Back Exercises

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Back Exercises

Learn How to do all of our Lat, Upper Back, and Lower Back Exercises to add to your next Back Workout

Welcome to our Back Exercises main page! 

Here we’ve linked to all of our back toning and back strengthening exercises that target your lat muscles (latissimus dorsi), lower back, and upper back muscles. Each of our weight training exercises comes complete with pictures, exercise instructions, and tips so you can immediately add to your next Back Workout and other Weight Training Programs. 


Leave this page and skip directly to our list of the Five Best Weight Training Exercises for the Back

Why your Workout Routines should Include Back Exercises

Your upper back muscles and lats form one of the largest areas of the upper body and are therefore essential in Muscle Building Workouts as well as Fat Loss Workouts.  Because these areas are so significant, back strengthening exercises will help you improve your maxes on most other upper body lifts.  

Lower back exercises are also important as the lower back acts as a stabilizer in many of the most important weight training exercises and plays a crucial role in sports and athletic lifts. 

We’ve divided up our page and the site to give you a few options.

Continue reading to view each back exercise sorted by equipment required or view each exercise by primary muscle trained.

View the following pages:

  • Lat Exercises 
  • Lower Back Exercises
  • Upper Back Exercises   

Each Back Weight Training Exercise by Equipment Required

Below we’ve linked to dozens of weight training exercises that target your back muscles. The massive list is sorted by equipment required resulting in the following sections:

  • Barbell Exercises
  • Body Weight Exercises
  • Cable Exercises
  • Dumbbell Exercises

Scroll down to view each section or skip directly to the equipment you’d prefer to use. 

Barbell Back Exercises

Exercise
Name
Primary
Muscle(s)
Addl Equip.
Required
Barbell Deadlifts Calves, Glutes, Lats, Quads, Traps, Upper & Lower Back Barbell
Barbell Pullover Lats, Chest Shoulders, Triceps Barbell, Bench
Barbell T-Bar Row Upper Back, Lats, Biceps Barbell
Bent Over Row Upper Back, Lats, Biceps, Shoulders Barbell
Goodmorning Lower Back, Hamstrings, Glutes Barbell
Romanian Deadlift Hamstrings, Calves, Forearms, Glutes, Lower Back, Upper Back Barbell
One Arm Side Deadlifts Hamstrings, Abs, Calves, Glutes, Lower Back, Quads, Traps Barbell
Power Clean Hamstrings, Calves, Forearms, Glutes, Lower Back, Quadriceps, Shoulders, Traps Barbell
Reverse Grip Bent Over Row Upper Back, Lats, Biceps, Shoulders Barbell
Stiff Leg Deadlift Hamstrings, Calves, Glutes, Lower Back, Upper Back Barbell
Sumo Deadlift Hamstrings, Forearms, Glutes, Hip Adductors, Lower Back, Quadriceps, Traps, Upper Back Barbell

Check out all our Barbell Exercises divided by muscle group trained!

Body Weight Back Exercises

Exercise
Name
Primary
Muscle(s)
Addl Equip.
Required
Back Extensions Lower Back, Hamstrings, Glutes Apparatus
Body Row Upper Back, Lats, Biceps Barbell or Smith Machine
Chin Ups Lats, Upper Back, Biceps, Shoulders Pull Up Bar
Climber Pull Ups Lats, Upper Back, Biceps, Shoulders Pull Up Bar
Gironda Sternum Chin Ups Lats, Upper Back, Biceps, Shoulders Pull Up Bar
Narrow Parallel Grip Chin Ups Lats, Upper Back, Biceps, Shoulders Pull Up Bar
Pull Ups Lats, Upper Back, Biceps, Shoulders Pull Up Bar

Check out all our Body Weight Exercises divided by muscle group trained!

Cable Back Exercises

Exercise
Name
Primary
Muscle(s)
Addl Equip.
Required
Cable Back Extensions Lower Back, Hamstrings, Glutes Cable
Close Grip Front Lat Pull Down Lats, Upper Back, Biceps, Shoulders Cable
Lat Pull Down Lats, Upper Back, Biceps, Shoulders Cable
Rear Lateral Raise Upper Back, Shoulders Cable
Reverse Grip Lat Pull Down Lats, Upper Back, Biceps, Shoulders Cable
Seated Cable Reverse Fly Upper Back, Shoulders Cable, Bench
Seated Cable Row Upper Back, Lats, Biceps, Shoulders Cable
Straight Arm Pull Down Lats, Chest, Shoulders, Triceps Cable
V-Bar Lat Pull Down Lats, Upper Back, Biceps, Shoulders Cable, V-Bar

Check out all our Cable Exercises divided by muscle group trained!

Dumbbell Back Exercises

Exercise
Name
Primary
Muscle(s)
Addl Equip.
Required
Dumbbell Deadlift Hamstrings, Calves, Forearms, Glutes, Lats, Lower Back, Quadriceps, Traps, Upper Back Dumbbells
Dumbbell Pullover Chest, Lats, Shoulders, Triceps Dumbbell, Bench
Dumbbell Rows Upper Back, Lats, Biceps, Trapezius, Deltoids Dumbbell
Power Cleans Hamstrings, Calves, Forearms, Glutes, Lower Back, Quadriceps, Shoulders, Traps Dumbbells
Pushups Row Upper Back, Chest, Core, Shoulders, Triceps Dumbbells
Reverse Flys (One Arm) Upper Back, Shoulders Dumbbell, Bench
Reverse Fly Upper Back, Shoulders Dumbbells, Bench
Romanian Deadlifts Hamstrings, Calves, Forearms, Glutes, Lower Back, Upper Back Dumbbells
Single-Arm Bent Over Row Upper Back, Lats, Biceps, Deltoids, Trapezius Dumbbell

Check out all our Dumbbell Exercises divided by muscle group trained!

Weight Machine Back Exercises

Exercise
Name
Primary
Muscle(s)
Addl Equip.
Required
Smith Machine Bent Over Row Upper Back, Lats, Biceps, Trapezius, Deltoids Smith Machine
Smith Machine Goodmorning Lower Back, Hamstrings, Glutes Smith Machine
Smith Machine Romanian Deadlifts Hamstrings, Calves, Forearms, Glutes, Lower Back, Upper Back Smith Machine

Weight Training Exercises by Primary Back Muscles Trained

Want to focus on lower back strengthening exercises or emphasizing your lat or upper back muscles? Check out each of our back toning and back strengthening exercises for these muscle groups listed below.

  • Lat Exercises
  • Exercises for the Lower Back
  • Exercises for the Upper Back

Final Related Pages:

  • Best Weight Training Exercises for the Back
  • Weight Training Exercises Main Page
  • Muscle Building Workouts and Strength Training Exercises
  • Fat Loss Workouts and Fat Burning Exercises

You’ve seen the Weight Training Exercises.  Now check out the Workout Routines. Start at our Home Page.

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