Weightlifting 1-Week Challenge: Workout 1 – Habit Nest

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    Weightlifting 1-Week Challenge: Workout 1

    Workout 1: Back & Triceps

    Back Exercises

    1. Assisted Pull-Up

    1. Securely set the pin on the desired weight. Unlike other machines, the heavier the weight you use, the easier this exercise will be (as the weight really serves as an assist, not resistance).
    2. Stand on the platform, and grab the wide pull-up handles above your head. You can also do this on your knees.
    3. Keep your abs engaged, spine neutral, and shoulders pressed down and back.
    4. Pull yourself up as far as possible, making sure to keep your abs are engaged and your shoulders are pressed down and back. Simultaneously try to activate yours lats.
    5. Slowly release yourself downwards until your arms are almost straight.
    6. Repeat for the desired amount of reps.

    2. T-Bar Row

    1. Load an appropriate weight onto the end of the T-bar.
    2. Stand over the bar so that it’s in between your legs and your chest is resting on the pad. Keep your back flat and make sure you have a firm grip on each side of the V-grip handle.
    3. Remove the bar from the rest. Keep your chest up, your hips back, and your feet wider than shoulder-width apart. Lead the movement with your back, your arms should follow. The focus should not be on the angle of your arms, but on the contraction of your back.
    4. After your back reaches its maximum contraction and your shoulder blades are retracted, slowly let the weight of the bar pull your shoulder blades down to stretch your back.
    5. Let your arms follow naturally until the T-bar is returned to its starting position.

    3. Lat Pulldown

    1. Attach a wide-grip handle to the lat pulldown machine. Adjust the knee pad of the machine to fit your height to prevent your lower body from moving while performing this movement.
    2. For a regular lat pulldown, grasp the bar with an overhand grip with your arms at the end of the flat bar.
    3. Extend both arms up above you while holding the bar. Keep your back upright, create a slight curvature in your lower back, and stick out your chest.
    4. Keep your torso stationary and pull the bar down towards your body by drawing your shoulder blades and upper arms down and back. Squeeze your back muscles during this movement.
    5. Slowly raise the bar in a controlled motion back to the starting position. Your arms should be fully extended and your lats fully stretched.

    4. Close Grip Cable Row

    1. Attach a wide-grip handle to the lat pulldown machine. Adjust the knee pad of the machine to fit your height to prevent your lower body from moving while performing this movement.
    2. For a reverse-grip lat pulldown, use an underhand grip and your palms facing your body.
    3. Extend both arms up above you while holding the bar. Keep your back upright, create a slight curvature in your lower back, and stick out your chest.
    4. Keep your torso stationary and pull the bar down towards your body by drawing your shoulder blades and upper arms down and back. Squeeze your back muscles during this movement.
    5. Slowly raise the bar in a controlled motion back to the starting position. Your arms should be fully extended and your lats fully stretched.

    Tricep Exercises

    1. Skull Crusher

    1. Lie back on a flat or slightly inclined bench. Using an overhand grip, grasp the innermost grips on the EZ bar. Hold it with your elbows tucked in and your arms perpendicular to the ground.
    2. Keeping your upper arms stationary, lower the bar by unlocking your elbows to a flexed position. Pause once the bar is directly above your forehead.
    3. Reverse the bar back to the starting position by extending your elbows while flexing your  tricep.

    2. Overhead Dumbbell Extension 

      1. 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.
      2. 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.
      3. 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.
      4. Use your triceps to lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.

      3. Rope Pulldown 

        1. Secure 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.
        2. 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.
        3. After reaching the contracted position, slowly bring the rope up to the starting point.

      4. Dip

      1. Hold your body above the bars with your arms fully extended and nearly locked into the starting position.
      2. Inhale and slowly lower yourself downward. Your torso should remain upright and your elbows should stay close to your body to help to better work your triceps. Lower yourself until a 90° angle is created between your upper arms and forearms.
      3. Exhale and push your torso back up using your triceps (feeling a slight stretch in your shoulders) to bring your body back to the starting position.

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