23 Best Back Exercises to Build Strength

The back is one of the most important and hardworking parts of our bodies. Between supporting our posture and protecting vital bone structures like the spinal cord, our backs bear a lot of the burden when it comes to daily activities. Still, it's often neglected until pain or discomfort arises, which is why it's so important to incorporate back exercises into your fitness regimen.

The best back exercises target major muscle groups, including the lats, traps, rhomboids, and erector spinae. Practicing back exercises is essential for strengthening these muscles, improving mobility, and preventing injuries. 

To build a strong, impressive back, you need to put your body through a variety of movements, rep ranges, and strategic high-intensity workouts, says Joel Seedman, Ph.D., exercise physiologist, athletic performance specialist, and owner of Advanced Human Performance. Doing so can build wider proportions, increase muscle mass, and build greater functional strength that enables you to lift more.

Back exercises—and a few key stretches—can improve your ability to perform daily tasks that mimc the pulling movement pattern, such as opening doors or moving furniture around. Plus, they can reduce the risk of chronic back pain by increasing flexibility and relieving tightness caused by prolonged sitting or repetitive movements. 

What Are the Back Muscles? 

Among the back muscles are the latissimus dorsi [1]; the obliques and other muscles along the lateral line [2], as well as your glutes [3], which are involved in posture and stride.

Back exercises and stretches hitting tissues that get tight, such as the iliac crest [4] and lower back [5] should not be neglected. Remember, the torso is a 360-degree machine, meaning your core is just as important, especially as you age.

Upper back muscles include the trapezius, which helps move the shoulders and neck, along with the rhomboids which retract the shoulder blades. The rear deltoids are located at the back of the shoulders and assist in shoulder extension and upper body rotation. 

Best Back Exercises

1. Seated Cable Row

Why it works: With scapular rotation and a full range of motion, seated cable rows enhance shoulder stability and overall pulling strength, making them a great exercise for building a strong back.

How to do it: Attach a straight bar to a cable pulley, grasping at about shoulder width apart. Place your feet against the foot plates of the machine and pull the bar back to place tension on the cable. Start with your torso bent slightly forward for a lat stretch, then pull the bar towards your sternum.

2. Pullups

Why it works: Pullups engage multiple muscle groups at the same time, from your lats and traps to biceps. This tough exercise promotes upper back flexibility, improving overall mobility and posture.

How to do it: From an extended position with your feet hanging, yourself up until your chin is over the bar. Lower yourself back down with control.

3. Lat Pulldown

Why it works: The latissimus dorsi is the broadest back muscle, and lat pulldowns target them perfectly. It ultimately mimics the pullup motion with adjustable resistance.

How to do it: Sit at a lat-pulldown station and grasp the bar slightly wider than shoulder width. Lean back slightly and pull the bar down to your collarbone. Keep your feet flat on the floor and think about bracing your core as you pull.

4. Face Pulls

Why it works: Targeting the rear delts, traps, and rhomboids, face pulls help improve posture.

How to do it: Attach a rope handle to the pulley of a cable station. Grab one end in each hand with palms facing you and pull the rope to your face with elbows flared out. Pull until your upper back is fully contracted, giving a squeeze at the back.

5. Prisoner Back Extensions

Why it works: Prisoner back extensions are ideal for building endurance in the lower back and preventing injuries during daily activities or heavier lifts.

How to do it: Set up in a glute ham developer or back extension machine with your hands placed behind your head. From the hanging position, squeeze your glutes and push your hips against the pad to pull your body up, parallel with the ground. Think about engaging the exercise with your glutes rather than your lower back.

6. Incline Dumbbell Row

Why it works: The incline dumbbell row isolates the upper back, targeting the lats, rhomboids, and traps while reducing lower back strain. Utilizing the incline bench enhances muscle activation and promotes better posture.

How to do it: Set a bench on an incline, somewhere around 30—45 degrees. Lie face down on the bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your arms extended. Pull the dumbbells towards your torso, squeezing your shoulder blades at the top. Lower slowly and repeat, focusing on engaging your upper back.

7. Upright Row

Why it works: Upright rows target the traps, deltoids, and upper back, helping to build definition in the shoulders and upper traps. It’s an excellent movement for improving posture and shoulder stability.

How to do it: Hold the bar with hands slightly farther outside shoulder width apart. While keeping your shoulder blades back and chest proud, pull the bar up, lifting your elbows to the ceiling. Your elbows should be bent 90 degrees in the top position and your upper arms should be horizontal. Return to the start position.

8. Alternating Dumbbell Row

Why it works: By alternating arms in this row variation, you reduce the chance of muscle imbalances and allow for a greater range of motion on each side, building unilateral strength. The standing position requires you to engage your core to stabilize your torso. 

How to do it: Hinge at the hips as you would if performing an RDL. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, extend your arms so they're hanging below your chest. Row one dumbbell back towards your torso. Lower it and repeat on the other side, continuing to alternate. 

9. Bent-over Reverse Flye

Why it works: Don't neglect the flyes! This is a great exercise for balancing out the chest and front shoulder muscles, which can often dominate in pressing movements.

How to do it: Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Hinge at the hips, keeping your back flat and chest lifted, with a slight bend in your knees. With your arms extended below your chest and palms facing each other, raise the dumbbells out to the sides until your arms are parallel to the floor. Squeeze your shoulder blades at the top, then lower slowly and repeat.

10. Landmine One Arm Row

Why it works: The landmine setup allows for a natural arc in the movement, promoting a deeper stretch of the back muscles. By using one arm at a time, it also helps address unilateral strength and correct any imbalances. 

How to do it: Place the end of the bar into a corner. Facing away from the corner, hold the barbell with one hand at the opposite end, just above where you load the weights. Stand so your opposite leg is forward. Keeping your lower back flat, push your hips back until your torso is slightly above parallel with the floor. Row the bar back towards your ribs and return to the start position with control.

Squat and Hip Hinge Variations for Back Strength

11. Chest-loaded Good Morning

Why it works: This cues the body to engage the core and maintain a neutral spine while hip hinging, which is useful for weightlifting but also for picking stuff up off the floor. Adding a weight means it hits all the major core musculature, like the pelvic floor muscles, transversus, rectus abdominis, and internal and nexternal obliques, plus the hamstrings, glutes, and lats. Do a couple of these unweighted to wake up your hips, then add the kettlebell.

How to do it: Start standing with feet hip-width apart, holding a kettlebell against your sternum. Maintaining a tall, neutral spine, shoulders back, and soft knees, hinge at the hips, keeping shoulders above hips. Reverse the movement by activating hamstrings and thrusting hips forward, fully extending the hips and squeezing your glutes to end the rep. Do 8 to 12 reps.

12. Suitcase Deadlift

Why it works: Suitcase deadlifts are a single-leg dominant deadlift variation that improves stability and posture while addressing muscular imbalances by focusing on each side of the body.

How to do it: Position yourself with your feet about hip-width apart and a kettlebell outside of your foot. With a straight back, hinge at the hips and lower yourself towards the kettlebell. Deadlift the kettlebell off the floor and squeeze your glutes at the top, staying mindful to not arch your lower back. Return the kettlebell to the start position by pushing the hips back and keeping your back straight.

13. Kettlebell RDL

Why it works: Kettlebell RDLs are ideal for building posterior chain strength in the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. The hip hinge movement pattern improves hi- mobility and core stability.

How to do it: Set up in a wide stance with toes slightly pointed outwards and the kettlebell directly under you. Keep your back straight and core braced, then hinge yourself back to grab the the kettle bel with a tight grip. Keep your abs and back tight and smoothly lift the weight off the floor by ‘leg pressing’ the floor away from you. Squeeze your butt at the top of the movement, not leaning back or arching .Return to the floor under control and be mindful of back rounding.

14. Goblet Squat

Why it works: This squat variation allows for a deeper squat, promoting proper movement mechanics like a neutral spine.

How to do it: Start with your feet about hip to shoulder-width apart with your toes pointed slightly out. Hold the weight at chest height with a straight back. Push your hips behind you while bending your knees at the same time. Go as low as your range of motion will allow you to with a straight back. Return to the top.

15. Goblet Bulgarian Split Squat

Why it works: This unilateral exercise is great for building lower-body strength and improving stability. Holding the weight in a goblet position places emphasis on the core, forcing you to maintain good posture.

How to do it: Begin with your rear foot elevated on a bench or in a staggered standing position with a dumbbell or kettlebell at chest-height. Lower yourself by bending the front knee, keeping the majority of your weight on the heel and middle of your front foot. The back leg should be keeping you stable. Stop before your back knee touches the ground and then reverse the movement by standing up. 

Best Stretches for Back Pain

16. Scorpion Reach

Why it works: Having tight hip flexors, lats, or hamstrings can increase the amount of tension in the tissues surrounding the lower back. This move opens up the hips, giving you a full-body stretch.

How to do it: Start in a high plank. Maintaining a slight bend in left leg, bring right knee to left elbow. Lift and bend right leg, press through shoulders, tuck chin, rotate torso counterclockwise, and swing right leg behind you. Reverse the motion and return to plank for one rep. Do all reps on right, then switch sides.

17. Mountain Climber Reach

Why it works: It helps mobility in the thoracic spine and hips to help you move better and access full range of motion.

How to do it: Start in a high plank. Step right foot to outside right hand. Touch right fingertips to ear and reach right elbow to the ceiling, twisting your torso and opening your chest until it’s perpendicular to floor. Reverse the movement. That’s 1 rep. Alternate sides as you go.

18. Needle Arm Thread

Why it works: You’ll open up the thoracic spine with this deep rotation, stretching out the lats and releasing tension in the low back.

How to do it: Start on hands and knees, knees wider than shoulder-width apart and hands in front of shoulders. Draw right elbow up straight up towards ceiling as you inhale, then reach right arm under left elbow, stacking shoulders. Exhale and twist deeper into the stretch. Return to hands and knees. That’s 1 rep. Alternate sides, doing 5 reps on each side.

19. Crab Reach

Why it works: This active stretch is great for mobilizing the thoracic spine while lengthening the hip flexors and abdominal muscles, all while engaging the posterior chain.

How to do it: Sit on floor, legs bent, hands on floor, wrists facing heels (pictured left). Lift hips off ground to start, then press up into tabletop, while rotating torso until right shoulder is stacked on left. Squeeze glutes to keep hips from rotating (pictured right). Reverse the movement for 1 rep. Alternate sides with each rep.

20. Lying Straight Leg Iron Cross

Why it works: It targets the hip flexors, lower back, and glutes, promoting flexibility and mobility in these often-weakened or tight muscles. The rotational movement benefits spinal mobility, helping ease lower back pain.

How to do it: Lying flat on your back with both legs extended, lift one leg towards you and making sure to keep the knee straight. From here, bring the leg in the air across your body and down towards the ground.. Keep the knee straight and bring your leg back across your body, straight up.

21. Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

Why it works: The half-kneeling hip flexor stretch isolates and elongates our hip flexors which often become tight from sitting for long periods. It's one of the keys to unlocking a tight lower back while helping pelvic alignment.

How to do it: Get into a tall, upright position by starting with one knee down and the other leg bent with a flat foot on the floor. Squeeze the butt cheek on the kneeling side and push your hip toward the wall in front of you. Keep your back straight and prevent any lower back arching.

22. Plank with Reach

Why it works: Adding a reaching motion while holding the already-challenging plank position challenges stability and balance, forcing the core to work harder to maintain proper alignment.

How to do it: Begin in a plank position with your forearms directly under your shoulders. Brace your entire body to form a straight line, like a surfboard. Reach one arm out in front of you and fully extend, then bring back under control. Repeat on the other side. Think about squeezing your glutes and core to prevent any side-to-side swaying as you reach.

23. Paloff Press

Why it works: Prepare for your core to be stronger than ever with this move. The paloff press resists rotational forces and promotes stability in stabilizer muscles, like the obliques.

How to do it: Start with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Grab a cable or band while positioned at a 90 degree angle. Brace your core and bring the cable to your chest. Keeping your core tight, reach the cable away from your body until your arms are fully extended. Pause for 1-2 seconds and return back under control. At no point should the weight be pulling you off balance.

Common Back Exercise Mistakes 

Neglecting Posture and Core

There's a tendency to slouch or round the backs during movements like deadlifts and rows, which places unnecessary stress on the spine and can lead to muscle strain or injury. Think about maintaining a neutral spine and engaging your core throughout back exercises to avoid any strain.

The core plays a critical role in stabilizing the spine, especially when performing back exercises. When we neglect to engage the core, our lower back muscles will bear more of the load, leading to fatigue and possible injury. Check yourself before starting any back exercise by making a conscious effort to tighten your core. 

"On all rows, pullups, and pulldowns keep your chest out, shoulders pulled down and back, head tall, stomach in, and core tight," Seedman explains.

Relying on Momentum 

Beyond setup and form, relying on momentum instead of intentional movement is another common back exercise mistake. Swinging weights or jerking your body during rows and lat pulldowns may seem like it helps you lift more, but it only reduces the effectiveness of the exercise and can cause injury. Focus on controlled movements, making sure the targeted muscles are doing all the work. 

"On each repetition, perform a smooth yet powerful concentric lifting phase," Seedman starts. "Pause in the contracted position for 2 seconds while squeezing the muscle, lower the load slowly, then pause in the contracted position for another 2 seconds before repeating the sequence for the desired rep range," he advises.

Not Engaging the Mind-to-Muscle Connection

If you're having trouble with the mind-to-muscle connection, Seedman suggests closing your eyes, lightening the load, and thinking of your arms as hooks from which the back muscles are attached to to help pull the load through.

"Learning how to squeeze and engage the middle and upper back muscles is critical when it comes to maximizing stimulation and growth to the back and lats," Seedman adds.

Stretch More

How often are you stretching? Tight muscles in the hips, hamstrings, and shoulders can limit your range of motion, affecting your posture and the way you move during back exercises. Incorporate mobility and back stretches weekly to improve your flexibility and ease stiff muscles.

Benefits of Training Your Back

A strong back is essential for overall posture and stability, supporting the spine and preventing slouching. Strengthening your back muscles can reduce the risk of developing poor posture and the discomfort that comes with it—particularly in the neck and lower back. This can also help reduce the strain on other muscles groups, leading to less pain and more efficient movement in our daily lives.

Training your back also benefits athletic performance and can help prevent injuries. From lifting weights to running and playing sports, a well-developed back provides a solid foundation for many movements. It supports your core, stabilizes your pelvis, and enables better force transfer throughout the body. Most importantly, training your back can help protect the spine from injury, especially during heavy lifts or physically demanding tasks. 

How To Build Your Back

Building a strong back comes down to targeted exercises, consistency, and progressive overload. Incorporate compound movements into your back workouts, like deadlifts, rows, and pull-ups. Be sure to include both vertical pulling movements, like pull-ups or lat pulldowns, and horizontal rows, like bent-over rows or cable rows. 

Progressive overload is another key piece to this back-building puzzle, which means gradually increasing weight, reps, or exercise intensity over time. This can be done by adding more weight to your lifts or increasing the number of reps each session. You can also consider adjusting the tempo of your movements to make them more challenging as you gain strength.

Proper recovery and consistency are key to progress. Allow adequate rest between sessions to repair and strengthen the muscles. And don't forget to implement accessory exercises that target the rear delts and lower back, as these smaller muscles are just as important in building your back.