If you want that “walk through a door sideways” look, your back is where the magic happens. Big arms turn heads, sure—but a thick, wide back makes you look strong even in a hoodie. It gives you that powerful V-taper that makes your waist look smaller and your whole frame look more athletic.
Here’s the honest truth, though: growing a big back isn’t just about pulling on some cables or doing a few lazy lat pulldowns. You need to attack it with smart lifts, good form, and some advanced moves that really target every inch—traps, lats, rhomboids, rear delts.
So if you’re tired of doing the same old bent-over rows and want to take your back training to the next level, this is for you. Here are 5 advanced exercises to build a big, wide back—and how to do them right.
1. Weighted Pull-Ups
Bodyweight pull-ups are great. Weighted pull-ups are next level. If you’re serious about back width, you need these. They force your lats to work harder than any machine ever will.
How to Do Them:
- Strap on a weight belt or hold a dumbbell between your feet.
- Grab the pull-up bar with an overhand grip, wider than shoulder-width.
- Engage your shoulders before you pull—think “chest to bar.”
- Pull yourself up smoothly until your chin clears the bar.
- Lower under control. Don’t just drop.
Why They Work:
Adding weight builds serious pulling power and thickens your lats and upper back. The stretch at the bottom and squeeze at the top are unbeatable.
Pro Tip:
Can’t do weighted yet? Get really good at strict bodyweight pull-ups first—10 solid reps with good form is a good goal.
2. Meadows Row
The Meadows Row—named after legendary bodybuilder John Meadows—isn’t your standard row. It hits your lats and upper back from an angle most people ignore.
How to Do Them:
- Stick a barbell in a landmine or a corner.
- Stand perpendicular to the bar, hinge at the hips, and grab the thick end with your inside hand.
- Brace your core, keep your back flat, and row up toward your hip.
- Squeeze hard at the top and lower slow.
Why They Work:
Because you’re rowing from the side, your lats get stretched in a different way than standard dumbbell rows. It lights up that stubborn lower lat area.
Pro Tip:
Use lifting straps if your grip gives out before your back does. Focus on pulling with your elbow, not your hand.
3. Chest-Supported T-Bar Row
Most people butcher rows because they end up using too much lower back. The chest-supported T-bar row fixes that. You can go heavy and hit your mid-back like crazy without wrecking your spine.
How to Do Them:
- Lie chest-down on an incline bench or a T-bar row machine.
- Grab the handles or bar and pull the weight toward your lower chest.
- Keep your elbows tucked at about a 45-degree angle.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top.
- Lower with control.
Why They Work:
These hammer your rhomboids, traps, and rear delts. The support keeps the focus where it belongs—on your back.
Pro Tip:
Don’t jerk the weight. Pause at the top for a split second. Feel the squeeze.
4. Rack Pulls
Deadlifts get a lot of love—and they should. But if you want that upper back meat, rack pulls can deliver more bang for your buck. They’re basically a partial deadlift from knee height or just below.
How to Do Them:
- Set a barbell on a rack or blocks around knee height.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, grip the bar just outside your knees.
- Hinge at your hips, brace your core, and pull the bar up by driving through your heels and hips.
- Squeeze your traps and lats at the top.
- Lower under control.
Why They Work:
Rack pulls overload your traps, rhomboids, and spinal erectors without fatiguing your legs as much as full deadlifts. Perfect for building upper back thickness.
Pro Tip:
Keep your back flat—don’t turn it into a rounded-back heave. Use heavy weights but stay in control.
5. Straight-Arm Lat Pulldown
This is the secret sauce for wide lats. It’s not heavy lifting—it’s isolation. The straight-arm lat pulldown trains your lats through a big stretch and full contraction without your biceps taking over.
How to Do Them:
- Stand facing a cable machine with a straight bar attached.
- Grab the bar with a shoulder-width grip, arms straight.
- With a slight bend in your elbows, pull the bar down in an arc to your thighs.
- Focus on squeezing your lats, not bending your arms.
- Slowly return to the start and repeat.
Why They Work:
This movement nails the outer sweep of your lats, which makes your back look wide from the front and the back. It also helps you “feel” your lats for bigger lifts.
Pro Tip:
Keep your torso still—don’t swing. Light to moderate weight is plenty if you really focus on the squeeze.
Putting It All Together
These moves work best as part of a complete back session. Here’s how you could plug them in:
Sample Advanced Back Day
- Weighted Pull-Ups: 4 sets of 6–8
- Meadows Row: 4 sets of 8–10 each side
- Chest-Supported T-Bar Row: 4 sets of 8–12
- Rack Pulls: 3 sets of 5–6 (heavy)
- Straight-Arm Lat Pulldown: 3 sets of 12–15 (slow and controlled)
Add a warm-up, a good stretch at the end, and you’re golden.
Don’t Forget the Details
Big lifts build a big back, but don’t forget the boring stuff:
- Focus on progressive overload. Add weight, reps, or sets gradually.
- Train your back twice a week if it’s a weak point.
- Use straps if your grip fails before your back.
- Keep your core tight. Protect that lower back.
- Eat enough to grow—your back is full of big muscles that crave fuel.
Final Thoughts
A wide, thick back takes time and effort. Anyone can do a couple of lazy sets of lat pulldowns and call it a day. But it’s the lifters who chase these harder, smarter moves that stand out. Stick with it, focus on form, get stronger each week, and give your back the attention it deserves.
Soon enough, you’ll be the guy or girl people ask, “What do you do for your back?” You’ll smile because you know the secret: no secret. Just smart lifts done right, over and over again.
