Back exercises

Lats, rhomboids, traps and the muscles along the spine: this is where the rows, pull-ups and lower-back work live. Equipment decides a lot here — pull-ups need a bar, most rows want a barbell, dumbbells or a cable machine, and a few moves need nothing at all. Cover both directions in a week, a vertical pull and a horizontal row, because they load the back differently. If you feel a row mostly in your arms, pull your shoulder blades back first and bend the elbows second.

  • Front Lever Pull-Up

    Front Lever Pull Ups are an advanced calisthenics exercise that targets the lats, core, and shoulders. This movement requires significant upper body strength and core stability to maintain a horizontal position while performing pull-ups. It is often used to demonstrate control and strength in bodyweight training.
    BackAdvanced

  • One-Arm Low Cable Seated Row

    The Single Arm Low Cable Seated Row is an isolation exercise targeting the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and biceps. It involves pulling a cable handle towards your torso while seated, focusing on unilateral muscle engagement and improving muscular balance.
    BackIntermediate

  • Cable Neutral Grip Lat Pulldown

    Cable Neutral Grip Lat Pulldown is a vertical cable pull performed with a neutral-grip attachment. It develops the lats, biceps, and upper back while using a palm-facing hand position.
    BackBeginner

  • Power Clean

    The power clean is a dynamic, full-body exercise that primarily targets the muscles of the posterior chain, including the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back, while also engaging the shoulders, traps, and core. It is a compound movement that involves lifting a barbell from the floor to the shoulders in one explosive motion. The power clean is commonly used to develop strength, power, and coordination.
    LegsAdvanced

  • Ring Muscle Up

    The Ring Muscle Up is an advanced gymnastic movement that combines a pull-up with a dip, performed on gymnastic rings. It requires significant upper body strength, coordination, and technique. The exercise targets the shoulders, chest, triceps, and core muscles, making it a comprehensive upper body workout.
    BicepsAdvanced

  • One-Arm Chest Supported Row Machine

    The Single Arm Chest Supported Row Machine is a strength training exercise that targets the upper back muscles, particularly the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and trapezius. This exercise involves using a machine with a chest pad for support, allowing for isolated rowing movements with one arm at a time. It helps improve muscle balance and coordination while minimizing strain on the lower back.
    BackBeginner

  • Dumbbell Kelso Shrugs

    The Dumbbell Kelso Shrug is an isolation exercise targeting the trapezius muscles, specifically the middle and lower fibers. It involves a horizontal shrugging motion performed while lying face down on an incline bench, allowing for a greater range of motion and focus on scapular retraction.
    BackIntermediate

  • One-Arm Straight-Arm Cable Lat Pulldown

    The Straight One Arm Cable Pulldown targets the latissimus dorsi, teres major, and other muscles of the back. This exercise is performed using a cable machine with a single handle attachment, allowing for unilateral training and improved muscle symmetry.
    BackBeginner

  • Barbell Bent Over Row From Pin

    Barbell Bent Over Row is a compound barbell pull performed from a hip-hinged position. It develops the upper back, lats, biceps, and forearms.
    BackIntermediate

  • Suspension Row

    The Suspension Row is a bodyweight exercise performed using suspension straps. It targets the muscles of the upper back, including the rhomboids, trapezius, and latissimus dorsi, as well as the biceps and core. This exercise enhances upper body strength, stability, and posture.
    BackIntermediate

  • Deadlift

    The deadlift is a compound exercise that targets multiple muscle groups, primarily the posterior chain, including the glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and traps. It is a fundamental strength training movement that involves lifting a loaded barbell from the ground to hip level while maintaining a neutral spine.
    LegsIntermediate

  • Wide-Grip Pull-Up on Angled Handles

    Wide-Grip Pull-Up on Angled Handles is a bodyweight vertical pull-up on a multi-grip station. The outer angled handles change hand and wrist position compared with a straight bar while keeping the focus on back strength, biceps, and scapular control.
    BackIntermediate

  • Chin-Up

    The chin-up is a compound upper-body exercise that primarily targets the latissimus dorsi muscles in the back, along with the biceps, forearms, and shoulders. It involves pulling your body up to a bar using a supinated or underhand grip, with hands typically shoulder-width apart.
    BackIntermediate

  • Wide Grip Rear Pull-Up

    Wide Grip Rear Pull-Up is a bodyweight vertical pull in which the bar passes behind the head rather than in front of the face. It trains the back and elbow flexors and differs from a standard pull-up in its shoulder and neck positioning requirements.
    BackIntermediate

  • Snatch

    The snatch is a dynamic Olympic weightlifting exercise that involves lifting a barbell from the ground to overhead in one continuous motion. It requires a combination of strength, speed, flexibility, and technique. The movement is divided into several phases: the first pull, transition, second pull, and catch.
    LegsAdvanced

  • Cable Wide Grip Behind Neck Pulldown

    The Cable Wide Grip Behind Neck Pulldown is an upper body exercise targeting the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, and rhomboids. It involves pulling a cable bar down behind the neck while seated, emphasizing the upper back and shoulder muscles.
    BackIntermediate

  • Rope Straight-Arm Lat Pulldown

    The Standing Cable Straight Arm Pulldown is an isolation exercise targeting the latissimus dorsi muscles. It involves pulling a cable bar down with straight arms from shoulder height to the thighs, engaging the back and core muscles. This exercise helps in developing back width and improving shoulder stability.
    BackBeginner

  • Seated Cable Row

    The Cable Low Seated Row is a compound exercise targeting the muscles of the upper back, including the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius, and biceps. It involves pulling a weighted cable handle towards the torso while seated, emphasizing back muscle engagement and posture.
    BackIntermediate

  • Seated Cable Wide Grip Row

    The Wide Grip Seated Row is a strength training exercise targeting the upper back muscles, including the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and trapezius. This exercise is performed using a cable row machine with a wide grip attachment, which emphasizes the outer portions of the back and helps improve posture and upper body strength.
    BackIntermediate

  • One-Arm Cable Low Row

    The Single Arm Cable Row is an isolation exercise targeting the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and trapezius muscles. It enhances unilateral strength and improves muscle symmetry by allowing each side of the body to work independently. This exercise also engages the biceps and forearms as secondary muscles.
    BackIntermediate

  • Deficit Deadlift

    The Deficit Deadlift is a variation of the conventional deadlift performed while standing on an elevated surface, typically 1-3 inches high. This exercise increases the range of motion, targeting the posterior chain muscles, including the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back, more intensely. It is particularly beneficial for improving strength off the floor in standard deadlifts.
    LegsAdvanced

  • Barbell Bent Over Row

    Barbell Bent Over Row is a compound barbell pull performed from a hip-hinged position. It develops the upper back, lats, biceps, and forearms.
    BackIntermediate

  • Close-Grip Pull-Up

    Close-Grip Pull-Up is a bodyweight vertical pull-up on a straight bar with a narrow overhand grip. It builds back, biceps, and grip strength, while the narrow hand position makes it distinct from medium- and wide-grip pull-ups.
    BackIntermediate

  • One-Arm Dumbbell Bent Over Scapula Row

    The One-Arm Dumbbell Bent Over Scapula Row targets the upper back muscles, particularly the scapular retractors and stabilizers. This exercise helps improve posture and shoulder stability by focusing on the movement of the scapulae. It is performed with one arm at a time, allowing for greater focus on each side of the body.
    BackIntermediate