At Home Back Workout

As part of an assignment, I was required to create an Instructable for a process using basic materials people would have around the house. I decided on the process of a complete back workout that can be adapted to different strength levels and requires no special equipment.

Household furniture, weights/dumbbells, (optional) and a second person (recommended).

Before beginning workouts, it is important to stretch and warm up your muscles to help prevent injuries and reduce soreness over the next few days. As you stretch, pay attention to where you feel the tension. For this workout, you should make sure you stretch your entire back: low, mid, and high. Feel free to stretch out your entire body, but ensure you give a lot of attention to your back.

An easy at-home exercise for the mid-back is a one-arm row. To prepare to perform a one-arm row, you will need an open space with a piece of furniture slightly above knee height. The furniture item can be anything, so long as it is sturdy and stable enough to support a large amount of weight towards its edge. The other item you will need is a dumbbell, or any other reasonably heavy object that you can comfortably hold in one hand.

To perform a one-arm row, place your heavy object next to your piece of furniture and stand so that the object is in front of you and the furniture is to your side.

Bend down, resting your close hand on the piece of furniture to your side. if your item of furniture is long enough, you can also rest your close leg on it bent at the knee. Grab your object of choice, but before lifting it off the ground, ensure your back is straight and braced. Raise your entire torso until the arm resting on your furniture is straight, keeping your back straight and level the entire time. Once you're in a bent, but not crouched, position, you may raise the side of your back, holding your object slightly but not far; keep your back straight.

Once you're in position, you perform a row by pulling with your back to raise your heavy object, bending your arm at the elbow, and keeping your elbow close to your body. Lower the weight slowly; you should feel the pull on your back the whole way down. Do not let your arm drop limply. Your torso should not move during any part of this process; if it does, reduce the weight you're lifting. Do this 8-12 times on this one side.

To work the other side, set the heavy object back on the ground and walk around to the other side of it. The object should once again be in front of you, but your piece of furniture should now be on the side opposite to previously. Repeat the same process as before.

Once you have worked both sides, rest for 1-3 minutes before repeating the process. You should work both sides a total of three times each, resting 1-3 minutes after both sides have been worked.

For upper back, we'll do shrugs/ / shoulder raises. All you'll need is one or two weights / heavy objects, -If two, make sure they're the same- and space to stand with some room all around you.

With Two Weights / heavy objects hold one in each hand while standing leaning slightly forward. Keep your shoulders square (in line) and raise them straight up. Your shoulders should not move inwards towards your ears; nor should your shoulder blades come together. Raise and lower the weights slowly, maintaining your posture the entire time.

I recommend doing 15-20 raises on each side, resting 1-3 minutes, and repeating until both sides have done 3-5 sets.

With one weight / heavy object, hold the object in one hand at your side. Make sure you stand straight, keep your shoulders square, and don't lean. With one weight, you will have to put in conscious effort to prevent yourself from leaning to the weighted side. Raise your shoulder straight up just as described in the instructions for using two weights.

I recommend doing 15-20 raises on each side, resting 1-3 minutes, and repeating until both sides have done 3-5 sets.

For the lower back, we will perform back extensions. The setup for back extensions is more complex than the previous two workouts. You will need a raised surface that is at least half the length of your body and raised to about waist height off the ground (such as a dining table). You may need another person to help you perform this exercise (highly recommended). For stronger individuals, you may want a heavy object to increase difficulty.

Place a heavy object, if using one, in front of your raised surface. Lie on your stomach on top of your raised surface and scoot forward with someone/something holding your legs until only your legs are on the raised surface. Your torso should hang off the edge, with the edge resting at or just below your waist. Your head should not be able to touch the floor. Ensure who/what ever is holding your legs weighs enough to keep you in place.

Once in position, raise your torso as high as you can, bending at your waist. You should keep a straight back and feel the muscles at the base of your spine pulling as you come up. Lower yourself back down slowly; you should still feel tension in your lower back as you go down. To increase the difficulty, hold a weight with both hands while performing this exercise.

Use your own judgment to decide how many times you can raise yourself before taking a break. Stand up and rest 1-3 minutes before repeating the process until you have completed 3 sets.