Simple Back and Biceps

Simple Back and Biceps

     Sometimes you don't have a chance to get to a gym. Sometimes all you have time for is a quick work out in you own room. This is a sample of a Back and Bicep workout you can do if you don't have the time to get to the gym. All you need for this is a pull up bar, or a beam, or anything you can do a pull up on, and you will need some dumbbells, or any heavy object that you can curl. In fact, you will get every muscle in the back and biceps with just a pull up bar, but having dumbbells and a real pull up bar, like the one below, will really help you get a good workout.

Wide Grip Pull Ups: 4 sets- max reps
(Lats and Traps)

Reverse Grip Narrow Chin Ups: 4 sets- max reps
(Biceps)

Hammer Pull Ups: 4 sets- max reps
(Brachialis)

Concentration Curls/Hammer Curls: 4sets- 5curl/5hammer
(Biceps/Brachialis)

Rear Delt Raises: 3 sets- 10 reps
(Rear Delts- Shoulders)

Side Delt Raises: 3 sets- 10 reps
(Side Delts- Shoulders)

Front Delt Raises: 3 sets- 10 reps
(Front Delts- Shoulders)

My Work Out

My Work Out

This is my work out currently. I never do the same work out for more than a couple months because my muscles get used to certain movements and then I don't get as good of results but I am posting this so you can use it if you are looking for a workout. If you don't know what something is look it up online. Each day I go to the gym I do one of these sections. The rep numbers and weight levels are formatted for a bulking up goal. Add approximately 4 reps and decrease weight accordingly if your goal is to build more lean muscle and increase your definition.

Back and Biceps:

Pull Ups- lower/middle back (lower traps & upper lats)

4 sets- all to failure

Inclined Bent over Row- upper back (upper and middle traps)

            Set 1- 10 reps- low weight

            Set 2- 6 reps- high weight

            Set 3- 6 reps – high weight

            Set 4- max reps- max weight

Seated bent over row- middle back (upper lats, full traps)

            Set 1- 10 reps- low weight

            Set 2- 6 reps- high weight

            Set 3- 6 reps – high weight

            Set 4- max reps- max weight

Shoulder shrugs- Inner shoulders (upper traps)

            Set 1- 10 reps- medium weight

            Set 2- 8 reps- high weight

            Set 3- 6 reps- high weight

Preacher Curls- Bicep (Brachii)

            Set 1- 5 reps- high weight

            Set 2- 4 reps- high weight

            Set 3- 3 reps high weight

            Set 4- 3 rep high weight

Hammer Curls- Outer Bicep (Brachialis)

            Set 1- 10 reps- medium weight

            Set 2- 8 reps- medium weight

            Set 3- 8 reps medium weight

            Set 4- 6 reps medium weight

Concentration Curls- Bicep (Brchii and Brachailis)- rotate muscle every 5 reps

            Set 1- 10 reps- max weight

            Set 2- 10 reps- max weight

            Set 3- 10 rep- max weight

Chest and Triceps:

Flat Bench Press- Chest (pectorals)

            Set 1- 10 reps- low weight

            Set 2- 5 reps- high weight

            Set 3- 5 reps- high weight

            Set 4- max reps- max weight

Incline Press- Upper Chest (upper pectorals)

            Set 1- 6 reps- high weight

            Set 2- 4 reps- high weight

            Set 3- 4 reps- high weight

            Set 4- max reps- max weight

Decline Press- Lower Chest (lower pectorals)

            Set 1- 6 reps- high weight

            Set 2- 4 reps- high weight

            Set 3- 4 reps- high weight

            Set 4- max reps- max weight

Cable Press- Inner Chest

            Set 1- 8 reps- medium weight

            Set 2- 6 reps- medium weight

            Set 3- 6 reps- medium weight

            Set 4- 6 reps- medium weight

Incline Cable Press- Upper Inner Chest

            Set 1- 8 reps- medium weight

            Set 2- 6 reps- medium weight

            Set 3- 6 reps- medium weight

            Set 4- 6 reps- medium weight

Decline Cable Press- Lower Inner Chest

            Set 1- 8 reps- medium weight

            Set 2- 6 reps- medium weight

            Set 3- 6 reps- medium weight

            Set 4- 6 reps- medium weight

Hammer Triceps Push Downs- back triceps (medial head)

            Set 1- 8 reps- medium weight

            Set 2- 6 reps- medium weight

            Set 3- max reps- max weight

Triceps Push Downs- interior triceps (long head)

            Set 1- 8 reps- medium weight

            Set 2- 6 reps- medium weight

            Set 3- max reps- max weight

Reverse Grip Triceps Push Downs- Exterior Triceps (lateral head)

            Set 1- 8 reps- medium weight

            Set 2- 6 reps- medium weight

            Set 3- max reps- max weight

Legs:

Squats- Thighs (quads & gluteus)

            Set 1- 10 reps- low weight

            Set 2- 8 reps- high weight

            Set 3- 6 reps- high weight

            Set 4- 4 reps- max weight

Calf Raises- Calves (gastrocnemius & soleus)

            Set 1- 10 reps- medium weight

            Set 2- 8 reps- medium weight

            Set 3- 8 reps- medium weight

            Set 4- 8 reps- medium weight

Hip Abductions- hips (gluteus medius)

            Set 1- 10 reps- medium weight

            Set 2- 10 reps- medium weight

            Set 3- 10 reps- medium weight

Hip Adductors- inner thighs (hip adductors)

            Set 1- 10 reps- medium weight

            Set 2- 10 reps- medium weight

            Set 3- 10 reps- medium weight

Quad extensions- thighs (quads)

            Set 1- 10 reps- medium weight

            Set 2- 8 reps- medium weight

            Set 3- 8 reps medium weight

 Ham String Curls- Back of Thighs (ham strings)

            Set 1- 10 reps- medium weight

            Set 2- 8 reps- medium weight

            Set 3- 8 reps medium weight

Bicep Exercises

Bicep Exercise:
The following exercises are three basic exercises that can be done, at the gym, to build muscle in the biceps. The biceps are comprised of two muscles (latin prefix "bi") that control the contraction of the arm (triceps control extension). For these exercises it is important to notice and feel the contraction within the highlighted muscles.


Bicep Curl:

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The Bicep curl focuses on strengthening the Brachii muscles, which is one of the two muscles in the bicep (pic 1 and 2). This is the more dominant muscle within the bicep.

The starting position for bicep curl is:
Hands holding dumbbells at waist.
Hand for first movement turned out, palm up.
Back straight.
Feet at shoulder width.
Head straight

The movement is performed by raising one hang after the other straight up to shoulder hight, and then lowering it again. It is important to keep the body still, back straight, and elbows in.

The ending position (at hight of motion)is:
Hands holding dumbbells.
Hand for first movement facing shoulder.
Back straight.
Feet at shoulder width.
Head straight

Hammer Curl:

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The Hammer curl focuses on strengthening the Brachialis muscles, which is the other of the two muscles in the bicep (pic 3 and 4). This is the less dominant muscle within the bicep.

The starting position for hammer curl is:
Hands holding dumbbells at waist.
Both Hands turned in, palms facing legs.
Back straight.
Feet at shoulder width.
Head straight

The movement is performed by raising one hang after the other straight up to shoulder hight, and then lowering it again. It is important to keep the body still, back straight, and elbows in.

The ending position (at hight of motion)is:
Hands holding dumbbells.
Hand for first movement raised, palm facing perpendicular to shoulder.
Back straight.
Feet at shoulder width.
Head straight

Concentration Curl:

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The Concentration curl again focuses on strengthening the Brachii muscles (pic 1 and 2). This exercise functions to work on building big muscle and getting the last bit of contraction from your muscles at the end of a bicep workout.

The starting position for concentration curl is:
Hand holding dumbbell on floor.
Seated on bench.
Arm on inside of thigh, with elbow just below thigh.a
Back straight.
Palm facing out
Feet planted on floor

The movement is performed by raising dumbell to shoulder hight, and then lowering it again to about half hight and then continuing the motion within that range. It is important to keep the body still, back straight, and feel the contraction in the bicep.

The ending position (at hight of motion)is:
Hand holding dumbbell at shoulder hight, palm facing shoulder.
Seated on bench.
Back straight.
Feet planted on floor

Note: these three exercises pair very well with exercises that focus on the the back and/or other bicep exercises. I suggest pairing these with the back exercises listed in the "Back Exercises" blog post.

    I perform these three exercises once every 4 days (ideally) in combination with ~4 bicep movements.

    I perform each bicep exercise 3-4 times (3-4 sets) with roughly 10, 8, 8, then 6 repetitions (10,8,8 then 6 reps) respectively each time before moving to the next exercise.

    If your goal is to build leaner muscle, it would be good to decrease weight a little nit and increase each set but 2-4 reps. 

    If your Goal is to build bigger muscles, it would be a good idea to increase weight as much as possible while doing 2-4 fewer reps.