Are you looking for an extra edge in the gym? If so, then it’s time to equip yourself with barbell back exercises.
Barbell exercises have proven to be a great way to target your body’s biggest muscles – namely, those which make up your back.
These exercises tone and strengthen critical muscle groups and help develop power and stability while providing a holistic workout that hits more than just one area of your body.
So, get ready for some major gains when you add these barbell-focused routines into your exercise routine today:
Best Barbell Back Workouts
Let’s take a closer look at these back exercises with barbells that are too good to be true:
1. Reverse-Grip Bent-Over Row
The reverse-grip is amongst the best barbell upper back workout as it targets the upper back, primarily emphasizing the lats, rhomboids, and traps.
This exercise helps to improve overall back strength and muscle definition, enhancing your pulling strength and posture.
Step-By-Step Guide
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and a barbell in front of you on the floor.
- Grip the barbell with an overhand grip (palms facing you) and hands placed slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart.
- Hinge at your hips and bend your knees slightly to lower your torso until it’s nearly parallel to the ground. Maintain a neutral spine, keeping your back flat and chest up. This is your starting position.
- Inhale deeply, engage your core, and squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull the barbell towards your abdomen, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Focus on initiating the movement with your back muscles rather than your arms; your arms should act as hooks, guiding the barbell towards your body.
- At the top of the movement, when the barbell nearly touches your abdomen, hold the contraction for a moment to maximize muscle engagement.
- Exhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position in a controlled manner.
Pro Tips
- Keep your back flat and avoid rounding your shoulders during the movement to prevent unnecessary strain on the spine.
- Use a controlled tempo throughout the exercise to maximize muscle engagement and reduce the risk of injury.
- If you find it challenging to maintain proper form, use lighter weights or focus on bodyweight variations until you build sufficient strength and technique.
2. Pendlay Row
The Pendlay row targets the entire back, including the lats, rhomboids, traps, and rear deltoids.
This barbell back exercise helps to improve pulling strength and power while promoting back thickness and muscle mass development.
Step-By-Step Guide
- Set up a barbell on the floor with weights loaded on both sides.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward, and position yourself close to the barbell.
- Bend at your hips and knees to grip the barbell with an overhand grip (palms facing down) and hands placed wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your back flat, chest up, and maintain a slight forward lean with your shoulders over the barbell. This is your starting position.
- Take a deep breath, engage your core, and drive your elbows backward, pulling the barbell off the ground in a straight line towards your lower chest or upper abdomen.
- Lead the movement with your elbows, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the contraction.
- Lower the barbell back to the floor in a controlled manner, ensuring you maintain a flat back and avoid using momentum to lift or lower the weight.
Pro Tips
- Use an overhand grip throughout the exercise to engage the back muscles more effectively.
- Brace your core and maintain a stable stance throughout the movement to prevent excessive swaying or cheating with the weights.
- To avoid jerking the barbell off the ground, focus on maintaining tension in the back muscles during the lowering phase before initiating the next repetition.
3. Meadows Row
The Meadows row is an excellent unilateral exercise that targets the lats, rhomboids, and traps, engaging the biceps and rear deltoids to a lesser extent.
It’s a great workout for adding unilateral strength, balancing between both sides of your back, and increasing overall stability and posture.
Step-By-Step Guide
- Position a barbell in a landmine attachment or securely place one end of the barbell in a corner to stabilize it.
- Stand beside the barbell with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.
- Grip the barbell with an overhand grip, using the hand opposite the side you’re standing on (e.g., if you’re standing on the right side of the barbell, use your left hand).
- Hinge at your hips, maintain a neutral spine and flat back, and hold the barbell with your arm extended to the floor. This is your starting position.
- Initiate the movement by pulling the barbell up toward your abdomen, leading with your elbow, and focusing on squeezing your back muscles.
- At the top of the movement, when the barbell reaches your torso, hold the contraction for a moment to maximize muscle engagement.
- Lower the barbell back down in a controlled manner to complete one repetition.
Pro Tips
- Engage your core throughout the movement to maintain stability and prevent excessive rotation of your torso.
- Focus on pulling the barbell toward your hip and lower ribs to optimize back muscle engagement.
- To add variety and increase intensity, you can use a T-bar row handle instead of a barbell or even dumbbells for single-arm rows.
4. Barbell Pullover
The barbell pullover primarily targets the lats and serratus anterior muscles, with secondary involvement of the chest and triceps.
This at-home barbell back exercise expands ribcage mobility, enhances shoulder flexibility, and provides a stretch to the lat muscles, promoting muscle growth and flexibility.
Step-By-Step Guide
- Lie on a flat bench with your head and upper back supported, and your feet firmly planted on the floor.
- Hold a barbell with a shoulder-width overhand grip directly above your chest, arms fully extended.
- Lower the barbell behind your head in an arc-like motion, keeping a slight bend in your elbows to avoid strain on the shoulder joint.
- Stretch your lats and chest as you lower the barbell as far as comfortably possible, feeling a good stretch in your back muscles.
- Engage your lats and pull the barbell back to the starting position, focusing on the mind-muscle connection and maintaining control throughout the movement.
- At the top of the movement, when the barbell is directly above your chest, hold the contraction for a moment to maximize muscle engagement.
Pro Tips
- Keep your lower back in contact with the bench throughout the exercise to avoid excessive arching and strain on the spine.
- Use a weight that allows you to maintain control throughout the movement, focusing on the quality of the contraction rather than lifting extremely heavy weights.
- As you lift the barbell, visualize pulling it apart to engage the lats better and maximize muscle activation.
5. Barbell Deadlifts
Barbell deadlifts are a compound exercise that targets the entire posterior chain, including the lower back, glutes, hamstrings, and erector spinal muscles.
This back workout is excellent for developing overall strength and power in the back and lower body, improving grip strength and core stability.
Step-By-Step Guide
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes slightly turned outward, and a barbell on the floor in front of you.
- Bend at your hips and knees to grip the barbell with both hands using an overhand grip, hands placed shoulder-width apart or slightly wider.
- Keep your back flat, chest up, and engage your core for stability. Your hips should be slightly higher than your knees, and your shoulders should be slightly in front of the barbell.
- Take a deep breath and brace your core.
- Push through your heels and drive your hips forward, lifting the barbell off the ground by extending your hips and knees simultaneously.
- As the barbell passes your knees, engage your glutes and bring your hips forward until you are standing fully upright with your shoulders back and chest proud.
- Exhale and reverse the movement by hinging at the hips and bending your knees to lower the barbell back to the floor.
Pro Tips
- Maintain a neutral spine throughout the entire movement to protect your back from injury. Avoid excessive rounding or arching of the lower back.
- Engage your lats by pulling the barbell close to your body as you lift it off the ground; this will help maintain a more efficient and safe lifting posture.
- Use a mixed grip (one hand overhand, one hand underhand) for heavier lifts to enhance grip strength and prevent the barbell from rolling out of your hands.
Recap
Taking a full-body approach to working out should always be your goal – that means working your back.
Opting for barbell back exercises is an excellent way to strengthen and grow your muscles in both upper and lower areas, while pushing yourself further with each set.
From shrugs to rows, deadlifts, and more, these exercises are sure to give you the challenge and results you want from your fitness journey.
Just remember to always work within safe limits – never overload or exceed what you can handle.
So don’t forget these barbell back workouts when establishing your exercise routine – be ready to power through for a stronger back in no time at all.
As always if you need further advice or direction on setting up safe and effective workout routines then make sure to follow Lifter’s Digest blogs for more workouts and fitness tips.
