Workout of the week: 30-min back strength workout

10th November 2025

ALL LEVELS / back strength workout / 30 minutes

Equipment: Seated row machine, lat pull-down machine, low row machine, cable machine & lower back bench

When you pictured life in your thirties, you probably envisioned career successes, dream trips, or perhaps even running a marathon. What you didn’t expect was something most people don’t anticipate until their seventies: nagging back pain.

One of the main reasons? A weak back from a lack of proper strength training. Building back strength doesn’t just help you avoid discomfort; it improves posture, protects your spine, and boosts overall stability.

That’s why we’ve put together this back strength workout. It includes 5 exercises, performed for 12 reps each, across 4 sets, with 1 minute of rest between rounds. All in, this workout should take you about 30 minutes to complete.

Seated cable row
Lat pull-down
Low row
Cable face pull
Hyperextensions

Let’s strengthen that back!

WORKOUT SETUP

5 exercises
12 reps each exercise
4 sets
1-min rest between rounds
30 minutes
Equipment: Seated row machine, lat pull-down machine, low row machine, cable machine & lower back bench

WORKOUT EXERCISE LIST

4 sets

1 – SEATED CABLE ROW

12 reps

Sit at the cable row machine with your feet firmly on the platform and knees slightly bent.
Grab the handle with both hands and sit upright, keeping your back straight and chest lifted.
Pull the handle toward your torso, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Pause briefly, then slowly extend your arms to return to the starting position, maintaining control throughout.

2 – LAT PULL-DOWN

12 reps

Adjust the pad on your legs to reduce the movement.
Grasp the bar above your head with a wide grip. Keep looking forward with your torso upright.
Engage your shoulder blades, then pull the bar down in front of you at upper chest level.
Squeeze your lats at the bottom of the move and avoid leaning back too much to facilitate the movement.
Slowly return up and repeat.

3 – LOW ROW

12 reps

Sit on the low row machine with your chest supported against the pad and feet planted firmly.
Grab the handles with a neutral grip, keeping your spine straight and shoulders pulled back.
Pull the handles toward your torso, focusing on driving your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Pause briefly, then slowly extend your arms to return to the starting position under control.

4 – CABLE FACE PULL

12 reps

Set the cable machine at upper-chest height and attach a rope handle.
Grab the rope with both hands, palms facing in, and step back slightly to create tension.
Pull the rope toward your face, leading with your elbows and flaring them out wide.
Squeeze your upper back and rear delts at the end of the movement.
Slowly extend your arms back to the starting position.

5 – HYPEREXTENSIONS

12 reps

Lie face down on the bench, tucking your ankles under the footpads. With your body straight, interlace your fingers behind your head.
Bend forward slowly as far as you can while keeping your back flat. Keep moving forward until you feel your hamstrings stretch.
Slowly raise your torso back to the initial position.
Repeat.