7 exercises23 setsabout 55 mina pair of dumbbells and a bench
Everything that pulls: the lats, the upper back, the rear of the shoulder and the biceps. A row and a vertical pull do most of the work, and the curls come last, when the biceps are already warm from both.
Dumbbells make each side carry its own weight, so a stronger arm or leg cannot cover for the other, and they travel through a longer range than a bar allows.
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The workout
One-Arm Dumbbell Row4 × 8 per sideOne hand and knee on the bench. Pull the dumbbell to your hip, not your chest, and keep your shoulders square.2 min rest
Dumbbell Pullover4 × 10Lying across the bench, lower one dumbbell behind your head with soft elbows, then pull it back over your chest.90 s rest
Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row3 × 10Lie chest-down on an incline bench and row both dumbbells up, so your lower back cannot help.90 s rest
Dumbbell Reverse Fly3 × 15Hinge forward with a flat back and raise the dumbbells out to the sides, squeezing your shoulder blades.60 s rest
Dumbbell Curl3 × 10Turn your palms up as you curl and keep your upper arms still.90 s rest
Hammer Curl3 × 12Palms face each other the whole way. Curl to shoulder height without swinging.60 s rest
Dumbbell Shrug3 × 12Lift your shoulders straight up towards your ears and hold for a second. No rolling.60 s rest
Muscles worked
FrontBack
Upper back10
Lats9.5
Biceps9.5
Forearms8
Shoulders4.5
Traps4.5
Chest2
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. Dumbbells go up in big steps. When the next pair is too heavy, add a rep to every set first, and move up once you are two or three reps over the target.
It is the second day of a push, pull, legs rotation, the day after push. Once a week is enough for most people; twice if you run the rotation two times through.
In myreplog
It is already set up. These 7 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 pull day workout take?
About 55 minutes. That is 23 working sets with the rests listed next to each exercise, plus five minutes to warm up.
What muscles does it work?
Mostly the upper back, lats and biceps. The forearms, shoulders, traps 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 pair of dumbbells and a bench.
What muscles does a pull day work?
The lats, the upper back, the traps, the rear of the shoulders, the biceps and the forearms. Anything that pulls a weight towards the body belongs here.
Do deadlifts go on pull day or leg day?
Either works. A deadlift is a hip hinge, so it trains the hamstrings and glutes, but the back holds the position throughout. Put it where it does not land the day after heavy squats.