ALL BACK EXERCISES

Our full list of Back exercises and their instructions.

Pull-Ups:

What it works: Lats, Traps, Biceps

How to perform:

Hang from a Pull-Up bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Engage your back muscles by retracting your shoulder blades and initiating the pull, bringing your chest towards the bar until your chin clears the top.
Lower yourself back down with control, fully extending your arms before beginning the next repetition.

BB Rows:

What it works: Lats, Traps, Rear Delts, Biceps, Lower Back

How to perform:

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, and grip the barbell slightly wider than shoulder-width.
Hinge at the hips, maintaining a flat back, and pull the barbell toward your belly button, leading with your elbows.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top.
Lower the barbell with control, keeping your back straight.

Seated Rows:

What it works: Lats, Traps, Rear Delts, Biceps

How to perform:

Sit on the rowing machine with your feet firmly planted on the footrests and your knees slightly bent.
Grasp the handles with a neutral grip, keeping your hands shoulder-width apart.
While maintaining an upright posture, engage your back muscles and pull the handle towards your belly button, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the end of the movement.
Slowly let the cable back to starting position with control.

DB Pullovers:

What it works: Lats, Chest, Triceps

How to perform:

Lie on a bench with a dumbbell in both hands, palms facing up.
Extend your arms above your chest, perpendicular to your body.
Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, lower the dumbbell behind your head, feeling a stretch in your lats and chest.
Raise the dumbbell back to the starting position, focusing on using your lats to pull it up.

DB Shrugs:

What it works: Traps

How to perform:

Stand upright with dumbbells in each hand, arms extended alongside your body, and thumbs facing inward.
Raise your shoulders as high as possible while keeping your arms straight.
Hold the contraction at the top for a brief moment, feeling the tension in your traps.
Lower your shoulders back down to the starting position and repeat the movement.

Chin-Ups:

What it works: Lats, Biceps

How to perform:

Start by gripping a pull-up bar with your palms facing towards you and hands at shoulder-width.
Initiate the movement by engaging your back muscles and pulling your body upward until your chin clears the bar.
Lower your body back down in a controlled manner, fully extending your arms before starting the next repetition.

T-Bar Rows:

What it works: Lats, Traps, Biceps, Brachialis

How to perform:

Straddle a stable barbell, put a cable row handle under it and grab the handle with a neutral grip.
Bend at the hips while maintaining a straight back.
Pull the barbell towards your chest by retracting your shoulder blades, keeping your elbows close to your body.
Pause at the top, then lower the barbell with control.

Lat Pulldowns:

What it works: Lats, Biceps, Brachialis, Traps

How to perform:

Sit on the machine with knees under the padded support.
Grasp the wide bar slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Pull the bar down toward your chest by squeezing your shoulder blades together and driving your elbows down.
Pause at the bottom then slowly let the bar back up to the starting position.

BB Shrugs:

What it works: Traps

How to perform:

Stand upright with a barbell in front of you, holding it with an overhand grip and hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Keeping your arms straight, lift your shoulders up as high as possible.
Hold the contraction at the top for a moment, feeling the tension in your trapezius muscles.
Lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.

Face Pulls:

What it works: Rear Delts, Rhomboids, Rotator Cuff, Upper Back

How to perform:

Attach a rope handle to a high pulley machine.
Stand facing a high pulley machine, grab the rope with an overhand grip, and step back to create tension.
With your elbows slightly above shoulder height, pull the rope towards your face.
Hold the peak contraction for a moment, feeling the engagement in your rear delts and upper back.
Slowly release the tension and return to the starting position, allowing a full stretch of your muscles.

RDLs:

What it works: Glutes, Hamstrings, Quads, Erector Spinae

How to perform:

Stand with feet hip-width apart and hold a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip.
Hinge forward at the hips while keeping your back straight and knees slightly bent.
Lower the barbell down below your knees, feeling a stretch in your hamstrings.
Push your hips forward and squeeze your glutes to return to the starting position. Always keep your back as straight as possible.