Back exercises.
20 exercises that put back first, and the weekly set targets Swole.fit uses to grow them.
How many sets a week for back?
Swole.fit plans 10 hard sets a week as the point where back starts to grow, 14 to 20 sets as the sweet spot for most lifters, and 25 as the most you can usually recover from. About 6 sets a week to keep what you built. Sets where back only helps count as half a set.
Maintain6sets/wk
Growth from10sets/wk
Sweet spot14-20sets/wk
Recovery limit25sets/wk
Compound back exercises
Multi-joint lifts. Heavier loads, more muscle per set, and the backbone of a plan.
- Assisted Pull-UpMachine, with biceps
- Barbell Bent-Over RowBarbell, with biceps, traps
- Barbell DeadliftBarbell, with traps, quadriceps
- Barbell Good MorningBarbell, with glutes
- Barbell Pendlay RowBarbell, with biceps, lats
- Cable RowCable, with biceps, lats
- Chin-upsBodyweight, with lats
- Close-Grip Lat PulldownMachine, with biceps
- Dumbbell Bent-Over RowDumbbell, with biceps, lats
- Dumbbell Chest Supported Row (Mid/Upper Back Focus)Dumbbell, with lats, biceps
- Dumbbell RowDumbbell, with biceps
- Dumbbell Single-Arm RowDumbbell, with biceps
- Kettlebell SnatchKettlebell, band and specialty bar, with abs, glutes
- Landmine RowKettlebell, band and specialty bar, with biceps, lats
- Lat PulldownMachine, with biceps
- Machine RowMachine, with biceps, lats
- Neutral-Grip Pull-upsBodyweight, with biceps, lats
- Pull-upsBodyweight, with biceps
- Seated Cable RowMachine, with biceps, lats
- T-Bar RowMachine, with biceps, lats
Lifts where back helps
Each set of these counts as half a set toward your weekly total.
Programs that bring up back
Free splits from the Swole.fit library with extra focus here.
- Athletic Power3 days a week
- Core Four3 days a week
- Deadlift Religion3 days a week
- Full Body Power3 days a week
- Minimalist Gains3 days a week
- Old School Strong3 days a week
- Pull Domination3 days a week
- Pump & Circumstance3 days a week
- Push Pull Legs3 days a week
- Timesaver Express3 days a week
- Upper Antagonist3 days a week
- Upper Body Classic3 days a week
- Weekend Warrior3 days a week
- Back Attack4 days a week
- Full Body Frequency4 days a week
- Functional Mass4 days a week
- Heavy Light4 days a week
- Powerbuilder Classic4 days a week
- Pull Power4 days a week
- Push Pull Legs Upper4 days a week
- Timesaver Plus4 days a week
- Upper Antagonist4 days a week
- Upper/Lower Classic4 days a week
- Volume Ascending4 days a week
- Classic Physique5 days a week
- Corporate Crusher5 days a week
- Full Body Assault5 days a week
- Peak Week5 days a week
- Posterior Power5 days a week
- Pull Mastery5 days a week
- Pull Paradise5 days a week
- Push Pull Legs Upper Lower5 days a week
- Push Pull Power5 days a week
- Strength Circuit5 days a week
- Upper Body Blast5 days a week
- Volume Vortex5 days a week
- Arnold Split Plus6 days a week
- Cardio Hater6 days a week
- Deadlift Destroyer6 days a week
- Full Body Madness6 days a week
- Functional Athlete6 days a week
- Minimalist Beast6 days a week
- Old School Cool6 days a week
- Pull Dynasty6 days a week
- Push Pull Legs6 days a week
- Push Pull Supreme6 days a week
- Timesaver Supreme6 days a week
- Upper Body Elite6 days a week
- Volume Psycho6 days a week
Let the app count your back sets.
Swole.fit tallies every set for back across the week, shows where you sit against these targets and adds volume as the cycle builds.