Workout 47: Back & Triceps
Back Exercises
- Find a flat bench and place a dumbbell on each side. Start by placing your right knee on top of the bench.
- Bend your torso forward from your waist. Your upper body should be parallel to the ground. Place your right hand on the bench, with your palm facing down, above where your knee is positioned. Place your left foot on the ground beside the bench.
- Use your left hand to pick up the dumbbell with an overhand grip (your palm should be facing your torso). Keep your arm fully extended and make sure to keep your lower back straight.
- Keep your elbow close to your side while you pull the weight straight up towards your chest. As you pull up the weight up, concentrate on squeezing your back muscles and shoulder blades (you should feel a contraction in your back muscles).
- Slowly lower the weight straight down with control.
- Alternate sides.
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Place two dumbbells on the floor about shoulder-width apart. Start in the top position of pushup position with your hands on the weights. Make sure your back is straight and in line with your legs, as if there were a rod going through your whole body.
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Row one weight up towards the side of your body while balancing on your other hand and feet. Hold for one second at the top and return the weight slowly to the start position to repeat on the other side.
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Keep your body in straight line from your shoulders to your ankles as you row the weight. Be sure to finish the movement by pulling the dumbbell all the way to your ribs. Don't let your shoulders slouch. Be sure to bring your shoulder blades together.
- Attach a wide bar at your shoulder level on the pulley of the pulldown machine. Grab the bar with an overhand grip with your palms facing downward, and make sure your grip is wider than your shoulder width.
- Take a couple steps back and make sure your feet are shoulder width apart. Slightly hinge at the waist so that your torso is leaning forward. Keep your arms fully extended so that they’re parallel to the ground. Your arms can have a slight bend at the elbow.
- Pull the bar down while keeping your arms straight. Continue pulling down until your hands are beside your thighs; you should feel a contraction in your lats.
- Reverse this movement while keeping your arms fully straight.
- Attach a V-bar to the low pulley on a seated row machine. When gripping the V-bar, your palms should be facing each other.
- Sit down on the machine and place your feet on the front platform with your knees slightly bent.
- Grab the V-bar handles, lean over, and keep your back upright with your shoulders back. Your back should be slightly arched with your chest sticking out. As you hold the bar in front of you, you should notice a stretch in your lats.
- Keep your torso stationary and your elbows tucked in as you pull the handles back towards your torso. You should be squeezing your back muscles and holding that contraction for a second.
- Slowly return the weight to starting position by releasing your shoulder blades back down.
Triceps Exercises
- Stand upright with a single dumbbell held by both hands. Your feet should be positioned about shoulder width apart. Use both hands to lift the dumbbell over your head until both arms are fully extended.
- To start, your palms are supporting the weight of the dumbbell with your thumbs wrapping around it. Your palms should be facing upward, maintaining an overlapped grip.
- Keep your upper arms close to your head and perpendicular to the ground with your elbows by your ears. Lower the dumbbell in a semicircular motion behind your head so that your forearms touch or almost touch your biceps. Your forearms should be the only part moving.
- Use your triceps to lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
- Attach a wide bar at your shoulder level on the pulley of the pulldown machine. Grab the bar with an overhand grip with your palms facing downward, and make sure your grip is wider than your shoulder width.
- Take a couple steps back and make sure your feet are shoulder width apart. Slightly hinge at the waist so that your torso is leaning forward. Keep your arms fully extended so that they’re parallel to the ground. Your arms can have a slight bend at the elbow.
- Pull the bar down while keeping your arms straight. Continue pulling down until your hands are beside your thighs; you should feel a contraction in your lats.
- Reverse this movement while keeping your arms fully straight.
- Attach a rope attachment to the high pulley at its highest position. Stand in front of the pulley, hinge at your hips, and grab the rope with your palms facing each other.
- Keep your elbows close to your torso, while using your triceps to pull the rope downwards toward the outside of your thighs. At the most contracted point of the motion your arms should be fully extended and perpendicular to the ground. Your forearms should be the only part moving.
- After reaching the contracted position, slowly bring the rope up to the starting point.
- Start by lying on the floor face down with your hands in a close hand position, closer than shoulder width apart. Hold your torso up at arm’s length.
- Lower yourself until your chest almost touches the floor.
- Using your triceps, press your upper body back up and squeeze your chest.