Back Workout: Best Back Exercises and a Simple Plan

A good back workout combines two kinds of pulling: a vertical pull, such as pull-ups or the lat pulldown, and a horizontal pull, such as a dumbbell, barbell or cable row. Add one exercise for the lower back and hips, such as the Romanian deadlift or back extension, and one light exercise for the rear shoulders and upper back, such as the face pull. Do 2–4 sets of 6–15 repetitions on each, train your back twice a week, and add weight or repetitions as soon as the top of your range feels controlled.

That combination covers the lats, the trapezius and rhomboids between the shoulder blades, the rear shoulders and the muscles along the spine. You can build it in a gym, with a pair of dumbbells at home, or with nothing more than a bar and a sturdy table.

Which muscles a back workout trains

"The back" is several muscle groups that pull in different directions, which is why one exercise is not enough.

Latissimus dorsi (lats). The large muscles on the sides of the back. They pull the arms down and back, as in a pull-up or pulldown, and give the upper body its V shape.
Trapezius and rhomboids. The middle and upper back. They pull the shoulder blades together and back, which is the main job in rows.
Rear deltoids. The back of the shoulders. Face pulls and reverse flyes train them directly and help balance a lot of pressing.
Erector spinae. The muscles along the spine that keep it straight while you lift. Romanian deadlifts and back extensions train them, together with the glutes and hamstrings.

A study that compared three rowing exercises shows why the choice matters. The inverted row produced the highest activity in the lats and upper back with the lowest load on the lower spine; the standing bent-over row activated the whole back strongly but put the largest load on the lower back; and the one-arm cable row added a twisting challenge for the trunk (Fenwick, Brown and McGill, 2009). If your lower back gets tired before your upper back, supported rows are a better choice than bent-over ones.

The best back exercises by movement

Pick one exercise from each of the first two rows, then one from the third and fourth. Use the alternative when the equipment is taken or you train at home.

Back exercises by movement pattern
Movement	Gym	Dumbbells or home	Sets × reps
Vertical pull (lats)		or	3 × 6–12
Horizontal pull (mid back)	or	or	3 × 8–12
Supported row (spares the lower back)			2–3 × 10–12
Hip hinge (lower back, glutes)	or	or	2–3 × 8–12
Rear shoulders, upper back	or		2–3 × 12–20
Lats without the arms		Skip, or do one more set of rows	2 × 12–15

Grip matters less than people think. A wide or narrow grip, palms forward or facing each other, all train the lats well; choose the one that feels best on your shoulders and elbows and keep it the same so your numbers stay comparable.

A back workout plan for two days a week

Do the two sessions below on separate days, for example as part of an upper/lower split or the pull days of a push/pull/legs routine. Start with a few minutes of easy cardio and one or two light sets of the first exercise; our guide to warming up before lifting has the details. Rest about 2 minutes between sets of the big pulls and 1 minute on the smaller exercises.

Back day A (gym)3 × 8–103 × 8–102 × 8–102 × 15
Back day B (gym or dumbbells)or3 × 6–103 × 10–12 per side2 × 122 × 12–15

Each session takes 35–45 minutes and gives the back about 10–11 hard sets, or about 20 a week, if you count every pulling exercise. That is more than the roughly 10 sets per muscle group a week that the American College of Sports Medicine describes for muscle growth (ACSM, 2026), which is reasonable because the back is a large area with several muscles. If you are new, start with 2 sets per exercise; a meta-analysis found that more weekly sets bring more growth on average (Schoenfeld, Ogborn and Krieger, 2017), but adding sets gradually is easier to recover from. Our guide to training volume per muscle explains how to adjust. Training at home with no equipment? Our calisthenics guide shows how to work up to your first pull-up.

How to make progress

Use a repetition range, such as 8–12. Keep the same weight until every set reaches the top of the range with clean form, then add the smallest step available and work back up. This is double progression, a simple form of progressive overload. For pull-ups, add repetitions first, then use less assistance, then add weight. If you are unsure where to start, our guide to how much weight to use helps you pick a starting load.

Write down the weight, repetitions and grip for each exercise. Back exercises are easy to cheat by swinging or shortening the movement, so a workout log with honest numbers is the best way to see real progress from week to week.

Common mistakes

Pulling with the arms only. Start each repetition by moving the shoulder blades, then bend the elbows. Think of pulling the elbows toward your hips in pulldowns and toward your back pocket in rows.
Using momentum. Leaning back far in the pulldown or jerking the barbell up turns the exercise into a swing. Pause briefly at the end of each pull and lower in about two seconds.
Rounding the lower back. In bent-over rows and Romanian deadlifts, keep the spine neutral and stop the hinge where your hamstrings feel stretched. If your lower back is the limit, switch to a supported row.
Only doing pulldowns. Vertical pulls alone leave the middle back undertrained. Every back workout needs at least one row.
Short range of motion. Let the arms straighten fully at the bottom of a pulldown or row so the lats get a full stretch.

Common questions

How often should I train my back?

Twice a week works well for most people. It matches the ACSM advice to train every major muscle group at least twice a week and leaves time to recover between sessions.

Can I build my back without a pull-up bar?

Yes. Dumbbell rows, chest-supported rows and Romanian deadlifts train most of the back, and an inverted row under a sturdy table covers the vertical pull reasonably well until you have a bar.

Will back exercises fix my posture or back pain?

A stronger upper back can make it easier to stand and sit comfortably, but posture has many causes. If you have back pain, especially pain that spreads into a leg, see a doctor or physiotherapist before starting heavy rows or deadlifts.

Is it safe?

These are standard exercises, but start light, progress gradually and stop any movement that causes sharp pain. If you have an injury or a health condition, or are pregnant, get advice that fits your situation first.

Back Workout: The Best Back Exercises and a Twice-a-Week Plan