Upper Body Hypertrophy Workout - 20min Advanced
This 20-minute advanced session maximizes efficiency by utilizing heavy compound movements and high-intensity finishers. You will move through heavy pressing and pulling to trigger significant muscle growth across your entire upper body. The handle-only setup ensures lightning-fast transitions between movements.
Experienced lifters who want to maintain or build muscle mass without spending an hour in the gym. Ideal for athletes who prefer the versatility and constant tension of handle-based movements.
Equipment
Workout Plan
Rest 90s between Bench Press sets, 60s for secondary compounds, and 45s before the final finisher.
Bench Press
Chest, Triceps, Abs
Drive your back into the bench and utilize Tonal's Spotter mode if you reach failure on the final reps.
X-Pulldown
Back, Biceps, Abs
Cross the cables in front of you and focus on pulling your elbows down to your ribs for maximum lat engagement.
Standing Overhead Press
Shoulders, Triceps
Maintain a rigid core to prevent the digital weight from pulling your lower back into an arch.
X-Pulldown w/ Triceps Extension
Back, Triceps, Biceps
Finish the movement with a strong triceps extension to capitalize on the constant cable tension at the bottom.
Why this order
This workout follows a top-down approach, starting with the heaviest horizontal press to utilize fresh energy. It then transitions to vertical pulling and pressing before ending with a complex skill move that exhausts the triceps and back simultaneously. This sequence ensures maximum motor unit recruitment early in the session.
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 Eccentric Mode for this workout?
Yes, adding Eccentric Mode to the Bench Press and X-Pulldown is highly recommended for advanced hypertrophy to increase time under tension on the negative portion of the lift.
What if I don't have the Tonal bench for the first exercise?
You can perform the Bench Press on the floor as a Floor Press, which will still target the chest and triceps while naturally limiting the range of motion to protect the shoulders.
How do I choose the right digital weight for the finisher?
Tonal will suggest a weight based on your strength score, but for the X-Pulldown with Triceps Extension, focus on the quality of the extension rather than just moving heavy weight.