Ladies: don’t skip back day! Despite what you might think, training your back is not going to give you a “big back,” rather, it’s going to make you strong and capable.
Strong, healthy back muscles promote better posture, a better physique, and improved everyday mobility, and can help you to prevent injury.
In the Fit & Fueled Method inside the FHM+ App, we focus on our back and bicep muscles every week on our upper body “pull” days. Following the Fit & Fueled Method is the best way to reach your body composition results as quickly and efficiently as possible while remaining realistic (I understand having a busy, packed schedule!).
Try this workout, and if you love it as much as I think you will join us in the FHM+ App for a comprehensive workout plan that will deliver the most results with the least amount of effort.
Purpose of This Workout
The goal of this workout is to target your back and bicep muscles through strategic strength training exercises that utilize dumbbells and bands. Additionally, the goal here is to show you that with the correct intensity and volume, you can get an incredible workout done in 30 minutes or less.
Equipment Required
This workout is done with minimal equipment. Here’s what’s required:
- 1-2 pairs of dumbbells
- A long-loop exercise band
Can This Workout Be Done Without Equipment?
No, you will need, at a bare minimum, 1 set of dumbbells to complete this workout.
30-Minute Back & Biceps Workout
Let’s get to it! You can watch my Instagram post of this exact workout or read through the blog post with proper form images and exercise cues!
Instagram post:
Here are the exercises we have planned for this workout:
Gorilla Rows
Hinge at your hips with a flat back and a braced core, keep your feet shoulder-width apart with a slight bend in the knees, hold the dumbbells between your feet with a neutral grip, row one dumbbell by driving your elbow back while keeping your wrist neutral, lower it with control to a full stretch, then repeat on the other side, maintaining a steady rhythm and keeping your chest parallel to the floor to avoid twisting.
Pinwheel Curls
Hold a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip, keep your core braced and shoulders back, curl one dumbbell across your body toward the opposite shoulder while keeping your elbow close to your torso, lower it with control, then repeat on the other side, maintaining a steady rhythm without using momentum.
Banded Lat Pull Downs
Anchor the band overhead and sit on the floor with a tall posture, legs extended or slightly bent, grip the band with palms facing forward, engage your core, pull the band down by driving your elbows toward your sides, squeeze your lats at the bottom, then return to the start with control while keeping tension on the band.
Zottman Curls
Hold a dumbbell in each hand with a supinated (palms-up) grip, keep your core braced and elbows close to your torso, curl the dumbbells up while maintaining control, rotate your wrists to a pronated (palms-down) grip at the top, then slowly lower the weights back down before rotating back to the starting position for the next rep.
Banded Single Arm Rear Delt Pull Around
Anchor the band at chest height and stand with a slight bend in your knees, holding the handle with one hand and keeping your core braced. With a straight arm and a slight bend in the elbow, pull the band in a wide arc across your body until your hand is in line with your shoulder. Squeeze your rear delt at the end range, then return to the starting position with control while maintaining tension on the band.
Chest Supported Rear Delt Rows
Set an incline bench to about 30-45 degrees and lie face down with your chest supported, holding a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral or pronated grip. Keep your core engaged and shoulders pulled back, then row the dumbbells by driving your elbows out wide at a slight angle, focusing on squeezing your rear delts. Lower the weights with control to a full stretch before repeating the movement.
The Workout Plan
Alright, you know the moves, now let’s put them together into a targeted, effective workout that will challenge your back and biceps muscles from multiple angles.
*Rest for 60-90 seconds between sets
Here are the reps and sets for each exercise:
| Type | Move | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single Exercise | Gorilla Rows | 3 | 12 (alternating) |
| Single Exercise | Altering Pinwheel Curls | 3 | 16 (alternating) |
| Single Exercise | Banded Lat Pulldowns | 3 | 12 |
| Single Exercise | Zottman Curls | 2 | 8 |
| Superset (perform 2 exercises back to back, then rest) | Banded Rear Delt Pull Arounds | 3 | 12 each side |
| Superset (perform 2 exercises back to back, then rest) | Chest Supported Rear Delt Rows | 3 | 10 |
Other workouts you'll love:
Core + Upperbody workout (30 minutes)
How Strong Do You Feel?!
If you finished this workout, come back and let me know how strong you feel after this! Your 30(ish) minute investment in yourself will be well worth it when you’re feeling stronger, looking leaner and more toned, and have the satisfaction of knowing that you’re building a better, more capable body for your future.
Remember, just one workout won’t yield the results you’re looking for – it takes consistency and a comprehensive approach to full-body strength training that will give you the long-term results you’re seeking.
This workout was pulled directly from the FHM+ App, so you now know exactly what to expect, except, when you do the workout in the app, you’ll get to experience video form cues, interactive tracking and logging, progressions, and more!
