Back workout: 7 exercises, a sample session and a weekly plan

• Frequency: two sessions a week is enough, with at least a rest day between.
• Core set: one vertical pull (pulldown, pull-up) and one horizontal pull (row), plus face pulls or back extensions.
• Load: 6-12 reps on the big pulls, 12-15 on smaller moves, 2 minutes rest between heavy sets.
• Balance: for every pressing exercise (bench press, overhead press) do at least as much pulling. It protects the shoulders and helps posture.

Which muscles does a back workout train?

The biggest back muscle is the latissimus dorsi, which pulls your arm down and back, so it works in pull-ups and pulldowns. The trapezius, rhomboids and rear deltoids hold and squeeze the shoulder blades together and are trained by rows and face pulls. The erector spinae keep the trunk upright.

Back exercises also train the biceps, so they count towards your arm work. A strong back helps in the deadlift, in the squat and in everyday posture, especially if you sit a lot.

Back exercises: 7 moves, step by step

Three or four exercises per back session is enough. The key rule is to let the shoulder blade move: the lats work best when you do not just pull with your arms.

1. Lat pulldown

Suggested: 3 × 8-12 reps, 2 minutes rest

• A medium-wide grip, a slight lean back, chest up.
• Set the shoulder blades down and back first, then pull the elbows towards your ribs.
• Pull the bar to collarbone height and let it up slowly.
• Easier: less weight, or a banded pulldown.
• Harder: more weight, a slow return, or a narrower grip.

2. Pull-up

Suggested: 3 × 4-8 reps

• Grip slightly wider than the shoulders, start from a full hang but with active shoulder blades.
• Pull your chest towards the bar with the elbows down and back.
• Lower slowly, do not drop.
• Easier: band assistance, or negative reps (slow lowering only).
• Harder: more reps, a pause at the top, or added weight on a belt.

3. One-arm dumbbell row

Suggested: 3 × 8-12 reps per side

• One hand and knee on a bench, back flat and level.
• Pull the dumbbell towards your hip, not your shoulder, keeping the elbow close to the body.
• Pause briefly at the top and lower slowly.
• Easier: a lighter dumbbell and a shorter range.
• Harder: a heavier dumbbell and a slower tempo.

4. Bent-over barbell row

Suggested: 3 × 6-10 reps

• Trunk about 45 degrees forward, back flat, knees soft.
• Pull the bar to your lower stomach and drive the elbows back.
• The trunk does not swing and the bar returns under control.
• Easier: a chest-supported row (lying on a bench) or lighter weight.
• Harder: more weight, or paused rows (1 second at the top).

5. Seated cable row

Suggested: 3 × 10-12 reps

• Trunk upright, a slight forward lean at the start, chest up.
• Pull the handle towards your stomach so the shoulder blades come together.
• Return slowly without letting the trunk swing.
• Easier: less weight, or a banded row.
• Harder: more weight, with a pause at the end of the pull.

6. Face pull

Suggested: 3 × 12-15 reps

• Cable or band at face height with a rope handle.
• Pull the hands towards your face with elbows high and shoulder blades squeezed.
• Hold for a moment and return slowly.
• Easier: a lighter band.
• Harder: more weight, a slow return and a pause.

7. Back extension

Suggested: 2-3 × 10-15 reps

• Hips over the pad, feet locked in, arms across the chest.
• Rise with a straight body and do not over-arch the lower back at the top.
• Lower slowly.
• Easier: a smaller range, no weight.
• Harder: a plate on your chest, with a slow lowering.

Sample back session (45-55 minutes)

Warm up for 5-8 minutes first: easy rowing machine or cycling, shoulder circles, a few banded pulldowns or face pulls.

Use double progression: once you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add 2.5 kg next time and restart from the bottom of the range. For pull-ups, progress with reps first, then added weight.

How often should you do a back workout?

Two sessions a week is a good start and works long term. In pooled research, training a muscle twice a week beat once a week, but when weekly volume was equal the difference disappeared (Schoenfeld and colleagues, 2016), so total weekly hard sets is what decides.

For muscle growth roughly 10-20 hard sets per muscle a week is the research-supported range (Schoenfeld and colleagues, 2017); beginners do well on 6-10. The ACSM 2009 position stand advises raising the load in steps of about 2-10% once you complete your target reps cleanly. Your protein target comes from the protein calculator.

Common back training mistakes

• Pulling with just the arms: think about driving the elbows towards your hips and moving the shoulder blades. If only the biceps tire, lighten the load.
• Swinging: the trunk should not rock in rows and pulldowns. A controlled rep trains the back.
• Shrugging towards the ears: keep the shoulders down and the neck relaxed.
• Rounding the lower back in rows: keep the spine neutral. If it rounds, lower the weight.
• All pushing, little pulling: pair bench and overhead presses with at least as much pulling.

Back exercises for desk work and slouching

If you sit a lot, the chest tends to roll forward and the shoulders inward. Back training will not fix that on its own, but it helps: horizontal pulls (rows), face pulls and back extensions strengthen the muscles that hold the shoulder blades. Alongside two sessions a week, stand up every hour and move your shoulders. If you have lower back pain, do not take on heavy weights without a medical check.

How to get your first pull-up

Many people cannot do a pull-up at first, which is perfectly normal. A sensible order: pulldowns with rising weight, band-assisted pull-ups (with progressively lighter bands), negative reps (jump up and lower yourself over 3-5 seconds), then your first strict rep. With two sessions a week and three to five sets, most people see clear progress within weeks, but the pace is very individual.

Back training needs enough protein: for people who train, the ISSN suggests 1.4-2.0 g per kg of body weight a day. Our high-protein foods chart and weekly meal plan make it easier, and protein powder can fill gaps if food alone is hard.

What to eat with it

The back is a big muscle group, so back day burns plenty and building muscle needs enough energy and protein. The table is a good starting point for maintenance or a small surplus (about 12%), and in both cases keep protein around 1.8-2.0 g per kg of body weight.

Daily targets for a 30-year-old training 3-5 times a week (Mifflin-St Jeor, as in The Fit Chef app)

Example	Goal	kcal	Protein (g)	Carbs (g)	Fat (g)
Man, 80 kg, 180 cm	Maintenance	2,760	144	353	86
Man, 80 kg, 180 cm	Muscle gain	3,090	160	397	96
Woman, 65 kg, 168 cm	Maintenance	2,150	117	270	67
Woman, 65 kg, 168 cm	Muscle gain	2,410	130	304	75

Your own numbers come from the calorie calculator and the protein calculator. For people who train, the ISSN suggests 1.4-2.0 g of protein per kg of body weight a day; the high-protein foods chart and the weekly meal plan make it easy to actually hit it.

Recipes for before and after training

Per serving, calculated from the recipe data

Recipe	When	kcal	Protein (g)	Carbs (g)	Fat (g)	Time
Baked Blueberry Protein Oats	before	454	41	53	10	30 min
Mango Lime Overnight Oats	before	404	25	60	8	5 min
Chicken & Broccoli Stir-Fry	after	504	44	60	10	20 min
Tuna Sweet Potato Cakes	after	490	50	43	12	30 min

Breakfast · 30 minBaked Blueberry Protein Oats454 kcal41 g proteinBreakfast · 5 minMango Lime Overnight Oats404 kcal25 g proteinDinner · 20 minChicken & Broccoli Stir-Fry504 kcal44 g proteinDinner · 30 minTuna Sweet Potato Cakes490 kcal50 g protein

The pre-workout recipes are carb-rich, and after training you get over 40 g of protein. Pull-ups and rows do not like a heavy stomach, so eat the big meal 2-3 hours before and a smaller one an hour before. More on timing and more recipes on the pre and post-workout meals page; creatine and protein powder have their own guides.