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Exercises

Back exercises for men: pull-ups, rows, deadlifts and upper back work

Published October 29, 2026

The best back exercises for men are the pull-up and lat pulldown for width, the barbell row, T-bar row and chest-supported row for thickness, the one-arm dumbbell row for each side on its own, the deadlift for the lower back and the whole back chain, and the face pull for the upper back and rear shoulders. Train back twice a week with one vertical pull, one or two rows and one upper back exercise, about 12 to 20 hard sets of pulls and rows a week in the 6 to 15 rep range, stopping 1 to 2 reps short of failure. Pull with your elbows, not your hands, and control every lowering.

  1. Pull-Up Lats
  2. Barbell Row Upper Back, Lats
  3. Lat Pulldown Lats
  4. One-Arm Dumbbell Row Lats, Upper Back
  5. T-Bar Row Upper Back, Lats
  6. Chest-Supported Row Upper Back, Lats
  7. Barbell Deadlift Glutes, Lower Back
  8. Face Pull Shoulders, Upper Back

Vertical pulls for a wider back

Pulling down from overhead trains the lats, the muscles that make the back look wide from the front and give it a V shape. Do one every back day.

Lats, bodyweight vertical pull

Pull-Up

Lats

The pull-up builds the lats with your whole bodyweight and tells you how strong your back is relative to your size. Getting to 10 strict reps is a fine first goal.

How to do it

  1. Grab the bar overhand, hands a little wider than your shoulders, and hang from fully straight arms.
  2. Pull your shoulders down away from your ears before your elbows start to bend.
  3. Drive the elbows toward your ribs until your chin passes over the bar.
  4. Lower slowly to a dead hang and pull again.

Cues

  • Shoulders down, then pull
  • Legs still and together
  • Two seconds on the way down

Common mistakes

  • Swinging the legs to cheat reps: cross your ankles and brace the abs.
  • Half reps from a bent-arm start: finish each rep at a full hang.

Swap for: Chin-Up, Lat Pulldown, Assisted Pull-Up

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Lats, cable vertical pull

Lat Pulldown

Lats

It trains the same pull as a pull-up with any load you choose, so you can work in the 8 to 15 rep range before you can do many pull-ups, or add volume after them.

How to do it

  1. Set the thigh pad so your legs are locked under it, then stand up and take the bar a little wider than your shoulders, palms forward.
  2. Sit down with your arms fully stretched overhead and lean back only slightly.
  3. Pull the bar to your upper chest by driving your elbows down toward your hips.
  4. Let the bar rise until your arms are straight and your shoulders lift toward your ears, then pull again.

Cues

  • Elbows to your back pockets
  • Bar to the top of the chest
  • Let the stack lift you at the top

Common mistakes

  • Leaning far back and rowing the bar to your stomach: stay nearly upright so it remains a vertical pull.
  • Stopping with the arms still bent at the top: the stretch overhead is half of what makes the pulldown work.

Swap for: Pull-Up, Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown

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Lats, straight-arm isolation

Straight-Arm Pulldown

Lats

With straight arms the biceps drop out and the lats do all the work. A good way to feel the lats before heavy pulls, or to finish them off after.

How to do it

  1. Attach a straight bar to a high pulley, take it palms down about shoulder width, and step back a couple of feet.
  2. Hinge forward slightly and hold the bar at about shoulder height with your arms long, a small fixed bend in your elbows, and brace your abs.
  3. Sweep the bar down in an arc until it reaches your thighs, squeezing your lats at the bottom.
  4. Let it rise back up under control until your arms are at shoulder height again, then repeat.

Cues

  • Arms long, elbows fixed
  • Bar to the thighs
  • Torso angle never changes

Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows and turning it into a triceps pushdown: lighten the stack and keep the arms long.
  • Bobbing the torso up and down to move the weight: lock your hinge and move only the arms.

Swap for: Single-Arm Lat Pulldown, Dumbbell Lat Pullover, Lat Pulldown

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Rows for a thicker back

Rowing toward your body trains the middle back, rhomboids and lats together and builds the thickness you see from the side. Free-weight rows add the most load; supported rows take the lower back out of it.

Middle back and lats, bent-over barbell row

Barbell Row

Upper Back, Lats

The heaviest row most men can do, and it trains your lower back to hold the bent-over position. Keep it strict; heaving it up moves the work off the back.

How to do it

  1. Hold the bar at your thighs, hinge forward until your torso is near 45 degrees, back flat.
  2. Row the bar to your lower ribs with the elbows tucked near your sides.
  3. Lower to straight arms and keep the torso angle.

Cues

  • Brace before every rep
  • Bar to the belly button

Common mistakes

  • Standing taller each rep as it gets heavier: if the hinge goes, the set is over.

Swap for: Pendlay Row, Dumbbell Bent-Over Row, T-Bar Row

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Middle back, landmine row

T-Bar Row

Upper Back, Lats

Rowing a bar fixed at one end gives a set path and a close grip, so you can load it heavy with less balance than a barbell row.

How to do it

  1. Load the free end of a barbell sitting in a landmine and stand over the bar with your feet on either side of it.
  2. Hinge forward, put a close-grip handle under the bar near the plates and grip it with both hands, arms straight.
  3. Row the plates toward your chest, elbows tight to your torso, until they nearly touch.
  4. Lower until your arms are straight while holding your hinge, then repeat.

Cues

  • Chest up, back flat
  • Pull to the chest
  • Small plates for a longer pull

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging the weight up with your legs and back: the elbows do the pulling.
  • Big plates that hit your chest early: use 25-pound plates to get more range.

Swap for: Barbell Row, Meadows Row, Chest-Supported Row

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Middle back, supported machine row

Chest-Supported Row

Upper Back, Lats

Your chest rests on the pad, so the lower back is out of it and you can push your back to failure. The best row on days after deadlifts.

How to do it

  1. Set the seat so the handles are at chest height and rest your chest on the pad.
  2. Pull the handles back until your elbows pass your torso.
  3. Let the handles return until your arms are straight and your shoulders reach forward.

Cues

  • Chest stays on the pad
  • Squeeze, then reach

Common mistakes

  • Lifting your chest off the pad to move more weight: the pad is there so your back can rest.

Swap for: Machine Row, Seated Cable Row, Incline Dumbbell Row

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Middle back and lats, cable row

Seated Cable Row

Upper Back, Lats

The cable keeps tension the whole way and lets you reach forward into a full stretch. A steady second row on any back day.

How to do it

  1. Sit at the cable row with your feet on the platform and knees slightly bent, holding a close-grip handle with your arms straight.
  2. Sit tall with your chest up and let the cable pull your shoulder blades forward a little.
  3. Row the handle to your lower ribs, driving your elbows back past your torso.
  4. Return it under control until your arms are straight and your shoulders reach forward, then repeat.

Cues

  • Sit tall, no rocking
  • Handle to the belly button
  • Shoulders reach at the front

Common mistakes

  • Rocking back and forth to move the stack: your torso should stay close to upright throughout.
  • Shrugging the handle up toward your neck: pull your shoulders down before the elbows bend.

Swap for: Chest-Supported Row, Single-Arm Cable Row, Barbell Row

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Lats and middle back, one arm at a time

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Lats, Upper Back

Each side works alone, so a weaker side cannot hide. It is also the main row for home training with dumbbells and a bench.

How to do it

  1. Put one hand and the same-side knee on a bench, or your hand on a chair seat with both feet on the floor, so your back is flat.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in the other hand with your arm hanging straight.
  3. Pull your elbow back toward your hip until the dumbbell reaches your ribs.
  4. Lower it until your arm is straight again, finish all reps, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Elbow to your hip
  • Back flat as a table
  • Full stretch at the bottom

Common mistakes

  • Twisting your chest open to lift the dumbbell higher: keep both shoulders level.
  • Shrugging the shoulder up toward your ear: pull the elbow back, not the shoulder up.

Swap for: Band Bent-Over Row, Dumbbell Bent-Over Row, Seated Cable Row

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Upper back, bodyweight row

Inverted Row

Upper Back, Lats

Hanging under a bar and pulling your chest up is a row anyone can scale: the more upright you stand, the easier. Good for men still building up to pull-ups.

How to do it

  1. Set a bar at about hip height, lie under it, and grip it with your hands a little wider than your shoulders.
  2. Straighten your body from heels to head, or bend your knees with feet flat for an easier version.
  3. Pull your chest up to the bar, leading with your elbows, and keep your hips in line.
  4. Lower until your arms are straight, then pull again.

Cues

  • Body stays a straight plank
  • Chest touches the bar
  • Bend your knees to make it easier

Common mistakes

  • Letting your hips sag so only your chest rises: squeeze your glutes and move as one piece.
  • Pulling the bar to your neck: aim for the bottom of your chest.

Swap for: TRX Row, Seated Cable Row

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Deadlifts and the lower back

The muscles along your spine hold your back straight under every heavy lift. The deadlift trains them with the most weight; the back extension trains them with far less fatigue.

Whole back chain, heavy pull from the floor

Barbell Deadlift

Glutes, Lower Back

Few lifts load the back as hard. Holding a heavy bar from the floor to lockout trains the spinal muscles, traps and grip together.

How to do it

  1. Stand with the bar over your mid-foot and grip it just outside your legs.
  2. Drop your hips until your shins touch the bar, flatten your back, and pull the slack out.
  3. Push the floor away and stand up tall, then lower the bar the same way.

Cues

  • Bar against the legs
  • Push the floor away

Common mistakes

  • Jerking the bar off the floor: take the slack out first on every set.

Swap for: Trap Bar Deadlift, Romanian Deadlift, Rack Pull

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Lower back and glutes, back extension

Back Extension

Lower Back

Lying face down and lifting your chest works the lower back with bodyweight alone, without the recovery cost of heavy deadlifts. A good second lower back exercise each week.

How to do it

  1. Lie face down with your hands behind your head and elbows out.
  2. Squeeze your glutes and lift your chest off the floor while your legs stay down.
  3. Lower slowly back to the floor.

Cues

  • Lift the chest, not the chin
  • Legs stay heavy

Common mistakes

  • Jerking up fast: lift and lower at the same steady speed.

Swap for: Superman, 45-Degree Back Extension, Band Good Morning

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Upper back, rear shoulders and traps

The top of the back and the rear shoulders make your upper body look thick and square. These are light, high-rep exercises that recover fast.

Rear shoulders and upper back, cable pull to face

Face Pull

Shoulders, Upper Back

Pulling the rope toward your face trains the rear shoulders and the muscles that pull the shoulder blades back. Men who bench a lot need it.

How to do it

  1. Set the pulley at or just above head height and attach a rope. Grab it with your thumbs pointing back toward you.
  2. Step back until your arms are straight and the stack lifts, then stagger your feet or sit on a bench so you can lean back slightly without swaying.
  3. Pull the middle of the rope toward your forehead by driving your elbows out and back, keeping them at shoulder height or higher.
  4. As the rope reaches your face, pull the ends apart and rotate your hands back until your fists sit beside your ears, like a double-biceps pose.
  5. Hold that position for a beat, then let your arms straighten under control until your shoulder blades slide forward again.

Cues

  • Elbows high, hands finish behind them
  • Pull the rope apart, not just back
  • Reach forward at the start of every rep

Common mistakes

  • Loading it like a row and leaning back to move the stack: drop the weight until you can hold the end position for a second without your torso rocking.
  • Letting the elbows drop below your shoulders: the pull turns into a row and your lats and biceps take the work. Raise the pulley or lighten the load.
  • Stopping when the rope touches your face: the outward rotation at the end is what the face pull adds, so finish with your fists beside your ears.

Swap for: Band Face Pull, Reverse Pec Deck

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Upper traps, shrug

Dumbbell Shrug

Traps

The traps run from your neck to your shoulders and give the upper back its height. Shrugs load them directly with heavy dumbbells held at your sides.

How to do it

  1. Stand tall holding a dumbbell at each side, palms facing in, arms straight.
  2. Lift your shoulders straight up toward your ears as high as they go.
  3. Hold the top for one full second.
  4. Lower slowly until your shoulders are fully dropped, then repeat.

Cues

  • Straight up, not rolled
  • One-second hold at the top
  • Arms stay straight

Common mistakes

  • Rolling the shoulders in a circle: it adds nothing for the traps and is hard on the joint. Up and down only.
  • Bending the elbows to lift the dumbbells higher: that is your biceps helping. Lighten the load and keep the arms long.

Swap for: Incline Dumbbell Shrug, Barbell Shrug, Farmer's Walk

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Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.

Session 1

Full gym, two back days a week

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets23 a week
  • Per workout~35 min
  • EquipmentPull-Up Bar, Barbells, Cable Row, Adjustable Cable +3

You lift four or five days a week and want a wider and thicker back, with barbells, cables and machines at hand.

Two back days give 16 hard sets of pulls and rows a week, plus deadlifts, face pulls and shrugs, 23 sets in all. Day 1 pairs pull-ups with barbell rows, and Day 2 puts the deadlift first, when your back is fresh.

Day 1: Pull-up and row
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Pull-Up 4 × 5–10 1 2:30 min
Barbell Row1 warm-up set first 3 × 6–10 2 2:30 min
Seated Cable Row 3 × 10–12 1 90 s
Face Pull 2 × 12–20 1 1 min

Open Day 1: Pull-up and row in the session builder

Day 2: Deadlift and pulldown
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Barbell Deadlift3 warm-up sets first 3 × 3–6 2 3:30 min
Lat Pulldown 3 × 8–12 1 90 s
T-Bar Row 3 × 8–12 1 2 min
Dumbbell Shrug 2 × 10–15 1 75 s

Open Day 2: Deadlift and pulldown in the session builder

How to run it
Space the two days evenly through the week, such as Monday and Thursday. Do not deadlift heavy the day after a leg day with Romanian deadlifts.
How to progress
Add 5 lb to the barbell row and 10 lb to the deadlift when every set reaches the top of the range at the target reps in reserve. On pull-ups, add reps until you reach 10, then hang a weight from a belt.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

At home with a pull-up bar and dumbbells

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets14 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentPull-Up Bar, Dumbbells

You train at home with a doorway or wall-mounted bar, adjustable dumbbells and a bench.

The bar covers the vertical pull and the one-arm row covers the horizontal one, which is a complete back with two pieces of equipment. Two sessions give 14 sets a week; the second runs higher reps so light dumbbells still get you near failure.

Day 1: Strength
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Pull-Up 4 × 4–8 1 2:30 min
One-Arm Dumbbell RowPer arm. 3 × 8–12 1 90 s

Open Day 1: Strength in the session builder

Day 2: Volume
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
One-Arm Dumbbell RowPer arm. 3 × 12–20 1 75 s
Pull-Up 2 × 5–12 2 2 min
Dumbbell Shrug 2 × 12–20 1 1 min

Open Day 2: Volume in the session builder

How to run it
Do the two sessions with at least two days between them, before or after a home push workout.
How to progress
On pull-ups, add a rep per set each week until you reach 10, then add weight in a backpack. On rows, go up a dumbbell size when every set reaches the top of the range at 1 rep in reserve; with your heaviest dumbbell, pause 2 seconds at the top.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Lower back gets sore, rows and pulls with support

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets13 a week
  • Per workout~15 min
  • EquipmentLat Pulldown, Seated Row Machine, Cable Row, Adjustable Cable

Bent-over rows and deadlifts leave your lower back tight, or you already deadlift on your leg day and want back work that does not add to it.

Every exercise here has your chest, hips or knees braced, so your lats and middle back can reach failure without the lower back holding a hinge. Thirteen sets a week over two days still builds width and thickness.

Day A
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Lat Pulldown 3 × 8–12 1 90 s
Chest-Supported Row 3 × 8–12 1 90 s

Open Day A in the session builder

Day B
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Seated Cable Row 3 × 10–15 1 90 s
Straight-Arm Pulldown 2 × 12–15 1 1 min
Face Pull 2 × 15–20 1 1 min

Open Day B in the session builder

How to run it
Use these two days in place of your current back days. Keep a day between them and a day after any heavy deadlift session.
How to progress
Add reps until every set reaches the top of the range at 1 rep in reserve, then move up one pin or plate. Pause the chest-supported row for 1 second at your ribs.
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Make it fit you

Questions

What is the best back exercise for men?

The pull-up for width and the barbell row for thickness. If you only do two back exercises, do those two.

How do I get a V-shaped back?

Build the lats with pull-ups, pulldowns and rows twice a week, and build your side shoulders with lateral raises. Lower body fat shows the shape more clearly.

What exercises tone your back?

Rows and pulldowns build the muscle, and losing body fat lets it show. There is no separate toning exercise; a toned back is a muscular back with less fat over it.

How many back exercises per workout?

Three or four: one vertical pull, one or two rows and one upper back exercise. That gives 9 to 12 hard sets in about 45 minutes.

Should men do deadlifts for back?

They help, especially for the lower back and traps, but they are not required. Supported rows and back extensions build the back too, with less fatigue.