Calisthenics Back Exercises No Equipment – Introduction
Calisthenics back exercises are bodyweight exercises designed to build stronger back muscles.
They require minimal equipment and are done with your own bodyweight.
The back muscles worked during the calisthenics back exercises are your:
- latissimus dorsi muscles,
- trapezius muscles
- rhomboids
- rotator cuff muscles
Since most of these specific exercises involve a pulling motion, you will hit a lot of biceps too.
If you are looking to get stronger with calisthenics, you are in the right place.
This article reveals the best calisthenics back exercises that will help you get stronger, look better, and help you alleviate back pain.
Bodyweight Back Exercises Benefits
If you are a man, having a muscular and wide V-shaped back is very appealing.
So it doesn’t surprise why it is the dream of almost any man.
On the other hand, if you are a woman, a muscular look probably is not what you are going after.
However, that doesn’t mean that back exercises don’t have any benefits for you.
There are a number of benefits they offer.
Back exercises are not only beneficial for building muscle, but they improve posture, help you with back pain, and make you look better and feel more confident.
The problem of the modern age is that most of us spend the majority of our time slouched at our desks.
This can lead to poor posture and lower back pain.
Back exercises help us improve that.
And there is no better way to start working your back than with your own body weight.
Calisthenic back exercises are a great way to get stronger and look better.
The biggest benefit is that you can do them almost anywhere and they require minimal equipment.
However, as you get stronger, these exercises stop being as challenging.
Then you need to add progressive overload.
By adding additional weight to these exercises, you make them harder.
This will help you get stronger and build more muscle mass.
The 10 Best Calisthenics Exercises for Your Back
#1. Pull-ups
Pull-ups are one of the best bodyweight exercises for your back with many great benefits.
They work your middle back (lats), upper back muscles (traps, scapular muscles), biceps, and core muscles.
To perform pull-ups, you will need a pull-up bar or get a Power Tower.
With little investment, you can hang a pull-up bar on a door frame or install a Power Tower in your home.
Depending on your fitness level, you can try different pull-up variations such as chin-ups and neutral grip pull-ups.
If you are an advanced lifter, you want to try wide grip pull-ups.
They will engage your back muscles a lot more.
Also, for more upper body work, you can hang heavier weights around your waist and make pull-ups even harder.
If you are a beginner, pull-ups might be too hard for you.
If that is the case, start with chin-ups first.
That way you will build the necessary strength for pull-ups.
Pull-ups
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#2. Chin-ups
Chin-ups look very similar to pull-ups.
However, while pull-ups are performed with an overhand grip with palms facing away, chin-ups are performed with an underhand grip and with your palms facing towards you.
This different hand position also activates your muscles differently.
Chin-ups work the same muscles as pull-ups.
However, during the pulling motion, chin-ups activate your biceps a lot more.
This makes the chin-ups easier and more beginner-friendly.
However, the greater involvement of the biceps consequently means less activation of the lats.
So if your main goal is to build your back with a calisthenics workout, pull-ups are the better choice.
Chin-ups are great for beginners, but also for more advanced lifters.
Chin-ups can help you build massive arms while also working your back.
Also, during the last few reps, they can be a great way to “finish” your muscles when pull-ups become too hard and you start to lose proper form.
Chin-ups
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#3. Resistance Band Straight Arm Pulldown
Resistance band straight arm pulldowns works for multiple muscle groups simultaneously.
It works your lats, posterior delts, rhomboids, teres major, triceps, and core.
You will need a resistance band to perform this exercise.
Resistance bands are great for strength training.
They are affordable, light, effective, and allow a vast variety of exercises to do.
Plus they won’t crack your floor, or disturb your neighbors, and you can easily take them with you when you travel.
Hang a rubber band to an anchor.
This can be a pull-up bar, a pole, a tree, etc.
Just make sure you anchored it above your head.
To make this more convenient, you can do pulldowns from a kneeling position.
Grab the band above shoulder level.
While keeping your arms straight bring your arms parallel to your body.
While pulling the rubber band, it’s important to keep your elbows straight.
This will engage your back muscles more.
Bending the elbows works the triceps more and takes the work off your back muscles.
Resistance Band Straight Arm Pulldowns
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#4. Reverse Snow Angel
The Reverse snow angel works your traps, rear delts, and small muscles around your shoulder blades that often get neglected.
These muscles are important for proper posture and shoulder health.
The reverse snow angel is done on the ground.
Lie face down on the ground, keep your back straight, and bring your arms close to your ears.
Keep your elbows straight and slightly elevate your arms from the floor.
In a controlled manner, while keeping your arms in a straight line, bring your arms close to your body.
The motion of the arms should look as you are doing a snow angel.
Then return your arms to the starting position without losing tension in your upper back and shoulders.
To make this exercise more challenging, you can hold small dumbbells in your hands.
Reverse Snow Angels
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#5. Inverted Rows
Inverted rows are a great compound movement to build your back using just your body weight.
They work your biceps, rear delts, lats, traps, and scapular muscles.
Also, your core gets activated too.
Two of the best ways to do this exercise is with a Gymnastic ring or TRX.
They are both pretty cheap and are very effective for calisthenic workouts.
If you have a gym membership, you can do this exercise on a smith machine too.
Grab the TRX or Gymnastic rings with your back facing the floor.
Lower yourself close to the ground.
Keep your arms straight and make sure your lower body is in a straight line with your back.
Squeeze your shoulder blades, pull yourself up and bring your elbows behind your back.
Then slowly lower yourself down.
Depending on your strength level, adjust your body position.
The more parallel to the ground you are, the harder this exercise is.
TRX Inverted Rows
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#6. Face Pulls
Face pulls are a great way to work your upper and middle back and rear shoulders.
They are great not only for building muscle but also for improving your posture.
You can do them with a resistance band or with TRX or Gymnastic rings.
The key is focusing on good form and feeling the right muscles.
If you are doing face pulls with a resistance band, the most convenient way is to do it in a standing position.
For better balance, you can get into a staggered stance with one leg in front of the other.
For example, with the right leg in the front of the left.
On the other hand, if you decide to do the face pulls on a TRX or rings, the setup should be similar to the inverted pulls.
Grab the resistance band or TRX with your arms straight.
Keep your back straight and engage your core.
Squeeze your shoulder blades and pull your hands towards your face.
Make sure you are bringing the elbows behind your ears and doing the pulls through a full range of motion.
Also, keep the core engaged during the whole time.
Don’t let your lower back overarch.
Face Pulls
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#7. Muscle Ups
Muscle-ups are the most challenging exercise on this list.
Not only does it require a lot of strength, but excellent technique as well.
This is an advanced move, so good coordination and simultaneous work of the upper and lower body is very important.
Muscle-ups work your entire upper body, not only your back.
It starts just like regular pull-ups do, but you lift yourself explosively above the bar.
The top part of the muscle-up engages your core, triceps, and pecs the most.
Muscle Ups
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12-Week Calisthenics Back Exercises Workout Routine
Through the 12-week program, the exercises you do pretty much stay the same.
However, as you’re getting stronger, you will progressively make them harder, and do more sets and reps with shorter rest periods.
Here is an example of a 12-week calisthenics back exercises workout for you to try out:
| Week 1-4 | ||||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest | |
| 1 | Chin-ups | 3 | 8 | 90 seconds |
| 2 | Face pulls | 3 | 10 | 90 seconds |
| 3 | Pull-ups | 5 | 3 | 90 seconds |
| 4 | Band pulldown | 3 | 10 | 90 seconds |
| 5 | Reverse snow angel | 3 | 15 | 60 seconds |
| Week 5-8 | ||||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest | |
| 1 | Pull-ups | 3 | 8 | 90 seconds |
| 2 | Inverted rows | 3 | 8 | 90 seconds |
| 3 | Face pulls | 3 | 12 | 60 seconds |
| 4 | Band pulldown | 3 | 12 | 90 seconds |
| 5 | Chin-ups | 3 | 10 | 90 seconds |
| 6 | Revers snow angel | 3 | 20 | 60 seconds |
| Week 9-12 | ||||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest | |
| 1 | Face pulls | 3 | 15 | 60 seconds |
| 2 | Wide grip pull-ups | 3 | 8 | 90 seconds |
| 3 | Chin-ups | 3 | 12 | 90 seconds |
| 4 | Inverted rows | 3 | 12 | 60 seconds |
| 5 | Band pulldown | 3 | 15 | 90 seconds |
| 6 | Reverse snow angel | 3 | 30 | 60 seconds |
Calisthenics Back Exercises – Wrapping up
When most people think about exercises that can help them lose weight and get in shape, they assume that cardio such as;
- treadmill
- elliptical
- rowing machine
- assault air bike
- walking
- running
- rucking
are the only way to go when you want to accomplish a significant body transformation.
However, that is not the case.
Indeed, many exercises, including calisthenics and strength training, can help you burn fat from all over your body, whether the naturally challenging belly fat or back fat.
The calisthenics back exercises suggested in this article are some of the most functional movements you can do.
ISSA Personal Trainer Isaac Robertson recommends additional exercises to target various types of stubborn back fat that you might find helpful.
When done correctly, calisthenics back exercises can help improve your posture and reduce your risk of injury.
Also, one of the best things about calisthenics back exercises is that they are simple and easy to learn.
You can do them at home with no equipment needed, use a weighted vest to make them more challenging, or add them to your workout routine at the gym.
Use any of the calisthenic exercises above to achieve your fitness goals.
Rich is a NASM-CPT (Certified Personal Trainer),