Calisthenic back workouts can build lean and strong muscles in your whole core. It uses bodyweight, bars, bands, and rings, among other pieces of equipment allowing for your bodyweight to provide resistance. Several exercises can be done to effectively hit every angle of your back with very limited or no equipment!
But before we begin, we need to know why choose back calisthenics. Researchers have shown that calisthenics exercises can:
- reduce fat mass
- improve muscle mass
- optimize posture
- Empowering your strength
Beginner Calisthenics back workout exercises
This part is for beginners. These exercises should be done two to three times per week, and space them out as it suits you. Also, never forget to warm up, and always allow at least a rest day to pass between individual workout sessions!
We offer five basic exercises to achieve some great results. But feel free to add any other basic variation too, you got nothing to lose.
- Prone Cobra: 4 sets x 15 reps of 3-second holds
- Superman: 4 sets x 15 reps of 1-3 second holds
- Glute/ham raises: 3 sets x 12 reps
- Tricep dips: 3 sets x 10 reps
- Chin-ups: 3 sets x 10 reps
As always, take 30-60 seconds of rest between exercises.
Prone Cobra
Begin by lying prone on your front. Spread your hands on the floor under your shoulders with your elbows tucked tightly into your body. Press your hips and legs firmly into the floor and push on your hands to lift your torso up. You should feel a stretch through your abs and your back should engage. Complete 4 sets x 15 reps.
Superman
Lie face down on an exercise mat with your arms outstretched in front of you. Lift your arms and legs off the ground, creating a stretch down the back (erector spinae) and using the strength in your upper back to keep your upper body raised. Hold for a few seconds then lower. This is one rep. Complete 4 sets x 15 reps.
Glute/ham raises
Lie supine on the floor with arms slightly outstretched for balance. Push your feet into the floor and your glutes up off the floor to create a ‘bridge’. Squeeze your glutes throughout and lower slowly back down to the floor. Complete 3 sets x 12 reps.
Tricep dips
Sit on the edge of a flat bench. Put your hands shoulder-width apart, next to your hips. Push down to keep your arms straight while you extend your legs and keep them on the floor. Lower your body by bending at the elbows until they are bent 90 degrees. Push back up to the starting position by straightening your arms. Complete 3 sets x 10 reps.
Chin-ups
Grab the bar with your palms facing you, shoulder-width apart and your shoulders pulled back. Pull yourself up until your chin passes over the bar; lower yourself under control. Complete 3 sets x 10 reps.
Calisthenic back workouts with no equipment
These 4 exercises can be done using just your own body weight and without equipment.
- Prone Cobra: 4 sets x 15 reps of 3-second holds
- Superman: 4 sets x 15 reps of 1-3 second holds
- Glute/ham raises: 3 sets x 12 reps
- YTI: 3 sets x 15 reps
- Lay face down (inclined) on a yoga mat.
- bring your arms immediately overhead.
- Squeeze your glutes and brace your core.
- From here, carry your arms as an awful lot as you could while maintaining your elbows immediately. hold the location for a 2 rely.
- next, widen your fingers out to create a Y form.
- hold your thumbs up toward the ceiling, and raise your shoulders up closer to the sky. maintain this role for a 2 matter.
- finally, convey your palms directly out to the facet, creating a T form.
- preserve your thumbs up in the direction of the ceiling, and lift your shoulders up closer to the sky. hold this role for a 2 count.
- Tricep dips: 3 sets x 10 reps
Calisthenic back workout PDF downloads
We offer Calisthenic back workout PDF for the workouts with images and instructions on how to do them in Free Resource Library.