Even people who are enthusiastic about going to the gym and working out have trouble focusing exclusively on their backs. Your back is one of the most overlooked parts of your body. If you don’t train your back properly, the overall shape of your body might be affected. For example, you might have too much fat in your back (yes that is totally possible) or you might be too wide-backed, in comparison with the rest of your body. The good news is, there are several bodyweight back exercises which can help you get in shape.
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Going to the gym is not always the best solution to toning a certain area of your body. Believe it or not, going to gym also has its own disadvantages. For one, a gym membership is expensive. Also, your trainer might not be able to understand your body well enough, and if you don’t have a trainer, then navigating your way through all that complicated gym equipment can get tough. Instead of sweating it out in the gym, you can check out some of the best bodyweight back exercises, which you can do literally anywhere, without the use of any machines or instruments.
Suggested read: Get Your Dream Body With These Easy Home Bodyweight Workout
These exercises take into consideration your body weight, your body shape and body type to create a customized exercise routine, using nothing else. Here are the best back exercises that you can do on your own.
1. Reverse snow angel
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The first exercise is the reverse snow angel. It is an easy exercise for which you only need an exercise mat on which you can lie face down, which should be the starting position of your workout. Your arms should be lying by your side, with your shoulders and elbows taut and not bending at all.
Lift your hands a few inches off the ground, with your palms facing downward. Pull them away from your body towards your head, like you would make a snow angel, except this time, you are lying face down and not face up. When your arms are in front of your head, make sure they are pulled as tightly away from your body as possible, and once your hands touch, bring them back to the starting position.
You should do at least 20 reps, in 2-3 sets, depending on how used to your body gets to this exercise. It tones your shoulders and your pecs and also your posterior muscles, and builds strength and stamina in your arms.
2. Superman
This is a popular exercise that people do for their backs, and it also works great for your abdomen. It can be stressful to do this at a stretch in the beginning, but to be honest, what isn’t? Your starting position for the Superman should be you lying face downward on your exercise mat, with your arms stretched forward in front of you.
Your entire body should be stretched out to maximum capacity, with your arms stretched forward and your toes pointing away from your body. From this starting position, lift your body up using your waist and abdomen as the fulcrum. Your arms should be a few inches off the ground without bending at the elbows, and your legs should be off the ground too, without bending at the knees. Hold this position for at least 30 seconds, before collapsing back into the original position.
In the beginning, you might not be able to hold this position for as long as 30 seconds. Do it for as long as you can, but make sure that you don’t give up after one set. Keep doing it, and gradually your body will get used to it, and your posture will improve drastically.
3. The cat and cow yoga pose
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This is one of the more relaxing exercises, and just because you don’t have to exert your body much, you might feel like this is less effective. However, it is more effective than most of the other exercises that you do for your back because it works on just the right muscles.
Your starting position should be you on all fours, with your palms pressed flat against the ground, and parallel to your shoulders. Make sure your arms and legs aren’t too wide apart. The next step is to inhale deeply and while doing so, raise your shoulders and your waist. This is the cow position. Then you have to exhale, and while you let out your breath, let your back rise to the ceiling while you let your shoulders and waist fall.
This not only works great for your back in general but also for your glutes, your abdomen, and your arms.
Suggested read: Here’s How You Can Use Body Weight Exercises To Get Your Dream Body
4. The dolphin kick
Usually, the dolphin kick is reserved for people who have had some basic weight training, but if you truly want your body weight exercises to start showing substantial results, then you too could practice this one. There are, of course, modifications for beginners, which I will mention later.
For this exercise, you need to have access to a bench. Lie on your stomach on the bench, but make sure that your waist or the end of your torso is aligned with one of the edges of the bench, so that your feet are dangling out. Grip the edges of the bench with your hands, in order to support your torso. Now lift your legs from the waist, without bending at the knees.
If you are not being able to lift your legs repeatedly, try putting a little more length on the bench so that your torso gets more support. Once you get the hang of this, you will be able to inch your way downward and do it properly after a couple of tries.
5. Hand walk
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Your back doesn’t only mean the muscles in your shoulder blades. You also have tone the muscles that are in your lower back, which not only makes your back appear more shapely but also improves your posture and increases spinal strength.
The starting position of the hand walk is an upright position, stand with your hands beside you, and your legs places parallel to your waist and shoulders. Bend down from your waist and walk with your hands away from your body, without moving your legs. Go as far as you can without bending your knees. Once you have reached your limit, walk back with your hands and stand up and repeat the process.
Bending down and walking on your hands without bending your knees can be tough. I am here to tell you that it’s okay. You can bend your knees a few times the first time you are doing it, just so that your body gets used to it. After that, you will see that you don’t have to bend your knees at all.
6. Hip hinge
This is also a relaxing exercise, which works on all the right muscles and helps you achieve your dream body. Even though this might appear simple, it engages a number of important muscles such as your hamstrings, your glutes and the muscles in your lower back.
To start, stand upright with your hands on your waist, and make sure your legs are placed slightly apart, parallel to your shoulders. Start bending forward at the waist, without bending at the knees, and without moving any other muscles such as the shoulders. When you are bending, look forward, and consciously try to pull at your back muscles, arm muscles, and you should also be feeling some strain on your leg muscles. Keep bending forward till your upper body is almost parallel to the ground. Stay in that position for 5-10 seconds and then slowly get back in a controlled manner, while fully being conscious of the muscles in your back.
Suggested read: 10 Awesome Hip Exercises That Will Help You Tone Up Quickly
An even more effective way of doing the hip hinge is by sitting. Sit on your knees and lower your body so that it is resting on your calf muscles. With your hands on your waist, repeat the same process and keep going till your nose is almost touching the ground. The trick is to not let your body lift from your legs.
If you carefully practice all the exercises that I have mentioned above, you will see that none of them require too much exertion or any equipment at all. This is because these bodyweight back exercises are designed to be simple and effective, for men and women alike. No matter what your body type, incorporating these exercises in your workout routine is all the exercise you need for a shapely, toned and muscular back.
Featured image source: Google, copyright-free image, under Creative Commons License
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