Bodybuilding veteran Lee Priest doesn’t shy away from mixing it up inside the gym. On July 8, 2025, via YouTube, Priest broke down his best barbell-only exercises for growing a massive back.
Lee Priest defied the odds throughout his bodybuilding tenure. Although he lacked stature, he made up for it with compact muscle density and bone-dry conditioning. He never won an Olympia title but demanded respect among his peers, with former four-time champion Jay Cutler deeming him the greatest bodybuilder of all time.
Priest recently renewed his IFBB Pro card, which led to speculation about a possible comeback. When asked about the prospect, he said he wouldn’t be able to return until the atrophy in his chest and triceps improves. Despite the issue, Priest is still keen on training regularly and often incorporates new exercises.
Lee Priest Discusses Which Barbell Exercises Are Best for Growing a Massive Back
If Priest had to choose, barbell rows, t-bar rows, partial deadlifts, and conventional deadlifts would make his list for the best barbell-only exercises.
“It could be barbell rows, it could be partial deadlifts, it could be deadlifts. Yeah, that’s all for your lats and back. It could be the t-bar. That’s on a barbell,” shared Priest. “There’s so many, I wouldn’t say there’s one best. With one barbell, I can do many exercises.”
He said lifters should keep an open mind at the gym, in case they find a new exercise they’d want to include in their routines.
“You could do one arm on the barbell with the t-bar,” he adds. “You can’t limit yourself by thinking this is all I can do or this is my favorite. You’ve got to think outside the box. Don’t put limitations on yourself people.”
“There are a lot of things you can do when you think about it. We just don’t think anymore. We go in the gym and go, I use that, I use that instead of going, wait a minute, I could use that for that.”
Priest has taken in lessons from bodybuilding legends. He recently unpacked how Tom Platz used to perform reps on the leg extension machine, helping lifters achieve a new level of quad definition.
Priest’s willingness to try new machines and exercises helped him become one of the greatest pros in the Men’s Open. With an open mind and desire to improve, he believes anyone can grow a bigger back in the gym using just a barbell.
RELATED: Lee Priest Explains How to Build Bigger Biceps in Your 50s
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