The “Chinese” back plank is the best minimal-equipment exercise at home you've never tried. If you're tired of push-up challenges, here's one ...Thebestexerciseathomeyou’venevertriedbyGarethSapstead26March202026March2020NewExercises,WorkoutsIfyousuddenlyfindyourselfrestrictedtoexerciseathome,youknowhowbigachallengeitistotraincertainmuscleswiththekindofintensityyou’reusedto.Whileit’seasyenoughdoinglungesandpush-upsorvariousexerciseswithbands,it’smuchhardertotrainyourmidbackandposteriorchain(hamstrings,glutes,lowerback).The“Chinese”backplankisthebestminimal-equipmentexerciseathomeyou’venevertried.Itworksallthosehardtohitplacesyou’vebeenstrugglingwith,whileofferinghugebenefitstoyourposture.Ifyou’vebeennominatedforapush-upchallengelikeahundredtimesthenthese’llhelpundosomeofthedamagebyworkingantagonismuscles.They’llalsoopenoutyourshouldersfromalltheextrasitting. FeelfreetojoininthechallengemyselfandFredrikFerrier(TV’sMadeinChelsea)cameupwith.Allyouneedarethreechairsandatimer.WhytheseworkBackplanksrecruityourentireposteriorchain—Whenyouexerciseathome,yourtraininginevitablybecomesmore“anterior”dominant.It’smucheasiertopush,squatandlunge,thanitistodeadliftandrow.Chinesebackplanksforceoptimalposturalalignmentwhileefficientlyrecruitingyourcalves,hamstrings,glutes,andlowbackisometrically.Isometricshavemanyuseswhenworkingwithyourownbodyweight,someofwhichincludehighlevelsofmuscleactivationandcreatinganocclusion-typeofeffect.Bothofwhichcanhelpyoumaintainmuscleandstrengthwhiletrainingwithlimitedresistance.Theyhityourmid-back—Let’sjustassumeforasecondthatyou’reluckyenoughtohaveachin-upbar.That’sgreat,and’llhelpyoutraininaverticalpullingpattern.Butforawell-roundedworkoutroutineyoumustn’tforgetaboutthestuffbetweenyourshoulderblades.That“stuff”(largelymiddletrapeziusandrhomboids)helpspullyourshouldersback,givesyouabetterlook,improvesyouroverallphysique,andstopsyoufromlookinglikeagorillawithanoverworkedchestandroundedshoulders.Chinesebackplankshelppullyourshouldersbackandtargetyourmid-