Elevator

Beginner

Upper Back

Body Weight

Elevator pairs pure bodyweight leverage with pulling strength and back density — simple enough to learn in one session.

How to do Elevator

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
Place your hands on your hips or cross them in front of your chest.
Keeping your back straight, slowly bend forward at the waist, lowering your upper body towards the ground.
Pause for a moment at the bottom, then slowly raise your upper body back up to the starting position.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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Elevator Sets and Reps by Goal

Strength

3 sets of 6-8 hard reps with 2 minutes of rest. Add reps first, then slow the lowering phase.

Hypertrophy

3 sets of 10-15 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load.

Endurance

2-3 sets of 20-25 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Hold the end position for a beat once reps come easily.

Common Elevator Mistakes

Rushing reps so gravity does most of the work

Take two to three counts on the lowering phase of every rep.

Using body english to move weight the back cannot

Lock the torso angle and let only the arms travel.

Training every set to failure this early

Leave two or three reps in the tank and add sets instead.

Easier and Harder Than Elevator

Harder progression

Kettlebell Alternating Row

Swap Elevator For

Barbell Reverse Grip Incline Bench Row

Smith Narrow Row

Lever Reverse Grip Vertical Row

Elevator — Frequently Asked Questions

How do you do the Elevator?

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Place your hands on your hips or cross them in front of your chest. Keeping your back straight, slowly bend forward at the waist, lowering your upper body towards the ground. Use your bodyweight only and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.

What muscles does the Elevator work?

The Elevator primarily targets the upper back. It is classified as a back exercise and is performed with your bodyweight only.

How many sets and reps of the Elevator should I do?

For muscle growth: 3 sets of 10-15 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.

Is the Elevator good for beginners?

Yes. The Elevator is a beginner-level movement, so it is a reasonable place to start. Keep the load light enough that you can control every rep and stop 2-3 reps short of failure while you learn the pattern.

What can I do instead of the Elevator?

Try the Barbell Reverse Grip Incline Bench Row, Smith Narrow Row or the Lever Reverse Grip Vertical Row. Each trains the upper back with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.