Arm circles, shoulder rolls, and shoulder dislocates with a resistance band to prepare shoulders.
Band pull-aparts and light rows to activate upper back muscles.
Warm-Up Sets for Back Exercises:
For pull-downs, perform two warm-up sets at about 50% of your working weight (around 15-20 reps) to get your back muscles primed.
Exercises and Execution:
Chest Work
Biceps Work
1. Straight Bar Cable Curls
Execution:
Complete 4 sets of 15 reps.
Form Cues: Stand upright, grip a straight bar attachment on a cable, and curl towards the shoulders. Keep elbows pinned at your sides and focus on a strong squeeze at the top. Avoid swinging or using shoulder momentum.
2. Dumbbell Curls
Execution:
Perform 4 sets of 12-15 reps, alternating arms.
Form Cues: Hold dumbbells at your sides, curl each arm up to shoulder level, ensuring a controlled motion. Focus on the contraction and keep the reps slow to engage the biceps fully.
3. Rope Hammer Curls
Execution:
Complete 4 sets of 15 reps.
Form Cues: Use a rope attachment on a cable machine. Curl with palms facing in (neutral grip) and focus on keeping elbows close to your torso. Emphasize squeezing at the top for peak contraction.
Rest Intervals
Between Sets: For back exercises, rest 2-3 minutes between sets, especially on heavy rows and pulldowns, to maximize strength output and maintain proper form.
For bicep exercises, rest 60-90 seconds to keep intensity and focus on muscle engagement without over-fatiguing.
Between Exercises: Rest 2-3 minutes between transitioning from back to biceps to allow your upper body muscles to recover.
Back Work
4. Wide Grip Pull Downs
Execution:
Start with two warm-up sets of 20 reps.
Perform 4 working sets of 12-15 reps, with the last two sets including a drop set to failure (reduce the weight by 20-30% and continue until failure).
Form Cues: Grip the bar wider than shoulder-width; pull down to the top of the chest, focusing on squeezing the lats at the bottom. Keep a slight arch in the back and avoid leaning back excessively to ensure full lat engagement.
5. Yates Rows (Underhand Grip Bent-Over Rows)
Execution:
Perform 4 sets of 10-12 reps with moderate-to-heavy weight.
Form Cues: Hold the bar with an underhand grip at shoulder width. Lean forward about 45 degrees, pull the bar towards your lower ribcage, and squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of each rep. Maintain a controlled tempo to avoid momentum.
6. Lawn Mower Pulls (Single-Arm Dumbbell Rows)
Execution:
Complete 4 sets of 10-12 reps, aiming to use heavy weight while maintaining strict form.
Form Cues: Place one knee and hand on a bench, hold the dumbbell in the opposite hand, and pull it towards your hip. Avoid rotating your torso and keep the motion controlled. Focus on squeezing your lats with each rep.
7. Close Grip Pull Downs (Neutral Grip)
Execution:
Perform 4 sets of 12-15 reps.
Form Cues: Use a close neutral grip attachment, pull down to your chest while keeping elbows close to your sides. Avoid using too much momentum, and engage the lower lats with each rep by focusing on contracting the back as you pull down.
8. Seated Wide Grip Cable Rows
Execution:
Perform 4 sets of 10-12 reps, using a challenging weight for a heavy pull.
Form Cues: Sit upright, pull the handle towards the lower chest, keeping elbows out wide. Control the release, and don’t allow the weight to pull you forward—maintain tension throughout the movement.
Post-Workout Cool Down:
Stretching (5-10 minutes): Perform static stretches for lats, traps, and biceps. Examples include lat stretches against a wall or overhead tricep stretches to target the biceps.
Foam Rolling: Foam roll the upper back and lats to improve blood flow and release any tightness post-workout.
Weekly Progression Tips:
Increase Weight Gradually: Aim to increase weight by about 5% weekly or add 1-2 reps for each set where you can do so without sacrificing form.
Track Your Progress: Log weights and reps to monitor strength gains over time. Progressive overload is essential for back and biceps growth.
Focus on Form Over Weight: With back exercises, focus on maintaining form, as it’s easy to use momentum. Use straps if grip becomes an issue, especially on heavier lifts.
Following these details will help you maintain intensity while ensuring good form and preventing overtraining.