When you look at the biggest guys in Hollywood like Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Cena, and Dwayne Johnson you probably imagine they were born with giant arms, massive legs, a ripped six-pack, and colossal backs. While genetics plays a role, the truth is—everybody starts somewhere.
As a beginner, it might be tempting to stick to arm-only workouts to build out your upper body. Let's face it, who doesn't want huge biceps? But if you want your waist to appear smaller (hello, V-taper), your posture to improve, and your T-shirts to fit just a little snugger (in a good way) a consistent back workout that hits everything from your lats and upper and lower traps to your lower back is a must.
So, whether you want to build a massive back like The Rock did for Jumanji, ditch your love handles, or just hone a more powerful, well-defined upper body, these 10 back exercises for beginners—curated by Mike Krajewski, C.S.C.S., owner of MK Fitness in Nashville, TN—will forge fundamental strength, basic lifting skills, and fast muscle development.
Back Exercises for Beginners
1. Pullups and Chinups
Pullups
James Michelfelder
How to Do It
- Start with your hands on a pullup bar with an overhand grip for pullups (shown) or an underhand grip for chinups.
- From a dead hang position, pull your body up to the bar until your chin clears the top, ensuring you don't use momentum to swing your body.
- Lower yourself under control back to the starting position.
- That's 1 rep.
- Complete 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps, resting 45 to 75 seconds between sets.
2. Trap-Bar Deadlifts
Trap-Bar Deadlifts
Beth Bischoff
How to Do It
- To start, find a trap bar or hex bar in the gym.
- Stand in the hexagonal opening, then bend your knees to grasp the handles on either side.
- While pressing your heels into the floor, maintain a tall chest, brace your abdominals, and stand up with the bar.
- Lower under control, maintaining your form throughout.
- That's 1 rep.
- Perform 3 to 4 sets with 6 to 10 reps, resting 60 to 75 between sets.
3. One-Arm Dumbbell Row
One-Arm Dumbbell Row
James Michelfelder
How to Do It
- Hold a dumbbell in your left hand.
- Place your right knee and right hand on a flat bench, keeping your arm straight for support, making sure your upper body runs parallel to the floor.
- Holding a dumbbell in your left hand, pull the dumbbell straight up toward the side of your chest, then lower it slowly and with control.
- That's 1 rep.
- Complete 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps on each side, resting 45 to 75 seconds between sets.
4. TRX/Suspension Trainer Row
TRX/Suspension Trainer Row
Per Bernal
How to Do It
- To start, shorten the straps of a suspension trainer (like TRX) as short as they can go.
- Stand facing the anchor point.
- Grab the handles with a neutral grip, and start to walk your feet out.
- Keep your arms straight, palms facing the floor, and your torso tight.
- Row or pull your body toward the anchor point, maintaining tight tension in the straps, squeezing all the muscles of your back toward your spine.
- That's 1 rep.
- Perform 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps, resting 30 to 60 seconds in between each set.
Related: 50 Best Back Exercises of All Time
5. Cable Rear Delt Flyes
Cable Rear Delt Flyes
Beth Bischoff
How to Do It
- To start, face a cable machine and adjust the pulley to slightly higher than shoulder height.
- Grab the left pulley with your right hand, and the right pulley with your left hand, then pull a bit so both arms are on their respective sides.
- With strong, locked arms, pull the cables out and back until you finish the movement with the cables completely to the sides of your body.
- Pause, then return to the starting position, making a point to engage as many muscles in your back as possible.
- That's 1 rep.
- Complete 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps, resting 45 to 75 seconds between sets.
6. Straight-Arm Cable Pulldowns
Straight-Arm Cable Pulldowns
James Michelfelder
How to Do It
- To start, set up a cable machine to the top setting with a straight bar.
- Grab the bar with an overhand grip, and take two steps away from the machine.
- Bend your torso slightly forward and lock out your arms.
- Pull the bar straight down until it touches your thighs, then slowly bring it back to the starting position.
- That's 1 rep.
- Perform 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps, resting 45 to 75 seconds in between sets.
Pro Tip
Engage your abs to stabilize yourself but resist the urge to turn this exercise into a crunch.
7. Back Extension
Back Extension
Beth Bischoff
How to Do It
- Set up the bench so your thighs are flat against the pads, but not so high that it hinders you from bending freely at the hips, to start.
- Flare your feet out a bit, tuck your chin throughout the entire movement, and round your shoulders forward as you bend over as far down as you can go.
- Contract your glutes as you come up until your spine is in a nice neutral position.
- That's 1 rep.
- Complete 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 20 reps, resting 45 to 75 seconds between sets.
8. Wide-Grip Lat Pulldowns
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldowns
James Michelfelder
How to Do It
- Sit down on a cable pulldown machine and attach the wide-grip bar, to start.
- Using an overhand grip, place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- Lean your torso back at a slight angle and maintain a tall chest as you pull the bar to the top of your pecs.
- Focus on squeezing your back muscles together as you approach the bottom of the movement.
- That's 1 rep.
- Perform 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, resting 45 to 75 seconds in between each set.
Pro Tip
Resist the urge to lean backward and use your glutes to complete this movement. If that's the only way you can lower the bar, then switch to a lighter weight.
Related: 30 Best Back Exercises for 2024
9. Barbell Bentover Row
Bentover Row
James Michelfelder & Therese Sommerseth
How to Do It
- To start, grasp a barbell with an overhand grip.
- Hinge your hips and bend your torso over until it's almost parallel to the ground.
- Without moving your upper body, pull the bar toward your abdomen as your elbows track beside your chest.
- Squeeze your back muscles at the top of the movement, then lower under control.
- That's 1 rep.
- Perform 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps, resting 45 to 75 seconds between sets.
10. Barbell Inverted Row
Barbell Inverted Row
James Michelfelder
How to Do It
- To start, using a Smith machine or a barbell set in a squat rack, position the bar at about waist height.
- Grasp the bar with a slightly wider than shoulder-width grip.
- Come under the bar and set your body completely straight from head to toe.
- Flex your feet so only your heels are making contact with the ground.
- Maintaining this straight posture, pull your body up to the bar, then lower back down.
- That's 1 rep.
- Complete 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 reps, resting 45 to 75 seconds in between each set.
