A 14-Minute, No Equipment Back Workout For Beginners

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Working out your back at home without any equipment is hard. This is especially true if you lack the strength to do hard exercises. These include pull-ups. That’s why I’ve been trying hard to find you a back workout that’s still effective.

I found the video below. Scroll past the video to see pictures and explanations of the exercises. The video provides a good back workout for beginners. It’s a good workout if you’re short on time and have to do the workout at home (which happens to all of us). In the long run, I would recommend including more advanced exercises and dumbbells to build real strength. Nevertheless, this is a good start.

Workout Details

The workout includes 14 exercises. However, I found most are a variation of a back extension. This is the best back exercise for beginners who lack equipment. You can perform each exercise for 30 or 45 seconds depending on your fitness level.

Back Extensions

We’re starting with the most basic exercise, the back extension. This exercise mainly targets the lower back. Lay down with your face flat on the mat, lift your upper body, and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold for a second, and lay back down.

Reverse Snow Angels

This exercise incorporates some shoulder movement as well. You start of with your arms spread out, slightly higher than shoulder width.

Lift your upper body from the mat like you would do with a back extension. At the same time, circle your arms through the air.

In the end, your arm ends slightly lower and you end up with your upper body back on the mat. Now, do the reverse.

Back Extensions With Knee Bends

In this exercise, we’re holding the back extension for the complete duration.

On top of that, we’re also bending and straightening our knees. However, make sure your feet don’t touch the ground when you straighten them.

Side-To-Side Back Extensions

Side-to-sides are typically a good variation because they put more stress on the sides of a particular muscle (in this case the lower back). You’re holding your upper body from the ground for the complete duration of the exercise. Move from left to right.

Back Widow

This is an interesting one because it targets the upper back more. Lay down like this.

Then, drive your elbows into the floor and squeeze your shoulder blades. I would recommend not using your abs too much otherwise you turn this into a core exercise.

Row Boat

The important part of this exercise is to drive your elbows into the ground and tighten your lats (the muscles on the side of your upper back). You’ll also feel this in your core.

Then, slide your body back and forth without your butt touching the ground. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Swimmers

This is a variation of a back extension in which you’re trying to keep your arms and legs of the ground while moving them vertically.

Arm Flutter

You guessed it, a variation of a back extension but this time you’re moving your arms up and down. Make sure your upper body and feet don’t touch the ground.

Cobra Pushup

Lay down on the mat with your palms on the ground and your elbows tucked in. Then, push yourself up but try to use your back muscles for this as much as possible.

Back Extension Variations

Start of like you can see in the image. Then, lower your arms to the ground while keeping them stretched.

Pull your arms back and lift your upper body up again.

Leg Kicks

This is a back extension with leg kicks. Try to hold this position for as long as possible.

Back Extensions With Side Reach

This is largely similar to the back extensions we saw earlier although this time you’re trying to reach for your knees.

Superman Push Ups

This move combines a push-up and a back extension. Start like you see in the image below (or do it on your knees if you can’t do a regular push up).

Lower your body to the ground, lay down, and reach up with your arms while lifting your feet of the ground.

Reach your arms and legs up at the same time, now do the exercise in reverse and return to the push up starting position.

Bird Dog

This is an exercise that mainly works your glutes and lower back. Start in a table top position.

Kick your leg up and reach the opposite arm up at the same time.