Back Hypertrophy Workout - 20min Beginner
You will build a stronger and more defined upper body by targeting your lats and arms with this high efficiency session. This routine focuses on fundamental pulling movements that maximize muscle growth through controlled repetitions. You will use a mix of the barbell and handles to hit your back and biceps from multiple angles.
This is ideal for beginner lifters who want to improve their posture and upper body aesthetics. It is also a great supplemental session for swimmers or climbers looking to strengthen their posterior chain.
Equipment
Workout Plan
Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets to allow for recovery while maintaining a high heart rate for metabolic stress.
Barbell Biceps Curl
Biceps, Forearms
Keep your elbows pinned to your ribs to ensure the biceps are doing the work, not your shoulders.
Barbell Seated Lat Pulldown
Back, Biceps
Drive your elbows toward your hips and squeeze your shoulder blades at the bottom of the movement.
Seated Row
Back, Biceps, Abs
Maintain a tall spine and pull the handles toward your lower ribs while keeping your shoulders down.
Alternating Biceps Curl
Biceps, Forearms
Control the descent on every rep to take advantage of Tonal's constant digital resistance.
Why this order
We start with heavy vertical and horizontal pulling compounds to recruit the most muscle fibers while you are fresh. By grouping the barbell movements first followed by handle exercises, we minimize transition time to keep your intensity high. The session finishes with higher-rep isolation work to drive blood flow and maximize the hypertrophy stimulus in the biceps.
Want this personalized for you?
This is a template workout. Connect your Tonal and the AI coach adjusts weights to your strength scores, swaps exercises around injuries, and progresses you week over week.
Start Free with AI CoachFrequently Asked Questions
Can I use Spotter Mode for these exercises?
Yes, enable Spotter Mode on Tonal so the digital weight automatically reduces if you struggle to finish the final reps of a set.
What should I do if the weight feels too light?
Tonal will adjust based on your strength, but you can manually increase the weight on the screen or focus on a slower 3-second eccentric phase for more challenge.
Do I need the bench for the seated exercises?
Yes, using the Tonal bench for the seated rows and pulldowns provides the necessary stability to isolate your back muscles effectively.