Gym workouts

Gym back workout

6 exercises 20 sets about 50 min a full gym: barbells, dumbbells, cables and machines

The back is several muscles that do different jobs, so one exercise is never enough. This session pulls from above for the lats, rows for the upper back, and finishes with the lower back.

With a full gym you can open with a heavy barbell lift and finish on cables and machines, which let you push close to failure without technique being the thing that gives out.

Start this workout free Creates your account with these 6 exercises already loaded. Free to log, no card.

The workout

  1. Pull-Up4 × 6Start from a dead hang. Pull your elbows down to your ribs until your chin clears the bar.2 min rest
  2. Barbell Row4 × 8Hinge to about 45 degrees with a flat back and pull the bar to your lower ribs without jerking your torso.2 min rest
  3. Lat Pulldown3 × 10Lean back slightly and pull the bar to your upper chest, driving your elbows down and back.90 s rest
  4. Seated Cable Row3 × 10Sit tall, pull the handle to your navel and squeeze your shoulder blades together before letting it back.90 s rest
  5. Straight-Arm Pulldown3 × 12Arms almost straight. Sweep the bar from eye level down to your thighs using your lats, not your elbows.60 s rest
  6. Back Extension3 × 12Hinge over the pad with a neutral spine and come up until your body is straight. Do not over-arch.60 s rest

Muscles worked

TrapsShouldersChestBicepsForearmsObliquesAbsAbsAbsAbsQuadsAdductorsCalvesTrapsShouldersChestBicepsForearmsObliquesAbsAbsAbsAbsQuadsAdductorsCalves
Front
TrapsShouldersUpper backLatsLower backTricepsForearmsGlutesHamstringsCalvesTrapsShouldersUpper backLatsLower backTricepsForearmsGlutesHamstringsCalves
Back
  • Lats17
  • Upper back10.5
  • Biceps7
  • Lower back5
  • Forearms4
  • Abs2
  • Glutes1.5

Sets per muscle. A muscle that only assists in an exercise counts half.

How to run it

Before the first exercise, do two lighter sets of it: one at about half your working weight and one at three quarters. Rest for the time shown next to each exercise; the heavy lifts at the top need more than the smaller ones at the end.

Aim to finish each set with one or two reps left in you. If every set reaches its target easily, the session is too light. Add the smallest plate you can to the barbell lifts, and move up one pin on machines and cables once every set reaches the target.

Once or twice a week. Leave a day between this and any session with heavy deadlifts or squats, since the lower back works in all three.

If something is taken

  • Barbell Row→One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Keep the same number of sets. In the app you can swap an exercise for one session without changing the program.

In myreplog

  1. It is already set up. These 6 exercises arrive in your account as a program, with the sets and reps above.
  2. Tap, do not type. Set your weights the first time, then mark each set done as you finish it.
  3. Records count themselves. From your second session, a lift that beats your best is marked as a personal record on the spot.
  4. See what you trained. The session ends with this muscle map, drawn from the sets you actually did.

Logging is free for good. The first 14 days also include Pro, where a coach reviews each session and suggests the weights for the next one. No card needed.

Questions

How long does this back workout take?

About 50 minutes. That is 20 working sets with the rests listed next to each exercise, plus five minutes to warm up.

What muscles does it work?

Mostly the lats, upper back and biceps. The lower back, forearms, abs and glutes assist. The map on this page shades each muscle by the number of sets that reach it.

What equipment do I need?

A full gym: barbells, dumbbells, cables and machines.

What is the best exercise for a wider back?

Vertical pulls: pull-ups, chin-ups and lat pulldowns. They train the lats, which are what give the back its width.

How do I train my back without it hurting my lower back?

Use rows that take the lower back out of it, such as a chest-supported row or a seated cable row, and keep the weight where you can hold a flat back for every rep.

More gym workouts

Gym Full Body Workout7 exercises · 50 min Gym Upper Body Workout7 exercises · 55 min Gym Leg Day6 exercises · 45 min Gym Push Day6 exercises · 45 min Gym Pull Day6 exercises · 50 min Gym Chest and Triceps Workout6 exercises · 45 min Gym Back and Biceps Workout6 exercises · 50 min Gym Shoulders and Arms Workout7 exercises · 50 min Gym Chest Workout5 exercises · 40 min Gym Shoulder Workout6 exercises · 45 min Gym Arm Workout6 exercises · 40 min Gym Glute Workout5 exercises · 40 min Gym Ab Workout6 exercises · 30 min
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