Ab Wheel Kneeling Rollout
Abs·Ab Wheel·Intermediate·Compound
Best Back Exercises
45 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.
45 exercises
Barbell Deadlift
Back·Barbell·Advanced·Compound
Barbell Good Morning
Hamstrings·Barbell·Intermediate·Compound
Barbell Rack Pull
Back·Power Rack·Intermediate·Compound
Barbell Romanian Deadlift
Hamstrings·Barbell·Advanced·Compound
Barbell Row
Back·Barbell·Intermediate·Compound
Barbell Shrug
Back·Barbell·Beginner
Barbell Sumo Deadlift
Glutes·Barbell·Intermediate·Compound
Bird Dog
Abs·Beginner
Cable Face Pull
Shoulders·Cable Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Cable Lat Pullover
Back·Cable Machine·Intermediate
Cable Pullover
Back·Cable Machine·Beginner
Cable Shrug
Back·Cable Machine·Intermediate
Close-Grip Cable Row
Back·Cable Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Close-Grip Chest-Supported T-Bar Row
Back·T-Bar Row Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Close-Grip Pulldown
Back·Cable Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Dumbbell Back Extension
Back·Dumbbells·Intermediate·Compound
Dumbbell Deadlift
Back·Dumbbells·Beginner·Compound
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
Hamstrings·Dumbbells·Intermediate·Compound
Dumbbell Row
Back·Flat Bench·Advanced·Compound
Dumbbell Shrug
Back·Dumbbells·Beginner
Dumbbell Superman
Back·Dumbbells·Advanced·Compound
High Iso Row
Back·Seated Row Machine·Beginner·Compound
Incline Dumbbell Row
Back·Incline Bench·Advanced·Compound
Iso Row Machine
Back·Seated Row Machine·Beginner·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
Parallel-Bar Pull Up
Back·Pull Up Bar·Advanced·Compound
Pull Up
Back·Pull Up Bar·Intermediate·Compound
Roman Chair Back Extension
Back·Roman Chair·Beginner·Compound
Seated Cable Row
Back·Cable Machine·Beginner·Compound
Single-Arm Dumbbell Rear Delt Row
Shoulders·Flat Bench·Advanced·Compound
Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
Back·Flat Bench·Intermediate·Compound
Single-Arm Seated Cable Row
Back·Cable Machine·Advanced·Compound
Smith Machine Bent-Over Row
Rhomboids·Smith Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Smith Machine Shrug
Back·Smith Machine·Beginner
Straight-Arm Dumbbell Pullover
Back·Flat Bench·Intermediate
Superman Hold
Back·Beginner·Compound
Superman Stretch
Back·Intermediate·Compound
Underhand-Grip Barbell Row
Back·Barbell·Advanced·Compound
Underhand-Grip Pull Up
Back·Pull Up Bar·Advanced·Compound
Wide-Grip Chest-Supported T-Bar Row
Back·T-Bar Row Machine·Intermediate·Compound
Wide-Grip Pull Up
Back·Pull Up Bar·Advanced·Compound
Wide-Grip Seated Cable Row
Back·Cable Machine·Advanced·Compound
