How to Build Up Your Back at Home

To achieve a ripped torso, you must do more than just work your chest and arms. Your body work isn't complete until you've exercised your back as well. If you prefer to work out at home, buy some small exercise tools or use what you have around the house to strengthen your back muscles.

Things You'll Need

  • Pullup bar
  • Table
  • Door
  • Resistance band
  • Milk jug filled with sand or water
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Instructions

    • 1

      Install a pullup bar on a wall in your home or put one in your yard, perhaps as part of a children's climbing structure. Perform pullups by grasping the bar with a wide, overhand grip. Hang straight down from the bar with your feet off the floor and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Exhale as you pull your chin over the bar. Inhale as you return slowly to the starting position. Perform as many repetitions as you can, but try to work up to at least 10.

    • 2

      Lie face up below a sturdy table. Reach up and grasp the table's edge with your hands about shoulder-width apart. Straighten your body so only your heels touch the floor. This is the starting position. Exhale as you lift your chest toward the table. Inhale as you lower yourself under control to the starting position. Keep your body straight throughout the exercise and perform 12 reps.

    • 3

      Face an open door and position your feet on either side of the door's edge. Hold both handles and then lean backward as far as possible while keeping your feet in place. Keep your legs straight as you exhale and pull your torso forward and touch it to the door. Inhale as you return slowly to the starting position. Do 10 reps.

    • 4

      Hold an exercise band -- or an old bicycle inner tube -- in front of you at mid-torso level with your hands spread a bit wider than shoulder-width apart and your palms facing down. Exhale as you pull your hands wide and raise the band in front of your upper chest. Inhale as you return under control to the starting position. Perform 20 reps.

    • 5

      Replicate a lat pulldown by holding an exercise band with your hands spread slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Extend your arms upward so your hands are above your head. This is the starting position. Exhale as you pull the band horizontally and lower your arms in front of your upper chest. Inhale and return slowly to the starting position. Do 20 reps.

    • 6

      Create a free weight by filling a 1-gallon milk jug with water or sand and perform bent-over rows. Position your right knee and shin on a bench -- or a long window ledge -- and then bend forward from the waist so your torso is parallel with the floor. Set your right hand in front of you on the bench for balance and hold the weight in your left hand. Extend your left arm straight down from your shoulder to assume the starting position. Exhale and then pull the weight up and slightly backward, to the side of your torso. Inhale as you lower the weight under control to the starting position. Perform 12 reps with both hands.