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Back Fat Loss Workout - 45min Intermediate

This high-intensity session prioritizes metabolic stress to accelerate fat loss while building a strong and defined back. By pairing compound pulling movements with targeted isolation exercises in rapid supersets, you will maximize caloric burn and maintain an elevated heart rate. You will utilize unilateral movements to ensure balanced strength and a stable core throughout the entire workout.

This workout is designed for intermediate lifters who want to improve body composition and upper body pull strength. It is ideal for busy individuals who want a time-efficient, high-intensity session using only handles.

45mDuration
8Exercises
23Total Sets
Back, BicepsMuscles

Equipment

Handles

Workout Plan

Rest 60 seconds after the heavy lead compound sets, and 30 to 45 seconds between exercises in the supersets to keep your heart rate elevated.

Handles
Superset
Seated Row

Seated Row

Back, Biceps, Abs

Drive your elbows back and squeeze your shoulder blades together while maintaining a tall spine.

4 x 8
Standing Single Arm Row

Standing Single Arm Row

Back, Biceps, Obliques

Brace your core to resist the cable pull and prevent your torso from rotating during the row.

3 x 10
Handles
Superset
Reverse Fly

Reverse Fly

Back, Shoulders

Keep a slight bend in your elbows and focus on pulling the handles wide to your sides.

3 x 12
Biceps Curl

Biceps Curl

Biceps, Forearms

Keep your elbows pinned to your ribs and use the full range of motion provided by the cables.

3 x 12
Handles
Superset

Reverse Grip Biceps Curl

Biceps, Forearms

Maintain a firm overhand grip to target your forearms while the Tonal maintains steady resistance.

2 x 12

Alternating Biceps Curl

Biceps, Forearms

Keep your pace steady and don't let the digital weight snap your arms down on the eccentric phase.

2 x 15
Handles
Superset

Half Kneeling Single Arm Pulldown (Ipsilateral)

Back, Biceps, Abs

Maintain a stable kneeling base and pull the handle toward your hip to engage the lower lat.

3 x 10

Straight Arm Pulldown

Back, Shoulders

Keep your arms straight and sweep the handles down to your hips using your back muscles.

3 x 12

Why this order

The workout begins with a heavy seated row to recruit maximum muscle fibers while your energy is highest. It then transitions into supersets that pair horizontal and vertical pulling with isolation work to ensure full muscle fatigue while maintaining the metabolic intensity required for fat loss. The handles-only approach minimizes equipment changes, allowing for faster transitions and higher density work.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How should I select my starting weight for the supersets?

Tonal will suggest a weight based on your previous lifts, but for fat loss, aim for a weight that allows you to complete the final rep of each set with only one or two reps left in the tank. If you feel your form slipping during the 15-rep finisher, Tonal's Spotter mode will automatically reduce the weight for you.

Why are there so many single-arm exercises?

Unilateral work forces your core to stabilize against the digital weight, increasing the total caloric burn and fixing strength imbalances. These movements are key for fat loss because they keep the body working harder for longer periods.

Can I use Tonal's dynamic weight modes with this workout?

Yes, for the Biceps Curls and Seated Rows, try enabling Eccentric Mode. This increases the resistance on the way down, which creates more micro-tears in the muscle and boosts your metabolic rate during recovery.