Your mid back is the part of your upper back between your shoulder blades. The muscles that live there, mostly your rhomboids and middle traps, pull your shoulder blades together. Strong ones keep your shoulders from rolling forward and give you a stable base for bench pressing, squatting and deadlifting.
Cables are a good tool for this area because the tension stays on the muscle for the whole rep. You also get plenty of control over angle. Changing the pulley height, or switching from a bar to a rope, changes where your elbows travel, and that decides whether a row hits your lats or your mid back. Mid-back exercises also tend to go well with light to moderate weight, so they’re easy on your joints.
Below are the 6 best cable mid-back exercises, with the benefits and exact steps for each one. After that I put together a cable-only mid-back workout, then a look at the anatomy and the questions I get asked most. If you want a broader list, see our cable back exercises roundup.
Table of Contents
- 1 The 6 Best Cable Mid-Back Exercises
- 2 Cable-Only Mid-Back Workout
- 3 Mid-Back Anatomy
- 4 Frequently Asked Questions
- 4.1 How often should I train my mid back?
- 4.2 What rep range is best for the mid back?
- 4.3 Can you build your mid back with only cables?
- 4.4 What’s the difference between a mid-back row and a lat row?
- 4.5 Why can’t I feel my mid back on rows?
- 4.6 Should I do mid-back work before or after my main lifts?
- 4.7 What do I do if my gym only has one cable column?
- 4.8 Are face pulls good for your mid back?
- 5 Final Thoughts
- 6 References
- 7 Other Muscle Groups Exercises
- 7.1 The 7 Best Lower Trap Exercises
- 7.2 The 8 Best Rear Delt Exercises
- 7.3 10 Best Cable Shoulder Exercises
- 7.4 The 9 Best Side Delt Exercises for Broader Shoulders
- 7.5 The 10 Best Front Delt Exercises
- 7.6 The 8 Best Long Head Bicep Exercises
- 7.7 The 8 Best Lateral Head Tricep Exercises
- 7.8 The 8 Best Front Delt Dumbbell Exercises
- 7.9 The 6 Best Cable Rear Delt Exercises (2023)
- 7.10 The 7 Best Lower Lat Dumbbell Exercises
- 7.11 The 7 Best Outer Quad Exercises for Bigger Outer Thighs
- 7.12 The 6 Best Cable Hamstring Exercises
- 7.13 The 9 Best Short Head Bicep Dumbbell Exercises
- 7.14 The 7 Best Cable Glute Exercises
- 7.15 The 7 Best Medial Head Tricep Exercises
The 6 Best Cable Mid-Back Exercises
- Seated Cable Row, Wide Grip
- Cable Face Pull
- Single-Arm Cable Row
- Cable Reverse Fly
- High Cable Row
- Cable Y-Raise
1. Seated Cable Row, Wide Grip
Benefits of the Wide-Grip Seated Cable Row
If I could only keep one mid-back exercise, this would be it. A wide bar sends your elbows out to the sides instead of tucked in, and that shifts the work off your lats and onto your rhomboids, middle traps and rear delts. It’s also the one exercise here where you can load heavy and stay strict.
- A wide grip with flared elbows puts more of the pull on your rhomboids and middle traps than a close-grip row does.
- The seat and chest position take your lower back mostly out of the exercise, so the weight goes where you want it.
- You can load it heavier than anything else on this list, which makes progression easy to track.
How to Perform the Wide-Grip Seated Cable Row
- Attach a wide bar to a low pulley and sit with your feet on the platform and your knees slightly bent.
- Grab the bar with an overhand grip a few inches wider than shoulder width and sit up tall.
- Pull the bar to your lower chest, driving your elbows out and back at roughly a 45 degree angle from your torso.
- Pause for a second with your shoulder blades squeezed together.
- Let the bar return until your arms are straight, and let your shoulder blades spread apart at the end.
Equipment: cable row station, wide bar attachment.
This video from Live Lean TV Daily Exercises shows how to perform the wide-grip seated cable row.
For more row options beyond this one, see our cable row alternatives guide.
2. Cable Face Pull
Benefits of the Cable Face Pull
Face pulls get called a shoulder exercise a lot, but I program them for the upper back. Pulled properly toward your face with your hands splitting apart, they train your middle traps and rhomboids right alongside your rear delts. I do them nearly every week, usually as a warm-up or a finisher.
- Hits your rear delts, middle traps and rhomboids in one exercise.
- Light weight works fine, so it’s easy on your elbows and shoulders.
- Good for posture work if you spend your day hunched over a desk or a phone.
How to Perform the Cable Face Pull
- Attach a rope to a cable set around upper chest to eye height.
- Grab the rope with an overhand grip, thumbs toward you, and step back until your arms are straight and the cable is tight.
- Pull the rope toward your face, splitting the ends apart as your hands pass your ears.
- Finish with your elbows high and your shoulder blades squeezed together.
- Return under control without letting your shoulders roll forward.
Equipment: cable machine, rope attachment.
This video from Horton Barbell shows how to perform the cable face pull.
If you want the face pull to lean more toward your traps, see our cable trap exercises roundup.
3. Single-Arm Cable Row
Benefits of the Single-Arm Cable Row
This is where I fix left-to-right differences in my mid-back. One arm at a time also lets your shoulder blade move through its full range, which a fixed bar doesn’t allow. I’ll put this after a heavy bilateral row, not in place of it.
- Trains each side separately, so your stronger arm can’t carry the weaker one.
- Your shoulder blade glides freely, so you get a longer stretch and a harder squeeze at the end.
- Easy to adjust the handle height and the angle of pull.
How to Perform the Single-Arm Cable Row
- Attach a single D-handle to a low pulley and sit at the row station with your feet braced.
- Grab the handle with one hand and sit tall, arm extended.
- Pull the handle back toward your side, leading with your elbow and keeping it close to your ribs.
- Squeeze your shoulder blade toward your spine at the finish.
- Extend your arm back out under control, then finish your reps and switch sides.
Equipment: cable row station, single D-handle attachment.
This video from Live Lean TV Daily Exercises shows how to perform the single-arm seated cable row.
This pull also hits your lats hard, and our cable lat exercises roundup covers more ways to train them.
4. Cable Reverse Fly
Benefits of the Cable Reverse Fly
The cable reverse fly with crossed handles is my preferred rear delt and mid-back isolation exercise. Cables keep tension on the muscle at the start of the rep, where a dumbbell reverse fly gives you almost nothing. Go lighter than your ego wants, because heavy weight turns this into a sloppy row.
- Constant tension through the whole range, including the stretched position.
- Trains your rear delts, rhomboids and middle traps with very little help from your lats.
- Light loads are enough, which keeps your joints happy.
How to Perform the Cable Reverse Fly
- Set both pulleys to about shoulder height and grab the opposite handle in each hand, so the cables cross in front of you.
- Step back with a slight bend in your elbows and your arms out in front of you.
- Pull your hands out and apart in a wide arc until your arms are in line with your shoulders.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the end of the rep.
- Bring your hands back across under control without letting the weight stack touch down.
Equipment: dual cable machine, two single handle attachments.
This video from Live Lean TV Daily Exercises shows how to perform the reverse cable crossover.
Our reverse fly alternatives guide has more ways to train the same muscles, and the cable rear delt exercises roundup goes deeper on the rear delts.
5. High Cable Row
Benefits of the High Cable Row
Raising the pulley changes the line of pull so your elbows travel up and back, which is straight through the middle traps and rhomboids. I like it when low rows start to feel like a lat exercise. It also takes your lower back out of the picture entirely.
- The high-to-low line of pull lines up with your middle trap fibers.
- Done standing or kneeling, so there’s no seat to lean on for momentum.
- Lighter weights are enough, so you can do higher reps without grip trouble.
How to Perform the High Cable Row
- Adjust a pulley at about head height and attach a rope or a pair of handles.
- Stand facing the machine with your feet staggered and your arms extended.
- Pull toward your upper chest or face, driving your elbows back and slightly out.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for a second.
- Return slowly until your arms are straight.
Equipment: cable machine, high pulley, rope or handle attachment.
This video from SET FOR SET shows how to perform the cable high row.
6. Cable Y-Raise
Benefits of the Cable Y-Raise
This is the lower trap and scapular control exercise on the list, and it’s the one with the least overlap with a row. Your arms sweep up into a Y shape while your shoulder blades rotate upward and back. I use it as a finisher or a warm-up, and I keep the weight light every time.
- Trains the lower and middle traps, which rows barely touch.
- Teaches your shoulder blades to rotate upward and stay down, which helps overhead pressing.
- Very light weight is plenty, so it’s easy on your shoulders.
How to Perform the Cable Y-Raise
- Set two low pulleys, grab the opposite handles and let the cables cross in front of you.
- Step back, hinge slightly at the hips and keep your arms nearly straight with a small bend in the elbows.
- Raise your arms up and out into a Y shape, with thumbs pointing toward the ceiling.
- Pause at the top with your shoulder blades pulled down and back.
- Lower under control without shrugging.
Equipment: dual cable machine, two single handle attachments.
This video from Testosterone Nation shows how to perform the cable Y-raise.
Cable-Only Mid-Back Workout
Here’s a mid-back session built entirely from the exercises above. It starts with the heaviest row, adds a unilateral pull, then finishes with lighter isolation exercises for your rear delts and traps. Rest 2 minutes after the wide-grip row and about 60 to 90 seconds on everything else.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Seated Cable Row, Wide Grip | 4 | 8-10 |
| Single-Arm Cable Row | 3 | 10-12 per side |
| High Cable Row | 3 | 12-15 |
| Cable Face Pull | 3 | 15-20 |
| Cable Reverse Fly | 3 | 15-20 |
Run this one or two days per week. If you only have one back day, keep the wide-grip row at 4 sets and drop the others to 2. The Y-raise isn’t in the table, but it works well as a 2 set warm-up before any pressing day.
Add a rep or a little weight to the wide-grip row every week or two. On the face pull and reverse fly, add reps first. Those two exercises get sloppy fast once the weight climbs, and a sloppy rep is just a shrug.
Mid-Back Anatomy
Your rhomboids are two thin muscles, the rhomboid major and minor, that run from your spine to the inner edge of each shoulder blade. They pull your shoulder blades together and up. Your trapezius is a much bigger diamond-shaped muscle that covers your upper back, and its middle fibers pull your shoulder blades straight back toward your spine. The rhomboids and trapezius pages at Kenhub have detailed diagrams if you want to see exactly where each muscle attaches.
The lower fibers of your trapezius pull your shoulder blades down, and the upper fibers lift them. That’s why the Y-raise and the face pull both belong here. Your rear delts and lats help on almost every pull too, so none of these exercises isolate your mid back completely. The wider your elbows flare, the more the work shifts toward your rhomboids and middle traps. The closer your elbows stay to your body, the more it shifts toward your lats.
For lifters, this area matters more than it looks. A strong mid back holds your shoulder blades in place under a heavy squat bar and keeps your upper back from rounding on a deadlift. It’s also a big part of a stable bench press setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I train my mid back?
Twice a week works well for most people. Mid-back muscles recover quickly and respond to frequent, moderate volume. If you already row or do face pulls in other sessions, once a week of dedicated work is probably enough.
What rep range is best for the mid back?
8 to 12 reps for the heavy rows, and 15 to 20 for the face pull and reverse fly. The small muscles on the isolation exercises don’t tolerate heavy loads well, and higher reps keep you from swinging the weight.
Can you build your mid back with only cables?
Yes. The wide-grip row, a single-arm row and a high row cover heavy loading, unilateral work and a different angle of pull. Add the face pull and reverse fly for the smaller muscles and you have everything you’d get from a barbell row and dumbbells.
What’s the difference between a mid-back row and a lat row?
Elbow position and pulley height. Elbows flared wide, pulling toward your upper chest, puts more work on your rhomboids and middle traps. Elbows tucked tight, pulling toward your hips, puts more work on your lats. For the lat version, see our cable lat exercises roundup.
Why can’t I feel my mid back on rows?
Most often your arms and lats are doing the pulling. Start each rep by pulling your shoulder blades back first, then bend your elbows. Go lighter than usual for a few weeks, and use a one second pause at the finish.
Should I do mid-back work before or after my main lifts?
After, unless your upper back is a weak point. Rows and face pulls fatigue the same muscles that hold your position under a squat or deadlift, so I do the heavy lifts first. Face pulls and Y-raises are light enough that they also work as a warm-up before a bench or squat session, as long as you stop well short of fatigue.
What do I do if my gym only has one cable column?
Everything here except the cable reverse fly and the Y-raise works on a single column. For those two, use one arm at a time and cross your body, or swap in a dumbbell reverse fly. The single-arm row, face pull and high row all need just one pulley.
Are face pulls good for your mid back?
Yes, when you pull to your face and finish with your hands apart and your elbows high. Pulling straight back toward your chest turns it into a regular row. I keep the weight light enough that I can hold the finish for a full second.
Final Thoughts
If I could only pick two, I’d run the wide-grip seated cable row and the face pull. The row builds the heavy base. The face pull covers the smaller muscles that the row misses. Add a single-arm row when you notice one side lagging, and use the high row when your low rows start feeling like a lat exercise.
My most common correction on all of these is the same one: stop shrugging. When your shoulders creep up toward your ears, your upper traps take over and your mid back goes along for the ride. Pull your shoulder blades down and back before each rep, and film a set from the side every few weeks to check.
A rough order of priority, if you build your own session: one heavy row first, one unilateral pull second, then one or two light isolation exercises. Three or four exercises is plenty. With more than four exercises you start grinding out sloppy reps on small muscles, which does more for your elbows and neck than your mid back.
References
Other Muscle Groups Exercises
If you enjoyed this post, check out our other collections of the best exercises for each muscle group below.
