Kids and teens using social media and the internet have created a lot of new terms, and sometimes, it can be difficult to understand the meaning of all these terms. One of the latest phrases which have become increasingly popular is “big back”. The phrase has earned a special place in the language of teens and kids; however, for elders, this term has appeared as something mysterious.
Not everyone is familiar with what does big back mean, which is why in this article, we will tell you about the term and how it is used in the modern vernacular.
Understanding the meaning of Big Back
Big back is a term that is used by people to refer to someone who has a large upper body. You need to know that typically, this phrase is used when someone wants to call the other person overweight in a different way.
However, there is also another meaning of “big back”, which is used when kids want to refer to someone who eats a lot. There are different variations in the way this phrase is being used, like ‘big back behaviour’ is used when kids want to describe someone who is eating a lot.
The Director of the Slang and New Language Archive at King’s College, London, emphasised that terms like ‘Big Back’ that start gaining popularity on TikTok are picked up by kids, and these linguistically complex terms often pose a challenge to parents, adults, and teachers as they are difficult for them to understand. There are numerous slang terms, including Rizz and Sigma, that are generally difficult for adults to understand, which is why they are not able to decode the positive or the negative connotation attached to these phrases.
Is Big Back a Harmful Term to Use?
As a parent, along with the ‘big back’ meaning, you should also know whether this term is safe for kids to use or not. Well, as the meaning of this term makes it clear, big back can be highly dangerous as it body-shames people. Referring to someone as big back because they have a large upper body can hurt the sentiments of others and can be used for mocking. It feeds a negative body image and insecurities in people.
You will see that numerous accounts on TikTok and X have pointed out that the trend is fatphobic, as it is basically the objectification of someone for having a physical attribute. There are certain videos where this trend has exceeded normal behaviour, as content creators are stuffing their backs with pillows and other material, and imitating someone who has a different body.
Unfortunately, this term is being used frequently by teens and kids after observing on TikTok, which is why parents need to focus a lot on teaching all the aspects of this phrase and making them aware that it is not a safe term to use.
Big Back Reference to Fitness Industry
The Big Back term has become a strong one used in the fitness sector to represent both physical success and commitment to training. A strong back with wide lats, thick traps and well-formed spinal muscles not only gives you a spectacular V-shape but also translates to serious power and hard work in the gym. It is commonly regarded as a sign of experience, as a well-formed, muscular back must be trained with heavy compound exercises (deadlifts, pull-ups, and rows). In addition to aesthetic benefits, a big back helps in performance in almost all the major lifts and is an essential factor in postures and injury prevention. Showing a big back has come to be a source of elite fitness in the gym culture and social media, frequently accompanied by hashtags such as #BackGains or #BigBackEnergy, as it has become an established part of the ideals of modern training.
Parents need to teach their kids how slang terms can harm someone else, and mention the safe way of using social media. Parents can also use parental control features to track and monitor the activity of their kids to observe whether they are making a change to their behaviour or not You can use tools like saferloop for monitoring and control child’s device.