Top 16 Back Exercises with a Barbell

A barbell is one of the most useful tools for building a thick, muscular back.

But which are the best barbell exercises you should be doing?

In this article, I’ll outline 16 of the best back exercises with a barbell and how to do them.

Benefits of Barbell Back Exercises

There are a lot of benefits to using barbells in your back workouts:

Increased load capacity. Barbell training allows you to lift heavier weights than most other equipment, which can help you build more strength and muscle mass.
Compound exercises. Many barbell exercises involve multiple muscle groups and joints, making them highly effective for building overall strength, improving athletic performance, and adding muscle mass.
Progressive overload. Barbell training makes it easy to gradually increase the weight you lift over time, which is essential for making continued progress in your training.
Functional strength. Barbell exercises often mimic movements that you would perform in real-life activities or sports, making them a great way to develop functional strength that translates to everyday life.

Now, let’s get into the barbell back exercises.

We’ll roughly divide the exercises into those emphasizing your upper back and your lower back, although there is considerable overlap between many of them.

Let’s start from the top with the upper back exercises.

Upper Back Barbell Exercises

Here are some of the best upper back exercises with a barbell.

1. Barbell Row

The barbell row, also known as bent-over rows, is one of the most classic barbell back exercises. The primary muscles worked in the barbell row are the lats, trapezius, and rear deltoids, but your lower back, biceps, and grip muscles also get some work.

To emphasize your upper back muscles, make sure to use a strict technique with minimal momentum from your hips. Using momentum isn’t necessarily wrong, but it shifts more of the work to your glutes and lower back muscles.

You can also use an underhand grip, which would further emphasize your biceps.

How to Do Barbell Rows

Grip the bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Lean forward with the bar hanging from straight arms.
Inhale and pull the bar towards you.
Pull the bar as high as you can so that it touches your abs or chest, if possible.
With control, lower the bar back to the starting position.

2. Pendlay Row

The Pendlay row (named after coach Glenn Pendlay) is a variation of the barbell row where each repetition starts and stops on the floor.

This means that you will avoid some of the isometric work for your core and lower back that you get from doing regular barbell rows. Instead, you will get to practice how to build up tension in those muscles in each rep, which can be useful for weightlifters.

How to Do Pendlay Rows

Lean forward by hinging in your hips, and grip a bar with an overhand grip.
Pull the bar towards you, without otherwise moving your upper body.
Pull the bar as high as you can, so that it touches your abs or chest if possible.
With control, lower the bar back to the floor without bouncing between reps.

3. Seal Row

The seal row is another row exercise that has risen in popularity over the last few years. In the seal row, you lie prone on a bench with the barbell placed underneath it, completely offloading your lower body and lower back compared to the bent-over barbell row.

This makes it easier to focus on your upper back pulling muscles without thinking about balance or getting tired in your low back.

This is an excellent exercise for anyone with low back issues or someone who wants a lot of control in their rowing.

How to Do Seal Rows

Lie on your stomach on a bench, with a barbell placed on the floor below you.
Grip the bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Inhale and pull the bar towards you.
Pull the bar as high as you can, so that it touches the underside of the bench if possible.
With control, lower the bar back to the starting position.

4. Barbell Rear Delt Row

The rear delt row is a barbell row variation that focuses on the back of your shoulders (your posterior deltoids) and your trapezius.

Compared to the regular barbell row, you row the bar higher on your chest in the rear delt row, with your elbows pointed almost straight out to the sides. You generally have to use much lighter weights in this exercise compared to the standard barbell row.

How to do Barbell Rear Delts Rows

Grip the bar with a wide overhand grip, and lean forward with the bar hanging from straight arms.
Inhale and pull the bar high on your chest, pulling your shoulder blades back and together.
With control, lower the bar back to the starting position.

5. Barbell Shrug

Finally, the barbell shrug is an isolation exercise for the muscles that lift and support your shoulder girdle, like your upper trapezius on the very top of your upper back.

How to Do Barbell Shrugs

Hold a barbell in straight arms in front of your body in a shoulder-width grip.
Lift your shoulders straight up as high as possible without craning your head forward or rotating your shoulders.
Lower your shoulders again.

With the upper back exercises out of the way, let’s take a look at some lower back exercises with a barbell.

Lower Back Barbell Exercises

Below are barbell exercises that primarily work the muscles in your hips and low back.

Most of these exercises, however, will also work the muscles in your upper back isometrically as well as your grip.

1. Deadlift

The barbell deadlift is probably the most classic back exercise you can do with a barbell. It is the third most popular exercise in our training log, and a competitive lift in powerlifting.

The primary muscles worked in the deadlift are your glutes and low back, but almost every muscle in your body is activated to some extent in the deadlift. Some of the more active secondary muscles worked are your quads, hamstrings, adductors, trapezius, and grip muscles.

How to Do Deadlifts

Step up close to the bar so that it is about over the middle of your foot.
Inhale, lean forward, and grip the bar.
Hold your breath, brace your core slightly, and lift the bar.
Pull the bar close to your body, with a straight back, until you are standing straight.
Lower the bar back to the ground with control.
Take another breath, and repeat for reps.

2. Romanian Deadlift

Romanian deadlift exercise — Romanian Deadlift

The Romanian deadlift is a variation of the conventional deadlift where you keep your knees almost completely straight (just a small bend) and do most of the movement in your hips.

Compared to conventional deadlifts, this shifts more of the work to your posterior chain. The Romanian deadlift is a popular hamstring barbell exercise, but your lower back and trapezius are still very active in this exercise.

The Romanian deadlift starts and finishes in a standing position, and it is not necessary to touch the barbell to the ground. In fact, if you do, you might want to stand on an elevation (like a thick weight plate) in order to avoid the floor and increase your range of motion.

How to Do Romanian Deadlifts

Get into the starting position by deadlifting a barbell off the floor, or by unracking it from a barbell rack.
Inhale, brace your core slightly, and lean forward by hinging in your hips. Keep your knees almost completely extended.
Lean forward as far as possible without rounding your back. You don’t have to touch the barbell to the floor, although it is OK if you do.
Reverse the movement and return to the starting position. Exhale on the way up.

3. Deficit Deadlift

The deficit deadlift is a variation of the traditional deadlift where you stand on an elevation to increase the range of motion. Because of the longer range of motion, your leg muscles (mainly quads) and glutes are more involved in the lift.

The deficit deadlift is a great exercise for almost your entire lower body, and many trainers believe that it can help you increase your deadlift strength off the floor.

How to Do Deficit Deadlifts

Stand on an elevation of optional height (i.e. a weight plate), and stand close to the bar, so that it is about over the middle of your foot.
Inhale, lean forward and grip the bar.
Hold your breath, brace your core slightly, and lift the bar.
Pull the bar close to your body, with a straight back, until you are standing straight.
Lower the bar back to the ground with control.

4. Rack Pull

Another deadlift variation is the rack pull, which, in contrast to deficit deadlifts, means that the bar is elevated instead of you. This shortens the range of motion and enables you to start the pull from a stronger position.¹

The higher starting position of the rack pull generally means that you are able to pull heavier loads, and it shifts more of the work to your posterior chain muscles and less to your quads.

How to Do Rack Pulls

Set the bar at desired height using a power rack or blocks.
Step up close to the bar, so that it is over the middle of your foot.
Inhale, lean forward and bend your knees slightly, and grip the bar.
Hold your breath, brace your core, and lift the bar.
Pull the bar close to your body with a straight back, until you are standing straight.
Lower the bar back to the rack or blocks with control.

5. Pause Deadlift

The pause deadlift is a variation of the regular deadlift where you add a pause somewhere in the lift, usually close to the floor.

By pausing, you add isometric work for your lower back muscles, and you also subconsciously tend to discover which position you are the strongest in.

Together, this makes for effective deadlift training without necessarily using heavy weights.

How to Do Pause Deadlifts

Step up close to the bar, so that it is about over the middle of your foot.
Inhale, lean forward, and grip the bar.
Hold your breath, brace your core slightly, and lift the bar.
Pause the movement when the bar is just a few inches above the floor.
After a pause of a second or two, complete the lift by pulling the bar close to your body, until fully extended.
Lower the bar back to the ground with control.
Take another breath, and repeat for reps.

6. Stiff-Legged Deadlift

The stiff-leg deadlift is very similar to the Romanian deadlift, with the main difference being that you begin and end with the barbell on the floor in each rep.

Because you reset at the floor between each rep in the stiff-leg deadlift, you are probably going to be able to lift slightly heavier loads. On the contrary, because you maintain tension in your muscles throughout the Romanian deadlift, it might be slightly better for muscle growth.

How to Do Stiff-Legged Deadlifts

Step up close to the bar, so that it is about over the middle of your foot. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart.
Inhale, lean forward with only a slight bend in your knees, and grip the bar.
Hold your breath, brace your core slightly, and lift the bar.
Pull the bar close to your body, with a straight back, until you have reached a standing position.
Lower the bar back to the ground with control, still keeping your legs straight.
Take another breath, and repeat for reps.

7. Good Morning

The good morning is another classic back exercise with a barbell, where you place the bar across your shoulders instead of grasping it in your hands. This, of course, offloads your grip muscles and makes the movement resemble a squat slightly more, especially a heavy squat where you struggle to keep your torso upright.

The good morning exercise primarily works your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.

How to Do Good Mornings

Place the bar on your upper back. Inhale and brace your core slightly, and unrack the bar.
Take two steps back, and place your feet slightly wider than hip-width.
Inhale and hold your breath, and lean forward by hinging your hips. Imagine that you are trying to push your butt back as far as possible.
Lean forward as far as you can with a straight back, and without the bar rolling forward.
Your knees will bend slightly, but most of the movement takes place in the hips.
With control, stop and reverse the movement, extending your hips again while exhaling.
At the top, inhale and repeat for reps.

8. Clean

Let’s venture into weightlifting territory. The clean is an exercise that develops power and strength in your lower body as well as almost your entire back.

If you perform a squat clean (that is, catch the bar in a deep squat), you will also get some additional quad training when you stand up with the bar.

How to Do a Clean

Step up close to the bar, so that it is about over the middle of your foot.
Lean forward and grip the bar with an overhand grip, about shoulder-width apart.
Hold your breath, and brace your core slightly.
Lift the bar in a smooth but fast motion. Then squat down again to receive the bar on the front of your shoulders.
Stand up on straight legs again.
Lower the bar in front of you, with control.

9. Power Clean

If you can’t (or don’t want to) catch the bar in a deep squat clean, you can opt for the power clean. It is simply a clean where you catch the bar in a higher position, only slightly bending your legs. Just like the deep clean, however, this exercise will increase the strength and power of your back and lower body.

The power clean is usually a bit easier to learn and requires less flexibility, but you won’t be able to lift quite as heavy weights as in the full squat clean.

How to Do a Power Clean

Step up close to the bar, so that it is about over the middle of your foot.
Lean forward and grip the bar with an overhand grip, about shoulder-width apart.
Hold your breath, and brace your core slightly.
Lift the bar in a smooth but fast motion. Bend your knees slightly and receive the bar on the front of your shoulders.
Stand up on straight legs again.
Lower the bar in front of you, with control.

10. Snatch

The snatch is another weightlifting exercise, and one of the two competitive events in Olympic weightlifting (the other being the clean and jerk).

This exercise will develop the strength and power of your lower body and your back, and for our back training purposes, it will especially target your trapezius muscles. Your trapezius has to work hard in the snatch to keep your thoracic spine rigid, and your scapula in place.

How to Do a Snatch

Step up close to the bar, so that it is about over the middle of your foot.
Lean forward and grip the bar with a wide overhand grip, close to the weight plates.
Hold your breath, brace your core slightly, and lower your hip closer to the floor.
Lift the bar in a smooth but fast motion by extending your legs and knees simultaneously.
Once the bar has reached maximum speed, squat down deep and catch the bar on straight arms over your head.
When you’ve got control of the bar, stand up straight.
Lower the bar in front of you, with control.

11. Snatch Grip Deadlift

If you only want to work your traps but don’t want the rest of the challenge the snatch poses, you can opt for the snatch grip deadlift instead.

As the name states, it is a deadlift in which you grasp the bar in a wide, snatch-style grip. This will increase the challenge of your upper back and traps, and also increase the range of motion of the deadlift because you will have to start from a lower position.

How to Do Snatch Grip Deadlifts

Step up close to the bar, so that it is about over the middle of your foot.
Inhale, lean forward and take a wide grip, like in a snatch.
Hold your breath, brace your core slightly, and lift the bar.
Pull the bar close to your body, with a straight back, until you are standing straight.
Lower the bar back to the ground with control.
Take another breath, and repeat for reps.

Barbell Back Workout

Those were a lot of back exercises you can do with a barbell. But how can you put them together into a workout?

Below is an example of a back workout with the goal of building big and strong back muscles.

Barbell Back Workout

Deadlift: 1 set x 5–8 reps (work up to one heavy set)
Romanian Deadlift: 2 sets x 8–12 reps
Barbell Row: 2 sets x 6–12 reps
Rear Delt Row: 2 sets x 8–15 reps

You start off heavy, by working up to one heavy set of deadlifts, focusing on strength and moving big weights.

Then, you take some weight off and and shift to Romanian deadlifts, focusing on proper form and mind-muscle connection rather than weight.

These two exercises will work your hamstrings, glutes, erector spinae, and also traps to some extent. The last two exercises will focus more on your upper back, rear delts, and traps.

The barbell row is the heavier of the two rowing exercises, involving your latissimus dorsi as well as your mid traps. The rear delt rows hits higher on your back, primarily working your upper trapezius and posterior deltoids.

Together, these four exercises will work your entire posterior chain and back. Repeat this workout about once every 5–7 days or when you feel rested, and try to lift a little more weight or do more reps every workout.

I recommend that you track your weights and reps in our free workout tracker. That will make it much easier for you to just copy the same workout, and then try to beat your previous numbers each time.

And that is the key to developing a strong, muscular back.

Barbell Training Programs

We have several training programs that include plenty of back exercises with a barbell.

Here are some of our most popular ones:

Beginner Barbell Workout Plan. 2–3x/week. Simple and effective, this training program gives you a perfect start in your training career. You will build muscle and strength swiftly by doing two to three barbell-based, whole-body workouts per week.
Deadlift Disco. 2x/week. Our deadlift program for powerlifting. Increase your deadlift 1RM and build bigger, stronger back muscles. Six weeks long, but possible to cycle through several times.
Deadlift Builder. 2x/week. To pull big weights, you need big muscles. This program aims to increase your strength potential by increasing the mass of your deadlift muscles. Six weeks long.
StrengthLog’s Upper/Lower Body Split Program. 4x/week. One of our most popular programs. Four workouts per week, emphasizing getting stronger in the compound lifts. For both muscle growth and strength gain!

Thank you for reading, and good luck with your training!

More reading:

References

Journal of Trainology. 2012 Nov;1(2):32-35. Isometric Strength of Powerlifters in Key Positions of the Conventional Deadlift.