MensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex
  • Nutrition
  • Style
  • Weight Loss
  • Life
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Motoring
  • Video
MensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex
  • Nutrition
  • Style
  • Weight Loss
  • Life
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Motoring
  • Video
Bjornsson Deadlifted 1,026 pounds On The Elephant Bar To Win 2020 Arnold Classic
Watch 0:10

Bjornsson Deadlifted 1,026 pounds On The Elephant Bar To Win 2020 Arnold Classic

{headline}

{headline}

These 10 Resistance Band Exercises Can Help You Build Bigger Biceps

These 10 Resistance Band Exercises Can Help You Build Bigger Biceps

This Simple Resistance Band Move Will Crush Your Biceps

This Simple Resistance Band Move Will Crush Your Biceps

Twist The Screw To Blow Up Your Abs

Twist The Screw To Blow Up Your Abs

This Ridiculously Hard Chin-Up Also Carves Your Core

This Ridiculously Hard Chin-Up Also Carves Your Core

{headline}

{headline}

Here’s What The Fittest Man On Earth Is Doing In Retirement

Here’s What The Fittest Man On Earth Is Doing In Retirement

The Low Weight Workout Mat Fraser Includes In His Training Regime

The Low Weight Workout Mat Fraser Includes In His Training Regime

How Jake Gyllenhaal Achieved His Gym-Honed ‘Prince Of Persia’ Bod

How Jake Gyllenhaal Achieved His Gym-Honed ‘Prince Of Persia’ Bod

{headline}

{headline}

Lenny Kravitz Is 56 And Still Ripped

Lenny Kravitz Is 56 And Still Ripped

TikTok's Viral ‘Cake Check Challenge’ Will Ensure You Never Skip Leg Day Again

TikTok's Viral ‘Cake Check Challenge’ Will Ensure You Never Skip Leg Day Again

Joe Jonas’ Dad Bod Is Serious Fitspo

Joe Jonas’ Dad Bod Is Serious Fitspo

Mat Fraser Shares How CrossFit Tests For Performance-Enhancing Drugs

Mat Fraser Shares How CrossFit Tests For Performance-Enhancing Drugs

Arnold Schwarzenegger Just Gave Himself a Weight Loss Challenge for This Month

Arnold Schwarzenegger Just Gave Himself a Weight Loss Challenge for This Month

CrossFit Just Announced Seven Benchmark "Girls" Workouts Ahead of the CrossFit Open 2021

CrossFit Just Announced Seven Benchmark "Girls" Workouts Ahead of the CrossFit Open 2021

This New Science-backed Energy Drink is 100 per cent Natural

This New Science-backed Energy Drink is 100 per cent Natural

  1. Home
  2. Workout

Here's How to Build Your Back Muscles Using Just a Resistance Band

Jeff Cavaliere demonstrates the weight-free moves you'll want to include in your next back day workout. - by Philip Ellis
  • 10 Mar 2021
Here's How to Build Your Back Muscles Using Just a Resistance Band
Shutterstock

If you don't think you can work your back muscles at home without weights, you thought wrong.

Top trainer Jeff Cavaliere C.S.C.S. over at Athlean-X has been sharing a series of resistance band exercises that can be used to help build strength and muscle in specific body parts, either in conjunction with or as an alternative to weight training.

Having already covered chest and shoulders, the latest video breaks down the banded moves that will light up every section of your back.

Band-assisted/resisted Pullups

If you want to perform an easier, assisted pullup, looping the band around the bar and then stepping into it will remove some of the bodyweight you need to lift. However, if you want to perform a heavier, more difficult version of this exercise, you can simply load up a backpack, attach it to the band and hang it around your neck while doing your pullups.

Band-Bell Rows

Anchoring the band around your feet, assume a wide stance to increase the tension on the band before performing these rows.

"Don't just grab one band," advises Cavaliere. "Reach down and grab both of them; with the anchor point dramatically shortened, the resistance increases considerably. Is it a complete replacement for a barbell row? No. But when all you've got is a band, it's an incredible way to create overload in that horizontal direction."

2-for-1 Rows

Anchor the band in a low position and grab it with one arm, rowing it back until you reach isometric contraction. Then use your other arm to grab onto the upper end of the band and pull that back into the same position. "This is a great variation for building up that mind-muscle connection which oftentimes is missing when it comes to back training," says Cavaliere.

Banded Straight Arm Pushdowns

"Your only goal is to drive those elbows down to your sides as tight and as hard as you possibly can," says Cavaliere. "Resist the tendency to bend the elbows and turn this into a tricep pushdown. Keep the elbows locked out, and do all of the driving through the lats."

Banded Pullovers

While Cavaliere has recommended this banded move as a chest builder, when targeting the back muscles he recommends keeping your elbows facing outwards on this exercise. "If they're flared out, you're moving your focus towards the lats as the main driver of the movement," he says.

Build a Big Back with Bands (NO WEIGHTS!)

Zeus Rows

This move hits the lower and middle traps. Anchor the band high, and then from a kneeling position, angle your body forward. Maintaining a narrow grip minimises the engagement of the lats, and lights up the rhomboids and traps.

Wraparound Rows

Starting from the same position as the band-bell row, widen your stance and assume a crossed-over grip, then uncross your arms as you row the band upwards.

Banded Shrugs

Another move which shortens the anchor distance of the band, this shrug variation creates maximum tension, Cavaliere explains, and can be an ideal way to "actually grow the upper traps when you don't have dumbbells or a barbell."

Laying Face Pulls

"This gives you an opportunity to do build up the muscles of the upper back, and the rotator cuffs and scap area, but it gives you a good target. A lot of times, people will struggle getting their hands back far enough; what you do here is you simply drive them down towards the floor as far as you possibly can. It gives you an end point for proper contraction of these muscles."

Banded Good Mornings

When performing this move, remember to hinge at the hips rather than just bending over. "If you do this right, with the band anchored across the back of your neck, you get great engagement of the glutes and the lower back working in concert to fortify the lower back and help you stay injury-free," says Cavaliere.

Superman Pressouts

This exercise targets multiple areas of the back at the same time. Anchor the band around your feet, and then crawl yourself out and forward. Lift your whole body up; thighs off the ground, chest off the ground, to activate the lower back and the glutes. Then reach your arms out forward to engage the posterior chain.

  • Fitness
  • Workout
Philip Ellis
Philip Ellis is a freelance writer & journalist

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Recommended to you

Bjornsson Deadlifted 1,026 pounds On The Elephant Bar To Win 2020 Arnold Classic
Watch 0:10

Bjornsson Deadlifted 1,026 pounds On The Elephant Bar To Win 2020 Arnold Classic

{headline}

{headline}

These 10 Resistance Band Exercises Can Help You Build Bigger Biceps

These 10 Resistance Band Exercises Can Help You Build Bigger Biceps

This Simple Resistance Band Move Will Crush Your Biceps

This Simple Resistance Band Move Will Crush Your Biceps

Twist The Screw To Blow Up Your Abs

Twist The Screw To Blow Up Your Abs

This Ridiculously Hard Chin-Up Also Carves Your Core

This Ridiculously Hard Chin-Up Also Carves Your Core

{headline}

{headline}

Here’s What The Fittest Man On Earth Is Doing In Retirement

Here’s What The Fittest Man On Earth Is Doing In Retirement

The Low Weight Workout Mat Fraser Includes In His Training Regime

The Low Weight Workout Mat Fraser Includes In His Training Regime

How Jake Gyllenhaal Achieved His Gym-Honed ‘Prince Of Persia’ Bod

How Jake Gyllenhaal Achieved His Gym-Honed ‘Prince Of Persia’ Bod

{headline}

{headline}

Lenny Kravitz Is 56 And Still Ripped

Lenny Kravitz Is 56 And Still Ripped

TikTok's Viral ‘Cake Check Challenge’ Will Ensure You Never Skip Leg Day Again

TikTok's Viral ‘Cake Check Challenge’ Will Ensure You Never Skip Leg Day Again

Joe Jonas’ Dad Bod Is Serious Fitspo

Joe Jonas’ Dad Bod Is Serious Fitspo

Mat Fraser Shares How CrossFit Tests For Performance-Enhancing Drugs

Mat Fraser Shares How CrossFit Tests For Performance-Enhancing Drugs

Arnold Schwarzenegger Just Gave Himself a Weight Loss Challenge for This Month

Arnold Schwarzenegger Just Gave Himself a Weight Loss Challenge for This Month

CrossFit Just Announced Seven Benchmark "Girls" Workouts Ahead of the CrossFit Open 2021

CrossFit Just Announced Seven Benchmark "Girls" Workouts Ahead of the CrossFit Open 2021

This New Science-backed Energy Drink is 100 per cent Natural

This New Science-backed Energy Drink is 100 per cent Natural

MensHealth
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Chris Hemsworth Hugo Boss
  • Terms
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Chris Hemsworth Hugo Boss
  • Terms
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement

Brands

  • Women's Health

Our Network

  • Paragon Media Pty Ltd
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from Men's Health

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe Now-

Shop This Offer
Subscribe Now