Elbows Back
A beginner isolation movement that trains the chest.
Force Type
Static
direction of effort
Difficulty
Beginner
training level
Variations
0
equipment swaps
Muscles
2
primary + secondary
The verdict
Elbows Back has 3-step instructions, documented with fewer steps than most of the 84 chest exercises PlainExercise catalogues.
Ranked against the 84 chest exercises PlainExercise currently catalogues, not the full exercise-science literature.
Catalog lens
Two ways this record sits in the source corpus
These are placement measures for the documented record, not a score for exercise quality, safety, or suitability.
Instruction steps
#657 of 868
Lighter documentation than most
Numbered source steps, ranked across every documented exercise.
Instruction text
#858 of 868
Lighter documentation than most
A separate character-length placement prevents step count from standing in for explanatory detail.
Elbows Back vs every catalogued exercise by instruction-text length
Where this record's instruction-character count sits among all 873 Free Exercise DB exercises with instructions, not a rating of the movement itself.
170 858th of 873 higher than 15 of 873 exercises
All exercises, banded by instruction-text character count
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more exercises. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source Free Exercise DB · 2026-07-10
Elbows Back is documented from the Free Exercise DB (CC0) extract, last ingested July 2026. Classification, muscle roles and instruction text are source facts; the placement and cohort measures on this page are computed by PlainExercise and are not a rating of the movement.
What the Elbows Back Data Reveals · THIN · STATIC/ISOLATION
Elbows Back stands out on force direction, the first filter on this record.
A short step list is a thin upstream record, so taxonomy badges carry most of the page identity.
Context matters: taxonomy (level, mechanic, force, musculature, equipment) does not account for individual biomechanics, joint history, or recovery. Common-mistake framing below is derived from classification fields, not case-specific coaching. Not medical or personal-training advice. Consult a physician or certified trainer before starting, especially with injuries, cardiovascular conditions, recent surgery, or pregnancy.
Elbows Back catalog footprint
Among 84 exercises whose primary muscle is chest, Elbows Back ranks #34 by catalogued variation count. The upstream file attaches 2 images to this slug. See the step-count ranking for chest for peer documentation depth.
Muscles worked
The Free Exercise DB classifies each muscle as primary or secondary. It does not measure activation, so we show involvement, not percentages.
Source: Free Exercise DB primary/secondary muscle classification. Actual recruitment varies by load and form.
Intensity context
For reference, here is where common activities sit on the MET intensity scale. Elbows Back does not have a measured MET in the source data, its intensity depends on the load and effort you use. Estimate calories for any activity with the calorie calculator.
MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al., 2011). A general reference scale, not a rating of this specific movement.
How to do it
- Stand up straight.
- Place both hands on your lower back, fingers pointing downward and elbows out.
- Then gently pull your elbows back aiming to touch them together.
Common mistakes
- Rushing through reps before the pattern is grooved - at this stage, a slow, controlled tempo (2-3s down, 1-2s up) on Elbows Back teaches the nervous system the movement far faster than speed does.
- Cutting the range of motion short - moving the chest through its full safe range on Elbows Back is what most reliably separates effective reps from wasted ones.
- Using momentum instead of muscle, isolation movements like Elbows Back reward strict form. If you're swinging the weight, it's too heavy.
- Loading before grooving the pattern, practice the movement with light resistance until the path feels automatic, then add load.
- Breathing out of sync with the lift, brace and inhale during the lowering phase, exhale on the exertion.
Who this is for
- People new to resistance training who want to build a foundation in the movement pattern
- People who want to train the Chest and secondarily shoulders
- People training at home without equipment
Who this is NOT for
- People hunting equipment swaps, this record has none to offer; browse the peer chest exercises for alternate patterns instead.
- Anyone with acute pain in the joints or muscles involved, pain is a stop signal, not a soreness signal
- People with unresolved injuries in the loaded joints, seek clearance from a physical therapist first
- Anyone with a recent surgery, cardiovascular limitation, or pregnancy complication without physician clearance
Progression path
Once Elbows Back feels comfortable with your current load, progress by (a) adding reps until you can complete 12+ per set, (b) increasing resistance by 2.5-5%, (c) moving to harder variations such as single-limb or longer lever versions, and eventually (d) stepping up to intermediate-level movements that train the same muscle.
See the Progression guide for a full framework on when to advance, and the Compound vs Isolation guide to decide when to prioritize this movement in your program.
Safety notes · BODYONLY · STATIC/ISOLATION · FLOOR
- On STATIC/ISOLATION chest work, warm up 5–10 minutes before loading Elbows Back; keep first sets light until the path feels automatic.
- Sharp or joint pain is a stop signal. Muscle soreness during sets is normal; pain is not.
- Beginners on BODYONLY gear: cut volume before cutting form, drop a set rather than rush reps.
- General information only. Consult a physician or certified trainer before starting any new exercise program.
Curated workout appearances
Elbows Back is not currently featured in one of the 186 curated workout routines on this site.
Nationwide exercises with similar documentation depth
Two Free Exercise DB peer sets for Elbows Back, drawn across all muscles (not the chest-only related list below). Each metric produces a different neighborhood.
Similar instruction step count
Nearest catalog records by numbered steps.
Similar instruction text length
Nearest catalog records by upstream instruction characters.
Related exercises
Other exercises that target the Chest.
See all Chest exercises.
Using the elbows back
Three ways to put it to work.
- Train the chest 2–3 times a week with 48+ hours between hard sets; pair this with other chest movements for balanced development. All chest exercises
- Match the load and rep range to your goal, strength, size, or endurance each call for a different scheme. Strength vs hypertrophy
- As an isolation movement, use it to target the chest directly after your compound lifts. Compound vs isolation
Form before load. If a movement causes sharp or joint pain, stop and substitute a safer alternative, this is general information, not medical or training advice.