BACK and BICEPS: The Most Effective Exercises For Size

Back & Bicep Workouts

Back & Bicep Training Routine

Eager for a broad, sculpted back paired with well-defined biceps? Let's approach it strategically. The Back and Bicep workout regimen is a tried-and-true duo, yielding impressive results. Despite the emergence of trendy workout styles like group training and CrossFit, the traditional split training method remains a standout for its proven effectiveness. Without delay, let's delve into the specifics of Back and Bicep Workouts, encompassing targeted exercises for each muscle group and comprehensive instructions on execution.

Exercises for A Chiseled Back

The back happens to be at the center of all workouts including bicep training. Therefore, without a stronger back, you cannot train your biceps heavily or any other parts like squats and shoulders. Also, back muscles are quite interconnected and sometimes complicated to train. So, to ensure you have a balanced back workout; you must target the following muscles:

·         Lower back

·         Middle back

·         Lower lats

·         Outer lats

·         Upper back

And by understanding each exercise for the above muscle groups, you will know how to target the shape you want.

Lower Back

The deadlift has the most impact on the lower back. And since there are two variations, the romain, and stiff-legged deadlift, we will use the stiff-legged. To create an impact, this deadlift brings the weight closer to the ground than the Romanian version.

Deadlift, Stiff-Legged

o   With weight on your arm and waist as the only hinge, bend with your glutes pushing back for support. The weight should hang free on your hands which are straight from the shoulder.

o   Meanwhile, maintain the lower back muscle contraction as you descend.

o   When you ascend, again, push your glutes forward with your leg straight. And when you are up, remain straight and don’t lean back. Meanwhile, the bar lying against your thighs.

o   Repeat once more and each rep should be focused on the lower back muscles instead of your arms.

o   And unlike the Romanian, your back can bend slightly as you descent to the lower position.

Middle Back

To target the middle back, all rowing must be at the medium or close grip. Let’s start:

·         Cable Row, Seated

o   Sit down with your knees bend slightly to avoid injury and acquire balance.

o   With the torso upright, you can work more on the middle-back muscles and reduce strain on your lumbar.

o   Grab the bar at close or medium range and then pull it towards your lower chest. Ensure the bar touches you before gently releasing it and move to the next rep.

o   And throughout the workout, slightly arch your lower back

Lower Lat pull-down (Straight arm/ Reverse Grip)

·         Straight arm

o   Use an overhead station

o   Grab the bar and pull it slightly away from the station.

o   With your arm straight, pull down the bar until it touches your thighs in an arc motion.

o   The shoulder is the only hinge and the pull-down effort should be from your lats

·         Reverse Grip

o   This is the opposite of straight hand. Use the underhand to grip the bar while standing further from the station.

o   With your arms straight and shoulder as the hinge, pull down the bar towards your thighs. At this point, you can squeeze the lats together and feel the impact.

Outer Lat/ Upper Lat (wide grip)

Here you will use a wide grip throughout as you are focusing on the V-shape. And there are two workouts, Bent-over barbell row, Pendlay row or pull up. Let’s look at:

·         Bent-over barbell row

o   The Feet shoulder length apart and knees bent slightly for balance.

o   Your waist as the hinge, you should lean slightly forward, and maintain a straight posture from neck to back.

o   Palms down, grip the bar using a wider grip

o   Hanging from your arms, row the weight towards your lower chest/sternum and then lower it gently. Do between 10 and 15 reps.

o   Throughout, you must maintain your lower back contraction and torso braced

Bicep Workout

When working out the biceps, you are targeting three major muscles, the Short head, Long head, and Brachialis. So, for an impactful bicep session, combine the following exercises:

·        Cheat Curls, Barbell

o   Feet shoulder length apart and have a slightly heavier weight

o   Then engage your core muscles  and get the weight

o   With your palms facing you, lift it. And since you are doing cheat curls, engage other muscles to help you build momentum.

o   Gently lower the weight as you resist it

o   And then go for a second rep (8-12 reps / 3 sets)

·        Drag Curls, Barbell

o   Use the same weight from the Cheat Curls but the focus here is on Long Head

o   Using the same posture as Cheat curls, get the weight

o   And instead of your elbow aligning with your spine like in Cheat Curls, bent them here.

o   So, with every lift, the elbow bents behind you and the bar touching the lowest rib. Meanwhile, the elbow is tucked throughout the exercise.

o   Do many reps until you are exhausted and then rest. (3 sets minimum)

·        Weighted chin-ups

o   It’s a classic workout that targets the three biceps muscles plus the forearm and back muscles.

o   You can use your body weight or attach extra weight from your waist.

o   Grab the chin-up bar lift your body with the palm facing you, core engaged and whole body straight.

o   Pull up your body and avoid swinging throughout the exercise. Here use only the arm muscles and those in the shoulders. Repeat severally for 3 sets.

·        Dumbbell Curls

o   Dumbbell curls target two-arm muscles. There will be elbow bending and forearm twisting.

o   Start by getting the dumbbells next to you.

o   With your core engaged, lift both dumbbells with the palm facing you. Once at shoulder height, slowly descend them while resisting for greater muscle impact. Repeat severally for 3 sets

·        Concentration Curls

Finally, you can complete a bicep workout with concentration curls. It’s a classic biceps routine with a huge muscle impact. Unlike others, Concentration curls are exclusively on the biceps and no other muscles are engaged.

·         Sit on a stable bench with a comfortable height you can manage.

·         Feet wide apart for stability

·         One of your arms straight and close to the ground and the other bend behind you.

·         Hold the dumbbell with your straight arm and lift using your biceps. However, only the forearm can move. And now swinging while lifting.

·         Complete a set before shifting the hands. 

CONCLUSION

Lastly, in both the Back and Biceps workout, inhale and exhale during each lift to reduce quick exhaustion. Use comfortable weight and avoid over-straining your body or muscles to prevent unnecessary injuries. These back and bicep routines are great for producing mass and definition.