Overview
The speaker ranks 20 popular back exercises on a tier list for muscle growth, assessing stretch/tension, feel, and progression. The chest supported row is named best (S tier plus), and the Renegade row the worst (F tier hell).
Ranking Criteria
- Exercises must deliver a big stretch with high tension.
- Must feel good: smooth profile, good pump, mind-muscle connection, no pain.
- Must allow for simple progression (add weight/reps easily).
F Tier (Fail—Worst Exercises)
- Renegade rows: Lack of stretch, poor back tension, core/stability dominate.
- Two-in-one combo moves (e.g., row + curl/press/kickback): Weaker muscle fails first, undermining back stimulation.
- Rack pulls: Poor range, often damage equipment, feel bad.
C/D Tiers (Below Average)
- Deadlifts: Great for overall strength, but isometric back tension, limited stretch/range for lats/traps.
- Yates row: Upright posture reduces stretch; momentum lessens back tension.
- Inverted rows: Good stretch/feel, but hard to progress without awkward weighting.
- Standard barbell rows: Decent stretch/tension, but stability limits back focus.
- Rack pulls: D tier due to similar issues as deadlift, plus equipment drawbacks.
B Tier (Average to Good)
- Chin-ups: Effective but shift tension to biceps.
- Standard barbell row: Good but not optimal for hypertrophy/stability.
- Pendlay row: Better stretch/form but still not most stable.
- Freestanding T-bar row: Good stretch and tension, but balance/stability concerns.
- Rope face pull (conventional): Good midback stretch, but instability and tension loss.
A Tier (Very Good)
- Wide/neutral grip pull-ups: High tension, deep stretch, easy to progress.
- Cross-body pulldown: More stretch but can feel awkward.
- Deficit Pendlay row: More stretch on lats than standard; strong hypertrophy.
- One-arm dumbbell row: Stretch/stability excellent but can top out on dumbbell weight.
- Croc row: Powerful stretch and strength curve, effective with controlled momentum.
- Modified face pulls (seated/lying): Stable, better overload.
- Cable lat pullover/prayer/dumbbell pullover: Excellent lat stretch/isolation, but progression less straightforward.
S Tier (Best Exercises)
- Wide/neutral grip lat pulldown: Big lat stretch, smooth tension, easy overload.
- Half-kneeling one-arm pulldown: Optimal for single-lat focus; stable with bench/knee support.
- Meadows row: Extreme stretch/tension, good for unilateral work, stable.
- Chest supported row: Highly stable, maximal tension, easy to focus on back.
- Cable row (close/wide grip): Deep stretch, strong pump, easy to progress.
Decisions
- Best Back Exercise: Chest supported row (S tier plus)
- Worst Back Exercise: Renegade row (F tier hell)
Recommendations / Advice
- Prioritize exercises that give a strong stretch, high tension, feel good, and allow for easy progression.
- Chest supported rows, Meadows rows, and various pulldowns/rows are consistently top choices for back hypertrophy.
- Avoid unstable combo moves and exercises where weaker muscle groups fail before the back.