How To Exercise Your Back Without Using Weights

Exercise 1: Seated row

Step 1: Start position

Sit on the edge of the bench leaning forward. Stretch your arms towards the floor holding the two bottles of water.

Step 2: Lowering and lifting

Lift up your arms bending at the elbows and keeping your hands close to the side of your body.

Then, lower the hands down to the start position but keep the elbows slightly bent. It should be your back, not the arms, which bears the weight of the. Make sure you keep your back straight and don't roll your shoulders. Keep your body still throughout the full execution of the exercise.

Step 3: Breathing

For this exercise, whilst you lower you need to breathe in through your nose.

And then when you lift your hands up, you need to breathe out through your mouth.

Step 4: Review

Once you are familiar with the movements perform 10 repetitions of this exercise.

Exercise 2: Reverse flys

Step 1: Start position

Sit on the edge of the bench leaning forward. Stretch your arms towards the floor holding the two bottles of water.

Step 2: Lowering and lifting

Lift up your hands outwards keeping your arms outstretched. Lower your hands down to the start position but keeping them slightly away from the body. Again, your back should bear the weight of the exercise, not your arms.

Keep your body still throughout the full execution of the exercise.

Step 3: Breathing

For this exercise, whilst you lower you need to breathe in through your nose.

And then when you lift your arms outward, you need to breathe out through your mouth.

Step 4: Review

Once you are familiar with the movements perform 10 repetitions of this exercise.

Exercise 3: Extensions

Step 1: Start position

Lie on the bench with weight distributed onto your hips and your upper body forward. Place your hands on the floor if you need to steady yourself. Tuck your feet under something to secure yourself. We are using another bench but if at home you could use a chair or other stable furniture. Place your arms across your chest.

Step 2: Lifting and lowering

Keep the head and neck always in line with the spine otherwise it may cause discomfort in the back of the neck.

Step 3: Breathing

As with the first two exercises you should be breathing in through your nose as you lower your body and out through your nose as you raise your body up.

Once you are familiar with the movements perform 10 repetitions of this exercise.