Written by Sam Coleman | Co-founder
Fact checked by Kirsten Yovino, CPT Brookbush Institute
FACT CHECKED
If you are working out from home (or anywhere but a gym) and you have no equipment, you are probably struggling to come up with bodyweight exercises that target your back muscles.
Other muscles are easier to target with just your bodyweight...Chest? There’s push ups (and the countless variations of them). Legs? Simple, air squats, jumping lunges, glute bridges, and the list goes on…But back? It’s not as simple. The back is one of the more tricky areas of the body to target with just your bodyweight alone…That is, unless you know what you are doing.
So, if you think you need to buy some free weights to target your back muscles properly, think again…You absolutely can target your back muscles and get a great back workout in without equipment, and even, without a pull bar.
In this post, we are going to show you the best bodyweight back exercises with no equipment and no pull up bar. The only thing we will use is our bodyweight...and a towel. That’s right, a towel. Like the thing you use to wipe off your sweat or dry off after a shower. The thing everyone has access to. The most surprisingly effective complementary piece of “equipment” for bodyweight back exercises.
The bodyweight back exercises that we chose to demonstrate for you here can be done from home or anywhere you please. Make note, these aren't useless back exercises, they are actually effective for building muscle, gaining strength, and getting tone. With the bodyweight exercises that you will see below, you can develop a V-shape back that each and every one of us desires.
HOW CAN I BUILD MY BACK MUSCLES AT HOME?
If you want to build your back muscles at home, all you really need are two things, your body and knowledge of how to target your back muscles with bodyweight exercises. It’s not as difficult as you may think. There are tons of bodyweight exercises that you can do to target your back effectively. As long as you do the bodyweight back exercises with enough intensity and time under tension, and then progressively overload the stress on your muscles over time, your back will grow and get strong.
PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD FOR BODYWEIGHT BACK EXERCISES
If you want to build muscle and continue gaining strength, you need to use a progressive overload technique for your back workouts at home. Progressive overload simply means you are making your workouts harder and harder each time. Progressive overload is a gradual process that provides significant results.
Here are a few progressive overload techniques that make sense for bodyweight back exercises/workouts:
- Increase time under tension: Use a slower tempo and extend the length of each set. So, if you can do an exercise for 15 seconds, work your way up to 20 seconds, then 25, and so on.
- Increase reps: This is similar to increasing time under tension. It may be easier to go by reps depending on the exercise. Use a tempo that puts the most stress on your back muscles. If it’s an explosive exercise, then simply use good form and do more reps at an explosive pace.
- Increase sets: This will add more volume to your workout, putting more demand on your back muscles.
- Increase volume: To avoid overusing a specific area of your back, you need to do different exercises that emphasize certain back muscles more than the others. As you increase strength and endurance, add another exercise to your workout.
- Decrease rest time: This is simple, all you have to do is take shorter rests, this will shock your muscles so they can grow and become stronger.
- Try more difficult variations: Almost every exercise has a progression to it, or a way to make it more difficult. If an exercise is becoming too easy, you can’t just continue increasing reps and sets, or else your workouts will become too long. So, make the exercise more difficult.
HOW DO YOU WORK OUT YOUR BACK WITHOUT EQUIPMENT?
Think you need equipment like dumbbells and kettlebells to get a good back workout in at home? Think again. And although a pull up bar is obviously great to have, even that isn’t needed. You absolutely can get a good back workout in without any equipment and with no pull up bar. All you need is the right movements and the necessary amount of intensity and time under tension. If you put enough stress on your back muscles and use a steady progressive overload technique, your back will get stronger and you can build your back build muscle with only bodyweight exercises.
All in all, you want to increase the intensity of your back workouts. Push yourself hard each workout. You will know if it’s an effective workout by the way you feel during and after the workout. Each workout should be just as hard as your last (or harder). If things are getting easier, then you are not employing progressive overload properly...
Towels.
“Towels?" you ask..."please explain".
One great piece of “equipment” for bodyweight back exercise that everyone owns is a towel. A towel is a great tool to use for increasing the intensity of your bodyweight back exercises, as surprising as that might be.
TOWEL BODYWEIGHT BACK EXERCISES
We said all you need is your body for your back workouts at home, and while that’s true, we prefer to use a towel for certain exercises to ensure they are challenging enough to build muscle and strength.
Everyone has a towel at home, so we figure this is as good as having “no equipment”. With a towel you can get a seriously killer back workout in, as you will see if you try the bodyweight back exercises in the video further below.
DO TOWEL WORKOUTS WORK?
Essentially, the towel is used to increase the tension on your back muscles, simply by making sure you are squeezing them and focusing on them. By pulling the towel apart during your movement, you are increasing tension. As we all know, the more tension/resistance, the more difficult the exercise becomes, and the more you can grow. So, yes, towel workouts absolutely do work. They can actually be quite brutal as you become completely focused on pulling the towel apart with each rep, which intensifies the movement tenfold. It really makes you focus on the muscles you are targeting, breaking them down so they can grow back stronger. Focus is key with bodyweight exercises, as without it, you will eventually just be going through the motion, and that’s not ideal if you want to build muscle and get stronger. Each rep and set should be challenging, to the point where all you can think about is the exercise at hand (or in this case, the towel in hands).
BENEFITS OF TOWEL EXERCISES
- Increases tension
- Increases intensity
- Helps you focus on the muscles you are targeting
- Prevents “cheating” during a bodyweight back exercise
- Keeps your form in check and your joints stable
Try to simply pull a towel apart for 15 seconds, see how difficult that is and then you will understand what you are about to get yourself into with the bodyweight towel back exercises below.
BACK MUSCLE ANATOMY
Before we get into the bodyweight back exercises (some of which include the use of a towel), let’s talk about the back anatomy quickly.
We will be noting which muscles each exercise works, so we want you to know exactly where the muscle is located on your back. This will help you hone in on the targeted muscles with each bodyweight back exercise.
Superficial vs Deep Muscles
Superficial muscles are close to the surface skin, while deep muscles are closer to the bone or internal organs.
Latissimus Dorsi Muscles - LATS (Superficial)
The lats are the largest muscles of the back. They provide force in a wide range of body positions.
Related: Best Latissimus Dorsi Exercises
Trapezius - TRAPS (Superficial)
The trap is a long muscle shaped like a trapezoid, hence the name. It runs down the upper section of the spine, starting at the base of the skull. The traps provide pulling strength in three motions, up, down, and toward the center of the body.
Related: Best Exercises for the Trapezius Muscle With Weights
Erector Spinae (Deep)
The erector spinae is a group of muscles that run down the length of the spine. They attach to the neck, vetebrae, ribs and pelvis. These muscles function to support, extend and rotate the spine. Targeting the erector spinae in lower back workouts is essential as it plays a major role in whether your back hurts or feels good.
Related: Best Erector Spinae Exercises
Teres Major & Minor (Superficial)
The teres major is located on the outer edge of the scapula, attaching to the humerus. This muscle stabilizes the shoulder joints and works with the lats to pull the humerus back.
Related: Best Teres Minor & Teres Major Exercises
Rhomboids (Deep)
The rhomboids, major and minor, are shaped as the name suggests. They start at the spinal column and attach to the middle surface of the scapula. They help hold the scapula, and thus the upper limb, to the rib cage, as well as act to retract and pull the scapula towards the vertebral column.
Related: Best Rhomboid Exercises
The Glutes and Biceps Relation with the Back
Much of the back’s responsibilities are shared with the glutes and biceps. So, many back exercises will also target your glutes and/or biceps as well.
It’s important to strengthen your glutes evenly with you back, as underactive gluteal muscles can lead to low back pain.
7 BODYWEIGHT BACK EXERCISES WITHOUT EQUIPMENT (JUST A TOWEL)
In this video, Christian demonstrates 7 effective bodyweight back exercises. They require nothing but your body, although for some of them he uses a towel to increase the tension on the back muscles. Because these back exercises don’t require any equipment or a pull up bar, you can do these anywhere you please. They are perfect for home workouts, travel and hotel workouts, outdoor workouts, and even for supersetting free-weight back exercises at the gym. By performing all of these exercises, you can target your entire back musculature.
1. LYING LAT PULL DOWNS (WITH TOWEL)
Target: Lats, Erector Spinae, Glutes, Biceps
Tips:
- Keep your grip on the towel wider than shoulder width.
- Pull towards your upper chest.
- Squeeze for maximum tension with each rep.
2. REVERSE SNOW ANGEL
Target: Erector Spinae, Traps, Rhomboids, Glutes
Tips:
- Keep arms and feet from touching the ground.
- Extend your legs back as far as they can
- Squeeze and pause each rep. Slow the tempo down.
3. SUPERMAN
Target: Erector Spinae, Glutes
Tips:
- Simultaneously lift arms and legs off the ground.
- Extend both your arms and legs as far as possible.
- Squeeze and pause each rep. Slow the tempo down to increase difficulty.
4. LAT PULLDOWNS (WITH TOWEL)
Target: Lats, Biceps, Erector Spinae
Tips:
- Keep your grip on the towel wider than shoulder width.
- Pull towards your upper chest and keep your core tight.
- Squeeze for maximum tension with each rep.
5. LOW ROWS (WITH TOWEL)
Target: Lats, Biceps, Teres Major/Minor
Tips:
- Keep your back straight, elbows tucked, knees bent, and head straight forward.
- Grip should be about shoulder width apart.
- Pull towards your navel and squeeze.
- Pause and keep the contraction with each rep.
Note: If you go overhand grip, you will target your traps and rhomboids more. Underhand as seen in the video targets the lats more.
6. REACHER ROW
Target: Lats, Erector Spinae, Glutes, Rear Delts, Teres Major
Tips:
- Start in a full extended position with your arms straight in front of you.
- Raise your feet off the ground with each row. As you contract, your chest will lift further from the ground.
- Move slowly and maximize contraction.
7. LYING BACK EXTENSIONS
Target: Erector Spinae, Glutes
Tips:
- Put your hands behind your head as to not use momentum. You want to use only your glutes and lower back for this movement.
- Legs stay on the ground.
- Try to pause at the peak contraction.
Related: 18 Best Back Extension Exercises
THESE BODYWEIGHT BACK EXERCISES PUT EMPHASIS ON THE LATS AND LOW BACK
We put extra emphasis on the low back and lats as they are the powerful stabilizers of the spine. It’s vital that these two muscle groups have good strength and endurance as it will help make you injury resilient and powerful with your movements in life.
3 BODYWEIGHT BACK WORKOUTS USING ONLY A TOWEL
Let’s create back workouts using the exercises above
1. Traditional Style Bodyweight Back Workout:
For a complete back workout, do all 7 exercises for 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps. Once you complete one exercise for 3-4 sets, move to the next. Rest for 30 seconds to 1 minute between each set and exercise.
2. Circuit Bodyweight Back Workout:
Circuit 1:
- Lying Lat Pull Downs
- Supermans
- Low Rows
Do each exercise for 30 seconds, one after the other. Rest 1 minute between rounds. Complete 4 rounds.
Circuit 2:
- Lat Pull Downs
- Reacher Rows
- Reverse Snow Angel
- Lying Back Extension
Do each exercise for 30 seconds, one after the other. Rest 1 minute between rounds. Complete 3 rounds.
3. Superset Bodyweight Back Workout:
1A: Low Rows
1B: Kneeling Lat Pull Downs
- 4 sets x 10 reps each
2A: Reacher Rows
2B: Lying Lat Pull Downs
- 4 sets x 10 reps each
3A: Reverse Snow Angel
3B: Superman / Lying Back Extension (2 sets of one, 2 sets of the other, every other)
- 4 sets x 10 reps each
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I WORKOUT MY BACK?
It depends on your schedule but ideally if you do bodyweight workouts only, you should hit your back muscles twice a week. Once at a minimum.
Full Body Routine
If you do full body workouts, choose two back exercises for each full body workout, In this case, you’d work your back muscles two to three times a week on average.
Upper/Lower Routine
If you do an upper/lower routine, you should be hitting your back muscles twice a week. For example, day 1 and 4 would be upper body day, so on both those days you are doing a few back exercises.
Split Routine
If you do a split routine, you will probably hit your back once a week, maybe twice if you do a multi-muscle group split. For splits, your back workouts will be higher volume. Instead of doing just a few back exercises, you will be doing 6-8 back exercises.
No matter what kind of routine you choose, push yourself hard each workout and give your body the recovery it needs before you train your back again!
Also, employ the progressive overload techniques we mentioned earlier in this article.
IS A PULL UP BAR NECESSARY?
As you can see, you don’t need anything but your body (and a towel for extra tension) to get a great back workout in. That being said, a pull up bar would be advantageous as there are many benefits of pull ups. With a pull up bar, you can target every muscle in your back using pull up variations. Pull ups will, of course, offer you a lot more resistance for your pulling exercises. After all, you are fighting against gravity to pull your entire bodyweight up! Thus, you will have a far greater opportunity to build bigger, stronger muscles.
If you have a pull up bar, do pull ups and various pull up variations, along with these bodyweight-only back exercises and you will be on your way to being a lean, mean, v-shape back machine.
For beginners, if you can't do a pull up, follow a pull up progression plan. Also, utilize the back exercises in this article as these are absolutely perfect for beginners looking to build strength needed for more advanced back exercises.
Related: Pull Ups vs Chin Ups, Which Is Better?
Don’t have a pull up bar? Anything you hang from can work. Even if the grip is awkward, that’s great. It may be harder, but harder is what makes you stronger. it also builds more grip strength. You can do pull ups from beams, bleachers, and whatever you can find to hang from (just make sure it’s strong enough to hold you!).
Related: Best Pull Up Alternative To Work The Same Muscles
WHY IS A STRONG BACK IMPORTANT?
Although it’s important to strengthen all of your muscles, strengthening your back is especially vital to your well being. It’s involved in every pulling, lifting, and carrying action you make. Moreover, it protects your spine from injury!
Here are some of the main benefits of strengthening your back with these bodyweight back exercises:
- Improves spinal stability
- Helps prevent back pain
- Improves posture
- Strengthens you for all the pulling, lifting and carrying movements in life
- Helps maintain a good body composition
- V-shape, lean, muscle popping back with a great booty
What’s more, your back makes up the second largest portion of your musculature (after the legs), so training them expends a lot of energy, allowing you to burn tons of calories.
More Bodyweight Exercises:
- Bodyweight Shoulder Exercises
- Bodyweight Chest Exercises
- Bodyweight Triceps Exercises
- Bodyweight Biceps Exercises
- Bodyweight Leg Exercises
- Bodyweight Core Exercises
Bodyweight Workout Routines:
- The Best Calisthenics Workout Plan
- Bodyweight Full Body Workout
- Upper Body Bodyweight Workout
- Lower Body Bodyweight Workout
Final Note:
If you want to use some weights, but you prefer to keep things minimal, resistance bands (arguably the best option), kettlebells, and dumbbells will be best. You can also go the calisthenics route and get calisthenics equipment for your home.
Sam Coleman
Author