Back / Beginner / Isolation (single joint)

Incline Bench Pull

A barbell isolation exercise for the upper back, with the lats and rear delts assisting.

At a glance

Primary

Upper back (rhomboids, mid/lower traps)

Secondary

Lats, Rear delts

Equipment

Barbell, Bench

Movement pattern

Row

Level

Beginner

Type

Back, Isolation (single joint)

How to do it

1. Grab a dumbbell in each hand and lie face down on an incline bench that is set to an incline that is approximately 30 degrees.
2. Let the arms hang to your sides fully extended as they point to the floor.
3. Turn the wrists until your hands have a pronated (palms down) grip.
4. Now flare the elbows out. This will be your starting position.
5. As you breathe out, start to pull the dumbbells up as if you are doing a reverse bench press. You will do this by bending at the elbows and bringing the upper arms up as you let the forearms hang. Continue this motion until the upper arms are at the same level as your back. Tip: The elbows will come out to the side and your upper arms and torso should make the letter "T" at the top of the movement. Hold the contraction at the top for a second.
6. Slowly go back down to the starting position as you breathe in.
7. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Common mistakes

• ✗ Lifting the chest off the pad.

  Why it hurts: The lower back takes over and you lose the support that makes this row back-friendly.

  ✓ Instead: Keep the chest on the pad and pull the elbows back.

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