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Exercises

Upper back exercises at home: band, dumbbell and bodyweight

Published October 19, 2026

The best upper back exercises at home are the band pull-apart and band face pull, the one-arm dumbbell row and rear delt row if you own a dumbbell, and the suspension-trainer row and plank IYTW with bodyweight. Your upper back's job is to pull your shoulder blades together and your arms back, so each of these does exactly that. One row plus one pull-apart or face pull, two to three times a week, is enough to start.

  1. Band Pull-Apart Shoulders, Upper Back
  2. Band Face Pull Shoulders, Upper Back
  3. One-Arm Dumbbell Row Lats, Upper Back
  4. TRX Row Upper Back, Lats
  5. Band Bent-Over Row Lats, Upper Back
  6. Dumbbell Rear Delt Row Shoulders
  7. Plank IYTW Abs, Upper Back

Upper back exercises with a resistance band

A band is the best value in home equipment for the upper back. Pull-aparts, face pulls, flies and rows cover the rear delts, the middle traps and the muscles between your shoulder blades. Light bands go a long way here.

Rear delts and mid traps, pull-apart

Band Pull-Apart

Shoulders, Upper Back

Stretching a light band across your chest is the simplest upper back exercise you can do at home. It takes 30 seconds a set, needs no anchor, and you can do it between other tasks during the day.

How to do it

  1. Hold a light band in front of your chest with straight arms and hands about shoulder-width apart.
  2. Spread your hands wide, pulling the band toward your breastbone.
  3. Hold for a second with your shoulder blades squeezed.
  4. Let your hands come back together slowly.

Cues

  • Arms long
  • Band touches your chest
  • Control the return

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging your shoulders up as you pull: keep them low and pull them back.
  • Using a band too heavy to reach your chest: a lighter band through the full range does more.

Swap for: Band Rear Delt Fly, Band Face Pull, TRX Face Pull

Build a session with Band Pull-Apart

Rear delts, mid traps and rotator cuff, band face pull

Band Face Pull

Shoulders, Upper Back

With the band anchored at head height in a door, you pull toward your face and spread your hands, which works the rear delts and mid traps and turns your arms out at the end. It is the home stand-in for the cable face pull.

How to do it

  1. Shut the anchor in a door at head height and hold the band ends.
  2. Back up until the band is tight with your arms reaching forward.
  3. Pull your hands toward your ears, elbows high and wide, ending with your knuckles pointing up.
  4. Straighten your arms slowly against the band.

Cues

  • Hands to your ears
  • Elbows above your hands
  • Two seconds back

Common mistakes

  • Pulling low toward your chest: the elbows must stay up at shoulder level.
  • Leaning back to move the band: stand still and use a lighter band.

Swap for: TRX Face Pull, Band Pull-Apart, Dumbbell Rear Delt Row

Build a session with Band Face Pull

Rear delts, bent-over band fly

Band Rear Delt Fly

Shoulders

Standing on a band and flying your arms out while bent over trains the back of your shoulders. The band pulls hardest at the top, which is where the rear delts need it.

How to do it

  1. Stand on the middle of a band, cross the ends, and hold one in each hand.
  2. Hinge forward until your chest faces the floor, arms hanging with a small elbow bend.
  3. Raise your arms out wide until your hands reach shoulder height.
  4. Lower slowly with control.

Cues

  • Hinge and hold
  • Lift wide
  • Slow down

Common mistakes

  • Rowing instead of flying by bending the elbows more: keep the bend fixed.
  • Standing up as you tire: the hinge keeps the rear delts in line with the band.

Swap for: Band Pull-Apart, Dumbbell Rear Delt Row, TRX Rear Delt Row

Build a session with Band Rear Delt Fly

Mid back and lats, band row

Band Bent-Over Row

Lats, Upper Back

Standing on a band and rowing it trains the muscles between your shoulder blades and the lats with nothing but a loop of rubber. Aim the pull at your lower ribs for the upper back.

How to do it

  1. Stand on a band with your feet hip-width apart and hold the ends.
  2. Hinge forward with a flat back.
  3. Row your elbows back to your lower ribs and pinch your shoulder blades.
  4. Lower slowly until your arms are straight.

Cues

  • Row to your ribs
  • Squeeze, then lower
  • Flat back

Common mistakes

  • Letting the band snap back: resist it on the way down.
  • Choosing a band so light you could do 50 reps: shorten it under your feet.

Swap for: One-Arm Dumbbell Row, Kettlebell Row, TRX Row

Build a session with Band Bent-Over Row

Mid traps and rhomboids, shoulder blade squeeze

Band Scapular Retraction

Upper Back

This small movement isolates the one thing the upper back muscles do: pull your shoulder blades together. Your arms stay straight, so only the shoulder blades move. It is a good warm-up before rows and a way to learn what the upper back should feel like.

How to do it

  1. Anchor a band at chest height or hold it around a sturdy post and grip both ends with straight arms.
  2. Step back until the band is taut.
  3. Without bending your elbows, pull your shoulder blades back and together.
  4. Let them spread forward again slowly.

Cues

  • Arms stay straight
  • Move only the shoulder blades
  • Small and slow

Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows into a row: keep the arms straight so the shoulder blades move on their own.
  • Shrugging up instead of back: think about tucking the shoulder blades into your back pockets.

Swap for: Band Pull-Apart, Band Bent-Over Row, TRX Row

Build a session with Band Scapular Retraction

Upper back exercises with a dumbbell or kettlebell

One dumbbell or kettlebell lets you row much heavier than a band allows. Use one row and the wide rear delt row, then add the rotation for the cuff.

Lats and mid back, one-arm dumbbell row

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Lats, Upper Back

If you have a dumbbell, the braced one-arm row lets you load the upper back heavier than any band exercise. Pull toward your lower chest with the elbow a little away from your side to bias the mid back.

How to do it

  1. Rest one hand on a chair seat or bench and step back so your torso leans forward.
  2. Let the dumbbell hang from your other hand.
  3. Row the elbow back and slightly out, finishing with your shoulder blade pulled in.
  4. Lower to a long arm.

Cues

  • Blade back at the top
  • Long arm at the bottom
  • Hips stay square

Common mistakes

  • Twisting to lift more: keep your shoulders level.
  • Leaving the shoulder blade still: let it reach forward at the bottom and pull back at the top.

Swap for: Kettlebell Row, Band Bent-Over Row, TRX Row

Build a session with One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Rear delts and upper back, wide dumbbell row

Dumbbell Rear Delt Row

Shoulders

Rowing one dumbbell with your elbow out at shoulder height puts the rear delts and upper back in charge. It is the heaviest rear delt exercise you can do at home.

How to do it

  1. Brace one hand and knee on a bench or one hand on a chair.
  2. Hang the dumbbell with your palm facing your feet.
  3. Pull your elbow out to the side until your upper arm is level with your back.
  4. Lower to a straight arm.

Cues

  • Elbow wide
  • Level with your back
  • Slow lowering

Common mistakes

  • Tucking the elbow in: that is a lat row.
  • Twisting your chest open: stop when your arm is level.

Swap for: Band Rear Delt Fly, TRX Rear Delt Row, Kettlebell Row

Build a session with Dumbbell Rear Delt Row

Mid back and lats, kettlebell row

Kettlebell Row

Lats, Upper Back

One kettlebell rows just like a dumbbell. If a kettlebell is the only weight in your house, this is your heaviest upper back exercise.

How to do it

  1. Hold a kettlebell in each hand and hinge forward, back flat.
  2. Let the bells hang below your shoulders.
  3. Row one handle toward your lower ribs, then lower it until your arm is straight.
  4. Row the other side and keep alternating. With only one bell, do all your reps on one side, then switch.

Cues

  • Handle to the ribs
  • Flat back
  • Long at the bottom

Common mistakes

  • Letting the bell drift forward: keep it under your shoulder.
  • Twisting: keep your hips square.

Swap for: One-Arm Dumbbell Row, Band Bent-Over Row, TRX Row

Build a session with Kettlebell Row

Rotator cuff, side-lying rotation

Dumbbell Lying External Rotation

Shoulders

The muscles that turn your upper arm outward sit on your shoulder blade and work in every row and face pull. Training them directly with a light dumbbell on the floor takes two minutes.

How to do it

  1. Lie on your side with your top elbow bent 90 degrees and resting on your hip.
  2. Hold a light dumbbell, forearm resting over your stomach.
  3. Turn the forearm upward as far as it goes, elbow fixed on your hip.
  4. Lower slowly.

Cues

  • Elbow on the hip
  • Slow turn
  • Light weight

Common mistakes

  • Rolling backward to get more range: stay stacked.
  • Using a heavy dumbbell: the cuff works with 2 to 8 pounds for most people.

Swap for: Band Face Pull, Dumbbell Rear Delt Row, Band Pull-Apart

Build a session with Dumbbell Lying External Rotation

Upper back exercises with bodyweight

With a suspension trainer over a door, you can row and face pull your bodyweight. The plank IYTW needs nothing but floor space.

Mid back and lats, suspension-trainer row

TRX Row

Upper Back, Lats

A suspension trainer over a door lets you row your bodyweight. Walking your feet closer to the anchor makes it harder, so the same straps work from your first session onward.

How to do it

  1. Anchor the straps over a door and hold the handles.
  2. Lean back with straight arms and your body rigid like a board, feet planted.
  3. Pull your chest to the handles with your elbows at about 45 degrees.
  4. Lower slowly until your arms are straight.

Cues

  • Body in one line
  • Chest to the handles
  • Feet forward for harder

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hips drop: squeeze your glutes.
  • Pulling only halfway: finish with your chest at the handles.

Swap for: Band Bent-Over Row, One-Arm Dumbbell Row, Kettlebell Row

Build a session with TRX Row

Rear delts and mid traps, suspension-trainer face pull

TRX Face Pull

Shoulders, Upper Back

Leaning back on the straps and pulling the handles toward your face trains the rear delts and mid traps with your bodyweight. It is harder than it looks, so start fairly upright.

How to do it

  1. Hold the handles with your palms facing down and lean back with straight arms.
  2. Hold your body rigid like a plank.
  3. Pull the handles toward your forehead, spreading your elbows wide.
  4. Lower slowly to straight arms.

Cues

  • Elbows high and wide
  • Body stays straight
  • Start upright

Common mistakes

  • Leaning back so far you cannot finish the reps: step closer to stand more upright.
  • Dropping the elbows to your sides: keep them level with your shoulders.

Swap for: Band Face Pull, TRX Row, Band Pull-Apart

Build a session with TRX Face Pull

Mid and lower traps, plank with arm raises

Plank IYTW

Abs, Upper Back

In a plank, you raise one arm at a time into the I, Y, T and W shapes. It trains the muscles that move your shoulder blades with no equipment at all, and your core works the whole time.

How to do it

  1. Get into a plank on your hands or forearms with your feet a little wider than your hips.
  2. Reach one arm forward overhead (I), then out at a diagonal (Y), then straight to the side (T).
  3. Finish by pulling the elbow back with the arm bent into a W shape.
  4. Return the hand to the floor and repeat on the other side.

Cues

  • Hips stay level
  • Thumb up on the raises
  • Slow shapes

Common mistakes

  • Rotating your hips as you lift: widen your feet.
  • Rushing through the shapes: hold each one for a moment.

Swap for: Band Pull-Apart, Band Scapular Retraction, TRX Face Pull

Build a session with Plank IYTW

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. Open one in the session builder to change a pick, price it from a recent set, and add it to RIRLift.

Session 1

One resistance band, 15 minutes

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets27 a week
  • Per workout~15 min
  • EquipmentResistance Bands

You own one band, work at a desk, and want short upper back sessions you will actually do.

With a band, the load is light, so you train often and take sets close to failure. Each session pairs a row with a pull-apart or face pull and finishes with the shoulder blade squeeze. Rows and pull-aparts end at 1 RIR, the squeeze at 2 because it is a learning drill. That is 9 sets, about 15 minutes.

Upper Back
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Band Bent-Over Row 3 × 12–25 1 1 min
A1 Band Face Pull 2 × 15–25 1 45 s
A2 Band Pull-Apart 2 × 15–25 1 45 s
Band Scapular RetractionArms straight. 2 × 12–15 2 45 s
How to run it
Do the session three times a week, on any days. Anchor the band in a door for the face pull.
How to progress
Add reps up to 25. Then step further from the anchor or shorten the band to make it harder, or move to the next band.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Dumbbells and a chair

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets20 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Kettlebells

You have a few dumbbells and a chair or bench at home.

Dumbbells allow heavier rows than a band, so this plan uses the one-arm row and the rear delt row as main exercises and finishes with the cuff rotation. Rows end at 1 RIR; the cuff work at 2 to keep it strict. Each session is 10 sets.

Upper Back A
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
One-Arm Dumbbell RowPer arm. Elbow slightly out. 4 × 8–15 1 90 s
Dumbbell Rear Delt RowPer arm. 3 × 10–15 1 1 min
Dumbbell Lying External RotationPer arm. 3 × 12–15 2 45 s

Open Upper Back A in the session builder

Upper Back B
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Kettlebell RowOr a dumbbell. Per arm. 4 × 8–15 1 90 s
Dumbbell Rear Delt RowPer arm. 3 × 12–20 0 1 min
Plank IYTWReps per side. 3 × 4–8 2 1 min

Open Upper Back B in the session builder

How to run it
Do Upper Back A and Upper Back B once each per week, at least two days apart.
How to progress
Add a dumbbell step when every set hits the top of its range at the target RIR. If you have no heavier dumbbells, pause each rep at the top for two seconds.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Suspension trainer and a band

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets20 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentSuspension Trainer, Resistance Bands

You have a suspension trainer you can hang over a door and a band, but no weights.

The suspension row and face pull let you train with bodyweight and adjust difficulty by stepping your feet. The band fly and pull-apart add rear delt volume. Sets end at 1 RIR, the last set of each at 0. Session is 10 sets.

Upper Back
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
TRX RowWalk feet in to make it harder. 4 × 8–15 1 90 s
TRX Face Pull 3 × 10–15 1 1 min
Band Rear Delt Fly 3 × 15–25 0 45 s
How to run it
Do the session twice a week with at least two days between.
How to progress
Walk your feet closer to the anchor each week until every set is hard within the rep range, then add reps. On the band, step to a heavier one when 25 reps feels easy.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What are good upper back workouts at home?

One row (band, dumbbell or suspension trainer), one face pull or pull-apart, and one rear delt or shoulder blade exercise, for 9 to 10 sets total. Each plan on this page follows that pattern with the gear you have.

How do I fix rounded shoulders at home?

Strengthening the upper back helps you hold your shoulders back, so train rows, face pulls and pull-aparts two to three times a week. Posture also depends on habits, so moving often during the day matters too.

How do I know if my upper back is weak?

A common sign is that you can push far more than you can pull, for example many push-ups but few rows. Another is that face pulls and pull-aparts with a light band feel hard after 10 reps. Track your rows and pull-aparts with reps in reserve to see where you stand.

Can I train my upper back without equipment?

The plank IYTW works with no gear, but it is light. A resistance band costs little and opens up rows, face pulls and pull-aparts, which do much more.

How often should I do upper back exercises?

Two to three times a week. The upper back recovers quickly, so frequent short sessions work well.

Which upper back exercise should I start with?

The band pull-apart. It needs only a light band, teaches you to pull your shoulder blades back without shrugging, and is easy to do for high reps. Add a row once pull-aparts feel easy for 20 reps.