4 Best Pull Exercises for Back Muscle Growth

What are Pull Exercises?

Have you ever seen a bodybuilder’s back and thought how the hell they got that thick, muscular back? Well, it’s clearly hard work and training but another factor is the type of weight training they do to get that aesthetic back. 

People usually go to the gym with no real gameplan. They end up doing what they feel like, which is usually chest. But, if you want to really blow up your physique and especially your back, then you have to try a training method known as the Push/Pull split. 

This training program divides training into 2 types of days: Pull days which emphasize the “pulling motion” and push days which emphasize the “push motion” and sometimes you can do some cheeky legs as well.

This article will go over the top 5 pull exercises for muscle growth and how you absolutely change your physique with this type of training. 

Exercise 1: Pull-Ups

The king of all pull exercises, is of course the pull ups. There are numerous benefits of pull ups and countless pull up variations which can be done to target specific parts of the back as well as other key muscle groups.

They not only target the back but also work the arms, shoulders, chest and abdominals. It is considered a full body exercise, but it’s no surprise that it’s also the number one pull exercise. 

The reason it’s also considered the best is due to its simplicity. The only piece of equipment you need to perform a pull up, is a bar or any solid surface you can grab onto. How great! 

How to Perform a Pull up?

1. Firstly grab onto a steady bar with an overhand grip and make sure to grip it slightly more than shoulder width 
2. Pull your shoulder blades back and start pulling and engaging your back rather than just pulling up with your arms 
3. Make sure to have a straight back whilst performing it and tighten all other muscles such as the abs and glutes 
4. Pull your whole body up and clear the bar level with your chin and slowly decline down and repeat this again 

Pull-Up Variations:

1. Neutral grip pull ups – these help with forearm strength and are usually easier than regular pull ups and so can help with increases in volume whilst still targeting the back muscles 
2. Chin ups – targets more biceps and posterior deltoids, whilst still also targeting the back muscles such as lats and teres major 
3. Weighted Pull Ups – progressive pathway once bodyweight pull ups become easier and a good way to load over time to build more muscle and strengthen the back muscles 

Sets and Reps:

1. These can be done to failure to truly build up a thicker back 
2. You can also do a typical hypertrophy base of 12 x 3 

Exercise 2: Deadlifts

Some say it’s the best muscle-building pull exercise, others deem it as the greatest exercise of all time (GOAT). Either way, there is no way to ever dismiss the integrity and reliability of the deadlift. This is one of the best pull exercises, and you have no doubt seen some massive bodybuilders doing it.

The deadlift is an iconic lift, which helps target the glutes, hamstrings, core, back, and trapezius muscles. That is why it’s known as a compound exercise, targeting several muscles all in one exercise. 

So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start deadlifting now! 

How to Perform a Deadlift:

1. Load up your barbell to a suitable weight 
2. Ensure that your feet are placed approximately shoulder width apart and that the middle of your feet come in line with the bar 
3. Hinge your hips backwards and slightly bend your knees, making sure not to come inot a deep square stance. 
4. Grip the bar just smaller than shoulder width tightly with both hands and with an overhand grip.
5. Make sure that your back is straightened out and not arched to prevent serious injury 
6. Take a deep breath in, engage your lats and pull with your hands as well as pushing off with the planted feet until you straighten out and have it up at your hips
7. Squeeze the back muscles when locking out and slowly let the barbell down and repeat this motion 

Deadlift Variations:

1. Sumo deadlifts – commonly seen in powerlifters lifting extremely heavy weights. This variation has a wide foot stance and activates more glutes and hamstrings as opposed to a conventional deadlift 
2. Romanian deadlifts – also commonly referred to as RDL’s, these are hamstring muscle builders and help greatly with muscle imbalances between quads and hamstrings. The only difference being that you never place the barbell down and have tension on your hamstring throughout the set 

Sets and Reps:

1. Usually deadlifts can be done for 3 sets for 6 – 10 reps for maximum hypertrophy and muscle building 
2. One rep maxes can also be attempted but alway be careful and work your way up to bigger weights 

Exercise 3: Lat Pulldowns

The Lat Pulldown machine is a staple in every gym around the globe. It’s also a great pull exercise that works the latissimus dorsi (lats), biceps, rear delts, rhomboids and traps. Talk about an all in one exercise! 

It’s also a beginner friendly movement and doesn’t require as much technical input as some of the other pull exercises, meaning anyone can do it. It also helps with building a stronger back. 

How to Perform a Lat Pulldown:

1. Have your knees tightly held and locked in the provided knee pads 
2. Grab the lat pulldown bar with an overhand grip, just wider than shoulder width 
3. Pull the bar down towards your upper chest and concentrate on squeezing the lats and not just pulling with arms 
4. Slowly let the bar move back to its original position and repeat 

Variations:

1. Close grip pulldowns – similar to normal pulldowns, but they put a higher emphasis on the lats, trapezium and rhomboid muscles 
2. Reverse grip pulldown – this variation is similar but done with a supinated grip resulting in back, biceps, and forearms strengthening and muscle building 

Sets and Reps:

1. Hypertrophy Based: 8 -12 reps x 3 – 5 sets

Exercise 4: Bent over Rows

Bent over rows are amazing for building the back thickness. They target primarily latissimus dorsi, middle and lower trapezius, rhomboids, and the posterior deltoids. It’s a great overall pull and back muscle building movement. 

These can be performed with either a barbell or a dumbbell. 

How to Perform Bent over Row:

1. Load up the barbell and position your feet shoulder width apart, with the bar going over the middle of your feet 
2. Bend your hips back and slightly bend your knees, so that you can properly grab the bar
3. Place your hands on the bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder width 
4. Take a deep breath tightening your core and pull the barabell towards your belly button 
5. Make sure to bring your elbows directly back and tightly squeeze your shoulder blades 
6. Squeeze your back muscles at the top of the rep and slowly let it down with the elbows straightening and repeat 

Variations:

1. Underhand grip row – this is the same movement with a supinated grip and this sometimes feels more comfortable for people and still effectively targets the mid back portion of the physique, with a primary focus on the lats. 
2. T- Bar Row – once again very similar biomechanically to a normal bent over row, but a T-bar row is usually easier to set up and requires less stabilization. 

Sets and Reps:

1. Hypertrophy based with 8 – 12 reps for 3 – 5 sets

Conclusion:

If you’re ever in the gym left wondering what to do to get a muscular looking back, then feel free to give these pull exercises a go. See if the Pull, Push could workout for you.

It’s a great step in moving forward with your training especially if you’re a beginner or intermediate at the gym. 

Try all these exercises and see which ones you like the most and which ones actually help you crave out your dream physique.