Buzz
The upper back is such a critical area to target that many gym enthusiasts dedicate two full days each week to training it. This is what the 'pull day' refers to. With well-developed lats and upper back muscles, you’ll be able to perform countless pull-ups if that’s a goal of yours. Additionally, a stronger back can help shape that inverted triangle look that bodybuilders are known for. Improving your back can even aid in better posture, although I’ve suggested that posture may not be as crucial as we often believe. So, what’s the best way to train your upper back? Keep reading to find out.
Understanding the Upper Back Muscles and Their Function
When I write these articles, I sometimes can give a simple explanation of which muscles we are focusing on. For instance, the hamstrings are a specific group of three muscles. But when it comes to the upper back, things get more complicated, and it becomes difficult to define where the upper back ends and the lower back or shoulders begin.
Today, I'll be focusing on the muscles we didn’t discuss in the previous two articles. So, no talk about trapezius or multifidus today. (If you're interested in a more detailed breakdown of the primary muscles in the lower back, feel free to check out this overview on physio-pedia.)
When people refer to upper back training, the muscles they most likely have in mind are the latissimus dorsi. Commonly known as the 'lats,' these are two large muscles running along the sides of your back. They’re attached to your spine and pelvis, and their function is to pull on your upper arm. When you’re drawing your elbows downward and backward—toward your hips—you’re engaging your lats.
The lats are massive muscles, and their connection to your arms often makes people think of the 'wings' on a flying squirrel. If your goal is a 'v-taper' physique, the lats play a big role in achieving that look. That said, building visibly large lats requires a lot of training, so let that motivate or reassure you.
Additional muscles in the upper back include the
What ties these muscles together, both conceptually and in terms of exercise design, is that they’re all involved in pulling actions. As a helpful tip, any exercise with 'pull' or 'row' in its name is likely targeting your upper back.
Top Dumbbell Exercise: Kroc Rows
I first came across Kroc rows in Jen Sinkler’s pullup training program, and they’ve been one of my go-to exercises ever since. Her program was designed for those who can’t do a pullup yet, and the Kroc rows were included to help build muscle mass in the lats. (I recall being a bit puzzled by this: I need to add mass?)
Kroc rows are a fantastic exercise for everyone, but especially for those who need to push beyond their comfort zone to make real progress. Sure, you can perform dumbbell rows with lighter weights and precise form, but there’s something special about picking up a dumbbell that’s too heavy for perfect form, and still rowing it with some body English. Rather than cheating you out of gains, this approach forces you to move the heaviest weight possible, giving your muscles more work than if you stuck with the smaller dumbbell.
In any case, Kroc rows worked wonders for Janae Kroc, myself, and countless others. If you have access to some hefty dumbbells, give them a try.
Top Cable Exercise: One Arm Lat Pulldown
For my cable machine recommendation, I’m passing on my personal favorite (seated cable rows) to spotlight the current go-to lat isolation exercise: the one-arm lat pulldown. You can perform this with one arm at a time using a double pulldown machine, like in the video above, or with a single cable machine. If you’re using a single cable—these work particularly well on those 'functional trainers' found in hotel gyms—make sure to get on one knee on the floor.
Top Minimalist Exercise: Pullups/Chinups
No need for dumbbells or machines to perform this classic upper back exercise: pullups. Every variation of pullups engages your lats and many other muscles in your upper back (plus, as a bonus, your biceps too).
If full pullups are a challenge, bench or jackknife pullups are still valid. And if pullups become too easy, you can make them harder by adding weight.
When I refer to 'pullups,' I’m really talking about the entire pullup family. Chinups (with palms facing you) are part of this family. Wide grip pullups, neutral grip, hanging handle pullups, and more—all of them are included. While people love to argue about which variation is the 'best' for the lats or other back muscles, studies show that lat activation is similar across variations. As with nutrition, variety is beneficial, so give all the variations a try.
Top Exercise for On-the-Go: Band Pullaparts
While we've been focusing a lot on the lats, I want to spotlight an exercise that targets some of the lesser-known, yet equally important, upper back muscles. Band pullaparts will give some love to your rhomboids, lower traps, and rear delts.
To perform band pullaparts, hold the band in front of you with your arms extended and slightly above eye level. Then, pull the band apart with straight arms until the middle of the band makes contact with your chest. You can also vary the movement: start with the band overhead and pull it behind your head, or try it at waist level.
The best part about band pullaparts is how versatile they are—you can do them anywhere. If you don't have access to a pullup bar but want to do some pulling exercises at home, grab a band. You can even do an easy superset at the gym by bringing a band to the bench press station or anywhere else you're performing a pushing exercise.
