Back muscles have a very important role in our lives as we use our back muscles to keep us upright and our spine in correct curvature. Poor posture can not only lead to injuries while lifting weights, it can also affect your mood and confidence.
Strong back muscles can help you improve your core
and they are the base for progressing in any kind of workout routine. Whether
you are trying to bulk up or exercising to lose weight, back exercises should
definitely be part of your workout routine.
Here are seven back exercises that you can do at
home.
Push-Ups
The regular push-up can activate your core and back muscles as much as your arms and legs. You need little space to do it, and there are many variations as you get stronger.
Make sure that your back is straight, and focus on
keeping your body in a long line as you lower yourself as close to the floor as
you can. If you struggle to perform a proper push-up on the floor, you can
start by doing pushups on a workout bench.
The best thing about push-up exercises is that you
can make them harder as you progress and get stronger.
Bent-Over Row
There are many rowing exercises that can help you strengthen your back and the bent-over row is a good starting point.
You can use a resistant band when you are learning
how to perform the exercise well and then progress to using dumbbells and a
bench as you gain strength and stability.
The easiest option to start with is by using a low-resistance
band. Start by stepping in the middle of the band, now grab the two ends in
either hand in an overhand grip. When you perform a row, imagine squeezing a
coin at the shoulder blades as you pull back the bands to your chest.
As you get stronger, you can replace the
low-resistance band with heavier weights.
Plank
While plank is a good core exercise, it also makes a good exercise for strengthening your back muscles.
You activate your muscles to hold yourself up in
the planking position instead of relying on your arms and legs while performing
the exercise.
This exercise is perfect if you have weaker lower
back muscles, as it will engage those muscles when you try and keep your body
in a straight line.
As with the push-up, there are many options to make
the exercise more difficult as you progress and feel stronger.
Another great advantage of this exercise is that
you can perform it literally everywhere where there’s enough room to hold a
plank as it doesn’t require any equipment (think hotel room while travelling).
Bridge
The bridge is a great exercise for beginners.
Start off by lying flat on the floor. Lying on the
ground with your arms at the side, bend your knees as you keep your feet flat
on the floor.
Raise your hips off the floor as you squeeze your
glutes and hold the position for a few seconds. Feel the buttocks and your
hamstrings contract before relaxing slowly back into the starting position.
As you get stronger, you can try doing glute bridge
march which is advance version of this exercise.
Superman
The name that speaks for itself, Superman is a good exercise for beginners who want a stronger back and core.
This exercise has little room for error, and you
can see yourself improve quite quickly.
Start by lying face down on the floor and gradually
raise both arms and legs together and hold the position while looking straight
ahead.
Although you may not feel like Superman when you
can only hold the pose for a short while in the beginning, the good news is
that you soon will if you keep on exercising regularly.
Front Squat
This is a leg exercise that also helps you strengthen your back.
The front squat shifts your center of gravity
forward to make your back muscles work while you keep yourself upright. You can
use a dumbbell or a barbell, but the idea is to hold the weight in front as you
push your hips back into a squat.
Bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to
the floor, and if you are unsure, use a workout bench as a guide. Push yourself
back into the starting position. This counts as a rep.
Yoga Poses
There are also quite a few yoga poses that can help you strengthen and stretch your back muscles.
Firstly, the Cat Cow pose can help you find your
neutral spine position, which you can later use as a starting point for other
weight-bearing exercises.
Both Downward Dog and Upward-Facing Dog help to
engage the back muscles in different ways.
Child’s pose is an active back stretching exercise
that also helps you relax after a long day.
Conclusion
A strong back means that you are less likely to suffer from back pain and injuries when you lift heavy weights. Strong back muscles are also essential for building a generally healthy body.
These seven exercises above require few space and
little or no equipment which makes them perfect for someone who is exercising
at home.