What Muscles Form the Back of our Body?
When we talk about the back and back exercises, we are primarily talking about these muscles: Rhomboids, which form the mid-upper back. Traps, which run from your neck to your mid-back portion. Lats that form the area below the armpits down the sides of your back. Erector spinae are a group of muscles that run along your spine. The importance of these muscles is evident in the fact that it is because of these very muscles that we are able to stand upright, move, and bend our body in multiple directions. In fact, there is no movement in which the back and its muscles are not used. They help us to lift objects, stand, walk, arch the lower back, bend forward, and maintain a proper posture. This is where the importance of at home back workouts comes in, to help us not only do our daily activities but also look good aesthetically. Not only this, but back workouts are also extremely important in reducing muscle stiffness and the pressure that they exert on the spine.
What are Back Exercises?
Our back is not only the largest and strongest of all the body parts but also the most complex due to the placement of muscles in an interconnected system. Back exercises are a series of exercises that are designed to specifically stimulate and strengthen the above-mentioned muscles. While there are hundreds of exercises that you can choose to do in a back workout at home, you can create a customized back exercise program for yourself.
How Effectively can we do Back Exercises at Home?
The best part about back exercises is that they can be easily done at home. There are several at home back workouts that do not need any equipment. Here is how you can do back workout at home: Choose a spot that is clean and free of dirt for your back exercises. This spot that you choose for back exercises should be free of distractions. Your back exercises corner should not have heavy furniture or sharp-edged objects. Wear comfortable clothing to allow movement during your back workouts at home. You just need a yoga mat to get started with your back exercises at home.
Who Can do Home Back Exercises?
Back exercises can be done by anyone who wants to make their fitness a priority and wants to improve their overall strength and flexibility. Back strengthening exercises are customisable and scaled up and down even for: 1.Children as young as 10 years. 2.Seniors 3.Pregnant women 4.People who have undergone surgeries and are healing 5.People who are immobile for several reasons
Who Should Avoid Back Workout Exercises?
The following categories of people should avoid starting a back strengthening exercises routine without consulting their doctor: 1.If you have a fever. 2.People who are suffering from colds should avoid doing a high-intensity back workout at home. 3.If you have recently experienced an asthma attack. 4.If you have a history of heart diseases, chronic back pain, or spondylitis.
What is the List of Best Home Back Exercises?
Here is a list of some of the most effective and the best back exercises with and without the use of equipment: 1.Reverse snow angels 2.Dolphin kick 3.Superman Hip hinge (good mornings) 4.Nose and toes against the wall 5.Resistance band pull apart 6.Quadruped dumbbell row 7.Lat pulldown 8.Wide dumbbell row 9.Barbell deadlift
Home Back Exercises - Explained:
Here is a detailed step-by-step explanation of the best back exercises:
Reverse Snow Angels:
This is one of the best back extension exercises that are also a great
arms workout. Position yourself on the floor with your face down. Your arms should be at your sides and the palms facing down. Lift your shoulders and hands a few inches above the ground by engaging your lats and rhomboids in the mid-back section. In a slow-motion, bring your arms up above your shoulders up to the ears until your thumbs meet above your head. Bring your arms to the starting position. Total sets: 3 sets of 5 reps Time: 5 seconds for each rep
Dolphin Kick:
One of the best back exercises at home, Dolphin kick is also a great
chest workout. Position yourself face down on a bench with your feet resting on the ground and the hands holding the underside of the bench for support. Straighten your legs while raising them as you engage your abs, glutes, and hips as your toes point above your head. Hold the raised position by engaging every muscle in the body. Total sets: 5 sets of 3 reps Total time: 5 seconds for each rep
Superman:
This is one of the best back exercises that not only help in back stretches but is also amongst the most effective
oblique exercises. Lie facedown with your eyes gazing ahead and ankles touching with the toes pointed under you. Reach your arms straight out above your shoulders so that your palms are resting on the floor. Engage your back, glutes, and shoulders to lift yourself over the floor. Total sets: 3 sets of 10 reps each Total time: 3 seconds for each rep
Hip Hinge (Good Mornings):
This is one of the best back exercises that is done by people who aspire
6 pack abs. Stand up straight with your hands on the hips with your feet slightly wider than your hips. Start the exercise by engaging your core and pushing your ribs down. Pull your shoulders slightly back. Bend forward at your waist slowly while keeping your shoulders in line with your hips as you keep your back, glutes, and hamstrings engaged. Bend forward until you are parallel to the floor and bring yourself back up to the starting position. Total sets: 3 sets of 10-15 reps each Total time: 3 seconds for each rep
Nose and Toes Against the Wall:
This is an advanced back extension exercise that needs to be done with caution. Start in a push-up motion with your feet against the wall. Walk your feet up the wall while engaging your core and hips. Place your palms on the ground just around the width of the shoulders as you start inching towards the wall. Your nose and toes must be touching the wall. Total sets: 3 reps with 3 sets each Total time: 15-30 seconds for each rep
Resistance Band Pull-Apart:
This back exercise is as simple as it is effective and is one of the best back workouts for women at home. Stand with your arms extended. Hold a resistance band stretched so that the band is parallel to the ground. Pull the band to your chest by moving your arms to the sides while keeping your spine straight. Total sets: 2 sets of 15-20 reps Total time: 3 seconds for each rep.
Quadruped Dumbbell Row:
Known amongst the most effective of all back strengthening exercises, a
dumbbell exercise this is done by getting on all fours with a dumbbell in each hand. Keep your back straight and row up with your right arm pulling your elbow up and bringing the dumbbell to your armpit. Extend your arm and return the dumbbell to the ground and repeat on the other side. Total sets: 3 sets of 12 reps each Total time: 3 seconds for each rep.
Lat Pulldown:
One of the best back exercises at home or the gym, this exercise strengthens the biceps, forearms, and lats. Stand up and grab the bar wider than your shoulder-width apart and sit back down. Pull the bar towards your chest, bending your elbows and directing them to the ground while engaging your upper and mid-back. This makes it an excellent choice for upper back exercises at home. Total sets: 3 sets of 12 reps each Total time: 3 seconds for each rep
Wide Dumbbell Row:
This is one of the best back exercises that help increase your range of motion and address muscular imbalances, this is one of the few back workouts that can be done at home. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and hinge at the waist length. Stop when your body forms a 20-degree angle with the floor and allow the dumbbells to hang in front of you. Begin to row with your elbows at a 90-degree angle pulling them towards the sky. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the tops. Total sets: 3 sets of 12 reps Total time: 5 seconds for each rep
Barbell Deadlift:
This is one of the best lower back exercises that help in back stretches and strengthening. Stand behind the barbell with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your chest lifted and start hinging at the hips and slowly bend your knees. Reach down to pick your barbell while keeping your back straight. Grasp the bar with both the palms facing in an overhead grip. Push back while keeping your feet flat on the floor and keeping your back straight. Return to the starting position pushing the hips back and bending your knees until you bring the barbell back to the ground. Total sets: 3 sets of 12 reps Total time: 6-10 seconds for each rep.
What are the Benefits of Back Exercises?
A strong back not only makes you look aesthetically good but also has great health benefits even for the smallest movement that you make in a day. Some of the most important benefits of back exercises are: At home back workouts help in letting you be mobile and active during the day- be it picking objects, pushing, reaching walking, and even sitting. Back strength exercises at home help in protecting the central nervous system by strengthening the muscles that protect your brain. Regularly doing back exercises helps in preventing degenerations like cervical spondylitis, slipped disc. Lumbar lordosis, etc. Lower back exercises help in strengthening other groups of muscles like in the abs, shoulders, legs, etc. One of the best benefits of lower back exercises is that they help you in getting a good posture and reducing fatigue. A good posture and well-built back due to regular back exercises help in inducing self-confidence. Back stretches and back extension exercises help in making your gait more balanced and inducing flexibility. Good back workouts help you excel in high endurance activities like sports, weightlifting, yoga, and other exercises.
What are the Disadvantages of Doing Back Exercises?
There are no inherent disadvantages of back exercises. The risks and disadvantages occur due to not following proper guidance or maintaining a proper posture, especially while doing back workouts at home. Some of these include: Not holding the equipment properly during back exercises may put your body in vulnerable and painful positions. Overtraining during back workouts for men and women may cause stress fractures, chronic back pain, and skeletal problems.
What are the Dos and Don’ts of Back Exercises?
Here are some tips that one should follow while doing lower back workouts at home: Dos: Always integrate a warm-up and cool down session like stretching or deep breathing in your back exercises to avoid muscle fatigue. Back workouts for men and women are designed differently. The guidelines should be strictly followed to avoid injury. Even the best back workouts for men and women are not effective when one is not consistent. Consistency is the key to gaining a strong back. Think outside the box and mix and match your back exercises for great results. Always keep yourself hydrated during your exercise sessions.
Don’ts: Never over-train or exhaust yourself excessively during lower back exercises to avoid injuries and stress. Never do back workouts at home without adequate guidance or the use of good quality equipment. If you have a history of spinal disorders, never do high impact exercises without consulting your workout instructor.
What are the Things Required to do Back Exercises if you are at a Gym or Home?
Here are the things that you require for back exercises at the gym: 1.A pair of dumbbells 2.Pull-up machine 3.Pull-over machine 4.T-Bar row 5.Back extension machine You may need these things when doing a home workout of back exercises: 1.A yoga mat 2.A bench & 3.A resistance band
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