Gym Back Workout for Beginners
A gym back workout for beginners that you can do in a commercial gym. 5 exercises, about 31 minutes, targeting lats, lower back, traps, upper & mid back.
| Level | Beginner |
| Equipment | Gym |
| Time | About 31 minutes |
| Muscles | Lats, Lower Back, Traps, Upper & Mid Back |
The workout
| Exercise | Sets / reps |
|---|---|
| 1. Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown | 3 × 10 |
| 2. Seated Cable Rows | 3 × 10 |
| 3. Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row | 3 × 10 / side |
| 4. Stiff Leg Barbell Good Morning | 3 × 10 |
| 5. Dumbbell Shrug | 3 × 10 |
See each exercise
How to do this workout
- Warm up for 5 minutes: brisk walk or easy cardio, then one light set of the first exercise.
- Do the exercises in order. Finish all sets of one before moving on.
- Use a weight you could lift for 2–3 more reps than written. Rest 60–90 seconds between sets.
- Do this workout 1–2 times a week, with at least one rest day before training the same muscles again.
How to progress
When you can do every set with good form at the top of the rep range, add one rep per set the next week, or a small amount of weight (1–2.5 kg). Progress slowly — consistent small jumps beat big ones. For fat loss, pair this with a small calorie deficit and around 1.6–2 g of protein per kg of body weight.
Exercise notes
1. Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
Sit down on a pull-down machine with a wide bar attached to the top pulley. Make sure that you adjust the knee pad of the machine to fit your height. These pads will prevent your body from being raised by the resistance attached to the bar. Grab the bar with the palms facing forward using the prescribed grip. Note on grips: For a wide grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance wider than shoulder width. For a medium grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance equal to your shoulder width and for a close grip at a distance smaller than your shoulder width.
2. Seated Cable Rows
For this exercise you will need access to a low pulley row machine with a V-bar. Note: The V-bar will enable you to have a neutral grip where the palms of your hands face each other. To get into the starting position, first sit down on the machine and place your feet on the front platform or crossbar provided making sure that your knees are slightly bent and not locked. Lean over as you keep the natural alignment of your back and grab the V-bar handles.
3. Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row
Put weight on one of the ends of an Olympic barbell. Make sure that you either place the other end of the barbell in the corner of two walls; or put a heavy object on the ground so the barbell cannot slide backward. Bend forward until your torso is as close to parallel with the floor as you can and keep your knees slightly bent.
4. Stiff Leg Barbell Good Morning
This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for safety purposes. To begin, first set the bar on a rack that best matches your height. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, step under the bar and place the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) across it. Hold on to the bar using both arms at each side and lift it off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso.
5. Dumbbell Shrug
Stand erect with a dumbbell on each hand (palms facing your torso), arms extended on the sides. Lift the dumbbells by elevating the shoulders as high as possible while you exhale. Hold the contraction at the top for a second. Tip: The arms should remain extended at all times. Refrain from using the biceps to help lift the dumbbells. Only the shoulders should be moving up and down.
Weekly plans that use this workout
More workouts like this
Gear for this workout
Gym duffel bagShoe compartment and space for everything.See it on Amazon →
Gym glovesBetter grip and fewer calluses.See it on Amazon →Stop if anything hurts (sharp pain is different from muscle burn). If you have an injury or health condition, check with your GP or a physio first.