The following details my primary back and biceps workout from this past Wednesday night at Kirkland Gold’s Gym. I trained alongside my bride and the workout was largely designed by my coach, John Meadows. John doesn’t train biceps with back, but as you know I prefer to finish off all primary and secondary back days with some biceps work. I modified a few of John’s back exercises to avoid exasperating my lower back. Here is the workout…
Chest Supported T-Bar Rows
John called for traditional T-Bar Rows, but I used the chest support to save my lower back. I normally don’t care for this exercise, but went a little lighter to ensure perfect form and got an awesome pump and contraction!
Set 1 x 12 reps with 45lbs added
Set 2 x 12 reps with 55lbs added
Set 3 x 12 reps with 65lbs added
Set 3 x 10 reps with 75lbs added
Set 4 x 8 reps with 85lbs added
Set 5 x 6 reps with 95lbs added
*I did these with lighter weight and very strict form. Hold the weight in the contracted position and flex your entire back for a 1 second count before lowering on every rep.
Here is a video:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nkh31WvRYac]
Machine Low Rows
I used a Life Fitness chest supported low row machine with a semi-supinate grip for this exercise – FYI.
Set 1 x 15 reps with 145lbs
Set 2 x 15 reps with 145lbs
Set 3 x 15 reps with 145lbs
Set 4 x 15 reps with 145lbs
*Higher reps here, but still hold the contraction for a split second and flex your lower lats. The final few reps on the 4th set should be very difficult.
Dumbbell Pullovers
Set 1 x 10 reps with 65lbs
Set 2 x 10 reps with 65lbs
Set 3 x 10 reps with 65lbs
Set 4 x 10 reps with 65lbs
*Lay on the bench vs across it and work the stretch with a slow eccentric.
Superset: Backward-and-Forward Lat Pulldowns
Backward Facing Pulldown (behind head) x 10 reps with 95lbs
Immediately followed by…
Forward Facing Pulldown (to chin) x 10 reps with 95lbs
*The key on the backward facing pulldowns is to almost round your back and bring your elbows straight down and hold the contraction briefly at the bottom of each rep. Immediately spin around and do forward facing pulldowns to your chin with a slight arch in your spine. Relax your scapulae and allow it to stretch at the top on each rep briefly in this position. Perform the superset for 3 rounds.
Here is a video:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11j-EQRmIKo]
Cable Rack Pull Style Pulley Rows
John called for traditional rack pulls, but they jack up my lower back so I did these instead – FYI. I attached a few carabiners to prevent excessive bending at the waist which are available here: https://www.elitefts.com/carabiner-4-pack.html.
Set 1 x 4 reps with 300lbs
Set 2 x 4 reps with 300lbs
Set 3 x 4 reps with 300lbs
Set 4 x 4 reps with 300lbs
Set 5 x 4 reps with 300lbs
Set 6 x 4 reps with 300lbs
Set 7 x 4 reps with 300lbs
*The key is to flex your lats, maintain a relatively neutral spine and pull the weight back as though you were doing a rack pull. Return with a slow eccentric, flexing your lats the entire time. Christina and I pretty much alternated non-stop until we’d done 7 sets of 4 reps each.
Here is a video from an older workout to show the form:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsYE5zFC3iY]
Seated (incline) Dumbbell Curls
Set 1 x 20 reps with 20lbs
Set 2 x 6 reps with 35lbs
Set 3 x 6 reps with 35lbs
Set 4 x 6 reps with 35lbs
Set 5 x 6 reps with 35lbs
*Allow your arms to hang with your palms in a neutral position at the bottom and supinate as you curl the weight up. Hold the contraction for a split second in the flexed position before lowering the weight back down. Start with one high rep set to get the blood flowing and then increase the weight and drop the reps. Don’t curls so far up that you engage your front delts – we are focusing on the biceps here!
Barbell Curls
Set 1 x 8 reps + 10 partials with 45lbs
Set 2 x 8 reps + 10 partials with 45lbs
*I finished off my biceps with a couple sets of barbell curls with little partial reps added to the end of each set.
That concluded this primary back and biceps workout.
Train hard!
Mark