Bodyweight Exercises For Back At Home (10+ Workouts)

If you want to strengthen your back muscles at home without weights or any equipment, you can do various bodyweight back exercises. I will share more than ten bodyweight workouts that will work on your upper, middle, and lower back. Whether you’re a male or female, you can incorporate some of the best exercises for strengthening your back muscles at home without equipment.

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How Can You Strengthen Your Back without Weights?

You can do a myriad of bodyweight home workouts to strengthen and tone your back muscles without weights.

Floor IYT raises, superman pull, bird dog, renegade row, and good morning are some of the best exercises you can do to strengthen your upper, middle, and lower back at home without weights and equipment.

Related: 16 Isometric Back Exercises (With PDF) for strength, stability, and mobility

Can You Build Back Muscle with Bodyweight Exercises?

Bodyweight exercises are not as effective as weighted back workouts when it comes to building muscles and strength.

Workouts like the deadlift, pulldown, pull-up, bent-over row, dumbbell rowing, chin-ups, and seated rowing are some of the best strength workouts that you can do to build a stronger and broader back.

However, you can do some of the bodyweight back workouts at your home workout when you don’t have access to the gym equipment.

Bodyweight exercises may not be as beneficial as free weights and machines workouts, but they may help you increase strength, improve posture, and scale-up for lifting weights.

You may also like: Bodyweight Workout Plan To Get Ripped (WIth PDF)

What Bodyweight Back Exercises You Can Do At Home?

best back exercises at home without weights and equipment — back muscles

Floor IYT raises, superman pull, bird dog, renegade row, and W raises are some of the best exercises you can do to strengthen your upper, middle, and lower back at home without equipment and weights.

Additionally, you can do some good to usual bodyweight exercises, such as good morning, T Push up, wide push-up, seated rowing, bodyweight bent over row, reverse fly, and overhead pulldown.

Okay, let’s see how to do bodyweight back workouts at home without weights and equipment (step by step instructions).

Related: Full Bodyweight Workout For Beginners At Home

The 5 Best Bodyweight Exercises For Back Muscles

1. I-Y-T Raise

The IYT raise is one of the best compound bodyweight workouts for back muscles. It strengthens several muscles of your back simultaneously, such as traps, lats, and lower back.

If you want to build up your back out at home with no equipment, you can do floor IYT raises two to three times a week.

One of the best bodyweight back workouts

Moreover, it also enhances flexibility, muscles coordination, and posture.

How to do the IYT Raise on the floor

Lie prone on the mat, face downward with your arms straight in front of you and legs are extended behind.
Keep your body as straight as possible from head to the heels. That’s “I” position.
Raise your arms upward as high as you can while maintaining straight arms.
Hold for a couple of seconds then lower them down. Step 1 is done.

To begin the next step, increase the distance between your hands to make the letter “Y”.
Raise your arms upward until you feel stretch in your deltoids and upper traps.
Hold for a couple of seconds then lower them down. Step 2 is done.

To start the final step, bring your arms out to your sides to form the letter “T”.
Raise your arms upward until you feel stretch in your back muscles.
Slowly lower your arms back into the “T” position after a short pause. That’s one rep! Suggested repetitions 8-10 x 3.

Related: IYT Raises Exercise: Types & Benefits Of IYT Workout

2. Pull up Superman

The superman pull is also one of the best bodyweight exercises for back muscle like IYT raises.

It enhances stability and decreases low back pain, and works well for the back muscles without putting stress on your lower back – showed in a study. ¹

Whether you’re a beginner or intermediate, you can incorporate it in your bodyweight home workout routine to strengthen your back muscles.

How to do the pull-up superman:

Lie on your stomach, face downward with your arms are extended in front of you, palms facing the floor and legs are straight behind.
Raise your arms off the floor, assume a superman fly and pull your arms back until your muscle stretches.
Hold for a moment then return to the beginning position.
That’s one complete rep! Do as many reps you can.

Related: Dumbbell Workouts For Lower Back (9 Exercises)

3. Pushup To Renegade Row

The push-up to renegade row is another bodyweight compound workout that can help you strengthen your back.

It works on several muscles such as the shoulders, arms, chest, and core other than the back.

But to perform this exercise, you should have enough strength to hold your upper body weight on one arm.

However, if you’re good at push-ups, then you may easily do this.

How to Push-up To Renegade Row:

Get into a high plank position with your legs extended straight behind you and maintain a straight back and tight core. Keep your arms about shoulder-width apart, and place it below the shoulders while your feet width depends on your comfort. That’s the setup.
Now complete one push up and then bring your right arm out to the side until it reaches shoulder height. Return your right hand on the floor and then repeat with your left arm to complete one rep.
Do it smoothly and maintain your balance during the movement.

Also, Read: Kettlebell Pushups: Variations, How-To & Benefits

4. Bird Dog (Bodyweight Workout for Lower Back)

You can do the Bird dog exercise to strengthen your lower back muscles without using weights or equipment.

bodyweight lower back workouts at home without equipment and weights — Bird dog exercise for lower back

The bird dog is one of the isometric back workouts that help you build up your lower back without stress – showed in research published by Rehabilitation Research and Practice. ²

The bird dog also activates core and hips muscles during the movement.

Moreover, bird dogs also improve balance and stability, reduce lower back pain, and increase muscle flexibility.

How to do the Bird Dog

Sit on your knees and keep your hands on the floor below your shoulders, arms straight amd maintain flat back.
Keep your core tight and raise your right arm in front of you and the left leg behind you, both at the same time, until they are parallel to the ground.
Hold for a couple of seconds then slowly lower them into the starting position.
Repeat this movement with your other side to complete one rep.
The number of repetitions and sets depends up to you.

You may also like: Kettlebell Lower Back Exercises

5. W Superman Raises Exerise For Back

Like IYT raises, W superman raise is also one of the essential back strengthening bodyweight exercises you can do without equipment.

The “W” superman strengthens the back and the shoulders and reduces low back pain.

How to do the “W” Superman

Lie on your stomach on the mat, face downward, with your elbows bent and form the letter “w” and your palms are in line with your head.
Keep your legs straight behind you and maintain a flat back. That’s the starting position.
Squeeze your glutes and lower back to raise your arms and slightly keep your upper chest off the floor and make sure you feel a complete stretch in your upper back.
Hold for a moment, then slowly return to the starting position. That’s one rep! Do the desired number of repetitions.

Good to Normal Bodyweight Home Workouts For Back That Require No Equipment

When it comes to building back muscles, you don’t have many options. However, you can activate your back muscles with no-equipment bodyweight back exercises, and it will get stronger over a long time.

If you have no options to use weights, you can do these usual “isometric type” bodyweight back strengthening exercises at home.

1. T Push up

When I have less time but want to target more muscles, I always go with T push-ups because T push-ups work on various muscle groups such as the chest, arms, shoulder, and back.

How to perform T push-up:

Get into a high plank position with your legs extended straight behind you and keep your back straight and core tight. Your arms about shoulder-width apart, and just below the shoulders while feet are hip-width apart. That’s the setup.
Now complete one normal push-up and then raise your right arm at your side to form the letter “T” while keeping your left arm on the floor.
Return your right hand on the floor and repeat with your left hand to complete one rep. Suggested reps and sets: 8 x 3.

If you work out with dumbbells, check out best dumbbell pushups

2. “Good Morning” Lower Back Strengthening Exercise

If you want to increase lower back strength and stability, do a bodyweight good morning workout at home.

Good morning exercise can help reduce low back pain and chances of injuries. It also activates hamstrings. ³

How to do the good morning workout

Stand straight with your feet hip to shoulder width apart, bend your arms and keep your fingertips behind your head. Elbows pointing out to the sides.
Pushing your hips backward, hinge forward and lower your torso until it becomes parallel to the floor.
Pause for a couple of seconds and then slowly return to the start. That’s one rep.
Do as many repetitions as you like.

3. Hip Raise

The hip raise or glute bridge is one of the essential bodyweight workouts that can help you strengthen your lower back at home.

It is usually a workout for glutes and hips flexor; however, you can incorporate it in your bodyweight home workout routine to improve low back stability.

How to do the hip raises

Start with lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Keep your arms extended at your sides on the floor for the support. That’s the beginning position.
Now tighten your abs and glutes and raise your hips off the ground until your knees, hips and the chest forms a straight line.
Hold into this position for a couple of seconds then slowly lower it down into the starting position.

4. Wide Push-ups

Wide push-ups provide significant benefits to the overall upper body, including the back. They strengthen the arms, shoulders, chest, core, and back, improve overall strength, and promote muscle growth.

If you like, you can incorporate it in your bodyweight back workout routine at home.

How to do a wide push-up

Start with keeping your hands wider than shoulder-width apart and make sure they are in line with your chest.
Keep your back straight, core tight and start lowering your chest until it reaches close to the floor. Then return to the beginning to complete one rep. Do as many as reps you can.
Perform every rep slowly and focus on your back muscles during the movement.

5. Bodyweight Seated Rowing Workout for Back

Bodyweight seated rowing doesn’t work like cable seated rowing, but it also activates back muscles and is not a bad option to do at home.

Here’s how you can do seated rowing

Sit on the floor with your legs are straight in front of you (you can slightly bend your knees if you want). Now extend your arms as you extend to grab D handle to do the cable rowing, that’s the starting position.
Now slowly bring your arms toward you until you feel a complete stretch in your back. Hold for a couple of seconds then slowly return your arms back into the starting position to complete one rep. Do 10 reps in three different sets.

6. Body weight Bent Over Row Back Workout

Something is always better than nothing. No worries if you don’t have a barbell or dumbbell because you can do much with your body weight.

Doing a bent-over row without weights will make you feel you’re doing yoga.

To do the bodyweight bent over row:

Start with standing straight with your feet hip-width apart and your arms in front of you.
Now slightly bend at your knees while maintaining a flat back and keep your chest up and core tight, that’s the setup.
Now bring your arms toward your abs until you feel a complete stretch in your back & shoulder. Hold for a moment then slowly return to the setup position. That’s one rep! Do the desired number of repetitions.

7. Seated Reverse Fly

One more movement you can do with your weight that works on the back, and this time, it is reverse fly.

The reverse strengthens the back, improves stability and balance, and is suitable for overall performance.

How to do the Seated Reverse Fly

To perform the seated reverse fly, get a table if you have and sit on it with your arms close to one another and palms facing each other. Slightly bend forward while maintaining a flat back. That’s the starting position.
Now bring your arms out the sides until you feel a complete stretch in your back muscles. Hold for a moment then slowly return to the beginning position. That’s one rep! Do the desired number of repetitions.

8. Overhead Pull Down Exercise for Back without Weights

The overhead pulldown activates and strengthens lat muscle that helps you improve back posture.

It is the same as the lat pulldown but without weights.

The overhead pulldown may produce little to no results, so go ahead if you want to try.

How to do the overhead pulldown

To do the overhead, sit on the corner of a table with your arms extended overhead and palms facing away. Keep your back straight and core tight. That’s the starting position.
Assume you’ve gripped a pull-down bar and now bring your arms down toward your face until it reached close to your neck. Then slowly return your arms overhead. That’s one complete rep. Do the desired number of repetitions.
Make sure when you pull down, your lats expand.

9. Push up Plus

To do a push-up plus

Get into a high plank position with your arms shoulder-width apart and extend your leg behind. Keep your feet wider or shorter as you feel comfortable.
Maintain a flat back, brace your core and tighten your hips & glutes and bend your elbows to start lowering your chest as close as to the floor. Hold for a sec and push back up to the beginning position.
Now slightly push your upper back upward toward the ceiling and then return to the flat back position to complete one rep! Do the desired number of repetitions.

If you have something in your home where you can hang on, you must try pull-ups because pull-ups are great for the lats and activate more muscles than many other exercises like push-ups, fly, etc.

No Equipment Bodyweight Home Workout Routine For Back

Exercise	Reps	Rest
IYT Raises	10 x 3	1 minute
W Superman Raises	15 x 3	30 seconds
Bird Dog	10 x 2	30 seconds
Renegade Row	10 x 2	1 minute
Pullup Superman	10 x 3	30 seconds
Seated Reverse Fly	10 x 3	30 seconds

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References

1
Comparison of lumbar multifidus thickness and perceived exertion during graded superman exercises – Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation
2
The Activity of Surface Electromyographic Signal of Selected Muscles during Classic Rehabilitation Exercise – Rehabilitation Research and Practice
3
Effects of load on good morning kinematics and EMG activity – Peer Journal