You don’t need the gym to build a stronger back—use these three resistance band moves instead

You might think you need a gym to build strong back muscles, or at the very least a set of dumbbells, but that's not the case. 

This three-move workout hits muscles all over your back with just one piece of equipment: a resistance band (opens in new tab).

Devised by fitness trainer Alexia Clark, the session challenges you to perform 12-15 repetitions of each exercise back-to-back as a three-move circuit. Repeat for a total of five rounds for a quick yet effective workout. 

Watch Clark's video below for a demonstration of the three exercises. 

Watch Alexia Clark's resistance band back workout

Despite only containing three exercises—the resistance band row, banded good morning and a face pull variation—this workout manages to put your pulling muscles to the test. 

Similar to a dumbbell row (opens in new tab), the resistance band row will focus on muscles across your upper back like your lats, while the banded good mornings are brilliant for strengthening your lower back. 

Face pulls are also an excellent exercise for developing the smaller stabilising muscles in the back and shoulders, such as the rhomboids, trapezius and rear deltoids. 

Working on these muscles can help protect you from future injuries by improving the strength of your shoulder joint and lower back. Building a stronger back will also help you maintain good posture and support your spine, while making everyday tasks like carrying the groceries feel much easier. 

Hopefully that teaser for the benefits of back workouts (opens in new tab) has you ready to grab a band and get to work. 

If that is the case, you can use this short session in isolation as a quick way to add some more movement into your day, or pair it with this resistance band chest workout for for a comprehensive upper-body bout. 

You can also use it as a "finisher" on the end of this chest and back workout (opens in new tab), if you have a bit more time on your hands.