How to exercise back muscles without equipment

The back muscles can be exercised without equipment through movements such as push ups, superhuman exercises, supine rowing, cat and cow exercises, and wall leaning angel exercises. These methods can effectively activate the back muscles and are suitable for practicing in home or office environments.

1. Push ups

Standard push ups can stimulate the middle and lower parts of the rhombus and trapezius muscles. Place your hands slightly wider than your shoulders on the ground, tighten your core to keep your body straight, and bring your shoulder blades closer to the midline of your spine when descending. Advanced exercises can use diamond push ups, where the thumbs and index fingers of both hands touch to form a diamond shape, providing more concentrated stimulation to the back muscles. Be careful to avoid sagging or arching your hips, repeat each set until exhausted.

2. Superman style

Prone position, simultaneously lifting limbs and chest to simulate Superman's flying posture. Maintain a neutral position of the neck and contract the scapula to make the back muscles contract equally. It can be statically maintained for 30 seconds or dynamically swung up and down, with a focus on strengthening the erector spinae and multifidus muscles. People with lower back discomfort can only lift their upper body to avoid compensatory force from the lumbar spine.

3. Rowing while lying down

Simulate rowing movements by lying down and bending your knees with a towel or bed sheet. Grasp the towel with both hands and pull it towards your abdomen. When the scapula retracts, imagine squeezing the pencil. This action accurately imitates sitting posture while rowing, mainly exercising the latissimus dorsi and teres major muscles. Control the movement speed and avoid excessive force from the neck or arms.

4. Cat Cow Style

Four legged kneeling posture alternately completes spinal flexion and extension. When inhaling, collapse your waist and lift your head in a bull style; when exhaling, arch your back and lower your head in a cat style; improve back flexibility by moving your spine section by section. Focus on the activity of the thoracic spine segment, and repeating it in each group can alleviate back stiffness caused by prolonged sitting.

5. Angel against the wall

Stand against the wall and bend your elbows 90 degrees to open and close, keeping your back of your hand fully against the wall. During slow movement, the scapula continues to sink and contract, effectively strengthening the inferior trapezius and rhomboid muscles. Suitable for people with round shoulders and hunchbacks to correct their posture, pay attention to avoiding shrugging to compensate.

It is recommended to perform 3-4 back exercises per week, selecting 3-5 movements each time and completing 3 sets. Dynamic stretching and foam axis relaxation before and after training to avoid excessive muscle tension. Pay attention to maintaining correct sitting posture in daily life and avoid bad habits such as one-sided backpacks. If there is persistent back pain or restricted mobility, seek medical attention promptly to rule out spinal related issues. Ensuring high-quality protein intake in diet, such as eggs, fish, etc., can help with muscle repair and growth.

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