Ab Wheel Kneeling Rollout
Back·Ab Wheel·Intermediate·Compound
Muscle group
Best Back Exercises
66 back exercises across 3 difficulty levels. Step-by-step instructions, targeted muscle groups, and the equipment you need, pulled from Sculpt's training catalog.
Overview
About back training
The back is composed of several large muscle groups: the latissimus dorsi (lats), trapezius, rhomboids, teres major, and the erector spinae. The lats are the primary driver of vertical pulling (pull-ups) and contribute to horizontal rowing. The traps and rhomboids handle scapular retraction and elevation. A complete back training program includes both vertical and horizontal pulling patterns with varied grip widths and orientations.
Training tips
How to train effectively
- Pull with your elbows, not your hands. Thinking about driving your elbows back or down improves lat engagement.
- Mix grip orientations. Overhand grip targets the upper back and rear delts, underhand grip shifts emphasis to the lats and biceps, neutral grip balances the load.
- Include a hip hinge movement (deadlift or Romanian deadlift) for the erector spinae and posterior chain.
- Pause at peak contraction for one second on rows. This forces you to use a weight you can actually control.
Common mistakes
What to avoid
- Using momentum to complete rows. Swinging the torso turns a back exercise into a lower-back endurance test.
- Shrugging during pull-ups. Depress your shoulders before initiating the pull to engage the lats instead of the upper traps.
- Skipping unilateral work. Single-arm rows expose and correct left-right imbalances that bilateral movements mask.
66 exercises
Barbell Bent-Over Row
Back·Weight Plates·Intermediate·Compound
Barbell Deadlift
Back·Barbell·Advanced·Compound
Barbell Rack Pull
Back·Intermediate
Barbell Row
Back·Barbell·Intermediate·Compound
Barbell Shrugs
Back·Barbell·Beginner·Compound
Barbell Standing Deadlift
Glutes·Weight Plates·Intermediate·Compound
Barbell Standing Deadlift Rack-Pull
Glutes·Power Rack·Advanced·Compound
Barbell Standing Shrug
Shoulders·Weight Plates·Beginner·Compound
Barbell Standing Upright Row
Shoulders·Weight Plates·Intermediate·Compound
Barbell Underhand Grip Bent Over Row
Back·Advanced
Bodyweight Floor Bird-Dog
Abs·Intermediate·Compound
Bodyweight Floor Plank
Abs·Intermediate·Compound
Bodyweight Floor Plank Alternate-Leg-Raise
Glutes·Intermediate·Compound
Bodyweight Floor Side Plank
Abs·Intermediate·Compound
Bodyweight Floor Superman Isometric-Hold
Glutes·Intermediate·Compound
Bodyweight Floor Superman Stretch
Glutes·Intermediate·Compound
Cable Lat Pullover
Back·Cable Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Cable Rope Lat Pulldown
Back·Cable Machine·Beginner·Compound
Cable Seated Lat Pull Down
Back·Lat Pull Down·Intermediate·Compound
Cable Seated Lat Pull Down Close-Grip
Back·Lat Pull Down·Intermediate·Compound
Cable Seated Lat Pull Down Single-Arm
Back·Lat Pull Down·Intermediate·Compound
Cable Seated Lat Pull Down Underhand-Grip
Back·Lat Pull Down·Intermediate·Compound
Cable Seated Lat Pull Down V-Bar
Back·Cable Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Cable Seated Row
Back·Cable Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Cable Seated Row Close-Grip
Back·Cable Machine·Intermediate
Cable Seated Row Single-Arm
Back·Cable Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Cable Seated Row Wide-Grip
Back·Cable Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Cable Shoulder External Rotation
Back·Cable Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Cable Shrug
Back·Cable Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Cable Standing Face Pull
Back·Cable Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Cable V Bar Lat Pulldown
Back·Cable Machine·Intermediate
Chest Supported Dumbbell Row
Back·Dumbbells·Advanced
Chest Supported T Bar Row Close Grip
Back·Intermediate·Compound
Chest Supported T Bar Row Wide Grip
Back·Intermediate·Compound
Chin Up Pullover
Back·Intermediate·Compound
Close Grip Cable Row
Back·Cable Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Close Grip Lat Pulldown
Back·Cable Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Dumbbell Back Extension
Back·Dumbbells·Intermediate·Compound
Dumbbell Deadlifts
Glutes·Beginner·Compound
Dumbbell Kroc Row
Back·Dumbbells·Advanced·Compound
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
Glutes·Dumbbells·Intermediate·Compound
Dumbbell Row Single Arm
Back·Dumbbells·Intermediate·Compound
Dumbbell Shrugs
Shoulders·Dumbbells·Beginner·Compound
Dumbbell Supermans
Back·Dumbbells·Advanced·Compound
Face Pull
Shoulders·Intermediate·Compound
Lat Pulldown
Back·Lat Pull Down·Intermediate·Compound
Machine Back Extension
Back·Back Machine·Advanced·Compound
Machine Reverse Fly
Shoulders·Reverse Fly Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Parallel Bar Pull Up
Back·Advanced·Compound
Resistance Band Crunch
Abs·Resistance Band·Intermediate·Compound
Resistance Band Kneeling Crunch
Abs·Resistance Band·Intermediate·Compound
Russian Twists
Shoulders·Beginner·Compound
Seated Cable Row
Back·Cable Machine·Beginner·Compound
Seated Cable Row Single Arm
Back·Cable Machine·Advanced·Compound
Seated Wide Grip Cable Row
Back·Cable Machine·Advanced·Compound
Smith Machine Bent Over Row
Back·Smith Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Smith Machine Shrug
Shoulders·Smith Machine·Beginner·Compound
Straight Arm Dumbell Pull-Overs
Back·Flat Bench·Intermediate·Compound
Sumo Deadlift
Back·Beginner·Compound
Superman Hold
Back·Beginner·Compound
Superman Stretch
Back·Intermediate·Compound
Underhand Grip Pull Up
Back·Pull Up Bar·Advanced·Compound
Up Down Plank
Abs·Intermediate·Compound
Weighted Dip
Back·Assisted Pull Up Dip·Advanced·Compound
Wide Grip Pull Up
Back·Pull Up Bar·Advanced·Compound
