Time to get to it — back and biceps day at the gym! This intermediate bodybuilding session is designed to pack on muscle and get you toned. Use this time to prepare your mind and body for the gains that are inevitable with this training style. Let\'s go!
Resistance Work: Bring your chest all the way up to the bar!
About this workout
Intermediate Gym Back & Biceps Bodybuilding is a free 27 min workout plan with 6 illustrated exercises for your arms, back and shoulders. Follow the workout online, save it to your WorkoutLabs Fit account or download it as a printable PDF.
Tap any exercise in the workout to see the muscles worked, clear exercise illustrations and step-by-step instructions. Each workout includes sets, reps, rest times and notes so you can follow the plan without guessing.
You'll need full gym for this workout. Tap any exercise to see form instructions and possible substitutions if a piece of equipment isn't available.
How long does the Intermediate Gym Back & Biceps Bodybuilding take?
The full workout takes about 27 minutes, covering 6 exercises with prescribed sets, reps and rest periods. Using the built-in timers and auto-advance keeps you on pace from start to finish.
Is this workout suitable for my fitness level?
This is an intermediate workout, best suited to people with some training experience. Beginners can still follow it by reducing the weight, doing fewer sets or resting longer between sets – each exercise includes illustrated form instructions.
What muscles does this workout target?
This routine primarily works your lower back, shoulders, middle back / lats, biceps, upper back & lower traps. Tap any exercise in the workout to see a muscle diagram showing exactly which primary and secondary muscles it activates.
How often should I do this workout?
For gain muscle, get toned, aim to do this workout 2–3 times per week with at least one rest day between sessions. Progress by gradually adding weight or reps, and pair it with workouts for other muscle groups during the week.
Can I download or save this workout?
Yes – you can download this workout as a free printable PDF using the download button, or save it to a free WorkoutLabs Fit account to follow it on your phone, customize the exercises and track your progress.
Time to get to it — back and biceps day at the gym! This intermediate bodybuilding session is designed to pack on muscle and get you toned. Use this time to prepare your mind and body for the gains that are inevitable with this training style. Let\'s go!
Auto-advanceStart exercises automatically after a 5-second delay
Connect a V-bar attachment to the low pulley on a cable station or cable rowing machine.
Sit down at the station and place your feet on the foot pads or crossbar provided, while keeping your knees slightly bent.
Lean forward, keeping your back straight and grip the V-bar handles with both hands.
Keeping your arms fully extended pull back until your torso is at a 90-degree angle from your legs.
Your back should be slightly arched, with your chest should be pushed out. This is the start position.
Keeping your torso stationary, pull the handles back towards you while squeezing your back muscles.
Keep your arms close to your sides until your hands reach your abdomen. Exhale as you perform this movement.
Hold for a count of one.
Inhale as you return to the start position in a smooth movement.
Repeat.
Do not swing or rock back and forth as you perform this exercise. Doing so can cause lower back injury. <strong></strong> You can perform this exercise using a straight bar instead of a V-Bar. You can use an underhand or overhand grip.
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps
Stand tall with a tight core and flat back. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your side with an overhand grip. Bend slightly at the knees as you push your hips back. Keep your chest and head up. Upper body should be almost parallel with the floor.
With your elbows at a 60-degree angle, bring the dumbbells up. Pause when your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Contract the muscle then slowly return the dumbbells to the starting point.
Primary muscle group(s):
Middle Back / Lats, Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Biceps
Stand tall with a tight core and flat back. Hold a pair of water bottles at your side with an overhand grip. Bend slightly at the knees as you push your hips back. Keep your chest and head up. Upper body should be almost parallel with the floor.
With your elbows at a 60-degree angle, bring the water bottles up. Pause when your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Contract the muscle then slowly return the water bottles to the starting point.
Primary muscle group(s):
Middle Back / Lats
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps
Begin the movement by stepping on to a resistance band with your feet at shoulder-width, toes pointed slightly out.
Bend slightly at the knees and forward at the hips. Maintain a braced core and flat back throughout.
Leading with your elbows, pull the handles of the resistance band back, bringing your shoulder blades closer together. Hold this contraction and slowly release to the starting position.
Connect a V-bar attachment to the low pulley on a cable station or cable rowing machine.
Sit down at the station and place your feet on the foot pads or crossbar provided, while keeping your knees slightly bent.
Lean forward, keeping your back straight and grip the V-bar handles with both hands.
Keeping your arms fully extended pull back until your torso is at a 90-degree angle from your legs.
Your back should be slightly arched, with your chest should be pushed out. This is the start position.
Keeping your torso stationary, pull the handles back towards you while squeezing your back muscles.
Keep your arms close to your sides until your hands reach your abdomen. Exhale as you perform this movement.
Hold for a count of one.
Inhale as you return to the start position in a smooth movement.
Repeat.
Do not swing or rock back and forth as you perform this exercise. Doing so can cause lower back injury. <strong></strong> You can perform this exercise using a straight bar instead of a V-Bar. You can use an underhand or overhand grip.
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps
Stand tall with a tight core and flat back. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your side with an overhand grip. Bend slightly at the knees as you push your hips back. Keep your chest and head up. Upper body should be almost parallel with the floor.
With your elbows at a 60-degree angle, bring the dumbbells up. Pause when your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Contract the muscle then slowly return the dumbbells to the starting point.
Primary muscle group(s):
Middle Back / Lats, Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Biceps
Stand tall with a tight core and flat back. Hold a pair of water bottles at your side with an overhand grip. Bend slightly at the knees as you push your hips back. Keep your chest and head up. Upper body should be almost parallel with the floor.
With your elbows at a 60-degree angle, bring the water bottles up. Pause when your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Contract the muscle then slowly return the water bottles to the starting point.
Primary muscle group(s):
Middle Back / Lats
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps
Begin the movement by stepping on to a resistance band with your feet at shoulder-width, toes pointed slightly out.
Bend slightly at the knees and forward at the hips. Maintain a braced core and flat back throughout.
Leading with your elbows, pull the handles of the resistance band back, bringing your shoulder blades closer together. Hold this contraction and slowly release to the starting position.
Adjust the seat on the Rear Delt Machine so that your chest is against the padding and the handles are at shoulder level. Tighten your core throughout the movement.
Holding on to the handles in front of you, engage your rear delt muscles (back of the shoulder). Pull the weight, focusing all of the tension in your shoulder muscles.
Pause when the handles are at your sides then slowly return to the starting position. Do not allow the plate to touch the weight stack.
Primary muscle group(s):
Shoulders
Begin by holding a pair of dumbbells and standing with a braced core. Bend at the knees slightly and lean forward from the hips. Maintain a flat back throughout.
Keeping your elbows slightly bent throughout the movement, lift the dumbbells up and out to the side. Be sure to focus the contraction in the back of the shoulders.
Pause at the top of the movement then slowly bring the dumbbells to the starting position.
Primary muscle group(s):
Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Middle Back / Lats
Adjust the cables so that the handles sit at chest height.
Grip the handle, across your body in a neutral grip, with both hands.
Keeping only a slight bend at your elbow, pull the cable back across your body using the muscles in your back.
Hold the flexed position for a full second before allowing the cable to pull you slowly back to the starting position.
Primary muscle group(s):
Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Shoulders
Begin by holding a pair of water bottles and standing with a braced core. Bend at the knees slightly and lean forward from the hips. Maintain a flat back throughout.
Keeping your elbows slightly bent throughout the movement, lift the water bottles up and out to the side. Be sure to focus the contraction in the back of the shoulders.
Pause at the top of the movement then slowly bring the water bottles to the starting position.
Set up a cable station with a straight bar attached to the top pulley.
Sit on the seat facing the station. Keep your feet flat and planted firmly on the floor.
Using an overhand grip, hold the bar as wide as comfortable. (Your hands should be about 1 1/2 – 2 times body width apart.)
Lean back slightly without arching your back.
Pull the bar towards the top of your chest using your shoulders while arcing your elbows out to the sides of your body.
At the end of the movement squeeze you shoulders together slightly and hold for a count of one.
Return to the start position by arcing your elbows forward while relaxing your shoulders.
Repeat.
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back, Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Biceps, Forearms, Shoulders
Standing under a pull-up bar, reach up and hold onto the bar with an overhand grip. Make sure your hands are about twice your shoulder width apart.
Keep your arms straight and hang from the bar so that your arms are taking all of your weight.
Keeping your body straight and not swinging your weight, pull your body up towards the bar by pulling your elbows down towards your torso at an angle.
Continue lifting until your chest is nearly touching the bar. You should feel a “squeeze” at the base of your lats (about midway down your back and to the side) as they contract.
Once your lats have completely contracted at the top of the movement, slowly lower your body to the starting position.
Repeat.
By using a wide grip, your lats are doing most of the lift, rather than your biceps. It doesn't matter if you keep your legs straight or bent at the knees with your feet crossed. The important thing is that you do not use your legs to assist in lifting your body weight. As your strength increases, you can add weight by using a weight belt.
Reach up and grip the bar with an overhand grip with both hands.
Keeping your body straight, pull yourself up towards the bar by pulling your elbows as far back as you can and trying to touch the bar with your chest.
Hold and squeeze your arm and back muscles.
Lower yourself back to the start position in a controlled motion.
Repeat.
For this exercise, you can use a Smith machine bar, an Olympic bar on a rack or any other straight, sturdy bar set to the right height. The lower the bar is to the floor, the more intense it will be due to the starting angles of your arms.
Workout done!
Exercises done
of 6
Total time
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