What exercice should I do to feel the rest of my back?#1525

Hi, since I don’t have access to a pullup bar anywhere and can’t improvize with the objects around, i got myself a dumbbell and decided to do one dumbbell bent over row and after some mind-muscle connection and feeling the form and stuff…my lats are being activated correctly. However the rest of my back primarily the upper back isn’t activated and i wonder if this will be a problem? And will doing bent over rows kinda prepare me for pullups? I know they won’t exactly prepare me for the movement (grip strength..etc), but will they acquire me with the appropriate strength to try pullups?
And what exercice do you recommend for my upper back and if you can guide me, are there anymore exercices that i need to do in order to prepare for pullups (someday)?
Thank you :))

Heya! Chrys here, one of the trainers at Hybrid! Bent-over rows are a solid choice for building pulling strength, especially since you don’t have a pull-up bar. They’ll definitely help with lat activation and overall back strength, but they won’t fully prepare you for pull-ups since they don’t train vertical pulling or grip endurance in the same way.

To hit more of your upper back, try reverse flys, face pulls (if you have bands), or even shrugs to target traps and rear delts. If you can get a heavier dumbbell, seal rows (chest-supported on a bench) are another good option.

For pull-up prep, work on dead hangs (if you can find something to hang from) to build grip strength, and if possible, do inverted rows under a sturdy table—they mimic the pulling movement better. If those aren’t options, dumbbell high pulls or upright rows can help build some pulling power until you get access to a bar.

Hey Chrys, thanks for the quick response! Alright then, I’ll defo add shrugs and/or australian pullups. Do you think it’s safe to do them with 2 wooden chairs and one vacuum cleaner pipe on top of them?
I’m 6’1 and weigh 190lbs.
And as for dead hangs, what should my goal be, like how long should I last and for how many sets? Thanks once more 👍

That setup with the chairs and vacuum pipe sounds kind of sketchy. At 6’1” and 190 lbs, I wouldn’t trust a vacuum cleaner pipe to hold me up. If you’re gonna try it, make 100% sure it’s sturdy, and maybe put some padding underneath just in case. Safer alternatives could be rings or a sturdy bar across a doorway if you can find one.

For dead hangs, shoot for at least 30-45 seconds per set as a solid starting goal. If you’re under 20 seconds, build up with 3-5 sets, increasing time each week. Once you hit a comfortable minute-long hold, you’ve got a decent grip foundation. If you can’t hang yet, do wrist curls, farmer’s carries, or even towel hangs to build up that grip strength.

Okay gotcha! Thank you!