6 exercises19 setsabout 45 mina barbell, plates, a rack and a bench
A session for the muscles that get the leftovers in most programs. An overhead press comes first, then the side and rear of the shoulder, then biceps and triceps in alternation so each rests while the other works.
A barbell, a rack and a bench is the classic garage setup. It is short on isolation work, so this session leans on big lifts and makes up the difference in load.
Start this workout free
Creates your account with these 6 exercises already loaded. Free to log, no card.
The workout
Overhead Press4 × 8Squeeze your glutes and brace. Press the bar straight up, moving your head through once it clears your forehead.2 min rest
Upright Row3 × 15Take a grip wider than your shoulders and pull the bar to lower-chest height, elbows leading. Stop there.60 s rest
Barbell Curl3 × 10Elbows stay by your sides. Curl without leaning back and lower for a full two seconds.90 s rest
Skull Crusher3 × 10Lying on the bench, lower the bar towards your forehead by bending only at the elbows, then extend.90 s rest
Reverse Curl3 × 12Overhand grip, wrists straight. Curl the bar with your elbows fixed at your sides.60 s rest
Close-Grip Bench Press3 × 12Hands shoulder-width apart, elbows tucked close to your ribs all the way down and up.60 s rest
Muscles worked
FrontBack
Shoulders8.5
Triceps8
Biceps7.5
Traps5
Forearms4.5
Abs2
Chest1.5
Sets per muscle. A muscle that only assists in an exercise counts half.
How to run it
Before the first exercise, do two lighter sets of it: one at about half your working weight and one at three quarters. Rest for the time shown next to each exercise; the heavy lifts at the top need more than the smaller ones at the end.
Aim to finish each set with one or two reps left in you. If every set reaches its target easily, the session is too light. Barbells reward small jumps: add 2.5 kg (5 lb) in total once every set reaches the target, and stay there until it does again.
Once a week, as a fourth day next to chest, back and leg sessions, or as the arm-focused day of an upper and lower split.
In myreplog
It is already set up. These 6 exercises arrive in your account as a program, with the sets and reps above.
Tap, do not type. Set your weights the first time, then mark each set done as you finish it.
Records count themselves. From your second session, a lift that beats your best is marked as a personal record on the spot.
See what you trained. The session ends with this muscle map, drawn from the sets you actually did.
Logging is free for good. The first 14 days also include Pro, where a coach reviews each session and suggests the weights for the next one. No card needed.
Questions
How long does this shoulders and arms workout take?
About 45 minutes. That is 19 working sets with the rests listed next to each exercise, plus five minutes to warm up.
What muscles does it work?
Mostly the shoulders, triceps and biceps. The traps, forearms, abs and chest assist. The map on this page shades each muscle by the number of sets that reach it.
What equipment do I need?
A barbell, plates, a rack and a bench.
Can I train shoulders and arms on the same day?
Yes. Neither is a large muscle group, so the session is not exhausting, and alternating a biceps exercise with a triceps exercise keeps the rests short.
How many sets do arms need per week?
Counting the work they get from presses and rows, most people grow well on 10 to 14 direct sets a week for biceps and the same for triceps.