6 No-Equipment Workouts To Strengthen Your Back Muscles

Back muscles play an important role in elevating your upper body game by giving them a proper shape and structure. A good strong back will not only help you improve your overall performance but also enhance your flexibility by strengthening your spinal cord. Even gym trainers and fitness experts suggest their clients to focus on the back workouts as they target multiple upper body muscles at the same time, thus providing a better result. One may be focused on achieving a well-toned body, but that dream would never materialise if the back muscles are ignored. Apart from providing a well-toned structure to the body, back muscles are also responsible for better coordination between the upper and lower body parts, which is why they are hailed as one of the most important muscles in the human body.

But given the current lockdown situation and the looming threat of contracting the Covid-19 virus in gyms, it’s better to work out in the safe environment of your house. While the unavailability of proper gym equipment may appear to be a huge obstacle, but you can still achieve a well-toned body with the help of the right workout techniques. AskMen India shares a few workouts which would help you improve your posture and obtain strong back muscles at home without the use of any gym equipment.

The Plank

This workout may look easy but you are sure to experience its effectiveness when it starts to take a toll on your endurance levels and test your body strength. The main objective of this workout is to improve the body’s overall stability and posture by focusing on multiple muscles (arms, chest, core and back) at the same time. This exercise will not only strengthen your core but also bolster your back muscles and make them stronger. You can always add weights to increase the pressure once you reach an advanced stage.

Steps to follow:

-Place your wrists directly under your shoulders.

-Extend your legs.

-Ensure your body is in one straight line.

-Hold onto this position. (you can begin with 30 secs)

-Add weights (to increase pressure) once you master the art of plank.

Superman

One of the best workouts to enhance your posture and strengthen your lower back at the same time is the superman workout. While the superhero has been an epitome of strength for years, this workout will prevent your back from injuries and also enhance your body-mind connection by improving the lower back muscles.

Steps to follow:

-Lie on your stomach.

-Try to lift both your arms and legs slowly.

-Look straight ahead.

-Try to hold this posture for as long as possible.

Pull-Ups

Another workout that’ll help you strengthen your back muscles are pull-ups. All you need is a bar that would help you lift your body weight. But this won’t be as easy as the previously mentioned workouts as you’ll be required to lift your entire body weight. You may initially start with single-digit repetitions, but these counts will also prove very beneficial for your upper back, shoulder and arm muscles.

Steps to follow:

-Hold the bar approximately shoulder-width apart.

-Try to pull your body upwards. (the bar should be at your chest level)

-Lower your body to the initial stage. (Make sure your feet don’t touch the ground)

-Repeat.

Squats

Apart from working on your glutes, calves, hamstrings and quad muscles, squats also target your lower back muscles (if done in the right way). The wider the gap between your legs while performing squats, the more effective it’ll be for your back muscles. You don’t need any equipment to do squats and it’s also hailed as a good warmup workout as it improves all the body movements. Plus it also helps you burn the extra calories.

Steps to follow:

-Stand straight with feet placed a little wider than your hip-width.

-Bend your knees and try to push your hips back in a sitting position.

-Your thighs should be parallel to the floor.

-Return to your original position.

-Repeat.

Aquaman

An upgraded version of the superman workout, the aquaman exercise requires you to move your arms and legs in a specified motion which would directly target all your back muscles. This will not only strengthen your back but also improve flexibility and blood circulation in the body. This is another simple exercise for beginners that doesn’t require any equipment.

Steps to follow:

-Lie on your stomach.

-Try to lift both your arms and legs slowly.

-Look straight ahead.

-Now extend your left arm and right leg to exert more pressure.

-Return to the original position.

-Now extend your right arm and left leg.

-Return to the original position.

-Repeat.

The Bridge

Here’s another simple and brilliant workout that will help you gain strong back muscles. Apart from eliminating the stiffness, the bridge will also improve body mobility. From relaxing your lower back muscles to enhancing the circulation in the body, this simple and effective exercise is one of the best activities to add to your daily fitness routine.

Steps to follow:

-Lie down on the floor.

-Bend your knees.

-Make sure that your feet are well placed on the floor.

-Place your arms on the side.

-Lift your pelvis off the floor.

-Go back to the original position after a few seconds.

-Repeat.

These effective back workouts don’t require any equipment and can be included in your daily fitness routine.

Cover artwork by Dhaval Punatar/AskMen India

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