Back Exercises
228 exercises — A strong back drives almost every pulling movement and protects your posture and spine. This collection covers the entire posterior chain of the upper body — the latissimus dorsi for width, the rhomboids and traps for thickness, and the spinal erectors for stability. Vertical pulls like pull-ups and lat pulldowns build the V-taper, while horizontal rows — barbell, dumbbell, cable, and machine — add density between the shoulder blades. Deadlift and hyperextension variations train the lower back and erectors. Each of these back exercises includes a video animation so you can check your pulling path, scapular movement, and torso angle before adding weight. Click any exercise for the muscles worked, equipment, and a full step-by-step breakdown. The same structured back-exercise data is available through the WorkoutX API for any fitness app.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best exercises for a wider back?
Vertical pulling movements build width: pull-ups, chin-ups, and lat pulldowns target the lats directly. Use a full stretch at the top and pull your elbows down and back.
What back exercises build thickness?
Horizontal rows add thickness — barbell bent-over rows, dumbbell rows, seated cable rows, and T-bar style rows train the mid-back, rhomboids, and traps.
Are deadlifts a back exercise?
Deadlifts heavily involve the spinal erectors, traps, and lats along with the glutes and hamstrings. You'll find deadlift variations in this list and in the leg-exercises hub.
Do I need a gym for back training?
Pull-ups, chin-ups, and inverted rows train the back with minimal equipment. Resistance band rows and pulldowns are also effective — filter the list for what you have.
For developers
Building a fitness app?
Get all 228 back exercises from the WorkoutX API: names, muscles, equipment, instructions and 720p MP4 animations, in one REST call.
# Back exercises, 20 at a time
curl "https://api.workoutxapp.com/v2/exercises?bodyPart=back&limit=20" \
-H "X-WorkoutX-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"