be extremely helpful. I ordered the Total Gym. It took me time to get started. I had terrible pain and I had days where I couldn’t walk. The sciatic pain was incredible nothing helped. The pain was relieved only by laying down. This was no fun and no life. I could not work. Driving was difficult. I finally got myself together and on a pain-free day I started to work out on the Total Gym. I started with the 20-minute circuit training workout. Leg curls were maddening. The worst was putting my feet through the wing bar and lying back. The exercise itself was great until I had to sit up and grab the wing bar. I would scream in pain. I never give up and since I got the docs approval I kept pushing. It got easier and easier. Three weeks before my surgery I didn’t have any back or sciatic problems…I though I might cancel surgery, but I thought differently and went through it. It wasn’t as bad as I thought. I did rehab and was very much ahead of schedule so they sent me home early. Doctor’s and nurses wanted to know why my recovery was coming way ahead of schedule. I told them that I worked with my Total Gym and concentrated on my core as surgery approaches. I’m 58 and I wanted to recover quickly….I had hoped. After about 2.5 months I finally saw my surgeon. Let me just say this. My doctor said to me that I was his first patient to be so healthy or as he called it just about perfect. He asked me what was my motivation was, most people at this stage are still in their back brace and in chronic pain. I never came home on any pain meds. 2.5 weeks the brace was off no pain meds and did my physical therapy at home with my doctors permission. I used the cards instead of the video. I needed to be careful but at this stage I could do sit ups and so many other exercises I thought I couldn’t do at this point. I”m 58 I do keep myself in somewhat of a good shape. I’m still thin long and lean, but I hadn’t worked out in years. I picked the cards that I knew I could do for physical therapy and brought them with me for my first visit to the neurosurgeon. I was doing great I handed him the cards I was using for PT. He loved it and asked how I was doing these. I told him about the Total Gym and he loved it. My motivation was strong and wanted to know my secret I told him the Total Gym and by the Grace of God I had healed early very easily. My doctor was so happy. He said two things to me. If you are doing these exercises for PT you can go full on. I love your motivation and I would love you to come in and get my patients who are at the same stage you are or longer and motivate these patients. I said these patients need to excerise. They need to be pushed,. This is a top neurosurgeon in Boston. If was minnal invassive surgery if you can believe. Now he’s a problem After having after I saw my doctor. I started my regular exercise program using the cards. With each week passing by I added another card to my routine. About a week ago I was sleeping I went to turn over and pain was bad. This happened all night. I figured it out that I was pushing myself. I was exercising 5 days a week for about 45 min. I couldn’t get out of bed or a chair without severe pain. I needed one of those lift chairs. I had to stop excersising and use heat and cold several time a day. May back felt so tight. Now that I have rested for about a week I want to go back but I’m not sure what exercise i should without huring my back. I know I get push it live I was. But I love the Total Gym. I tell everyone I know to buy it. My primary care doctor was surprised to learn it could everything a gym can could basically do. I’m a little guy shy going back to use my Total Gym. Jim could you give me advice on which excercises I can start to do. I would appreciate it very much. I have on my own thoughts on what I should do, but your the pro and I would feel better if you would advise me on the exercises I should be able to do without problems. Sorry this was long but I really wanted you to know what this Total Gym has done for me and my doctors very much approve. This is such a great strory I just had to tell you.
Total Gym
9 Sep 2015Hey Diane,
First, it’s great to hear a Total Gym success story. Total Gym is a great rehab tool, in addition to its great exercise uses, and is used world-wide in rehab and physical therapy centers.
Second, I think you should re-contact your doctors (either your surgeon, family doctor or post-op therapists) as to what your activity level should be. Given that you have had a severe surgery on your back, and your back now hurts again, I would contact them to see what the best course of action should be. Work with them to find an activity level that will work for you. Most importantly, take it easy. Surgery is trauma to the body. It takes time to recover, not simply from the incisions, but also the muscles, tendons and other tissues that were also damaged at that time.
Best Regards.