Walk into any gym and you’ll see almost everyone training chest. But people who’ve been training seriously for years and moving real weight — their strength shows in one place: a thick back.
And that back doesn’t come from spending the afternoon on cable machines or stacking ten exercises per session. It mainly comes from three things: pulling in two planes (vertical and horizontal), moving heavy loads with good technique, and progressing in a measurable way week after week. If one of the three is missing, your back stalls.
Since my goal is your progress, in this article I’ll walk you through how I train back and how you can do the same with the Método Bilbo Plan.
You’ll see which muscles you need to take into account, the exercises I use, the weekly routine I set for my athletes, and how to keep adding weight without wrecking your lower back.
When we talk about back muscles, we tend to think of just one area.
But the back isn’t a single uniform mass — it has muscles that pull from above, muscles that pull backward, and muscles that keep you upright while you lift.
Each muscle group has a different function, and it’s worth keeping that in mind when structuring your training.
So what does this mean for your training? That you shouldn’t base your entire routine on a single movement.
Pull-ups and pulldowns give you width, but thickness comes from rows, which are what load the traps, rhomboids, and mid-lats. If you don’t row heavy, your back will look flat from the side. You need both.
Since there’s no single exercise that develops the whole back, here are some movements I use with most of the people I train:
I recommend two back sessions a week, spaced at least 48 hours apart. The first is focused on strength, with fewer reps and heavier loads. The second is focused on hypertrophy, with more reps and more volume. This way you cover both goals without piling up too much fatigue.
Adjust the sets and reps to your level, the effort you can handle, and the rest of your weekly training. If you’re just starting out, you can do fewer exercises and sets until you master the technique.
Have you gone months without seeing progress on your back numbers? With the Método Bilbo Plan you get your training plan built around the Método Bilbo, logging for your weights and reps, technique videos, and direct contact with me to adjust your loads. 👉 Start your training with Método Bilbo today
A big back is a back that moves more weight or more reps every month. Without progression, there’s no adaptation, no matter how much you sweat. But blindly piling on weight doesn’t work either: you lose technique and stall out just the same. The tool I use most is double progression:
It works the same way with pull-ups: first you add reps, and once you hit the ceiling, you add weight. If you’re stuck at bodyweight, my article on breaking through a calisthenics plateau has resources that also work for pull-ups.
For most people, the most efficient approach is twice a week. It lets you fit in enough volume without piling up too much fatigue in the lower back and grip.
Rows — especially the barbell row and the single-arm dumbbell row. Pull-ups and pulldowns mainly add width.
Yes. You can make great progress with single-arm rows, chest-supported rows on a bench, pullovers, and dumbbell Romanian deadlifts, as long as you keep increasing the load. A pull-up bar rounds out the work.
Both options work. Training with biceps takes advantage of the fact that they’re already working during pulling movements; training with shoulders means you need to manage rear delt volume so you don’t overload it.
A good back routine combines the right exercises, technique, consistency, and a progression you can actually sustain. You don’t need to overcomplicate every session — you need to know what you’re doing and why.
If you want every set you do at the gym to have a purpose, join the Método Bilbo Plan. You’ll get your training plan, a log of your loads, technique videos, and direct contact with me to answer any questions.
👉 Join the Método Bilbo Plan and take your back to the next level
Expert in strength training and physical tests for civil service candidates. With over 30 years of experience and multiple national and European records, he shares his methods to improve strength, endurance, and performance safely.
