Back and Bicep (Pull) Workout

What is a Pull Workout?

Pull exercises are those where the muscles contract and the weight is being pulled towards you. The primary muscles used in pull workouts includes the back, biceps, hamstrings, obliques and trapezius. Examples of pull exercises are lat pull down, back rows, deadlifts, leg curls, rear delt flys and bicep curls.

Benefits of Adding Push/Pull Workouts to Your Program

• Less time at the gym
• Ensures muscle balance
• Promotes injury prevention
• Increases muscle mass

Back and Bicep Workout

Swiss Ball Dumbbell Wide Row

4 - 5 Sets

10 - 12 Reps

EZ Bar Curls

4 - 5 Sets

10 - 12 Reps

Cable Straight Arm Pull Down

3 - 4 Set

10 - 15 Reps

Standing Bicep Curls

3 - 4 Sets

10 - 15 Reps

One Arm Bent Leg Cable Row

3 - 4 Sets

12 - 15 Reps 

Swiss Ball One Arm Preacher Curl

3 - 4 Sets

10 - 15 Reps

Swiss Ball Back Extensions

3 - 4 Sets

15 - 20 Reps with 10 Sec. Hold on Last Rep

Arms and Shoulder Workout

EZ Bar Curls

4 - 5 Sets

8 - 10 Reps

DB Shoulder Push Press

4 - 5 Sets

8 - 10 Reps

DB Lateal Tricep Extensions

4 - 5 Sets

8 - 10 Reps

Cable Bicep Curls

3 - 4 Sets

12 - 15 Reps

DB Seated Lateral Raises

3 - 4 Sets

10 - 12 Reps

Works the Triceps Too!

Close Grip BB Chest Press

3 - 4 Sets

10 - 12 Reps

Dumbbell Bicep Curl

2 - 4 Sets

12 - 15 Reps

Bent Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise

2 - 4 Sets

12 - 15 Reps

Close Grip (Tricep) Push-Up

2 - 4 Sets

Max Reps

Bicep, Tricep and Shoulder Workout

Biceps: 3 - 4 sets

Ball preacher curl: 10 reps

Dumbbell bicep curls: 12 reps

21's 
7 lower, 7 complete, 7 upper

Triceps: 3 - 4 sets

Tricep dips with body weight: 10 reps

Tricep kickbacks: 12 reps

Lying lateral tricep extenstions
12 reps

Shoulders: 3 - 4 sets

Standing dumbbell press
10 reps

Dumbbell front raises
10 reps

Dumbbell seated lateral raises
12 reps

Bent-over dumbbell lateral raises
15 reps

Upper Body Stable and Unstable Workout

Upper Body Workout

Barbell Chest Press: 4 Sets

Hypertrophy: 8 - 10 reps

Strength Endurance: 12 - 15 reps

Behind the Head Pulldown: 4 Sets

Hypertrophy: 8 - 10 reps

Strength Endurance: 12 - 15 reps

Swiss Ball One Arm DB Curl

Hypertrophy: 8 - 10 reps

Strength Endurance: 12 - 15 reps

Tricep Push-ups

Maximum Reps

Military Press

Hypertrophy: 8 - 10 reps

Strength Endurance: 12 - 15 reps

Arms and Shoulders Pyramid Workout

Arms and Shoulders Pyramid Workout

Biceps

3 - 4 Sets

EZ Bar 21's

7 reps low curls

7 reps high curls
7 reps complete curls

Dumbbell Hammer Curls

12 - 15 reps

Seated Incline Bicep Curls, Outward

8 - 10 reps

Triceps

3 - 4 Sets

Tricep Push-ups

To Failure

Dumbbell Overhead Tricep Extension

12 - 15 reps

Seated Tricep Dip Machine

8 - 10 Reps

Shoulders

3 - 4 Sets

Dumbbell Upright Rows

15 Reps

Lateral Dumbbell Raises

12 reps

Seated Bent-Over Lateral Raises

10 reps

Bicep Workout With Balance

Bosu Barbell Curls

Barbell Curl is the standard exercise for building strength and mass in the biceps. Adding a bosu makes it also include core and balance strengthening. It also helps avoid using your upper body to lift the weight making the exercise a lot more difficult than the standard. Make sure to keep your core tight as you balance on the bosu and lift the barbell up and down.

Swiss Ball One Arm Preacher Curl

One arm preacher curls is great to target the brachialis, which is the lower part of your bicep. However, adding a Swiss ball will make the exercise more difficult and add some core stabilization which will burn more calories. Make sure when executing this exercise you keep your core tight at all times so that you don't lose control of the ball. Place one of your arms on the ball with the back of the arm against the Swiss ball with dumbbell. Use the other arm as support or place around the front of the Swiss ball. Slowly, lower your arm with the dumbbell to about 90 degrees and curl it back to starting position. You don't want to go beyond this because you can hyper extend your shoulder which can lead to future injury. Repeat on the other arm.

Swiss Ball Dumbbell Lateral Side Curls

Great way to train the long head of the biceps with stabilization. Sit on the Swiss ball and keep your core engaged at all times. Grab your dumbbells and place your arms outside of your thighs with hands facing up. Lift the dumbbells up towards your the side of your shoulders and slowly bring them back to starting position.

Close Grip Pulldown

Great exercise to target the primarily lats, the traps (middle and lower) and the biceps. Secondary, it uses the teres major, posterior deltoid and the pectoralis major. Many women are afraid to lift heavy for their upper body. However, developing your back create a v-taper making your waist appear smaller. It also increase your strength to later take on pull-ups and lift things easier around the house.

2014 NPC Nationals Team Universe 

Teneack New, Jersey

11th place Master Figure Category

Single Leg Barbell Curls

Standing on one leg, barbell in hand, tighten your stomach and curl the bar 

all the way up to your chest and bring it all the way down to your thighs. Make

sure you are not swinging the barbell, but keeping the motion as fluid as 

possible. Finish your set amount of reps and when you come back to this

exercise, make sure to switch to the leg that you were holding up in the 

first set.

Concentration Curls

Concentration Curls

Place your elbow on the inside of your thigh with weight in hand. Squeeze your bicep in order to curl the dumbbell all the way up and down. Then, after your set amount of reps, switch to the other arm. Great way to isolate the bicep muscle and can also be done with a hammer grip too!