10 Functional Trainer Back Exercises for a Stronger Back

What Makes Back Exercises with Functional Trainer Great 

Want a stronger back without relying on heavy barbells or complicated machines? Or maybe you’re looking for a way to target your lats, traps, and rear delts using just one piece of equipment?

Functional trainer back exercises might be exactly what your routine is missing. These cable-based movements provide constant tension and a full range of motion—making them one of the best ways to build muscle safely and effectively. Here’s a quick list of 10 must-try back exercises on a functional trainer:

1. Single-Arm Cable Pulldown (Half-Kneeling)

2. Standing Straight-Arm Pulldown

3. Single-Arm Cable Row (Half-Kneeling)

4. Face Pull

5. Reverse Fly

6. Seated Cable Pullover

7. Bent-Over Row (Straight Bar)

8. Cable Pull-Through

9. Lat Pulldown

10. Pull-Up (Using Built-In Bar or Handles)

These moves help build a wide, strong back while reducing your risk of injury. Let’s take a closer look at the muscles they work, and then break each exercise down for proper form and maximum results. 

Muscles Worked by Cable Machine Back Exercises

Functional trainer back exercises are one of the best ways to target your upper and lower back using a single machine. These exercises apply constant tension, helping you activate the right muscles with greater control and a full range of motion. Here’s a breakdown of the muscle groups you’ll train:

• Latissimus Dorsi (Lats): These large, sweeping muscles run along the side of your body and are essential for a wide back and strong pulling power.

• Trapezius (Traps): The upper traps and lower traps stabilize your shoulders and support posture.

• Rhomboids: These muscles sitting between your shoulder blades are key for scapular retraction and mid-back development.

• Teres Major & Minor: These smaller muscles support the rotator cuff and help with shoulder stability. 

• Erector Spinae: A deep, multi-layered muscle group that handles spine stability and strengthens your lower back during hip-hinge and pulling movements [1].

By training these specific muscles with a functional trainer, you’re building a strong back that supports both your fitness goals and everyday movement. Now, let’s get into the 10 best functional trainer back exercises and how to perform each one with proper form.

10 Functional Trainer Back Exercises 

1. Single-Arm Cable Pulldown (Half-Kneeling)

Exercise: Single-Arm Cable Pulldown

Muscles Worked: Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, lower traps, rear deltoids

Why It’s Effective: This unilateral pulldown is a great exercise for isolating the lats while improving scapular control and addressing muscular imbalances. The half-kneeling position encourages a stable core and neutral spine, helping you engage the lats.

How to Do It Properly:

• Attach a single handle to the high pulley and kneel with your inside leg forward in a split stance.

• Position your torso tall and your shoulder blades retracted.

• Grab the handle with an overhand grip, fully extend your arm, and keep your elbow slightly bent.

• Pull toward your upper chest, keeping the motion controlled.

• At the bottom of the movement, squeeze your lat, then slowly return to your starting position.

2. Standing Straight-Arm Pulldown

Exercise: Straight-Arm Cable Pulldown

Muscles Worked: Latissimus dorsi, teres major, rear deltoids, triceps

Why It’s Effective: This is one of the best isolation exercises for targeting the lats without letting your biceps take over. The straight-arm pulldown creates constant tension through the full range of motion, helping you build a wide back and improve shoulder stability [2]. 

How to Do It Properly:

• Attach a straight bar or rope attachment to the high pulley.

• Stand upright with knees slightly bent, and reach your arms forward until they’re level with your shoulders.

• Use a neutral grip or overhand grip, depending on your personal preference.

• With your arms extended but relaxed, draw the bar downward in a smooth arc toward your thighs.

• Focus on pushing the movement with your lats, not your arms, and keep your shoulder blades down and back.

• Pause at the bottom of the movement, then slowly return to the starting position with control.

This great way to isolate your lats also engages your rear deltoids and rotator cuff muscles, making it a staple exercise in any functional trainer back cable workout.

3. Single-Arm Cable Row (Half-Kneeling)

Exercise: Half-Kneeling Single-Arm Cable Row

Muscles Worked: Rhomboids, latissimus dorsi, trapezius muscles, rear deltoids, erector spinae

Why It’s Effective: This variation of the cable row offers more than just upper back development—it also improves core engagement and balance. The half-kneeling position challenges your lower body and forces you to brace through your trunk, making it a great way to address muscle imbalances between your left and right sides.

How to Do It Properly:

• Attach a single D-handle to a low pulley.

• Get into a half-kneeling stance with the opposite leg forward, maintaining a tall, upright posture.

• Grab the handle with a neutral grip, keeping your arm fully extended and shoulder level.

• Row the handle toward your ribcage by pulling through your elbow, not your hand.

• Retract your shoulder blade as you pull, then squeeze your upper back muscles at the top of the movement.

• Return to the starting position slowly and repeat.

This excellent exercise is especially ideal for those looking to correct rotational weaknesses or develop a more stable spine. If you’re exploring Lesser-Known Exercises to Try With Functional Trainers, this one definitely deserves a spot on your list.

Photo credit: Eric Astrauskas, www.PTinTO.com, via Flickr. Used under CC BY 2.0. Image has been resized.

4. Face Pull

Exercise: Cable Face Pull
Muscles Worked: Rear deltoids, trapezius muscles, rhomboids, rotator cuff muscles
Why It’s Effective: The cable face pull is one of the best exercises for improving posture, protecting your shoulders, and developing the often-overlooked rear delts. If you’ve been stuck in a chest-heavy routine, this move helps balance your upper body and reduce the risk of injury. 

How to Do It Properly:

• Place a rope attachment on the high pulley of your functional trainer machine.

• With feet shoulder-width apart, grab the rope using a neutral grip (palms facing inward).

• Step back slightly so the weights lift, keeping a slight bend in your knees.

• Draw the rope toward your face, flaring your elbows out wide at shoulder height.

• Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement, then slowly return to the starting position.

5. Reverse Fly

Exercise: Cable Reverse Fly
Muscles Worked: Rear deltoids, rhomboids, trapezius muscles
Why It’s Effective: The reverse fly isolates the rear delts and mid-back, helping correct posture and balance out pressing-heavy routines. Unlike the bent-over dumbbell version, the cable variation provides constant tension throughout the entire movement, making it one of the best back exercises for shoulder health and stability. 

How to Do It Properly:

• Set both pulleys on your functional trainer to shoulder height and attach single handles.

• Stand centered between the pulleys and grab the left handle with your right hand and the right handle with your left.

• Step back with a slight bend in your knees, arms extended in front of you.
  With a controlled motion, pull the handles outward and back in a wide arc until your arms are in line with your shoulders.

• Squeeze your shoulder blades at the peak, then slowly return to the starting position.

6. Seated Cable Pullover

Exercise: Cable Pullover (Seated)
Muscles Worked: Latissimus dorsi, teres major, rear deltoids, triceps
Why It’s Effective: The seated cable pullover is an excellent exercise for isolating the lats through a greater range of motion. Unlike traditional dumbbell pullovers, the cable setup maintains constant tension on the lats from start to finish.

How to Do It Properly:

• Attach a rope or straight bar to the high pulley and sit on a bench or box in front of the machine.

• Lean slightly forward at the hips and grab the attachment with a neutral grip.

• Keep your arms extended, keeping your elbows slightly bent.

• Pull the handle down in an arc toward your hips, squeezing your lats throughout the motion.

• Pause at the bottom of the movement, then slowly return to the starting position.

7. Bent-Over Row (Straight Bar)

Exercise: Bent-Over Cable Row (Dual Stack, Straight Bar)

Muscles Worked: Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius, erector spinae, rear delts

Why It’s Effective: This compound exercise mimics the classic barbell row, but the cable setup allows for smoother resistance and better control. Using a straight bar connected to both stacks lets you row heavy while minimizing momentum. 

How to Do It Properly:

• Attach a straight bar to both pulleys at the lowest setting on your functional trainer machine.

• Stand over the bar, grab it with a wide grip or overhand grip, and hinge at the hips with a flat back.

• Keeping your knees slightly bent, brace your core.

• Pull the bar toward your lower ribs, driving through your elbows.

• Squeeze your shoulder blades at the peak, then lower slowly to the starting position.

This is a fantastic exercise for building upper-back thickness and reinforcing proper hip-hinge mechanics.

8. Cable Pull-Through

Exercise: Cable Pull-Through

Muscles Worked: Erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lower traps

Why It’s Effective: While often seen as a lower-body move, the cable pull-through is great for targeting the erector spinae and reinforcing proper hip-hinge mechanics. It trains you to maintain a neutral spine under load while strengthening your posterior chain.

How to Do It Properly:

• Attach a rope attachment to the low pulley and face away from the machine.

• Straddle the rope between your legs and take a few steps forward to create tension.

• Hinge at the hips with a flat back, pushing your glutes back as you keep your chest up.

• Drive through your hips to return to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement.

• Maintain a slight bend in your knees and keep the rope close to your body.

This excellent exercise strengthens the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings while reinforcing movement patterns you’ll use in other back cable workouts. 

9. Lat Pulldown

Exercise: Cable Lat Pulldown
Muscles Worked: Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, biceps, rear deltoids
Why It’s Effective: The lat pulldown is a staple exercise for building width through the lats and improving vertical pulling strength. This is one good reason why you need a functional trainer—you get more freedom in grip width and positioning, allowing you to hit your back from different angles.

How to Use It Properly:

• Attach a lat bar or rope attachment to the high pulley.

• Sit on a bench or kneel in front of the machine, bracing your lower body.

• Use a wide-grip or close-grip, based on your fitness goals and comfort.

• Pull the bar toward your upper chest, keeping your shoulder blades down and back.

• Squeeze your lats at the bottom of the movement, then return slowly to the starting position.

This move delivers better muscle activation than many machines due to its constant tension and adjustable angles. When comparing a Functional Trainer vs Lat Pulldown Machine, the functional trainer wins for versatility. It not only mimics the movement but also lets you transition into other back and arm exercises without switching equipment.

10. Pull-Up (Using Built-In Bar or Handles)

Exercise: Pull-Up
Muscles Worked: Latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, biceps, erector spinae
Why It’s Effective: The pull-up is one of the best back exercises for overall upper-body strength. Most functional trainers come equipped with pull-up bars or neutral grip handles across the top, making it easy to work vertical pulling into your routine. 

How to Use It Properly:

• Choose your grip: overhand, neutral, or wide grip, depending on your goal.

• Hang and let your arms extend fully while keeping your shoulder blades activated and stable.

• Lift yourself up until your chin rises above the bar at the top of the motion.

• Lower yourself slowly to the starting position, maintaining control and tension throughout.

If you can’t complete a full pull-up yet, use a resistance band or slow negatives to build strength over time. Adding pull-ups to your functional trainer back workouts is a simple yet powerful way to boost muscle mass, control, and overall strength.

How to Structure Back Exercises on a Functional Trainer

Building a strong, balanced back takes more than just picking the right exercises—it’s about putting them together in a way that matches your fitness goals and experience level. Here are different routines you might want to try based on your fitness level. 

Beginner Routine

Focus on stability, form, and muscle activation. Use lighter weight, shorter workouts, and simple movement patterns.

• Standing Straight-Arm Pulldown – 3 sets of 12

• Single-Arm Cable Row (Half-Kneeling) – 3 sets of 10 per side
  Face Pull – 3 sets of 15

• Lat Pulldown – 3 sets of 12

Intermediate Routine

Begin layering in compound exercises and unilateral work with more volume.

• Bent-Over Row (Straight Bar) – 4 sets of 8–10

• Seated Cable Pullover – 3 sets of 12

• Reverse Fly – 3 sets of 15

• Pull-Up – 3 sets to failure or band-assisted

Advanced Routine

Use heavier weight, full range of motion, and mix in both isolation exercises and multi-joint lifts.

• Single-Arm Cable Pulldown – 4 sets of 10 per side

• Cable Pull-Through – 4 sets of 12

• Reverse Fly – 4 sets of 15

• Bent-Over Row – 4 sets of 8

• Pull-Up – 4 sets to failure

You can rotate routines weekly or use a push/pull split depending on your schedule. And for full-body workouts using your functional trainer, refer to our other functional trainer guides:

• Functional Trainer Leg Exercises

• Functional Trainer Chest Exercises

• Functional Trainer Arm Exercises

BONUS: If you still want more moves like these, check these out:

• 7 Most Popular Functional Trainer Exercises

• Lesser Known Exercises to Try with Functional Trainers

Cable Back Exercises: Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even the best functional trainers won’t deliver results if your form is off or your programming is inconsistent. Whether you're new to functional training or a seasoned lifter switching from free weights, watch out for these common mistakes when using a functional trainer for back workouts:

Using too much momentum

This reduces muscle activation and increases the risk of injury—especially in exercises like the straight-arm pulldown or bent-over row. Focus on smooth, controlled reps to keep tension on the right muscles.

Failing to retract the shoulder blades

If you don’t actively pull your shoulder blades back during rows or pulldowns, .you won’t fully engage the rhomboids, traps, and rear delts. Make scapular control a priority to engage the full upper back.

Incorrect grip positioning

Using the wrong grip—whether too wide, too narrow, or overly pronated—can strain the wrist and elbow joints and limit your range of motion. Find your neutral position, experiment with a wide grip vs close grip, and don’t be afraid to switch between a rope attachment and straight bar based on the movement.

Ignoring progressive overload

Sticking with the same lighter weight for weeks won’t stimulate muscle growth. Track your reps and weight over time, and aim to increase resistance or reps weekly to build a strong back with long-term gains.

Overlooking movement quality

Using a cable machine for exercises like the face pull and reverse fly demands precision. Rushing through them can cause shoulder strain or leave out the posterior deltoids altogether. Focus on clean execution—especially at the top and bottom of the movement—to get the best results.

These simple corrections can transform a mediocre cable back workout into an effective, well-balanced training session.

FAQs About Back Exercises on Functional Trainer

How do I train my lower back using a functional trainer?

Cable pull-throughs and bent-over rows help strengthen your erector spinae while reinforcing proper hip hinge mechanics.

Can I build a strong back using only a functional trainer?

Yes—functional trainers offer enough variety, resistance, and control to build muscle mass and improve strength across the entire back.

Which grip is best for back exercises with a functional trainer?

Use a neutral grip for rows and pull-throughs, and a wide or overhand grip for pulldowns to hit different parts of your back.

Should I combine functional trainer exercises with free weights?

It’s optional. Functional trainer exercises can fully replace free weights or complement them based on your training style and goals. Many lifters pair compound cable movements with exercises like cable crossovers or dumbbell work to target specific muscle groups more effectively.

Functional Trainer Back Exercises: Conclusion

If you're serious about building a well-defined, strong back, these functional trainer back exercises should be part of your regular routine. From straight-arm pulldowns to single-arm cable rows, each movement delivers constant tension, full range of motion, and better muscle activation—all in a single machine.

Whether you're training for strength, size, or better posture, cable-based exercises make it easier to hit specific muscles like your latissimus dorsi, trapezius, and erector spinae with precision. Unlike traditional free weights, they also help correct muscular imbalances and reduce injury risks.

Ready to try these back exercises and simplify your home gym setup? Check out our premium functional trainers at Strength Warehouse USA—and see why more lifters are switching to this versatile, space-saving equipment for full-body results.

References: 

1. Bogduk, N. (1980, October 1). A reappraisal of the anatomy of the human lumbar erector spinae. Click to View this Referenced Article. 

2. Muyor, J. M., López-Miñarro, P. A., & Alacid, F. (2022). Comparison of Electromyographic Activity during Barbell Pullover and Straight Arm Pulldown Exercises. Applied Sciences, 12(21), 11138. Click to View this Referenced Article.