Best Back Workouts To Build Muscle Mass For Men

The Cable Row is an exercise that strengthens your back, shoulders, and biceps. It uses a cable machine for proper positioning and resistance control, helping you build muscle and strength in your upper body.

How to do it

1. Sit on the bench and place your feet on the foot plates.
2. Hold the handle with both hands, keeping your back straight.
3. Pull the handle towards your torso while leaning back slightly.
4. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the end of the movement.
5. Slowly return to the starting position while maintaining tension in your back.

The Dumbbell Row is a great exercise that strengthens your back, shoulders, and biceps while also engaging your core for stability. You can do this exercise using a flat bench and dumbbells, making it accessible even with limited equipment.

How to do it

1. Place a dumbbell on each side of a flat bench.
2. Kneel on the bench with your right knee and place your right hand on the bench's edge.
3. Keep your torso parallel to the ground and grab the dumbbell with your left hand, palm facing your torso.
4. Pull the dumbbell up to your side, engaging your back; exhale as you lift.
5. Pause briefly at the top, then lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.

The Lat Pulldown is a great exercise for strengthening your back, shoulders, and biceps. It's similar to a Pull Up but is more stable, making it easier for beginners to control the movement and adjust the resistance.

How to do it

1. Attach a bar to the pull-down pulley and grip it with your hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing forward.
2. Sit upright on the seat, placing your knees under the adjustable pad.
3. Engage your core and keep your spine straight.
4. Pull the bar down towards your chest by bending your elbows, leaning back slightly.
5. Slowly return the bar to the starting position.

Pull Ups are a challenging exercise that strengthens your back, shoulders, and biceps using just your body weight. Beginners can modify this exercise with assistance or weights for a more manageable workout.

How to do it

1. Grip the pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you.
2. Engage your core by taking a deep breath and tightening your stomach muscles.
3. Pull your chest up towards the bar by bending your elbows and keeping them close to your body.
4. Lower yourself back down to the starting position.

The Bent Over Barbell Row is an effective exercise for strengthening your back, shoulders, and arms. It uses a barbell for stability, helping you focus on building strength, making it a good introduction to more advanced lifting techniques.

How to do it

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a barbell on the ground near your shins.
2. Bend your hips back and slightly bend your knees to reach for the barbell while bracing your core.
3. Grab the barbell with your palms facing you and lift it to knee height by extending your hips.
4. Pull the barbell towards your belly button by bending your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
5. Lower the barbell back to knee height and repeat.

Chin Ups are a bodyweight exercise that mainly works your back and biceps. They are performed on a pull-up bar with an underhand grip, helping you build strength and muscle mass.

How to do it

1. Grab the pull-up bar with your palms facing you.
2. Engage your core by taking a deep breath and tightening your stomach.
3. Pull your chest up towards the bar by bending your elbows.
4. Lower yourself back down to the starting position.

The Hammerstrength High Row is an exercise that strengthens your back muscles. It uses a machine to help stabilize your movement, making it easier to focus on lifting weights properly.

How to do it

1. Sit up straight in the high row machine and press your chest against the pad.
2. Grab the handles with an overhand grip.
3. Pull the handles towards your chest by bending your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
4. Return the handles to the starting position.

The Hammerstrength Iso Row is a back exercise that uses a specialized machine for better support and focus on your movements. This machine provides stability, allowing you to concentrate more on the effort rather than balancing yourself.

How to do it

1. Sit upright in the Hammerstrength Iso Row machine, resting your chest against the pad.
2. Hold the handles with an overhand or neutral grip.
3. Engage your core to maintain a straight spine.
4. Relax your shoulders and pull your elbows back at a 45-degree angle until the handles touch your torso.
5. Slowly return the handles to the starting position.

The Machine Row is a great exercise for working on your back muscles. Using a machine helps you maintain stability and control, making it perfect for beginners to practice the seated row technique.

How to do it

1. Sit upright in the row machine with your chest against the support pad.
2. Grab the handles with an overhand or neutral grip.
3. Tighten your core to keep your back straight.
4. Pull the handles towards your torso by bending your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
5. Slowly return the handles to the starting position.

Shotgun Row is a back exercise that uses a cable machine. It targets each side separately, helping to improve strength balance and add variety to your routine.

How to do it

1. Set the pulley at the lowest position with a handle attachment.
2. Grip the handle with an overhand grip and step back about 2-3 feet, keeping your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
3. Engage your core and hinge at your hips to lean forward slightly.
4. Pull the handle with your right arm, bringing your elbow close to your side.
5. Return the handle to the start position and repeat with your left arm.

The Smith Machine Bent Over Row is an exercise that targets the back muscles using a Smith Machine for added stability. It helps beginners improve their form and strength while performing the row movement.

How to do it

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and bar at knee height.
2. Engage your core and hinge at your hips while bending your knees to reach for the bar.
3. Grab the bar with palms facing you.
4. Lift the bar by bending your elbows to bring it to your belly button level.
5. Lower the bar back to knee height and repeat.

The T-Bar Row is an exercise that strengthens your back while also working your shoulders and biceps. It uses a stable bar for better grip and heavier lifting, helping you maintain proper form and build muscle.

How to do it

1. Set the desired weight on the T-Bar Row machine.
2. Stand with your feet on either side of the bar.
3. Grab the handles with your palms facing down.
4. Pull the weight up while exhaling, keeping your arms close to your body.
5. At the top, inhale and lower the bar back to the starting position.

Gorilla Rows are a great back exercise that also works your shoulders, biceps, and traps. By alternating sides, you let your muscles recover and focus better on each side during the movement.

How to do it

1. Stand behind two kettlebells with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Engage your core and hinge at the hips, bending forward with a straight back until your chest is over the kettlebells.
3. Keep your back straight and look forward.
4. Grab a kettlebell in each hand with your palms facing each other.
5. Pull one kettlebell off the ground using your back and shoulders, keeping the other kettlebell on the floor.
6. Hold for a moment, then lower the kettlebell back down with control.
7. Put the raised kettlebell back on the floor and switch to the other side.

Back extensions strengthen the lower back and improve core stability. This exercise helps build a strong foundation for your back muscles.

How to do it

1. Lie face down on the machine with your thighs on the front pad and your calves under the back pads.
2. Cross your arms in front of you or place them behind your head.
3. Use your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings to lift your torso until it's parallel to the floor.
4. Hold this position for a moment.

The Stiff-Legged Barbell Good Morning exercise targets the hamstrings and lower back. It uses a barbell for added resistance and helps maintain a straight back while hinging at the hips.

How to do it

1. Set the barbell at shoulder height and grip it with hands outside shoulder-width.
2. Squeeze your shoulder blades and engage your core.
3. Stand under the bar, placing it on the back of your neck, then step back with feet shoulder-width apart.
4. Keep your heels down and hinge your hips backward, allowing just a slight bend in your knees.
5. Maintain a straight spine, bend forward until your torso is at a 45-degree angle, then return to standing.