Tone Your Trouble Spots

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Upper Back

Why should you care about exercising your upper back? Because better muscle tone gives you that sexy V-shape from shoulders to waist, helping your waistline look smaller. Stronger muscles along the spine also improve your posture.

Firm It
These exercises were designed by Carol Espel, MS, exercise physiologist for Equinox Fitness Clubs of New York. For best results, do each exercise three times a week, with a day of rest between. Look to see improvement in four to six weeks.

Holding a pair of 3- to 5-pound weights with arms down at your sides, stand tall with knees slightly bent.

Tilt forward from the hips, keeping your back straight and your head aligned with spine.

Inhale. As you exhale, pull in abs and, keeping elbows slightly bent, raise arms to shoulder height, as shown. Inhale as you lower arms to starting position. Do two to three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions.

Before

After

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