The Best And Worst Back Exercises (Ranked By Science)

The Nugget

The best back exercise for muscle growth is the Chest Supported Row, while the worst is the Renegade Row.

Key quotes

"Planks are good for your core and rows are great for your back, when you put them together you end up watering down the amount of tension that your back receives."
"Planks are good for your core and rows are great for your back, when you put them together you end up watering down the amount of tension that your back receives."
"I really respect pull-up strength."
"Cable rows are another personal favorite. They may actually be the single best exercise that I know of for feeling a deep stretch on my lats."
"I think I'd go with a chest supported row. It's just so good for smashing both the lats and the midback."

Chest Supported Row: Best exercise for smashing both lats and mid-back with many effective variations.
Wide Grip Cable Rows: Offers deep stretch on lats, crazy lat pump, and easy progression.
Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns: Provides big stretch on lats, even tension, stability, and mid-trap activation.
Half Kneeling One Arm Lat Pulldowns: Optimal for stretch, tension, feel, and easy overload for symmetrical back development.
Meadows Row: Stretches back, high mid-back tension, stable, great pump, works each side individually.

Wide Grip Pull-Ups: Good tension but uneven resistance profile.
Neutral Grip Pull-Ups: Similar to wide grip but slightly more lat emphasis.
Chinups: Shift back tension to biceps, rated B tier for back.
Barbell Row: Stretches back but not the most stable.
Yates Row: Looser form reduces tension, less stretch on lats.
Inverted Row: Good stretch but lack of progression.
One Arm Dumbbell Rows: Offers a stretch, feels stable, but may limit progression due to weight limitations.
Freestanding T-Bar Rows: Annoying balance issues, less stable feeling.

Renegade Row: Lacks stability for maximizing tension and muscle growth.
Dumbbell Lat Pullover: Less tension at the top, challenging to overload for muscle growth.

💪 Chest Supported Row is the ultimate back exercise for hitting lats and mid-back effectively.
🏋️ Wide Grip Cable Rows provide a deep stretch on lats and offer a crazy lat pump.
🤔 Remember, not all exercises are created equal; choose wisely to maximize muscle growth.
🏆 Aim for exercises like the Meadows Row that provide a great pump and hit the back muscles effectively.

This summary contains AI-generated information and may have important inaccuracies or omissions.