Exercises by muscle

Back exercises.

Vertical pulls for width and rows for thickness: the exercises that train your back best and how to combine them.

Meet the muscles

The latissimus dorsi is the biggest muscle in your back: it pulls your arm down and back, as in a pull-up or pulldown. It creates the V shape.

The rhomboids, between your shoulder blades, squeeze them together on every row. With the mid traps they add thickness and help your posture.

A complete session for this muscle group in about 40 minutes. Repeat it once or twice a week and add weight when you hit every rep.

Vertical pulls like pull-ups and lat pulldowns work the lats most, and the lats create width.

Both: pulldowns and pull-ups build width and rows build thickness. A good routine includes both.

Start each rep by pulling your shoulders down and think about driving your elbows back or into your pockets, not lifting with your hands.

10-20 weekly sets, combining vertical and horizontal pulls.