Exercises/Back

The best back exercises, rated

33 back exercises, from the highest rated to the most situational. Each one with how to do it, the rep range and alternatives.

Rating S: Top picks 4

Rating SMachineChest-Supported Machine RowNo lower-back or balance limit, full stretch, easy to overload: the best all-round back exercise.How to do it Rating SMachineIso-Lateral RowThe well-known plate-loaded chest-supported row (e.g.How to do it Rating SCableLat PulldownStable, full lat stretch, easy to load: a consensus top pick.How to do it Rating SCableNeutral-Grip Lat PulldownSame benefits as the wide pulldown.How to do it

Rating A: Great choices 20

Rating AMachineAssisted Pull-UpLets beginners train the pull-up with full range of motion.How to do it Rating ADumbbellChest-Supported Dumbbell RowThe chest-supported principle with just a bench and dumbbells.How to do it Rating AMachineChest-Supported T-Bar RowThe chest support takes the lower back out of it (unlike the regular T-bar row), so you can train heavy and close to failure.How to do it Rating ABodyweightChin-UpSame benefits as the pull-up with more biceps.How to do it Rating ACableCross-Body Lat Pull-AroundLat isolation with a long stretch at the top and an arc that follows the fibre direction.How to do it Rating ADumbbellDumbbell RowStable and good at home.How to do it Rating ACableHalf-Kneeling Single-Arm Cable PulldownBig stretch and good mind-muscle connection, but time-consuming and harder to load heavily.How to do it Rating AMachineIso-Lateral Front Lat PulldownPulldown on a plate-loaded machine with independent arms: stable and easy to load.How to do it Rating AMachineIso-Lateral High RowBetween a pulldown and a row: lats and upper back with stable, heavy loading and independent arms.How to do it Rating AMachineIso-Lateral Low RowRowing from low toward your hip: more lats than upper back.How to do it Rating AMachineMachine Lat PulloverIsolates the lats without biceps or grip limiting, with lots of tension in the stretch.How to do it Rating AMachineMachine PulldownStable pulldown with a fixed path.How to do it Rating ABarbellMeadows RowExcellent stretch, but grip and torso are limiting.How to do it Rating ABodyweightNeutral-Grip Pull-UpSame stimulus as the pull-up.How to do it Rating ABodyweightPull-UpVery effective and loadable, but you need to be able to pull your own bodyweight.How to do it Rating ACableReverse-Grip Lat PulldownSame benefits as the regular pulldown.How to do it Rating ABarbellSeal RowBarbell row without lower-back loading or cheating.How to do it Rating ACableSeated Cable RowSmooth tension and easy to load.How to do it Rating ACableSingle-Arm Cable RowUnilateral cable row with extra range of motion.How to do it Rating AMachineSmith Machine Chest-Supported RowChest supported with a fixed path: stable, easy to load in small steps and no stress on your lower back.How to do it

Rating B: Good choices 9

Rating BBodyweightBand-Assisted Pull-UpA good step toward the pull-up, especially at home.How to do it Rating BBarbellBarbell RowWorks, but the lower back and balance often give out before the back muscles do.How to do it Rating BDumbbellDumbbell PulloverGood stretch for the lats, but tension drops off at the top.How to do it Rating BBodyweightInverted RowGood home/beginner option.How to do it Rating BDumbbellKroc RowAllows heavy dumbbells through momentum, but makes progression unreliable.How to do it Rating BBarbellPendlay RowStrength-focused.How to do it Rating BMachineSmith Machine Bent-Over RowThe fixed path makes it easier than the barbell row, but your lower back still holds you.How to do it Rating BCableStraight-Arm Cable PulldownLat isolation, but little tension in the stretch and small overload potential.How to do it Rating BBarbellT-Bar RowCan go heavy, but balance and plate diameter limit the range of motion.How to do it

Also trains your back

Exercises for other muscles where your back help.

Rating SMachineReverse Pec DeckStable, constant tension and easy to load: the best rear-delt option.How to do it Rating SMachineSingle-Arm Reverse Pec DeckSame machine as the reverse pec deck, but sideways one arm at a time: more range in the stretch.How to do it Rating ABodyweight45° Back ExtensionLoads the glutes and hamstrings in the stretch with little fatigue.How to do it Rating ACableCable Reverse FlyConstant tension through the whole range.How to do it Rating ACableChest-Supported Cable Reverse FlyThe chest support takes your lower back and momentum out of it, the cable gives tension through the whole range.How to do it Rating ADumbbellChest-Supported Dumbbell Reverse FlySupporting the torso makes the dumbbell version strict and suitable for home.How to do it

Plan your training

Knowledge base
What is progressive overload?Four ways to keep making progress, and how fast to go.Read How many sets per muscle per week?The weekly volume that builds muscle.Read One-rep max calculatorYour max from any hard set, and the weight for 2 to 12 reps.Read

How we rate exercises

Mitta rates every exercise from S to C, based on research where it exists and on how the exercise loads the muscle. When Mitta builds your plan it picks from S, A and B exercises and prefers ones that load the muscle at long length. C exercises are never picked automatically, but you can still choose them yourself.

Questions about
back training

What is the best back exercise?

There is no single best one. In Mitta’s library, the highest rated back exercises are the chest-supported machine row, iso-lateral row, lat pulldown and neutral-grip lat pulldown. Pick the one that suits your equipment and feels best.

Can I train my back at home?

Yes. Exercises that need little more than dumbbells or your body weight include the chest-supported dumbbell row, chin-up, dumbbell row and neutral-grip pull-up.

How many back exercises should I do?

One or two per workout is enough for most people. What matters more is the number of hard sets per week. How many sets per muscle per week?

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