If your back workouts feel incomplete or your shoulders constantly ache, horizontal pull exercises might be the missing piece.
A lot of lifters focus heavily on presses and pulldowns, but neglect the key movements that build strength across the mid and upper back. That’s where horizontal pulls come in. They help you row, retract, and stabilize, which is exactly what your posture and pulling power need.
In this article, you will learn:
- The muscles worked, and the benefits of horizontal pulls
- How to perform the top exercises with proper form
- How to structure horizontal pulls in your training plan
Let’s start by breaking down exactly what a horizontal pull is and why it matters.
What Are Horizontal Pull Exercises?
Horizontal pull exercises are movements where you pull a weight or resistance toward your torso in a straight line. Think rows, not pull-ups. The direction matters. Instead of pulling from overhead (like a lat pulldown), you’re pulling from in front of you. That shift in angle changes everything about what muscles get hit and how your body has to work.
These exercises are a cornerstone of upper-body training.
That’s because they train the muscles responsible for pulling your shoulders back and keeping your spine stable. They also build the lats, traps, and rhomboids, which are the muscles that matter when you’re deadlifting, carrying groceries, or just trying to stand up straight. If your back strength or posture is lacking, this is usually the fix.
A common myth is that horizontal rows only build “thickness” and vertical pulls are what make your back “wide.” And the truth is that rows work the entire back, including your lats.
In fact, studies show some row variations light up your lats as much as pull-ups do (1). So if you’ve been skipping rows because you think they don’t shape your back, it’s time to rethink your training.
Muscles Worked and Core Benefits
Horizontal pull exercises target the muscles that pull your arms back and your shoulders together. The muscles targeted include lats, rhomboids, and mid-to-lower traps. These are the muscles that give your back shape and strength, and they’re critical for posture and injury prevention.
You’ll also hit your rear delts and biceps.
Every time you row, your elbows bend and your shoulders extend. That brings your arms and upper back into the action. Even your core and lower back get involved, especially in unsupported row variations, where they stabilize your torso and protect your spine.
This is why many lifters aiming to build massive muscle gains with this perfect pull workout rely heavily on horizontal pulling movements. A well-designed pull session emphasizes these muscles effectively to support overall growth and balance.
Here’s what makes horizontal pulls so valuable:
- Back size and strength: Rows build muscle across your entire back. Over time, heavy rowing movements can transform how your back looks and feels.
- Posture and shoulder health: If you sit a lot or bench press often, chances are your shoulders are rolled forward. Horizontal pulls train the muscles that pull them back into alignment. That means better posture, fewer aches, and a stronger base for other lifts.
- A balanced upper body: Too much chest work without enough pulling creates imbalance. That leads to shoulder issues and a physique that looks off. Rows bring symmetry and help build the kind of back that makes your upper body look powerful from every angle.
- Functional strength: Horizontal pulls help with real-life stuff. These include activities such as picking things up, opening heavy doors, and stabilizing your body when lifting. These all rely on the muscles you train when you row. It’s strength that translates.
Types of Horizontal Pull Exercises
There’s no single “best” horizontal pull. The right exercise depends on your skill level, goals, and what equipment you have access to. But whether you’re training at home or in a gym, there’s a row that works for you.
Bodyweight Rows (Inverted Rows)
This is where most people should start. You lie underneath a bar or suspension trainer, keep your body straight, and pull your chest toward the bar. It’s like a reverse push-up. The lower your body is, the harder it gets.
Want to scale it up?
Elevate your feet or add a weighted vest.
Inverted rows hit the same muscles as weighted rows, with less stress on your spine. That makes them perfect for beginners or anyone needing a lower-back-friendly alternative.
Free-Weight Rows (Barbells and Dumbbells)
These are the heavy hitters. Bent-over barbell rows and one-arm dumbbell rows let you move serious weight and build mass. For example, athletes looking to develop a huge back with the Pendlay row often turn to this variation to increase pulling power from a dead stop.
Dumbbells give you a better range of motion and help fix imbalances.
Try underhand grip rows to emphasize your lower lats. Chest-supported rows if your lower back needs a break. Pendlay rows if you want to build power from a dead stop.
Cable and Machine Rows
Seated cable rows offer constant tension, which keeps your back muscles loaded from start to finish. Machines with chest pads are great for isolating the lats and upper back without stressing your spine. You can also mix up your grip (neutral, wide, or underhand) to hit different areas.
Face pulls fall into this category, too.
They’re a lighter row variation that targets your rear delts and rotator cuff.
Perfect for shoulder health and upper-back detail.
Landmine and Specialty Rows
T-bar rows and landmine rows give you a secure setup with a ton of loading potential. They’re great for mid-back development and often easier on the lower back than barbell rows.
Try a Meadows row if you want to hit your lats from a fresh angle. It’s a landmine move done one arm at a time, often with a slight torso twist.
Exercise Selection by Skill Level
Not all horizontal pulls are created equal, especially when you’re just starting out. The key is choosing the right variation for your current ability. Master the basics, then progress when your strength and form are solid.
Beginner-Friendly Options
If you’re new to pulling movements or just getting back into training, start here:
- Inclined Inverted Rows: Set a bar higher or bend your knees to reduce resistance. Focus on body tension and the full range of motion.
- Seated Cable Rows (light weight): Stable, easy to control, and great for building a mind-muscle connection.
- Chest-Supported Machine Rows: These remove the need for balance or spinal loading. Just sit and pull.
At this stage, it’s all about form, control, and understanding how your back should feel during the movement.
Intermediate Level
Once you can perform clean reps with bodyweight or machines, move on to:
- Flat or Feet-Elevated Inverted Rows: Now your body is closer to parallel with the floor. More resistance, more challenge.
- Bent-Over Barbell Rows (light to moderate weight): Engage the core and stabilize your spine while building pulling power.
- T-Bar Rows and Seated Cable Rows (heavier load): These allow progressive overload with more stability than free weights.
Your goal here is strength, consistency, and building volume.
You’re also ready to experiment with grip styles and elbow angles.
Also, as you get stronger, exploring the best pull exercises can help you strategically expand your training and improve performance.
Advanced Variations
If your form is locked in and your strength is solid, you’re ready for:
- Pendlay Rows: Explosive rows from a dead stop. Great for power and lat engagement.
- Weighted Inverted Rows or One-Arm Inverted Rows: Brutally effective for upper-back development and core control.
- Kroc Rows and Meadows Rows: High-rep, heavy sets that build size, grip, and back density.
These moves are demanding. Use them when you’ve got a strong foundation and want to push your limits.
Proper Form and Common Mistakes
No matter how strong you get, sloppy form can stall your progress or even cause injury. Horizontal pull exercises only work if you perform them with control and precision. Here’s what good form looks like and the common traps to avoid.
Keep a Neutral Spine
Your spine should stay flat and aligned during every pulling movement. That means no rounding your lower back, no over-arching, and no craning your neck forward or up. Regardless of whether you’re bent over with a barbell or seated at a cable row, you want your back to look solid and stable from start to finish.
If you’re standing, push your hips back and hold that torso angle. Keep your core braced like you’re expecting a punch. It protects your spine and helps transfer force to the bar.
Pull with Your Back, Not Just Your Arms
One of the most common mistakes is turning every row into a biceps curl.
The arms are involved, of course, but the real work should come from your back. You want to initiate each rep by driving your elbows behind you and squeezing your shoulder blades together. If you’re only thinking about pulling with your hands, you’re missing the point. A good cue is to imagine your arms are just hooks; the back does the heavy lifting.
Control the Tempo
Speed kills, especially when it comes to building muscle. Jerking the weight or flinging your torso around might make you feel strong, but it robs your back of real tension.
Focus on pulling the weight with purpose and lowering it with control.
Don’t rush.
Pausing briefly at the top to squeeze your back can also improve muscle activation and reinforce good habits. One clean rep is worth more than three sloppy ones.
Elbow Path and Grip Width
The path your elbows travel determines which muscles are doing the most work. If you want to focus on your lats, keep your elbows close to your sides and your grip relatively narrow. That angle allows you to drive the elbows straight back and really stretch and contract the lats.
If your goal is more upper-back and rear delt work, flare the elbows out and use a wider grip. The mistake people make here is blending the two without knowing it (pulling with elbows too wide during a heavy lat-focused row, for example, which can lead to shoulder irritation).
Let the Scapula Move
Many people mistakenly keep their shoulder blades pinned back the entire time they row. But your scapulae should actually move through the full range, stretching forward at the bottom and retracting at the top. This is what activates the mid-back muscles like the rhomboids and traps. Locking them in place not only limits your gains, but it can also reduce shoulder mobility over time.
Head and Neck Alignment
What your neck is doing often gets ignored, but it matters. Your head should stay in line with your spine. In bent-over rows, that usually means looking at the floor a few feet ahead, not at a mirror or wall in front of you. In seated positions, keep your chin tucked slightly. A neutral head position keeps your entire spine aligned and reduces strain on the neck.
Don’t Ego Lift
Finally, the most predictable form killer: going too heavy. If your form breaks down halfway through your set, your back rounds, your elbows fly out, or you start using momentum to finish reps, the weight is too much. Drop the load, clean up your technique, and rebuild with good reps.
That’s how you build real strength and avoid the setbacks that come with overreaching.
Programming Horizontal Pulls Into Your Workout
Regardless of whether you’re chasing size, strength, or better posture, programming horizontal pulls with purpose is key.
If you’re looking for new ideas to structure your training, reviewing the top back exercises for growth can provide inspiration and variation to avoid plateaus.
Here’s how to make horizontal pulls work in your routine.
How Often Should You Train Them?
Most lifters see great results training horizontal pulls twice a week. If you’re using a push/pull/legs split, they’ll naturally fall into your pull day. If you’re on an upper/lower or full-body program, include a row in each upper session.
The real goal is balance.
Many lifters push more than they pull, and it shows in their shoulders, posture, and long-term joint health. To fix this, aim for equal or even greater pulling volume compared to pushing.
Some coaches suggest a 2:1 pull-to-push ratio, especially if you’ve had shoulder issues in the past.
How Many Rows Per Workout?
You don’t need a laundry list of exercises. One or two solid horizontal pulls per session is enough, especially if they’re paired with a vertical pull and a compound lift like deadlifts or cleans.
For example, pair a heavy barbell row with a seated cable row. Or do one-arm dumbbell rows followed by inverted bodyweight rows to mix stability and body control.
Keep your total volume in check.
A good target is 12 to 16 sets of horizontal pulling per week, split across two or three sessions.
Choosing the Right Variations
Mix it up, but with intention.
Each row variation hits slightly different muscles and stress patterns. Use heavy barbell or T-bar rows to build mass and strength. Rotate in dumbbells or cables for longer range of motion and muscle control. Chest-supported rows are perfect when your lower back is fatigued or needs a break.
Plan to change your main horizontal pull every 6 to 8 weeks.
That’s enough time to make progress before switching angles or equipment to avoid plateaus.
Manage Recovery and Fatigue
Rows are demanding—especially when done right. Lats, traps, rear delts, core, and even grip all take a beating. If you’re deadlifting heavy in the same week, don’t stack your hardest row day too close. Either deadlift first, or program your heavy row later in the week.
Watch for signs of overtraining: tight traps, sore forearms, or nagging shoulder aches. If you feel beat up, dial back the volume or swap to a supported variation for a few sessions.
Advanced Tips for Hypertrophy and Strength
Once you’ve built a solid foundation of pulling strength and consistent technique, it’s time to refine your training for more targeted gains. At the advanced level, it’s more about how you execute exercises, how you manipulate the variables, and how you push intensity without sacrificing form.
Progressive Overload Still Rules
Even at advanced levels, your back won’t grow unless you’re giving it a reason to adapt. That means increasing the challenge over time, which means doing more weight, more reps, or more total work (2).
For rows, this might mean adding five pounds to the bar every couple of weeks, or pushing a dumbbell row set from 10 reps to 15 over time.
Keep track.
Write down your lifts.
If your numbers aren’t moving, your results won’t either.
Use Different Rep Ranges
Heavy sets build strength and density. Higher-rep sets build size and muscle endurance. The best programs use both. For example, start a session with 4 sets of 6–8 heavy barbell rows. Then follow with 3 sets of 12–15 cable rows. Finish with a burnout set of bodyweight rows or face pulls in the 15–20 range.
This variety hits your back from multiple angles and fiber types.
Incorporate Intensity Techniques
When standard sets aren’t enough, use advanced methods but sparingly. Drop sets are great for machines and cables. Do a set to failure, then reduce the weight and keep going. Rest-pause sets work well on dumbbell rows. Try to hit a heavy set of 10, rest 15 seconds, and squeeze out 3–5 more reps.
For explosive strength, Pendlay rows or band-resisted rows can help you develop power from a dead stop. These techniques work best when you’re already consistent with volume and recovery.
Use Rows to Fix Weak Points
If your bench press or deadlift has stalled, rows can help.
For guidance on what exercises to avoid while optimizing your back training, explore this comprehensive review of the best and worst back exercises ranked.
A stronger back supports pressing by stabilizing your scapula. It also improves deadlift lockout and posture throughout the pull.
Identify where your lifts are lagging and program horizontal pulls that reinforce those mechanics.
Don’t Neglect Recovery
Advanced lifters often get stuck in a “more is better” trap. Back muscles can handle volume, but overdoing it leads to tight traps, sore elbows, and fatigue that bleeds into other lifts. Pay attention to how you feel between sessions. If soreness lingers or your rows regress, pull back the volume, rotate variations, or prioritize supported exercises until you’re fresh again.
Finish Strong – Make Horizontal Pulls Count
If your back training has been stuck or your posture’s a mess, horizontal pull exercises are your fix. They build strength, improve balance, and give your body the kind of symmetry that turns heads and prevents injury.
Here’s one piece of unique advice: film your rows occasionally.
What feels “tight and controlled” often looks sloppy. Seeing yourself from the side reveals form breakdowns you might never notice.
Mastering horizontal pulls, then programming them with purpose, is a long-term investment in strength, muscle, and longevity. Prioritize them, progress them, and your back will thank you for years to come.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best horizontal pull exercise?
There’s no single best, but the barbell bent-over row is one of the most effective for building overall back strength and mass. For those needing a lower-back-friendly option, chest-supported dumbbell or machine rows are excellent alternatives.
Are horizontal pulls better than vertical pulls?
They’re not better. They’re just different. Horizontal pulls focus more on scapular retraction and mid-back development, while vertical pulls emphasize shoulder adduction and lat length. A balanced program includes both for complete back development.
What’s the best pull workout?
A solid pull workout combines heavy horizontal and vertical pulls with a mix of rep ranges. For example: barbell rows, pull-ups or pulldowns, dumbbell rows, and face pulls to finish. This setup hits all major pulling muscles and fiber types.
What are the benefits of horizontal pulling?
They improve posture, develop a thick and strong back, and balance out pushing movements. They also support shoulder health, reduce injury risk, and carry over to other major lifts like the deadlift and bench press.
What row is best for lats?
Rows that keep your elbows close to your torso, like underhand barbell rows or one-arm dumbbell rows, tend to hit the lats hardest. Pendlay rows and seated cable rows with a neutral grip are also excellent for strong lat activation.
References:
- Lehman GJ, Buchan DD, Lundy A, Myers N, Nalborczyk A. Variations in muscle activation levels during traditional latissimus dorsi weight training exercises: An experimental study. Dyn Med. 2004;3(1):4. Published 2004 Jun 30. doi:10.1186/1476-5918-3-4
- Chaves TS, Scarpelli MC, Bergamasco JGA, et al. Effects of Resistance Training Overload Progression Protocols on Strength and Muscle Mass. Int J Sports Med. 2024;45(7):504-510. doi:10.1055/a-2256-5857
