In this post, I'm going to demo some back exercises you can do at home with just a single dumbbell and a resistance band. I'm using a booty band here because that's what I had available but you could easily replace the booty band with a longer band loop or a band with handles. Whatever you have available will work. It's all about getting creative!

What You Might Not Know About Back Workouts

When I first got started with weight lifting, there was a lot I didn't know. (There's a lot to learn!) I would often find myself working the muscle groups I enjoyed working (or knew better HOW to work) over and over again and skipping other muscle groups. 

We tend to take back workouts for granted. Of course, there are huge benefits as far as improving your posture. But also, if your goals are aesthetic, back workouts are where it's at, girl! 

Most women that come to me for 1:1 coaching want to achieve some sort of hourglass figure. They want to look fit and strong, build a booty, and have a small tight core. Part of achieving that hourglass look is..... drumroll please.... working the back! 

As your lats grow larger, giving your back that V shape, your waist looks smaller and smaller. This is part of what creates those overall hourglass proportions. 

And I promise you, once you're equipped with a good group of back exercises to play with, back workouts are fun! It's now one of my favorite muscle groups to work.

So let's go ahead and get started with the workout. 

Making Your Sets Challenging with Limited Equipment

Using a weight size that is challenging for you is important to continued muscle growth and increased strength.

A great tip for any at home workout is to incorporate bands wherever you need more resistance. If you have a very limited selection of weights, chances are the weights you have are, at some point, going to be too light for your larger muscles like the back, legs, and chest.

Wrap the band around the middle of your dumbbell to add an extra challenge to a weight that would otherwise be too light. You could even stack multiple bands if you need a much heavier resistance than what you have with the weight alone. 

For this workout, I am using a single 15 lb weight and a band loop to make each dumbbell movement more challenging. 

The Workout

Exercise Instructions

Banded Single Arm Dumbbell Row

1) Wrap a band around the middle of your dumbbell and place the other end underneath your opposite foot. Bend over with the back straight, one hand holding the dumbbell at your side. The other hand should be holding onto a sturdy flat surface for support. I used a spin bike for support but you can easily use a bench, chair, couch, table, or anything else you have available that is heavy enough to stay put.

2) Pull the dumbbell up to the side of your chest, keeping arm close to the body.

3) Lower the dumbbell, returning to starting position.

4) Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other side.

Single Arm Seated Resistance Band Row

1) Sit with your legs extended out in front of you on an exercise mat.

2) Place the band loop around one or both feet. If it's a smaller band like a band loop, you can loop it around a single foot. If it's a longer band, loop it around both feet to shorten the length so that you have more tension through the entire movement.

3) Keep the abs tight and hold the other end of the band loop in front of you with elbows bent next to your side.

4) Pull the band back until it is next to your side and elbows are behind you.

5) Slowly release.

Banded Dumbbell T-Row

1. Wrap a band loop or resistance band around the middle of a dumbbell. Place the other end of the band underneath your feet. Bend over with the back straight, holding the dumbbell between both hands.

2) Pull the dumbbell up to your chest, keeping arms close to the body.

3) Lower the dumbbell, returning to starting position.

Bent Over Resistance Band Lat Pulldown

1. Wrap a band around a door handle or knob. I used a spin bike here but you can use anything sturdy that you can wrap or tie the band to. 

2. Bend over, keeping your back straight. Hold the other end of the band with one hand. With that arm extended in front of you, squeeze your shoulder blades together and slowly pull the band down to one side in a wide arc until your elbow is fully bent.

3. Pause and then slowly return to the starting position. 

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