Barbell exercises always deliver a great workout. The extra balance and stability barbells offer over dumbbells not only allows you to lift more effectively, but also load up more weight.

And if you want to build a bigger, stronger back, these 7 best barbell back exercises are exactly what you need.

These back exercises with a barbell will help you to build muscle and strength through increased resistance and progressive overload, as well as help you to lose weight by burning calories.

So with that said, add these exercises to your back routine and make sure to do them on your next pull day!

1. Barbell Row

The barbell row is a classic back exercise and for good reason. It hits the rhomboid muscles, lats, and middle and lower traps with a single straightforward movement, so it’s definitely a must-have exercise in any back day routine.

What’s more, barbell rows are beginner-friendly and as effective as back rows using a dumbbell.

In fact, using a barbell can help you to lift more weight during the exercise which, as a result, can lead to increased strength and more gains.

How to do a barbell row:

• Position yourself over the barbell
• Bend your knees and arch your back
• Lift the barbell to knee level
• Pull the barbell to your hips
• Lower the barbell back to your knees to complete one rep

Barbell row form tips:

• Keep your knees bent and back arched throughout the exercise
• Pull your elbows back for the best muscle contraction

2. Deadlift

When it comes to compound exercises, nothing beats the deadlift. It’s the king of all compound lifts, as it targets more muscles than any other exercise – period. Which muscles?

The traps, lower back muscles, glutes, quads, core, and hamstrings.

Simply put, deadlifts shouldn’t be neglected. The exercise is also a simple movement that involves lifting a barbell off the floor and pulling it to pelvis level with your back straight and hips locked out.

Beginners can perform the exercise by using a lighter weight.

How to do a deadlift:

• Place your feet hip-width apart underneath the barbell
• Lower yourself down, bending your knees and arching your back
• Grab the bar with your arms placed just outside your knees
• Push your feet into the ground and pull the barbell up
• Stand upright with the bar at pelvis level to complete one rep

Deadlift form tips:

• Before lifting, make sure the bar is in line with the middle of your feet
• When you bend down and grab the barbell, make sure your armpits are directly over your knees
• Keep your back arched as you initiate the lift

3. Pendlay Row

Heard of pendlay rows? They’re an effective variation of the regular barbell row, performed with the upper body in a fixed bent-over position.

Pendlay rows also involve returning the barbell to the floor with each rep, increasing the difficulty of the exercise.

As a result, pendlay rows involve higher range of motion and stricter form, but with the potential for better strength and muscle gains.

If you can perform regular barbell rows with perfect form, then pendlay rows are the next level up.

How to do a pendlay row:

• Position yourself over the barbell
• Bend your knees and bend forwards so that your back is horizontal
• Arch your back
• Pull the barbell into your stomach
• Return the barbell to the floor to complete one rep

Pendlay row form tips:

• Keep your back in a horizontal position throughout the exercise
• Pull your elbows back and as high as you can for an effective muscle contraction

4. Single Leg Romanian Deadlift

Single leg Romanian deadlifts are usually performed with dumbbells, but nothing’s stopping you from doing them with a barbell!

This deadlift variation is an effective exercise that hits all the same muscles as a regular deadlift, but with one extra requirement: good balance.

So single-leg Romanian deadlifts can be considered harder, but this is the reason why they’re performed with a lower weight. Just don’t forget to alternate legs!

How to do a single leg Romanian deadlift:

• Position yourself over the barbell
• Bend forwards and grab the bar with straight arms
• Extend one leg behind you
• Lift the barbell off the floor and stand upright while bringing your leg forward
• Return the barbell to the floor while extending your leg again to complete one rep

Single leg Romanian deadlift form tips:

• Extend your leg as far as you can for the best glute activation
• Lock out your hips with each rep to fully engage your lower back

5. T Bar Row

The T-bar row is another classic compound exercise that just so happened to be one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s favorites.

It involves a similar movement to a regular barbell row, except that the barbell is positioned between the legs.

As a result, T-bar rows require your hands to be close together.

They’re usually performed on a T-bar row machine (which has handles), but you can also do them with a regular barbell that has the weight loaded on the front end.

How to do a T bar row:

• Position yourself with the barbell between your legs
• Bend your knees and arch your back
• Grab the barbell with your hands in front the weight plate (nearest to you)
• Pull the bar into your stomach
• Return the barbell to the floor to complete on rep

T bar row form tips:

• Keep your knees bent and your back arched throughout the exercise
• Bring your elbows back as far as possible for the best contraction of the back muscles

6. One Arm Barbell Row

Ever done a one-arm dumbbell row? One-arm barbell rows follow the same movement but with a barbell positioned beside you and the weight loaded on one end.

It targets the same muscle groups as a regular row, just on one side!

So don’t forget to alternate sides with each set. You only have to lift one end of the barbell too (the end with the weight), so don’t try to pull the entire bar off the floor.

Another version of this exercise is the meadows row, which involves placing the barbell horizontally, extending to the side, instead of beside you. Try both and see which one works best for you!

How to do a one arm barbell row:

• Stand next to the barbell, then bend over with your knees bent and back arched
• Grab the bar with your hand in front of the weight plate
• Lift the bar to knee level
• Bring your elbow back as you pull the bar to your stomach
• Lower the bar to knee level to complete one rep

One arm barbell row form tips:

• Keep your elbow close to your side (avoid flaring)
• Keep your knees bent and back arched throughout the side
• Bring your elbow back as far as possible for the best muscle contraction

7. Australian Pull Up

Australian pull ups are an easier version of regular pull ups, simply due to how the feet stay grounded on the floor throughout the exercise.

There’s less weight to pull, but the exercise involves the same movement pattern as a pull up, along with the same muscle contraction.

As a result, Australian pull ups are often a progression exercise used to build strength for full pull ups.

And yep, you can do Australian pull ups with a barbell. Simply rack the barbell in a squat rack or power rack so that the bar securely sits at around hip level.

You can rack the bar higher to decrease the difficulty of the exercise or lower the bar to increase the difficulty.

You can also bend your knees (with your soles of the floor) instead of extending your legs to make it easier.

How to do an Australian pull up:

• Grab the bar with your hands shoulder-width apart
• Position yourself underneath the bar
• Extend your legs with your heels on the floor to lock your feet in place
• Pull your chest to the bar
• Lower yourself back to the starting position to complete one rep

Australian pull up form tips:

• Keep your back arched throughout the exercise
• Make sure to keep your feet locked in place
• Bring your chest to the bar and pull your elbows back for the best contraction

Conclusion

So there you have it, the 7 best barbell back exercises you need to do for muscle gain and fat loss!

These are the most effective back exercises you can do using a barbell, which will help you to build a bigger, stronger back no matter whether you’re new to working out or call the gym your second home.

Just make sure to perform these back exercises for sets and reps for the most effective results. You can aim to do 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps for muscle growth, or 4 to 5 sets of 1 to 5 reps for strength.

Either way, always practice good form with a weight you can manage, as quality always beats quantity.