The Best Calisthenics Back Workout Routine

Calisthenics is an awesome form of coaching that not enough people do. And if you’ve gotten any doubts which you can construct your back without using weights, let’s put that to rest here.

In any case, some of the famous upper body calisthenics exercises, the pull-up, is nearly universally considered one of the best back exercise of all time.

So why don’t more people don’t do calisthenics?

Most individuals either do not know what to do or aren’t aware you possibly can construct an awesome back only using calisthenics. In case you fall into one in all those camps, keep reading to learn all the advantages of calisthenic back exercises.

Who knows, after reading this, it’s possible you’ll determine to ditch those dumbbells altogether!

Table of Contents:

• What Are Calisthenics Exercises?
• Best Calisthenics Back Workout
• Progrssions & Rep Schemes
• Advantages of Calisthenics Back Workouts
• Best Calisthenics Exercises

What Are Calisthenics Exercises?

Calisthenics is a form of coaching that uses your body weight as a load. By manipulating your grip and levers, you possibly can increase the complexity and intensity of progressive overload.

The one time loads is perhaps used is in the event that they’re attached to the body to extend the load.

Do You Need Any Equipment For A Calisthenics Back Workout?

When you won’t use any external loading implements, you continue to need a number of pieces of kit to coach calisthenics. For a back workout, you’ll have no less than two sturdy bars of various heights.

The primary might be a typical pull-up bar that sits relatively high. Ideally, one from which you possibly can free-hang without your feet touching, but when it’s a bit shorter, that can work as well. In case you only have a low bar, that is wonderful. It should just make the exercises a bit more difficult.

Your second bar might be a really short pull-up bar about 3 feet off the bottom, but, again, work with what you’ve gotten. Some parks could have a series of three or 4 of those shorter bars, which is right.

Access to a rope (or one other object you possibly can climb, like a tree or perhaps a pole) can be awesome, and at last, you’ll have a sturdy object which you can rest your feet on. One other piece of kit to think about is a resistance band as it might probably help make your exercises even harder.

In case you haven’t got these exact things, get creative, as you likely have another around your own home you should utilize. You can even try our round-up of the Best Calisthenics Equipment for some great options for your house gym.

The Best Calisthenic Back Workout Routine

Because you haven’t got a ton of exercises to pick from, follow these workouts 2 to even 3 times every week. This can allow a whole lot of volume, which is vital for muscle hypertrophy.

In these sessions, you will notice some type of a pull-up, chin-up, and Australian row for each session. But you will use different versions for every, to permit for some variation and so that you can hit the muscles from different angles.

Everyone seems to be on a distinct level, so you employ whatever progression suits your current fitness level. We will list the exercises for every session first, after which below the workouts, we’ll discuss the rep scheme in additional detail.

Calisthenics Back Workout Session A:

Calisthenics Back Workout Session B:

Progressions for Calisthenics Back Workouts

Your goal is 5 sets of every, but your total workout time will dictate sets. We won’t provide you with a rep range because it’s relative to your strength, but for every set, work to an RPE8 or so.

As your strength improves, aim to do more reps per set each week. You can “max out” on the last set in the event you wanted.

Rep Schemes For Your Calisthenics Back Workout

On the subject of reps, you possibly can use EMOMs, add one rep to 1 set at a time, or consider getting your max number high.

Listed below are a number of different reps schemes you possibly can mess around with:

• 1,1,1,1,1
• 1,1,2,1,1
• 1,2,1,2,1
• 1,1,3,1,2

Advantages Of A Calisthenics Workout Routine

Before we get into different exercises in additional detail, let’s first go over a number of awesome advantages.

1) Improves Athleticism:

One criticism that some bodybuilders, and even strength athletes, get is that they are too bulky. It is a relative and private opinion, however it’s obvious why some may feel that way. We’re sure you have seen a video of a bodybuilder who cannot take their shirt off resulting from an excessive amount of muscle.

Calisthenics workout routines won’t let this occur. Lots of these movements require mobility, so that you need not worry about not having the ability to take your shirt off.

Plus, a full calisthenics workout routine includes things like jumping and ballistic work, so you will at all times be explosive.

2) Supports Natural Muscle Growth:

I haven’t any science to back this up, but I do have years of coaching experience. And, using this experience, out of all of the ways to coach, I’ll say calisthenics provides probably the most natural muscle growth.

Calisthenics requires body control and a chorus of variables that complement one another, including:

• Muscle size
• Body weight
• Skill level

Calisthenics seems to take these and produce the optimal combination for constructing muscle. In other words, it’s almost as if calisthenics produces our “perfect” body, including the optimal ratio of muscle mass for living.

Again, this is only theoretical, however it’s interesting to take into consideration.

3) Keeps Your Body Composition In Check:

Body weight exercises will test our relative strength, or how strong we’re in comparison with our body’s weight. Saying you possibly can bench “1.5x your body weight” is an example of relative strength.

To be good at calisthenics, it helps to have a low body fat percentage. In case you make this your primary type of strength training, you will eventually have an awesome body composition.

4) Hits All Of The Muscle Groups:

You may train all muscle groups wherever you might be. If someone says you possibly can’t, it’s because they do not understand how the body functions or they don’t seem to be aware of all different calisthenic exercises and their variations.

Your body is a complete gym IF you’ve gotten the precise information and exercises.

The Best Calisthenic Back Exercises & Variations

Calisthenics is top-of-the-line forms of coaching you possibly can do on your back. While there are a whole lot of movements you possibly can do, they’re mostly progressions and regressions of each other.

Due to this fact, we’ll list the key movement pattern after which the progressions and regressions, if applicable. Much of the step-by-step is analogous in all progressions, so we’ll only run through the directions for the key movement.

After, we’ll undergo the progressions and note differences or special instructions. Lots of the progressions are also similar in concept, so again, to not repeat the identical information, we are going to just make notes when applicable.

1) Australian Row:

The Australian row, also often known as the inverted row (probably in Australia), is the equivalent of an upside-down bent-over row. Since your body is the load, you hang the wrong way up from a bar, pulling your body to the bar and mimicking a row.

It’s an awesome movement that too few people perform. I prefer to knock these out for a burnout set on a back day sometimes. And in the event you think they’re easy, you have probably never done them or are missing a few of the progressions.

Here’s a have a look at different variations.

Tips on how to do the Australian Row:

• Whether or not you possibly can start with a daily Australian row will rely upon how high your bar is and your fitness level. The upper the bar, the simpler it is going to be, as your body might be more vertical when pulled. Quite the opposite, being lower might be much harder as you will be pulling more of your body weight.
• To perform these, grab the low pull-up bar with an overhand grip that is a bit wider than shoulder-width apart. Place your feet at a distance in order that your torso is fully prolonged at an angle to the bottom. This can put your arms straight at a little bit of a forward angle (hands in front of your lower chest), and your feet out in front of you.
• Start in a dead hang with a decent core. This might be your starting position.
• Pull your shoulder blades back, keeping your torso fully erect. Start the movement by pulling your body weight up. Drive your elbows behind you and take into consideration touching the ground with them.
• As your body raises toward the bar, keep a decent core and picture your body is sort of a pendulum. Try to remain fully erect. Your elbows must be tucked in at a few 45-degree angle to have interaction your back muscles accurately.
• Proceed driving them back until your chest touches the pull-up bar. Pause for a second, then slowly lower your body.

Australian Row Variations

Here’s an outline of different row variations you possibly can incorporate into your calisthenics routine.

• Wide Grip Australian Pull Ups: To perform the wide grip version, you’ll use the identical setup, except your grip might be a number of inches wider. This places more stress on the lat muscles resulting from greater shoulder adduction and fewer bicep involvement. 
• Australian Pull-Up To One Arm: A standard theme in calisthenics back exercises is to regularly try and do a one-arm version, as this may make the load that much heavier. When just starting out with this progression, grip the bar with each arms and pull your body toward one in all your fists. Pulling your body to 1 side increases the load on that arm. Your end goal is to bring the center of your chest to a fist for repeated reps. You may do these reps by alternating left to right or staying one side at a time.
• Finger Australian Rows: When that becomes relatively easy, the subsequent step is to begin taking your fingers off the supporting hand during one-side Australian rows. For instance, in the event you’re pulling to the precise hand, take a finger off your left hand. Proceed taking off fingers to extend the intensity until you are using only one for support.
• One-Arm Australian Rows: The last step is to perform a full one-arm row. Not only will these place a heavy load in your back muscles, but your core can even have a troublesome time staying straight as it is going to wish to turn. Fighting that urge to twist makes this a fantastic anti-rotation exercise on your core.
• Underhand Australian Rows: This version is largely the chin-up of Australian rows. These are performed with an underhand, shoulder-width grip with the arms forming a straight, vertical line. In addition to being in a supinated position, you will get greater flexion in your elbows, each of which can cause greater activation within the biceps.
• Close Grip Underhand Australian Rows: When using an in depth grip, only use an underhand grip along with your hands a number of inches inward from the shoulders. As you improve, you possibly can regularly move your hands closer to one another, which makes the movement harder. This can give greater activation to the biceps and upper back muscles.
• Feet Raised Australian Rows: To extend the load on any of the above variations, simply place your feet on a sturdy object in order that it raises your body. This can increase the share of your body weight lifted, much like using a lower bar. 

2) Chin Ups:

Chin-ups are much like pull-ups (to learn more, we have now a fantastic article on differences between chin ups vs pull ups), except they use an underhand grip. Many individuals mistakenly imagine that is what makes it unique from the pull-up. In point of fact, it is not specifically the grip but fairly the underhand grip that forces you to bring your elbows in front of your body while also using a narrower grip.

In consequence, as you pull yourself up, the elbows extend in front of your body through shoulder extension. Further, there may be more flexion within the elbow, so that you get to coach the biceps muscles to a greater extent.

Some studies have suggested that resulting from the elbow position and path of travel, you’ll give the traps a greater workout. Nevertheless, other studies have shown the lower traps are hit higher with the pull-up.

At the identical time, these studies also show that the lats get a greater workout with the chin-up which is generally attributed to the pull-up¹. In point of fact, it probably is dependent upon the person’s muscle balance, strength, and biomechanics that determine what muscles are hit.

Regardless, we do not have a look at chin-ups as an “easy version” of the pull-up but fairly as their very own exercise. Consider the connection between a bench press and an incline bench press.

Tips on how to do Chin Ups:

• To do a standard chin-up, grab a bar with an underhand grip that is shoulder width apart. Get in a dead hang position to start the movement.
• When ready, pull your shoulder blades back and barely stick out your chest.
• As an alternative of fascinated with pulling your body to the bar, take into consideration pulling the bar to your body. This mental trick will end in proper form as you’ll want to pull backward. Keep pulling up until your chin rises above the bar.

Chin Up Variations

Listed below are different regressions and progressions of the chin up you possibly can include in your routine.

• Negatives: In case you are only starting, you will be limited in what you possibly can do. You is perhaps stuck doing negatives, which is completely wonderful. We have all been there. A negative uses eccentric muscle contraction (taking place) where your body can produce more force. To perform these, you’ll jump as much as the highest position along with your chin over the bar. Regular your core muscles, after which slowly lower yourself down. You wish the descent to be smooth and even and last 3-5 seconds. Once you possibly can control your descent for five seconds, you’ll have the opportunity to knock out a few full chin-ups.
• Close Grip Chin Ups: Just like the Australian pull-ups, simply place your hands closer and closer together to do that version.
• Chin Ups To One Side: When doing Australian pull-ups, regularly pull yourself to 1 hand after which to the opposite.
• Commando Pull Ups: This version supposedly hits the serratus anterior. I am unable to say that is occurring of course, however it doesn’t matter as I like them. Stand under a bar along with your eyes facing the direction of the bar. Grab it overhead with one hand facing the opposite in a neutral grip. Now perform a pull-up. As you come up, you will put your head to 1 side and convey the bar to the highest of your shoulder or trap muscle. Repeat this and alter your hands with head movement.

3) Pull Ups:

Depending on who you ask, the pull-up is the king of upper-body exercises. These use an overhand grip (which is what distinguishes them from chin-ups) that is barely wider than shoulder-width apart.

This requires your elbows to flare out to the perimeters of your body. To tug down, you perform shoulder adduction and give attention to the lats to the next degree. There are numerous sorts of pull-up exercises, and the final word goal is muscle-ups.

Tips on how to do Pull Ups:

• Next on the progression train are your normal pull-ups. Again, you desire to do these along with your hands barely wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Give attention to driving your elbows all the way down to the bottom fairly than pulling yourself up. This could get more activation within the lats resulting from the greater shoulder adduction.

Pull Up Variations

Listed below are different pull up variations to incorporate in your calisthenics back routine.

• Negatives: Just as above, with the chin-ups, you too can perform pull-ups with negatives.
• Wide Grip Pulls Ups: Wide grip pull-ups use a grip that is a few fist length (or two) wider than regular pull-ups. This causes your elbows to maneuver farther away out of your body, in addition to mitigating the usage of your biceps. In consequence, wide grip pull-ups place greater stress on the lats as they need to compensate.
• Pull Up To One Side & Finger Pull Ups: Just like the opposite exercises that you’ve gotten you pull to 1 side, these could have you pull your body laterally in order that the center of your chest goes to 1 hand. You can even then begin taking your fingers off the pull-up bar.
• Archer Pull Ups: An archer pull-up gets its name resulting from its resemblance to an archer. It’s an extreme type of a pull-up to 1 side as you completely take one hand off as you go pull to the opposite side. As an alternative of using a finger, put your hand on top of the bar along with your palms facing down with an open hand. With this, you will not have the opportunity to make use of much force as it is going to merely act as a type of lever for support. Pull your body as much as the lively hand while rotating the support hand farther and farther over the bar. At the highest position, your chest must be on one hand while the opposite is fully prolonged out in a straight line.
• Chest-to-Bar: Chest-to-bar pull-ups are the one major exercise to learn as you train on your first muscle up, requiring you to tug the bar all the way down to no less than your sternum. At this point, your elbows are fully flexed, and your hands are above your shoulders. To make sure you get as high as you possibly can, begin pulling until the bar reaches almost the highest of your head. At this point, you might be beginning to transition into your strongest position, and you’ll explode. Get the bar to no less than your sternum but be happy to attempt to go even lower. As these are explosive, we prefer to perform fewer reps and give attention to 100% force each rep.

4) Climbing (Rope Work):

If you’ve gotten a rope, climbing is an awesome back workout. It should rely upon what you’ve gotten available, but in the event you can climb a rope, learn to climb.

You can even do a pull-up using ropes or perhaps a rope row (undecided if that is the name but that is what we’re calling it!)

Start by laying down on the bottom under the rope. Then, keeping your feet planted and torso erect, pull your body up as if it is a pendulum before lowering yourself down.

Advanced Calisthenics Back Exercises

For those with advanced skills, welcome to your section. In case you’re not at this level yet, use these exercises as a goal, or simply find out how many exercises and strength gains are possible.

1) Peg Boards:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/6-8JEki1NMQ

Pegboards are tough, which is why you regularly see them in wrestling rooms or boxing gyms. It is also going to require some equipment, mainly an enormous, solid piece of wood with holes drilled into it. It should also include two small wood dowels. 

Your goal is to climb up all the board by sticking the dowels within the holes. You place one in snugly after which remove the opposite so you possibly can place it in the next hole. Proceed this process until you reach the highest. 

Once that becomes easy, you possibly can then climb down as well.

2) Pull Up Row:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/dhYhpjNO8s8

I’ll be honest. I’m undecided what to call these, but a pull-up row seems to explain them well. To perform these, you would like advanced strength in each your back muscles and core.

Use an underhand or overhand grip (or alternate the 2) and grab the bar barely wider than shoulder-width apart. Start to tug yourself up but rotate your body position back. Lean back until your back is parallel to the bottom or as close as you possibly can get. Your legs might be straight, extending upward.

To make this move harder, your legs may also be prolonged straight, so your body is in a straight line. It’s best to have the opportunity to get able where you possibly can do a horizontal row. It’s principally an Australian pull-up along with your entire body within the air.

Once in position, pull your body up as high as you possibly can go.

3) Head Bangers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/DFWw_R4QAoI

Head Bangers are visually very impressive and are a fantastic exercise to coach the core, give attention to body control, and after all, emphasize your back muscles.

Pull yourself as much as the highest position and hold yourself there. Now, as a substitute of lowering yourself down, push your body backward. As you push yourself back, you desire to try to not lose any height. Push yourself way back to you possibly can go, after which pull yourself back to the bar.

Ideally, you desire to do that in a slow and controlled manner. Nevertheless, that takes a whole lot of time, so you possibly can go fast at first.

4) Muscle Ups:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/_iYvlSMgUGE

Although muscle ups are at the tip of pull-up progressions, I’m listing it as its own exercise. That is because, in point of fact, these are unique as they are a power exercise, much like a clean and jerk. You may train the muscle up for power, after which use the pull-up (or progressions) for strength training or muscle hypertrophy.

Above, I discussed the chest-to-bar. When you’re efficient at that (chest to low sternum), you are ready. Perform a chest-to-bar pull-up and take a look at to get as high as possible. At the highest position, the bar must be no less than to the underside of your chest, ideally farther.

At the highest, you’ll quickly flip your elbows over so that you simply’re in a front bar dip position. To do that, it’s essential to stay near the bar and get your weight over it at the highest. 

From here, you’ll perform a dip and push your body all the way in which up.

Construct Your Physique With This Calisthenics Back Workout

As you see, while it’s possible you’ll be more limited exercise-wise in comparison with the gym, these calisthenics back exercises using your personal body weight are good enough to construct your back muscles for an awesome physique.

By nature, calisthenics will be mentally trying as they take an extended time to significantly progress. It’s harder to see smaller progressions as you are not physically putting more weight on a barbell.

But I promise you that in the event you keep on with calisthenics, you’ll turn out to be stronger and more athletic than you ever thought possible.

Calisthenics Equipment For Your Home Gym will show you how to find one of the best option for your needs.