Back pain is a common health problem across the urban white-collar populace because of long sitting hours and sedentary lifestyle that is devoid of exercise and adequate physical activities.
Though many of us end up paying heavy medical bills shifting between doctors to end this chronic malady, an easy way out is to shift to bodyweight back exercises that are easily practicable at home.
Even as any kind of physical activity is good for your health, if you pick exercises that target muscles like latissimus dorsi, trapezius and rhomboids, back pain can easily be kept at bay. You can easily train your back right in your own living room without needing to hit the gym or buy expensive equipment!
A study has found that reducing sedentary lifestyle by even 40 minutes a day and devoting half an hour to certain specific exercises could help ease back pain in a jiffy.
What are bodyweight back exercises?

Bodyweight exercises basically use a person’s weight as resistance instead of external gym equipment like dumbbells or machines. Such exercises can boost fitness and endurance by targeting the muscles of the back using only the person’s body weight as resistance.
They engage the following muscles:
- Latissimus dorsi (Lats): This is the broadest muscle of the back, crucial for movements like pulling and lifting. Strong lats improve upper body strength.
- Trapezius (Traps): This muscle supports neck and shoulder movements and helps with posture.
- Rhomboids: These are located between the shoulder blades and assist in retracting the scapulae. Strong rhomboids prevent rounded shoulders.
- Erector spinae: This runs along the spine, and aid in spinal extension, posture, and stability.
- Core muscles: (obliques, rectus abdominis and transversus abdominis are also used during many back exercises for balance and stability.
Also Read: Break the Sitting Habit: New Research Offers Hope for Back Pain Sufferers
Exercises that can be done at home:
Inverted rows
- Lie under a sturdy table
- Grip the table and pull your chest up to it then lower.
- Do three sets of 8 to 12 reps.
Superman
- Lie with your face down on the floor and your arms stretched out. This means, your arms and legs should be extended in front of you.
Take the abdominals away from the ground and bring them toward your spine.
Use your back muscles along with glutes to raise your arms and legs simultaneously.
Hold this position for five seconds then go back to the first step.
Do at least three sets of 15 seconds each.
Plank to push-up
- Get on all your fours in a forearm plank position with your elbows dropped to the ground.
- Keep your hips still while engaging your core.
- Push up onto one of your hands and keep it where your elbow was.
- Do the same with your other hand then lower back down to your elbows.
- Do three sets of 12 reps.
Reverse snow angels
- Lie down on your stomach with face down on a mat. Your arms should be extended above your head, and fingertips should face the wall in front of you. Your thumbs should be aimed towards your room’s ceiling.
- Squeeze your inner thighs together while engaging your core and glutes.
- Slowly lift your head, then shoulders, and chest off of the ground while keeping your chin a little bit tucked and eyes focused on the floor.
- Bring both your arms towards your hips from an overhead position, and let your shoulders rotate then face the ceiling when your arms reach your hips.
- Take your arms to the overhead position.
- Do three sets of 15 reps.
Glute bridges
Lie down on your back with your knees bent and shoulder-width apart, and your feet flat to the ground.
With your open palms aimed toward the ceiling, lay your arms flat on either side of you.
Raise your hips, as you engage your glutes, until your torso forms a straight line from your shoulder to your knee.
Squeeze your glutes tightly and hold for five seconds.
Bring your hips back down to the floor, but don’t release the tension in your glutes.
Do three sets of about 15 reps in total.
Reverse plank

- Sit on the floor with your legs stretched in front of you, and your palms on the floor.
- As you press into your palms, lift your hips and chest as much as possible.
- With eyes aimed at the ceiling, point your toes and keep your legs and arms straight.
- As you squeeze your core, take your belly button toward your spine and hold this position for 10 seconds.
- Bring down your hips and chest back to the floor.
- Do three sets of 30 seconds.
Bear crawl
- Start in a push-up position with your hands beneath your shoulders, your core engaged, and feet hip-distance apart with heels off the ground.
- Using your hands and legs, move forward in a crawling motion, but don’t let your knees touch the ground.
- Do three sets of 20 to 30 seconds.
Bird dog exercise

- Get on all fours to do the bird dog exercise. Your knees should be under your hips and both hands beneath your shoulders.
- While extending your right leg behind, take your left arm in front, but don’t arch your back.
- As you engage your core and glutes, lower your arm and leg then repeat on the other side.
- Do two sets of 10 reps.
Though bodyweight back exercises can strengthen your back and alleviate back pain, don’t do these exercises if you have back injury or shoulder and neck issues. These exercises could cause strain and make things worse for you. Preferably take up these exercises gradually and then increase their intensity as required.