Split Day #2 - Back & Biceps

If you've read the 'Walking Into the Gym - Setting a Split' and 'Split Day #1 - Legs, Quad & Glute Focus', then welcome back! If you're new, thank you for stopping by and following along for the second day in my current lifting split, back and biceps.

Like normal, I start this lifting day with dynamic stretching. I focus a lot on shoulder mobility (arm circles both forwards and backwards) and full range of motion in my back and shoulders (ex. wall assisted windmills). This tends to take between 3 - 5 minutes.

Moving onto the first exercise, a compound back movement, bent over barbell rows. My main focus on these is form and high reps over high weight. You want to be bent over just above 90 degrees level with your hips. Hold the barbell with your palms facing forward to ensure more back engagement.

The motion is simply starting with the bar straight and shoulders pulled back, row the bar back diagonally towards your belly button, not your chest. This will engage your upper back. I go for 3 sets for 6, 6, 5 reps at 45 pounds (just the bar), 65 pounds, and finally 75 pounds.

The second exercise is lat pull downs with a handlebar. For this, head over to the nearest cable attachment machine seat. Grab the attachment that is a longer bar with handles on either end. Attach it handles facing down and you're ready to go!

Sit down and grab the handles. In this movement it is important to not overly arch your back. Instead, keep straight or a slight arch while pulling the bar down to the top of your chest/bottom of your collarbones. Then slow and controlled, fully extend your arms back up. I do this for 3 sets at 8, 8, 6 reps for 75 pounds, 85 pounds, and 100 pounds.

The final back exercise is bench bent over single arm rows. For this, head over to a bench in the free weight dumbbell section. Grab a dumbbell and get set up on the bench by placing the weight in one hand, put that same side leg on the ground, and prop your other leg and hand up on the bench.

Begin by fully extending your weighted arm, then row it diagonally back towards your imaginary back pocket. Release slow and controlled. I do this for 3 sets at 6, 5, 5 reps for 50 pounds the whole time.

The final main exercise is a superset (3 main exercises with limited breaks in between) of dumbbell bicep curls, hammer curls, and diagonal hammer curls. The combo of these three will help to work all three of your bicep heads. I do a total of 3 sets for 6, 6, 5 (each arm) with a 20-pound dumbbell in each hand.

Finally, I end with the same ab circuit of 45 pounds standing "around the worlds", 45 pounds overhead plate alternating marches, and finally 25-pound plate fully extended V-ups. This can be altered in exercises and weight but do weighted ab exercises if you want to see a change!

End with some light stretching and you're ready for split day #3!