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Wednesday, December 11, 2019

7 Back Exercises That You Can Do At Home



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.