Four Exercises to Strengthen Your Back

If you suffer with back pain, we have prepared a list of four exercises that may help to reduce your discomfort. Take notes!
Four Exercises to Strengthen Your Back

Last update: 14 December, 2018

Building strength in your back is very important, since, among other things, it will allow you to improve your posture. Strengthening your back through exercises also has a key role in increasing strength for weightlifting. Therefore, in this article, we’ve prepared a selection of the best exercises to strengthen your back.

Certainly, the back muscles help to stabilize the joints of the shoulders. This means that the stronger your shoulders are, the more weight you can lift in the exercises that engage the upper body.

Back exercises can be performed with free weight, machines or with your own body. Below, we present you with a list of the best exercises to strengthen your back. Take notes!

The best exercises to strengthen your back

1.-Plank

Firstly, we present the plank. This is one of the best exercises to strengthen your back with your own weight. It’s a very simple exercise, and you should start with the forearms and knees on the floor, separated at shoulder height, with the elbows placed below the shoulders.

Girl doing plank to strengthen back.

Next, lift the knees from the floor and push the feet back so that your body extends completely. Your body should create a long line from your head to your feet. The exercise consists of maintaining this position. Remember to keep your neck in line with your spine.

2.-Seated close grip row

Next, the rowing machine. This is an excellent way to use exercises to work the muscles of the back in a simple and effective way. In addition to the back, the muscles of the trunk and arms also benefit.

Girl building her back with rowing machine.

To carry out a repetition, you must grasp the grip with both hands, keep the legs straight (slightly flexed) and also keep the back straight to avoid suffering any type of injury. Then, it’s time to bring the weight to you, while you use your back muscles to perform the repetition. It’s a way to perform exercises to guarantee muscle gain.

“You can motivate with fear, you can motivate with the reward. But those two methods are only temporary. The only lasting thing is self-motivation.”

 -Homer Rice-

3.-Pullover

This is another one of our favorite exercises with which you can strengthen your upper back and arms. You only need to lie on your back and raise your arms towards the ceiling, holding the weights aligned with your chest. In the same way, you shouldn’t forget that the legs must be bent and the feet always have to be supported by the floor.

Also, you should tighten your abs and lower your arms backward, without moving them away from your head, while holding your elbows slightly bent. When they are parallel to the ground, it’s time to return to the starting position to end the repetition. To finish the exercise you must complete 8 to 12 repetitions per set.

4.-Seated row

The last on our list of exercises to strengthen your back, it’s also one of the best known: seated row. It’s a really simple exercise, performed with a machine and it allows you to obtain spectacular benefits if done correctly.

To begin, you should sit on the seat and place your hands on the bar, one on each side. Keep in mind that the grip position is not as important as the posture. In fact, we recommend that you carry out the repetition in front of your head, instead of behind it. You must pay special attention to ensure that your neck is not tense while you do the exercise.

You shouldn’t forget that the exercises to train your back can be easily neglected, since the muscular groups that the back is composed of, are less visible than the biceps or the pectorals. However, it’s very important to perform exercises to strengthen your back, especially for those who wish to enjoy a well-balanced and compensated exercise routine.


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


  • Caspersen, C. J., Powell, K. E., & Christenson, G. M. (1984). Physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness: definitions and distinctions for health-related research. Public Health Reports (Washington, D.C. : 1974). https://doi.org/10.2307/20056429


This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.