11 Barbell Back Exercises: Top Moves For A Bigger Back

Best Barbell Back Workout Routine 

This barbell back workout includes compound pulling and rowing exercises alongside some specific muscle isolation work. This means you’ll start by working multiple muscle groups before focusing on a particular one. You’ve got a good mixture of barbell upper back exercises and barbell lower back exercises to ensure complete back development. 

Our main barbell exercises for lats include deadlifts, T-bar rows, and bent-over rows. These also work the rhomboids and trapezius muscles. The deadlift and T-bar row use the strength loading recommendations, meaning you’re performing fewer repetitions at a higher intensity. This allows you to develop back strength and power while also building muscle mass. 

The barbell bent over row and barbell pullover exercises use the hypertrophy loading recommendations. You’ll perform more repetitions at a lower intensity to ensure adequate training volume for muscle building. We’ve finished the session with the barbell shrug. This is one of the best barbell exercises for traps as they’re the sole primary mover.  

Our workout can be performed in the gym or as an at-home back workout if you have a barbell and a suitable space. Aim to perform it twice a week to ensure enough weekly training volume. We’ve used percentages of your one repetition maximum to measure your training intensity. This is the maximum amount you can lift for one repetition using good form. Work this out with the help of a personal trainer or by using our one repetition maximum calculator.

Anatomy Of The Back

Latissimus Dorsi

Large, triangular shaped muscles located just below your shoulder blades. They extend along your spine down to your pelvis.

Erector Spinae

Muscles that span the entire length of your spine on either side.

Teres Major

Thick muscle at the lower back of your shoulder blade.

Infraspinatus

Triangular muscle covering the back of your shoulder blade.

The back is a complex area of the body made up of multiple muscle layers. Understanding the structure and function of each muscle group is important to get the most out of these exercises. 

Latissimus Dorsi

The latissimus dorsi, or lats, is a large, flat muscle covering most of your middle and lower back. It originates from the lower ribs and inserts into the upper arm. 

Its primary functions are shoulder extension (pulling your arms back) and adduction (pulling your arms towards your body). It also performs internal rotation (turning your arms in). 

Rhomboids

The rhomboids are between your shoulder blades underneath your trapezius muscle. They can be split into the rhomboid major and rhomboid minor. Both originate from the upper back area and insert into the shoulder blades. 

They retract your scapula, or pull your shoulder blades together. Alongside this, they assist in scapula elevation (shrugging your shoulders). Your rhomboids play key roles in posture and are extremely active in movements that involve pulling the shoulders back. 

Trapezius

The trapezius, or traps, runs from the back of your neck to the middle of your back. They originate from the upper back and insert into the shoulder blades. Your traps also perform scapular retraction, scapular elevation, and scapula depression, which involves pulling your shoulder blades down. 

Erector Spinae

The erector spinae is a group of long muscles running along both sides of your spine. They originate from different vertebrae and insert into various parts of the ribs. 

Your erector spinae muscles perform spinal extension (leaning back or straightening your spine) and stabilize your spine. This means they help to keep your back supported and upright. 

These muscles play vital roles during lifting movements that involve forward bending. They help prevent excessive spinal and lower back stress, reducing potential injury risk. 

Teres Major 

The teres major is a small, thick muscle located just above the lats. It originates from the shoulder blades and inserts into the upper arm bone. It primarily performs shoulder extension, adduction, and internal rotation. This is very similar to the latissimus dorsi muscles. 

Infraspinatus

The infraspinatus is one of four rotator cuff muscles. It’s at the back of the shoulder blade and originates from the shoulder blades and inserts into the upper arm bone. It externally rotates your shoulders. This means that it rotates your arms outward. It also helps to stabilize the shoulder joints during movement. 

Benefits Of Back Barbell Exercises

Our barbell back exercises offer several benefits when performed correctly. Here are three of the main ones to be aware of. 

Well-Suited For Progressive Overload

Progressive overload requires you to gradually increase your training intensity over time. This is to keep providing your body with a suitable challenge as it adapts to the new stimulus. 

It’s seen as the cornerstone of successful muscle growth and strength development. In most cases, it’s usually accomplished by adding weight or increasing lifting volume. 

Our heavy barbell lifts for back development are particularly well-suited for this principle. This is because they allow for precise, heavy loading. The deadlift allows you to load the bar as much as you need using small or large increments. 

With this, you’re able to correctly and consistently apply the progressive overload principle. This ensures small but significant improvements in aspects of strength, power, and muscle growth. 

Improved Posture And Spinal Stability

Most of our best barbell exercises for back thickness and function require strong core engagement and a neutral spine position. This strengthens the deeper supporting muscles alongside the main ones discussed above. 

Some of the barbell exercises above train the rhomboids and trapezius muscles (both retract the shoulder blades). Strengthening these helps counteract postural issues caused by today’s sedentary lifestyle. This includes forward head posture, rounded shoulders, and neck pain. 

The prevalence of rounded shoulders in computer users was estimated at 62.6%. Therefore, this remains a significant public issue. If you’re looking to further improve your posture, try these calisthenic lower back exercises. 

Exercises like the barbell bent-over row and the barbell Romanian deadlift for back training teach you to brace well under load. This carries over into everyday movements, activities, and other exercises. It helps increase spinal stability to better support movement. 

Better Sports Performance 

The main back muscles are heavily involved in sporting movements like jumping, throwing, gripping, and grappling.

Barbell strength training for back development helps build strength, power, and control. Deadlifts and rows help develop power through the hips, allowing athletes to generate more force and explosiveness. 

Furthermore, they improve core stability, which is also a vital component of sports performance. This type of training translates well to sports like rowing, martial arts, and track and field.

Incorporating a barbell workout plan like the one above maximizes your sports performance. 

Common Mistakes To Avoid

These are the most common mistakes to avoid when looking to get the most out of these barbell back exercises. Some of these may also apply to bodyweight back exercises.

• Using Momentum — This refers to swinging your body or jerking the barbell to lift the weight. Doing this reduces the effectiveness of the exercise and increases the risk of injury. Use controlled movements driven by your back muscles and drop the weight if it’s too heavy. 
• Rounding Your Back — If your spine curves forward during an exercise, you’re likely rounding your back. This is common in movements such as rows and deadlifts, where excessive spinal pressure is experienced. Keep a neutral spine position to reduce unwanted spinal pressure, which can lead to disc injuries. 
• Not Engaging Your Core — Failing to engage your core leaves you with an unstable torso when lifting. Your core should stabilize your spine as you lift, helping to keep you correctly aligned. Without proper engagement, you’re more likely to round your back. 
• Lifting Too Heavy — If you lift too much for your strength level, you’re likely going to use poor form to complete the lift. You may also use a poor range of motion and rush the repetitions. Each of these increases the risk of injury and reduces muscle engagement. 
• Neglecting Your Grip Position — Your grip position and alignment affect how force travels into your back muscles. An incorrect grip can limit range of motion and reduce your strength output. It may also put excessive stress on your wrists and elbows. 

Training Tips To Keep In Mind

Keep these training tips in mind when performing any of the barbell back exercises listed above. Some of these can also be applied to your training, such as when performing a back and bicep workout. 

• Focus On The Correct Technique Cues — This means following the key technical steps needed to execute the proper movement. Poor technique reduces primary muscle engagement and may cause injury. Maintain a neutral spine, engage your core, and keep your chest up. 
• Control Your Lifting Tempo — Both movement phases should be performed under control. Perform a slightly quicker concentric (lifting phase) followed by a longer eccentric (lowering phase). This allows enough time under tension, a key factor for muscle growth. 
• Use Lifting Straps If Needed — While you should aim to develop natural grip strength without them, lifting straps can be used during heavy pulling exercises. They’re especially useful when your back muscles are strong enough for the load but your grip is failing. They help implement progressive overload by being able to use heavier weights. 
• Perform Different Back Exercises — Use a wide variety of back exercises to target each back muscle effectively. Include different pulling and rowing movements for well-rounded development. When correctly programmed, this ensures a stronger, more functional back 

Conclusion

Your back muscles are important for most aspects of daily living and performance. This includes when lifting, pulling, and maintaining posture when still or during activity. Developing a functional, well-rounded back is therefore vital when looking to optimize your health and wellness. 

Our barbell back day plan combines the best barbell movements into a well-organized workout. It uses multiple movement patterns and works the key muscle groups. Add it to your weekly routine to build a back to be proud of!

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