How to pump up your back at home? How to pump up your back with push-ups - reviews, photos

With the advent of gyms and a bunch of different exercise equipment, they began to completely forget about push-ups.
But this is a fairly good and affordable exercise that allows you to keep your body in good shape and work out different muscle groups. Push-ups are an integral part of any workout, both for beginners and professional athletes of any sport. Push-ups can pump up the latissimus dorsi muscles or wings. Therefore, if you do not have the opportunity to visit the gym, do not have a barbell or bench, or simply do not have enough free time, then you can replace this with push-ups.

Tips on how to properly pump up your back with push-ups

All exercises should begin with a warm-up. But remember, before each workout, the muscles must be rested.

The correct position in push-ups is similar to ideal posture. An incorrectly performed push-up can lead to poor posture and back pain.

When doing push-ups, a person receives a load on the muscles of about 60-65%, but this is not quite enough for increased muscle growth. Therefore, you can place additional weight on your back, just below your shoulder blades. To do this, you can use a barbell, a backpack with books, or your girlfriend. Use your imagination. But don't use too much weight, or you risk injury.

Push-ups are not performed at speed; choose a comfortable pace for yourself and try to maintain it throughout the entire exercise.

If you find it easy to do push-ups, you can elevate your feet on a bench or sofa. The whole point is to keep your feet on point.

Back exercises should be done regularly, only then will you achieve maximum results. Do push-ups every day, do not be afraid that muscles or ligaments may be damaged. The growth of muscle mass is directly related to the frequency of training.

1. Take a lying position.
2. In order to pump up my back with push-ups, I use wide push-ups. That is, the hands are located at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other, and the fingers look slightly inward (about 45 degrees).
3. The back should be perfectly straight, both during the exercise and between repetitions.
4. Lower yourself down, bending your elbows.
5. Touching the floor with your chest, return to the starting position.

Now that you know how to pump up your back with push-ups, you can start doing the exercises themselves. Good luck with this!

The back, namely the spine, is one of the most important parts of the human body. It is a corset that holds the entire body. A lot depends on the condition of the spine - appearance, well-being, etc. Therefore, it needs to be monitored regularly.

Alas, the modern rhythm of life does not leave a single chance for a healthy spine. Sedentary work, constant stooping, and overexertion negatively affect his condition.

To avoid problems in the future and not to treat various diseases, it is advisable to prevent the spine with physical activity. Back push-ups are considered one of the most common and accessible exercises.

It’s worth noting right away that, alas, you won’t be able to pump up your back with them. The fact is that the main target muscles are the chest, triceps and shoulders. And the back acts as a synergist muscle and takes on part of the load. There are also variations of push-ups in which you can use your back a little more.

There are no push-ups specifically for the back. To properly work out this part of the body, you need to perform other exercises. For example:

• pull-ups;
• various block and free weight pulls;
• hyperextension, etc.

However, back push-ups in combination with other exercises will be a good solution.

Chest exercises

Push-ups with wide arms

• We stand upright, lying down, palms wider than shoulders, turned outward.
• We lower the body smoothly downwards, making sure that the elbows go to the sides and not along the body.
• After this, we also smoothly and without jerking return to the starting position.
• We try to focus on squeezing the pectoral muscles at the top point, without collapsing in the lower back.

Number of repetitions: from 10 to 20 times, depending on the level of training.

Circuit training with expanders from the absolute world champion in bodybuilding

Crazy cutting: circuit training for fat burning from the absolute champion of the Arnold Classic

Bringing the shoulder to the chest

To perform this exercise you will need an expander.

• We fix the expander at chest level on any pole. We take its other edge in our left hand and stand next to the post with the expander with our left side.
• We straighten the arm, move it to the side and fix it at chest level.
• As you exhale, we move our hand horizontally to the middle of the chest, after which we inhale and return it to its original position.
• All movements are clearly controlled, we do not allow jerks.
• The shoulder and forearm are always tense. The degree of elastic tension depends on the level of training.
• We change hands.

Number of repetitions: 20 times on each hand, do four approaches.

Photo: vk.com/plrat

Dips

• We place our hands strictly parallel on the bars and tighten our body, straightening our arms at the elbows.
• Starting position: hanging on parallel bars with straight arms. From this position, we slowly lower our torso, trying to keep it vertical and not sway.
• Bend your arms until your shoulders drop below your elbows. We direct our elbows to the sides to more actively use the pectoral muscles.
• Then we straighten our elbows, stretch our body upward and return to the starting position. In the process, the legs are slightly bent and hanging in the air, the chin is pressed to the chest.

Number of repetitions: from 10 to 20 times, do three approaches.

Low bar push-ups

The exercise is difficult and requires maximum concentration. We don’t throw the body down and don’t push it up with a jerk, we do everything smoothly.

• We grab the horizontal bar with a wide grip and pull our torso up onto straight arms.
• From this position we begin to slowly lower down. The elbows go straight to the sides, parallel to the crossbar.
• Bend your elbows to a right angle, then exhale and straighten your arms, lifting your body back to the starting position.

Number of repetitions: 10-12 times, do four approaches.

TRX exercises to strengthen your deep core muscles. Back health depends on them

What happens if you don't warm up before training?

Is it possible to pump up your back with push-ups?

Today this is a pressing question for many. Indeed, with the development of such a discipline as workout, many people want to train at home or on sports grounds, without visiting the gym.

• Therefore, the question arises, does the back sway during push-ups?

Alas, no. Yes, of course, the back muscles are involved in the exercise, which is undoubtedly a plus.

Training program

Each person is individual and there is no universal program that will suit everyone. Therefore, each individual case requires its own approach.

Let's look at a few classic schemes. It is worth noting that each of them can be customized:

• Workouts at home. Push-ups can be done every day or every other day. If this is a strength complex, then we do 3-4 variations of push-ups, possibly with weights, every other day. It is recommended to regularly change the complex, working the muscles from different angles. This will constantly give progress. If push-ups are performed as gymnastics, then you can do them every day in the morning or evening. In this case, 1-2 variations are enough.
• Training on the sports ground. Here you can select a horizontal bar for your back, do hyperextension, and the point of doing back push-ups disappears. Therefore, create a program in such a way that you have enough strength for everything. It is recommended to exercise every other day to give the body time to recover.
• Training in the gym. In principle and in general, push-ups are left to the discretion of the trainee. Although there are plenty of different weights in the gym that can easily replace push-ups, this exercise is still considered a reference exercise. Since the work occurs with its own weight.

Source

How to pump up your back with push-ups?

As mentioned above, push-ups for the back are not an easy task. However, you can always tone your muscles.

This will be especially true for beginners and those who do not have the opportunity to exercise in the gym. If you have any back problems, you won’t be able to correct them with push-ups for your back muscles. After all, this load will not be enough.

Let's take a closer look at how to do push-ups to pump up your back:

1. Classic push-ups. As mentioned above, the main target muscles are the chest, shoulders and triceps. However, the back is also involved in the process. With the correct technique, you will feel it at first. But, as soon as they get into good shape, that’s where the matter stops. Beginners are recommended to start with classic push-ups. The technique is simple - we take a lying position, the body is straight from the heels to the neck. Bending your elbows, lower your body down until your chest lightly touches the floor and rise up.
2. With a wide stance and palms out. This variation will be heavier than the classic one. It is recommended to start it only after mastering regular push-ups. Due to the wide stance of the arms and the rotation of the palms 45 degrees in different directions, part of the load falls on the lats and biceps. This variation is similar to the classic one, except that the hands should be spread wide. We retreat approximately 15-20 cm on each side from the shoulders. We turn our palms as far as possible to the sides to form an angle of 45 degrees. Otherwise, the biomechanics of movement are absolutely identical to the classic version.
3. Boat style, with pelvic abduction. We take the position while lying down, as in the classic version. We move the pelvis as far back as possible so that the buttocks are in the highest position. In this case, maximum emphasis is placed on the legs. From this position, straining our back and shoulder blades, we begin to lower ourselves down, as if we were diving. With this variation, the back muscles are maximally involved in push-ups. If it’s difficult to do push-ups while lying down, you can do these push-ups from your knees.

It is worth noting that in the first two variations you can use weights. This will allow you to give a little more total load, and accordingly, your back will be loaded a little better. You can use a backpack with the desired weight as a weight.

But in the third variation, the use of weights must be approached with caution. If you really want to, then the weight of the burden should be minimal to avoid injuries and sprains.

Benefits and disadvantages of push-ups with a wide support

Benefit:

• Helps strengthen the pectoral muscles.
• By placing your arms as wide as possible, you can prioritize the outer parts of the pectoral muscles. Thus, promoting breast expansion.
• A topical exercise for women and men. It is also suitable for athletes of any level of training.
• The exercise can be used as a warm-up before performing a barbell bench press.
• Wide-arm push-ups can be used as a supplement after heavy weight training.
• Can be performed to pre-fatigue the muscles before barbell or dumbbell presses.
• It is important to perform both during training in the gym and at home.
• Push-ups are a great way to develop endurance and strengthen the ligaments of the target muscles.
• Relevant in workouts aimed at losing weight, increasing endurance or strength.

The disadvantage of this exercise , like other push-ups, is the lack of full opportunity to use weights. Yes, you can certainly use a resistance band or place weights on your back to increase efficiency, however, push-ups are not suitable for training aimed at increasing muscle size and mass.

Are push-ups good for your back?

In general and in particular – yes. They strengthen the back muscles and tone them. However, you shouldn’t expect any “wow” effect from them.

With the help of push-ups, you can relieve tension and make muscles stronger, which is important in the context of the rhythm of life of a modern person. However, you won't be able to pump up your back with push-ups alone.

Also, you can fail if you need to form a strong muscle corset around the spine. This is relevant for people who have certain problems.

For these purposes, push-ups alone will not be enough. A set of targeted back exercises is needed to get the desired effect.

What is it for?

With its help, you can strengthen your spine and pump up your back muscles. And such a simple exercise does not require visiting a fitness center or purchasing an expensive membership. You can practice at home, in the country.

Remember: efficiency does not depend on complexity. Sometimes the simplest thing produces amazing results. It’s not for nothing that push-ups have always been included in the school physical education curriculum for boys. And in any gym you will see athletes doing push-ups. And not only boys, but also girls. Both beginners and experienced athletes can perform it.

Training should be regular

In order to choose a training complex with which you can answer the question of how to pump up the latissimus dorsi muscles and more, you should understand which movements place the greatest load on which muscle group. Only in this case will you be able to best develop all the required parts of the body. Approach your training complex thoroughly, start doing exercises regularly, formulate the right diet. Only in such a situation will it be possible to achieve the greatest heights in your studies at home.

Golden rules

Remember two important rules. Firstly, the muscles must be rested before training. And, secondly, before doing push-ups, you need to do a warm-up.

To adhere to the first rule, you need to train once every 2-3 days. If you are an experienced athlete, you can exercise every day. But at the same time, it is necessary to reduce the load so that the muscles have time to rest.

Now let's move on to the second step - warming up. Thanks to this you:

— prevent the occurrence of injuries;

- increase the effectiveness of push-ups;

— increase the dilatability of capillaries;

- increase the tone of the nervous system;

As you can see, your body will benefit from the warm-up itself.

Warming up the muscles

Before doing push-ups, you need to warm up your back and shoulder muscles. Do the following set of exercises:

1. Grab your head with your right hand and slowly pull it until it touches your shoulder.
2. Find a vertical support (door frame, pole, or ask your girlfriend or wife for help), grab it and lean back. At the same time, try to straighten your legs. Freeze for 3-5 seconds, then repeat the exercise with the other hand.
3. To stretch your triceps, place one hand behind your neck and pull it with the other. Don't move for 3-5 seconds, then repeat the exercise with the other hand.
4. Align yourself and pull the elbow of one arm with the other for 10-15 seconds. At the same time, pay attention to the shoulder: it should be at a right angle to the floor.
5. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Raise your arms and turn your body to the sides. You need to do 8-10 repetitions.

Now your muscles are ready for push-ups.

Types of push-ups[edit | edit code]

Push-up technique (video)

Narrow push-ups[edit | edit code]

Push-ups with legs raised

• Difficulty: medium
• Muscles Worked: Similar to the close-grip bench press, this movement places emphasis on the triceps while targeting the inner pecs.
• Technique for push-ups with narrow arms: Take a support position with straight arms, placing your hands so that your thumbs and index fingers touch each other. First, slowly lower yourself to the bottom position, and then with a powerful effort push yourself up. At the top point, statically tighten your triceps for a one-two count and only then lower to the bottom position. This technique will increase the beneficial load on the triceps.

Push-ups with wide arms[edit | edit code]

Knee push-ups

• Difficulty: medium
• Muscles Worked: This push-up variation primarily targets the pectoral muscles, stimulating the mid-chest area. At the same time, the upper and lower pecs, deltoids, and triceps work to a lesser extent. The entire back muscles are statically tense.
• Technique for push-ups with wide arms: Take a support position with your arms straight. Don't lift your head up or down. Keep it strictly in line with your spine. Place your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. First, lower yourself to the bottom position, and then use your pectoral muscles to push yourself up into straight arms. In the upper position, statically tighten your pecs for a one-two count. Only then lower yourself to the floor. Do not straighten your elbows all the way. Leave them slightly bent. Keep your abs tense. Don't bend over backwards.

To stretch your pectoral muscles further, do push-ups on dumbbells - this will allow you to go lower in relation to your hands.

Push-ups with legs raised[edit | edit code]

Push-ups with cotton

• Difficulty level: high
• Muscles Worked: This variation shifts the focus to the upper pectoral region. The exercise is difficult because the arms bear most of the body weight.
• Head-down push-up technique: This is exactly the same movement as a regular push-up, with the difference that your toes rest on the surface of the bench rather than on the floor. The hands should be placed slightly in front of the shoulder line. This will not affect efficiency in any way, but will help balance in the starting position.

Vertical push-ups[edit | edit code]

• Difficulty level: high
• Muscles involved: deltoids, triceps, pectoral muscles, back muscles, abs. The exercise is difficult because the arms bear most of the body weight.
• Push-up technique: Stand vertically near a wall, head down, resting on your hands, and slowly push up. We recommend laying something soft, because... Not everyone will be able to do push-ups and will have to “roll down.” There is a lightweight option - kneel on a chair, rest your hands on the floor - your back and head look vertically down, do push-ups until your head touches the floor, no more. These exercises are not recommended for people with high blood pressure and traumatic brain injuries, as well as neck injuries.

Knee push-ups[edit | edit code]

• Difficulty level: easy
• Pros: This push-up variation is quite easy, making it ideal for women.
• Technique for push-ups from your knees: Take a support position with your arms straight. Place something soft under your knees, like a gymnastics mat. Keep your back extremely straight. Do not lift your pelvis up - your torso and hips form a straight line.

Jumping push-ups[edit | edit code]

One-arm push-ups

• Difficulty level: high
• Advantages: The goal of any plyometric exercise is not so much to increase muscle mass or endurance, but to develop their explosive power; a quick and powerful reaction mobilizes the nervous system and recruits more muscle fibers to work. This is very useful for bodybuilders. This load stimulates nerve innervation. Simply put, the nervous network becomes denser and denser. This is reflected in mass gain when performing basic exercises with weights.
• Jump Push-Up Technique: To avoid damaging your hands or wrists, perform this movement on a soft, springy surface. In the starting position, rest your palms on two supports 15-20 cm high. Push up, push off the supports and “land” on the floor between them. The hands should be at the width characteristic of regular push-ups. Immediately bend your elbows and gently lower your chest toward the floor. From the bottom position, explosively push yourself up and “jump” onto the supports again. The secret is not to divide the movement into phases and perform it in one breath.

One-arm push-ups[edit | edit code]

• Difficulty level: very high
• Advantages: This circus version perfectly increases the strength of the shoulder girdle. It acts on the pectoral muscle, as they say, from top to bottom. At the same time, the triceps are extremely heavily loaded.
• Execution: take the starting position for classic push-ups on two hands, move your hand under the body, in the center, put the other hand behind your belt. When you can confidently maintain your balance, start doing push-ups. Start small - go down 10-15 cm, placing something to fix the amplitude. Once you have confidently mastered this “depth”, try going lower. Do not lean your body to one side or protrude your elbow outward—when bent, it should go back at an angle of approximately 45 degrees.

The photo shows a lightweight version with the leg abducted to the side.

Judo push-ups[edit | edit code]

• Start in a push-up position, then bring your feet closer to your hands and lift your hips so that your body forms an inverted
• Keeping your hips raised, lower yourself down until your chin almost touches the floor.
• Lower your hips until they almost touch the floor while lifting your head and shoulders. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position and repeat the exercise.

Push-up technique and training program

1. Take a lying position.
2. Place your hands at a distance of 20-25 centimeters (with your fingers facing inward at an angle of 45 degrees).
3. The back should be perfectly straight during exercises and repetitions.
4. Bend your elbows and lower yourself down until your chest touches the floor.

If your goal is to gain muscle mass, then you need to do 4 sets of 12-15 repetitions. Rest 1-1.5 minutes between sets. Over time, increase the load by using additional weight on your lower back or back.

Read more about push-ups and a training program for quick progress here.

In order to develop muscle strength and endurance, on the contrary, you need to do more than 15 push-ups in each approach. It is best to perform 4 sets of 20-25 times three times a week. The rest time will also increase: you need to take a 2-minute break between approaches. Once you feel that push-ups are easy, you can increase the number of exercises. It is worth noting that this program will not only increase the strength of your back and arms, but also make them more defined.

Push-up technique and training rules

Back push-ups do not require special training or special technique; almost any healthy adult can do them. However, there are a few simple rules that must be followed to ensure that training does not cause harm.

A prerequisite is to study at approximately the same time. The most convenient training schedule is 3 times a week, so that there is a balance between sports and household chores. It is important to calculate the appropriate load for yourself so that the training is not too intense and produces results. For non-athletic people, one set of 4-6 push-ups will be enough. When such a load becomes easy to bear, you can increase it. Training should not be exhausting; regularity is more important than a one-time effect.

You need to start the lesson with a warm-up - this increases blood flow in all muscles, the heart and lungs are prepared for active work.

Wide grip push-up technique

During push-ups, most muscles in the body are used, not just the arms and back. This exercise should be one of the first to be performed. Push-ups on your back are performed earlier than push-ups on your hands - this way a greater effect is achieved. It is better to do each exercise in several approaches, gradually increasing their number and number of exercises.

Stretching is performed immediately after a block of push-ups and at the end of the workout - this reduces the amount of lactic acid in the muscles, and they hurt less the next day.

Technique for performing classic push-ups:

• Starting position – lying down, arms moved away from the body at a right angle, elbows bent at right angles. The torso and legs form a straight line, the back is straight. Support points are palms and toes. When performing the lightweight version with emphasis on the knees, the back does not swing.
• The body lowers to the floor by bending the elbows. The shoulders, body and knees remain completely motionless. The chest should drop towards the floor, but not touch it. The belly does not touch the floor.
• Lift to the starting position using the latissimus dorsi muscles. The body remains in the same position; there should be no arching in the back.

In classic push-ups, the back is engaged during the rise to the starting position and to maintain the correct posture. The main task of the back muscles is to keep the body in a strictly straight position without bending in the abdomen, lower back, or chest.

The push-up technique can be performed after mastering the classical technique

More effective push-ups for the latissimus dorsi muscles are performed from a support:

• A bench, chair or other surface is used as a support. The height depends on the level of training. The support must be stable and of the same height.
• Starting position: lying with your back to the support. The arms are straightened, the shoulders are above the support, the legs are firmly on the floor, the body and legs are in a straight line. Support points are palms and heels.
• The body lowers to the support by bending the arms, the lower back and knees remain straight, only the hip joint and elbows bend.
• Return to starting position.

The back is worked in both stages of the exercise.

Nutrition

Also an important factor for achieving maximum results is proper nutrition. Here are some basic rules:

- eat 5-6 times a day;

- 70 percent of food consumed should be high-calorie;

- limit the amount of fats and carbohydrates in food;

- drink 3 liters of water a day;

- before 16:00 you should eat 70 percent of your diet;

- eat protein dishes, cereals, vegetables, that is, foods containing slow carbohydrates 2 hours before training;

- within 1-1.5 after training, eat to close the protein-carbohydrate window (for example, with a gainer).

One last thing: sleep 8 hours a night. Good sleep is very important for the recovery of back and shoulder muscles.

Summarize

Thus, back push-ups benefit the entire body. The main advantage of this exercise is its accessibility, that is, you do not need to go to the gym to keep your back and lower back muscles in shape.

During training, it is very important not to damage the spine. Therefore, before exercise, it is recommended to warm up and then give your muscles a rest. It is also important to eat right and sleep 8 hours a day.

I also recommend watching this video about how to pump up your chest and back at home.

See you soon on the pages of my new posts, which you won’t miss if you subscribe to the blog. Like it! And I look forward to your comments.

What muscles will need to be loaded?

When wondering how to pump up your back at home, you should understand that the muscles of this part of the body help in almost all body movements. Muscles are usually divided into the following main parts:

1. Upper. It includes the trapezius and rhomboid muscles. In addition, there are muscles with which the scapula is raised.
2. Average. It is the most extensive and includes the latissimus, teres major and minor, spinalis, posterior superior and inferior serratus muscles. This group also includes the upper part of the longissimus muscle.
3. The lower part includes the longissimus abdominis and iliocostalis muscles.

Do you want to understand how to pump up your back at home? You need to remember the following exercises that can help you with this.