Tag: Back
GHD Exercise Guide: How To, Benefits, Muscles Worked, and Variations
Most people like to train their mirror muscles. What are those, you ask? These are the muscles that you can look at in the mirror while training them, such as the biceps, shoulders, chest, abs, and quadriceps. Looking at your pumped-up muscles in the mirror makes you want to train them more often.
On the other hand, since you cannot look at your posterior chain muscles, such as the back, glutes, hamstrings, and calves, it makes it more difficult to establish a mind-muscle connection with them. Since most people fail to achieve optimal muscle fiber stimulation and contraction while training their posterior chain muscles, it is usually a lagging muscle group for them.
That said, the posterior chain muscles, such as the glutes, back, and hamstrings are some of the biggest muscle groups in your body. Overlooking training them can lead to strength and muscle imbalances and increase your risk of injury.
The GHD machine was developed to fix this issue. This ordinary-looking bench is one of the most versatile pieces of training equipment. An exerciser can perform several exercises on the GHD machine to improve their posterior chain.
Most people use ‘GHD’ glute-hamstring developer and ‘GHR’ glute-hamstring raise interchangeably. By making this mistake, these folks limit the possibilities of what they can achieve with this machine.
In this article, we go over everything you must know to make the most of the GHD machine, including the different exercises you can perform, the muscles worked, its benefits, common mistakes, and the best variations and alternatives. We have a lot to cover, so sit tight and read on.
What is GHD?
The glute-hamstring developer, popularly known as the GHD, is a hyperextension alternative. This isolation exercise builds endurance, strength, and muscle mass in the posterior chain (read: hamstrings, glutes, and lower back).
The GHD machine has become a mainstay in CrossFit gyms worldwide because of its effectiveness. The meteoric rise of CrossFit since 2014 has also led to the popularity of the GHD machine.
In contrast to the hyperextension machine, which usually has its thigh pads set at a 45-degree angle, the GHD machine has its pads parallel to the floor. This setup puts more demands on your posterior chain muscles.
Best GHD Exercises & How To Do Them
There are four main GHD machine exercises you must do to take your posterior chain gains to the next level. These exercises might look the same to an untrained eye. However, this guide will help you differentiate between them and learn the correct form to maximize results.
GHD Glute-Ham Raise (GHD Raise)
The GHD raise is one of the most popular GHD exercises, and it is the exercise most people are referring to while talking about GHDs. Glute-hamstring raises were allegedly developed by the Soviet Union weightlifting team to maximize their snatch and clean and jerk performance. As the name suggests, this exercise helps focus on the glutes and hamstrings.
How To Do the GHD Raise:
Mount the machine and place your knees on the support pads just shy of the center. Your hips should be over the pads at the bottom of the movement.
Hold onto the pads while you get into position.
Anchor your ankles between the foot pads.
Your lower legs should be parallel to the floor, and your torso should be 90 degrees with it.
Hold your hands in front of your chest and keep your back neutral throughout the exercise. This will be your starting position.
Take a deep breath, brace your core, and slowly lean your torso forward by extending your knees until it is parallel to the floor.
Breathe out sharply and flex your knees to return to the starting position.
Focus on contracting your glutes and hamstrings throughout the range of motion.
Repeat for the recommended reps.
Pro Tip: Your body, from the top of your knees to your head, should be in a straight line throughout the exercise. Avoid hinging your hips or rounding or overarching your back during this lift.
GHD Hip Extension
The GHD hip extension focuses on your glutes and is one of the best isolation exercises for folks with a lagging bum. You will also experience greater lower back engagement in this GHD variation.
How To Do the GHD Hip Extension:
Adjust the foot platform so that your hips are entirely off the support pads during the exercise.
Get on the GHD machine and place your feet between the foot pads.
Your feet should be pointing straight down during the exercise. Angling out your feet will put unnecessary strain on your adductors.
Cross your arms in front of your chest.
Lower your torso toward the floor so that your body is perpendicular to the floor, also known as the Superwoman position. Again, your hips should be off the pads. This will be your starting position.
Take a deep breath, brace your core, and lower your torso until it is almost perpendicular to the floor.
Contract your glutes and return to the starting position.
Rinse and repeat.
Pro Tip: Avoid breaking parallel during concentrics as it can remove tension from your glutes and put it on your lower back and hamstrings. Keep your shoulder blades pulled back and down and your chest proud throughout this exercise.
GHD Back Extension
The GHD back extension is a combination of the GHD raise and the GHD hip extension in that you will use the setup of the former, whereas you will follow the range of motion of the latter. That said, the focus of this exercise is your lower back. Your glutes and hamstrings will function as supporting muscles.
Since you’ll focus on your lower back in this exercise, you must round your back during eccentrics (lowering movement) and unfurl your back during concentrics.
How To Do the GHD Back Extension:
Adjust the foot pads so that the top of your hips is above the center of the pad.
Mount the GHD machine and place your ankles between the foot pads.
Cross your arms in front of your chest and get into a Superwoman position so your body is parallel to the floor.
Initiate the movement by tucking your chin into your upper chest.
Slowly round your back, one vertebra at a time, and lower your torso toward the floor.
Your belly should be wrapped around the top end of the pad at the bottom of the movement.
Reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
Squeeze your lower back during concentrics.
Keep the movement slow and controlled to avoid engaging your glutes and hamstrings.
Pro Tip: Compared to the hip extension, the back extension helps keep your hips static, putting more tension on your lower back.
GHD Hip and Back Extension
This is arguably the most complex GHD variation, as it combines everything you have learned up to now. You will experience greater glute and lower back engagement in this exercise, whereas your hamstrings will take a back seat.
Since this exercise has more moving parts than the previous GHD variations, you might need some time to master this exercise.
How To Do the GHD Hip and Back Extension:
Bring the foot pads close to the main support pads, as your hips should be clear of the pads during this exercise.
Get on the GHD machine and put your ankles between the foot pads.
With your arms crossed in front of your chest, assume the Superwoman position. Your hips should be clear off the pads, and your body should be in a straight line and parallel to the floor at the starting position.
Begin the movement by tucking your chin into your upper chest.
Slowly roll your shoulders, then your upper back, as you lower your torso toward the floor. Your upper body should be rounded and parallel to the floor at the bottom of the position.
At this position, arch your back and neutralize your spine.
Round your back again and reverse the motion by extending your hips to return to the starting position.
Contract your hips and lower back during concentrics.
Pro Tip: Since the last two exercises require rounding the spine, you should avoid using additional resistance on these GHD variations. Instead, focus on training the hips and lower back to failure by performing a hip number of reps.
Muscles Worked During GHD
All the four GHD variations explained above target the posterior chain. However, the primary and secondary working muscles vary for each exercise group. Here are the muscle groups worked with the GHD exercises:
Glutes & Hamstrings
The glutes and hamstrings are the primary target muscles of the GHD raises. The glutes are the biggest and strongest muscle in your body, and training them can improve your overall functionality and workout performance. The GHD machine is one of the best tools to develop your hamstrings.
Lower Back
Most exercises want you to avoid lower back engagement; the GHD is not one of them. Since the GHD exercises involve constant hip flexion and extension, you cannot escape lower back engagement, especially while doing a high number of reps.
Calves
Whether you are working above parallel (GHD raise) or in the lower half (hip and back extensions), you will achieve lower leg stimulation. You will experience your calves fire up to a greater degree in longer sets (more than 15 reps).
Given below is an overview of the primary and secondary muscles of the four GHD variations:
Exercise
Primary Target Muscles
Secondary Muscles
GHD Raise
Glutes and hamstrings
Lower back
GHD Hip Extension
Glutes
Lower back and hamstrings
GHD Back Extension
Lower back
Glutes and hamstrings
GHD Hip and Back Extension
Glutes and lower back
Hamstrings
Benefits of GHD
Adding the GHD machine to your training regimen entails the following benefits:
Builds Strength and Muscle Mass
The glute-hamstring developer can help you build stronger and more muscular glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. Adjust your training and volume to meet your objective.
Develop a Robust Posterior Chain
A strong posterior chain can improve your overall functionality, training, and athletic performance. Performing this exercise regularly can translate to better performance on compound movements that require posterior chain engagement.
Perfect For Exercisers of all Experience Levels
Since GHD exercises are isolation movements, they are easy to learn. That said, this machine is just as effective for advanced lifters as it is for newbies. Seasoned trainers can add to this exercise’s difficulty by using additional resistance.
Reduces Risk of Hamstring Injury
Research shows that adding eccentric-focused movements and isometric exercises can reduce your risk of injury during explosive movements [1]. People that deal with recurring posterior chain injuries should add this exercise to their exercise regimen after consulting their healthcare provider.
Common Mistakes While Performing GHD
Avoid committing the following errors to limit the risk of injury and get the best bang for your buck:
Replacing the GHD Machine with a Hyperextension Bench
Many people think that 45-degree hyperextension machines are the same as GHD machines. However, nothing could be further from the truth. The GHD machine is much more demanding on your hamstrings and glutes than the hyperextension bench.
Mixing Two GHD Movements
I cannot tell you how often I see people do GHD raises with a GHD hip extension setup. Remember, going all the way up, and all the way down is not always a good idea. You must get well-versed with the GHD variations to reduce your risk of injury.
Adding Weights Too Soon
Bodyweight versions of the GHD variations explained in this article are good enough for most people to build a strong and muscular posterior chain. You should only use additional resistance after you have drilled the movement.
Variations of GHD
Use the following GHD variations to add variety to your exercise regime:
Eccentric-Focused Glute-Ham Raise
You can use this technique in any of the four GHD variations mentioned in this article. In this exercise, you take three to five seconds on the eccentrics. Slowing down the negatives increases the time under tension, which leads to greater muscle stimulation [2]. Follow the same-old rep tempo during concentrics and the statics contraction points at the top and bottom.
Sorenson Hold
The Sorenson hold is an isometric GHD variation, meaning you hold the same position for a specific time. Think of the Sorenson hold as a plank for your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.
How To:
Get in the same position as the GHD hip extension. Your hips should be clear of the pads.
Cross your arms in front of your chest.
Extend your hips and lower your torso so your body is parallel to the floor.
Hold this position for as long as possible. Aim for 30-60 seconds.
Repeat for recommended reps.
GHD Oblique Crunch
This GHD variation works your obliques and can help you develop shredded obliques and the coveted sex lines.
How To:
Adjust the foot pads of the GHD machine so that your hips rest on top of the pads.
Mount the GHD machine. Turn to your side so that your right shoulder is facing the ceiling. The side of your left hip should be on the left pad.
Secure your left foot between the foot pads and place your right foot on top of the pads.
Your body should be in a straight line and parallel to the floor at the starting position.
Lower your torso as low toward the floor as possible.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat for recommended reps before switching sides.
Alternatives of GHD
Here are some of the best alternatives to the GHD:
Nordic Curl
You could perform this exercise on a specialized Nordic curl or with a barbell. Since most people don’t have access to a Nordic curl bench, here is how to do this movement with a barbell.
How To:
Attach two-quarter plates on each end of a barbell and place them on the floor.
Kneel on the floor facing away from the bar and anchor your heels under it.
Your body, from your knees to your head, should be in a straight line at the starting position.
Hold your hands in front of your chest.
Slowly lower your torso toward the floor by leaning forward. Control the descent by contracting your hamstrings and glutes.
Break the fall with your hands.
Use your hands for a lift-off. Contract your glutes and hamstrings to return to the starting position.
Repeat for recommended reps.
Reverse Hyperextensions
This exercise flips the GHD hip extension on its head. Louie Simmons on Westside Barbell invented reverse hyperextension and a specialized machine for it. However, you can use a GHD machine for this exercise.
How To:
Stand facing the GHD machine.
Reach forward and grab the foot platform. Adjust the platform so your hips are hanging off the pads.
At the starting position, your body should be in a straight line and parallel to the floor.
Lower your legs toward the floor until they are a few inches from touching it.
Keeping your legs straight, extend your hips and raise your lower body as high toward the ceiling as possible.
Control the descent.
Repeat for recommended reps.
Good Morning
Good mornings are an incredibly effective exercise to work your posterior chain. Use a moderate weight on this exercise to limit the risk of injury.
How To:
Stand upright with a hip-width stance with a barbell across your shoulders.
Maintaining a slight bend in your knees, slowly lower your torso toward the floor while pushing your hips back. Keep your core braced throughout the exercise.
Your torso should be almost parallel to the floor at the bottom of the position.
Return to the starting position.
Romanian Deadlift
The Romanian deadlift is a compound full-body exercise to build overall strength and muscle mass. However, this exercise primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.
How To:
Stand straight with a shoulder-wide stance while holding a barbell against your thighs using an overhand grip.
Maintaining a slight bend in your knees, slowly lower the bar toward the floor by bending at your hips and pushing them back.
The bar should be below your knees at the bottom of the range of motion.
Pause at the bottom and contract your hamstrings and glutes.
Explode back to the starting position.
Rinse and repeat.
FAQs
Who should avoid the GHD raises?
Folks dealing with posterior chain or lower body injuries should avoid the GHD raises. That said, you should consult your healthcare provider before starting a new training or nutrition program, especially if you’re suffering from a health issue, are pregnant, or are under 18 years old.
Can I replace leg curls with GHD raises in my workout?
Leg curls and GHD raises are both isolation exercises that work the hamstrings. However, GHD also targets your glutes. On the other hand, the leg curl machine helps maintain constant tension on your hammies throughout the range of motion. Each machine has its unique benefits, and hence you should include both in your training regimen.
How often should I do the GHD raise?
Since GHD raises are an isolation exercise, they put incredible demand on your hamstrings. According to research, you must give your muscles at least 48 hours to recover between workouts. It will result in better strength and muscle gains and reduce your risk of injury and overtraining. [3]
Who should do the GHD exercises?
The GHD variations explained in this article are great for CrossFitters, Strongman athletes, Olympic weightlifters, bodybuilders, and even hobbyist exercisers. Building a strong posterior chain help virtually everyone.
Wrapping Up
The GHD machine is a versatile training equipment that can help build a stronger and more muscular posterior chain. It can also help develop a robust midline, using exercises like the GHD sit-ups and oblique crunches.
Folks with access to a GHD machine at their gym should add the four GHD exercises explained in this article to their training regimen. Adjust the programming and training frequency to meet your objectives. So, what are you waiting for? Get working on those glutes and hammies. Best of luck!
References
Jonhagen S, Nemeth G, Eriksson E. Hamstring Injuries in Sprinters: The Role of Concentric and Eccentric Hamstring Muscle Strength and Flexibility. The American Journal of Sports Medicine. 1994;22(2):262-266. doi:10.1177/036354659402200218
Burd NA, Andrews RJ, West DW, Little JP, Cochran AJ, Hector AJ, Cashaback JG, Gibala MJ, Potvin JR, Baker SK, Phillips SM. Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. J Physiol. 2012 Jan 15;590(2):351-62. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200. Epub 2011 Nov 21. PMID: 22106173; PMCID: PMC3285070.
Monteiro ER, Vingren JL, Corrêa Neto VG, Neves EB, Steele J, Novaes JS. Effects of Different Between Test Rest Intervals in Reproducibility of the 10-Repetition Maximum Load Test: A Pilot Study with Recreationally Resistance Trained Men. Int J Exerc Sci. 2019 Aug 1;12(4):932-940. PMID: 31523350; PMCID: PMC6719818.
Lat Pulldown Guide: Muscles Worked, How-To, Benefits, and Different Grips
If you want to build a stronger, more muscular upper back, lat pulldowns will help. Sure, pull-ups and chin-ups are more hardcore and “functional,” but lat pulldowns make it easier to target your muscles with laser-like precision. Small changes to your torso angle or hand width will affect the target muscles differently.
And speaking of your hands, should you do lat pulldowns with a wide, medium, narrow, parallel, overhand, or underhand grip? With so many options, it can be hard to know what’s best.
In this article, we explain how to do lat pulldowns correctly and how the different grips affect your muscles.
Lat Pulldowns – Muscles Worked
Contrary to popular opinion, the “lat” in lat pulldowns doesn’t refer to your latissimus dorsi muscle. Instead, it’s short for lateral, which is the plane of movement that your arms move in when you perform this exercise.
However, despite this naming confusion, lat pulldowns do indeed work your lats. That said, they aren’t working alone, and several other muscles are also involved:
Latissimus dorsi
Known as the lats for short, these muscles are located on the side of your upper back. Connecting your arms to your trunk, the lats are responsible for the adduction and extension of your shoulder joints. They also play a role in medial rotation. When well-developed, the lats look like muscular wings and are responsible for your upper back width.
The lats are the agonist or prime mover during lat pulldowns. However, using different grips and hand widths will allow you to emphasize different regions of this muscle.
Trapezius
The trapezius is the large diamond-shaped muscle that covers much of your mid-upper back. Known as the traps for short, there are three sets of fibers that make up this muscle – upper, middle, and lower. The middle and upper fibers are most active during lat pulldowns, as they work to pull your shoulders together and down. The upper traps are not very active during lat pulldowns.
Rhomboids
Located between your scapulae or shoulder blades, the rhomboids work with the mid-traps to pull your shoulders back and together. There are two pairs of rhomboid muscles – major and minor – and both are working during lat pulldowns.
Deltoids
The deltoids or delts are your main shoulder muscles. Like the traps, there are three sets of deltoid fibers, often referred to as heads – anterior (front), medial (middle), and posterior (rear). All three delt heads work together, but the posterior head is the most active during lat pulldowns.
Rotator cuff
The rotator cuff is a group of four small muscles that control and stabilize your shoulder joint. These muscles are the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis. While you won’t be able to see or feel these muscles during lat pulldowns, you can be sure they’re actively engaged.
Biceps brachii
The biceps brachii, more commonly just called the biceps, is your primary elbow flexor and also supinates your forearm, i.e., turns your palm up. Located on the front of your upper arms, your biceps play a critical role in lat pulldowns. Using a supinated or palms-up grip puts your biceps in a stronger position, so you may find that grip allows you to use more weight.
Brachialis
The brachialis is like a mini-biceps, helping to flex your elbows. However, unlike the biceps brachii, this muscle plays no part in the supination of your forearm. As such, it’s equally involved regardless of what grip you use.
Brachioradialis
Brachioradialis is one of your main forearm/wrist flexors and plays a big part in your grip strength. If your hands start to fail before your lats, this muscle is a likely culprit. You can work around a weak grip by using lifting straps. However, it’s also a good idea to work on your grip strength so it is less of a limiting factor in your workouts.
Core
Core is the collective name for the muscles that make up your midsection. During lat pulldowns, you’ll need to use these muscles to stop the weight pulling your spine into hyperextension. The core muscles include the rectus abdominis, obliques, transverse abdominis, and erector spinae. However, the rectus abdominis is the most active.
How to Do Lat Pulldowns
There are several ways to do lat pulldowns, as outlined later in this article. However, the medium-width overhand grip is arguably the most common variation and the one most lifters should master before moving on to other options.
In addition, all types of lat pulldown share many of the same characteristics, so it makes sense to master this version first.
So, get more from lat pulldowns while keeping your risk of injury to a minimum by following these guidelines.
Attach a long bar to your lat pulldown machine.
Adjust the knee pad so that, when your feet are flat on the floor, it holds your legs in place.
Stand up and hold the bar with a pronated/overhand, slightly wider than shoulder-width grip.
Pull your shoulders down and back and sit down. Make sure your legs are held securely in place.
Lift your chest and arch your lower back slightly.
Leading with your elbows, bend your arms and pull the bar down to your upper chest. Do not flex your wrists.
Contract your lats as hard as possible at the mid-point of each rep.
Smoothly extend your arms and continue for the desired number of reps.
Pro Tips:
Make lat pulldowns even more effective with these handy performance tips, many of which can be applied to other lat pulldown variations:
Do not lean back or sway to pull the bar down. This takes tension away from the target muscles.
Squeeze and don’t jerk the weight down to minimize momentum and keep your muscles under tension for longer.
Pause at the midpoint of each rep to maximize lats activation and improve your mind-muscle connection.
Use a full range of motion to maximize muscle engagement.
Avoid using too much weight. Ego-lifting will make lat pulldowns less effective. Make sure you can feel the lats doing most of the work and not your biceps.
Pull to the front and not the back. Behind-the-neck lat pulldowns are harder on your shoulders and reduce lat engagement, making the exercise less effective but more risky.
Use a false or thumbless grip which tends to reduce biceps activation and lets you focus more on your lats.
Use lifting chalk to dry your hands, prevent slippage, and reinforce your grip.
Use lifting straps of your hands fail before your lats. However, you should also work on developing a stronger grip.
Lat Pulldown Benefits and Drawbacks
Not sure if lat pulldowns deserve a place in your workouts? Consider these benefits and then decide!
Very adjustable and accessible
Pull-ups and chin-ups are great, but you need to be strong enough to lift your body weight using just your arm and back muscles. This feat may be beyond the ability of many exercisers, either because they’re weak or heavy.
You can adjust the weight with lat pulldowns, so they are accessible to all levels of strength and experience, irrespective of body weight.
Very safe
Performed with good technique and an appropriate load, there is very little to go wrong with lat pulldowns, and accidents and injuries are rare. They’re very shoulder-friendly, and most people can find a grip that is both comfortable and effective.
Perfect for intensity-boosting drop sets
Most lat pulldown machines have selectorized weight stacks, so you can change the load quickly and easily. This makes them ideal for drop sets. Rep out to failure, reduce (or drop) the weight by 10-15%, and then rep out again. Do 2-4 drops to fully exhaust your muscles and stimulate maximal hypertrophy.
Widely available
Most gyms have at least one lat pulldown machine. As such, this is a very accessible exercise, and most gymgoers should be able to include it in their back workouts.
Plenty of variations to choose from
As you will see in the next section, there are numerous ways to perform lat pulldowns, each with a slightly different effect. Lat pulldowns need never be repetitive or boring.
While lat pulldowns are a mostly beneficial exercise, there are also a few drawbacks to consider:
Limited overload
The amount of weight available for lat pulldowns varies from machine to machine. If you are very strong, you may find that you can max out on the lat pulldown at your gym. When this happens, you should seek out a plate-loading lat pulldown machine or graduate to weighted pull-ups.
Using very heavy weights can be difficult
Getting into the correct lat pulldown starting position with a weight greater than your body weight can be a real challenge. You may find yourself dangling from the bar and unable to get your legs under the knee pads.
If this happens to you, you can ask a training partner to help you or may need to switch to pull-ups, where getting into the right starting position is considerably easier.
Equipment requirements
While most gyms have at least one lat pulldown machine, you probably won’t have space for one in your home gym. As such, most home exercisers cannot do lat pulldowns. However, you can replicate this exercise with resistance bands, or you can do pull-ups and chin-ups instead, using a resistance band for assistance if necessary.
10 Lat Pulldown Variations and Alternatives
Basic overhand medium-grip lat pulldowns are an excellent exercise, but if that’s all you ever do, you’ll soon get bored and hit a plateau. Changing your grip will affect the target muscles slightly differently and help you avoid training ruts.
Use these variations to customize your back workout and target the areas you want to develop. However, remember that the lats will always be the engine that drives your lat pulldowns, and any changes you make will only have a very small effect.
1. Overhand wide-grip lat pulldowns
Overhand wide-grip lat pulldowns are very popular with bodybuilders. They use this exercise to increase upper lat width, creating that highly prized V-shaped torso. On the downside, a wide grip is less efficient, so you won’t be able to lift as much weight. This means wide-grip lat pulldowns are good for muscle hypertrophy but less so for building strength.
Steps:
Attach a long bar to your lat pulldown machine.
Adjust the knee pad so that, when your feet are flat on the floor, it holds your legs in place.
Stand up and hold the bar with a pronated/overhand, wider than shoulder-width grip. Your arms should form a broad V-shape.
Pull your shoulders down and back and sit down. Make sure your legs are held securely in place.
Lift your chest and arch your lower back slightly.
Leading with your elbows, bend your arms and pull the bar down to your upper chest. Keep your wrists straight.
Smoothly extend your arms and continue for the desired number of reps.
Muscles targeted:
Latissimus dorsi (upper), trapezius, rhomboids, biceps, forearms, core.
Benefits:
Fill out your upper lats to make your back wider.
More challenging than most other lat pulldown variations.
Less weight is needed for an effective workout.
Tips:
Drive your elbows down, back, and in to maximize lat and mid-back engagement.
Keep your wrists straight.
Lift your chest up toward the bar.
2. Overhand close-grip lat pulldowns
You won’t see many people doing overhand close grip lat pulldowns because they’re hard and feel a little awkward. However, they involve a large range of motion, making them useful for developing lat flexibility. They hit your forearms hard and emphasize the lower fibers of your lats.
Steps:
Attach a bar to your lat pulldown machine.
Adjust the knee pad so that, when your feet are flat on the floor, it holds your legs in place.
Stand up and hold the bar with a pronated/overhand, slightly less shoulder-width grip.
Pull your shoulders down and back and sit down. Make sure your legs are held securely in place.
Lift your chest and arch your lower back slightly.
Leading with your elbows, bend your arms and pull the bar down to your upper chest. Tuck your elbows into your sides.
Contract your lats as hard as possible at the mid-point of each rep.
Smoothly extend your arms and continue for the desired number of reps.
Muscles targeted:
Latissimus dorsi (lower), trapezius, rhomboids, biceps, forearms, core.
Benefits:
An effective way to target the lower lats.
A challenging forearm workout.
Provides your lats with a deep, beneficial stretch.
Tips:
Keep your upper arms close to your sides as you pull down.
Drive your elbows back to maximize lat engagement.
Do not lean back, as doing so makes this exercise easier.
3. Neutral close-grip lat pulldowns
This popular exercise works in much the same way as #2 but is considerably easier on your wrists and more comfortable. The neutral or parallel close grip is also very strong, and most lifters can use more weight for this variation. Like overhand close-grip lat pulldowns, this exercise emphasizes your lower lats and also hits your mid-back.
Steps:
Attach a neutral grip bar to your lat pulldown machine.
Adjust the knee pad so that, when your feet are flat on the floor, it holds your legs in place.
Stand up and hold the bar with your palms facing inward.
Pull your shoulders down and back and sit down. Make sure your legs are held securely in place.
Lift your chest and arch your lower back slightly.
Leading with your elbows, bend your arms and pull the bar down to your upper chest. Tuck your elbows into your sides.
Contract your lats as hard as possible at the mid-point of each rep.
Smoothly extend your arms and continue for the desired number of reps.
Muscles targeted:
Latissimus dorsi (lower), trapezius, rhomboids, biceps, forearms, core.
Benefits:
A comfortable, joint-friendly grip.
Hits both the mid back and lower lats.
Develop back width and thickness simultaneously.
Tips:
Lean back slightly to increase mid-back engagement.
Use a little more weight than for conventional lat pulldowns.
Use lifting straps to reinforce your grip if necessary.
4. Reverse grip lat pulldowns
Using a reverse or supinated grip puts your biceps in their strongest position, so you should be able to use more weight or crank out more reps before hitting failure. On the downside, using a reverse grip slightly decreases lat engagement, but using more weight or doing more reps should cancel out this deficit.
Steps:
Attach a straight bar to your lat pulldown machine.
Adjust the knee pad so that, when your feet are flat on the floor, it holds your legs in place.
Stand up and hold the bar with a slightly less than shoulder-width underhand grip.
Pull your shoulders down and back and sit down. Make sure your legs are held securely in place.
Lift your chest and arch your lower back slightly.
Leading with your elbows, bend your arms and pull the bar down to your upper chest. Tuck your elbows into your sides.
Contract your lats as hard as possible at the mid-point of each rep.
Smoothly extend your arms and continue for the desired number of reps.
Muscles targeted:
Latissimus dorsi (lower), biceps, trapezius, rhomboids, forearms, core.
Benefits:
An excellent biceps and back exercise.
Good for building strength.
A useful precursor to bodyweight chin-ups.
Tips:
Keep your forearms parallel throughout.
Drive your elbows down and back to maximize lat engagement.
Use a little more weight, as this is a strong grip and arm position.
5. Neutral wide grip lat pulldown
Wide grip pulldowns are typically done using a straight bar and a pronated grip. While effective, this puts your arms in a mechanically disadvantageous position, limiting the weight you can use and the number of reps you can perform. Using a wide neutral grip bar makes for a more comfortable workout and puts your biceps in a stronger position. However, not all gyms have such a bar.
Steps:
Attach a long parallel grip bar to your lat pulldown machine.
Adjust the knee pad so that, when your feet are flat on the floor, it holds your legs in place.
Stand up and hold the bar with your palms facing inward.
Pull your shoulders down and back and sit down. Make sure your legs are held securely in place.
Lift your chest and arch your lower back slightly.
Leading with your elbows, bend your arms and pull the bar down to your upper chest. Tuck your elbows into your sides.
Smoothly extend your arms and continue for the desired number of reps.
Muscles targeted:
Latissimus dorsi (upper), biceps, trapezius, rhomboids, forearms, core.
Benefits:
A strong, comfortable grip.
Allows you to lift more weight and/or do more reps.
An excellent biceps workout.
Tips:
Pull your elbows down and into your sides to maximize lat engagement.
Keep your chest up throughout.
Pause at the bottom of each rep and flex your lats hard.
6. Cable crossover lat pulldowns
What’s wider than wide-grip lat pulldowns? This exercise! Cable crossover lat pulldowns involve pulling in from the sides, which really hits your upper lats. It’s not unusual to feel this exercise directly beneath your armpits. Use this move to fill in your lat gaps and build the ultimate V-taper.
Steps:
Stand between the uppermost handles of a cable crossover machine and take one in each hand. Kneel in the middle of the machine with your arms outstretched to form a Y-shape.
Lift your chest and pull your shoulders down and back.
Bend your arms and pull your elbows into your sides.
Extend your arms and repeat.
Continue for the desired number of reps.
Muscles targeted:
Latissimus dorsi (upper), trapezius, rhomboids, biceps, forearms, core.
Benefits:
One of the best exercises for wider upper lats.
Very shoulder-friendly.
An excellent back workout finisher.
Tips:
Pause at the midpoint of each rep to hammer your upper lats.
Keep your arms out level with your torso.
Lift your chest to increase upper back engagement.
7. Single-arm lat pulldowns
While it’s common to have one arm stronger than the other, big left-to-right strength imbalances can affect both your appearance and your upper body function. Single-arm lat pulldowns are a simple way to fix such imbalances and are also an excellent method for improving your mind-muscle connection, not to mention your lateral core strength.
Steps:
Attach a long D-shaped handle to your lat pulldown machine.
Adjust the knee pad so that, when your feet are flat on the floor, it holds your legs in place.
Stand up and hold the handle with one hand.
Pull your shoulders down and back and sit down. Make sure your legs are held securely in place.
Lift your chest and arch your lower back slightly.
Leading with your elbow, bend your arm and pull the handle down to your shoulder. Tuck your elbow into your side.
Smoothly extend your arm and continue for the desired number of reps.
Switch arms and do the same number of reps on the other side.
Muscles targeted:
Latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, biceps, forearms, core.
Benefits:
An effective fix for left-to-right strength imbalances.
Good for enhancing your mind-muscle connection.
Delivers an excellent oblique workout.
Tips:
Keep your shoulders and hips level throughout.
Pull your elbow in close to your side to maximize lat engagement.
Use an overhand, neutral, or underhand grip as preferred. Alternatively, let your wrists rotate naturally as you pull down.
8. Straight arm pulldowns
Every lat pulldown variation discussed so far works the biceps as much as the lats. In contrast, straight arm pulldowns involve no elbow movement, and your biceps are left out of the exercise. Straight arm pulldowns are one of the few lat isolation exercises and are ideal for warming up or finishing off your lats.
Steps:
Attach a straight bar to a lat pulldown machine.
Hold the bar with an overhand, slightly wider than shoulder-width grip. Brace your core and pull your shoulders back and down.
With straight arms, step back to tension the cable. Lean forward slightly from your hips.
Without bending your elbows, push the bar down to your thighs.
Raise your arms and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Latissimus dorsi (lower), trapezius, rhomboids, core.
Benefits:
One of a few lat isolation exercises.
Perfect for pre- and post-exhaust supersets.
This is an excellent exercise for swimmers and anyone whose sport involves throwing.
Tips:
Keep your chest up, core tight, and lower back slightly arched.
Use as big a range of motion as possible without letting the weights touch down.
Experiment with different grip widths to see which you prefer.
9. Resistance band pulldowns
Home exercisers are often unable to do lat pulldowns. After all, not everyone can fit a lat pulldown machine in their home gym, and chin-ups and pull-ups may be out of the question. The good news is that you can replicate all of the previous exercises using a resistance band and a suitable anchor.
Just ensure that your resistance band is in good condition and won’t snap mid-rep, and your anchor is strong enough and won’t fail. Getting hit in the face by a resistance band is no laughing matter!
Armed with your resistance band, you should have no problem recreating your favorite pulldown exercise and working your lats at home.
10. Pull-ups and chin-ups
If you are very strong or don’t have access to a lat pulldown machine, pull-ups and chin-ups could be your next best option. Yes, you’ll need to up your game and lift your entire body weight with just your arms, but that will only enhance your muscle and strength gains. Pull-ups and chin-ups might be low-tech, but they’re very high-effect and offer a lot of bang for your workout buck.
Steps:
Hang from an overhead bar using a wider-than-shoulder-width overhand grip (pull-ups) or a narrower-than-shoulder-width underhand grip (chin-ups).
Pull your shoulders back and down and brace your core. Bend your legs so your feet are clear of the floor.
Starting with straight arms, bend your elbows and pull your chin up and over your bar.
Smoothly lower yourself back down and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, biceps, forearms, core.
Benefits:
Minimal equipment required so ideal for home and outdoor workouts.
A very functional pulling exercise.
A good test of relative strength.
Tips:
Don’t swing, kick, or kip, as doing so takes work away from your target muscles.
Think about lifting your chest and not your chin up to the bar to increase muscle recruitment.
Use a resistance band to make these exercises easier or a weighted vest to make them more challenging.
Lat Pulldown Guide FAQs
Do you have a question about lat pulldowns or back training in general? No problem, because we’ve got the answers.
1. What is an easy way to remember which lat pulldown exercise works which muscles?
With ten different lat pulldown variations and alternatives, it would be easy to forget which one works which muscles. However, there are a couple of ways to make all this information easier to remember.
As a general rule, the wider your grip, the more upper lat activation there will be. Think wide grip for wide lats. In contrast, a narrower grip tends to hit your lower lats more. Exercises that involve more pulling in than pulling down emphasize your middle back, i.e., mid-traps and rhomboids.
Keeping this in mind, you should have no problem identifying which part of your lats you are working on.
2. How many reps and sets should I do to build bigger lats?
Contrary to popular belief, you can build bigger muscles with almost any rep range – from as low as five to 30 reps or more. The main proviso is that you must train your muscles to within a couple of reps of failure to make them grow. This contrasts the 6-12 rep range that was once the standard recommendation for hypertrophy training.
That said, sets of 6-12 are arguably more time-efficient than sets of 30 or more, so use your best judgment when deciding how many reps to do.
Regarding sets, two to four should be sufficient for most people, especially if you are doing several back exercises in a row. If you feel you need more than four sets to fatigue your lats, you are either stopping your sets too soon before failure or resting too long between efforts.
3. How many times a week should I train my back?
While some lifters can get good results from one back workout per week, most people will make better progress if they train their backs twice a week, e.g., Monday and Thursday. This provides a good balance between work and recovery.
However, this doesn’t mean you should do the same back workout each time you train – that would soon become boring. Instead, create two different back programs to keep your workouts interesting and productive.
For example:
#
Workout one
Workout two
Exercise
Sets x reps
Exercise
Sets x reps
1
Deadlifts
4 x 4-6
Pendlay rows
4 x 4-6
2
Wide-grip lat pulldown
3 x 8-10
Close-grip lat pulldowns
3 x 8-10
3
Single-arm rows
3 x 10-12
Seated cable rows
3 x 10-12
4
Straight arm pulldowns
3 x 15-20
Dumbbell pullovers
3 x 15-20
5
Face pulls
3 x 15-20
Band pull-aparts
3 x 15-20
4. How much wider will wide-grip lat pulldowns make my back?
Unfortunately, this is one of those questions we cannot answer. That’s because your ultimate muscle shape and size are determined by several factors, including your genetics, muscle origin and insertion points, training history, attention to diet, rest, and recovery, and your commitment and motivation.
Even if we knew all these things, we don’t have a crystal ball and cannot see into the future!
So, all we can say is if you train hard, eat right, get plenty of sleep, and don’t quit, you can significantly increase your back width. Build your workouts around lat pulldowns and pull-ups, and you’ll be heading in the right direction.
5. What are the best exercises for building a thicker upper back?
While lat pulldowns are great for building back width, rows build upper back thickness. There are lots of effective rowing exercises, including:
Bent-over barbell rows
T-bar rows
Cable rows
Inverted rows
Single-arm dumbbell rows
Chest-supported rows
Kroc rows
Pendlay rows
Meadows rows
Yates rows
With so many different exercises to choose from, you should have no problem finding the perfect rows for your needs and goals. Combine vertical and horizontal pulling exercises to build a back that’s both wide AND thick.
Lat Pulldown Guide – Wrapping Up
Lat pulldowns deserve a place in everybody’s back workout. Regardless of which variation you perform, this popular exercise will help you develop a broader, stronger, more muscular upper back. You can emphasize your lower lats with close grip lat pulldown variations or spread your wings with a wide grip. Most lifters should do both.
However, wide lats are only part of what makes an impressive back; you also need thickness, which is where rows come in. Combine vertical and horizontal pulling exercises to build an impressive 3D back that looks good from every angle.
Cable Close Grip Seated Row Guide: Muscles Worked, How-To, Benefits, and Alternatives
When it comes to back training, bodybuilders have a saying: If you want to grow, you gotta row! While vertical lat pulldowns and pull-ups are undeniably effective, it’s horizontal rows that pack on the greatest back mass.
However, there are many different rowing exercises to choose from. Your options include bent-over barbell rows, Pendlay rows, T-bar rows, single-arm dumbbell rows, Kroc rows, seal rows, and machine rows.
In this guide, we lift the lid on another popular rowing exercise – the cable close grip seated row. It’s one of our favorites, and it should be one of yours too. However, given how badly this exercise is often performed, it’s evident that some technique revision is required!
Cable Close Grip Seated Row – Muscles Worked
Cable close grip seated rows as a compound pulling exercise. That means they involve multiple muscles and joints working together. The main muscles trained by cable close grip seated rows are:
Latissimus Dorsi
The latissimus dorsi, or lats for short, are located on the sides of your upper back. When well developed, the lats look like wide, muscular wings. The functions of the lats are shoulder joint adduction and extension, the latter of which is part and parcel of cable close grip seated rows.
Trapezius
The trapezius is a large kite-shaped muscle that covers much of your upper back. Known as the traps for short, there are three groups of fibers that make up this muscle – upper, middle, and lower.
While all three sets of fibers are involved in cable close grip seated rows, the middle fibers, located across the shoulder blades, are the most active. These fibers pull your shoulder blades back and together in a movement called retraction.
Rhomboids
The rhomboids are located between your shoulder blades. They work with your mid traps to pull your shoulders back and together, which is called retraction.
Deltoids
The deltoids are your most significant shoulder muscles. Like the traps, there are three groups of fibers, called heads – anterior (front), medial (middle), and posterior (rear). All three deltoid heads are involved in cable close grip seated rows, but the posterior fibers are the most active.
Biceps
While cable close grip seated rows are undoubtedly an upper-back exercise, you’ll probably feel it in your biceps, too. Cable close grip seated rows involve a lot of elbow flexion, which is a function of the biceps. In fact, your biceps may fail before your bigger, stronger back muscles.
Forearms
Any exercise that involves your grip also trains your forearms, and cable close grip seated rows are no exception. Depending on your hand and grip strength, you may benefit from using gym chalk or lifting straps during this exercise so your hands don’t fail before your back muscles.
Core
Cable close grip seated rows are performed without support. As such, you’ll need to use your core muscles to stabilize your spine. Core is the collective term for the muscles of your midsection, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, transverse abdominis, and erector spinae. Bracing or tensing these muscles will ensure your spine remains rigid and stable during cable close grip seated rows.
How to Do Cable Close Grip Seated Row
Get more from cable close grip seated rows while keeping your risk of injury to a minimum by following these guidelines:
Attach a narrow parallel grip handle to a seated row machine or low pulley.
Sit on the bench and place your feet on the footrests. Grab the handle in both hands.
Sit up tall and straight with your arms extended in front of you and knees slightly bent.
Brace your core, and pull your shoulders down and back. Look straight ahead.
Lean forward slightly from your hips and allow your shoulder blades to slide forward. Do not round your lower back.
Shrug your shoulders back, sit up straight, bend your arms, and pull the handle into your abdomen.
Extend your arms and repeat.
Pro Tips:
Use gym chalk or lifting straps to reinforce your grip if required.
Keep your upper body stationary and vertical if you prefer.
Keep your upper arms close to your sides to fully engage all your back muscles.
Lead with your elbows to maximize muscle engagement.
Keep your wrists straight throughout.
Inhale as you bring the handle toward you, and exhale as you extend your arms.
Benefits and Drawbacks
Not sure if cable close grip seated rows deserve a place in your next back workout? Consider these benefits and then decide!
Reduced lower back stress
Exercises like bent-over and T-bar rows put a lot of stress on your lower back. In fact, some fitness coaches and trainers call these movements contraindicated, suggesting they should be avoided. While this is a little over-cautious, there is no denying that unsupported forward flexion can cause injuries, especially if you allow your lumbar spine to round.
However, cable close grip seated rows are much more lower back-friendly. You don’t have to waste energy supporting your upper body weight, so there is less stress on your back. Whether you suffer from back pain or just want to avoid it in the future, cable close grip seated rows are a sensible option.
A time-efficient exercise
Some rowing exercises are unilateral, meaning they train one side of your body at a time. While this is a useful way to identify and fix left-to-right strength imbalances, it can also make your workouts longer.
Bilateral cable close grip seated rows are more time efficient as you train both sides of your back simultaneously. This is a small but welcome advantage for exercisers with limited training time.
A complete upper back workout
While lat pulldowns and pull-ups are both popular and effective, they only tend to work your lats and have much less impact on the trapezius and rhomboids. As such, they can help you develop a wider back but won’t do as much for back thickness.
In contrast, cable close grip seated rows hit the lats AND the traps and rhomboids, making it a more self-contained back workout. Using cable close grip seated rows, you should be able to develop a back that’s both thick and broad.
Easy to adjust the weight
Cable close grip seated rows are usually performed on a machine with a selectorized weight stack. As such, you can quickly and easily change the weight. This makes cable close grip seated rows ideal for muscle-building drop sets. To perform a drop set, rep out to failure, reduce the weight by 10-15%, and immediately rep out again. Do 2-3 weight drops to fully exhaust the target muscles.
While cable close grip seated rows are a mostly beneficial exercise, there are also a couple drawbacks to consider:
Good postural awareness is a must
While cable close grip seated rows are relatively lower back-friendly, that depends on your form and posture. In other words, you need to sit up tall and straight to minimize lower back stress. This requires good postural awareness, and you’ll need to adopt the correct position by relying on your position sense and proprioception.
If you aren’t sure you are in good posture, video your cable close grip seated row workout and make adjustments accordingly.
Equipment requirements
Most commercial gyms have at least one cable seated row machine. But, because they’re usually quite large, heavy, and expensive, home exercisers may not have the space or the budget to put one in their garage or spare room gym.
The good news is there are several similar exercises you can do instead of cable close grip seated rows, which you’ll find described in the following section.
7 Cable Close Grip Seated Row Variations and Alternatives
Cable close grip seated rows are a highly effective upper back exercise, but that doesn’t mean you need to do them all the time. Here are several variations and alternatives you can use to keep your workouts productive and interesting:
1. Single-arm cable seated row
While training both sides of your back and arms at the same time can be an advantage for some, it isn’t for others. Bilateral training can lead to left-to-right strength and developmental imbalances. If you’ve got one side stronger than the other, single-arm cable seated rows could be the answer.
Steps:
Attach a D-shaped handle to a seated row machine or low pulley.
Sit on the bench and place your feet on the footrests. Grab the handle with one hand.
Sit up tall and straight with your arm extended in front of you and knees slightly bent.
Brace your core, and pull your shoulders down and back. Look straight ahead.
Lean forward slightly from your hips and allow your shoulder blades to slide forward. Do not round your lower back.
Shrug your shoulders back, sit up straight, bend your arm, and pull the handle into the side of your abdomen.
Extend your arm and repeat.
Rest a moment, switch sides, and do the same number of reps with the other arm.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Latissimus dorsi, middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.
Secondary: Biceps, forearms, core.
Benefits:
Identify and fix left-to-right strength imbalances.
Less lower back stress than the bilateral version.
A useful anti-rotation core exercise.
Tips:
Keep your torso upright and shoulders squared throughout.
Use a thick handle to work on your grip strength.
You can also do this exercise with a rope handle.
2. Cable wide grip seated cable row
Regular cable close grip seated rows hit your lats and mid-upper back pretty equally. However, when you switch to a wide grip, your mid-traps, rhomboids, and posterior deltoids get more of a workout, and your lats must take a back seat. This is an excellent variation for developing upper back thickness and improving posture.
Steps:
Attach a long bar to a cable seated row machine.
Sit on the machine with your legs slightly bent and torso upright.
Hold the bar with a slightly wider than shoulder-width overhand grip.
Starting with your arms straight, bend your arms and pull the bar into your sternum.
Extend your arms and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids, latissimus dorsi.
Secondary: Biceps, forearms, core.
Benefits:
An excellent way to emphasize the mid-upper back.
A good exercise for better posture.
A very effective movement for developing the posterior deltoids.
Tips:
Keep your elbows high throughout.
Pull your shoulders back and down while keeping your chest up.
Do not bend your wrists to pull the bar closer to your chest. Pull your elbows back instead.
3. Supinated grip seated cable row
Using a supinated or palms-up grip puts your biceps in a stronger position. As such, with this variation, you should be able to either lift more weight or do more reps. However, if you’ve got tight arms, you may find it hard, if not impossible, to fully extend your elbows. Try it and see how you get on; this exercise is not for everyone.
Steps:
Attach a straight bar to a cable seated row machine.
Sit on the machine with your legs slightly bent and torso upright.
Hold the bar with a shoulder-width supinated or underhand grip.
Starting with your arms straight, bend your arms and pull the bar into your abdomen.
Extend your arms and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Latissimus dorsi, middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.
Secondary: Biceps, forearms, core.
Benefits:
A stronger position for the biceps.
A useful addition to close and wide grip seated cable rows.
A good back AND biceps builder.
Tips:
Lead with your elbows, and keep your upper arms close to your sides.
Adopt and maintain good posture throughout.
Try a narrow and medium-width grip to see which you prefer.
4. Resistance band seated row
No seated row machine? No problem! You can replicate this popular back exercise with a simple resistance band. All you need is a strong anchor and a suitable band. The type with handles at each is ideal. This is an excellent option for home workouts.
Steps:
Attach the middle of your band to a strong, low anchor.
Sit on the floor with your legs extended, knees slightly bent. Sit up straight, brace your core, and pull your shoulders back and down.
With one end of the band in each hand, pull the handles into your lower ribs.
Extend your arms and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Latissimus dorsi, middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.
Secondary: Biceps, forearms, core.
Benefits:
An ideal exercise for home workouts.
Do this exercise almost anywhere and anytime, even while traveling.
A very joint-friendly back exercise.
Tips:
Sit on a low chair for comfort if necessary.
You can also do this exercise by looping your band around your feet.
Pull the handles into your chest to hit your upper back more than your lats.
5. Cable close grip standing row
While cable close grip seated rows are an excellent bodybuilding and strength training exercise, they’re not exactly functional. After all, other than at the gym, when was the last time you pulled a heavy weight toward you while sitting in a chair?
This standing variation is a little more functional and should carry over better to sports and activities outside of the gym.
Steps:
Attach a narrow parallel grip handle to an adjustable cable machine set to around mid-chest height.
Hold the handle with both hands and step back to tension the cable. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent for stability.
Pull your shoulders back and down, brace your core, and look straight ahead.
Bend your arms and pull the handle into your abdomen.
Extend your arms and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Latissimus dorsi, middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.
Secondary: Biceps, forearms, core.
Benefits:
More functional than seated cable rows.
Burns more calories than the seated variation, as you have to use your legs for support.
Less lower back stress and a reduced chance of rounding your lumbar spine.
Tips:
You can also do this exercise in a split stance.
Use a D-shaped handle and work one arm at a time if preferred.
Keep your upper arms close to your sides to maximize back engagement.
6. Inverted row
You don’t need a cable machine to train your upper back. In fact, all you really need is your body weight and a suitable bar. This exercise is ideal for home workouts and is also more functional than seated cable rows, as you have to stabilize your entire body to perform it correctly.
Steps:
Adjust the bar in a Smith machine or put a barbell in a squat rack at around hip height. Lock it in place so it won’t move.
Sit on the floor below the bar and hold it using an overhand, slightly wider than shoulder-width grip.
Extend your legs and lift your hips so your body is straight.
Starting with straight arms, bend your elbows and pull your chest up to the bar.
Extend your arms and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Latissimus dorsi, middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.
Secondary: Biceps, forearms, core.
Benefits:
A very functional upper-back exercise.
An ideal exercise for home workouts.
Good for developing better posture.
Tips:
Make this exercise easier by bending your legs or raising the height of the bar.
Make it more challenging by putting your feet on a bench or wearing a weighted vest.
You can also do this exercise with gymnastic rings or a suspension trainer, e.g., a TRX.
7. Cable chest supported seated row
While cable close grip seated rows are already pretty lower back-friendly, there is still some stress on the muscles surrounding your lumbar spine. People with a history of lower back pain may find even this low amount of tension problematic. This rowing variation eliminates almost all lower back stress.
Steps:
Place an exercise bench in front of a low pulley machine so the backrest is upright and facing away from the weight stack.
Sit on the machine with your chest against the backrest, your feet flat on the floor, and the handles/bar in your hands.
Pull your shoulders down and back, and brace your core.
Bend your arms and pull your hands into your abdomen.
Extend your arms and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Latissimus dorsi, middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.
Secondary: Biceps, forearms, core.
Benefits:
A very lower back-friendly rowing exercise.
An accessible exercise as most gyms have the necessary machine and benches.
An excellent exercise for beginners and older people.
Tips:
You can do this exercise using a dual pulley machine or a single cable.
Use a rope handle to increase your range of motion.
Keep your upper arms close to your sides to maximize upper back engagement.
Cable Close Grip Seated Row FAQs
Do you have a question about cable close grip seated rows or back training in general? No problem, because we’ve got the answers!
1. Which is better – Cable close grip seated rows or lat pulldowns?
Cable close grip seated rows and lat pulldowns involve many of the same muscles. However, where cable close grip seated rows are a horizontal pulling movement, lat pulldowns are vertical. This means cable close grip seated rows involve the mid traps and rhomboids more than lat pulldowns.
Does this make cable close grip seated rows better than pulldowns? That depends on what you want from your exercises. If you want to emphasize your lats, lat pulldowns are probably the way to go.
But, if you want to work your mid-traps and rhomboids more, cable close grip seated rows could be the best choice.
That said, these exercises complement one another, so if you can find space in your workouts for both of these movements, then you probably should.
2. Are cable close grip seated rows safe?
While no exercise is 100% safe, cable close grip seated rows are pretty low risk, especially if you avoid using too much weight and do them with the correct technique. They’re certainly safer than some other rowing exercises, such as bent-over and T-bar rows.
3. Cable close grip seated rows hurt my lower back – what gives?
If cable close grip seated rows hurt your lower back, you are probably rounding your lumbar spine or not sitting in good posture. Get someone to video you or give you feedback so you can determine what you are doing wrong.
Tight hamstrings and a weak core can make it harder to sit up straight, so address these problems if they affect you.
You may also feel your lower back if you are using too much weight.
Switch to the single-arm or chest-supported variations to hit the same muscles but with less pressure on your lower back.
4. How many sets and reps of cable close grip seated rows should I do?
Two to four sets of cable close grip seated rows should be sufficient for most people. If you feel like you need to do more than four sets, you are probably resting too long between efforts or not taking your sets close enough to failure.
Regarding reps per set, anywhere from around eight to 30 will work, providing you push your set to within a couple of reps of failure. However, lower reps, i.e., 8-15, are generally more time-efficient.
5. How often should I train my back?
While you could just train your back once per week, as some bodybuilders do, you’ll probably get better results from two back workouts. However, don’t just repeat the same session twice, as that will soon become boring. Instead, create two workouts with different exercises in each. This will help prevent boredom and overuse injuries. Do these workouts 2-3 days apart to allow time for recovery and growth.
For example:
Workout 1
Workout 2
Exercise
Sets x Reps
Exercise
Sets x Reps
1
Lat pulldowns
4 x 10-12
Pull-ups
4 x AMRAP*
2
Cable seated rows
3 x 12-15
Barbell rows
3 x 6-8
3
Single-arm rows
3 x 12-15
Seal rows
3 x 10-12
4
Dumbbell pullovers
2 x 15-20
Straight-arm pulldowns
2 x 12-15
*AMRAP = As Many Reps as Possible
Cable Close Grip Seated Row – Wrapping Up
Rows are one of the best ways to build a broad, muscular upper back. Horizontal pulling exercises like bent-over, T-bar, single-arm, and Pendlay rows are critical if you want strong, powerful lats, trapezius, and rhomboids.
That said, those exercises can also be hard on your lower back, and the risks may outweigh the benefits for some people. Cable close grip seated rows are more lower-back friendly than some other rowing exercises, and the easy-to-adjust weight stack mean they’re perfect for drop sets.
Combine horizontal rows with vertical pulldowns and pull-ups to hit back your muscles from all angles and build a physique you can be proud of!
CrossFit Cluster Exercise Guide: How To, Benefits, Muscles Worked, and Variations
CrossFit is a unique sport. It involves beginner-friendly simple movements like the air squat, shoulder press, and kettlebell swings. On the flip side, it also incorporates demanding exercises such as rope climbs, pig flips, and Olympic lifts (clean and jerk and snatch) that get elite athletes on their knees.
Most CrossFit WODs (workout of the day) consist of circuits that combine two or more movements. The CrossFit cluster takes this a step further, merging the thruster with the clean into a single exercise.
Interestingly, the thruster is a combination of two exercises — the front squat and the push press. Adding the clean to the mix makes the cluster a blend of three compound (multi-joint) movements.
CrossFit has set itself apart by requiring its athletes to perform unique and challenging compound exercises that help you work your entire body in a short time. The cluster fits the bill perfectly.
In this article, we go over the fundamentals of the CrossFit cluster, and everything you need to know about it to master the movement, including its benefits, correct form, common mistakes, variations, and the muscles worked during this exercise.
What is a CrossFit Cluster?
A CrossFit cluster combines two exercises — the clean and the thruster. The compound exercise works your entire body. Most WODs have just the right amount of clusters as chippers or in a circuit to destroy you by the end of the workout.
Each cluster begins from the ground. You must lift the bar to your hip height and catch it in the front rack position at the bottom of a squat. The rest of the movement is the same as the thruster. From the bottom of the front squat, stand up by extending your knees and driving through your midfoot. As you’re about to achieve full knee extension, use the momentum to drive the bar overhead and lock out your elbows. Return the bar to the front rack position.
In the thruster, you would go right into a squat after catching the bar and repeat for the recommended reps. However, you will return the bar to the floor with each rep while doing the cluster. Adding the cleans makes the cluster much more demanding than the thrusters.
You must follow the perfect form while performing the cluster to avoid unnecessary strain on your lower back. Lifting with a rounded back is one of the most common mistakes while doing this exercise.
Muscles Worked During CrossFit Cluster
The CrossFit cluster is a full-body exercise, recruiting almost every muscle fiber in your body. It is such an effective compound exercise that we think this section should be titled “Muscles not worked in a CrossFit Cluster.” Nonetheless, here are the muscles stimulated in this exercise:
Legs
The cluster works your quads during the initial lift off the floor; your glutes and hamstrings are activated as you get into the squat after catching the bar. This exercise is a complete leg builder that will help you add strength and size to your lower body.
Back
While performing the cluster, you’ll experience latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, teres major and minor, and trapezius muscle engagement. Since this is a hip-hinge movement, you’ll also feel lower back stimulation.
Shoulders
From pulling the bar off the floor and pressing it overhead, you’ll experience shoulder engagement. Cycle through the cluster reps, and you’ll feel a sick anterior and lateral deltoid pump.
Arms
The first half of the movement involves pulling the bar to the front rack, resulting in biceps engagement. The second half requires you to press the bar overhead, which will fire up your triceps.
Core
Performing a clean, especially while lifting heavier, requires a strong core. Your midriff and stabilizers will also be in action as you press the bar overhead and complete a lockout. Folks that lack a solid core will have trouble completing a heavy overhead lockout.
Benefits of CrossFit Cluster
Adding the cluster to your exercise arsenal entails the following benefits:
Boosts Your Skills
CrossFit involves a lot of skills. Most WODs involve a healthy chunk of high-skill weightlifting moves such as the Olympic lifts and gymnastics moves like handstand walks and ring muscle-ups.
The cluster helps you improve at Olympic lifts by incorporating the clean, front squat, and overhead press into a single movement. It will aid in improving your technique and get you better results faster.
Full-Body Exercise
The cluster is a full-body exercise that will help you build overall strength and muscle mass. This compound exercise will improve your functionality, making you better at other exercises and day-to-day activities.
The cluster will also improve your metabolic conditioning, boosting your performance in demanding workouts.
Helps Build Strength and Muscle Mass
The compound exercise will boost your strength and muscle mass. You must, however, program your workouts accordingly. Stay in the 1-5 rep range to focus on strength. On the other hand, the 8-12 range is optimal for hypertrophy. [1]
Enhances Endurance and Stamina
Perform high-rep sets of clusters, and you’d be gasping for breath. Adding cluster ladders to your WODs will help you build stamina and endurance, translating to better performance in demanding workouts.
Improves Coordination
There are several moving parts in the cluster. You need to clean the barbell off the floor, perform a squat, and then do an overhead press. Doing this exercise regularly will help improve your hand-eye coordination.
How To Do a CrossFit Cluster
The CrossFit cluster is a complex lift. You must dial in your technique to get the best bang for your buck. There will be a lot of tips and tricks, so pay close attention. Here is how to perform the cluster with the perfect form:
Steps:
Place a barbell against your shins and stand upright with a shoulder-wide stance.
Grab the bar using a shoulder-wide hook grip. Your hip crease should be below your knees crease. This will help you use your quads in the initial phase of the lift.
Your chest should be open, and you should look straight ahead while at the bottom of the lift.
Pull the bar to your hip level while keeping it close to your body by driving through your midfoot.
Pull the bar faster as it crosses your knees, and you stand upright by extending your knees.
The bar should make contact with your hips. At this point, lean back slightly, generate momentum by getting on your heels, and pull the bar toward your shoulders.
In one motion, jump your feet wide and get under the bar to catch it in the front rack position at the bottom of the squat.
Get out of the hole explosively by driving through your midfoot.
Press the bar overhead as you reach the top of the movement.
Move your head through your arms to achieve a lockout.
Lower the bar to a front rack position.
Repeat for reps.
CrossFit Cluster Tips
Pull the slack out of the bar at the bottom by pulling the bar slightly off the floor. This will help ensure a smooth upward movement.
You can skip jumping your feet out if you are comfortable with your initial stance and can use it to push the weight overhead.
Your elbows should trace over the bar in the initial part of the lift and drop below the bar as you catch it in a squat. This will help you keep control of the barbell.
Avoid rounding your back or looking down in the initial phase of the cluster, as it can put unnecessary strain on your neck.
Driving through your heels or toes will throw you off balance. Drive through your midfoot to maintain your center of gravity.
This Exercise:
Target Muscle Groups: Back, Legs, Shoulders, Arms, and Core
Type: Strength
Mechanics: Compound
Equipment: Barbell
Difficulty: Intermediate
Best Rep Range: 8-12 Reps
Common Mistakes While Performing a CrossFit Cluster
Stay clear of the following cluster errors for optimal gains and to avoid injuries:
Improper Form
Like all the other exercises, you only get better at the cluster with practice. Since this is a compound movement, lifters tend to make several mistakes initially. You must not yank the bar off the floor in the first half of the lift, as it can throw you off balance.
Keep your chin tucked and your eyes locked straight ahead throughout the exercise. Tilting your head toward the ceiling or the floor will again make the lift unstable. Plus, many lifters get on their toes too soon. You must wait for the bar to reach your hip level before using your feet to generate extra momentum.
Not Warming Up
The cluster is a full-body exercise, meaning a lot can go wrong while performing this exercise. Many people increase their odds of injury by not warming up before a workout. You must spend 10-15 minutes warming up before a training session for optimal performance.
Furthermore, compound lifts like the cluster require a decent amount of mobility. You must work on improving your flexibility and mobility to get better at the Olympic lifts.
Going Too Heavy
This is one of the most common mistakes lifters make while doing the cluster. Since this exercise is a combination of three lifts, many people load the bar with more weight than they can handle, assuming that they can muscle through the lift. However, letting your ego get the better of you jeopardizes your form and puts you at a greater risk of injury.
Variations and Alternatives of CrossFit Cluster
Use the following cluster variations and alternatives to add variety to your training regimen:
Dumbbell Cluster
This cluster variation uses dumbbells instead of a barbell. Although many lifters might think it is easier than the conventional cluster, it is not the case. The dumbbell cluster requires a different skill.
Steps:
Grab a dumbbell in each hand and stand upright with a shoulder-wide stance.
Push your hips back, hinge at your hips, and bend your knees to lower the dumbbells to your floor. Place the dumbbells on the outside of your feet at the starting position.
Lift the dumbbell to your knees by driving through your quads and midfoot.
Drive your hips forward and extend your knees as the dumbbells cross the knees.
Generate momentum by lifting your heels off the floor when the dumbbells reach your hip level.
Drop under the dumbbells and catch them over your shoulders.
Explode out of the hole and push the dumbbells overhead as you complete the movement.
Pro Tip: Ensure you’re using your quads to power off the floor by getting your hip crease below your knee crease at the bottom of the movement.
Thruster
The thruster is a great exercise to forge a more robust cluster. It is just like the cluster, minus the cleans while doing multiple reps.
Steps:
Take a shoulder-width stance and stand upright with a barbell against your shins.
Grab the bar at shoulder-width using a hook grip.
Clean the bar into a front rack and get into a squat.
Explode out of the hole by driving through your midfoot.
Press the bar overhead as you extend your knees.
Lower the bar into a front rack.
Perform a squat.
Repeat for recommended reps.
Pro Tip: Hold the bar in the front rack position using a full grip. Balancing the bar using only your fingers can make the lift unstable.
Clean
The clean is an Olympic lift, which needs a lot of practice to master. However, sticking with this exercise will make you better at most other CrossFit compound lifts, as it will help develop a stronger base.
Steps:
Stand with a shoulder-wide stance with a barbell placed against your shins.
Grab the bar with a hook grip.
Maintaining an open chest and flat back, pull the bar to your knees using your quads.
Drive your hips forward and extend your knees to bring the bar to your hip level.
From here, lift your heels off the floor to pull the bar toward the ceiling.
Get under the bar and catch the bar in a front rack position while jumping your feet out.
Stand upright.
Pro Tip: Drive your knees outward during the initial phase of the lift, as it will help engage your legs to generate power.
Front Squat
The next two exercises on the list are among the nine basic movements of CrossFit. The front squat is a compound exercise that primarily works your quads.
Steps:
Start with the bar in a front rack position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Use a shoulder-wide stance and turn your toes slightly outward.
While maintaining an upright torso, lower into a squat and go as deep as possible.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat for reps.
Pro Tip: You must have decent upper body, overhead, hip, and lower body mobility to perform a front squat with an upright torso.
Push Press
The push press is a basic CrossFit movement that will help you build upper body strength and explosiveness.
Steps:
Start in the front rack position and a shoulder-width stance.
Drop into a shallow stance.
Extend your knees rapidly and push the barbell overhead while raising your heels off the floor.
Lock out your elbows at the top and drive your head through your arms.
Lower the bar to the front rack position.
Repeat.
Pro Tip: Your elbows should be under the bar at the starting position, as it will help you generate power.
Wrapping Up
CrossFit is a high-intensity sport that combines weightlifting, gymnastics, and cardio. Olympic weightlifting exercises form the basis of the CrossFit resistance training WODs and help work your entire body in a short time.
The CrossFit cluster is one of the most effective functional exercises to help you build strength, muscle, endurance, and balance. Use the cluster alternatives and variations listed in this article to take your WODs to the next level. Best of luck!
References
Krzysztofik M, Wilk M, Wojdała G, Gołaś A. Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 4;16(24):4897. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244897. PMID: 31817252; PMCID: PMC6950543.
5 Back Workouts for Women: Bring the SexyBack!
Most women want an hourglass figure. However, some girls mistake an hourglass figure for a tennis racket figure. These ladies spend considerable time working on their booties but almost always overlook a vital aspect of achieving their dream figure — a shapely back. Ladies that want to rock a strapless dress or tank top must prioritize training their backs. Plus, a shapely back can add to your physique aesthetics by making your waist look smaller.
To build a curvy figure, you must incorporate back workouts into your training regimen. Your back workouts should have a balance of rowing exercises, such as barbell rows, dumbbell rows, seated cable rows, and horizontal pulling movements, such as lat pulldowns, pull-ups, etc.
After your legs, your back is the second-biggest muscle group, meaning your back workouts will be as brutal as your lower body training sessions. Plus, since it is a large muscle group, it will help burn more calories than the small muscle group workouts. If you feel fresh and energetic after a back workout, know that you didn’t go all-out in that training session.
Unlike smaller muscle groups like the biceps, which have only two muscle heads, your back consists of several muscles, such as the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, teres major and minor, trapezius, posterior delts, and erector spinae. Furthermore, your back is divided into two portions — upper and lower. You must train your back from different angles, using different grips for overall posterior chain development.
In this article, we go over the back anatomy, the five best back workouts for women, the importance and benefits of building a strong back for women, and tips to make the most of your workouts.
Back Anatomy
Understanding your back anatomy can help you program an effective back workout and ensure there are no weak areas in your back. Here are the back muscles you should know about for building an eye-catching backline:
Back Anatomy Muscles
Latissimus Dorsi
Latissimus dorsi, or lats, are the biggest back muscle. A pair of developed lats can accentuate your V-taper. They are located on both sides of the middle and lower back and are responsible for moving your arms down and toward the body.
Teres Major and Minor
These are present at the back of the shoulder and are responsible for rotating the arm and stabilizing the shoulder joint.
Rhomboids
They are located on your upper back underneath the trapezius muscle and between the shoulder blades. They help maintain a good posture and stabilize your shoulder blades.
Erector Spinae
These are a group of muscles present on both sides of the spinal column. As their name suggests, they help maintain an erect spine and allow for bending and twisting movements. The erector spinae is also referred to as the lower back.
Posterior Deltoids
Although the posterior or rear delts are located on your back, they are mostly trained in a shoulder workout. They help move your arm backward.
Trapezius
The trapezius muscle is located over the back of the neck and shoulders and extends down to the middle of the back. It helps moves the head and shoulder blades. Many people train their traps in a shoulder workout.
Best Back Workouts For Women
Our goal with these workouts is to build a toned back that looks amazing and improves your overall health and fitness. We have included five workouts in this article for ladies at different experience levels. The resistance band back workout is perfect for when you don’t have access to a gym.
Beginner Back Workout For Women
Women that are just starting their fitness journey should perform foundational exercises that will help them build a solid base and improve their mind-muscle connection. Your focus with this workout will be to drill each movement until you know them, like the back of your hand.
Seek expert advice to learn the correct technique for performing these exercises. Hiring a personal trainer can expedite your learning process, lower your risk of injury, and fast-track your progress.
Advanced Back Workout For Women
Ladies with at least a few months of lifting experience should graduate to the advanced back workout. Use an assisted pull-up machine or a spotter if you cannot perform bodyweight pull-ups.
You’ll also be doing rear delt flyes for the rear delts and barbell shrugs for the trapezius muscle in this workout. Expect this workout to take between 45-60 minutes. However, keep your rest durations between sets limited to 30-60 seconds to maintain a high training intensity.
Machine-Only Back Workout For Women
Machines follow a fixed movement trajectory, which can help you focus on establishing a mind-muscle connection and achieve muscle-ripping pumps. Plus, machine workouts take less time than free-weight workouts, which is a boon for lifters on a tight schedule.
You can swap the GHD back extension with a conventional back extension if you lack the posterior chain strength to perform the exercise. Focus on contracting your muscles with each rep to get the most out of this workout.
Resistance Band Back Workout For Women
The resistance band back workout is an excellent place to start for beginners and when you are traveling. Contrary to what most people think, you don’t always need free weights or machines to build a chiseled physique. Resistance bands help maintain constant tension on your muscles throughout the motion, helping induce hypertrophy.
We recommend using loop bands for this workout; grab the heaviest bands you can find. Furthermore, you’ll be performing a higher number of reps in this workout than in the other workouts to ensure you’re not leaving anything in the tank.
HIIT Back Workout For Women
HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, workouts consist of short periods of high-intensity exercises followed by periods of rest or lower-intensity exercises. A HIIT workout aims to push your body to its maximum capacity in a short period. It is a great training protocol for breaking through strength and muscle plateaus. Furthermore, it is perfect for folks that can only dedicate 30 minutes to a training regimen.
You’ll perform five rounds of this HIIT workout. Do each exercise for 30 seconds and rest for 10 seconds after completing a movement. You are allowed a 60-second rest after completing each round.
Read more: HIIT Workouts for Women: 6 Best Workout Plans, Benefits, and Pro Tips
Back Workout Tips For Women
Follow these tips for carving a head-turning back:
Focus on Form
Beginners must prioritize lifting with the correct form instead of chasing heavy weights. Using a picture-perfect form maximizes an exercise’s muscle and strength-building potential and reduces the risk of injury.
Plus, focus on contracting your target muscles with each rep. Going through the motions for the sake of it won’t cut it. Slow down your rep tempo if you have trouble establishing a mind-muscle connection.
Progressive Overload
Progressive overload is the name of the game when it comes to building muscle mass. You could make your workouts harder and increase your training volume and intensity by lifting heavier, doing more sets and reps, shortening your rest duration between sets, or incorporating advanced training techniques like super sets, drop sets, intraset stretching, rest-pause sets, etc.
You must gradually increase the demands placed on your muscles. It will challenge your muscles to adapt and improve, leading to gains in strength, muscle size, and overall fitness.
You Don’t Have To Reinvent The Wheel
Many exercisers tend to do too much too soon. These people think that doing out-of-the-box exercises will speed up their progress. However, this is not the case. You don’t have to join a cult or follow a charlatan to build a chiseled back. The exercises mentioned in this article are all you need to develop a shapely back.
Nutrition and Sleep
You cannot out-train a bad diet and recovery program. You must back your workouts with a balanced diet to optimize muscle growth. Further, a seven to eight-hour sleep is a must as it allows your body enough time to rest and recuperate between workouts.
Since the back is a large muscle group, perform one of the workouts mentioned in this article weekly. As you gain more experience, you could perform two weekly back workouts to expedite your back growth. However, avoid doing more than two back workouts a week as it increases your risk of overtraining.
Change Grips
Performing the same exercise with a different hand grip can target your muscles differently. For example, you could do a barbell bent-over row with an underhand or overhand grip. You could also perform the seated cable row with a supinated, pronated, or neutral grip to train your back from different angles.
Why Building a Strong Back is Important For Women?
Incorporating back workouts into your training regimen entails the following advantages:
Improves Aesthetics
Building a bigger back can add to your physique aesthetics. It can create an illusion of a smaller waist and broader shoulders, which are essential features of an hourglass figure. A diced back will also make you look stunning in backless dresses and tank tops.
Promotes a Better Posture
Most of us spend the majority of our days hunched over a computer or phone screen. Training our backs can help improve our posture by strengthening the muscles responsible for maintaining a proper upright position. Plus, back exercises can increase back flexibility and mobility, which can help pull the shoulders back, open up the chest, and align the spine in its natural S-shape curvature.
Helps Burns Calories
Your back is the second-biggest muscle group. Performing an intense back workout that involves compound (multi-joint) exercises can spike your heart rate, helping you burn a decent amount of calories. Plus, back workouts help increase overall muscle mass and boost metabolism, both of which lead to a higher calorie expenditure even when you are physically inactive. However, if your goal is to burn more calories, you should follow the HIIT back workout listed in this article.
Boosts Functionality
Most back exercises are functional movements that improve overall strength, mobility, and stability. Your back plays a crucial role in many everyday activities, such as lifting, carrying, and bending, as well as in sports and other physical activities. Balanced back workouts improve your performance in all these activities while reducing your risk of injury.
Help Alleviate Lower Back Pain
Training your spine-supporting muscles (erector spinae) in your back workout can help alleviate and reduce the risk of lower back pain, especially in women with large breasts or those that remain seated for most of the day.
FAQs
How can women build a toned back?
Building a chiseled back requires following a balanced back workout focusing on building muscle mass and strength. Perform one of the workouts given in this article weekly for 12 weeks to see noticeable back development. You could also switch between the workouts to add variety to your training regimen.
Should men and women follow different back workouts?
No exercise is gender specific. The workouts in this article can be used by men and women alike. With that said, girls don’t need to worry about building a cobra back like their male counterparts. The ladies don’t produce enough testosterone to build the same amount of muscle mass as men.
How to program a back workout for hypertrophy and strength gains?
The number of sets, reps, and exercises you perform and your workout intensity will depend on your training goals. Perform 3 sets of 8-12 reps of an exercise and rest 60-90 minutes between sets if you want to build muscle mass. On the other hand, do 3-5 sets of 1-5 reps of an exercise with 2-5 minutes of rest between sets if you want to maximize strength. [1]
Wrapping Up
To carry the heavy burden of the world, you must have a strong back. The five back workouts for women listed in this article will help improve your posture, boost your functional fitness and calorie expenditure, and enhance your physique aesthetics.
These workouts are apt for women of any experience level. Furthermore, the HIIT back training session is great for ladies on a tight schedule. Pair these workouts with a balanced recovery program for optimal results. Best of luck!
References
Krzysztofik M, Wilk M, Wojdała G, Gołaś A. Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 4;16(24):4897. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244897. PMID: 31817252; PMCID: PMC6950543.
45-Degree Hyperextension Guide: Muscles Worked, How-To, Benefits, and Variations
A big, strong back is what everyone’s after, and while rows, deads, and pulls make the cut in everyone’s workout regime, less popular but necessary exercises like 45-degree hyperextensions (also known as back extensions) oftentimes don’t. But truth be told, it can have a big impact on your lower, middle, and upper, back, glutes, and hamstrings too.
As we also mentioned later on in this article, fitness competitors know the importance of hyperextensions because it’s one exercise that helps bring up your lower back muscularity. It’s a potent and underused movement.
In this guide, you’ll learn the ins and outs of hyperextensions, also known as back extensions, like how to use your hips on the pads, benefits, sets, and reps, and which variations work best.
This Exercise
Target Muscle Group/s: Erector spinae, gluteus maximus, hamstrings
Type: Strength, hypertrophy
Mechanics: Isolation
Equipment: Roman chair/acceptable alternative
Difficulty: Intermediate
How To Do 45-Degree Hyperextensions
45 degree hyperextensions are a unique movement in that you can choose which muscles to target by modifying your technique. Below are written instructions and a video tutorial that walk you through the different variations of this exercise.
Step 1 – The setup
First get properly set up on a Roman chair by adjusting it to your body. The top of the bench should be below the top of your pelvis bone, which will allow your hips to move freely so you can hinge at your hips, and not round at your back.
Step 2 – Body position
Lean into the bench, keeping your body straight, and head neutral. Your feet should be roughly hip width apart and parallel to each other.
Step 3 – Hip flexion and torso angle
Bend at the hips and lower your upper body toward the ground. Your core muscles should tense to stiffen your spine and keep your back completely straight. Stop when your torso is slightly below parallel to the floor.
Step 4 – Hip extension using glutes, hamstrings, and toes
Extend your hips while squeezing your glutes, and pressing your toes into the platform, until you’re back to the starting position. Repeat as many times as needed.
Watch the Video tutorial
Check out the video demonstration for key form tips or simply refer to the written instructions and tips in this guide to ensure you’re maximizing your 45-degree hyperextensions.
Related: Best Roman Chair Hyperextension Machines Reviewed For 2022
Tips
The movement should occur at the hips, and not by rounding your back. It’s all about proper pad height.
Make sure to squeeze your glutes and press with your toes during back extensions.
Start with your body weight only, get good at the movement, and then add weight once you can perform 15 solid reps!
When you’re ready to progress, simply hold a weight in hand, or wrap a band around your waist to increase the load. You don’t have to but if you’re training goals are to increase strength, then it’s a good strategy.
You can also use a Glute Ham Developer (GHD) bench which allows you to perform a similar movement and train all of the same muscles.
Muscles Worked
45-degree hyperextensions are a powerhouse that collects input from several muscles in your rear! Learn about the anatomy of muscles that benefit from this exercise below.
Erector spinae
Referring to the muscles that line your spinal column on either side. As the name suggests, erector spinae help us to stand upright from a bent over angle. Hyperextensions rely on these muscles heavily to complete each repetition.
Gluteus maximus
An absolute titan on your backside, the gluteus maximus creates the most volume, size and shape on your butt and hips. Aside from looking good back there, your glutes assist in maintaining an upright posture, and help extend the hips like when you squat, jump, and stand up.
Hamstrings
A significant thigh muscle, your hamstrings stretch from the hip to the knee joint on the rear upper leg. Composed of three heads, your hams work together to bend the knee, extend the hips, and rotate your hip joint.
Benefits
Hyperextensions are anything but flashy, but make no mistake, they’re heavy with the benefits. Here’s why we recommend this old-school movement.
Build a savage posterior
Hyperextensions, especially loaded heavy, are often utilized by bodybuilders who need more muscle and detail in their lower back. But you also have to use the glutes, and hamstrings. In fact, you can shift the focus to emphasize either the lower back or leg muscles.
Increase back stability and posture
The erector spinae muscles help straighten and rotate the back, therefore, making them stronger is going to support everything that you do physically. Hyperextensions are also something you can do to help improve and maintain healthy posture, which is incredibly important, especially now with our heads constantly buried in our electronic devices.
May help to reduce lower back pain
An uncooperative lower back that aches is often the result of, well, weak lower back muscles. Training your core with hyperextensions, and the staple compound moves, will always improve, or even eliminate a sore lower back. If think about it your poor lower back is placed under a lot of stress, especially during things like squats and deadlifts. Not to mention, if you don’t use your core, and then jump into physical labor or activities, you’ll be feeling it!
Read: Lower Back Pain: Common Causes and Prevention For Athletes
Common Mistakes When Performing 45-Degree Hyperextensions
Know that 45-degree hyperextensions are there to improve your body, but you should still be cautious due to the nature of their position.
Wrong hip pad height
Hyperextensions are a hip hinge movement, but if you adjust the pad too high, you’ll be doing more of a crunch. And rounding your back too much, especially under heavy weight loads, is not recommended. As we explained in the exercise instructions, the hip pad should be below the top of the pelvis bone, giving your hips adequate movement. The videos tutorial in this guide show proper examples of ideal pad height.
Using too much back
45-degree hyperextensions are not a stretching exercise. Therefore, there should be minimal to no back rounding. Use your core to stiffen your spine, keep your back completely straight, and focus on hinging at the hips to initiate the movement.
Using momentum
It’s way too tempting to want to use momentum, and swing your way through each rep. Not only are you increasing the risk of injury, but there’s no way the target muscles are benefitting as much as they could be.
Variations and Alternatives of 45-Degree Hyperextensions
We have to admit, this is a pretty sweet list of the variations and alternatives that you can do in place of 45-degree hyperextensions. There may be a lot of difference between some of these exercises, but each one has its advantages.
Reverse hyperextensions
In the 45-degree hyperextension, your upper body is the load. In a reverse hyperextension, it’s your legs. There are also machines that allow you to do the reverse variation. However, there’s a disadvantage to this variation in that it doesn’t involve the same degree of involvement from the erector spinae muscles.
Deadlift
Many would crown deadlifts as the king of all exercises, and it’d be justified. Working every muscle in the body from head to toe (not an exaggeration either), deads are a raw, unadulterated lift, and there’s a reason it’s one of the three powerlifts, and so well respected in strength sports.
But you can also opt for the Romanian deadlift (excellent choice), cable deadlifts, rack pulls, or any of the other common variations.
Rack pull
Rack Pulls
Best reserved for more experienced lifters, rack pulls are a deadlift variation but with the bar and weights raised several inches off the ground, like on a power rack, blocks, Smith machine, etc.
The selling point for rack pulls are that the legs are not as involved (but still involved) compared to a deadlift. So, mentally, more of the focus shifts to your upper body. It’s a great way to overload your erector spinae, and improve hip hinge strength.
Hip thrusts
While it’s more of a butt focused exercise, hip thrusts are a ridiculous movement for attracting muscle, and massive on strength in your rear end. It’ll also help fortify your lower, middle, and upper body too. Hip thrusts should be in your gains cabinet without exception.
Hip Thrusts
Steps
Sit on the floor and place your back against a flat bench or an object of similar height and construction. Extend your legs straight with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart.
Roll a barbell up to your hips.
Grab the bar with a shoulder-wide overhand grip.
Then bend your knees and plant your feet flat on the floor.
Now brace your core and squeeze your glutes.
Lift your hips towards the ceiling by driving your feet into the floor until your body is in a straight line from your head to your knees. Your lower legs should be perpendicular to the floor at this position.
Pause and contract your glutes at the top.
Slowly return to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of reps.
Kettlebell swing
One of the ultimate functional movements, kettlebell swings are a common CrossFit activity with benefits beyond a strong and more aesthetic body. Involving triple joint (hips, knees, and ankles) extension, kettlebell swings copy athletic movements, and require a lot of energy, priming your body to torch fat cells!
Plus there’s nothing like giving yourself a break from the boring routine, and challenging yourself.
Kettlebell Swings
Steps
Place the kettlebell on the floor in front of you.
Keep your feet slightly wider than hip-width and bend your knees a quarter of the way.
Tighten your core, keep your shoulders down, straighten your back, then hinge forward at the hips without bending your knees further. Grip the kettlebell with two hands.
With your torso parallel to the floor, flex your lats and lock in your rear delts. Keep your arms close to your body.
Swing the kettlebell back between your legs then thrust your hips forward into the standing position which should move your arms upward in front of you.
Cable pull throughs
You can replicate hypers, and kettlebell swings using cables. Simply attach a double ended rope to the lowest position on the machine, face away from it, and do the same thing to activate your back, glutes, and hamstrings.
Steps
Attach a rope handle to a low pulley machine. Stand with your back to the weight stack, feet roughly hip width apart.
Tense your core, pull your shoulders back and down, then bend down and grab the handle with both hands between your legs. Stand up and take a couple of steps forward to create tension in the cable.
Your feet should be roughly shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, hands in front of your hips. This is your starting position.
Push your hips back and lean forward until you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings. Maintain a neutral spine throughout, including your upper back and neck.
Drive your hips forward and stand back up.
Hinge forward again and repeat.
Related: 7 Best Rack Pull Alternatives for Muscular Back
Good mornings
A lower back focused exercise that is the subject of much debate, when done right, good mornings can be beneficial and effective. Proper technique cannot be stressed enough and fail to do good mornings safely, especially using heavy weights can mean bad for your spine!
So, while you can find exercise instructions below, we do recommend you check out our full good mornings exercise guide for more detailed training tips and information.
Steps
Place a barbell in a squat or power rack just below shoulder-height. Duck your head under the bar and stand up so that it’s resting on the middle of your traps muscles. Grasp the bar with a slightly wider than shoulder-width grip.
Unrack the barbell and step back to give yourself room to perform the exercise. Stand with your feet hip to shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees slightly and brace your core.
Hinging from your hips, push your butt back and lean your torso forward while keeping the knees slightly bent. Do NOT let your lower back round. Your range of motion will depend on your hamstring flexibility. Do not lower the bar below the level of your hips.
Drive your hips forward and stand back up.
Also try these Hyperextension Alternatives for A Powerful Posterior Chain.
FAQs
What are the best sets and reps for 45-degree hyperextensions?It all depends on your level of training experience, form, and goals.
For example, while some exercisers may choose to load hyperextensions with additional weight, that may never be the goal or necessary for someone else.
Can you perform this exercise while holding dumbbells without rounding your spine? If so, then weighted back extensions can work for you.
For beginners, two set is adequate, but more advanced trainees may need four.
Typically, 2-4 sets to failure, or 6-15 reps is a good range for most people.
More advanced gym goers are better able to prescribe a more precise sets and reps range.
How far down should I go during 45-degree hyperextensions?It’s a bit subjective. Honestly, there’s no one perfect way for everyone. However, you should be able to bend your upper body without rounding your back. Although, this is more dangerous when using additional weight.
Wrapping Up
If you’re ready to sling 45-degree hyperextensions into your workout regime, you won’t be disappointed. There aren’t many ways to do the same thing with just your body weight, hence why companies make Roman chairs specifically for this exercise. But there are other methods to accomplish the same thing. Such as using a GHD machine, doing deadlift variations, or swinging around the medieval kettlebell.
Zercher Deadlift Guide: How To, Benefits, Progression, Muscles Worked, and Variations
The Zercher deadlift is the Zercher squat’s sibling. These exercises are the namesake of the 1930s strongman Ed Zercher. Although the strongman originally invented the Zercher squat, his lifting techniques have touched the deadlift, and this unconventional exercise has been growing in popularity recently. The Zercher exercises involve holding the barbell in your elbow crooks….
Kneeling Cable Pullover Exercise Guide: How To, Benefits, Muscles Worked, and Variations
Your back is the second biggest muscle group. A developed back can take your physique aesthetics to the next level. Wide latissimus dorsi muscles can accentuate your V-taper and add to the illusion of broad shoulders and a narrow waist.
The back includes muscles like lats, rhomboids, teres major and minor, traps, and erector spinae. Horizontal pulling movements like the lat pulldown and pull-ups help improve your back width, whereas rowing movements like the cable row and barbell and dumbbell bent-over row build your back thickness.
The problem with most back training routines is that they lack isolation exercises. Compound lifts like the barbell row, deadlift, and cable pulldown will help build size and strength. Still, you cannot overlook isolation exercises as they help fix muscle imbalances and improve strength and conditioning. This is where the cable pullover variations shine.
The kneeling cable pullover is a dumbbell pullover variation that primarily targets the lats. Using a cable instead of a dumbbell allows you to maintain constant tension on your lats throughout the range of motion.
During the dumbbell pullover, when the dumbbell is above your head, there is no tension on your lats. This is, however, not the case with the cable pullover. The cable will pull on your lats even when the bar is in front of your chest.
In this article, we cover everything you need to learn about the kneeling cable pullover to step up your lat game. You’ll discover this exercise’s correct form, benefits, target muscle groups, common mistakes, and best variations and alternatives.
What is a Kneeling Cable Pullover?
The kneeling cable pullover is a dumbbell pullover variation that primarily targets your lats. Most latissimus dorsi exercises result in biceps engagement, as your biceps are involved in the pulling motion required in most back exercises.
Since your biceps are a small muscle group, they fatigue before your lats, hampering your performance and leading you to leave gains on the table. The kneeling cable pullover eradicates this problem as the movement is limited to your shoulder joint in this exercise. There is no elbow flexion and extension involved in the kneeling cable pullover, which helps limit your pythons’ role in this exercise.
As the name suggests, the kneeling cable pullover is performed on a cable machine while kneeling. You’ll be facing away from the pulley during the exercise to achieve an optimal range of motion.
The kneeling cable pullover requires a strong core, especially if you plan to lift heavy on this exercise. We’ll also touch upon the half-kneeling cable pullover in this article, which is a preferred variation of this exercise, as its setup allows better balance and stability.
Muscles Worked During Kneeling Cable Pullover
The kneeling cable pullover works the following muscles:
Primary Muscles
The latissimus dorsi is the primary target muscle group of the kneeling cable pullover. Your lats are the primary movers in this exercise and help move your arms through the eccentric and concentric parts of the lift.
Secondary Muscles
The serratus anterior (located on the upper rib cage), triceps, shoulders, and core are the supporting muscle groups in the kneeling cable pullover. If you feel more tension in your secondary muscles than your lats, it is a sign that you’re doing something wrong and must fix your form.
Benefits of Kneeling Cable Pullover
Adding the kneeling cable pullover to your training regimen entails the following advantages:
Build a Bigger Back
The kneeling cable pullover keeps your target muscle under constant tension throughout the range of motion, resulting in better muscle stimulation and hypertrophy. You should stay in the 8-12 rep range if your goal is to build muscle mass [1]. Furthermore, since the kneeling cable pullover is an isolation exercise, it can also improve your back conditioning.
Improves Shoulder Mobility
The kneeling cable pullover involves movement at the shoulder joint. Furthermore, it stretches your lats and triceps, which are crucial in your overhead mobility. Performing kneeling cable pullovers will help achieve greater shoulder stability and control, improving your performance in compound lifts like the bench press, overhead press, and snatch.
Boosts Core Stability
Since you’ll be facing away from the pulley machine, you must keep your core engaged throughout the exercise to maintain a stable torso. You’ll also experience core stimulation during the eccentric and concentric motion of the kneeling cable pullover.
How To Do a Kneeling Cable Pullover
This is how to perform the kneeling cable pullover with the correct form:
Steps:
Set the cable pulley machine at the highest setting and attach a straight bar handle.
Grab the handle with a pronated (overhand) grip.
Kneel down half a step in front of the pulley with your back toward the pole.
Plant your toes on the floor for stability. Your torso should be perpendicular to the floor throughout the range of motion.
Your arms should be extended overhead, your hands should be over your calves at the starting position, and the cable should be taut at the start position.
While maintaining a slight bend in your elbows, pull down the straight bar until it is at your chest level.
Your arms should be parallel to the floor at the bottom.
Pause and contract your lats at the static contraction point.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat for recommended reps.
Kneeling Cable Pullover Tips:
Keep your core and glutes engaged throughout the exercise for optimal balance and stability.
Sit on your heels if you have trouble maintaining a stable core while performing this exercise. However, your goal should be to build a strong core so you can do this exercise while kneeling.
Using a rope attachment in this exercise offers an enhanced range of motion.
Avoid arching your back during the eccentric (upward) motion of the exercise, as it can put unnecessary strain on your lower back.
Similarly, avoid rounding your back during the concentric (lowering) motion, as it can result in chest and ab engagement.
In This Exercise:
Target Muscle Group: Back
Secondary Muscle Groups: Shoulders, Triceps, and Abs
Type: Strength
Mechanics: Isolation
Equipment: Cable Machine
Difficulty: Beginner
Best Rep Range:
Hypertrophy: 8-12
Strength: 1-5
Common Mistakes While Performing a Kneeling Cable Pullover
Steer clear of the following lapses to make the most of the kneeling cable pullover:
Kneeling Too Far Away From The Pulley
Most people kneel too far away from the pulley. A significant gap between your torso and the pulley increases the risk of the cable rubbing into your head during the concentric (lowering) motion. Staying close to the pulley will ensure the cable misses your head.
Not Following a Full Range of Motion
You must follow a full range of motion to make the most of this exercise. Some lifters lower the bar to their neck level and stop the eccentric motion when their arms form a 90-degree angle with the floor. Limiting your range of motion will restrict your muscle fiber recruitment.
Using Momentum
Many lifters let their egos get the better of them in this exercise. They put more weight on the stack than they can handle and end up swinging their torso back and forth to lift the weight. Using momentum removes tension from your target muscle groups and puts it on your shoulders, triceps, and core. It also increases your risk of injury.
Variations and Alternatives of Kneeling Cable Pullover
Here are a few kneeling cable pullover variations and alternatives to add variety to your training regimen:
Half-Kneeling Cable Pullover
The half-kneeling cable pullover helps maintain better upper body stability as you have a better center of gravity. The steps for this exercise will remain the same as the conventional kneeling cable pullover. While performing this exercise, ensure that the upper and lower leg of the front leg is at a right angle, and the quad of the other leg is perpendicular to the floor.
Resistance Band Kneeling Cable Pullover
Folks that don’t have access to a cable pulley machine can use a resistance band to train their lats without taxing their biceps.
Steps:
Attach one end of the resistance band to an elevated object that is 8-10 feet high, such as a squat rack or a door.
Kneel down on the floor facing away from the door with the other end of the band wrapped around your hands.
Your arms should be extended overhead, and your hands over your calves at the starting position.
Brace your core and glutes, and bring your arms to your chest level.
Pause at the bottom and contract your lats.
Slowly return to the start position.
Pro Tip: Place your hands at varying distances to train your back from different angles. Alternate between holding your hands together, shoulder-wide, and in a snatch grip.
Lying Cable Pullover
The lying cable pullover is the closest you get to the dumbbell pullover while using a cable machine.
Steps:
Set the cable pulley machine at the lowest setting and hook up a rope attachment.
Set up a flat bench at an appropriate distance from the cable pulley so that the weight doesn’t rack at the bottom of the movement.
Place your upper back on the bench and your feet on the floor. You should be at a 90-degree angle to the bench.
Your hips should be as close to the floor as possible. This allows an optimal range of motion.
Hold the rope attachment with a neutral grip (palms facing each other).
Extend your arms so that your hands are over your chest.
Slowly lower your hands toward the pulley while maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.
Pause at the bottom and focus on stretching your lats.
Return to the starting position.
Pro Tip: As you get better at this exercise, you can increase the difficulty by performing it on a decline bench. The decline position helps isolate your lats better, resulting in a better mind-muscle connection.
Incline Cable Pullover
The incline cable pullover can deliver optimal lat engagement because of the lat stretch at the top of the rep.
Steps:
Set the cable pulley at the highest setting and connect a rope attachment.
Set up an incline bench facing away from the pulley. Adjust the bench’s incline to a 45-degree angle with the floor.
Lie on the bench and grab the rope attachment. Ensure that the cable is taut at the bottom of the movement.
While maintaining a slight elbow bend, pull the cable until your hands are in front of your chest.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat for reps.
Pro Tip: Keep your back flat against the bench’s back pad. Arching your back and lifting your chest can result in pectoral engagement.
Straight Arm Lat Pulldown
The straight arm lat pulldown is a popular cable exercise to work the lats. It helps work your back without engaging your biceps.
Steps:
Set the cable pulley to the highest setting and affix a straight bar.
Grab the bar with an overhand grip and take a couple of steps back.
Bend your knees slightly, push back your hips, and lower your torso until it is at a 45-degree angle with the floor.
Brace your core and pull down the bar to your thighs while maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat for reps.
Pro Tip: You can also perform this exercise while kneeling on the floor. It ensures you don’t use your lower body to generate momentum to pull down the weight.
Dumbbell Pullover
This is the OG pullover exercise. Add this movement to your exercise arsenal to build wider lats.
Steps:
Place your shoulders on a bench and your feet on the floor. You should be at a 90-degree angle to the bench.
Hold a dumbbell over your chest with both hands. Your arms should be extended and perpendicular to the floor.
Keep your hips low to the floor throughout the exercise for optimal lat engagement.
While maintaining a slight bend in your elbows, lower the dumbbell toward the floor behind your head.
Pause at the bottom.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Pro Tip: Use a barbell on this exercise to target your lats from a different angle. Also, avoid going super heavy on this exercise as the weight is directly over your head at the top. You don’t want to hit failure in this position.
Medicine Ball Slams
You probably weren’t expecting medicine ball slams on this list. However, it is a great movement to work your lats and core, as it involves explosive strength and power.
Steps:
Stand upright with a shoulder-wide stance.
Hold a medicine ball in front of your chest with both hands.
Squat down slightly to load the spring.
Lift the medicine ball overhead while extending your knees and raising your heels off the floor. Your body should be in a straight line, from hands to toes, at the top of the movement.
Use your lats, core, and arms to slam the medicine ball between your feet with as much force as possible.
Power the slam by lowering into a partial squat.
Repeat.
Pro Tip: Focus on contracting your lats in the overhead position and throwing the ball to the floor.
Wrapping Up
The kneeling cable pullover is an incredibly effective exercise to target your lats. Using a cable allows you to keep constant tension on your target muscle throughout the range of motion. This exercise will help you annihilate your lats without exhausting your biceps, which is the case with most pulling-based exercises.
We have also listed the kneeling cable pullover variations and alternatives in this article that will help you keep your training sessions interesting. Add 1-2 exercises from this list into your back training regimen for building an aesthetically-appealing back. Best of luck!
References
Krzysztofik M, Wilk M, Wojdała G, Gołaś A. Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 4;16(24):4897. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244897. PMID: 31817252; PMCID: PMC6950543.
Band Seated Row Exercise Guide: Muscles Worked, How-To, Benefits, and Variations
Resistance bands and (back) home workouts go together like peanut butter and chocolate. Especially because of the space and money needed for a good home gym setup. Exercises like band seated rows and similar variations take up no space (a band weighs little and can fit anywhere) and cost no more than a Jackson ($20 bill), yet they are so effective. Additionally, finding good and challenging exercises for the back at home (especially without a pull-up bar, or the ability to do one) requires more work.
The mighty band is the answer and this guide tells you why, and how to utilize band seated rows to get those back gains.
Muscles Worked During Band Seated Rows
Everything from your waist and up gets a piece of stimulation from band seated rows. Learn about the benefits of training each muscle and how they interact to assist during the exercise.
Infraspinatus – Part of the shoulder blade, infraspinatus helps form the shoulder area, while helping to keep it mobile and stable. Rows involve shoulder motion, which recruits infraspinatus.
Latissimus Dorsi – A massive muscle by surface area, latissimus dorsi or lats cover as much of the upper and lower back. It spreads out to the sides behind the arms, and is a major activator during pull movements, especially pull-ups.
Teres Major – The teres major forms a bridge from the scapula (shoulder blades) to the humerus (upper arm bone). This muscle partners with the latissimus dorsi above to perform extension, adduction, and internal rotation of the humerus.
Teres Minor – Found above teres major, minor also connects from scapula to upper arm bone. However, unlike major, the latter is a rotator cuff muscle that contributes to shoulder joint stability and function.
Trapezius Lower Fibers – As the name tells, traps are a trapezoid shaped muscles divided in three sections, upper, middle, and lower fibers. The lower traps do downward movement of the scapula, and help the upper traps move it upward. Rows effectively light the traps on fire!
Trapezius Middle Fibers – Above the lower fibers are the middle trapezius that draw the scapula back during rows, really emphasizing these muscles.
Brachialis – One of the best side effects of back training is the arm muscles come along for the ride. Brachialis is hidden under the outer biceps and come out on a lean physique. But aside from aesthetics, brachialis is a powerful arm flexor, bending the elbow during band seated rows, and all similar movements.
Brachioradialis – Contributing to grip performance, brachioradialis inhabits the upper and lateral forearm where it crosses the elbow, functioning to bend the arm, and supine/pronate the forearm. Pulls and curls will naturally build and strengthen these lower arm muscles.
Deltoid Posterior – If you include rows in your workouts, you can bet the rear delts will benefit too. While there are three heads that make up your shoulder, the posterior head supports rearward arm movements, while the front head lifts the arm forward, and the lateral head lifts the arm out to the side.
Deltoid lateral – Your middle delts also get an intense workout from band rows. This head gives width and roundness to the upper body, and raises the arms out to the sides.
Other muscles involved – Aside from the primary muscles worked, band seated rows also engage the rectus abdominis (six pack muscles) and oblique muscles to keep your torso strong. This creates better force transfer, and muscular efficiency.
How To Do Band Seated Rows
To do band seated rows, you need the right tools, that include a quality resistance band, and a sturdy base like a power rack, thin pole, or even your feet if you can do it safely. And that’s half of it! The actual movement is not difficult, and most people can do it.
Below we’ve listed detailed band seated row steps and a short video demonstration.
Steps
Sit on the floor, a bench, or whatever is most comfortable for you.
Wrap one end of the resistance band around an immovable object like a power rack post, machine, or small pole. Then grab the other end and make sure both sides are even. The band should be at a height between your belly button and lower chest.
Move back to stretch the band, and do a few practice reps. The band should still be stretched when your arms are fully extended forward.
Sit up straight and pull your shoulders back.
Pull your elbows back behind your body, and squeeze your back muscles hard.
Stretch your arms forward and repeat steps 5 and 6 until you’ve completed the desired number of repetitions.
Tips
Having a platform to press your feet against is ideal if using very heavy resistance, to keep your body stable, and give you more pulling power.
You can also wrap looped bands under the bottom of your feet if you don’t have an object or base like a pole or piece of equipment.
Any type of band can work for this exercise.
Make sure the band is always stretched, to challenge and stretch your back muscles during the eccentric or negative phase of each rep.
This Exercise:
Target Muscle Group: Back
Secondary Muscles: Biceps, forearms
Type: Hypertrophy
Mechanics: Isolation
Equipment: Resistance band and solid base (optional)
Difficulty: Beginner
Benefits of Band Seated Rows
There is little to no reason not to incorporate band seated rows in your workouts. Here are the benefits that first come to mind when we think of this super effective exercise.
Resistance bands are versatility GOAT!
When we say the options are endless, it’s no exaggeration. Resistance bands are the GOAT (greatest of all time) of versatility. Not to mention they come in different forms, and levels of resistance.
If you have the right bands to match your strength level, and know what you’re doing, you can build as much muscle as you want. Of course, they do have some drawbacks as well, which we mentioned below. But overall, for the money and advantages, it’s hard to beat training bands for certain exercises.
Check out these resistance bands that we reviewed.
No excuse not to train your back
Without a pull-up bar or weights, one might say you’re screwed if training at home. While you should always find a way to train your back, and there are options, a five dollar band can be a gamechanger.
Not training your back and just doing push-ups, ad no rear training, is a recipe for muscle imbalance both functionally and aesthetically.
Comfort of movement
Unlike bulky weights or a bar that doesn’t move past your belly, using bands is arguably more comfortable. Consequently, you can focus on getting an amazing contraction.
Extremely user-friendly
99 percent of the population can do band seated rows. There’s not much to it, yet the benefits are worth it! In fact, similar variations are used for rehab purposes, because it’s so user-friendly.
Cheap and effective back workout
A resistance band can cost as low as a few bucks. There’s no reason not to have a few in your closet!
On the same side of the token, you get a fantastic upper body workout using bands and all of the possible variations. It’s much more practical for people who may not have the funds or time for gym training.
Drawbacks of Band Seated Rows
The pros outweigh the cons for sure. But we cannot ignore the few drawbacks of banded training.
Harder to gauge progress
One significant negative of resistance band exercises is that many people don’t take them seriously. Bands are not just a warm up or stretching device. They offer several levels of resistance, and can help to change your physique if you use them like other training tools.
When training with bands, you should make note of how far you are from the anchor point (where you attach the bands), and use a heavier strength band as you progress.
Try this Full-Body Resistance Band Workout For Home Exercisers
Bands are not as consistent…
Unlike free weights and machines, bands resistance is lighter at the start of a rep, and harder as it stretches out. Of course, you should pre-stretch the bands before starting the exercise, but more experienced exercisers know how to do it best.
Band training still requires technique to do right!
Another downside to band training is they can wear out, which may reduce their strength. Overall, though, for the person looking to improve their fitness, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Common Mistakes When Performing Band Seated Rows
Don’t make these mistakes and you’ll be good to go with band seated rows!
Sitting too close to the base
When using resistance bands, they should always be stretched, whether a little or a lot. You don’t want to sit too close to the base (where the other end of the band is wrapped around) so that when you reach forward, the band becomes un-stretched.
Using too much resistance
Ego training is nothing new. In fact, we’ve all done it and still do. Then there are the less experienced who don’t know any better.
That’s why it’s more important to focus on range of motion first, and then training heavy later. You’ll train the muscles correctly, get the most benefit, and also prevent pulling or injuring a muscles.
Mediocre range of motion
You should be training your back muscles through their entire range of motion. Otherwise, you won’t get a good stretch in your lats and surrounding muscles, shorting the potential of both phases of a rep that contribute to strength and hypertrophy gains!
Variations and Alternatives of Band Seated Rows
Band rows are typically for home or mobile training purposes. These variations and alternatives are superior at the gym, or if you can afford more hefty training equipment.
Standing band row
For a more athletic and functional variation, simply do the banded row while standing. You should also mix in training on your feet as it helps to develop and maintain our human ability to perform natural feats.
Steps
Secure the band around an object, and grip both ends evenly while standing on your feet.
With your arms outstretched in front of you, take a step or two back to stretch the band, and bend at the hips and knees. You can use a staggered stance with one foot forward and the other behind. Or, you can stand with your feet roughly shoulder width apart.
Push your chest up and keep your shoulders back, then pull your hands past your ribs and contract your back muscles.
Extend your arms forward until you feel a little stretch in your back muscles, and then repeat.
Below is a video example of standing rows, plus there are a few kneeling variations that remove leg involvement, focusing on just the upper body.
Standing bent over row
The best and most convenient banded row is the standing version that requires nothing but you and a band.
Steps
Grab the bands in both hands, and stand evenly on the center of the band with your feet shoulder width apart, then make sure both sides are the same length. Move your feet closer or further apart as needed. Just make sure there’s always tension in the band.
Bend your knees and hips then lean your torso forward at a roughly 45-degree angle to the floor.
Retract your shoulder blades, and straighten your back.
Tense your core, and drive your elbows back behind you, keeping them slightly flared out.
Squeeze your back muscles, stretch your arms back to the starting position, then repeat.
Cable seated row
The obvious closest variation or alternative to band seated rows is the cable version. Most people don’t own a cable machine, but a gym membership will give you access to one.
Overall, there are more advantages to using cables than bands. These include more handle options, a numbered weight stack, and equal resistance from start to finish of each rep. Additionally, cable training is more natural than using machines that lock you in a single movement path.
Machine seated row
Another must have in your back training rotation, the major advantage of machine rows include being locked in. That makes it very user friendly, eliminating the need to balance, stabilize, or think too much. Just sit, adjust the seat, assume proper training posture, and start rowing. The machine takes care of everything else.
Note: There are different machine variations, so you may need to read the machine label or ask for assistance.
Inverted suspension row
Almost as versatile as resistance bands, TRX trainers and similar alternative suspension trainers make it possible to do rows at home using your body’s resistance.
Ideally, you can set up your trainer in an area that allows you enough space to move freely, and consequently perform more advanced exercises. However, you can do an easier version if all you have is a door to hook your straps to.
Steps
Setup your suspension trainer so that it’s roughly about waist-height. Sit on the floor below the straps. Then grab the handles, allow your arms to fully extend, and place your feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips so that your body forms a straight line from your knees to your head.
Tense your core tight, bend your arms and pull your body up to the handles. Keep your elbows close to your sides and your wrists straight.
Extend your arms and repeat.
Pro tip: Build more strength and size by elevating your feet up onto a bench, or wear a weighted vest to add more resistance.
Related: Best TRX Back Exercises For a Thick Rock-Solid Back
Free weight rows
In its various forms, using dumbbells and barbells to perform row variations will get you the back you deserve. They’re more raw in nature, require total body activation, and recruit a ton of core. Additionally, you can buy a cheap barbell set for home training.
Check out our back training workouts that include a lot of free weight row variations.
FAQs
Are band seated rows as good as cable seated rows? Overall, cable rows have some major advantages over banded rows. However, for home training purposes, resistance bands are a viable tool that gets the job done when used ad progressed correctly.
What’s the best sets and reps for band seated rows? There’s no perfect one size fits all recommendation because we all have different goals. However, the majority of people will benefit from the following sets and rep ranges.
Note: We do recommend having a strategy in place to mix up the rep ranges, ad benefit from each one.
Strength: 3-4 sets x 5-7 reps
Hypertrophy and a little strength: 2-4 sets x 8-12 reps
Muscle endurance: 2-3 sets x 15+ reps
What type of band should I use for band seated rows? Almost any type of resistance band will work. Choose one based on your preference and budget.
Wrapping Up
By now you should be convinced of how awesome band seated rows are for building a sexier posterior! If you’ve ever trained at home, or prefer to make gains at home, it’s going to be a key tool in your back training arsenal. But the seated band row is just one band variation, and you should try the others that we also included in this guide.
Make sure to read through this article to understand the benefits and drawbacks of band seated rows, and always use a variety of exercises and techniques to reap the full benefits of training.
The 10 Best Middle Back Exercises for Strength, Mass, and Better Posture
Take a look at most bodybuilding back workouts, and you’ll see an abundance of lat pulldown and pull-up exercises. That’s good news because these vertical pulling exercises are responsible for building upper back width.In fact, if you want a classic torso V-taper, pull-ups and pulldowns are all but compulsory.However, if you want a back that wide AND thick, you need more than vertical pulls. You need to include horizontal pulling exercises in your workouts, too. These hit your middle back more than your lats.A strong middle back will add a lot to your physique, increase your strength in the big lifts – even the bench press – and improve your posture. For these reasons, the best back workouts usually include as many horizontal pulling exercises as they do vertical.In this article, we reveal the best exercises for building up this critical muscle group. Middle Back Anatomy and Functions While you don’t need to be an expert in anatomy to build an impressive physique, knowing a little about the muscles of the human body can help you choose the best exercises for your workouts.When talking about the middle back, we’re actually referring to the muscles located across and between your scapulae or shoulder blades.These muscles are (1):Rhomboids The rhomboids connect your scapulae to your thoracic spine. There are two rhomboids: major (largest) and minor (smallest). They come as a pair – left and right. The rhomboids are not large muscles, but they are powerful and play an important part in the shape of your upper back and how it functions. For example, they play a vital role in stabilizing your shoulder blades and keeping them pressed flat against your ribcage.Trapezius Known as the traps for short, this is the large kite-shaped muscle of your upper back. It goes from the base of your skull down to the middle part of your spine and spans out toward your shoulders.The trapezius is made up of three sets of fibers – upper, middle, and lower. Each set of fibers has a different function.The upper traps pull your shoulders upward in a movement called elevation of the shoulder girdle. In contrast, the lower traps pull your shoulders downward, which is a movement called depression of the shoulder girdle.However, it’s the mid-traps that work with the rhomboids and are the main topic of this article. The mid-traps, working in conjunction with your rhomboids, pull your shoulder back and together in a movement called shoulder girdle retraction.Posterior deltoidsThe posterior or rear deltoids are NOT part of your middle back, but it’s almost impossible to train your mid-traps and rhomboids without working the muscles at the back of your shoulders. The rear delts are involved in horizontal shoulder extension and external rotation, which are two movements that happen during many mid-back exercises.As such, if you are training your middle back, you are probably working your posterior deltoids, too. This is no bad thing because a weak upper back is usually accompanied by underdeveloped rear deltoids.So, your mid back is actually two muscles working together – the mid-traps and rhomboids. When these muscles contract, they pull your shoulders together. This movement is a necessary part of many exercises, including rows, deadlifts, and even bench presses. It’s also important for your posture. Why is Your Middle Back Weak? Many people, including hardcore exercisers, have a weak upper back. This often manifests as poor posture, a rounded upper back during deadlifts or difficulty fully engaging the mid-traps and rhomboids. Poor bench press performance is often caused by an underdeveloped middle back.Common causes of upper back weakness include:Prolonged sittingSitting for a long time, especially if you hunch over a keyboard or screen, can stretch and weaken your upper back. As most people are habitual slouchers, it’s no wonder that so many people have a weak upper back.Not doing enough upper back trainingMonday is national chest training day, but when is national back training day? A lot of lifters spend far more time training their chests than they do their back, which makes muscle imbalances and weaknesses all but unavoidable.Read also: How to do the middle back stretch.Doing too many of the wrong back exercises and not enough of the right onesMost back exercises fall into one of two groups – vertical pulls or horizontal pulls. Ideally, you should do an equal amount of both types of exercise. But, if your middle back is weak, you should do more horizontal pulling than vertical pulling. Many back workouts involve too much vertical pulling, and that leaves the middle back underdeveloped.A poor mind-muscle connection It’s almost impossible to develop a muscle if you can’t feel it working. This is called your mind-muscle connection. Some people “lose touch” with their muscles and cannot feel them working or control them properly. So, even if you’re doing the right exercises, they may not produce the results you want.A good mind-muscle connection means you can control your muscles at will, and every exercise you perform will become much more effective (2).The good news is that you can fix your mind-muscle connection – find out how here.The 10 Best Middle Back Exercises Do you want to develop an impressive middle back but aren’t sure where to start? These are the ten best exercises for your mid-traps and rhomboids!1. Bent-over barbell row The bent-over barbell row is a somewhat controversial exercise, with some coaches saying that it’s best avoided. However, done with good form and not too much weight, the bent-over barbell row is an excellent middle-back exercise and can be performed safely by most people.Barbell Bent Over RowSteps:Grip and hold a barbell with an overhand, wider-than-shoulder-width grip. Pull your shoulders down and back, brace your core and bend your knees slightly.Hinge forward from the hips and lean over until your upper body is almost parallel to the floor. Let your arms hang straight down from your shoulders.Without using your legs or back, bend your arms and row the bar up and into your chest. Pull your shoulders back and keep your elbows level with your shoulders.Extend your arms and repeat.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps, latissimus dorsi, erector spinae.Benefits:An excellent total back builder.A very accessible exercise – all you need is a barbell and weights.Small changes to the angle of your back will change the feel and effect of this exercise.Tips:Keep your lower back arched throughout to protect your spine and maximize middle back engagement.Lead with your elbows and pull the bar to your chest to emphasize the mid-traps and rhomboids.Keep your wrists straight throughout.2. Seal row If bent-over rows bother your lower back, or you prefer to work your upper body in isolation from your legs, then seal row is the exercise for you. You’ll need a tall bench for this mid-back builder, but in return, you’ll be able to push your mid-back to the limit without having to worry about your lower back at all.Steps:Place a flat bench on blocks or stacks to bumper plates so that your hands are a few inches away from the floor when you lie down on it.Lie face down on the bench and grip a barbell or dumbbells. Pull your shoulders down and back.Bend your arms and pull the bar up and into the bench level with your abdomen.Extend your arms, lower the weight, and repeat.You can also do this exercise on a slightly angled bench to hit your lower traps a little more, i.e., incline seal rows.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps, latissimus dorsi.Benefits:A very back-friendly exercise.Can be done using a barbell or dumbbells as preferred.An effective way to target your middle back.Tips:Shrug your shoulder back at the start of each rep to fully engage your middle back.Lead with your elbows to maximize mid-back engagement.Use dumbbells to increase your range of motion.3. Seated chest-supported cable row The great thing about cable exercises is that they let you keep your muscles under near-constant tension, so you get a better workout in less time. This lower-back-friendly exercise is a very effective middle-back movement. It is ideal for beginner and advanced lifters alike.Steps:Attach a rope handle to a low cable. Alternatively, you can use D-shaped handles on an extended strap.Adjust an incline bench to about 70 degrees and place it in front of the cable machine, with the back of the bench facing the pulley.Sit on the bench with your chest against the backrest. Grip the handles and extend your arms.Pull your shoulders down and back, and brace your core.Bend your arms and pull the handles in toward your lower ribs. Lead with your elbows, keep your wrists straight, and squeeze your shoulders together to maximize upper-back engagement.Smoothly extend your arms, let your shoulders shrug forward to stretch your middle back, retract your shoulders again, and repeat.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps, latissimus dorsi.Benefits:No lower back strain to worry about.Your back muscles are under near-constant tension.Cable machine exercises are ideal for drop sets.Tips:Adjust the angle of the bench to hit different parts of your mid-back. The more inclined the bench, the more lower trap and lat engagement there will be. An upright bench focuses more on your mid-traps and rhomboids.Keep your wrists straight and lead with your elbows.Shrug your shoulders back and together to maximize mid-back engagement.4. Pendlay row Pendlay rows are named after legendary powerlifting and weightlifting coach Glen Pendlay. Also known as dead-stop rows, this barbell exercise is popular with Olympic weightlifters, who often use it to fix any upper and mid-back weakness. The dead stop between reps means you should be able to perform this exercise with moderate to heavy weights in relative comfort.Steps:Start with your barbell on the floor. Stand with your feet about hip to shoulder-width apart, toes under the bar.Bend your knees slightly, hinge forward from the hips, and bend over until your upper body is parallel to the floor.Grab the barbell with an overhand, slightly wider than shoulder-width grip. Tuck your chin in and lengthen your neck; do not lift your head to look forward or allow your lower back to round.Brace your core, draw your shoulders down and back, and pull the bar up into your abdomen. Keep your upper arms tucked in close to your sides. Your upper body should remain stationary throughout.Lower the barbell back down the floor and let it settle, reset your core, and repeat.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps, latissimus dorsi, erector spinae. Benefits:A convenient exercise, as most gyms have a suitable barbell.Provides a brief pause between reps so you can reset your grip and core, do more reps, or use a heavier-than-usual weight.An excellent exercise for powerlifters, weightlifters, and strongman competitors.Tips:You can also do this exercise using dumbbells instead of a barbell.Raise the weight on blocks if you cannot maintain a neutral spine.Use lifting straps if you are training with heavy weights.5. Horizontal row You don’t need to use weights to train your middle back. In fact, there are a couple of great bodyweight exercises that are every bit as effective. Horizontal rows, also known as inverted rows, body rows, and Australian pull-ups, are a very convenient way to train your middle back without gym equipment.Steps:Set a bar to about waist height. Make sure the bar will not move. You can use a barbell in a squat rack or a Smith machine.Sit on the floor beneath the bar and hold it with an overhand, slightly wider than shoulder-width grip.Lean back so your arms are straight, brace your core, and pull your shoulders down and back.Lift your hips, so your weight is supported on your heels and hands only. Make sure your body is straight – from your heels to your shoulders.Keeping your body properly aligned, bend your arms and pull your chest up to the bar. Keep your wrists straight and focus on leading with your elbows. Squeeze your shoulders together at the top of the rep.Slowly and smoothly extend your elbows and return to the starting position, keeping your body straight the whole time.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps, latissimus dorsi.Benefits:No equipment required, so ideal for home exercisers.Easy to scale by raising or lowering the height of the bar.Very lower back friendly.Tips:Use a suspension trainer or gymnastic rings for variety.Bend your legs and put your feet flat on the floor for an easier workout.Rest a weight plate on your hips for a more intense workout.6. Renegade row The renegade row is a combination middle back and core exercise. You can even combine it with push-ups to make it a total upper body builder. Be warned; this exercise is more strenuous than it looks, so don’t go too heavy too soon!Renegade RowsSteps:Hold a dumbbell in each hand. You can also use kettlebells. Squat down and place the weights on the floor, so they’re roughly shoulder-width apart.Brace your abs and walk your feet out and back into the push-up position. Your body should form a straight line. Keep your wrists straight, and do not allow them to collapse.Move your feet out so that they are wider than shoulder-width apart to increase balance and stability. Look straight down at the floor to ensure your neck is neutral.Keeping one arm straight, bend the other arm and row the weight up and into your lower ribs. Do NOT allow your hips or shoulders to twist.Lower the weight back to the floor, swap sides, and repeat. Alternate arms for the duration of your set, keeping your core braced throughout.You can also do this exercise with your legs bent and knees resting on the floor to take pressure off your core.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps, latissimus dorsi, core.Benefits:Works well with light dumbbells.A very comprehensive upper-body exercise.Great for home exercisers, as so little equipment is required.Tips:Use hex-shaped dumbbells if available, as they’re more stable and less likely to roll.Wear a weighted vest to make this exercise harder.Do a push-up between rows to develop your chest as well as your back.7. Dumbbell rear delt row The dumbbell rear delt row does more than work your posterior deltoids; it also hits your mid-traps and rhomboids. The great thing about this exercise is that you don’t need a lot of weight to do it, so it’s ideal for home exercisers and anyone without access to heavy dumbbells.Steps:Sit on the end of an exercise bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Hinge forward from the hips and lower your chest toward your legs. Let your arms hang down from your shoulders. Rotate your wrists so that your hands are in the pronated or palms-down position.Leading with your elbows, pull the weights up and out so your upper arms are perpendicular to your upper body. Keep your wrists straight, and pull your shoulders down and back.Extend your arms and repeat.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps.Benefits:Very little strain on your lower back.This exercise works well with light dumbbells.An accessible exercise that’s suitable for home and gym use.Tips:Use a chair if no bench is available.You can also do this exercise standing and by leaning over.Think about driving your elbows back to maximize middle-back engagement.8. Band pull-aparts The band pull-apart is arguably the most convenient way to train your middle back at home. This is a hugely effective posture exercise, and everyone who lifts weights should do band pull-aparts a few times per week. Do this exercise between sets of bench presses or during your upper body warm-ups. Alternatively, do sets of pull-aparts to break up long periods of sitting.Steps:Hold your resistance band with an overhand, shoulder-width grip. Raise your arms in front of you so your hands are roughly level with your shoulders. Pull your shoulders down and back.Open your arms and stretch the band out across your chest.Return to the starting position and repeat.You can work your rhomboids from different angles by changing the angle of your arms and stretching the band diagonally across your chest, not just horizontally.Muscles targeted:Primary: Mid-traps, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: N/A.Benefits:A very shoulder-friendly exercise.You can do band pull-aparts anywhere and at any time.One of the best posture exercises around.Tips: Do this exercise seated or standing as preferred.Try to accumulate 100 reps every day to fix your posture and keep your shoulders healthy.Include band pull-aparts in all your upper body warm-ups to activate and engage your upper back.9. Face pulls Face pulls are so-called because, when you do them, you look like you are going to stick your thumbs in your ears and waggle your fingers like a rude kid! Don’t let this peculiar name or image put you off; the face pull is an excellent mid-back exercise. It’s also fantastic for your posterior deltoids.Cable Face PullsSteps:Attach a rope handle to a cable pulley set to about chest height.Stand with your feet hip-width apart and grab both sides of the handle using a neutral grip. Place one foot in front of the other for balance if necessary.Keeping your elbows level with your shoulders, bend your arms and pull the rope toward your face, contracting your rear deltoids as you pull the ends of the handle apart.Straighten your arms and repeat for the desired number of reps.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps.Benefits:A very lower back and shoulder-friendly exercise.Very accessible, as most gyms have a suitable cable machine.Perfect for intensity-boosting drop sets.Tips:Imagine you are trying to poke your thumbs in your ears to maximize upper back engagement.Use a resistance band if you don’t have access to a cable machine.Pull the ends of the handles apart as well as back to work your back even more effectively.10. Reverse pec deck fly Reverse pec deck flys are often viewed as a read deltoid exercise, but they’re much more than that. They’re also a very effective way to target your middle back. With no weights to balance, this exercise leaves you free to focus on pushing your mid-traps and rhomboids to their limit. They’re also an excellent exercise for intensity-boosting drop sets.Steps:Sit on the pec deck machine with your chest against the pad. Reach out and grab the handles. Extend, but do not fully straighten your arms. Your hands should be level with or just below your shoulders.Open your arms and draw the handles out and back until your arms form a T-shape with your body.Return to the starting position, stopping just short of letting the weights touch down, and repeat.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: N/A.Benefits:No need to stabilize your upper body – the machine does it for you.An excellent exercise for beginners.Very lower back friendly.Tips:Experiment with a neutral and pronated grip to see which one you prefer.Lift your chest and pull your shoulders down and back to maximize mid-trap and rhomboid engagement.On reaching failure, lower the weight by 15-20% and crank out a few more reps to increase the intensity of your workouts.Frequently Asked QuestionsDo you have a question about middle-back training or back workouts in general? No sweat because we’ve got the answers!1. What is the best way to bring my mid-back up to the same level as my lats, shoulders, and chest?If your mid-back is weak, you must prioritize it in your workouts. Train your mid-traps and rhomboids twice per week, e.g., Monday and Thursday, and work them first in your back workouts, i.e., before your lats. Also, consider doing less lat training to give your mid-back a chance to “catch up.”Also, become more mid-back-aware, and pull your shoulders down and back during almost every other exercise you perform, even your arms and legs. This will help strengthen that all-important mind-muscle connection.Once you are happy with your middle back development, maintain it by doing an equal amount of horizontal pulling and pushing training. In other words, for every set of chest training, do a set of rows or similar.2. I can’t feel my middle back working – is this normal?A lack of sensation on your middle back is common and normal, and suggests that you have a weak mind-muscle connection. The good news is that this is relatively easy to fix, although it will take a while to reconnect your brain and back.Ways to do this include:Training your middle back more often.Practicing pulling your shoulders back and together several times a day, especially before training.Adding mid-rep pauses to rows and other mid-back exercises.Doing your reps more slowly and with less weight so you can emphasize retraction.In time, you should notice that you can feel your muscle back working more, indicating your mind-muscle connection is getting stronger.3. What sets and reps should I use for my middle back workouts?Your rep range is goal and exercise-dependent. To build strength, you must lift heavy weights for low reps, i.e., 1-5. Of course, such heavy loads are not practical for some middle-back exercises, such as horizontal rows or band pull-aparts.To build muscle, you can use light to moderate weights and do anywhere from 6-35 reps per set.Generally, the lower end of the scale is best for compound exercises. In contrast, the higher end is more suitable for isolation or single-joint movements.When training for hypertrophy or muscle growth, ensure that you take your sets to within 1-3 reps of failure. Easier sets will not trigger much muscle growth.4. How many times a week should I train my middle back?Twice a week is an excellent place to start for most people. This provides a good balance between work and recovery.For example, you could train your back on Monday and Thursday, leaving plenty of time for the rest of your body and recovery. One workout per week probably won’t be enough to produce good results, but will probably be sufficient to maintain muscle mass and strength.5. How many sets should I do per week for my middle back?The accepted number of sets per muscle group per week is 10-20. Beginners and older exercisers should do 10-14, while younger and more advanced exercisers can work up to 15-20. However, more sets will not necessarily produce better results.These sets should be evenly spread over your workouts. For example, if you want to do 15 sets for your back per week, you could do three workouts, each consisting of five sets for the target muscle.6. Why isn’t my mid-back growing?Your body will respond to your workouts unless you are doing something wrong. Common reasons for not achieving muscle growth include:Failing to consume enough protein – you need between 0.7 to 1.0 grams per pound of body weight.Not training hard enough – you must train to within 1-3 reps of failure.Not training often enough – once a week or less won’t cut it!Skipping too many workouts – even the best middle back exercises and workouts will not work if you don’t do them. You MUST be consistent.Training too hard, long, or often – your body has a limited capacity for recovery. If you work out hard seven days a week, your muscles won’t have the time or energy needed for growth.Not getting enough sleep – your muscles do most of their growing when you’re sleeping. So, you need 6-8 hours per night, and not just at weekends!It’s not been long enough – it takes time for your body to start responding to your workouts. If you’ve only been training for a few weeks, you probably won’t see many changes yet. So be patient and stick with it.7. Got a good mid-back workout for me to try?Sure do! Do this workout twice a week on non-consecutive days, e.g., Tuesday and Friday. But, before you begin, spend a few minutes warming up by doing some light cardio followed by dynamic mobility and flexibility exercises for your shoulders, elbows, and upper back.#Exercise SetsRepsRecovery1Pendlay rows44-63 minutes2Seal row36-82 minutes3Reverse pec deck fly310-1290 seconds4Face pulls212-1560 seconds5Band pull-apart215-2060 secondsMiddle Back Exercises – Final Thoughts It’s easy to neglect your middle back. After all, you can’t see it, so there is less of an incentive to train it. However, the mid-traps and rhomboids play a crucial role in your posture, shoulder stability, and upper back thickness. If you want to look and perform at your best, you MUST train your middle back as hard and as often as you train your lats, chest, and deltoids.Use the exercises and tips in this article to build a mid-back you can be proud of.More Back Exercises:References: 1. KenHub: Back Muscle Anatomy https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21632-back-muscles2. PubMed: Importance of Mind-Muscle Connection During Progressive Resistance Training https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26700744/