The Ultimate Chest and Back Workout for Upper Body Muscle

Are you ready for efficient training to build your upper body by creating a more sculpted chest and a more muscular back? Rethink your training week and move away from the usual split of training.

Training your chest and back in the same session will allow you to use a superset of agonists and antagonists. This is an expensive term for pairing exercises that hit the opposite side of the body with zero rest during that time.

By removing the remaining intervals, using these supersets will allow you to achieve more training within the time limit. Better yet, compared to a superset targeting the same muscle group, it is less likely to impair exercise performance. (1)

Buckle up, grab the plan, and get into the task of hitting almost everything in your hips using a handful of high-intensity, highly focused movements.

Chest and back workout

Meet the muscles in your chest and back

His major, large and complete thoracic muscles were one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s most impressive attributes. Arnold’s chest had size and symmetry. This is an attribute that is the key to a well-developed chest. Lifters with bodybuilding goals need to perform breast exercises at sufficient strength, as well as ensure that all areas of the breast are properly targeted.

The most prominent thoracic muscle, the thoracic measure, has two or three functional “subregions.” The head of the pectoral myolayer is the largest part and is effectively trained during horizontal situation exercises such as horizontal chest presses and flys. (2) (3) (4) The maximum part of the PEC measure called the clavicular head is emphasized by shoulder flexion and tilt pressing. (2) (3) (4) (5)

Though not much has been discussed, what is related to lifter training for top physiques is the bottom of the PEC, namely the lower cost bones and abdominal fibers. These fibers pull the arm down from above your head, like pull-downs and pullovers. (2)

An impressive back has three important properties: width or width, thickness and definition. The latter can only be achieved by reaching a sufficiently low level of body fat, but developing all the quality depends on the growth or “hypertrophy” of the robust muscle of the back muscles. The main aesthetic back muscles include the spine Latissimus, middle and lower waveguides, and rhombus.

In bodybuilding, the back muscles are trained during vertical and horizontal pull movements, and there are many single joint accessory exercises. Perhaps counterintuitively, narrow grip pulldowns and rows tend to promote back width, while wide grip horizontal pulls tend to promote back thickness. (2) This workout builds both.

The ultimate chest and back workout

This double duty routine incorporates a superset of free weights and machines, programs and traditional sets, leaning towards tension and “pump” to build the ultimate upper body. Perfectly fits either chest and back/legs/shoulders and arms splits or top/bottom training splits. It may also help with more classic “one body part” splitting if you need to double the training you missed.

Classic Chest and Back Super Set Routine

• Neutral grip pull-down – 3 x 8-12 (Super set for the next exercise)
• Machine chest press – 3 x 8-12
• Wide row of machines – 3 x 12-16 (Super set with the following exercises)
• Machine Kelso shruggs – 3 x 8-12
• Dumbbell Flye Press – 3 x 8-12
• Bardip – 2 x 8-12 (Super set for the next exercise)
• Standing cable pullover 2 x 16-20

Neutral grip rat pull down

Neutral Grip Rat Pull Down is a co-friendly back builder. It mainly trains your Latissimus back – the muscles that cause the width of the back. Your midback rhomboid, the muscles behind the shoulders (such as the posterior deltoid and teles major), as well as the lower pectoral muscle (“costal fiber”) also contribute to the exercise. (2)

From deep stretching when the arm is overhead to peak contraction when the upper arm is pinned to the side of the thoracic cage, neutral grip rat pull-down trains the target muscle through most other back exercises and unparalleled range of movement. The lower body is trapped in the machine, so the movement can also be loaded heavily. When you start training with a large amount of motion exercises, the tone of your workout will be set.

• How to do that:Sit at the LAT pull-down station using a grip attachment with parallel handles. Secure your thighs under the roller pads and tilt them a little towards your hips. Start the pull-down by drawing the shoulder blades downwards with your elbow facing the side of the rib. Extend your arms and return to the starting position above your head.
• Set and person in charge:3 x 8-12
• Rest time: You will not take a break before moving on to the next exercise.

Benefits of neutral grip rat pull-down

• This exercise trains the back through a large arc of movement in the shoulder joint appropriately (glenohumumeral joint) and the scapular ventricle (scapular joint). Importantly, pull-downs can train the spine with long muscle lengths and promote muscle growth. (6)
• Neutral grips tend to be more tolerated by lifters that tap on the shoulders and elbows.
• This multi-joint back exercise will almost isolate the muscles trained in this second exercise in this superset, chest press.

Machine chest press

If your gym is not busy and the LAT pull-down station and chest press machine are not on the other side of the facility, plan to superset the pull-down using a machine chest press. If you are training in a public gym and are worried about occupying two machines at once, instead of “claiming” the equipment, you can hand out a machine that wipes off immediately and carry it with you. This gives nonverbal clues to those waiting to “work.”

Certainly, if someone is at work, it slows down your training, but that’s a decent thing to do in a shared public space. Nine out of 10 times, the machine will be empty when it returns.

Machine chest presses come in many designs, such as sitting, lying, plated, loaded with cable stacks. Ideally, you’ll find something that feels comfortable and offers stretch along the shoulders. Replacing the Barbell Bench Press with machine movement may be acceptable, but the freeweight version requires a trained spotter. Furthermore, most lifters are “self-spotting” chest press machines that can more comfortably push the high-effective set and even reach that approach or failure to reach.

• How to do that: Adjust the seat and handle position so that your elbows and hands can be tracked naturally at approximately nipple height at the lower position. If the seat is too high (or too much on the bench of the lying chest press machine), it feels like a decline press. If the seat is too low (or too far from the bench in the lying version), the elbows will burn on or near the high road of the shoulder. Even if you are not running a competitive style barbell bench press, you will need to establish an arched mid-back position to increase chest tension. Lift the sternum, pull the shoulder blades together, then pull towards the glut. Push the handle until your elbow reaches lockout. It can control stretch that can withstand the front of the chest and shoulders.
• Set and person in charge: 3 x 8-12
• Rest time: Rest for 2-3 minutes before repeating the previous exercise.

Benefits of machine chest press

• Machine chest presses may provide more targeted chest training compared to free weight variations. This may be due to the stability the device provides, as the machine bench press reduces lateral deltoid and triceps muscle activity compared to the Barbell Bench Press, indicating comparable chest major activity. (4) However, these findings have not been replicated in similar recent studies. (7)
• This is a machine-based exercise that allows for relatively heavy loads and high effect sets without the need for spots. (7)

Wide row of machines

The wide rows were traditionally performed at a wider interval of overhand grips than the shoulder, targeting the middle and behind the shoulders. So wide rows are the best exercises for “thickness” backs.

In particular, chest-supported machines are not necessary to maintain future postures where lifters are not supported, allowing them to focus on target muscles and reduce systematic demand (i.e. less fatigue). (8) A chest-supported T-Bar Row machine can also perform wide rows using free weights supported by tilted benches in the trunk.

• How to do that: Set the seat height so that the support pads come into contact with the lower chest, with the handle just below the shoulder. Relax against the pads to make sure your hips are behind your chest. Grab the handle with an overhand grip. You will need to stretch to reach the handle. If not, you will need to adjust the chest support or start positioning the handle. Draw your shoulder blades together and start the line with your elbows moving sideways. The elbows should be slightly below shoulder height. do not have Push it towards your body or blaze above shoulder height. Returning to the starting position, the machine can pull your arm forward and extend it backward.
• Set and person in charge: 3 x 12-16
• Rest time: You will not take a break before moving on to the next exercise.

Benefits of wider rows of machines

• This rowing variation is absorbable from the preferred stimulus. In other words, support from the machine reduces the need for non-target muscle tissue activity. (8)
• When set up properly, a wide row of machines can apply deep stretches to the middle shoulder and shoulders, increasing range of motion for exercise and promoting hypertrophy.

Machine Kelso shruggs

Not all muscle groups targeted by multi-joint exercises are trained equally. Some muscles are hammering, while others remain relatively intact. For example, when using rows to target midback, shoulder muscles (e.g., posterior deltoids) can fatigue into wide rows, while midback muscles (such as middle lapezius or rhombus) may not be trained to potential.

Advanced training techniques such as before or after fatigue can help address unfair training stimuli in the agonist muscles during multi-joint exercises. Before elimination, separate exercises are performed just before combined exercises without rest. Bodybuilding pioneers like Arthur Jones tended to promote pre-fatigue approaches, but research on this strategy is somewhat inactive. (9) At best, the lifter achieves comparable training volume, performs isolated exercises, and experiences similar strength gains compared to performing compound exercises as traditional straight sets. (10) In the worst case, trainees may lose repetition during combined exercise due to fatigue. (11)

Fortunately, the related technique called post-exclusion avoids the major downsides before escaping. After elimination, use the composite superset in a specific way. After the multi-joint exercise, the same target muscle is immediately segregated.

Author and powerlifting analyst Paul Kelso used his exercise of the same name, the column and Kelso Schlug sequences to promote post-escaping training to thicken the upper back. Kelso Shrugs can also be run on a chest-supported T-Bar Row Machine or using free weights with trunk support on a tilted bench.

• How to do that: Kelso Shrugs includes isolated scapula (“draw together”). They may be performed on free weights while bent or supporting on a tilted bench, but shrug Kelso on a row machine with chest support can better separate the target muscles. Start by using the wide overhand grips of the line machine and extending your arms in front of your eyes. You should feel a deep stretch as the machine pulls out your arms and shoulder blades forward. There is very little bend in the elbows, no rows at all, squeeze the shoulder blades together and draw the handle slightly closer to your body. When drawing your shoulder blades together, your middle may be arched or slightly extended, Please don’t Push your chest into the pad to drive this movement. We will focus on the use of middle lapezius and romboids. It pauses temporarily and allows the machine to slowly pull the shoulder blades apart.
• Set and person in charge: 3 x 8-12
• Rest time: Take a 2-2-5 minutes off before repeating the previous exercise.

The Benefits of the Machine Kelso Shrugs

• This unique shrug variation hits a relatively isolated midback and allows for additional training volumes, especially when performed as a post-escaping technique after rowing exercises.
• Kelso Shrugs provides a relatively simple exercise setup and minimizes overall fatigue.
• This exercise can build strength and control of the shoulder blades and promote overall shoulder health. (12)

Dumbbell Flye Press

Muscles become stronger during eccentric contractions that occur during the decline in movement. One technique that utilizes this phenomenon by increasing the intensity of exercise at eccentric stages is called eccentric training. (13) The Flye Press is a simple eccentric accentuation exercise that can be easily set up using an adjustable bench and dumbbell pair.

The tilting press is biased towards the upper chest, but the tilting dumbbell fly press packs extra punches by highlighting the eccentric contraction of the clavicle head of the pectoral muscle. (3) (4) (5) (13) Therefore, this exercise will help to complement other chest exercises found in this workout.

• How to do that: Set the adjustable bench to a 45-degree tilt position. Lie on the bench, lay your shoulder blades together and lie flat on the pad. Start with the dumbbell just outside the front of your chest and push vertically until your elbows are almost straight. Maintain slight elbow flexion and let the dumbbells drift. Continue lowering the dumbbell until you feel a strong stretch in front of your chest. Bend your elbows to return the dumbbell to the starting position, then press it up to repeat the sequence for additional repetition.
• Set and person in charge: 3 x 8 to 12
• Rest time: Rest between sets for 1.5-2 minutes.

Advantages of tilted dumbbell fly presses

• Because exercise is eccentric, chest demand is greater at the decline stage, which can promote strength development and hypertrophy. (13) (14)
• Using a tilted bench promotes the main clavicle head of the upper chest (chest) – activity and development. (3) (4) (5)

bar Soaking

Dips are typically performed using a dedicated dip station or a heavy-duty dip attachment on a power rack. The handles of dip stations or dip attachments often branch out from parallel or slightly parallel. This is a feature that brings different training stimuli and exercise techniques compared to traditional weight bench dips. (15)

Compared to bench dips focused on the triceps, performed on the back of the hand supported at the long end of the bench, the bar dips show major muscle activity in the larger pectoral muscles. (15) Compared to bench dips, bar dips cause less overextension of the shoulders. (15) As hyperextension of loaded shoulders can become stiffer on the shoulders, dips may be tolerated by lifters with known shoulder problems. (15) (16)

The bar dip easily adapts to beginner strength levels by using a lower body or elastic band. Adding weight to the dip belt can make it even more challenging. Effective and versatile bar dip is the perfect exercise to build middle and lower breasts.

• How to do that: If you have a forked handle on the dip station or attachment, choose a comfortable grip width on the shoulder. Lock out your elbows and start from your higher position by supporting your weight on the bar below your shoulders. When you lower your body, your lower backwards will need to make sure your elbows will bend and your upper arms will extend slightly backward. At the bottom position, achieve stretching to the front of the chest. You will temporarily pause and then return to the top.
• Set and person in charge: 2 x 8-12
• Rest time: You will not take a break before moving on to the next exercise.

Benefits of Bardip

• Dips train your pectoral muscles, pectoral muscles, micropod humerus, and downstream trajectories zius. Latissimus andorsi, anterior hair, and posterior rotator cuffs are also active and may serve as a steady role. (15)
• The breast experiences a “loaded stretch” at the bottom of the bar dip. This can accelerate muscle growth. (14)
• High-effort dip sets can further bias your chest measure, as increased muscle activity is shown when increased muscle activity is taken towards the failure. (17)

Standing cable pullover

As the name suggests, pullovers involve drawing resistance to the body from high to low. Although it was usually considered a back exercise, variations of pullovers, such as dumbbell pullovers and cable pullovers, train the back and chest. (2) (18)

The resistance curve of the cable pullover has a slightly different resistance curve from the free weight version. This is because the lifter experiences maximum resistance when the arm is perpendicular to the cable rather than perpendicular to the vertical gravity line. (19) This feature further encourages the cable pullover to set up a high repetition, “pump work” style.

The cable resistance also allows you to perform the exercise. This is a variation called a straight arm pushdown or pulldown. If you are looking for a high-tensile solution to hone your upper body workout, don’t skip the standing cable pullover.

• How to do that: Grasp the straight bar cable attachment with a double overhand grip that is wider than the shoulder. Hinge your hips a little forward and lift your breasts. Extend your arms over your head and pull the bar towards your thighs. Once the bar contacts your thighs, return the movement to its starting position. It keeps your elbows straight, but is not locked across the movement.
• Set and person in charge:2 x 16-20
• Rest time: Rest for 2-3 minutes before repeating the previous exercise.

Benefits of standing cable pullover

• Pullovers train your back and chest together. (18)
• The resistance profile of the cable pullover applies substantial resistance, which can promote muscle growth. (6) (19)
• Intensive tension in exercise tends to promote the sensation of a large rat pump.

How to warm up your chest and back workout

Traditional warm-ups start with a short match of cardiovascular activity to increase body temperature, increase breathing speed and improve overall circulation, followed by more specific movements and mobilization, and the body prepares for the first training. With a considerable chest and back workout in front of you, certain warm-ups of multi-exercise following aerobic exercise may find it difficult.

Instead of skipping the warm-up completely, try a ton of warm-ups instead. For a large amount of warm-up, high repetitive long sets, light resistance, and/or weight exercises are performed in the circuit.

The benefits of a large amount of warm-up are similar to traditional warm-ups. They prepare your body physiologically and mentally for your training, but they have the added advantage of an additional person for muscle groups that will be targeted in future training and muscle groups that can benefit from the amount of extra training (including certain weaknesses you need to deal with).

Run 20-30 repetitions of each next exercise as a circuit – Do not take any rest between each exercise set. It takes 30 seconds between the circuit. Repeat the entire circuit two or three times.

• band Face pull: A position facing a light resistance loop fixed at jaw height. With your arms extended in front of your body, grab the loop and make the resistance band slightly wider than the neck between your hands. Lift your chest and keep your body in place, and draw a resistance band facing towards your forehead by performing a high line with external rotation of your shoulders. The elbows need to track above shoulder height, and the wrists should move higher than the elbow. Once the band reaches or near your forehead, reverse the movement and return to the starting position.

• The rise in push-ups: Raise your hands to the floor with bench or Roman chair/back extension. Push your body up from the support surface until your elbows are straight. Your push-ups should resemble a “moving board” in which your trunk and feet move together as a unit. Lower the breasts until they touch or touch the support surface.

• Dynamic 45 degree back extension: Set up a 45-degree Roman chair with the top of the pads just below the belt line. Place it around your thighs surrounded by pads and feet on the footplate of your machine. When you lower the torso towards the floor, you will intentionally make your spine round. Raising the torso towards the ceiling intentionally stretches the spine throughout the movement (“arch”). This movement requires minimal movement from the hip joint.

This is the transaction. Some lifters train the extensor muscles of the back (the “fins” of the muscles on either side of the spine) on the day of the feet with exercises such as deadlifts, good morning, and hyperextension. Other lifters place these exercises in back training. The ry umpire has been made public about which practice is “best”, but one thing is clear. Most lifters will benefit from lower back training.

Outside of PowerLifters, which employ reverse hyper machines, people still using old school back extension machines, few lifters will run on purpose dynamic Back Extensor Training – An exercise that intentionally trains your back extensions through a considerable range of motion. If you are new to using flexion and expansion-based low waist exercises, a dynamic 45 degree back extension is a good place to start, but you may need to repeatedly reduce the target until you become familiar with the direct work.

Jacked from front to back

With a total of 19 sets, this formidable workout hits all the major parts of your chest and back. Don’t forget to get two or three “workup sets” for each exercise, groove the technique and identify difficult weights in the target repeat range (the “workup sets” do not count towards total). Overall, I plan to go to the gym for just over an hour to achieve more than most people with two separate workouts.

reference

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