12 Rhomboid Exercises To Develop A Strong Upper Back

Let's begin the list with rear delt flys, one of the best rhomboid muscle exercises that helps improve our posture. It is simple and works well in both seated and standing positions.

Using a dumbbell, the fly motion stretches the upper back muscles effectively, especially rhomboids. With consistent practice, this exercise may significantly improve our back aesthetics.

Steps To Do It:

• Get seated on a flat bench with feet planted firmly on the floor.
• Carry one dumbbell in each hand, then place them at your sides.
• Keeping the spine neutral, hinge at the hips, and lean your upper body forward.
• Squeeze the scapula (shoulder blades) and lift the dumbbells in wide arching motion.
• You can slightly bend your elbows during the lift-off as well.
• Raise until the arms reach your shoulder level. The body must be shaped in a T form.
• Bring dumbbells down to the starting pose and repeat the process for 10 to 12 reps.

This exercise involves simple movements but is highly effective for strengthening your shoulder muscles, as well as your rhomboids and trapezius. Scapular retractions can also offer quick relief from shoulder or upper back pain.

Moreover, this exercise is also known to promote a better posture in individuals. So, practice them daily to get a wide range of benefits.

Steps To Do It:

• To do this exercise, begin by getting seated on a comfortable chair. You can also do it through standing if you want a quick workout.
• You must maintain a healthy posture: a straight back, neck long, and core engaged.
• While keeping this healthy posture, start pulling the scapula back and down at the same time.
• Once the shoulder blades are in the required position, hold it for a few seconds.
• Then, relax the shoulder blades. Continue this move for 7 to 10 reps.

Do you want to move like a bear while giving your rhomboids a solid workout? Bear Crawl is the perfect choice for you. This exercise does not just target your rhomboids - it also hits your hamstrings, quads, core, chest, and glutes.

Steps To Do It:

• Sit down on all fours, with knees under the hips and hands under the shoulders.
• Now, raise your hips slightly off the ground.
• Maintain a straight back and squeeze your scapula.
• Move the left hand forward while also bringing your right knee forward.
• Then, perform the same process for the right hand and left knee.
• Continue crawling for 5 steps. Then return back to the initial position by reversing the movement.
• Practice the Bear Crawl exercise for a few minutes.

Perfect for your pull day exercise routine, the inverted row is a beginner-friendly alternative to the vertical pull ups. Inverted rows are also known as Australian pull ups.

This bodyweight exercise targets the rhomboid muscles and enhances scapular retraction, ultimately helping to stabilize your shoulder joints.

Steps To Do It:

• Set up a barbell on a squat or power rack at a certain height where the arms are fully extended when gripping the bar from underneath.
• Keep the back straight during the entire exercise process.
• Engage your core and begin lifting yourself towards the bar.
• Pull your body up till the chest nearly touches the metal bar.
• Then, slowly and steadily lower yourself back down. Once you're back to the starting pose, repeat the motion for next rep.
• Continue practicing this exercise for desired number of reps.

This exercise just needs a stretchable band, and we can easily do it at home. By working with the band's resistance, we can effectively target our rhomboid muscles.

It works great as both a warm-up and a finisher for our workout routine. Moreover, it doesn’t take much energy, so we can knock out multiple reps without dripping much sweat.

Steps To Do It:

• Hold a quality, stretchable band with a double-overhand grip.
• Place the arms at a shoulder width distance. The arms must be fully extended in front of you.
• Start pulling the band, extending your arms to the side.
• Once the band touches the chest, bring them back to the original pose.
• Repeat the movement for desired number of reps.

This is another great rhomboid workout on this list. While doing this exercise, remember to avoid bending your knees much, and the back should not be arched as well.

If you are up for some challenge, you could try a one-legged version or do it with weights like a dumbbell or kettlebell.

Steps To Do It:

• Lean the upper body and glutes against a wall in your home.
• The feet should be placed shoulder width apart, with a slight bend in the knees to help prevent locking the legs.
• Extend both arms overhead with a perpendicular bend in the elbows.
• The palms should be facing away from the wall.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together, then slide the arms down to shoulder height.
• It’s important to keep the back, palms, and elbows pressed against the wall throughout the entire movement.
• Once the arms are at shoulder height, hold here for a few seconds. 
• Then, raise them to the initial position. Continue this process for 10 to 12 reps.

Seated cable rows are all about retracting the shoulder blades while pulling the cable handle, which the rhomboid muscles are great at. By constantly pulling the handle, we are effectively training this upper back muscle, strengthening and toning it.

Avoid rounding your back during pulling motions, as it can put unnecessary strain on your muscles. Also, hold at the top of the movement to get a deeper stretch.

Steps To Do It:

• Get seated on a flat bench near the cable machine.
• Set the height of the cable pulley to your abdominal / chest height.
• Grab the handle with a firm grip. The starting position must have your hands fully extended.
• Take a deep breath, engage the core, and start pulling the handle towards you.
• The rowing motion should be maintained till it nearly touches the chest.
• Hold at the end of the pull for 1 to 2 seconds to get more stretch in your rhomboids.
• Continue practicing for 7 to 10 reps.

Among the most effective exercises for rhomboid is the bent-over dumbbell row, which targets rhomboid muscles through its continuous retraction of the scapula as we pull dumbbells toward our torso.

To improve our workout even more, we should concentrate on rowing dumbbells through the elbows, instead of using our arms.

Steps To Do It:

• Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand. The feet should be placed hip width apart.
• Hinge at the hips and bend the upper body, keeping your arms straight and in front of you.
• Engage the core, and pull the dumbbells towards your body. 
• The elbows need to be close to the ribcage while pulling the weights. Maintain a flat back throughout the exercise process.
• Squeeze shoulder blades together at the top, then return the dumbbells to the starting pose.
• Perform this activity for desired number of reps.

This workout is a variation of the traditional T bar row and is done in an inclined position. Using a wide grip will help to target the rhomboid muscles effectively.

To do this exercise, gyms usually have a specific machine that features the landmine attachment, barbell bar, and a good handlebar.

Steps To Do It:

• Place your chest on the supporting pad in an inclined position.
• Grip the handlebars firmly, with your feet placed securely on the foot-resting platform.
• Make sure to adjust the height of the bench so that your arms are straight when gripping the handlebars.
• Now, start pulling the handlebars towards your chest, bending the elbows in the process.
• Continue pulling until the weight touches the supporting pad.
• Lower the handles back to the starting position. Repeat for 10 reps.

Doing a reverse fly with the cable handle helps keep constant tension on your muscles throughout the movement, which is one of the biggest perks of using a cable machine.

The motion involved in reverse flys helps our shoulder blades come together, activating the rhomboid muscles. It is also great for engaging the rear delts and trapezius muscles.

Steps To Do It:

• Set the cable height above your head, but not too high.
• Grab the right handle with the left hand, while the left handle will be held by the right hand.
• Extend your arms forward, bringing both handles together to form your starting position. 
• Now, pull the handles with your hands to create an X shape.
• Engage your shoulder blades during the pulling action.
• Continue the pull until your arms form a T-like appearance.
• Bring the handles back to the starting pose and practice for 7 to 10 reps.

While doing this cable exercise, do not use heavier weights as it could overcompensate the pulling movement by rounding your back. This can distract the engagement to the targeted muscles and raise the risk of back injuries.

Face pulls are also fantastic for improving posture and keeping the rotator cuff muscles healthy and strong.

Steps To Do It:

• Start by standing near the cable machine, facing the pulley.
• Set the cable height to slightly above your head.
• Grab the rope handle firmly with both hands. Place the arms in front of you, fully straightened out.
• Next, pull the rope handle towards your face with controlled motions.
• Once the handle reaches near your face, hold the pull for a few seconds to feel a good stretch in the rhomboids.
• Then, gently release the rope handle back to the initial position.
• Do this activity for 10 to 12 reps.

Prone Y raise is another low-impact move to strengthen our rhomboid muscles. They're unique on this list since they are done lying flat on the floor. This exercise doesn’t require complex equipment - just a small space and a trusty mat will do the trick.

Steps To Do It:

• Lie down on the ground on your stomach.
• Keep your feet at hip width distance and the hands outstretched forward.
• The arms must be placed overhead at 45-degree angle. Also, put the thumbs up.
• Slowly lift your arms up. This results in the formation of Y shape.
• Remember to avoid lifting your head or chest while doing this workout.

1. Poor Body Posture

A bad posture can be the first mistake we could make when practicing these aforementioned exercises. An arched or rounded back will only increase the risk of strain or overcompensate the engagement of the targeted muscles with other body parts.

2. Lack Of Warm-Up And Cool-Down Routine

Warm ups and cool down exercises can totally help our body to adjust to heavier workout sessions. A good warm up can improve the blood flow to the targeted muscles, making the workout session more productive.

3. Overstretching The Muscles

Perform the rhomboid workouts gently with controlled momentum. We may be tempted to ramp up the intensity for the sake of increased muscle stretch, but it could lead to overstretching of the muscles. This would only lead to injuries and fatigue.

Sometimes, when we exercise our upper back, we may face several problems that may warrant a doctor’s visit. Feeling a sudden, sharp pain could be harmful to your health. If the pain / discomfort still persists after few hours, it may be time to visit a health professional.

Underlying health conditions like diabetes, arthritis, and other diseases could put your body at risk when trying out new (and high-impact) exercises. Hence, when you desire to strengthen your rhomboids, visit a doctor to see if you can incorporate them into your weekly routine.

Do not ignore any pain you feel during or post-workout sessions. The affected area might swell, which can cause bigger issues later on. Get it checked out by a health professional immediately to stay on the safe side.

Disclaimer: The content presented in this article is only intended to be used for information purposes. It should not be taken as a form of medical / clinical advice.