The Best And Worst Back Exercises (Ranked By Science)

[@JeffNippard]

You guys want another tier list video like this? If so, what muscle should I cover next?

[@samuelasbury765]

Glutes. We really need more glute content from you Jeff

[@ChristianJohannsen]

For sure. Love that you can be dynamic with your formats, but consistent with quality of information.

[@dashdevpro]

Neck would be great to cover

[@bptryp]

Best kegel

[@Whatever-nh7gv]

Legs, biceps, shoulders, basically all of them

[@KidUncommon]

s-tier - 3:38 wide grip pull downs - 3:59 neutral grip pull downs - 4:10 half-kneeling one-arm lat pulldown (cable) - 6:28 meadows row (basically a one-armed laterally-placed landmine) - 8:53 chest-supported row (alt., dumbbell helms rows where chest is braced against incline bench neutral grip) - 9:22 cable row - 9:37 wide-grip cable row

[@RTM543]

[@alchemilk]

fucking legend for this

[@will-ht3mc]

Absolutely ridiculous that not a single barbell movement ended up in S tier. Shows you how “science” has failed us

[@spicybanana3D]

GG champ

[@spicybanana3D]

​​​@@will-ht3mcBarbell is good for overloading exercises. Not necessarily they need to be on S tier. I prefer barbell over cable but I have to admit that I can only pull half the weight on cable compared to what I can pull through barbell.

[@davidalonsoillera]

This format is the best I've seen across KZbin fitness channels. It quickly sorts the workouts into ranks, showing us not just the top exercises but also the ones to avoid. It's a handy overview.

[@preethiganeshamoorthy1673]

S • widegrip lat pull down • neutral grip lat pull down • one arm lat pull down • meadows row • chest supported rows • cable rows • wide grip cable row A • wide grip pull ups • neutral grip pull ups • cross body one arm lat pull down • deficit pendlay row • one arm db row • kroc row • cable lat prayers • db pullovers B • chin ups • bb row • pentlay row • rope face pull C • Deadlift • yates row • inverted row • free standing t bar row D • above the knee rack pull F • renegade rows • db row curl . Db row press • db row kickback

[@servanttofriend8481]

You are a legend.

[@kekulchik110]

oh my god, you're WONDERFUL

[@ponoliko]

I lov u

[@sdhokie]

All good movements though! Don't go without these.

[@thushanamarawansha1029]

Not all heroes wear capes 🫡

[@seongmoon6483]

Excellent video! We need videos for every muscle group!

[@sabertoothwallaby2937]

There already are. Hundreds.

[@markyden]

@@sabertoothwallaby2937 most r bs. plus this vid takes strech into consideration. so an updated tier list for muscle groups wd b great

[@ignacioaraya5467]

Yessssss!!!🙏

[@martinsskutans6646]

@@sabertoothwallaby2937Just what I wanted to comment- this has to be like at least 4th time Jeff posts same video with different title. I just can’t wrap my head around how people are not bored to death with content like this.

[@bahandplays8373]

He did a top 10 ranking for chest And he did a video about all the muscle groups How to train them properly

[@huikyle]

s-tier - wide grip pull downs - neutral grip pull downs - half-kneeling one-arm lat pulldown (cable) - meadows row (basically a one-armed laterally-placed landmine) - chest-supported row (alt., dumbbell helms rows where chest is braced against incline bench neutral grip) - cable row - wide-grip cable row a-tier - wide grip pull ups - neutral grip pull ups - one-arm dumbbell row - kroc row (loose technique version of one-arm dumbbell row) - modified, seated rope face-pull with one foot against machine (to negate balancing requirement of conventional face-pull) - cable lat pull-over (AKAcable lat prayers) (bend upper body on negative, drive elbows down) - dumbbell lat pullover

[@Willburrrrr]

You’re the man

[@steffenpetersen2103]

Cant believe he ranked pulldowns higher than Pullups

[@ryubengtx5419]

​​@@steffenpetersen2103That's because pull-ups are more physically and mentally exhausting than the pull downs. For hypertrophy this is very important, However I will always continue to prefer pull-ups and even more so if they are weighted.

[@inclinebench]

Seal rows should be in S-tier too, no cap

[@yrnkevinsmithC-137]

​@@steffenpetersen2103pullups will always look cool

[@nevik2]

LOVE this new format. Praying you do this for each muscle group

[@eltonarthur1233]

Yes, please l. I would love to see one for arms, particularly biceps.

[@ZrCorelx]

if he does I'm subbing to the channel

[@NoLoyalMudHound96]

Triceps so many so-so exercises out there

[@MetalCore97]

@@NoLoyalMudHound96 I know your comment is old but incase you haven't seen it, he released a video like this for triceps

[@marctaylor1142]

@@eltonarthur1233 Biceps vid uploaded

[@claivercoelho3147]

S-Tier - 3:38 wide grip pull downs - 3:59 neutral grip pull downs - 4:10 half-kneeling one-arm lat pulldown (cable) - 6:28 meadows row (basically a one-armed laterally-placed landmine) - 8:53 chest-supported row (alt., dumbbell helms rows where chest is braced against incline bench neutral grip) - 9:22 cable row - 9:37 wide-grip cable row A-Tier • 2:48 wide grip pull ups • 3:15 neutral grip pull ups • 4:38 cross body one arm lat pull down • 5:52 deficit pendlay row • 7:37 one arm db row • 7:57 kroc row • 10:26 Rope face pull variations • 10:38 cable lat prayers • 11:15 db pullovers

[@VulcanicCloud]

Please make videos like this for every muscle group, love how these are formatted. I feel like I'm cheering for my team scoring a point when I see an exercise I do be ranked high lol.

[@El_payaso2006]

Ok greedy grinner

[@imadeamistak4905]

only if you make a jerma noise tier list

[@IronOathFitness]

Haha I get you there!

[@tylerriggs95]

Natural Hypertrophy has some good tier lists for each muscle group

[@TomoHawKzZ]

Right? Wide grip pull downs, cable rows and supported rows baby lesgo

[@guestuser1479]

Thanks Jeff you really blew out my back with this one

[@shayneshayne]

thats crazy

[@joshuapollard5893]

@@shayneshayne😂😂😂😂

[@bigwats1250]

Pause

[@super28sisko]

That's what she said...

[@hiddeninplainsight1]

😂 all in good fun

[@tibihobit9200]

bro, pull ups not being in S tier is uncomfortable

[@skullkrusher-dx4kg]

I mean the akward strength curve does have an effect on some people so it makes since.

[@olegnovitski6987]

Putting lat pull downs higher than pull ups is blasphemy.

[@ergonaut940]

chin ups should be S

[@vsauce6664]

​@@skullkrusher-dx4kglol

[@MaSolSC2]

They are also very weight dependent and not as easy to overload. If you're quite heavy or not fit you will need some sort of support. If you very light and/or strong you will require additional weights. And adding a belt with weights is not as easy as just adding weights to the stack. Also gripp strength can be a common issue in these excercises and depending on the setup I would assume thats easier to use straps with the lat pulldown.

[@Edward-hb9qb]

It feels like just yesterday you uploaded your first collaboration with John Meadows. I remember watching it the day you uploaded it. I thought of John as your polar; he was definitely the old-school bodybuilder from the golden days. But you held him and his opinions in such high regard, and I loved it. I loved your work with him, and I visited his channel several times. So sorry for your loss.

[@MSordernature]

Free standing T-bar row is my favourite exercise overall, not just for the back. While I feel that lying chest-supported rows cause too much of chest pressure due to the weight.

[@clootscalhoun9481]

Agree with the chest pressure! Im not even strong, and it is still very uncomfortable for me.

[@tann_man]

parallel meadows row is my go to. Its like T-bar but with a huge single arm stretch

[@jamieharpur1727]

Same with the pressure. Going heavy makes it hard for me to breathe, I’d rather go crazy with a barbell or T-bar row as well

[@interwebslinger]

Agreed on the chest pressure - not comfortable at all.

[@Rockymountain11]

Try adjusting the chest pad up or down along the sternum, I felt a lot of pressure if the pad was too low but adjusting it up made it more comfortable

[@jameslynnbudlong5658]

I've been doing rack pulls the last 4 months and love them. I try to do them as controlled as possible and not smash the weights on the rack. My back feels like it's going to explode after doing them. Maybe I'm crazy, but I like 'em. I worked up to a set of 10 reps with 180 kilos last week. For a 63 year old, that's not bad... No lower back pains whatsoever.

[@gilbertboot572]

Rack pulls are amazing for traps, but very bad for lats. Jeff doesn't specify in this video that he's only focusing on lats in this video, but that isn't the only back muscle.

[@Shazok55]

@@gilbertboot572 he is not only talking about lats, face pulls are here and they are high

[@gilbertboot572]

@Shazok55 your right, but it's really strange for Jeff to praise face pulls for mid back and traps, even though there are much better options for traps. Then, completely disregard rack pulls despite their effectiveness for traps. He also doesn't include any other great traps movements like shrugs or farmers' walks.

[@gilbertboot572]

@Bramble20322 Having a shoulder day at the gym is lazy programming, but whatever. Regardless of that, the traps are a back muscle. I think it's person to person on whether people are going to train their traps, they are a hugely important muscle to train as a strongman athlete or to just generally have real life applicable strength and many bodybuilding channels talk about the importance of training traps directly (mainly naturals, because steroids affect traps disproportionately). So your blanket objective statement that deadlifts etc. are enough for traps is unfair. Also, deadlifts are good for traps as a byproduct, but I would never trust lateral raises or RDLs for traps growth. The traps are one of the strongest muscles in the body, lateral raises aren't going to do anything.

[@wigletron2846]

​@@gilbertboot572shrugs are a waste of time. Your traps get pounded by deadlifts, bent over rows, side and rear delt raises. Shrugs have too much fatigue for low reward.

[@Umahdibro]

In my 20 years of mix of casual to intermediate fitness I have never seen a better fitness channel.

[@PhnRvTjN]

S+ Tier: 08:53 Chest-Supported Row S Tier: 03:37 Wide-Grip Pull-Down 03:58 Neutral-Grip Pull-Down 04:08 Half-Kneeling 1-Arm Pull-Down 06:28 Meadows T-Bar Row 09:22 Neutral-Grip Cable Row 09:36 Wide-Grip Cable Row A Tier: 02:48 Wide-Grip Pull-up 03:16 Neutral-Grip Pull-Up 04:38 Cross-Body Pull-Around 06:18 Deficit Pendley Barbell Row 07:26 1-Arm Dumbbell Row 07:57 Kroc Dumbbell Row 10:14 Seated Rope Face-Pull 10:14 Lying Rope Face-Pull 10:37 Cable Pull-Over 11:14 Dumbbell Pull-Over B Tier: 03:22 Chin-Up 05:00 Standard Barbell Row 05:51 Pendley Barbell Row 08:25 Free-Standing T-Bar Row 09:51 Standing Rope Face-Pull C Tier: 01:41 Deadlift 05:26 Yates Barbell Row 06:52 Inverted Barbell Row F Tier: 01:20 Dumbbell Row + Curl 01:20 Dumbbell Row + Press 01:20 Dumbbell Row + Kickback 02:31 Above-The-Knee Rack Pull F- Tier: 00:49 Renegade Row

[@forge264]

thanks!

[@gmikeaka]

This is the pinned comment I was looking for on the back list

[@yo.izho46]

Appreciated the effort King! 👑

[@ddlddjwbdbdkc6715]

Thank you

[@faisal.fs1]

Legend

[@jovanjovicic1716]

Hopefully this will become a series because I think this is honestly as simple as it gets. All of us could use your knowledge and you presented it in the best way possible. I'm lacking some mass in my back and I'm really looking forward to putting this A tier and S tier exercises into my workouts. Thank you so much. Keep up the great work. Love from Serbia ❤

[@DnyAln]

Jovan if you follow these s tier movements I promise you you will make no gains. Jeff did not gain his mass with these movements he uses them now to perfect his physique. S tier are pull-ups bent over rows and deadlifts don't let him fool you into using these cable exercises I promise you you will not make any gains you need to lift big heavy compound movements to add size mass to your back especially if you're natural.

[@SuckableWeiney]

@@DnyAlnFellow Eric bugenhagen enthusiast

[@marcjov8149]

dje si brateee...samo masa, definicija je za pičke😄

[@krainex]

Serbia je kosovo 🤗🤗🤗🤗😠

[@conorconor8668]

There are his favourite, no the best. Pull ups are the best nr 1 and barbell growing nr 2 acording to scientist and tests.

[@stanthebamafan]

For me #1 is neutral grip pull-ups with added weight. I do that as the first exercise every back workout, and it’s my most performed exercise for any body part on my fitness app. #2 is barbell rows/pendlay rows. After that is dumbbell rows, chest-supported rows, neutral grip pulldowns, and cable row variations. That’s essentially all I do for back (besides deadlift/squat), and I’ve always had a fairly strong and developed back. I have respect for people who will hit a body part with 20 different rotating exercises, but I like to keep it simple and do 2-4 exercises out of 6 or 7 with mostly heavy weights.

[@tonydigital808]

Weighted neutral grip pull ups are also my go to. I try to do all 3 grips but neutral is definitely my preferred grip

[@doublevision2943]

Neutral grip pull ups are possibly my favourite exercise. I do them with fat grips and thumbless grip which makes them a great forearm builder at the same time Currently I'm switching over to wide grip pull ups again and it seems that there's more bicep activation. Either way seeing pull ups beneath pulldowns is painful to me and I can't help but disagree. I also love incline bench chest supported rows but unfortunately you're very strong in this position and it won't take long to max out the weights in local small town gyms so I'm trying "leaning on bench" one armed rows which give the better stretch and feel pretty good, too. This variation wasn't mentioned in the video. Dumbbell pullovers are also a must

[@slade6959]

I have the same exact priority order 😂

[@AS-pug]

Which is better though for a wider back, neutral grip or wide grip pull up?

[@doublevision2943]

@@AS-pug I believe normal and therefore also wide grip pull ups have an increased emphasis on the biceps, for me this limits my strength and makes it harder to engage my lats optimally. I'm almost certain that neutral grip is the best for lat focus.

[@waderace4084]

As someone who trains at home, pullups and inverted rows are my go- to exercises for back. You can add weight to progress, yes, but trying them archer-style to progress to one-arm inverted rows or working towards front levers to progress to front lever rows is a way-a hard way- to progressively overload the inverted row.

[@oribargil3958]

Thats exactly what im sayinnn ita not that inverted rows are hard to overload you just have to think of progressions in a different way as it is a bodyweight exercise! Working towards a front lever inverted row undoubtedly will make your back bigger

[@IronOathFitness]

I’m right there with you in terms of training at home.

[@blackly_0726]

yes, Im doing the same, and my back is undoubtedly growing a lot

[@mathieunolet8236]

Jeff missed the opportunity to have this title say “Backed By Science”

[@erickllerenas7733]

Glad I’m subscribed, to get to see all the major muscles groups tier lists (hopefully). It’ll take a while, but it’ll be worth it. Thanks for the informative content as always, Jeff!

[@lucandro14]

Meadows row is my favorite back exercise by far but I wasn’t expecting it to be here. Love and respect to Jhon Meadows “Mountain dog” and may he rest in peace ❤

[@heebsgames]

Just tried it for the first time. Definitely gonna need wrist straps for it.

[@MrTobypenguin7]

Jeff and John were great pals:(

[@soonerborn7603]

I actually never much cared for the Meadows Rows. I’ve tried them several times, but it just never felt that great for me. I just felt like I could be doing one arm dumbbell rows instead! But I feel like I’m in the minority. Everyone seems to love Meadows Rows.

[@mikkilevin]

I wonder why chin-ups are consistently getting underrated. You said that the worst thing about pull-ups is their tricky resistance curve, and chin-ups attempt to solve this issue by being significantly easier at the top than pull-ups, yet you put them in a lower tier. You could say that is because of a higher bicep activation, but in an older video you have stated that there is no statistically significant difference between pull-up and chin-up lat hypertrophy, meaning that bicep activation is actually just a bonus. Thoughts?

[@ci6516]

Bro this is a stupid video for people who will never get big . Like Jesus Christ single arm kneel cable pull are better for mass than weighted chin ups ? Lmfao

[@JohnDoe-id5ih]

Chin-ups are mad underrated. They stretch the lats like crazy and offer bicep activation. The best thing is doing variations, narrow pull-ups, wide pull-ups and then chin-ups. Neutral is also good if you have access

[@ankitg6454]

this is a shitty video which is only based on his gut feel. nothing scientific about this tier list

[@simulatedstring9029]

But couldn't bicep activation also be a drawback because you'll be wearing out your biceps on a non bicep exercise? Many do back and biceps in the same day.

[@FinnTrado]

@@simulatedstring9029 you're still getting hypertrophy either way?

[@billygrimes3052]

Been getting back in the gym after years of depression and unhealthy weight gain. I've been trying to rely on the info I had when I was younger but your videos have really been helping me develop a better weekly routine and helping me feel more confident in the gym. Appreciate the content dude!

[@Atif_Ph.D._Kate_Bush_Fan_Club]

It doesn’t happen regularly but when JN does release a video 📺 you know it’s going to be of the highest quality! ❤️

[@AW-cv8nf]

JN and Dr. Mike are all i need, best of the best.

[@ankit-k8013]

Menno also sometimes 😅

[@terrywilson1494]

Pencil back tier list, sticky Ricky bugenhagen for horse back

[@ozziedood]

Not putting Pendlay rows and Kroc rows in S tier has to be a crime.

[@AS-Stardust]

@@ozziedood Bent over row>Pendlay row

[@neil12011]

Horse C*ckin around some serious ass weights.

[@beburs]

Yes sir 😅

[@deathadone88]

@@beburs yes pencil neck and back tier, not hating but wouldnt pro bodybuilders do half kneling cable rows if they were any good?

[@jerry716]

I love this video! Very informative and entertaining at the same time. Love the way you explain each one into more detail. Please make this for EACH body part. THANK YOU

[@jonrwert]

The renegade row is definitely more of a core exercise with a little bit of back engagement for fun.

[@joesmalltown6303]

I think the worst exercise for back is leg extension

[@owennnnnnxd]

💀

[@franko1746]

Stay natty kids

[@sethg4584]

Take steroids once your ready to become a man you say?

[@Garrettsgucci]

Naw

[@why6212]

Did you watch his steroid video? I'm sold .

[@bloodbourne_]

@@why6212 don't do steroids kids

[@dustinholland6892]

That’s what he is endorsing

[@microondasletal]

Seems like a good list. However, I must point 2 things about the deadlift + rack pulls: 1. Rack Pulls going lower than the deadlift doesn't make much sense to me. The Rack Pulls work your back better even if you have less range of motion, because you start the deadlift movement just where the back starts to truly get engaged (the starting position you lose is more of a squat, really). Also, the fact that you start higher allows you to go much heavier, as you skip the point you're weaker at, and this overloads the back. This will inevitably build you more traps, which is something we all want, and also part of your shoulders and other stabilizers. The back pumps I get from doing rack pulls are from another world. 2. Deadlifts/rack pulls are very genetic based and I get that they don't work as great for everybody. For me, they are THE exercise for building the back, especially when you want to get it as thick as possible (mine EXPLODED in terms of progress when I started doing it just a few months back). Now, you can do a few things to engage the back more, like pre-activating some back muscles before it. If I lat spread during the whole movement, I get 3/4/5 days of soreness in them. That plus the pre-activation will improve anyone's ability to build their backs with the deadlift. Pretty much every top competitor does the deadlift for a reason. Strongmen have huge backs and they don't necessarily do any kind of rows, but they deadlift all the time. Cbum deadlifts, Dorian did, Arnold did, Ronnie did... You won't find that many Olympias that don't deadlift or rack pull.

[@bobdarrick2628]

If by traps you mean upper traps, no we don’t all want them. They’re unaesthetic and gross. They look awkward/hunky and junky and take away from your shoulders. So there’s no value there.

[@Shazok55]

@@bobdarrick2628 he probably means all parts of traps, also zero upper trap looks even worse

[@bobdarrick2628]

@@Shazok55 no zero upper traps (which lets be honest - you never have zero) would look better than overdeveloped upper traps. I would take zero upper traps any day over big upper traps. Btw I neither have overdeveloped nor zero. Mine are probably proportionate to my physique. Not developed much I don’t think. Hopefully not. I don’t do shrugs btw. Maybe I should stop shoulder pressing and only do incline bench and dumbbell presses.

[@Shazok55]

@@Bramble20322 i get it, its subjective, but in my opinion its not that common to have overdeveloped upper traps naturally, i also don't isolate them, just my 2 cents

[@microondasletal]

​@@bobdarrick2628It's been a few months, sry. Didn't get notified and casually found my comment and your responses when revisiting this vid. I didn't mean upper traps, but mid and lower traps as well. Anyway, upper traps (and traps in general) have great benefits regarding achieving a better posture. They also make you fill your t-shirts way better, thus making you look more huge than you may actually be. I understand that you don't like big traps, but I will say I personally do. I find some Olympia level physiques with lacking traps to be ridiculous looking. Can't yet find a single case where they are so big that I find them unaesthetic, but I know that's all subjective. Not even Rubiel Mosquera's, and his are extremely huge. Mine are very, very developed as I train them once or twice per week (depending on the program I'm following) with 200kg shrugs on a low tempo for high reps, which makes them incredibly sore for at least 3/4 days. Again, it's all subjective, but they definitely make your posture better, allow for better scapular retraction and actually puts some noticeable muscle near your head so that it doesn't look like another person coming out of a muscular body.

[@brandonweinmann5700]

My man you were born to be a teacher. You explain everything so well

[@PratikSingla]

On to week 5 and loving the program. This information is so valuable. Thanks Jeff!

[@Kidkosmos]

PULL UP GANG, UNITE!

[@trentw.3566]

T Bar rows rule, pull downs are great and safer than pull ups unless you are a small person.

[@logical_thinker]

Here here!

[@slayerplayer1102]

@@trentw.3566 u dont have to be small lol you gotta have relative strength for your body weight if you dont then thats where pull downs help and its really good for people who are over weight or obese who are starting out out and same with people who cant do pull ups yet

[@omniprotentpr0tent563]

The one and only!💪

[@mackieincsouthsea]

Really pleased to see Meadows on S. I moved to these from Single Arm DB rows due to issues with form after progressing on load. I've always had issues with BB rows and struggled to maintain a neutral spine position as load progressed and I also have relatively weak grip, even when compensating with straps. Meadows kinda helped remove these weak points for me and have become a permanent fixture on pull day!

[@soonerborn7603]

I’ve tried Meadows Rows and they just never feel right to me. I’m a John Meadows fan for sure, so I trust that they work! Maybe I just need to watch some more form videos or something…

[@mackieincsouthsea]

@@soonerborn7603 I think foot position counts for a lot, and straps for me! But hey, some movements are just natural for some and not others! I can certainly vouch for a good pump from them when done in a way that feels comfortable. I was pleased to see I do em just like Jeff too which I'm assuming is optimal af 😂 I defo can't say the same about all my lifts

[@soonerborn7603]

@@mackieincsouthsea I’m definitely going to try them again. So many people swear by them! I’m thinking straps will definitely help to focus on pulling with the back and not the arm.

[@bal7ha2ar]

@@soonerborn7603 not every exercise works for everybody tho. one that your friend or coach swears by might not be optimal for you and vice versa. thats why its good that there are so many variations, one will definitely suit you well

[@soonerborn7603]

@@bal7ha2ar I’ve been doing them some more and I’m coming around. The straps helped a lot! Still not my favorite rowing variation, but I like them more than I did a month ago!

[@GrueTurtle]

It's been a while since I watched this channel. I like these tier list videos because it compresses a lot of information on different lifts into one video while answering the very common question of which variation or which exercise makes more sense to incorporate into a program. Makes them a good first stop when you're trying to get a general understanding of how these different lifts compare before going to other videos to get more detailed information on specific lifts.

[@patrickbateman3146]

The spinal erectors are missed by a lot of body builders, because they can only be worked by deadlifts and variations, good mornings, and other spinal flexion/extension and twisting movements. They help to give the back a thicker, denser, 3d look. strongmen, and powerlifters, and others who have notoriously strong spinal erectors have huge backs because of this. When I think "huge back" I don't just think wide, I think dense and thick. Any lists of back exercises that don't also include some flexion/extension and twisting of the spine is an incomplete list. You did however include some rows that do this, such as single arm dumbbell rows, bent over rows, etc. But people who only work the lats and rhomboids are missing out. Work the erectors, and traps.

[@JoshuaSweerts]

Will it make your waist much wider so that you have a less aestaticly pleasing look? (Serious question)

[@kyriakospaschalides6983]

no @@JoshuaSweerts

[@patrickbateman3146]

@@JoshuaSweerts probably not. Obliques are worked by bending to the side. And that makes the waist look wider

[@bobdarrick2628]

Upper traps are unaesthetic and gross

[@IvanM272]

This is not true. Powerlifters and strongman are not bigger and don’t look stronger than bodybuilders. Have you ever seen a strongman or powerlifter after a cut? They look SMALL for the amount of work, food and steroids they take, because of the style of training. Compared with bodybuilders off course. Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, El Sab, Big Ram, Yates, all of them have much bigger, more dense, thicker, more incredible backs than any strongman or powerlifter you want to pick. Eddie Hall after a cut looks smaller than at least 10 guys at my gym and he never even finished his cut because he knows and feels uncomfortable loosing his size because of his fat. Unless we’re taking about someone like Thor and maybe Shaw, but again you should come back after they get at 8% body fat to talk about “size”. Again, if you think this style of training is what decides, big and thick backs, compare this guys with similar body fat levels, not what you think it looks like on your computer. If you pick any top level strongman or powerlifter and put them on a bodybuilder program, can be only machines, they will become bigger, more dense, thicker than never before.

[@ItachiUchiha-jz9wb]

its crazy when you think about it that this kind of quality videos are here on yt for free

[@snacking5908]

The one arm dumbbell row isn’t discredited by athlean x. He refers to the split stance. I agree with this. It is better and more natural to and with both feet on the ground

[@AdrianVisan]

I actually get pain with both feet on the ground, the split stance is so much better for me, but I do 45 degree angle instead of parallel to the bench

[@Pienimusta]

Yes. Even Jay Cutler does it both feet on ground, leaning to the weight rack.

[@TheTetraSpirit]

I feel like a lot of the hate Jeff C gets nowadays is from people playing telephone with his comments and not actually listening to him themselves, I.E. the rows listed here and his stance on upright rows, both of which I happen to take his side on.

[@lp1680]

I personally stopped doing one arm dumbbell rows because I feel so much asymmetric tension in my abdomen. Plenty of other exercises

[@JeffNippard]

He ranks it as his worst exercise 1 minute into this video, so I think my comments about him being critical of it are accurate and fair: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rWXZhmaqr7uAbZI And even if it’s just a form thing, I still think having one knee up isn’t a big deal and doesn’t warrant ranking it as worst. Edit: actually, within the first 10 seconds of that video he literally says “the 1 arm dumbbell row is an absolute no for me” haha 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@Samsulekjr]

I was so happy to find out my back day exercises are all in S tier

[@sandroairj]

Hi Jeff, I’m a Doctor (MD, resident in orthopedic surgery), I’m very passionate about biomechanics and sports&exercise medicine, and I wanna give you my compliments for your work and your extreme competence and proficiency. Well done bro, keep going on!

[@stackered]

1. Jeff is a fake natty 2. Jeff is a fake scientist 3. Heavy DB rows, Deadlifts, Barbell Rows/Pendlay, and Pull/Chin Ups are all you need 4. I saw this guy with

[@CFreedom]

​@@stackered This is the most accurate info on this channel.

[@linkplays2952]

@@stackered how does his voice change his credibility? proof hes fake natty? proof he's a fake scientist?

[@filabila]

Its like Jeff knew it was Back Day.... waiting on my Rise order code Jeff. thanks bro

[@clevelandwhiteknife1084]

My back today too 😂

[@hopecritical-ops5554]

Same

[@odkings3437]

8:55 man I wish they had this big bench chest support in my gym, the chest supported row in my gym has this small ahh thing that hurts your chest like hell, I have to either go light or end up quitting early because of chest pain rather than back failure 😅

[@betahumanx]

You should do this for every single part of the body. These videos are exactly what I've been looking for, thank you.

[@AquarianMan]

s-tier - 3:38 wide grip pull downs - 3:59 neutral grip pull downs - 4:10 half-kneeling one-arm lat pulldown (cable) - 6:28 meadows row (basically a one-armed laterally-placed landmine) - 8:53 chest-supported row (alt., dumbbell helms rows where chest is braced against incline bench neutral grip) - 9:22 cable row - 9:37 wide-grip cable row a-tier - wide grip pull ups - neutral grip pull ups - one-arm dumbbell row - kroc row (loose technique version of one-arm dumbbell row) - modified, seated rope face-pull with one foot against machine (to negate balancing requirement of conventional face-pull) - cable lat pull-over (AKAcable lat prayers) (bend upper body on negative, drive elbows down) - dumbbell lat pullover

[@eggs_benny]

I much prefer the free standing T-bar row to the chest supported row. The pad driving into my chest definitely does not win in the “feels good” department

[@Ceredron]

completely agree. The back stretch is huge but so is the chest support thing driving into my sternum. It feels like someone is driving a pencil into my mid-chest. I think this rating reaalllly depends on the quality of the machine in question. Not enough cushion = pain

[@SChainey]

I have flared ribs, so I agree, it can be uncomfortable. I will usually train one side at a time and hold on to the metal support. You can cheat it a little more with momentum, but I still find it a solid choice.

[@iggytse]

What is missing here is a nautilus pull over machine. Not very common but you get resistance in the full range of motion in the lat.

[@alixthefunk]

Yeah that's probably missed out because it's not that common. Probably beats the pullover

[@G1antPurpleHipp0]

This actually makes me quite happy because I was already doing all S and A tier exercises on back day. Seeing this list is inspiring

[@josh_ken]

Wait for Eric Bugenhagen to react to this 💀

[@woodstiks]

Deadlift not being S tier is pencil neck behavior

[@m00nkiid]

@bzyspecial Boogz is literally PhD in broscience

[@malikthebrit335]

it took you years to realize its keeping you small XD@bzyspecial

[@bestwesterner]

@bzyspeciallet me guess you never even drank a gallon of milk per day

[@nicktheraper4207]

I just want him to react to Lou ferigno but it’s gonna be more science based bs 😂😂

[@ColinDeWaay]

I feel the lat prayer better than anything for sure but I like to do it kneeling. I think it just forces me to get a better stretch

[@paulgaras2606]

Maybe I’m alone here but I’ve never been convinced there’s all that much difference between pull-downs and and pull-ups with the same grip and same weight.

[@mrw999]

Just core activation

[@anishmaitra5934]

Looks like the only video you'll ever need for back exercises

[@GIFTOFGVME]

ill stick to my eric bugenhagen review of this and continue to grow my voluptuous back

[@DUA1SH0CK]

same tbh

[@pictusfish]

It's nice to see my juicy, horsecock brethren here

[@ChrisPTY507]

Nothing beats the classic Dumbbell Pullovers. They are incredibly underrated, and you won't realize it until you see the insane results and the improvement in your v-taper.

[@adamlucina]

I really like the cable version, you take a bench, angle it 60-75 degrees, put your head below the cable, so the arms can just reach the attachment and do the pullover. Its really feels like nautilus pullover without any instability.

[@calebford6318]

Tension curve leaves a lot to be desired. There are smarter ways to workout, no need to be stubborn

[@ChrisPTY507]

@@calebford6318 No stubbornness here, man. Just do the workout with proper, diligent form and the results will speak for itself. No even need to argue here.

[@chonkeboi]

@@calebford6318it’s lengthened biased and is literally a lengthened partial which is shown to cause at least equal or more growth than full rom. I’m not much of a science guy when it comes to lifting but they are a good exercise when you look at it anecdotally and scientifically. They might not be the best but they are definitely a good one.

[@cumquat8320]

The lats have no leverage in that position 😂

[@iaboni100]

I can see why Jeff gave the recommendations he did based on his criteria, but in practice how many people do you know that built huge well rounded backs doing half kneeling 1 arm lat pulldowns and lying facepulls, and how many do you know who built great backs doing heavy rows, deadlifts and pull ups (Ronnie?, Dorian?, Stan Efferding?)? In fact none of the S tier exercises are particularly good at building spinal erectors which are one of the most common separators between a good back and a great back.

[@ieuanjones7615]

always that one bro science guy

[@GrahnFoerFaen]

"Ranked with science" and one main criteria is "feel" sounds more bro to me. Pullovers, facepulls and cross-body kneeling 1 arm pish posh over deadlifts and barbells rows is nuts. Try building a legit back on that shit.@@ieuanjones7615

[@pictusfish]

​@@ieuanjones7615 He's right though. You couldn't even come at this this with a counter argument. Why is he wrong?

[@akshaymishra3674]

When you are as strong as Ronnie was . Your workout changes . These KZbin videos are more generic and not tailormade for professional bodybuildes.​@@pictusfish

[@isaacjr593]

don't forget that famous bodybuilders are big consumers of steroids, and the health conditions at the spinal level are not the best now given the poor choice of exercises before the development of the sports session

[@scdioat]

this video is great. I really appreciate how you broke everything down and explained everything quick and precise. I'll be recommending your work to my gym buddies

[@whattheduck69]

Massively appreciate the work that has gone into this. Perfectly written, perfectly subtle implementation of modern imagery tech. Have a spud 👊 from London my man. We all appreciate your work from all over the globe. On behalf of everyone watching, thank you Jeff 💪😄👍 💪😎👍

[@TimMurielloOfficial]

this a great chart to refer to if you would like a small back forever

[@Iamthealmighty]

Btw @7:15 inverted rows...if you're gona add weight, to get the benefit of that it should sit on your chest, not your lap - the motion in your lap is almost non existent (near static). It's your chest and abdomen getting most of that motion in, so that's where the weight should be sitting...the closer to the chest the better. I would argue the more ideal way to overload this exercise is either via slower and more controlled negatives, or a weighted vest which you can wear - that would eliminate all the discomfort of having a weight sit directly on your chest or abdomen.

[@dr00skee47]

I'm always so suprised that other people don't like deadlifts very much. I LOVE how they feel. of course i have a lot of other actual back builders in my program but deadlifts make me feel like a beast

[@srleplay]

I hate narrow neutral grip lat pull-downs, if I do a proper stretch, delts cut off my neck blood supply. It's awesome on the row though and I'd put cable row as the best single back exercise because you can incorporate little flexion for extra stretch and lower back stimulus.

[@brandonellulstephens8805]

Would you start with cable rows sets for your first exercise because of benefits you said

[@srleplay]

@@brandonellulstephens8805 I usually have separate vertical and horizontal pull days and I focus on lats for quite some time now, but you can if you are serious about overall back development

[@vaxad]

Who tf is doing renegade rows?

[@Shaka_fr]

My dad💀

[@aaronwaldo7965]

People who play by there own rules

[@DxipNinja]

@@aaronwaldo7965their

[@Blake_drandes]

Moms in their mid forties

[@dannynewman9206]

Crossfitters

[@2liter]

Barbell row going in B tier is craziness

[@quirkyelephant]

Too high or low?

[@2liter]

@@quirkyelephant way too low

[@aymen82]

Yates rows on c tier is even worse

[@Voi8z]

It require alot of stabilization.

[@soonerborn7603]

@@aymen82Exactly what I was going to say. I couldn’t believe it when it was ranked so low! It’s specifically designed to target the lats to a greater degree! It should definitely be in the A tier at least.

[@nikspring]

An excellent review of back exercises and their worth. It all made a lot of sense and wasn't long-winded. Thanks Mr Nippard! Job done!

[@Eredhwen]

Very informative, love the format and the straight to the point delivery

[@mementomori8856]

Lat Pulldowns, Cable Lat Pull-Over and Chest-supported Machine Rows give me the craziest lat pumps, + I LOVE the new program!

[@JamesJones-x5q]

Jeff, you have some of the best videos and information on KZbin!! 💪🏽

[@Pulse718]

barbell row and pendlay row are A tier minimum , both are really functional movements and the stability requirements is a good thing because they also work the lower back unlike those machine rows

[@bert4999]

Functionality was not a priority in his framework of analysis though

[@bobdarrick2628]

Wdym by functional? When in real life do u use a barbell row? Also that doesn’t matter for hypertrophy at all.

[@bobdarrick2628]

@@Bramble20322 bench press is more useful than all of those. It helps your pushing strength the most. That’s useful if you’re throwing a ball (sport) or pushing/punching someone (fight in hopefully self defence).

[@Damdaaa]

​@@bobdarrick2628throwing a ball is mostly shoulders anyway, difficult to train because it's a lot external and internal rotation. and throwing sports are not exactly "functional" training for functionality is stupid anyway. If you truly want to be "functional" for any given task then train to get more functional in that task, the muscle you gained from optimal hypertrophy training can greatly assist in becoming more functional. Don't chase 2 goals with 1 means, it's usually not more efficient.

[@bobdarrick2628]

@@Damdaaa wait what? I train in a mostly hypertrophic way but a bit for strength as well. And rear delt work I do more for health purposes. I should do cardio though more tbf.

[@letterkeys4440]

Below the knee rack pulls are my absolute favorite for lower back

[@MrHadane]

Might as well just do RDLs mate.

[@letterkeys4440]

@@MrHadane lmao what? I’m not slamming my hammies just to barely feel anything in my back. Just a reminder I don’t think a single person on this planet reps rdl’s with more weight than they deadlift. Also not a single person alive reps rack pulls with less weight then they deadlift. You catching my point? Anyways in my push/pull/leg split I’m hitting rdl’s the next day

[@AZ-gs6hj]

Hyperextentions with a weight plate or if your gym has a hyperextention machine even better. You can remove all the other muscles and focus only on the lower back.

[@letterkeys4440]

@@AZ-gs6hj I literally only use the hyper extension machine when I’m too lazy for heavy rack pulls or if the platforms and barbells are occupied 😤 Literally nothing compares for the strength gains. In terms of hypertrophy ur right - I get insane pumps on the hyper extension with plates

[@pissy4476]

For lower back? I feel like rack pulls are more effective for the traps. On the topic of lower back, zercher deadlifts with back rounding are insane bro.

[@ohmypoo123]

God tier editing dude

[@majidlatif470]

feels amazing to see all your back workouts end up in S-tier :)

[@hbua5539]

great vid but personnally I think sthg is wrong when pullups are not in S tier

[@sqwod]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 *🏋️ Back exercises are ranked from S for super to F for fail based on muscle growth potential.* 00:13 *📦 Criteria for good back exercises include stretch with high tension, comfort, and simple progression.* 00:56 *🚫 Renegade rows are in F tier due to poor stretch, balance issues, and diluted tension from combining plank and row.* 01:52 *⬇️ Deadlifts rank in C tier for back hypertrophy due to limited stretch and tension; better for lower body strength.* 02:50 *💪 Wide grip pull-ups are in A tier for high tension and stretch, despite uneven resistance profile.* 03:33 *🏋️‍♂️ Wide grip lat pull Downs are in S tier for great stretch, tension, and stability, ideal for overall back development.* 06:31 *💪 Meadows rows, with intense stretch and tension, earn a spot in S tier for exceptional midback activation.* 09:03 *🏋️‍♂️ Chest supported rows, providing stable tension isolation, are in S tier for effective back development.* 09:30 *🔄 Cable rows, offering deep stretch and pump, are in S tier, with wide grip cable rows providing additional mid trap activation.* 11:38 *🥇 Chest supported row is crowned as the best back exercise, while Renegade row is deemed the worst for hypertrophy.* Summarized with ❤by Sqwod.life

[@akaakaakaak5779]

add 1 rep each workout to pull ups?! takes me 6 months to add another

[@pyromanglad1136]

That's not normal, with any genetics you should've done way better. Something is wrong in your routine. Try to practice it with a little extra weight, just do as you can and after a week, you'll be able to pull up without weight very easy

[@akaakaakaak5779]

⁠@@pyromanglad1136no you’re just talking absolute nonsense, 1 new pull-up a week would mean 52 more in a year. That’s clearly nonsense. Being able to do 20 pull-ups at 220lb is decent I think in doing ok thanks

[@pyromanglad1136]

@@akaakaakaak5779 It doesn't work like that. Your efficiency factor will drop all the time especially as you get close to your natural maximum but the initial results and muscle grow are the most explosive ones. If you saying that it took you 6 months to gain 1 rep in the beginning it is indeed confusing. In your case 20 reps at 220lb means that you are already in a very good physic and of course your gains will be much less efficient. I thought your first comment was from a beginner perspective.

[@jakesarmwrestlinguniverse9792]

In terms of content, this guys stuff is LOADED with value! Holy Moses! I can't believe there aren't people addicted to this guy!

[@thomasdussault1132]

7:07 There's other ways to load this movement up Jeff. A simple one is using a backpack and placing it on your chest.

[@ryanniedernhofer]

Good advice, this is also how I load weighted pull-ups at my home gym

[@farkaselliott0161]

Exactly. Do them on rings, they become S Tier and feel like non other. Rings give you the option of going wide, close, supinated, pronated, neutral, low or high row style and and and... rings also give you super range of motion, cause there's no bar stopping in the way of your chest.

[@Rockymountain11]

​@@farkaselliott0161my gym doesn't have rings :(

[@milankazandzic2283]

same thing for face pulls , doing them on rings or trx would allow much better form.

[@jambojack]

I don't do them enough but there's something special about inverted rows. Great stretch at the bottom and great feeling when squeezing shoulder blades together at the top

[@notthemlgtom494]

1:58 Nice underwear bro

[@laserbeam444maddness7]

3:44 Mario Rios: Say that again, I dare you

[@gymjourney.youssef]

so real

[@Swissalchemist]

Been binging your content lately. Excellent source of wisdom. Thank you! One recommendation on the best and worst series.... At the end of the video, could you visually lump all the A, S, and S+ into one large graphic so we can get a screenshot? Easy takeaways for referencing later at the gym!

[@peterd5901]

I like how he mentions that wide grip pull ups are easy for progression, just "add one rep each workout". Current pull-up max reps after 20 years of gym = 1,424

[@kakkakontent]

Video ends: 12:15

[@chris7os77]

Oh my gosh thank you.

[@PatPrika42]

9:45 what is bro doing in the back

[@assalamualaikum535]

Triceps

[@eswar09]

tricep pushdown

[@ranbirkinng]

Dips on a Tricep Pushdown Machine 😅

[@mobilelegendsmemes]

When I watch workout videos I usually skip to the tutorial part then just copy them. But with your videos, I always end up watching them in full length because I really love the information even with the smallest details

[@stevend481]

Watch Eric Boogz on this lol

[@LucasDimoveo]

Can we get a video on Olympic Weightlifting?

[@pretty_flaco]

he doesn’t do o-lifts

[@CharlieTheBritt]

Pull ups aren't atleast an A tier but that weirdo sideways cable pull down thing is?

[@merlin0573]

Yup, pullups sucks

[@princerak8881]

@@merlin0573 nah you just trash at it

[@slayerplayer1102]

@@merlin0573 how? its just a harder version of a pull down also the only downside with pull ups is that most beginners can not do them yet so thats where the lat pull down helps with

[@donaldkennedydo]

Excellent Best and Worst exercises videos. I think you're the leading authority on these topics. Goooooooood work.

[@sengunvolkan]

meta manipulation at its finest imagine putting overhand grip lat pulldown over weighted pullups

[@porongo420]

fr, this dude lost it

[@eddiesymons8390]

? He's right though

[@lucasgraeff5391]

Deadlifts in C and some unilateral pulley cable exercise in S? yeah

[@kacperkubiak2995]

please enlighten me how the deadlift (of which I'm a big fan of) does anything notable for your upper back

[@PawanDewangan-lb1mv]

Well deadlift is a exercise for strength . Generally it doesn't make muscle mass. It gives extreme fatigue compared to which it doesn't build much muscle mass.

[@R3dCol0r]

"Does it feel good? Check" Ranked with science?? You can't be serious... 🤦‍♂️

[@R3dCol0r]

Why don't you just call it "my personal favorites" or something.

[@UrheiluhuIIu]

Because using word "science" on the title gives you a lot more views. As a scientist I hate this trend.

[@thebeatmajors_yt]

why don't you stop crying

[@DiEgOo440]

@@R3dCol0r tHE FEELING IS literally an used metric, are you dumb?

[@eddiesymons8390]

Well Jeff is right though. If it doesn't feel good then there's no point doing it. Science doesn't have to be purely about EMG data and all that bullshit when it's about your own body and what is right for you

[@ramadingoschromosome1085]

Your videos are so well made that It made me write you this comment

[@NikolayMIA]

Did you just put pulldowns in S and actual pull-ups in A? Bruh.

[@seankaawa6378]

So you just didn’t watch the video and watch him throughly explain why he did that…. pulldowns give a really good tension and stretch better than pull ups lil bro

[@micah15_]

​@@seankaawa6378you 100 percent don't have a big back if your saying this

[@eddiesymons8390]

Oh boohoo, go cry about it

[@slayerplayer1102]

@@eddiesymons8390 first time seeing someone disagree?

[@n.h.n3888]

11:39 Full tier list

[@CptApplestrudl]

10:20 Well, if you already have a seat, why not turn it around so the back pushes against you chest?

[@7Wzol]

Great idea, got to check it out

[@skilranimation]

true

[@thepurplpineapple9495]

ruining my sleep schedule with this🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@hunterwollschlager8293]

Some people won’t like to hear about deadlift 2:00

[@FabledGentleman]

Deadlift is a fantastic strength exercise, also for your back, as it involves basically all of it. Of course some people will complain, because they don't understand that what Nippard is talking about here is muscle growth, not strength training.

[@hunterwollschlager8293]

@@FabledGentlemanright on the money

[@olegnovitski6987]

@@FabledGentleman I mean there is no muscle growth without strength increase if you are training naturally.

[@Aarohnn]

I don’t care what the criteria is, putting one arm pull downs, let alone pull downs, over pull ups is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.

[@roswellsatterwhite3906]

i think once you're able to do like 15 pullups they become less valuable because theyre too easy. although i guess you can just weight them like anything else.

[@mistymansy]

i think its because this is about hyperteophy, not strenght or functionality

[@eddiesymons8390]

This is about muscle growth, much easier to focus on the muscle you're trying to target when stability isn't as much of a potential issue

[@Aarohnn]

@@eddiesymons8390 This is true, but you will not build bigger lats with single arm pull downs than you would with pull ups (weighted or not). I see pull downs and single arms pull downs as icing on the cake rather than the cake itself.

[@Aarohnn]

@@mistymansy exactly, weighted pull ups are far superior for hypertrophy, it’s one of the only exercises that REALLY gave me wings, I only do 2 sets of lat pull downs as a warm up.

[@rustled]

I thought that the yates row was basically an underhand grip row, maybe I'm wrong

[@gordonsbuzz]

That’s what I thought too

[@jonnyoneplate]

DY doesnt stress the underhand as you can see in clips of him demonstrating it on YT. He stresses the importance of curving the low back to stretch the lower part of the lats. Jeff's hip extension during the row however is not at all like the yates row👎

[@bi-cubecraft426]

You know these videos are indirectly helping lots lf people including myself

[@jakubkidacki4579]

I don't know why you abuse the word "science". The list is ranked based on your own personal preferences. Science has nothing to do with it.

[@semtex8116]

cry about it