Strengthening your back with resistance bands makes for a portable and practical workout anywhere. As your strength improves, you can easily increase the difficulty of your exercises by using a band with higher resistance to target the muscles throughout the entire spine.
The best back exercises keep your spine in a neutral position. Repeatedly extending your spine like you do with the famous Superman can put your back at risk for injury. We teach you back exercises with resistance bands that keep the spine in a more secure neutral position, and still cause itching in the muscles.
The best back exercises with rubber bands
Seated rowing
The seated row exercise strengthens the muscles in the middle of your back, near the shoulder blades. Make sure the band is secured around your feet before pulling on it.
- Sit on a firm surface with your legs extended in front of you. If you feel discomfort in the back of your thighs, slightly bend your knees.
- Wrap the center of the band around the soles of both feet, on the arches. Hold one end of the band in each hand and sit up straight.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull your elbows back as far as possible against the resistance of the band. Hold this position for two to three seconds; then relax.
Upright rowing
The upright rowing exercise strengthens the muscles in your upper back. As a bonus, it also strengthens your shoulder muscles.
- Stand firmly in the middle of the band with both feet. Spread your feet about shoulder-width apart. Grab one end of the band in each hand.
- Start with your arms resting at your sides and your palms facing you. Twist your thumbs slightly forward.
- Raise your elbows out to the sides and toward the ceiling. Stop when your elbows reach shoulder height.
- Hold for two or three seconds; then slowly lower your arms down.
Pull Apart
The pull-apart gets its name from the movement performed during the exercise. This exercise targets the muscles of the middle back.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Grab one end of the band in each hand with your palms facing inward. Keep your elbows straight during this exercise.
- Start with your arms straight in front of you at shoulder height. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and spread the ends of the band until your arms are straight at your sides. Don't allow your shoulders to hunch during this exercise.
- Hold for two to three seconds; then relax.
Pull-down
Pull-downs strengthen the large muscles on either side of your back. This popular gym exercise can be performed with a resistance band, rather than pulleys.
- Anchor half of the band above your head, securing it to a sturdy object, such as a door frame or a bar.
- Reach up and hold one end of the band with each hand. Spread your arms slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
- Squeeze the muscles on the sides of your back and pull the band toward your chest. Your elbows will bend with this movement. Stop when your hands reach your shoulders.
- Hold for two or three seconds; then relax.
Dead weight
The deadlift is a popular weight lifting exercise for strengthening the lower back and legs. Although this exercise is typically performed with a barbell, it can also be performed with a resistance band.
- Stand firmly in the middle of the band. Spread your feet about shoulder-width apart. Grab one end of the band in each hand.
- With your arms at your sides and your palms facing you, roll your hips forward, keeping your knees straight. Don't allow your lower back to bend forward. This is the initial position.
- Lift your chest and squeeze your hips forward as you stand in an upright position. Hold this for two or three seconds; then return to position doing a hip hinge.
Face pull
This exercise targets your back and shoulder muscles directly. It is usually done in the gym with a pulley machine, but the band option is better for controlling technique throughout the movement. The elastic bands favor the muscles in the full range of motion, since you do not use the same weight at the beginning as at the end of the course.
- Sit on a bench or chair without a back. Take a slight fall backwards, extend your legs and spread your feet at the hips.
- Place the band on the arch of your feet and hold it with both hands.
- Make an extension of the band, bringing the rubber to your forehead and making a small opening so that the elbows are at a 90º angle.
- Control the descent.
Push pull
Mini bands are also excellent sports equipment, beyond toning the legs and glutes. Here we show you two push pulls, one horizontally and one vertically. The key is to choose a strong band, but without exceeding resistance to be able to control the movement and achieve a full range.
