If you were on the road a lot and did not have equipment to work out with, what are the best exercises for the back? I like one leg squats for the legs, one arm pushups for the pushing muscles, pullups on anything I can for pulling, but I am not sure what is best for the back.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

Peter

Backbridging?

Backbridging is good. I also suggest handstands against a wall (if you have the space to do this). You can do timed sets and you can also modify this with the back facing the wall or actually facing the wall. You can do sit-ups to strengthen the lower back as well. There are also some fancy little yoga-type exercises where you snake your spinal column (this can be done standing or in a kind of supine position with the arms sustaining your upper-body.

Hyperextensions are also good (lying face down on the stomach and lifting the chest and legs off the ground).

This is a good one.
Lie on the gound face up.
put your feet near your butt.
put a shoe or something to hold between your knees. Keep the tension tight between the knees.
keep the butt tight and also the abdomen tight.
lift from the bottom of your feet and head.
make sure to pull the shoulderblades up as far as possible.
I think this is the first of the shaolin three exercises

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/inmag72.htm

Thank you all for your answers! Now I have too much to choose from!

Tim,

By the way, I asked a question in the concepts section, and I am wondering why you never answered it--if it is a bad question or for some reason you don't feel inclined to answer it, I apologize for posting it.

Thanks,

Peter

Hi Peter,

The basic Superman exercise (like Tim suggested "Hyperextensions while laying on the ground") are great for the lower back.

Doing pushups with staggered hand positions activiates the muscles of the back.

Always be creative. Think of weightlifting exercises and then imagine ways to improvise them with furniture. The last time I stayed in a hotel I deadlifted the bed a few times after doing pushups

Think about everything you've seen and notice that all abd/back exercises can be put into four (some say five)categories with hundreds of variations. Makes it much simpler that way. Just be sure to include something from each category.

Hey Tim, what do you think of compound movements like the deadlift, bent over row,millitary press etc. for gaining muscle mass and functional fighting strength?

Done correctly, I think they'd be great.

gaining muscle mass and functional fighting strength are not always the same thing, but if you go with these lifts, I suggest Pavel Tsatsouline's 3 by 5 rule.

Work out 3-5 times a week, working on 3-5 exercises.

Perform 3-5 sets, with 3-5 reps in the 3-5RM range.

That should provide some hypertrophy, with an emphasis on absolute strength.