While training, it’s critical to pay attention to our back muscles. Our back is largely responsible for maintaining a good posture and enhancing our ability to perform other big lifts effectively.
Calisthenics is a highly effective type of exercise that uses body weight to build strength and stability in your back muscles and those in other parts of your body. Calisthenics consists of a variety of exercises for training every back muscle from every angle. The best part is that you don’t need any equipment to perform them. Some exercises require the use of a bar. But that is the only thing you need besides your body weight.
Keep reading to discover the top 10 calisthenics back exercises.
Best Calisthenics Back Exercises
1. Superman
Superman targets not only the back muscles but that of the entire body. It’s one of the most accessible and effective calisthenics back exercises that can be done anywhere.
Here’s how to do a Superman.
- Lie with your face on the mat and stretch your arms in front of you.
- Raise your arms and hands off the mat. You should feel a stretch all the way down to your lower back.
- Pause for a few seconds here and then lower back to the mat.
Read Also: Bodyweight Pull Exercises
2. Chin-ups
Chin-ups target big back muscles like lats. So, they are a popular exercise to build back strength and width.
Here’s how to do a chin-up.
- Hold a bar with your palms toward your face. Your hands should be holding the bar at a shoulder-width apart distance.
- Pull your shoulder blades back and then down.
- Now, pull your body up till your chin is over the bar.
- Lower back down with control.
3. Glute Bridge
A glute bridge targets the lower back along with your glutes and hamstrings. It’s a great posterior chain exercise that strengthens the most powerful muscles in your body.
Here’s how to do a glute bridge.
- Lie on the floor in a supine position.
- Stretch your arms slightly outward.
- Press your feet onto the floor. Now, bring the glutes up off the mat to come into a ‘bridge’ position.
- Remember to keep your glutes squeezed throughout the movement.
- Pause at the top and then lower your hips back onto the mat.
4. Pull-up
The wide-grip pull-up is an upper-body that builds strength in your upper body by targeting your back, chest, shoulders, and arms. It also trains your core muscles.
Here’s how to do a wide-grip pull-up.
- Hold the bar with both of your hands.
- Ensure that your grip is wider than your body and that your arms and torso form a ‘Y.’
- Look straight ahead and pull your body up towards the bar.
- Hold for a second and then lower yourself back down to the starting position.
5. Tricep Dips
Tricep dips not only your triceps but your posterior deltoids and back, too. The exercise majorly targets your upper back.
Here’s how to do a tricep dip.
- Sit on the edge of a stable surface. Your arms should be in a distance that is shoulder-width near your hips.
- Push down toward the surface to keep your arms in a straight line.
- Now, extend your legs on the floor.
- Lower your body as you bend your elbows to a 90-degree angle.
- Return to the beginning position.
6. Australian Row
An Australian row, also called an inverted row is an exercise in which you hang upside down from a bar. Most people think of them as easy only until they try it with proper form.
Here’s how to do an Australian row.
- Position the bar higher or lower depending on your fitness level. The exercise becomes easier if the bar is set high and challenging if it is lower.
- Grab the bar with an overhand grip a little wider than your shoulder.
- Your torso should be fully extended and at an angle to the floor.
- Begin in a hand-hang position. Keep your core muscles engaged.
- Pull your body weight up, driving your elbows behind you.
- When you push your body up, try to stay fully erect.
- Continue pulling yourself up till your chest touches the bar. Hold for a second and lower your body.
Read Also: Superman Exercise Alternatives
7. Cobra Pose
Cobra pose is a great stretch that can also be considered a calisthenics movement. It strengthens your back and the legs.
Here’s how to do a cobra pose.
- Lie with your stomach on the floor. Your hands should be by your side and elbows tucked into the body.
- Press your legs and hips on the ground. Lift your torso by pushing your hands.
- Hold this pose for about 15 seconds.
- Now, go back to the initial position.
8. Handstand Military Pushups
Handstand pushups, when adjusted slightly, target your back muscles quite effectively. This exercise is for those who have been practising calisthenics for a while.
Here’s how to do a handstand military pushup so it targets your back muscles.
- Get into the regular handstand position. Keep your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Bend your arms and lower your body down.
- Now, push yourself back up to get into the beginning position.
- Do not arch your lower back during the entire movement.
9. Plank Row
A plank is a common exercise that is part of most workout routines. However, it can be modified to target the back.
Here’s how to do a plank row.
- Get into a plank position. Your weight should be born by your hands and feet.
- Raise one of your arms up in a rowing motion. Now, move it back to the floor.
- Do the same motion with the other hand. To make it more challenging, use a dumbbell.
10. Rope Work
If you practice calisthenics in a place where you have a rope available, learning to climb it can give your back muscles a great workout.
If you are interested in rope work, here’s how to do it.
- Hold the rope with your right hand (or the stronger hand) a foot above your weaker hand.
- Pull yourself upward by pushing your dominant foot to push the rope above your lower foot. This will create a fold in the rope.
- Put your weaker hand a foot above the stronger hand on the rope and hold it tightly.
- With force, pull your entire body up the rope. The fold should slide between your feet.
- Now, take another position.
Summing up
Calisthenics back exercises, when done regularly, help you improve posture and strength. They decrease body fat and increase muscle mass in the same way that resistance training with weights does. The exercises also increase your mobility and flexibility, helping you perform other movements with ease.
