Planet Fitness Back Machines: The Ultimate Guide for Growth

Quick Answer

Every Back Machine at Planet Fitness

Seated Row Machine

The seated row machine is a pin-loaded staple for building thickness in the mid-back, rear shoulders, and biceps through a horizontal pulling motion.

1. Set the seat and chest pad so your chest rests against the pad while your arms can fully extend to reach the handles.
2. Select a moderate weight and plant your feet on the platforms provided.
3. Sit tall and pull the handles toward your torso, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the end of the movement.
4. Return slowly to a full arm extension, keeping tension on your back rather than letting the stack drop.

MTS Row Machine

The MTS row is a plate-loaded alternative to the standard seated row, with independently moving arms that follow a converging path as you pull, allowing a deeper contraction at the end of the movement than a fixed-bar row typically offers.

1. Load the machine with weight plates rather than a pin, starting lighter than you would on the pin-loaded version.
2. Set your chest against the pad and grip each handle independently.
3. Pull both handles back toward your torso, letting them converge and squeezing your back hard at the end range.
4. Extend forward slowly, feeling a full stretch across your upper back before starting the next rep.

Lat Pulldown Machine

The classic vertical-pulling machine, essential for building width across your upper back and one of the best substitutes for pull-ups if you’re not ready for the bodyweight version yet.

1. Secure your knees under the thigh pad and adjust it so your feet stay flat on the floor.
2. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width, palms facing away from you for a standard pulldown.
3. Pull the bar down toward your upper chest, leading with your elbows rather than your hands.
4. Control the return to a full stretch overhead instead of letting the bar snap back up.

MTS Front Pulldown Machine

This is the plate-loaded counterpart to the standard lat pulldown, with independent handles that follow a more natural arm path as you pull down and in, which some lifters find more comfortable on the shoulders than a fixed bar.

1. Load the plates and set the seat height so the handles start at full arm extension overhead.
2. Grip a handle in each hand and secure your legs under the pad.
3. Pull both handles down toward your chest, driving with your elbows and squeezing your lats at the bottom.
4. Extend back up slowly to a full stretch before the next rep.

Assisted Pull-Up Machine

If bodyweight pull-ups feel out of reach, this machine uses a counterweight system to support part of your body weight, making it one of the most useful tools in the gym for progressing toward your first real pull-up.

1. Select your assistance weight — a higher number on the stack gives you more help, not more resistance, so start higher and reduce it over time.
2. Kneel on the pad and grip the handles, using a palms-away grip for a standard pull-up or palms-toward-you for more bicep involvement.
3. Pull yourself up until your chin clears the handles, avoiding kicking or swinging for momentum.
4. Lower with control to a full arm extension before starting your next rep.

Back Extension Machine

Unlike the rest of the lineup, this machine trains the lower back directly through a hip-hinge motion, and it’s genuinely one of the more overlooked pieces of equipment for building a resilient lower back and improving deadlift-pattern strength.

1. Position your hips against the pad with your ankles secured under the rollers, and cross your arms over your chest to start bodyweight-only.
2. Hinge forward at the hips, lowering your torso with a flat back rather than rounding your spine.
3. Rise back up by squeezing your glutes and lower back until your body forms a straight line.
4. Add a weight plate held against your chest once bodyweight reps feel too easy.

A Simple Back Workout at Planet Fitness

Rest 45–60 seconds between sets, alternate between a pulldown-style and a row-style movement each session to hit your back from both angles, and finish with back extensions once your bigger pulling muscles are already warmed up.

Common Mistakes on Back Machines

• Pulling with your arms instead of your back on rows and pulldowns — lead with your elbows and think about squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Using momentum by leaning back excessively on rows or swinging on the assisted pull-up machine instead of controlling the rep.
• Not adjusting the seat properly, which changes your range of motion and can put unnecessary strain on your shoulders.
• Rounding your spine on the back extension machine instead of keeping it neutral throughout the hip hinge.
• Only training one pulling direction — rotating between horizontal rows and vertical pulldowns builds a more complete back than sticking to just one movement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore More Equipment Guides

For the full picture of pricing and membership tiers, see the Planet Fitness membership guide.