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Most impressive is the back big enough to rent out as a billboard. It is built through dedication, determination, and a variety of rowing techniques. We are going to look at several of those rowing techniques, talk about how to build a back, and look at one permutation of a back workout. This is not the exhaustive list of back exercises, but it is a solid list.

Bent rows, barbell rows, or bent-over rows, are a popular weightlifting exercise that primarily targets the muscles of the upper back, including the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, and rhomboids The diagram to the left will show you our musculature in greater detail. There are several variations of bent rows that can be performed to target these muscles in slightly different ways. Here are some of the most common types of bent rows:

Barbell Rows: This is the most traditional form of bent rows, where you hold a barbell with both hands, hinge at the hips, and pull the weight towards your torso. These can be done with either an overhand or underhand grip for targeting different muscle groups. We can also take a wider or more narrow grip for further targeting of muscles. More on this later.

Dumbbell Rows: Instead of using a barbell, you hold a dumbbell in each hand and perform the same movement as barbell rows.

T-Bar Rows: This is a bent-over row variation that uses a T-bar machine, where you place one end of the bar into a corner and load weight plates onto the other end. You then hold the bar with both hands and pull it towards your chest.

Seated Cable Rows: This variation uses a cable machine, where you sit on a bench with your legs extended in front of you and pull a cable towards your torso using a handle or rope attachment.

One-Arm Dumbbell Rows: Similar to dumbbell rows, but you perform the exercise with one arm at a time, allowing for greater focus on each side of the body.

Inverted Rows: These are performed using a suspension trainer, such as TRX, where you hold onto the handles and lean back while keeping your body in a straight line. You then pull yourself up towards the handles, engaging your upper back muscles.

Lat Pulls: These are conducted at the pull down station of a cable machine or similar pull down apparatus. Set your grip width to target the most muscles in our back and biceps, which will be a little wider than shoulder width with palms facing away from you. Pull the bar down to the top of the chest. As the bar reaches the top of our chest squeeze the shoulder blades together as if trying to squeeze something between them.

Each of these variations has its own advantages and disadvantages and can be used to target different parts of the upper back. It's important to choose the right variation based on your goals and fitness level, and to always maintain proper form to avoid injury.

Let’s look at each row more closely for its targeted muscles and the end states. Each of these are excellent compound exercises any of which makes for a solid back workout.

These muscles include:

Mid to lower trapezius 

Rhomboids

Rear deltoids

Latissimus dorsi

Posterior deltoids

Biceps

Grip

Erector spinae

BARBELL ROWS

The muscles targeted in this row include latisimus dorsi (lats), rhomboids, rear deltoids, central and lower trapezius, and biceps. 

To perform this we take hold of the bar with either an overhand or underhand grip. We can also do this with a wider or more narrow grip that will have our elbows brushing our sides. The difference in grip will put the onus of the weight on different areas of our back. 

Bend at the hips, not the lower back. Yes,it is a back exercise, no this is not how or when we work the lower back and spinal erectors. We want to have a nearly straight line from hips to shoulders. 

An underhand grip with elbows at our side is a focus on the lats. Yes, rear deltoids, lower and middle trapezius, and biceps are involved. This position puts the lion’s share of the workload on the lats.

An overhand grip can target mainly either the lats or the rhomboids, these are the muscles over the shoulder blades. A wider grip, such as just outside of shoulders width or more will have you pulling with your elbows pointed out. As such, this position will target the rhomboids. Conversely, a grip at shoulders width or less will target the lats. 

Pick one width and remain consistent with it for solid results. 

DUMBBELL ROWS

These are done with a dumbbell in each hand. We will bend at the hips and not the lower back. With arms at full length and the dumbbells in hand you pull back as if to strike a target with your elbows. Pull firmly and smoothly until the elbows are just peeking over the plane of the back.

The variation to this is doing one arm rows. As the weight lowers, extend your shoulder and reach for the floor while keeping your spine straight. Pull the weight up towards your midsection d side. Your elbow will come up past the plane of your back. 

Doing one arm dumbbell rows can help identify and even out muscular imbalances across our back.

The angle at which you hold your arms to the centerline will change which muscles are targeted.

T-BAR ROWS

This can be done supported (on a bench) or unsupported. The choice you make will determine how many muscles are used. Unsupported T-bar rows will activate a larger range of muscles in support of the movement. 

Also, to a small degree you will engage glutes and hamstring to fully support this exercise.

The barbell used in this will have one end anchored or stuck into a corner so that it does not move on the one end. Load the weight you want onto the other end. The T-bar handle will fit under the bar near the weight block on the knurled side. Straddle the bar and bend & squat down. Lift the weights into position with your hips and knees bent. Using the muscles in your back and bisceps pull the handle until it touches your torso. Hold it for two seconds and relax until your arms are fully extended. Repeat for the necessary repetitions. 

SEATED CABLE ROWS

These can be done with various grips to target the back in different ways. We will engage all of the muscles in our back, but to varying degrees. 

By taking a wider grip we will target lats, rear deltoids, and biceps. The target of the wider grip is the lats. This will engage the lats more specifically. The narrow grip, done with a V-handle or by gripping a wider bar at the center. This grip will more fully engage the mid and lower trapezius and rear delts. 

Remember to squeeze our shoulder blades together at the full contraction when the handle touches the midsection. Also, roll your shoulders forward at the full extension. These actions will ensure full engagement of the mid and lower traps.

INVERTED ROWS

This is a body weight exercise, at least in the beginning. Set a horizontal bar at about hip high. Adjust the height to make this more or less challenging. You can vary your grip on the bar, but let’s take hold of the bar at a shoulder width. 

We are planning back towards the floor while gripping the bar. Pulling up and contracting the entirety of our back muscles will bring us chest to bar. This is an excellent precursor to pull-ups. 

LAT PULLS

The last pull station can be our friend. It will mimick the same motion as pull-ups and chin-ups depending on how you grip the bar. 

Palms toward us will activate primarily lats and biceps. The same as doing a chin-up. Palms away will target lats, rhomboids, rear deltoids, and biceps. 

IMPLEMENTING ROWS

Each of the aforementioned movements are compound movements, that is engaging multiple muscle groups and joints. A full workout for the back can look like this:

Bent rows 

Lat pulls

Seated rowing close grip

The workout can be rounded out with a few isolation exercises to further target muscles.