Upper Body Hypertrophy Workout - 60min Beginner
This comprehensive upper body session is designed to build lean muscle mass through a strategic combination of heavy compound presses and high-volume isolation work. By focusing on controlled tempos and the consistent tension of Tonal's digital weight, you will stimulate growth across the chest, back, shoulders, and arms. It provides a foundational approach to hypertrophy training using simple yet effective movements.
This workout is ideal for beginner lifters or athletes looking to transition into a muscle-building phase with a structured, easy-to-follow plan. It offers the necessary volume for hypertrophy without the complexity of advanced stability-based movements.
Equipment
Workout Plan
Rest 90 seconds between compound sets (Bench, Row, Press) and 60 seconds between isolation and accessory movements.
Bench Press
Chest, Triceps, Abs
Maintain a stable base on the bench and engage the weight only when your arms are fully extended.
Seated Row
Back, Biceps, Abs
Drive your elbows back and squeeze your shoulder blades, keeping the cables parallel to the floor.
Lateral Raise
Shoulders
Control the eccentric phase for two seconds as the digital weight pulls your arms back to your sides.
Middle Chest Fly
Chest, Shoulders
Imagine hugging a large tree to maintain a slight bend in the elbows and maximize chest tension.
Standing Overhead Press
Shoulders, Triceps
Press the handles toward the ceiling while bracing your core against the downward digital weight pull.
Neutral Lat Pulldown
Back, Biceps, Abs
Pull the handles down toward your collarbone, focusing on leading the movement with your elbows.
Triceps Extension
Triceps
Keep your elbows pinned to your ribs and flare the rope apart at the bottom for peak contraction.
Hammer Curl
Biceps, Forearms
Maintain a neutral grip on the rope and keep your upper arms glued to your sides to prevent swinging.
Standing Face Pull
Back, Shoulders
Pull the center of the rope toward your forehead, pulling the ends apart to target the rear shoulders.
Why this order
We start with heavy compound movements like the Bench Press and Seated Row to recruit the most muscle fibers while your energy levels are highest. The workout then transitions into isolation exercises using the same accessory groupings to maximize efficiency and maintain high time-under-tension. This sequence ensures a balance of push and pull patterns to promote aesthetic symmetry and joint health.
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
How do I know if the weight is heavy enough for hypertrophy?
Tonal’s initial strength assessment sets your baseline, but for hypertrophy, you should feel like you have only 1-2 reps left in the tank at the end of every set.
Can I turn on the Spotter feature for this workout?
Yes, Spotter mode is highly recommended for the Bench Press and Overhead Press so you can safely push to failure without a human partner.
Why are some rep counts higher than others?
Compounds use lower reps to focus on mechanical tension, while isolation moves like Chest Flies use higher reps to increase metabolic stress and the 'pump' effect.
What if I can't finish the last few reps of a set?
Tonal will automatically detect your struggle and reduce the weight slightly using the Spotter feature, or you can use the Smart Handle buttons to turn the weight off instantly.