Top 6 Back Exercises with a Bench & Dumbbells

A humble pair of dumbbells and a punching bag is all that Rocky needed to get jacked, so you can surely make some gains with them. Add a bench, and you get great stability, making the whole process much easier!

1. Seal Row

Seal Row is a peculiar name for one of the best back exercises you can do. Often we will use momentum or a swinging motion to make exercises easier. This is completely impossible when it comes to the Seal row, seeing as your chest is supported. 

One thing to note is that you will need to use boxes or steps to raise the bench from the floor to do the movement. Also, if you’re using heavier dumbbells, you might need someone to pass them to you. 

Lastly, there are two variations of this lift. Where your elbows draw towards will dictate which muscles get worked. In this case, the movement will target either the lats and biceps or the rhomboids, traps, and biceps. 

How to do it: 

1. Set up the bench in its flat position on top of two smaller boxes to raise the bench from the ground.
2. Lie face down on the bench, arms hanging on either side. Have someone pass you two dumbbells.
3. Depending on which muscles you target, you will move your elbows in different directions. If you wish to target the lats, row your elbows toward the base of your spine. If you wish to target your rhomboids, draw your elbows (flared outward) toward your chest 
4. Once you cannot row any further, lower the dumbbells back to their starting position 

Pro tips:

• Your legs will want to flail about if you use a heavy load; refrain from lifting your body off the bench at all if you can 
• If you target the rhomboids, imagine your two shoulder blades pushing against one another, and you’re trying to pinch a piece of paper between them.

Sets and Reps: 

This should be your primary movement for both muscles. You can easily do 3 – 4 sets on each for 6 – 12 reps. 

2. Incline Row

Once again, we have an exercise that allows you to target different muscles based on where your elbows go. Remember, the muscles attach to your upper arm, which is then attached to your elbow, not your hands. 

Not all people can make use of a Seal Row due to equipment restrictions, and the Incline Row is slightly better for beginners. You can also plant your feet on the ground for added stability, making it much easier for newcomers. 

This movement is overall similar to the Seal Row but provides a unique angle that makes it useful. The movement will target either the lats and biceps or the rhomboids, traps, and biceps. 

How to do it: 

1. Set up the bench in its incline position, around 35 degrees.
2. Lie face down on the bench, arms hanging on either side. Have someone pass you two dumbbells.
3. Depending on which muscles you target, you will move your elbows in different directions. If you wish to target the lats, row your elbows toward the base of your spine. If you wish to target your rhomboids, draw your elbows (flared outward) toward your chest 
4. Once you cannot row any further, lower the dumbbells back to their starting position 

Sets and Reps: 

This should be your secondary movement for one or the other muscle group. Aim to complete 3 sets of 10 – 15 reps. 

3. Bent Over Dumbbell Rows

This is one of the go-to movements for everyone in the gym, and chances are you’ve done it. It grants you similar stability to the chest-supported movements but allows for a slightly more range of motion. 

Unfortunately, people often jeopardize their form by rotating their entire torso, so make sure it’s your arm doing the rowing movement, not the entire upper body. If done correctly, this movement will target the lats and biceps while stimulating the rhomboids. 

How to do it: 

1. Set up the bench in its flat position.
2. Stand next to the bench (to the left) and place your right leg on the bench
3. Bend over and place your right hand on the bench, creating a flat back. Pick up a dumbbell with your left arm off the ground and let it hang with your arm straight. 
4. Row the dumbbell upwards, drawing your elbow toward the base of your spine.
5. Once you have completed your reps, repeat on the other side of your body.

Pro tips:

• Again, refrain from swinging the weight or rotating the entire torso. 
• This is an exercise that benefits greatly from slower movement. Take it easy and feel the muscles working. 

Sets and Reps: 

Ideally, you would do 2 – 3 sets of 6 – 10 reps. You can use quite a heavy load on this exercise.

4. Dumbbell Pullovers

This is the only exercise on the list that will not target your biceps, making it the only isolation exercise on the list. These are handy when your biceps, which are much smaller and weaker than the lats, become fatigued.

This movement will only target the lats, but you’ll also feel a stretch in your chest and triceps. 

Biomechanically it is not the best exercise for the job. You’re far better off doing a Straight Arm Pulldown on a Cable Machine. However, this makes a suitable replacement. 

How to do it: 

1. Set up the bench in its flat position
2. Lie on the bench perpendicularly, meaning only your upper back should be in contact with the bench 
3. Keep the rest of your body upright by placing your legs at a 90-degree angle 
4. Have someone place a dumbbell on your chest on its ‘head.’ Place your hands in a diamond shape on the inside of the weight and lift the weight straight up
5. Slowly lower your arms overhead without bending them. Once you can go no further, raise your arms back to the starting position

Sets and Reps: 

Isolation exercises are typically done with more volume but less load, so aim for 3 sets of 15 – 20 reps.

5. Upper Back Reverse Flyes

Perhaps not a full isolation exercise, but it’s as close to isolating the rhomboids or upper back as you can get. The Reverse Fly will use chest support to avoid poor form, so you could do this on an Incline Bench or the Seal Row setup. 

If you do it on the Incline Bench, you will target your rhomboids and rear deltoids. If you do this on the Seal Row setup, you will only target the rhomboids. 

How to do it: 

1. Set up the bench in your preferred position, Incline or Seal Row
2. Lie face down on the bench, arms hanging on either side. Have someone pass you two dumbbells
3. Without bending your arms too much, raise them out to the side just below the shoulder line. You should feel your shoulder blades contracting
4. Once you cannot raise your arms any further, slowly lower them to their starting position

Pro tips:

• This is an exercise that might humble you, so start low and slow before hitting the big weights
• Refrain from swinging the weights at the lower part of the rep. The goal is to move your arms by pulling your shoulder blades toward one another.

Sets and Reps: 

This very tricky exercise should be limited to 2 sets of 10 – 15 reps.

6. Deficit Romanian Deadlifts 

In the video above, the person stands on plates, but you can also stand on a bench. The Deficit allows you to use an even larger range of motion, but only if your mobility allows it. 

The Romanian Deadlift is the biggest compound exercise on the list, targeting the upper back, lower back, glutes, core, and hamstrings. We are after the part that targets the lower back, as it’s the only part of the back we have not exercised thus far.   

How to do it: 

1. Set the bench in its flat position, and stand on top of it while holding a dumbbell in either hand. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart, toes pointing out slightly 
2. Lower your torso towards the ground without bending your knees. You will have to press your glutes backward to allow this to happen 
3. Keep your back and arms straight as you do this, and keep your neck in a neutral position
4. You should be able to lower the dumbbells to your feet or even slightly below your feet. Once you have, raise your body to the starting position again without bending your legs.

Pro tips:

• This exercise can be hard to learn. If you lack mobility, start on the ground and work your way up 
• Remember to keep your back straight and neck in a neutral position, as this will massively reduce the risk of injury. 

Sets and Reps: 

Perform 2 – 3 sets of 8 – 15 reps. It might be a good idea to warm up your legs first. 

Workout 1: Lat Focused

This workout will require you to warm up your upper back, lower back, and biceps. Do dynamic stretching, and start the entire session by doing 3 – 5 warm-up sets on the first exercise. 

• Seal Row (Lat Focused): 4 sets x 6 – 12 reps
• Incline Row (Upper Back Focused): 3 sets x 8 – 15 reps
• Bent Over Dumbbell Rows: 3 sets x 6 – 10 reps
• Dumbbell Pullovers: 2 sets x 15 – 20 reps

Workout 2: Upper Back Focused

This workout will require you to warm up your upper back, lower back, glutes, hamstrings, and biceps. Do dynamic stretching, and start the entire session by doing 3 warm-up sets on the first exercise. You will also need to do an additional 2 warm-up sets of the second exercise. 

• Seal Row (Upper Back Focused): 4 sets x 6 – 12 reps
• Deficit Romanian Deadlift: 3 sets x 10 – 15 reps
• Incline Row (Upper Back Focused): 3 sets x 8 – 15 reps
• Upper Back Reverse Flyes: 2 sets x 15 – 20 reps