The back is the largest and most complex muscle group in the upper body — made up of the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, rear deltoids, erector spinae, and several deeper muscles. Building a strong, thick back takes consistent work across multiple planes of movement: vertical pulling, horizontal rowing, and deadlift-pattern hinging. These ten exercises cover all of them.
1. Conventional Deadlift
Erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, trapezius, rhomboids, latissimus dorsi
Set up
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes pointing forward or slightly out. The barbell should be over your mid-foot — approximately 1 inch from your shins. Hinge at the hips and push them back until you can grip the bar. Use a double overhand grip, slightly wider than your shins. Pull your chest up to create a neutral spine — no rounded lower back. Take a deep breath into your belly and brace your core as if bracing for a punch. Your hips should be above your knees, shoulders above or slightly in front of the bar.
Technique and form
Initiate the pull by driving your feet through the floor — think “leg press the floor away” rather than “pull the bar up.” Keep the bar in contact with your shins as it rises (this is why deadlifters wear long socks). As the bar passes your knees, drive your hips forward to complete the lockout. At the top, stand tall with hips fully extended, glutes squeezed, and shoulders back. Do not hyperextend your lower back at the top. Lower the bar by reversing the movement — push your hips back first, then bend your knees once the bar passes them.
Range of motion
Full range of motion means the bar travels from the floor to a fully locked-out standing position. The lockout requires full hip extension — you should feel your glutes and hamstrings working hard at the top. Do not neglect the eccentric (lowering) phase; controlled lowering builds more posterior chain strength than dropping the bar.
2. Pull-Up
Latissimus dorsi, biceps brachii, teres major, rhomboids, rear deltoid
Set up
Hang from a pull-up bar with a pronated grip (palms facing away) slightly wider than shoulder-width. Let your arms fully extend and allow a slight stretch in your lats at the bottom of each rep. Engage your core lightly to prevent swinging. Cross your ankles behind you or keep your legs straight.
Technique and form
Initiate the pull by depressing your shoulder blades — pull them down and together before your elbows bend. Think “elbows to your back pockets.” This engages the lats from the very start of the movement rather than letting the biceps dominate. Pull until your chin clears the bar — your chest should be close to the bar at the top. Avoid swinging or kipping unless training for gymnastics or CrossFit. Lower with control over 2–3 seconds — the eccentric is where significant hypertrophy stimulus occurs.
Range of motion
Full range of motion means starting from a dead hang with arms fully extended and finishing with your chin above the bar. Partial range pull-ups — not going all the way down or not reaching the top — significantly reduce the training stimulus. If you cannot yet perform a full pull-up, use a resistance band for assistance or begin with negative pull-ups (jump to the top and lower slowly).
3. Barbell Bent-Over Row
Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius, rear deltoid, biceps brachii
Set up
Stand with feet hip-width apart. Hinge forward at the hips until your torso is at approximately 45–70° to the floor — the more horizontal your torso, the more lat emphasis; the more upright, the more trap and upper back emphasis. Your back must be neutral — not rounded. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width with an overhand or underhand grip. Let the bar hang at arm’s length below your chest.
Technique and form
Pull the bar toward your lower chest or upper abdomen — where the bar contacts your body determines which back muscles are most activated. Lower chest contact emphasises the lats; upper abdomen contact emphasises the upper back. Drive your elbows back and slightly out, retracting your shoulder blades as the bar reaches your body. Squeeze your back hard at the top. Lower the bar under full control — do not drop it. Maintain your hip hinge position throughout; do not use momentum by standing upright.
Range of motion
Allow the bar to travel back to full arm extension at the bottom — a full hang in the stretched position maximises lat recruitment. At the top, the bar should make firm contact with your torso with your shoulder blades fully retracted. Avoid shortening the range of motion by only pulling partway — this reduces the training effect significantly.
4. Lat Pulldown
Latissimus dorsi, teres major, biceps brachii, rear deltoid
Set up
Sit at the lat pulldown machine and adjust the thigh pad so your legs are secured — this prevents your body from rising as you pull. Grip the bar wider than shoulder-width with a pronated (overhand) grip. Lean back slightly — approximately 10–15° from vertical. This small backward lean allows the bar to travel toward your upper chest without the bar hitting your face.
Technique and form
Before pulling, depress your shoulder blades — the same cue as pull-ups. Drive your elbows down and back, pulling the bar to your upper chest. Think of “putting your elbows in your back pockets.” At the bottom of the movement, squeeze your lats hard and hold briefly. Do not lean back excessively as this turns the exercise into a row rather than a pulldown. Return the bar to the start position with fully extended arms and a slight stretch of your lats.
Range of motion
Pull until the bar touches your upper chest. Allow full arm extension at the top with a deliberate pause in the stretched position — this lat stretch at full arm extension is where significant hypertrophy stimulus occurs. Many lifters shortchange the top portion of the movement; fully extending at the top before each rep is important for maximising the training effect.
5. Seated Cable Row
Rhomboids, middle trapezius, latissimus dorsi, biceps — the premier mid-back builder
Set up
Sit at a cable row machine with your feet on the platform, knees slightly bent. Grip the handle — a close neutral grip (V-bar) emphasises the middle back; a wide pronated grip emphasises the outer back and rear delts. Sit upright with a neutral spine. Do not round your lower back. At the start, allow your arms to fully extend with a slight forward lean at the hips to stretch the mid-back.
Technique and form
Pull the handle to your lower abdomen or upper waist by driving your elbows back — keep them close to your body. As the handle reaches your body, squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold. Your torso should remain relatively upright throughout — a slight backward lean is acceptable at peak contraction, but avoid using excessive body swing to generate momentum. Return the handle to full arm extension with a controlled stretch.
Range of motion
Full range means a complete stretch at the front — arms fully extended, shoulder blades protracted slightly, mid-back muscles lengthened — followed by a complete contraction at the back with shoulder blades fully retracted. Many lifters cheat this movement with too much body movement and insufficient arm extension. Slow the movement down to maximise the mind-muscle connection.
6. Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius — unilateral movement that eliminates compensatory patterns
Set up
Place one hand and the same-side knee on a flat bench for support. Your torso should be roughly parallel to the floor. Hold the dumbbell in your free hand with a neutral grip, arm hanging directly below your shoulder. Keep your back flat and neutral — do not allow rotation at the hips or spine.
Technique and form
Pull the dumbbell straight up toward your hip, driving your elbow toward the ceiling. Keep the dumbbell close to your body throughout — it should travel in a vertical line, not arc outward. At the top, your elbow should be above the level of your torso and your shoulder blade should be fully retracted. Avoid rotating your torso to “help” lift heavier weight — this reduces the lat stimulus and loads the lower back unnecessarily. Lower the dumbbell with full control to a complete dead hang.
Range of motion
Full range of motion from a complete dead hang — arm fully extended, lat fully stretched — to a full retraction at the top. The single-arm version allows for greater range of motion than the barbell row because there is nothing restricting the dumbbell from travelling past the midline. Use this advantage consciously.
7. T-Bar Row
Middle and lower trapezius, rhomboids, latissimus dorsi — excellent for mid-back thickness
Set up
Straddle the barbell with your feet either side. Hinge at the hips to approximately 45° and grip the handles — a close neutral grip, or a wide grip on the barbell itself. Load weight plates on the free end of the barbell. Keep your back neutral and your chest up. This movement can be done with a dedicated T-bar row machine or with a barbell anchored in a landmine attachment.
Technique and form
Pull the weight toward your lower chest by driving your elbows upward and back. Keep the weight close to your body — the closer the load, the better the leverage and the more effective the back contraction. At peak contraction, your shoulder blades should be fully retracted and squeezed hard. Lower the weight under control to a full arm extension. Avoid swinging or using excessive hip drive — this turns a back exercise into a poor-quality clean.
Range of motion
Full arm extension at the bottom with a brief pause in the stretched position. At the top, the plates should nearly touch your chest. The T-bar row allows for heavy loading in a very stable position, making it excellent for progressive overload on the mid-back.
8. Face Pull
Rear deltoid, external rotators, rhomboids, middle trapezius — critical for shoulder health and posture
Set up
Set a cable pulley to approximately face height. Attach a rope handle. Stand facing the machine and grip the rope with both hands, palms facing each other or angled down. Take two steps back to create tension. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart or staggered for balance.
Technique and form
Pull the rope toward your face — specifically toward your forehead or eye level. As you pull, separate the two ends of the rope by pulling them apart simultaneously. At peak contraction your hands should be beside your head, elbows at or above shoulder height, and the rope ends spread wide. This position maximises rear delt and external rotator activation. Pause for a count at full contraction. Return to the start position with fully extended arms and a light stretch across the rear shoulder.
Range of motion
Full arm extension at the start to hands beside your face at the finish. The face pull is one of the most important exercises for shoulder health, correcting the internal rotation pattern that pressing exercises create. Include it in every upper body session at moderate weight and high reps.
9. Chest-Supported Row (Machine or Incline Bench)
Rhomboids, middle trapezius, rear deltoid — removes lower back involvement entirely
Set up
Set an incline bench to 30–45°. Lie chest-down against the pad with your chest supported throughout. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Alternatively use a chest-supported row machine. Because your chest is supported, your lower back is removed from the equation entirely — this makes it an excellent choice for those with lower back fatigue from deadlifts and bent-over rows.
Technique and form
Pull the dumbbells upward by driving your elbows back and up, retracting your shoulder blades. At the top, hold briefly and squeeze your mid-back. Lower with full control. Because the lower back is not involved, you can focus entirely on upper back contraction and mind-muscle connection without compensating with body swing or lower back extension.
Range of motion
Full arm extension at the bottom — allow a deliberate stretch in your mid-back. At the top, achieve maximum shoulder blade retraction. This exercise is particularly good as a finisher at the end of a back session when lower back fatigue might otherwise compromise bent-over row form.
10. Straight-Arm Cable Pulldown
Latissimus dorsi in isolation — elbows never bend, making this a pure lat exercise
Set up
Set a cable pulley to its highest position. Attach a straight bar or rope. Stand facing the machine with feet shoulder-width apart. Lean forward slightly at the hips — approximately 20–30°. Grip the bar with straight arms at roughly shoulder height. Your elbows should remain straight throughout the entire movement — this is what makes the exercise a pure lat isolation, unlike any row or pulldown movement.
Technique and form
Pull the bar downward in an arc, keeping your arms straight. Think of pushing the bar toward your hips rather than pulling it. At the bottom, the bar should be at your thighs with your lats fully contracted. Your shoulder blades depress and your lats shorten. Hold the contracted position for a count, then allow the bar to rise back along the same arc to the start, feeling your lats fully stretch overhead.
Range of motion
The arc travels from overhead arm extension (full lat stretch) all the way to hips (full lat contraction). This full range of motion from a lengthened overhead position to a peak contraction makes the straight-arm pulldown one of the best exercises for developing both lat length and lat width. Use it as a finisher with moderate weight and 15+ reps.
A complete back session should include at least one vertical pull (pull-up or lat pulldown), one horizontal row (barbell, dumbbell, or cable row), and one posterior chain movement (deadlift or Romanian deadlift). The face pull should be included in every upper body session as injury prevention. You do not need all ten exercises in one workout — choose 4–5 and execute them well.
