Upper Body Strength Workout - 20min Advanced
This high-intensity session focuses on foundational barbell movements to maximize force production and upper body density. By leveraging the StraightBar and Tonal's digital resistance, you will challenge your chest, back, and shoulders through heavy, controlled sets. It is designed for experienced lifters looking to hit a new PR without the need for a physical spotter.
This is for the advanced lifter or powerlifter who needs an efficient, high-load upper body session during a busy week. It is ideal for those focused on raw strength and muscle thickness.
Equipment
Workout Plan
Rest 120 seconds between heavy barbell rows and bench presses. For the overhead press and curls, reduce rest to 60-90 seconds.
Barbell Bent Over Row
Back, Biceps, Abs
Engage your core and maintain a flat back to resist the Tonal's constant digital tension on every rep.
Barbell Bench Press
Chest, Triceps, Abs
Drive your feet into the floor and use Tonal's Spotter mode to safely push your limits on the final reps.
Barbell Biceps Curl
Biceps, Forearms
Squeeze your biceps at the top and fight the weight on the way down for a full eccentric burn.
Standing Barbell Overhead Press
Shoulders, Triceps
Press the bar toward the ceiling and keep your glutes tight to stabilize against the overhead cable pull.
Why this order
This program follows a classic heavy-to-light prioritization by starting with high-energy barbell rows and bench presses to recruit maximum motor units. We use the StraightBar for all movements to eliminate equipment changes, allowing you to maximize your 20-minute window for pure strength work.
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 handle the weight for the low rep range?
Tonal will automatically suggest a heavy weight based on your profile, but feel free to manually increase it if you aren't reaching near-failure by the final rep.
Is it safe to do heavy bench presses alone on Tonal?
Yes, Tonal’s built-in Spotter mode will detect if you are struggling or the bar slows down significantly and will automatically reduce the weight so you can finish the rep safely.
Why use the StraightBar for every exercise in this session?
The StraightBar allows for bilateral loading, which is superior for moving maximal weight, and keeping one accessory for the whole workout minimizes transitions to keep you under 20 minutes.