A strong back can assist with many everyday activities and help support your overall athletic performance and health. Fortunately, you don’t need the gym or weights to build up your back strength. You can effectively target back muscles with resistance bands. These versatile tools allow you to perform resistance training just about anywhere. That’s why Tony Horton compiled some of his favorite back exercises with resistance bands for you. Follow along to enjoy all the potential benefits. Just make sure that you get your doctor’s approval before beginning any new exercise regimen.
The Importance Of Back Strength
Your back contains a wide variety of muscles that you use everyday for tasks like lifting, bending, squatting, and even sitting. These muscles also help stabilize your body while you workout, specifically when you do upper body and core exercises.1
Your back muscles support other muscles in the body, like the core, legs, and arms. So, when you strengthen back muscles, it can reinforce and support movements throughout the body. Essentially, a strong back may help boost other workouts and help with your overall fitness goals.2
This attention to your back muscles may also help you achieve a more upright posture.3
Why Resistance Bands Work
The great news is, you don’t need a lot of fancy equipment to get a full back workout. You can build muscle mass by using resistance bands. In fact, one study found that training with resistance bands was as effective as more traditional resistance training methods, like dumbbell training.4
Selecting The Right Resistance Bands
As you begin your new fitness journey, you’ll want to select the right piece of equipment for your goals. There are a variety of band sizes and tensions available. They serve slightly different purposes, but for the most part, they’re multipurpose. The most common styles include:
- Bands with handles
- Single length sheet bands
- Loop bands
- Long-loop resistance bands5,6
Like many other exercise routines, back workouts with resistance bands require the right equipment. The amount of tension required for each exercise will vary depending on the movements and your fitness level. So, it’s a good idea to have a few different exercise bands available.
The Best Resistance Band Workouts For The Back
As mentioned before, a strong back can be crucial for your overall strength training. That’s why it’s important to include targeted back workouts in your training.
These back exercises with resistance bands should help you accomplish that goal. They cover the full scope of back muscles to help you build strength across the whole back. As you progress over time, you can increase resistance levels for even more strength gains.
Note: You should always speak to a doctor or personal trainer before beginning any new exercise regimen.
Bent Over Row
The bent over row is a great lower back workout. As you pull against the band in this exercise, you engage all the back muscles along the posterior chain. This helps promote strength and stability in the upper body.7
- Hold the resistance band with each hand, and stand on it with both feet flat. Keep your feet hip-width apart.
- Get in a hip-hinged position with a slight bend forward with feet planted firmly on the ground and knees slightly bent.
- Pull the band up toward your rib cage by lifting your elbows and squeezing together your shoulder blades.
- Lower the band back slowly with a nice, neutral neck.
- Repeat for 10-15 reps.8
Lat Pull-Down
Your lats are one of the main upper back muscles. They help you lift your arms up and down, which is crucial in and out of the gym. A band with handles would be ideal for this exercise.
- Secure your resistance band to an elevated, stationary point.
- Grab the bands, and lower down to one knee. Keep the band taut and your arms straight out above your head.
- Lower your torso slightly toward your knee, so that you form a straight line with your arms and the bands.
- Pull down through your elbows toward your back to bring your hands to chest height. You should feel a slight tension in your back — not in your arms.
- Bring your arms back over your head, and repeat for 12-15 reps.9
Reverse Fly With Resistance Band
This is a great workout for your traps and posterior deltoids.
- Wrap your resistance band around a stable structure, like a post or beam. It should be at arm-height. This will help you keep your arms up through the workout.
- Hold the bands so that your elbows are at shoulder height and the bands have light tension. Your arms will form a 90-degree angle with your torso.
- Pull your arms out until your elbows reach all the way back. Keep your core tight and maintain a solid stance.
- Slowly return your arms to the original position. Repeat for 10 reps.10
Lying Pullover
This unique pullover motion of this exercise gives special attention to your lats, but it also works the shoulders and triceps. It tends to work best with a flat resistance band.11
- Wrap a band around a stationary object on the floor. Place a mat in front of the band, and lie down on your back.
- Reach back and grab the band. Your arms should be straight and your knees bent. This is the neutral position.
- Extend your arms up, and lift the band above head level over your torso to about your belly button. Your arms should be straight the whole time.
- Push your arms as far as you can forward for adequate tension, and then return them back to the start. Repeat for 12-15 reps.12
Resistance Band Deadlift
You don’t need a barbell to do deadlifts at home. You can recreate traditional barbell deadlifts with this band back workout. All you’ll need is a sturdy piece of plastic pipe or strong broomstick.
- Prop your makeshift barbell across two stands. Wrap the resistance band around the top of the pipe. Use a light band to help prevent the pipe from breaking.
- Place each foot through the ends of the resistance band. Bend down at the knees to grab hold of the pipe with an overhand grip.
- Lift up through your legs into a standing position.
- Lower back down and repeat for 10 reps.13
Single Arm Row
This is another great exercise for your lat muscles that you can do just about anywhere. Row with bands to get all the same great benefits that you would from a barbell row.
- Wrap your resistance band around a stationary object right around stomach-height.
- Hold the band in one hand with your palm facing in. Step back to place light tension on the band. Your arm should be extended out.
- Pull your arm toward your chest until your elbow is above your hip. Keep your arm tight against your body through the pull.
- Return your arm to the starting position slowly. Pull back, and repeat for 10 reps.14
Try Resistance Band Exercises For Your Back Health
Whether you want to help boost your workout results or better support your spine, regular back workouts with resistance bands may help. These simple resistance exercises offer many of the same potential benefits of traditional weights. Plus, they’re easy to transport, so you can do regular muscle training just about anywhere.
That’s great news, because back exercises with resistance bands can do wonders for your overall fitness. These exercises may also help promote better posture, make everyday activities easier, and ease tension. It doesn’t take much to get started, so grab a band and give it a pull today. Of course, Tony Horton always recommends that you speak to a physician before beginning any new workout routine.
Learn More:
Working Out Before Bed: Here’s The Pros And Cons
How To Get Bigger Thighs: Try These Leg-Strengthening Exercises
Crucial Oblique Exercises For Core Strength
Sources
1 https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/5-exercises-will-strengthen-your-back-reduce-pain-ncna849911
2 https://www.stack.com/a/why-you-can-and-should-train-your-upper-back-every-day/
3 https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/stretching-and-strengthening-are-key-to-healing-and-preventing-back-pain
4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6383082/
5 https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/resistance-bands-3-great-ways-to-build-upper-body-strength-202105182458
6 https://protips.dickssportinggoods.com/sports-and-activities/exercise-and-fitness/how-to-choose-a-resistance-band
7 https://www.stack.com/a/pros-and-cons-of-row-exercises/
8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vR9KcvzLqVo
9 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZezSBZ11Wqk
10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyihFNmsq-A
11 https://www.muscleandfitness.com/exercise/workouts/back-exercises/lying-dumbbell-pullover-extension/
12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3b8FyV9vZQ
13 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSgXVsRBtcc
14 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUIBmTsLplo/
