Upper back exercises

53 upper back exercises, sorted by difficulty

Every movement in Handler's library that trains the upper back as a primary muscle. 26 are beginner-friendly and 13 need no equipment. Open any exercise for form cues, common mistakes, programming ranges by goal, and modifications for sensitive joints.

Library data updated September 10, 2026Handler exercise library

Exercises: 53
With video demo: 53
Bodyweight: 13
Timed holds/intervals: 14

Upper back exercises by equipment

Movement patterns here

Other muscle groups

Beginner (26)

Intermediate (13)

Advanced (14)

Questions about this list

How many upper back exercises are in the database?

53 exercises list the upper back as a primary muscle. 26 are tagged beginner and 13 need no equipment.

What equipment do most upper back exercises use?

Beyond bodyweight options, the most common equipment for upper back work in this library is resistance band (8), dumbbell (8), pull-up bar (7).

Which movement patterns train the upper back?

In this library the upper back show up mainly in horizontal pull movements (27), vertical pull movements (9), warm-up movements (5). Open any exercise for its form cues, mistakes, and programming ranges.

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