If you’re looking for machine-based back exercises for building muscle and strength, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, I’ll share around 12 back exercises that you can do using the machines at the gym.
These exercises for all people (from males and females and beginners to experienced) who want safe and effective muscle-gaining back workouts.
12 Best Machine Back Exercises for Muscle Gain
1-3. Lat Pulldown
You can train your latissimus dorsi (the largest back muscle) with these three lat pulldown variations: Wide Grip Pulldown, Medium Grip Pulldown, and Close-Grip Pulldown.
We’ll use different bars and handles to perform these variations. For example, we’ll use the standard lat pulldown bar (40-48 inches long and slightly down at the ends), medium-sized bar (24-30 inches long with handle grips at the ends) for medium grip pulldown, and the v-bar for close grip pulldown.
These different lat pulldown variations effectively target the lats’ upper, middle, and lower parts and help build a wide and thick back.1Andersen V, Fimland MS, Wiik E, Skoglund A, Saeterbakken AH.Effects of grip width on muscle strength and activation in the lat pull-down. J Strength Cond Res. 2014 Apr;28(4):1135-42. doi: 10.1097/JSC.0000000000000232. PMID: 24662157, 2Snarr, Ronald & Eckert, Ryan & Abbott, Patricia. (2015). A Comparative Analysis and Technique of the Lat Pull-down. Strength and Conditioning Journal. 37. 21-25. 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000173, 3Lehman GJ, Buchan DD, Lundy A, Myers N, Nalborczyk A. Variations in muscle activation levels during traditional latissimus dorsi weight training exercises: An experimental study. Dyn Med. 2004 Jun 30;3(1):4. doi: 10.1186/1476-5918-3-4. PMID: 15228624; PMCID: PMC449729.
Lat pulldowns are also great for people looking to improve their pull-up performance.4 Li, Qian & Yan, Jiaqi & Qiao, Minjie & Quan, Jiuqing & Chen, Yiqing & Gong, Mingxin & Niu, Wenxin & Wang, Lejun. (2024). Eight‐week lat pull‐down resistance training with joint instability leads to superior pull‐up endurance performance and reduced antagonist coactivation in recreationally active male college students. European Journal of Sport Science. 25. 10.1002/ejsc.12243.
Steps to perform lat pulldowns:
- Select the weight, sit on the bench, and firmly grab the bar (2 times wider than your shoulder width for wide-grip pulldown, 1.5 times wider than your shoulder width for medium grip, and 0.5 to 0.75 times wider than your shoulders for close grip) with an overhand grip.
- Slightly lean back and keep your chest up.
- Pull the bar to your upper chest until your back muscles are contracted.
- Return slowly to the start, but avoid extending your arms entirely. That’s one rep.
You can also perform the lat pulldowns on the cable pulley machine using different grip widths.
4-6. Seated Row
You can perform the seated row exercise on various machines, including the dedicated machine, cable pulley machine, and lat pulldown machine.
These machines also allow you to perform seated row using one arm at a time (unilateral rows), which is great for improving muscle imbalance and definition.5Saeterbakken A, Andersen V, Brudeseth A, Lund H, Fimland MS. The Effect of Performing Bi- and Unilateral Row Exercises on Core Muscle Activation. Int J Sports Med. 2015 Nov;36(11):900-5. doi: 10.1055/s-0034-1398646. Epub 2015 Jul 2. PMID: 26134664, 6Rodríguez-Perea Á, Vila H, Ferragut C, Jerez-Mayorga D, Chirosa Ríos LJ, García-García O, Serrano-Gómez V. Reliability of the Seated Unilateral Cable Row and Strength Differences Between Dominant and Non-Dominant Sides in Young Athletes. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2025 Oct 7;10(4):390. doi: 10.3390/jfmk10040390. PMID: 41133580; PMCID: PMC12551020.
The seated row exercises help build a stronger and thicker middle back by targeting lats, rhomboids, and traps, improving overall back density and muscular appearance.7 Seated Machine Row Close Grip – National Academy of Sports Medicine, 8American Council of Exercise (ACE) Research: What Is the Best Back Exercise? by Holly Edelburg, B.S., John P. Porcari, Ph.D., Clayton Camic, Ph.D., Attila Kovacs, Ph.D., and Carl Foster, Ph.D., with Daniel J. Green
They also increase the pulling strength, making various compound exercises like the pull-ups, bent-over rows, and deadlifts easier to perform.
The seated row involves the following steps:
a) Seated machine row:
- Sit with your chest against the pad.
- Grab handles with a neutral grip, palms facing each other.
- Pull handles toward your lower chest or upper abs. You’ll feel the contraction in the back. Retract your shoulders and keep your spine straight as you drive your elbows at your sides.
- Slowly return until your back is entirely stretched. That’s one rep.
b & c) Using a low pulley cable & pulldown machine:
- Sit with legs extended, slight knee bend.
- Hold the V-bar or the straight handle.
- Keep back straight, chest up, and abs tight.
- Drive your elbows at your sides until your back is contracted.
- Return and repeat.
Steps are the same for unilateral rows (just row one side at a time).
7. Straight-arm Cable Pulldown
The straight-arm cable pulldown is another great exercise for widening the latissimus dorsi muscles. It targets the lats directly with a full range of motion, without involving the biceps.9Muyor, José & López-Miñarro, Pedro & Alacid, Fernando. (2022). Comparison of Electromyographic Activity during Barbell Pullover and Straight Arm Pulldown Exercises. Applied Sciences. 12. 11138. 10.3390/app122111138
You can do it in the standing position or by sitting on your knees, whichever feels better on your lats.
Steps for doing the straight-arm cable pulldown:
- Attach a straight bar or rope to a high pulley and stand facing the machine.
- Attach a straight bar or rope to a high pulley, then grab it with straight arms.
- Pull the bar down in an arc toward your thighs until you feel the squeeze in your lats.
- Keep arms nearly straight throughout and focus on using your lats, not arms.
- Slowly bring the bar back up to complete your first rep.
Keep it at the end of your workouts to increase muscle fatigue, improve pump, and activate back muscles for better growth.
8. Single-arm High to Low Cable Row
The single-arm high cable row is an unilateral exercise. It involves setting the attachment at a higher position (more than your weight) and rowing or pulling with one arm in a seated position.
It is good for people who want to train their back on one side at a time and improve posture and symmetry.
It also provides more stretch in the lats than the standard pulldown, making it a great exercise for lats development.
To perform this exercise, follow these steps:
- Set the pulley at a high position and attach a single handle.
- Sit on your right knee while keeping the other foot flat.
- Grab the handle with your right hand and slightly lean back for balance.
- Pull the handle down and back toward your hip (drive your elbow).
- Squeeze your back at the bottom, feeling contraction in the lats and mid-back.
- Slowly extend the arm back and let it go up until your lats stretch.
- Perform the desired reps and repeat on the opposite side.
9. Landmine T-Bar Row
The landmine T-bar row is an old-school muscle-building workout for the back growth.
It involves loading the plates in the bar’s one end and lifting them in a bent-over position. You can also call it a neutral grip bent-over row.
It primarily targets the traps, lats, and rhomboids and builds a strong back.10Lincoln, Merrick & Sapstead, Gareth & Moore, Kayla & Weldon, Anthony. (2022). Exercise Technique: The Landmine Row. Strength & Conditioning Journal. Publish Ahead of Print. 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000751
The Landmine T-Row involves the following steps:
- Place one end of a barbell in a landmine or corner.
- Load weight plates on the free end and attach a V-handle.
- Stand over the bar with feet shoulder-width apart and hinge at the hips (like a bent-over row position).
- Keep your arms extended, back straight, and core tight.
- Drive your elbows in as the bar comes toward your upper abs.
- Pause at the top and squeeze your shoulder blades. You’ll feel a contraction in the middle back.
- Lower weight slowly and get a full stretch at the bottom. That’s one rep.
10. Machine Lat Pullover
The machine pullover is great for strengthening latissimus dorsi and achieving a V-shaped upper body.
It provides decent stretch and deepest contraction in the back muscles compared to various other back exercises.
It isolates the lats effectively and helps improve upper back strength and definition.
If you’re a beginner and looking for a safe exercise for building a thicker and broader back, I recommend adding it to your training plan.
The machine lat pullover includes the following steps:
- Sit on the machine and adjust the seat so the handles are above your chest level.
- Hold the bar with both hands and maintain a neutral torso position (back straight and chest up).
- Pull the bar down in an arc motion toward your thighs until you feel a full contraction in your lats.
- Pause for a moment, then slowly return to the starting position.
Focus on using your back muscles during the row. Breathe out while pulling, breathe in while returning. Perform 8-10 reps, with the last 2-3 reps should be challenging.
11. Chest Supported T-Bar Row
Chest-supported T-bar row involves lying on the bench with your face down and pulling the weight.
It’s a good option for those who want to make their back strong and big without placing a load on the lower back.
This exercise also makes pulling movements easier. Because your chest is supported and your body stays steady, allowing you to focus on your lift.
Steps to perform chest-supported T-bar row:
- Place the weight into the machine and lie prone with your chest resting on the pad.
- Grab handles with a neutral grip and keep your arms straight for a better stretch.
- Driving your elbows back, pull handles toward your lower chest or upper ab.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top and pause for a second.
- Lower the weight slowly, feeling the stretch in your lats and mid-back. That’s your one rep.
You can perform this chest-supported row after pull-ups and pulldowns. When you do it, you can skip the bent-over row.
Go for a heavy weight and keep the rep range between 8-12 (the last few reps should be challenging).
12. Assisted Pull-Up Machine
The machine makes pull-ups easier, allowing people of all fitness levels to train with proper form and confidence.
It is great for someone who wants to develop a wider back, enhance their pulling strength, improve their grip power, and build strength for manual pull-ups.11 Hewit, Jennifer. (2018). A Comparison of Muscle Activation during the Pull-up and Three Alternative Pulling Exercises. Journal of Physical Fitness, Medicine & Treatment in Sports. 5. 10.19080/JPFMTS.2018.05.555669.
The machine is also great for those who want to perform pull-ups with better control, avoiding strain and excessive swinging.
Steps to perform a pull-up on the machine:
- Choose the desired weight (more weight means easier pull-up and vice versa).
- Place your knees on the support pad and grab handles wider than your shoulders
- Keep your arms straight and brace your midsection for stability.
- Pull yourself by driving your elbows down, bringing the chest toward the handles.
- Pause at the top for a second and feel the squeeze in your lats and the upper back.
- Slowly straighten your arms and feel the stretch in your lats. That’s one rep.
You can start your back day with pull-ups, as they engage the entire back and prepare you for heavy lifts like bent-over rows, pulldowns, and seated rows.
Machine Back Workout Routine for Growth
| For Beginners | For Experienced |
|---|---|
| Assisted Pull-ups (3 sets x 10 reps) | Medium Lat Pulldown (3 sets x 10 reps) |
| Medium Grip Lat Pulldown (3 sets x 10 reps) | Close-Grip Pulldown (3 sets x 10 reps) |
| Seated Row (Cable or Machine) (3 sets x 10 reps) | Cable or Machine Row (3 sets x 10 reps) |
| Chest Supported T-Bar Row (3 sets x 10 reps) | T-Bar Row (3 sets x 10 reps) |
| 1-arm High to Low Row (3 sets x 10 reps) | Straight-arm Lat Pulldown (3 x 10) |
| – | Assisted Pull-ups (3 sets x 10 reps) |
References
- 1Andersen V, Fimland MS, Wiik E, Skoglund A, Saeterbakken AH.Effects of grip width on muscle strength and activation in the lat pull-down. J Strength Cond Res. 2014 Apr;28(4):1135-42. doi: 10.1097/JSC.0000000000000232. PMID: 24662157
- 2Snarr, Ronald & Eckert, Ryan & Abbott, Patricia. (2015). A Comparative Analysis and Technique of the Lat Pull-down. Strength and Conditioning Journal. 37. 21-25. 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000173
- 3Lehman GJ, Buchan DD, Lundy A, Myers N, Nalborczyk A. Variations in muscle activation levels during traditional latissimus dorsi weight training exercises: An experimental study. Dyn Med. 2004 Jun 30;3(1):4. doi: 10.1186/1476-5918-3-4. PMID: 15228624; PMCID: PMC449729.
- 4Li, Qian & Yan, Jiaqi & Qiao, Minjie & Quan, Jiuqing & Chen, Yiqing & Gong, Mingxin & Niu, Wenxin & Wang, Lejun. (2024). Eight‐week lat pull‐down resistance training with joint instability leads to superior pull‐up endurance performance and reduced antagonist coactivation in recreationally active male college students. European Journal of Sport Science. 25. 10.1002/ejsc.12243.
- 5Saeterbakken A, Andersen V, Brudeseth A, Lund H, Fimland MS. The Effect of Performing Bi- and Unilateral Row Exercises on Core Muscle Activation. Int J Sports Med. 2015 Nov;36(11):900-5. doi: 10.1055/s-0034-1398646. Epub 2015 Jul 2. PMID: 26134664
- 6Rodríguez-Perea Á, Vila H, Ferragut C, Jerez-Mayorga D, Chirosa Ríos LJ, García-García O, Serrano-Gómez V. Reliability of the Seated Unilateral Cable Row and Strength Differences Between Dominant and Non-Dominant Sides in Young Athletes. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2025 Oct 7;10(4):390. doi: 10.3390/jfmk10040390. PMID: 41133580; PMCID: PMC12551020.
- 7Seated Machine Row Close Grip – National Academy of Sports Medicine
- 8American Council of Exercise (ACE) Research: What Is the Best Back Exercise? by Holly Edelburg, B.S., John P. Porcari, Ph.D., Clayton Camic, Ph.D., Attila Kovacs, Ph.D., and Carl Foster, Ph.D., with Daniel J. Green
- 9Muyor, José & López-Miñarro, Pedro & Alacid, Fernando. (2022). Comparison of Electromyographic Activity during Barbell Pullover and Straight Arm Pulldown Exercises. Applied Sciences. 12. 11138. 10.3390/app122111138
- 10Lincoln, Merrick & Sapstead, Gareth & Moore, Kayla & Weldon, Anthony. (2022). Exercise Technique: The Landmine Row. Strength & Conditioning Journal. Publish Ahead of Print. 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000751
- 11Hewit, Jennifer. (2018). A Comparison of Muscle Activation during the Pull-up and Three Alternative Pulling Exercises. Journal of Physical Fitness, Medicine & Treatment in Sports. 5. 10.19080/JPFMTS.2018.05.555669.
