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The four best exercises to tone and strengthen your back
10-minute workout: Eliminate everyday stiffness, perfect your posture and look slimmer instantly with these targeted moves
Updated November 8, 2012
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1. Superwoman
Lie down on stomach with arms and legs extended. Contract upper and lower back muscles as you lift arms and legs off ground. Hold for 3 counts, then return to start, making sure to engage abs. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
Perfect your form: Keep your head in line with your spine.
Dial it down: Lift one arm and opposite leg into a half superwoman. Alternate sides.
Amp it up: Hold each rep for 5 counts.
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2. Side plank
Start in tabletop, holding weights, with shoulders stacked above wrists. Place right hand on floor and rise up onto toes. Raise left arm to the side. Hold for 3 counts. Alternate sides. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
Perfect your form: Keep hip in line with the shoulder of your raised arm.
Dial it down: Ditch the weights.
Amp it up: Do a push-up before lifting weight.
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3. Airplane lunge
Lower into a deep runner's lunge, keeping front knee in line with ankle. Hold for 2 counts. With torso glued to thigh, raise hands to sides. Hold for 3 counts. Alternate sides. Do 10 reps.
Perfect your form: Keep back flat as you bring your upper body forward.
Dial it down: Perform the move from a modified lunge, with back knee on ground.
Amp it up: Do 10 mini pulses with arms between reps.
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4. Lawn mower
Begin in a squat, holding one weight at hip and the other by your opposite foot. Pull bottom weight up (as if starting a mower) as you stand up. Repeat on opposite side. Do 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.
Perfect your form: Move slowly with control to tone hard-to-reach muscles.
Dial it down: Do fewer reps.
Amp it up: Lower butt toward ground or widen stance into sumo squat. Hold for 2 counts before standing.
