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The Complete Guide to Back Training

Want to build a strong, well-defined back? Here's everything you need to know to get those lats wide and that thickness popping. If reading isn't your style, check out the video linked below for a visual walkthrough!

Key Back Exercises & Movement Patterns

For a well-rounded back workout, you’ll want to include two primary types of movements:

  1. Horizontal Pulls
  2. Vertical Pulls

These two categories will ensure you're hitting all the muscles in your back from different angles, promoting both width and thickness.

1. Horizontal Pulls

Horizontal pulling movements primarily target your mid-back, helping to build thickness and density. Here are some solid exercises to include:

  • Barbell Row
  • Dumbbell Row
  • Chest-Supported Row
  • Seal Row
  • T-Bar Row
  • Seated Cable Row
  • Meadows Row

Pretty much any exercise with "row" in the name is fair game here.

2. Vertical Pulls

Vertical pulling focuses on the lats, giving you that wide, V-shaped look. Here are the go-to moves:

  • Lat Pulldown
  • Pull-Ups/Chin-Ups (and their variations)
  • Straight Arm Pulldown
  • Single-Arm Pulldown

These exercises help you build width, making your back look broader.

What About Deadlifts?

If your goal is strictly bodybuilding and muscle aesthetics, deadlifts might not be the best use of your energy. While they’re great for overall strength and learning proper lifting mechanics (especially for beginners), they can cause a ton of fatigue without delivering the same hypertrophy benefits as more targeted back exercises.

That said, learning proper deadlift form can carry over to movements like the Romanian deadlift, hip thrusts, and good mornings. But once you've nailed the technique, you can shift focus to more specific back-building exercises.

Do You Need to Train Traps?

Training traps isn’t mandatory, but it can be a nice finishing touch if you're looking to develop that full upper-back look.

  • Prioritize your horizontal and vertical pulls first.
  • If you want to hit your traps, do it at the end of your workout with exercises like shrugs.

Tip: 3 sets of shrugs, twice a week, is enough to stimulate trap growth without overloading your recovery.

How Often Should You Train Back?

Aim for 2 back workouts per week for optimal growth and recovery. If your back is lagging or you’re an advanced lifter, you can bump that up to 3 sessions per week.

Recommended Sets Per Week

For balanced back development, aim for 12 to 24 sets per week. Going beyond this range can lead to excessive fatigue, especially if you're not recovering properly.

Choosing the Right Rep Ranges

To structure your back workouts efficiently, split your exercises into:

  1. Main Exercise
  2. Secondary Exercise

This approach ensures you're hitting all areas of the back while taking advantage of different rep ranges.

Main Exercise (8-12 reps)

Your main exercise is the first back movement in your workout when you have the most energy. This could be either a horizontal or vertical pull, depending on your focus.

  • Example: Barbell Row or Weighted Pull-Ups – 4 sets of 8-12 reps

Secondary Exercise (12-15 reps)

Your secondary exercise complements the main lift, targeting the back from a different angle. If you started with a horizontal pull, follow up with a vertical one, and vice versa.

  • Example: Seated Cable Row or Lat Pulldown – 4 sets of 12-15 reps

Structuring Your Weekly Back Workouts

For balanced development, alternate between prioritizing horizontal and vertical pulls across your workouts.

Example Setup:

  • Workout 1:

    • Main: Barbell Row (Horizontal)
    • Secondary: Pull-Ups (Vertical)

  • Workout 2:

    • Main: Lat Pulldown (Vertical)
    • Secondary: Dumbbell Row (Horizontal)

This way, you give equal attention to both types of pulling movements, ensuring your back develops evenly in both thickness and width.

Form Tips: Maximize Gains with Proper Technique

A big part of back development is not just lifting heavy but lifting correctly. Here's how to get the most out of every rep:

  1. Embrace the Stretch:
    Whether you're doing rows or pulldowns, let your back muscles stretch fully at the top of the movement. This creates tension and stimulates growth.

  2. Control the Negative:
    Don’t let gravity do the work. Control the weight as you lower it (the eccentric phase). This builds strength and muscle definition.

  3. Keep Your Chest Up & Shoulders Back:
    For rowing movements, keep your chest high and squeeze your shoulder blades together. This keeps the tension on your back muscles rather than letting your arms take over.

Dealing with Equipment Limitations

Sometimes, gym machines don’t allow for a full range of motion. If you're not getting a full stretch at the top of your pulldowns:

  • Hack the Machine: Remove the seat or kneel on the ground to increase your range of motion. This small tweak can make a huge difference in how effectively you target your lats.

Progressive Overload: The Secret to Growth

Stretching and squeezing are important, but progressive overload is the key to continuous growth. Increase your weights gradually over time, but don’t let your ego get in the way—if you can’t control the weight or maintain proper form, it’s too heavy.

Remember, lifting with a full range of motion and proper form will always beat sloppy, heavy reps.

Sample Back Workout

Here's what a well-rounded back workout could look like:

  1. Main Exercise: Barbell Row – 4 sets of 8-12 reps
  2. Secondary Exercise: Lat Pulldown – 4 sets of 12-15 reps
  3. Bonus (Optional): Dumbbell Shrugs – 3 sets of 15-20 reps

Final Thoughts

Building a strong, muscular back doesn’t have to be complicated. Focus on mixing horizontal and vertical pulls, prioritize form and controlled movement, and don’t forget to progressively overload over time.

Apply these principles in your next workout, and you'll be well on your way to developing a thick, wide back. Ready to start? Dive into these tips or check out one of my customized training plans to take your gains to the next level! 💪