A complete back workout covers three movement patterns: a vertical pull (pull-ups or lat pulldowns) for width, a horizontal row for thickness, and a hip hinge (deadlift or Romanian deadlift) for the lower back and posterior chain. Two back sessions a week with 10-20 total sets is enough for most lifters to grow.
The 10 best back exercises
| Exercise | Pattern | Main target |
|---|
| Pull-up / chin-up | Vertical pull | Lats, biceps |
| Lat pulldown | Vertical pull | Lats |
| Barbell row | Horizontal row | Mid back, lats |
| Single-arm dumbbell row | Horizontal row | Lats, mid back |
| Chest-supported row | Horizontal row | Mid back (no lower-back fatigue) |
| Seated cable row | Horizontal row | Mid back |
| Deadlift | Hinge | Whole posterior chain |
| Romanian deadlift | Hinge | Hamstrings, glutes, erectors |
| Face pull | Upper back | Rear delts, rotator cuff |
| Straight-arm pulldown | Isolation | Lats |
Technique guides: pull-ups, lat pulldown, deadlift, Romanian deadlift.
How much volume?
A meta-analysis found a dose-response relationship between weekly sets and muscle growth (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), and training a muscle at least twice per week tends to beat once (Schoenfeld et al., 2016).
| Level | Back sets per week | Sessions |
|---|
| Beginner | 8-12 | 2 |
| Intermediate | 12-18 | 2 |
| Advanced | 16-22 | 2-3 |
Gym back workout A (strength)
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|
| Deadlift | 3 × 5 | 3 min |
| Weighted pull-ups (or pulldown) | 4 × 6-8 | 2-3 min |
| Barbell row | 3 × 8 | 2 min |
| Face pull | 3 × 15 | 60 s |
Gym back workout B (volume)
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|
| Lat pulldown (neutral grip) | 4 × 10-12 | 90 s |
| Chest-supported row | 4 × 10 | 90 s |
| Single-arm dumbbell row | 3 × 12/side | 60 s |
| Straight-arm pulldown | 3 × 15 | 60 s |
Home back workout
| Exercise | Sets × reps |
|---|
| Pull-ups on a door bar (or towel rows under a table) | 4 × max |
| Single-arm backpack or dumbbell row | 4 × 12/side |
| Band face pull | 3 × 20 |
| Superman hold | 3 × 30 s |
| Dumbbell Romanian deadlift | 3 × 12 |
8-week progression
| Weeks | Focus |
|---|
| 1-2 | Learn positions, 2-3 reps in reserve |
| 3-6 | Add a rep or 5 lb (2.5 kg) each week when every set hits the top of the range |
| 7 | Deload: half the sets |
| 8 | Retest: max pull-ups, 5RM row |
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|
| Arms doing all the work | Start each rep by moving the shoulder blades |
| Ego rows with body English | Strict reps, chest-supported variations |
| No hinge pattern | One deadlift variation per week |
| Rounded lower back on rows | Brace or switch to chest-supported |
Add a trap workout and bicep workout to finish your pull days.