8 Best Back Workouts with Cables

8 Best Back Workouts with Cables: Strengthen and Sculpt Your Back

Building a strong, well-defined back is essential for improving posture, increasing strength, and preventing injury. While many people default to barbells and dumbbells for back exercises, cable machines offer a unique advantage. They provide constant tension throughout the range of motion, allowing for a smoother, more controlled movement. This makes cables an excellent tool for targeting every part of your back—from the lats to the rhomboids to the traps.

In this article, we'll explore the 8 best back workouts using cables to help you build a stronger, more defined back. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced lifter, these exercises can be tailored to suit your fitness level and goals.

1. Seated Cable Row (Video)

Muscles Targeted: Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, traps, rear deltoids, biceps

How It Works: The seated cable row is a staple exercise for developing thickness in the middle of your back. By using a close-grip handle or a wide grip, you can adjust the focus of the exercise on different parts of your back.

How to Do It:
1. Sit on the cable row machine and grab the handle.
2. Keep your feet on the platform and your knees slightly bent.
3. Pull the handle towards your torso, keeping your elbows close to your body.
4. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the peak of the movement.
5. Slowly return to the starting position.
Tips: Keep your back straight and avoid excessive leaning to prevent lower back strain. Focus on using your back muscles, not just your arms, to perform the movement.
Reps and Sets: 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps

2. Lat Pulldown

Muscles Targeted: Latissimus dorsi, teres major, rhomboids, biceps

How It Works: The lat pulldown is one of the most popular cable exercises for building wide, strong lats. It mimics the pull-up but is more accessible for beginners and allows you to adjust the weight easily.

How to Do It:
1. Sit on the lat pulldown machine and grab the bar with a wide overhand grip.
2. Lean back slightly and pull the bar down towards your chest.
3. Squeeze your lats as you pull the bar, then slowly return to the starting position.
Tips: Avoid using momentum—control the weight throughout the movement. Keep your elbows pointed downwards and focus on contracting your lats.
Reps and Sets: 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps

3. Straight-Arm Pulldown

Muscles Targeted: Latissimus dorsi, teres major, triceps (secondary)

How It Works: The straight-arm pulldown isolates the lats and is a great finisher for your back workout. This exercise allows you to stretch the lats at the top and fully contract them at the bottom.

How to Do It:
1. Stand facing the cable machine with a straight bar attached to the high pulley.
2. Grab the bar with an overhand grip, keeping your arms straight and shoulder-width apart.
3. Pull the bar down towards your thighs while keeping your arms straight.
4. Squeeze your lats at the bottom of the movement and slowly return to the starting position.
Tips: Keep your arms straight throughout the movement to isolate the lats. Avoid using your lower back to help pull the weight.
Reps and Sets: 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps

4. Single-Arm Cable Row

Muscles Targeted: Latissimus dorsi, traps, rhomboids, rear deltoids, biceps

How It Works: The single-arm cable row is excellent for isolating each side of your back. This unilateral movement helps fix muscle imbalances and improves overall back symmetry.

How to Do It:
1. Attach a single handle to the low pulley on the cable machine.
2. Stand in front of the machine and grab the handle with one hand.
3. Pull the handle towards your torso, keeping your elbow close to your body.
4. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, then slowly extend your arm back to the starting position.
Tips: Focus on contracting your back muscles instead of just pulling with your arm. Perform the exercise slowly to maintain tension on the back muscles.
Reps and Sets: 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps per side

5. Face Pulls

Muscles Targeted: Rear deltoids, traps, rhomboids, rotator cuff

How It Works: Face pulls are perfect for targeting the upper back and improving posture. They also help strengthen the shoulder stabilizers, reducing the risk of injury.

How to Do It:
1. Attach a rope handle to the high pulley on the cable machine.
2. Grab the ends of the rope and step back, keeping your arms extended.
3. Pull the rope towards your face, separating your hands as you pull.
4. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and focus on engaging your rear deltoids.
5. Slowly return to the starting position.
Tips: Keep your elbows high and focus on pulling the rope apart as you bring it towards your face. Avoid using momentum to pull the weight.
Reps and Sets: 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps

6. Cable Deadlift

Muscles Targeted: Lower back (erector spinae), glutes, hamstrings, traps

How It Works: While barbell deadlifts are typically the go-to, the cable deadlift offers constant tension and greater control, making it a good alternative for those looking to target the lower back in a safer, more controlled manner.

How to Do It:
1. Attach a straight bar to the low pulley on the cable machine.
2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grab the bar with an overhand grip.
3. Keep your back straight and hinge at the hips, lowering the bar towards the floor.
4. Stand up by driving your hips forward and squeezing your glutes and lower back at the top.
Tips: Maintain a flat back throughout the movement to avoid lower back strain. Focus on the hip hinge movement rather than bending at the knees too much.
Reps and Sets: 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps

7. Cable Shrugs

Muscles Targeted: Trapezius, rhomboids, levator scapulae

How It Works: Cable shrugs are excellent for developing the traps, which are crucial for giving your back a thick, powerful look. The constant tension from the cables allows for better muscle contraction than free weights.

How to Do It:
1. Attach a straight bar to the low pulley on the cable machine.
2. Stand upright with the bar in front of you, holding it with an overhand grip.
3. Shrug your shoulders upwards, bringing them as close to your ears as possible.
4. Hold the contraction for a second before slowly lowering the weight.
Tips: Focus on squeezing your traps at the top of the movement. Avoid using your arms to assist with the lift.
Reps and Sets: 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps

8. Cable Reverse Fly

Muscles Targeted: Rear deltoids, rhomboids, traps

How It Works: The cable reverse fly is a great isolation exercise for the upper back, particularly the rear delts and rhomboids. It helps improve posture and balances out the development of the upper body.

How to Do It:
1. Attach two handles to the high pulleys of the cable machine.
2. Stand between the cables and grab the left handle with your right hand and the right handle with your left hand.
3. Keep your arms straight and pull the handles apart, focusing on contracting your rear deltoids and upper back.
4. Slowly return to the starting position.
Tips: Avoid using momentum or swinging your body. Focus on the controlled movement of pulling the cables apart to engage the upper back muscles.
Reps and Sets: 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps

Additional Tips for Cable Back Workouts

Focus on Form: Cable exercises are great for constant tension, but they also require good form. Keep your back straight, avoid excessive momentum, and focus on using the targeted muscles.
Control the Eccentric Phase: The eccentric (lowering) part of each exercise is just as important as the concentric (lifting) phase. Control the weight on the way down to increase time under tension and muscle growth.
Adjust the Grip and Attachments: Changing the grips or attachments (e.g., using a rope, straight bar, or D-handle) can shift the focus to different parts of your back. Experiment to find what works best for your goals.
Don’t Overload Too Soon: Avoid jumping to heavy weights too quickly. Start with moderate weight to master the form and gradually increase the resistance.

Conclusion

Incorporating cable exercises into your back workout routine offers many benefits, including constant tension, controlled movement, and the ability to target specific muscle groups. The 8 exercises listed above are some of the best for developing a strong, balanced, and defined back. Whether you're looking to build muscle mass or improve posture and stability, cable back workouts can help you reach your goals efficiently.