10 Best Back Workout Exercises For Building Muscle

When you crack your exercise toolkit open each week on back day, you’ve got a seemingly endless array of movements available. If you’re overwhelmed by the sheer number of row variations, or you draw a total blank when thinking of new exercises to try, consider this list your new back blueprint.

We took the science into account–and more. Head-to-head exercise comparison research is a bit limited, and often misleading. So rather than going strictly off of electromyography (EMG) to pick the best muscle-building exercises, we selected the following ones on a number of factors including:

Ease of learning and performing
Total muscle stimulation and intensity
Popularity among diehard lifters and bodybuilders (This matters!)
Availability of equipment in commercial gyms

Here are the best back exercises for muscle growth, plus three complete back workouts incorporating the movements that you can plug into your split right away.

10 Best Back Exercises

Deadlift

Deadlift variations for back growth:

When back development is the goal, stick to one of these variations. Others, like sumo deadlifts, have been shown in EMG studies—and in the trenches—to focus more on other muscle groups than the back. The same goes for single-leg deadlifts and stiff-legged deadlifts.

In your workout: If you’re going heavy (sets of fewer than about 6 reps), do deadlifts first so you’re fresh. If you’re doing deads for repetitions, you can do them later in your workout. They may not be as sexy, but moderate-weight deadlifts are just as valuable as grinding max-effort PRs.

Bent-Over Row

Pull-up variations for back growth:

Don’t discount those last three! Especially for heavier lifters, assisted variations are great back-builders. Do what you need to do to get into a muscle-building rep range.

In your workout: If you’re a pull-up pro, you can do some light sets as a warm-up. If they’re tougher for you, you can treat them more as a strength movement toward the start of your workout. Assisted variations make for great burnouts at the end of a back workout.

T-Bar Row

Seated Row

Seated row variations for back growth:

In your workout: Like machines, cables can be loaded up pretty heavily without overly taxing you. These are best done toward the end of your workout, so don’t be afraid to go slightly higher-rep here, like 10-12 or even 12-15 reps.

Single-Arm Smith Machine Row

Single-Arm Dumbbell Row

Single-arm dumbbell row variations for back growth:

In your workout: This is a “meat and potatoes” back exercise. Do it in the middle or end of your workout for sets of 8-12 or higher.

Dumbbell Pull-Over

Why it’s on the list: Pull-overs for back? Absolutely! This single-joint move allows you to really target and torch your lats, particularly if you’re strategic about what variation you choose.

In particular, performing this movement on a decline puts your lats under tension for a longer range of motion than when using a flat bench.

Pull-over variations for back growth:

In your workout: In almost all cases, single-joint movements should be done last in your body-part routine. Keep the reps on the higher end for a nice finishing pump, around 12-15 per set.

Chest-Supported Row

Why it’s on the list: Unlike T-bar rows or bent-over rows, this increasingly popular movement doesn’t torch the lower back—and that’s its appeal. It allows you to go as heavy as you want on a row variation, without risk of that “oops, I tweaked something” moment.

The bench also enforces strict technique, making it a favorite accessory movement for heavy lifters and anyone looking to improve their posture and build overall back muscle.

Chest-supported row variations for back growth:

In your workout: This isn’t an exercise meant to go heavy or early in a back workout, except perhaps as a warm-up for other rows. Think 8 reps at minimum, and more likely 12-15.

Best Back Workouts

Hard and Heavy Back Workout

This is a classic “clangin’ and bangin”’ back day focused on heavy compound movements, but finishing with high-rep pull-overs. It’s the perfect main course before switching to a quick pump-focused biceps workout for dessert.

Hard and Heavy Back Day

Row-to-Grow Back Workout

If you want width, you must row. This workout is great on its own, but is also an ideal approach if you like to do two back days a week, one focused more on horizontal pulls, the other on vertical pulls. That’s the approach taken in the popular program 30-Day Back with Abel Albonetti.

Row-to-Grow Back Day

Machine Pump Back Workout

Who says you need free weights to train your back? This high-rep, short-rest workout will allow you to move serious poundage for high reps without posing a serious challenge to your lower back or core. If you like training back on machines, try YouTube star Calum Von Moger’s full program Building Von Moger: 6-Week Mass Program on BodyFit.

Machine Pump Back Day

Best Back-Building Programs

What Are the Best Back Programs for Mass?

What Are the Best Back Programs for Mass?

The best back-building programs hit the sweet spot of volume, heaviness, and frequency, giving your back everything it needs to grow, but nothing more. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to train biceps afterward!

If you want to follow a similar blueprint to build the rest of your body, check out the companion pieces in this series:

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