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10 BEST BACK EXERCISES

JUMP
Bent-Over Row

Exercises

10 Best Back
Exercises For
Building Muscle
Parker Hyde, Ph.D., and Bill Geiger • May 13, 2021

Chest | Back | Shoulders | Biceps |

Triceps | Legs | Abs

When you crack your exercise toolkit open

each week on back day, you've got a
seemingly endless array of movements
available. If you're overwhelmed by the
sheer number of row variations, or
you draw a total blank when thinking of
new exercises to try, consider this list your
new back blueprint.

We took the science into account--and

more. Head-to-head exercise comparison
research is a bit limited, and often
misleading. So rather than going strictly off
of electromyography (EMG) to pick the best
muscle-building exercises, we selected the
following ones on a number of factors
including:

Ease of learning and performing

Total muscle stimulation and intensity
Popularity among diehard lifters and
bodybuilders (This matters!)
Availability of equipment in
commercial gyms

Here are the best back exercises for

muscle growth, plus three complete back
workouts incorporating the movements that
you can plug into your split right away.

10 Best Back Exercises

Deadlift

Bent-Over Row

Pull-Up

T-Bar Row

Seated Row

Single-Arm Smith Machine Row

Lat Pull-Down

Single-Arm Dumbbell Row

Dumbbell Pull-Over

Chest-Supported Row

Deadlift

Why it's on the list: This mighty pull is far

more than a back exercise. It hits the entire
posterior chain, from your calves to your
upper traps, but it's also a time-tested
standout for overall backside development.

And no, it's not just for powerlifters!

Legendary bodybuilder Jay Cutler builds
his back day around deadlifts, as well.
Technique is uber-important, but once you
nail it, you can progress to lifting monster
weights that recruit maximum muscle,
release muscle-building hormones, and
help you get big.

Deadlift variations for back growth:

Barbell deadlift (from the floor)

Barbell rack pull
Romanian deadlift (barbell, dumbbell)
Snatch-grip deadlift (from the floor or
elevated pins)
Trap bar deadlift

When back development is the goal, stick

to one of these variations. Others, like
sumo deadlifts, have been shown in EMG
studies—and in the trenches—to focus
more on other muscle groups than the
back. The same goes for single-leg
deadlifts and stiff-legged deadlifts.

In your workout: If you're going heavy

(sets of fewer than about 6 reps), do
deadlifts first so you're fresh. If you're doing
deads for repetitions, you can do them later
in your workout. They may not be as sexy,
but moderate-weight deadlifts are just as
valuable as grinding max-effort PRs.

Feeling dead on deadlift

day?
Heavy pulls are better after a solid
pre-workout. Pick a pre with
caffeine to increase strength and
power, plus fatigue-fighting
ingredients to stay strong as the
sets go on.

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Bent-Over Row

Why it's on the list: This is a total back-

builder: upper back, lower back, lats, traps,
spinal erectors—the whole deal. And the
science backs it up. It's a staple of the best
back workouts for men, but make no
mistake, it's great for back workouts for
women, as well.

Bent-over row variations for back

growth:

Overhand grip bent-over rows

Underhand grip bent-over rows
Pendlay rows (each rep starts from the
floor)
Bent-over dumbbell or kettlebell rows

In your workout: Do heavy bent-over

rows toward the start of your back workout
in lower rep ranges, such as 6-8 or 8-10, in
order to save your lower back. If you're
wrecked from deadlifts, skip it or do it on a
second back day later in the week.

Pull-Up

Why it's on the list: It's always a good

idea to have an overhead pulling
movement in your back routine, and the
pull-up is one of the best. Each variation
has its own advantages: Wide-grip
variations are great for the upper lats, while
close-grip chins or neutral-grip pull-ups
have a greater stretch and overall range of
motion. Mix it up!

Pull-up variations for back growth:

Wide-grip pull-ups (overhand grip)

Chin-ups (underhand grip)
Neutral grip pull-ups (palms facing
inward)
Behind-the-head pull-ups
Pull-ups on gymnastic rings
Weighted pull-ups or chins
Machine-assisted pull-ups
Band-assisted pull-ups
Spotter-assisted pull-ups

Don't discount those last three! Especially

for heavier lifters, assisted variations are
great back-builders. Do what you need to
do to get into a muscle-building rep range.

In your workout: If you're a pull-up pro,

you can do some light sets as a warm-up. If
they're tougher for you, you can treat them
more as a strength movement toward the
start of your workout. Assisted variations
make for great burnouts at the end of a
back workout.

T-Bar Row

Why it's on the list: The T-bar row may

seem at first glance like another variation of
the bent-over row, but serious lifters know
there's a big difference. For one, you can
pile on more weight!

You also typically have a choice of hand

positions and width. A wider grip will put
more emphasis on the lats, while a neutral
grip will better target the middle back
(rhomboids, teres, and traps).

T-bar row variations for back growth:

T-bar row
Lying T-bar row
Landmine row holding a wide T-
handle (overhand grip)
Landmine row holding the bar

In your workout: Do this toward the front

half of your workout, especially if you're
going to go heavy. Because it's slightly
easier on the lower back, you could do it
after deadlifts, but stay mindful of using
strict form. If you find yourself cheating or
struggling to maintain a flat back, a chest-
supported row may be a better choice.

Don't feel back day where

you shouldn't
Heavy deads and rows can put a
beating on your lower back. But
they don't have to. A leather lifting
belt can help improve your
bracing, helping you hammer your
lats while keeping your spine
stable.

GO NOW

Seated Row

Why it's on the list: Unlike every free-

weight variation here, the classic seated
row maintains constant tension throughout
every inch of the movement.

Plus, many gyms have a wide range of

handles that you can clip onto a seated
cable row with a carabiner, giving you all
manner of wide and narrow grips and
different hand positions.

Seated row variations for back growth:

Cable row (narrow, wide, medium,

overhand, underhand, neutral grip)
Single-arm cable row (seated,
kneeling, half-kneeling)
High-cable standing row
Machine seated row
Plate-loaded high row

In your workout: Like machines, cables

can be loaded up pretty heavily without
overly taxing you. These are best done
toward the end of your workout, so don't be
afraid to go slightly higher-rep here, like 10-
12 or even 12-15 reps.

Single-Arm Smith Machine Row

Why it's on the list: While some gym rats

consider the Smith machine taboo, you
shouldn't. The fixed plane of the movement
allows you to pull heavy with lots of
stability, making for a humbling exercise.

Treat it like a cross between a dumbbell

row and a machine row, utilizing benefits of
each. The single-arm version, with the
elbows pulling back close to your sides, is
especially effective at targeting the lower
portion of the lats.

Smith Machine row variations for back

growth:

Single-arm Smith machine row

(sideways to machine)
Smith machine bent-over row
Smith machine bodyweight inverted
row

In your workout: Do it about midway

through your workout, after your heavy
overhand pulls. And don't be afraid to throw
on some wrist straps! Your goal is to
hammer your back, not be constantly
limited by your grip strength.

Lat Pull-Down

Why it's on the list: Your first impulse

may be to reach for the wide-grip bar, but
back-focused EMG research suggests that
use of a close neutral grip activates the lats
similarly to a regular grip. This grip also
allows for a longer range of motion and
increased time under tension for the lats,
which is great for building muscle.

Slow down the rep tempo on these,

squeeze hard at the bottom of each rep,
and allow a good stretch at the top.

Lat pull-down variations for back

growth:

Neutral-grip pull-down (narrow,

medium, wide)
Overhand-grip pull-down (narrow,
medium, wide)
Underhand-grip pull-down (narrow,
medium, wide)
Rope handle pull-down
Single-arm pull-down
Half-kneeling or full-kneeling pull-
down

In your workout: When used as a mass-

building exercise, it's best placed toward
the middle or end of your workout for sets
of 8-12 reps. It's great as a pump-focused
finishing move, as well.

Single-Arm Dumbbell Row

Why it's on the list: This is a classic

unilateral exercise—meaning each side
works independently. It's also one that
allows you to move a lot of weight,
particularly if you use straps.

It's back day, not forearm

day
The strongest lifters in the world
still use lifting straps for back
training. Why? If your grip is
limiting your weights, it's limiting
your results. Strap up and go
heavy!

GO NOW

You'll get a greater range of motion when

training unilaterally, and you'll be better
able to support your lower back by placing
one hand on a bench. Allowing a slight
degree of rotation of the trunk has been
shown to activate a greater amount of
"core" musculature, as well.

Single-arm dumbbell row variations for

back growth:

Single-arm row with one hand on a

bench
Single-arm row with one hand and one
leg on a bench
Single-arm arc row, reaching forward
at the front of each rep
Single-arm barbell row (landmine to
the rear)
Single-arm "Meadows row" (landmine
to the side)

In your workout: This is a "meat and

potatoes" back exercise. Do it in the middle
or end of your workout for sets of 8-12 or
higher.

Dumbbell Pull-Over

Why it's on the list: Pull-overs for back?

Absolutely! This single-joint move allows
you to really target and torch your lats,
particularly if you're strategic about what
variation you choose.

In particular, performing this movement on

a decline puts your lats under tension for a
longer range of motion than when using a
flat bench.

Pull-over variations for back growth:

Decline bench pull-over (dumbbell,

barbell, weight plate)
Flat bench pull-over (dumbbell,
barbell, weight plate)
Cable pull-over
Straight-arm pull-down

In your workout: In almost all cases,

single-joint movements should be done last
in your body-part routine. Keep the reps on
the higher end for a nice finishing pump,
around 12-15 per set.

Chest-Supported Row
Chest-Supported Row

Why it's on the list: Unlike T-bar rows or

bent-over rows, this increasingly popular
movement doesn't torch the lower back—
and that's its appeal. It allows you to go as
heavy as you want on a row variation,
without risk of that "oops, I tweaked
something" moment.

The bench also enforces strict technique,

making it a favorite accessory movement
for heavy lifters and anyone looking to
improve their posture and build overall
back muscle.

Chest-supported row variations for

back growth:

Incline bench chest-supported

row (dumbbell, kettlebell, cable)
Seal row (barbell row on an elevated
flat or incline bench)

In your workout: This isn't an exercise

meant to go heavy or early in a back
workout, except perhaps as a warm-up for
other rows. Think 8 reps at minimum, and
more likely 12-15.

Best Back Workouts

Hard and Heavy Back Workout

Row-to-Grow Back Workout

Machine Pump Back Workout

Hard And Heavy Back Workout

This is a classic "clangin' and bangin''' back

day focused on heavy compound
movements, but finishing with high-rep pull-
overs. It's the perfect main course before
switching to a quick pump-focused biceps
workout for dessert.

Hard and Heavy Back Day Print

1 Rack pull

3 sets, 6-8 reps (rest 2 min. )

2 T-Bar Row
If you don't have access to a T-
bar, use a chest-supported row
variation.
3 sets, 6-8 reps (rest 90 sec. )

3 Neutral-grip pull-up
If you can't perform at least 6
reps, use the assisted pull-up
machine or perform band-
assisted reps.
3 sets, 6-10 reps (rest 90 sec. )

4 Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pull-over

Perform on a decline bench, if
possible.
3 sets, 12-15 reps (rest 90 sec.)

Row-To-Grow Back Workout

If you want width, you must row. This

workout is great on its own, but is also an
ideal approach if you like to do two back
days a week, one focused more on
horizontal pulls, the other on vertical pulls.
That's the approach taken in the popular
program 30-Day Back with Abel Albonetti.

Row-to-Grow Back Day Print

1 Reverse-grip bent-over row

4 sets, 6-8 reps (rest 2 min. )

2 SINGLE-ARM DUMBBELL
ROW
Perform all of the reps on one
side before switching to the
other. Don’t rest between sides
and rest 90 sec. between sets.

Single-Arm Dumbbell Row

3 sets, 8-10 reps (left side, no rest)

Single-Arm Dumbbell Row

3 sets, 8-10 reps (right side, rest

90 sec. )

3 Wide-Grip Seated Cable Row

3 sets, 10-12 reps (rest 1 min. )

Machine Pump Back Workout

Who says you need free weights to train

your back? This high-rep, short-rest
workout will allow you to move serious
poundage for high reps without posing a
serious challenge to your lower back or
core. If you like training back on machines,
try YouTube star Calum Von Moger's full
program Building Von Moger: 6-Week Mass
Program on BodyFit.

Machine Pump Back Day Print

1 Smith machine bent-over row

Use an underhand grip and don’t
hesitate to use lifting straps.
4 sets, 10-12 reps (rest 1 min. )

2 Close-grip pull-down
Alternately, perform close-grip
machine-assisted pull-ups.
4 sets, 10-12 reps (rest 1 min.)

3 Seated Row
Use a wide-grip handle with
either an overhand or neutral
grip.
4 sets, 12 reps (rest 1 min. )

Best Back-Building
Programs
What Are the Best Back Programs for Mass?

What Are The Best Back

Programs For Mass?

The best back-building programs hit the

sweet spot of volume, heaviness, and
frequency, giving your back everything it
needs to grow, but nothing more. If you're
lucky, you'll get to train biceps afterward!

30-Day Back with Abel Albonetti

Project Mass: Jacob Wilson's 16-Week
Muscle-Building Plan
Living Large: Jay Cutler's 8-Week
Mass-Building Plan
Jim Stoppani's 12-Week Shortcut to
Size

If you want to follow a similar blueprint to

build the rest of your body, check out the
companion pieces in this series:

The 10 Best Muscle-Building Chest

Exercises
The 10 Best Muscle-Building Shoulder
Exercises
The 10 Best Muscle-Building Biceps
Exercises
The 10 Best Muscle-Building Triceps
Exercises
The 10 Best Muscle-Building Leg
Exercises
The 10 Best Muscle-Building Abs
Exercises

Back

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