So you want to build a bigger and stronger back? You’ve come to the right place!
Your back is made up of a lot of muscles; some big and some small. All of these muscles play important roles in our daily movement.
Building up your back muscles can make a massive difference in your appearance too. A big back is a sign of strength and masculinity. Plus, I think it's a great way to fill out a t-shirt!
But, what are the best back workouts for men? Let's dive in.
What Are The Benefits of Back Workouts?
Before we get into the best back workouts for men, what are the benefits?
Well, strengthening your back muscles can give you a ton of potential benefits...
Improved Posture
Strengthening your back muscles can help support spinal alignment. This could encourage better posture and is associated with a reduced risk of back pain.
Injury Prevention
A strong back can help support your entire body. This also means protecting you from injuries during everyday activities and workouts.
Increased Core Stability
Back exercises can help contribute to a stronger core. Well, the main function of your core is to stabilize your spine. For this reason, back workouts have always been a staple in my routine!
Better Aesthetics
A well-trained back can improve your overall physique. I'm sure this goes without saying, but it's still worth mentioning. Creating a more balanced and sculpted appearance is something I think we all want.
Let’s take a look into the main muscles we’ll be working here. Then we’ll get into the exercises, and the best back workouts for men!
Back Muscle Anatomy
Your back is made up of several key muscles. Knowing what each of these major muscle groups are can also help you plan your back workouts more effectively.
Latissimus Dorsi (Lats)
These muscles span the middle and lower part of your back, and wrap around to attach on each arm.
They extend and internally rotate your arms, which is very important in any pulling motion. Your lats also help pull your arms down from overhead, and hold things close to you.
So, anytime you pick up something heavy to move it, your lats will be involved.
Rhomboids
These are 2 muscles (rhomboid major and minor) that lie between your shoulder blades and your spine. Their main role is retracting, or pulling back, your shoulder blades.
This is extremely important in most back exercises. It helps to stabilize your shoulders during heavy pulling movements.
Trapezius (Upper, Middle, & Lower Traps)
The trapezius muscles are large, just like your lats. Your upper traps run from your upper neck to your shoulders on the back side. Your middle and lower traps run down on both sides of your spine to your mid back.
Your upper traps help you shrug your shoulders. Your middle and lower traps help you pull your shoulders down, back, and help you rotate your shoulder blades.
These muscles are vital in movements like shoulder shrugs, rows, and more.
Erector Spinae (Posture Muscles)
This is a group of muscles that run along the length of your spine. They work to extend your spine, and help you keep your back straight during exercises.
These muscles are very important for posture. Not just in everyday life, but especially when you’re lifting heavy things.
Anytime you lift anything heavy off the ground, these muscles stabilize your spine. Without them, your back would round forward and put you at risk of injury.
Rotator Cuff Muscles
The rotator cuff has several muscle groups. While these are typically considered to be muscles of the shoulder, they are still involved in a lot of back movements.
Supraspinatus: Abducts the arm.
Infraspinatus: Externally Rotates the arm.
Teres Minor: Externally rotates the arm and stabilizes the shoulder.
Subscapularis: Internally rotates the arm and stabilizes the shoulder.
If you don’t know what these movements are, don’t worry.
Abduction means to pull away from the midline. So for the supraspinatus, it helps to pull your arm away from your body.
If you raise your arm in front of you at a 45 degree angle between a front raise and lateral raise, you’re using this muscle.
For internal rotation (subscapularis) think about an arm wrestle. You’re internally rotating your upper arm toward your midline.
External rotation is the opposite motion. So this would be like reverse arm wrestling.
All of these movements are necessary to perform several back exercises properly. You may not notice you’re doing these things, but you are.
Teres Major
The teres major is located just below your rotator cuff muscles. For the most part, it assists in arm adduction and internal rotation. In any pulling motion, you’ll be using this muscle.
Rear Deltoid
This is the small portion of your deltoid (shoulder) on the back side. It’s not the strongest muscle, but it’s involved in many back exercises.
It helps your lats with shoulder extension, which is pulling your upper arms back behind you. Every pull-up, lat pulldown, and row will involve this muscle.
Understanding your back muscles can help you determine what exercise to throw into your workout. That way you can tailor your workouts more to your goals.
Let’s get into the best back exercises for men!
10 Best Back Exercises for Men
Building up a strong back is more than just doing a couple rows here and there. You need to make sure your back days are filled with exercises that train your entire back!
These are 10 of the best back exercises for men that I personally use in my back workouts at the gym. I'll run you through each of them, the muscles involved, and then give you some full workouts to try!
Deadlift
The deadlift is a fundamental exercise that targets multiple muscle groups. It will mainly focus on the lower back, glutes, hamstrings, and core. As far as back muscles go, deadlifts work your lats, erector spinae, and traps.
For this exercise, you'll need a loaded barbell.
Here’s how to perform a Deadlift:
1. Walk up to a barbell loaded with an appropriate amount of weight for you to lift.
2. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, barbell at your shins.
3. Squat down and grab the bar with an overhand grip shoulder-width apart. Pull up on the bar not enough to lift it, but to pull yourself into a deeper squat with tension on the bar. Pull your shoulders back and make sure to keep your back straight.
4. Lift the bar by pushing your heels into the ground, and extending your hips and knees at the same time. Keep your chest up and the bar close to your body throughout the entire movement.
5. Squeeze your glutes at the top for a second, then slowly lower the bar back to the floor with control.
6. Repeat this for reps.
Bent-Over Row
The bent-over row targets the muscles of the upper and middle back, including the lats, rhomboids, and traps. It also works your erector spinae muscles to keep your back straight and supported. Your rear deltoids will get some work too.
For this exercise, you'll need a loaded barbell once again.
This is how to perform a Bent-Over Row:
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell at your waist. You can either use an overhand grip or an underhand grip depending on your preference.
2. Bend your knees slightly and push your hips back as far as you can. Keep your back straight and your chest up as you lower down until your torso is almost parallel with the floor.
3. Let the barbell hang with your arms fully extended beneath you. Make sure your back remains straight the entire movement.
4. Pull your shoulders back, and pull the barbell towards your lower rib cage. Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together and pulling with your elbows.
5. Keep your elbows close to your body, or at least no further than 45 degrees from your sides.
6. Squeeze your lats for a second at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
7. Repeat this for reps.
Pull-Up
Pull-ups are a bodyweight exercise that primarily targets your lats, rhomboids, rear deltoids, and arms.
They’re harder than they look, but they’re one of my favorites!
All you'll need is your body weight and a pull-up bar (or something you can use as a pull-up bar).
Here's how to do a Pull-Up:
1. Find a pull-up bar that is high enough so your feet don’t touch the ground when you hang from it. Grip the bar with an overhand grip, hands wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended.
3. Start by pulling your shoulder blades down and back. From there, use your lats to pull your body upward towards the bar. Focus on pulling with your elbows until your chin is above the bar.
4. Squeeze your lats for a second at the top, then slowly extend your arms to return back to the starting position.
5. Repeat this for reps.
Cable Low Row
The low row is an excellent exercise for targeting your lats, rhomboids, and trapezius. Your rear deltoids are involved as well.
To perform this exercise, you’ll need a cable machine set up for low rows. It’s pretty common, and you should be able to find it at any gym.
This is how to do a Cable Low Row:
1. Sit on the seated row machine with your feet placed firmly on the footrests. You need to choose a handle to use. Personally I like using the V-grip handle.
2. Grab the handle with both hands, and lean back slightly to lift the weight off the stack. This is the starting position.
3. Start by pulling your shoulders down and back. Then, focusing on pulling with your elbows, pull the handle toward your abdomen.
4. Squeeze your lats for a second, then slowly return back to the starting position.
5. Repeat this for reps.
Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
The single-arm dumbbell row focuses on your lats, rhomboids, and traps. It also works your biceps and rear deltoids.
Plus, sometimes it helps to switch things up and do a single arm exercise. It gives a little more attention to each side of your body that way. This could help promote muscular symmetry.
To perform this exercise, you’ll need a flat bench and dumbbell.
Here’s how you do Single-Arm Dumbbell Rows:
1. Place a dumbbell on the floor to the right of a flat bench.
2. Position your left knee and left hand on the bench for support. Your left hand should be beneath your shoulder, and left knee beneath your hip.
3. Your right foot should be on the floor, but slide it back to get your leg out of the way.
4. With your right hand, pick up the dumbbell from the floor, and let it hang at arm’s length below your shoulder.
5. Start by pulling the dumbbell towards your right hip. Do this, but focus on pulling your elbow behind you to emphasize your right lat muscle.
6. Squeeze your right lat at the top for a second, then slowly lengthen your arm back to the starting position.
7. Repeat this for an equal number of reps with both arms.
Wide Grip Lat-Pulldown
The lat pulldown is a great exercise for targeting the lat muscles, as well as your biceps and shoulders. It’s the same motion as a pull-up, except you’re seated and pulling the bar down instead of your body up.
To do this exercise, you’ll need a lat pulldown machine.
Here’s how to perform a Lat Pulldown correctly:
1. Sit down at the lat pulldown machine and adjust the thigh pads so they rest comfortably on your thighs.
2. Stand up to grab the bar with an overhand grip. Space your hands wider than shoulder-width apart. How wide you go depends on what feels most comfortable for you.
3. Sit back down, bringing the bar with you, and get your legs secured under the pads.
4. Start by pulling your shoulders down and back. Then pull the bar down towards your lower chest, focusing on pulling with your elbows.
5. Squeeze your lats for a second at the bottom. Then slowly return the bar to the starting position, maintaining control throughout the movement.
6. Allow your lats to stretch fully at the top before beginning the next repetition. Repeat this for reps.
T-Bar Row
This is an awesome exercise, and is like a hybrid between bent over rows and low rows. This is great for training your lats and spinal erectors.
It’s also good for your core, and for building back muscle thickness.
Here’s how to perform the T-Bar Row:
1. Load one end of a barbell with weight, and secure the other end in a corner or landmine attachment.
2. Use a V-grip handle under the barbell near the end with the weight.
3. Bend your knees and hinge forward at your hips to get into a partial squat position over the bar. Your back should remain straight, and be close to parallel with the floor.
4. Using the V-grip handle, pull the bar toward your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Focus on pulling your elbows behind you.
5. Squeeze your lats for a second at the top, then slowly lower the bar back down.
6. Repeat this for reps.
Shoulder Shrug
If you want to build massive traps, this is what you need to be doing! The shoulder shrug targets your upper traps, which are very visible when people look at you from the front or back.
You can likely do pretty heavy weights here, but use a weight you can control well as you get started. It’s not about cheating heavy reps ... It's about contracting the muscle by controlling the weight.
For shoulder shrugs, you'll need a loaded barbell.
This is how to do Shoulder Shrugs:
1. Grab a barbell loaded with an appropriate amount of weight using an overhand grip, and stand up with it.
2. Lean forward slightly, pull your shoulders back, and use your traps to pull your shoulders up as high as you can.
3. Squeeze your traps hard at the top, then slowly return back to the starting position.
4. Repeat this for reps.
Straight Arm Pulldown
The straight arm pulldown is as close to an isolation exercise for your lats as you’re going to get. While it mostly targets your lats, it works your triceps a bit as well.
You'll need a cable machine and a rope or bar attachment. I prefer to use the EZ bar attachment.
Here’s how to perform a Straight Arm Pulldown:
1. Set a cable pulley to its highest setting and attach an EZ bar attachment to it.
2. Grab the bar with an overhand grip, bend forward at your hips, and step back to lift the weight off the stack. Your arms should be up in front of you with your lats in a stretched position.
3. Keep a slight bend in your elbows as you pull the bar down to your hips - keeping your arms mostly straight. The slight bend allows you to focus more on your lats than triceps.
4. Squeeze your lats at the bottom for a second, then slowly return back to the starting position. You should feel a stretch in your lats at the top.
5. Repeat this for reps.
Renegade Row
This is a tougher exercise than it may look. It combines a high plank with a single arm dumbbell row. Part of the difficulty comes from the row itself, but it’s also from keeping your body from rotating as you do it.
You can use much heavier weight in a single arm dumbbell row than you can with a renegade row. Trust me, you'll want to start lighter than you think.
For instance, I can do single arm rows with 100 pound dumbbells easily. Doing renegade rows with 50 pounds isn’t very easy for me though. Keep that in mind!
Here’s how to perform a Renegade Row:
1. Start in a push-up position holding dumbbells instead of having your hands on the floor.
2. Your hands and dumbbells should be directly under your shoulders. Split your feet out wider than hip width to help with balancing. This is the starting position.
3. To begin, brace your core to keep your torso from turning as you pull one dumbbell up towards your hip. Focus on pulling your elbow back instead of the dumbbell. This helps you engage your lats more than your biceps.
4. Squeeze your lat muscle for a quick second at the top, then return to the starting position. Repeat this with your left arm.
5. Do this movement for an equal number of reps with each arm.
Alright, now that we’ve got the exercises out of the way, let’s put it all together. Here are some of the best back workouts for men split up into a few different styles.
Best Back Workouts For Men
There are different styles of training out there, and everyone has different preferences. Not everyone has the same level of experience either.
So here are 3 different ways to put these exercises together to make some of the best back workouts for men.
Please notice that some of the exercises listed are your choice for biceps and core. They are accessory exercises that support the back muscles used in these workouts.
For instance, the stronger your biceps are, the more pull-ups you’ll likely be able to do. So, they will help to support you in making progress in that exercise over time.
Let’s get into them!
Beginner Back Workout For Men
For this workout, finish all sets of each exercise before moving onto the next one. This workout is designed for simplicity, and you’ll have plenty of rest and recovery between sets.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Bent-Over Row | 3 | 8-10 |
| Wide Grip Lat Pulldown | 3 | 8-12 |
| Single-Arm Dumbbell Row | 3 | 10 Each Arm |
| Preacher Curl | 3 | 10-12 |
| Shoulder Shrug | 3 | 10 |
| Sit-Ups | 3 | 20 |
Intermediate Back Workout For Men
For this workout, some supersets will be involved. When you see “SS” next to two consecutive exercises, that means you’ll be supersetting them.
A superset means you’ll be going back and forth between the exercises with no rest between. Many times people choose opposing muscle groups to do supersets with, but that’s not always the case.
Here, I'll have you working a lot of the same muscles. However, this can be great for building muscle and muscular endurance!
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Deadlift | 3 | 10 |
| Pull-Ups | 3 | Until Failure |
| SS: T-Bar Row (Superset w/ Straight-Arm Pulldown) |
2 | 8 |
| SS: Straight-Arm Pulldown (Superset w/ T-Bar Row) |
2 | 8 |
| SS: Single-Arm Dumbbell Row (Superset w/ Shoulder Shrug) |
2 | 10 Each Arm |
| SS: Shoulder Shrug (Superset w/ Single-Arm Dumbbell Row) |
2 | 10 |
| EZ Bar Curl | 3 | 10-12 |
| Bicycle Crunches | 3 | 20 Each Side |
Advanced Back Workout For Men
This workout is going to be more about strength, but with a twist. The weights will be heavier, but some of the exercises will have a drop set.
I’ll signify this with a “DS” and it will be on the last set of that exercise.
A drop set is when you finish the reps required with a given weight, then you lower the weight and keep going. You can end up lowering the weight 3-4 times before you cannot do any more.
This can be great for building muscular endurance and growth.
Keep in mind that sometimes this will require a spotter. Just make sure you don't hurt yourself!
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|
DS: Deadlift |
4 | 6 |
|
Pull-Ups |
3 | Until Failure |
|
DS: T-Bar Row |
4 | 8-10 |
|
DS: Shoulder Shrug |
3 | 10 |
|
Close Grip Lat Pulldown |
3 | 10 |
|
DS: Dumbbell Hammer Curl |
3 | 10-12 |
|
Renegade Row |
2 | 10 Each Arm |
|
Hanging Leg Raises |
2 | Until Failure |
These are some of the best back workouts for men you’ll find. With that being said, they are just examples, and are not the only good workouts.
Honestly, there is no “perfect" or "best" workout routine. As long as you’re not neglecting any muscles, and you train hard ... That's what matters most.
If you need a starting point, these are great example workouts! If not, you can also use these workouts for inspiration.
More Tips For Your Back Workouts
Overall, a great back workout is going to be one that focuses on a variety of muscles and builds strength. It needs to be challenging, and it needs to hit all angles.
That’s why some similar exercises might be in the same workout.
For instance, T-Bar rows and single arm dumbbell rows can be in the same workout. They’re both rows, but they target the muscles in a different way.
T-Bar rows are going to involve your erector spinae much more. Single arm dumbbell rows have more support for your back, but isolate each lat muscle better.
So, while they both target your lats, doing both exercises trains your muscles in a different manner. It’s good to have that kind of variety in your workouts.
Coming up with your own workouts can be tough, though. Trust me, I’ve been making my own workouts for close to the last 15 years.
More often than not, I get into a routine and end up doing the same workouts for longer than I should. I even went to school for exercise science and still fall victim to this bad habit.
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You'll even get some more excellent back workouts for men along with full workout programs to help you reach your goals!
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