10 Bench Back Exercises and Workouts To Strengthen Your Back Muscles

Training your back is essential, no matter what your goals are. In this article, we will be taking a look at ten back exercises that can be performed using a workout bench.

Of course, these exercises will require more than just a bench. You will need dumbbells, barbells, resistance bands, and even a Smith Machine or squat rack to perform all of them.

But one thing that all ten exercises have in common (apart from working muscles in the back) is the requirement for a sturdy workout bench.

In this article, we will take an in-depth look at ten bench back exercises, then set them up into three back workouts. After that, we will look at the anatomy of the back before wrapping everything up at the end.

Ten Bench Back Exercises

In this section, we will be taking a look at ten bench back exercises. You will need a bench (obviously), dumbbells, a barbell, resistance bands, and a Smith Machine or Squat Rack. Each exercise will have a description of how to perform it, a list of the muscles worked, and a personal trainer tip to give you an edge over your fellow gymgoers.

One-Arm Rows

This is one of the most popular rowing exercises in any gym and an absolutely fundamental movement. You should master one-arm rows before spending time on any other variation (seated cable row, bent-over row).

Try not to use a weight you can’t handle; otherwise, you will end up rocking back and forth, trying to get some momentum. Not great for building muscle or for your lower back health!

Muscles Worked: Lats, delts, traps, biceps

How to Perform:

Set the bench to flat and then place one knee on it and one hand (same side).
Hold a dumbbell in your other hand, and straighten your back by pushing your chest out
Keeping your arm close to your side, pull the dumbbell up until it is touching the outside of your chest
Pause, and then slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position

Personal Trainer Tip: Ideally, you want your hips to be square. Make sure that you are not tilting your hips when setting up.

Incline Dumbbell Row

If you find it difficult to maintain a flat back during one-arm rows, bent-over rows, or T-bar rows, then the incline dumbbell row is the perfect solution. By resting your chest on an incline bench, you can prevent excessive curving of the back while rowing.

Muscles Worked: Lats, delts, traps, biceps

How to Perform:

Set your bench to an incline (45-degree angle) and make sure that the seat is also inclined
Lie on the bench so that your chest is flush with the headrest and your legs are straddling either side
Hold a dumbbell in each hand using a neutral grip (palms facing each other)
Keeping your chest flat on the bench, pull the dumbbells up until they reach the bench
Pause, and then slowly lower them back down to the starting position

Personal Trainer Tip: Make sure that your chest stays on the bench throughout the movement. If you find that it keeps rising slightly, you are either too fatigued (increase your rest between sets) or you are using too heavy a weight. Or both!

Lying Lateral Raise

This is an unusual-looking exercise that nevertheless can provide you with amazing gains. It works both the back and shoulders, and it is very easy to perform once you have got the hang of things.

Muscles Worked: Deltoids, lats, traps

How to Perform:

Set the bench to flat and lie on it sideways with one shoulder and one hip resting on the headrest
Place the arm that is closest to the bench on your opposite shoulder
Hold a dumbbell close to the floor with your other arm
Raise the dumbbell above your body so that it is straight up in the air
Pause, and then slowly lower it back down to the starting position

Personal Trainer Tip: Don’t worry if there is a slight bend in your arm, particularly when lowering the dumbbell back down to the ground. But if the bend is too severe, then you should lower the weight.

Bench Rear Delt Flyes

Rear delt flyes aren’t really thought of as a back exercise. They are literally named after the deltoid muscles that they work. But actually, the rear delt fly works the trapezius muscle, the lats, and the rhomboids, as well as the deltoids.

Muscles Worked: Deltoids, traps, lats, rhomboids

How to Perform:

Set your bench to an incline setting (45 degrees) and lie on it with your chest resting against the headrest
Hold a dumbbell in each hand using the neutral grip (palms facing each other)
Bend your arms very slightly and then keep them stiff as you pull them apart (like wings)
Once your shoulders feel tight, you can pause, then slowly return your arms to the starting position

Personal Trainer Tip: If your chest is rising off the bench, then you are not performing the exercise properly. What is happening is that you are trying to increase the range of motion without using your deltoids. Keep your chest on the bench and don’t try and force your arms any further back.

Dumbbell Pullover

The dumbbell pullover is one of the very few exercises that work both the pectoral muscles (chest) and the muscles in your back. Yet it is so rarely used. Adding dumbbell pullovers to your program will instantly upgrade them.

Muscles Worked: Pectorals, lats, deltoids, triceps

How to Perform:

Lie on a flat bench with a dumbbell held in both hands (hold one end of the dumbbell)
You want a slight arch in your back which you can achieve by pushing your chest out and pulling your shoulders back
Raise the dumbbell so that your arms are straight up in the air above your chest
Bring the dumbbell past your head, keeping a slight bend in your arms as you do so
Once you feel the stretch pause, and then pull your arms forwards to return the dumbbell to its starting position above your chest

Personal Trainer Tip: This exercise can be performed while lying normally on a bench or while parallel to the bench. Neither variation is better than the other, but try both to see which suits you best.

Seal Row

For this exercise, you will probably need to raise your flat bench higher off the ground so that there is enough space to get the full range of motion.

Setting the bench on Olympic plates or plyometric boxes is possible, but ensure that everything is stable before attempting. You don’t need that much space created.

Muscles Worked: Lats, traps, biceps, deltoids

How to Perform:

Place a barbell underneath a bench and lie face down on the bench so that the barbell is directly below your lower chest
You want your feet to be off the ground, either straight out behind you or with your knees bent
Grab the barbell using an overhand grip and hold tight
Pull the bar up until it touches the bench, pause, and then lower back down again

Personal Trainer Tip: Use a lighter weight than you would for a regular row. As you are completely horizontal, the exercise will be much more challenging.

Seated Resistance Band Lat Pulldown

For this exercise, you will need a place to attach resistance bands above your head. You could use a Smith Machine (with the bar set to a high position) or the overhead bar of a squat rack.

Muscles Worked: Lats, biceps, deltoids

How to Perform:

Set your bench up so that you are underneath the resistance band (attached securely above you)
Grab a resistance band handle in each hand, push your chest out and pull your shoulders back
Pull the handles down until your hands are shoulder-height, pulling your elbows towards your sides
Pause, and then slowly raise the handles back up towards the starting position

Personal Trainer Tip: This is a great bench back exercise, but you can also perform it while sitting on the floor if you can’t set the resistance bands high enough.

Bench Superman

Supermans are a great exercise for your lower back and should be a part of any mobility workout. Using a bench for elevation makes the exercise more comfortable, and it can also help you move your arms and legs more freely.

Muscles Worked: Lower back muscles

How to Perform:

Set a bench to flat and then lie face down upon it. You want your chest to be in line with the headrest so that your head is hanging off the edge.
You want your knees to be hanging off the edge of the bench if they aren’t then shuffle down so that they are
Start with your legs straight out behind you and your arms hanging in front of you
Raise your right foot up in the air while simultaneously raising your left arm up
Lower both while simultaneously raising your opposing leg and arm

Personal Trainer Tip: Try to ensure that your arms and legs are all in a straight line rather than sticking out to the sides.

Bench Pull-Ups

This exercise requires a Smith Machine or a squat rack with a barbell. The idea is that you use that to perform your pull-ups while your feet rest on a bench. This takes away some of the weight that you have to lift, making the exercise slightly easier. Perfect for beginners or for people who want to perform really high-rep sets.

Muscles Worked: Lats, traps, deltoids, biceps

How to Perform:

Set a barbell to around chest height on a squat rack or Smith Machine and place a bench in front of the bar about half your body length away from it
Grab the bar using an overhand grip (just wider than shoulder-width apart) and place your feet on the bench
Hang onto the bar and pull yourself up until your collarbone is touching the bar
Pause, and then slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position

Personal Trainer Tip: You can make the exercise a little easier by using an underhand grip and bringing your hands closer together.

Flat Bench Hyperextensions

This is a great lower-back exercise and works well if you don’t have a hyperextension machine in your gym. Just make sure that the bench is stable before you climb on.

Muscles Worked: Lower back muscles, abdominals, hamstrings

How to Perform:

Lie face down on a bench with your feet pressed hard against the edge of the bench. Your upper chest and shoulders should be hanging off the other edge
Cross your hands over your chest so that your right hand is touching your left shoulder and vice versa
Raise your shoulders and chest in the air while keeping your legs and hips flat on the bench. You should feel a stretch across your lower back
Pause when you are fully stretched, and then slowly lower yourself back down

Personal Trainer Tip: If you are struggling to keep your legs and hips from rising, you can get a partner to hold your feet down.

Bench Back Workouts

The following three workouts are ones that target the upper and lower back. They should also work your biceps and deltoids to some extent. You should add these workouts to your regular training program instead of your usual back workout.

Alternatively, you can take some of the exercises that you like, and add them into full-body workouts, push/pull workouts, or upper/lower body workout splits.

Bench Back Workout #1

Bench Pull-Up 3 x 8-12 reps
One-Arm Rows 3 x 10 reps (each side)
Dumbbell Pullover 3 x 10 reps
Bench Rear Delt Flyes 3 x 12-15 reps
Flat Bench Hyperextensions 3 x 12 reps

Bench Back Workout #2

Seated Resistance Band Lat Pulldown 3 x 8-12 reps
Seal Rows 3 x 8-12 reps
Incline Dumbbell Row 3 x 8-12 reps
Lying Lateral Raises 3 x 12 reps (each side)
Bench Supermans 3 x 12 reps

Bench Back Workout #3

Bench Pull-Up 3 x 8-12 reps
Seal Rows 3 x 8-12 reps
Dumbbell Pullover 3 x 10 reps
One-Arm Rows 3 x 10 reps (each side)
Bench Rear Delt Flyes 3 x 12-15 reps
Bench Supermans 3 x 12 reps

Back Anatomy

There are many muscles that make up the back. Some are too small to discuss in such a short section. Nor are they that important for gymgoers to know about. You are never going to need to know where your infraspinatus is located (for example).

Trapezius: Big, fan-shaped muscle that covers your upper back. This is the muscle that allows you to shrug and it is crucial for good posture when lifting.
Deltoids: While these are shoulder muscles, they are heavily involved in upper back movements. The rear delts in particular.
Teres Major/rhomboids: Small muscles that are situated in the lower back but are often grouped in with shoulder muscles. They are also heavily involved in posture and movements of the shoulder and arms.
Latissimus Dorsi: Often called the lats, these muscles cover your lower and middle back and are often described as being wing-shaped. They are crucial for pulling movements.
Internal/External Obliques: Core muscles that cover the sides of your torso. These muscles are used for twisting movements and for stability.
Erector Spinae: Muscle of the lower back, used for flexing and extending the spine.

Wrapping it Up

So, there you have it. Ten exercises for the back that can be performed using a bench (and other equipment). There are also three back workouts that you can follow and a quick rundown of what muscles make up the back. Adding in some (or all) of these exercises to your weekly program could help you to see some serious muscle mass and strength gains over time.