Training your back muscles at home? Find out how here!

How can you train your back muscles at home?

We often forget to train our back because we cannot see it directly in the mirror. However, it is important to pay attention to training your back muscles. By regularly doing back exercises, you not only improve your posture, stability and coordination, but you also gain more strength and a more muscular body. Moreover, this reduces the risk of injuries and back pain. And the good news is that you can easily perform these exercises at home, so you don't have to leave the house and take out an expensive gym membership! 

In this blog we give you various exercises to train your back muscles at home!

Lower back exercises for home

Training your lower back is extremely important, especially when you spend a lot of time at your desk, because you have an office job or are studying. Sitting for long periods of time can lead to weak back muscles or poor posture, which can cause back problems. Therefore, regularly add exercises for your lower back to your workout schedule strengthen muscles. 

The great thing is that back exercises can be performed at home. There are many effective exercises that make training your back muscles at home not only effective, but also very fun and easy. We have selected a number of exercises for you so that you can get started strengthening your back muscles today.

Back extension

The back extension is an effective exercise based on your own body weight. This means you can easily perform this exercise from home. Although this exercise looks simple, you will notice that it puts a lot of strain on your lower back. Your lower back, especially the erector spinae, is constantly involved in stabilizing your body, especially when you raise yourself and stretch your back. 

Perform this exercise as follows: 

1. Lie on your stomach with your arms behind your head
2. Tighten your abdominal muscles and press your pelvis towards the floor
3. Slowly raise your legs and arms at the same time
4. Hold this position for a moment and then move back to the starting position

Supermans

At first glance, the superman exercise is very similar to the back extension, because both exercises are performed while lying on your stomach. However, both exercises differ in terms of execution and the way they work the muscles. Although the back extension focuses more on stabilizing and stretching the lower back, the superman places more emphasis on tightening your buttocks and lower back muscles. 

Perform this exercise as follows: 

1. Lie on your stomach with your arms and legs extended
2. Raise one arm at the same time as your opposite leg
3. Hold this position for a moment and then move back to the starting position
4. Switch legs and arms

Good mornings

Training your back muscles at home is easy with 'good mornings'. Although this exercise is often performed in the gym with a barbell, this exercise can also be done at home with your own body weight or dumbbells. During the good morning exercise, the emphasis is on the lower back, glutes and hamstrings.

Perform this exercise as follows: 

1. Stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart
2. Place your hands on the back of your head
3. Slowly bend forward while keeping your back straight until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings
4. Return to the starting position by straightening your hips and squeezing your glutes

Upper back exercises for home

Performing upper back exercises at home contributes to good posture and prevents back problems. Strong upper back muscles provide stability and support to the spine, reducing the risk of injuries. Strong upper back muscles also ensure better balance and a muscular back. 

To help you get started, we have selected a number of back exercises that you can easily perform from home. You can easily incorporate these exercises into your daily routine, because you don't have to leave the house!

Renegade rows

Renegade rows are effective for both strengthening the back muscles and building core stability. This is because this exercise engages several muscle groups, including the large back muscles (latissimus dorsi), the trapezius and the rhomboids. In addition, this exercise requires stabilization of the trunk. 

Perform this exercise as follows: 

1. Start in a plank position and support yourself on the dumbbells
2. Keep your body straight and push your elbow back (rowing motion)
3. Return your arm to starting position and repeat with the other arm

Pull ups

The pull up is a very effective back exercise. With a pull up you train your various back muscles, including the lats, rhomboid, rear delts and trapezius muscles. You also train the biceps and wings. 

It is often thought that a pull up can only be performed in the gym, but nothing could be further from the truth. By a pull-up bar In the doorway you can also do pull ups from home! If you have a sturdy door frame or beams in your home, you can also use them to pull yourself up. 

Perform this exercise as follows:

1. Grasp the pull-up bar or bar at shoulder width 
2. Hang with your arms outstretched
3. Pull yourself up until your chin is just above the bar and push your shoulder blades back
4. When your legs still touch the ground, you can lift your legs and cross your feet
5. Lower yourself in a controlled manner so that you return to the starting position and repeat the exercise

Face pulls with resistance band

The face pulls are an effective strength exercise that mainly trains the upper back muscles, but also the rear shoulder muscles and the trapezes.

Perform this exercise as follows:

1. Attach a resistance band to a tree or other object at chest height
2. Grasp the resistance band with both hands and step back until the band is under tension and your arms are straight 
3. Pull your palms along your face, keeping your elbows above your shoulders and wrists
4. Slowly return your arms to starting position and repeat the exercise

Bentover rows with resistance band

With the bentover rows you mainly train the large back muscles, the biceps and the forearms. They help build muscle mass in the back and contribute to better posture and stability of the upper back.

Perform this exercise as follows: 

1. Stand with both feet shoulder-width apart 
2. Post one resistance band under your feet
3. Bend your knees slightly 
4. Then bend your upper body forward while keeping your back straight
5. Grasp the resistance band with both hands, with your palms facing each other
6. Pull the resistance band towards your stomach by pulling your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together
7. Hold this position for a moment
8. Return to the starting position again

No gym required

You don't necessarily have to go to the gym to train your back. With sufficient variation between the above exercises, you can perform an effective back workout at home. By regularly performing back exercises at home, you can build strength, fitter exercise, improve your posture and reduce the risk of back problems, all without having to leave the house or take into account the opening hours of the gym. So what are you waiting for?!