10 Minute Back Workouts For At Home (Or the Gym)

10 Minute At Home Back Workout

Many people don’t make it a priority to exercise their back muscles, but your back muscles are involved in just about every activity you do each day, so it is important that they’re strong enough to handle all that work.

Benefits of Back Workouts at Home

Consistently doing back workouts at home will add muscle mass to your upper body, which can even help your waist look smaller, too. In addition to working out from the comfort of your home, exercising your back can also relieve any back pain you may be experiencing. Back exercises at home are almost necessary to rehabilitate the spine and alleviate back pain. This is because working your back muscles:

• Strengthens the muscles that support the spine, removes pressure from the spinal discs and facet joints
• Alleviates stiffness while improving mobility,
• Improves circulation to better distribute nutrients through the body,
• Releases endorphins that naturally relieve pain and elevate mood, and minimize the frequency of neck and back pain and reduce the severity of the pain when it occurs.

Follow this 10 minute back workout at home that will strengthen your muscles and lead to overall better health. If you have any questions or concerns about your workout routine, you’ll need to discuss that with your personal trainer. They will help you develop a back workout at home plan that works for you and takes into account your age, weekly/daily schedule, physical health, gender, etc.

#1: Reverse Fly

Targets: rear shoulders and upper back

The Reverse Fly back workout will help strengthen the rear deltoid, rhomboids and middle fibers of the trapezius. You can use the reverse fly cable machine at the gym or you can also do this exercise in the comfort of your own home with just a set of dumbbells. Using dumbbells is just as beneficial as using a machine, and it takes up less space, too.

How To Do a Reverse Fly Back Workout:

1. Stand with your feet hips-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Press the hips back as you lower your chest until your chest is almost parallel with the ground. Allow the weights to hang straight down at arm’s length, palms facing each other.
3. Keeping your back flat and your core tight, raise your arms to your sides until they’re in line with your body, keeping a slight bend in your elbows. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
4. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Complete this exercise with 3 sets of 10 reps with dumbbell weights.

#2: Upright Row

Targets: shoulders and upper back

The upright row is considered one of the best muscle builders for the back and shoulders, but this is a lift that requires perfect form for the best results and to avoid injury. It is generally performed by bodybuilders, and also used in boot camps and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) classes using dumbbells, kettlebells, or barbells. The upright row exercises the front and middle of the deltoids, as well as the trapezius, rhomboids, and the biceps.

How To Do an Upright Row Back Workout:

1. Grasp a barbell or dumbbells and allow it to hang in front of you at arms length. Your palms should be facing your body.
2. Standing up straight, adjust your grip so that your hands are about in line with the thighs, shoulder-width apart.
3. Lift the barbell straight up toward the chin, leading with the elbows and keeping the bar close to the body. Your arms should go no higher than parallel with the shoulders, but slightly less is okay.
4. Pause at the top of the lift and return the barbell back to the starting position.

Complete this exercise with 3 sets of 10 reps with dumbbell weights.

Superman

Targets: core and back

The Superman exercise engages your abs and also strengthens your back. In order to have a strong core, you need exercises like this that engage your back. This exercise has you lift your arms and legs off the ground, as if you were flying, which gives it the name Superman.

How To Do Superman Back Workout:

1. Lay face down on a mat or flat surface, with arms stretched out.
2. Keep your hands and arms straight throughout the exercise.
3. Raise your hand and legs 4-5 inches off the ground.
4. Hold for 5 seconds, then return to starting position.

Complete this exercise with 3 sets of 10 reps.

#3: Barbell Bent-Over Row

Targets: back, glutes, legs

The back muscles are the primary beneficiaries of the bent-over row, your posture will also improve as your back muscles increase in strength. By directly stimulating your lats, traps, rhomboids and rotator cuffs, this exercise does wonders for your body.

How To Do a Barbell Bent-Over Row Back Workout:

1. Stand with your mid-foot under the bar.
   
2. Bend over and grab the bar, palms down with medium grip.
   
3. Unlock your knees while keeping your hips high.
   
4. Lift your chest and straighten your back.
   
5. Pull the bar against your lower chest.
   

Complete this exercise with 3 sets of 10 reps with dumbbell weights.

#4: Cobra

Targets: pectorals, arms, shoulders

The cobra is a great exercise to activate muscles in the upper back, as well as improve your thoracic extension mobility. It also improves posture.

How To Do a Cobra Back Workout:

1. Lie on a mat face down (prone).
2. Squeeze your glutes and core.
3. Arch your upper back off the mat while keeping the rest of your body in contact with the floor.
4. Keep your arms straight and by your side, pointing your thumbs up toward the ceiling.

Complete this exercise with 3 sets of 10 reps.

All finished! Easy enough, right? This 10 minute at home back workout is sure to exercise your upper body and back muscles, resulting in better posture and a stronger upper body overall.

Back Workouts at the Gym & Home

These back workouts are suitable for both the gym and in the comfort of your own home. Working on the reverse fly, cobra, barbell bent-over, and superman back workout at the gym and at home on a consistent routine will keep you in shape and strengthen your upper body, alleviate pain, and help reduce body weight.

When working out, always remember it is important to alternate exercise with rest days to be sure that you are getting the most out of your back workouts.

Back Workout FAQs