Gym workouts

Gym pull day workout

6 exercises 20 sets about 50 min a full gym: barbells, dumbbells, cables and machines

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.

With a full gym you can open with a heavy barbell lift and finish on cables and machines, which let you push close to failure without technique being the thing that gives out.

Start this workout free Creates your account with these 6 exercises already loaded. Free to log, no card.

The workout

  1. Deadlift3 × 5Bar over mid-foot, back flat, lats tight. Push the floor away and keep the bar against your legs.2–3 min rest
  2. Barbell Row4 × 8Hinge to about 45 degrees with a flat back and pull the bar to your lower ribs without jerking your torso.2 min rest
  3. Lat Pulldown4 × 10Lean back slightly and pull the bar to your upper chest, driving your elbows down and back.90 s rest
  4. Face Pull3 × 15Rope at face height. Pull towards your eyes and finish with your hands apart and elbows high.60 s rest
  5. Barbell Curl3 × 10Elbows stay by your sides. Curl without leaning back and lower for a full two seconds.90 s rest
  6. Hammer Curl3 × 12Palms face each other the whole way. Curl to shoulder height without swinging.60 s rest

Muscles worked

TrapsShouldersChestBicepsForearmsObliquesAbsAbsAbsAbsQuadsAdductorsCalvesTrapsShouldersChestBicepsForearmsObliquesAbsAbsAbsAbsQuadsAdductorsCalves
Front
TrapsShouldersUpper backLatsLower backTricepsForearmsGlutesHamstringsCalvesTrapsShouldersUpper backLatsLower backTricepsForearmsGlutesHamstringsCalves
Back
  • Upper back10.5
  • Biceps10
  • Lats8
  • Forearms8
  • Lower back5
  • Glutes3
  • Hamstrings3

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. Add the smallest plate you can to the barbell lifts, and move up one pin on machines and cables once every set reaches 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.

If something is taken

  • Barbell Row→One-Arm Dumbbell Row
  • Lat Pulldown→Pull-Up
  • Face Pull→Dumbbell Reverse Fly
  • Barbell Curl→Dumbbell Curl

Keep the same number of sets. In the app you can swap an exercise for one session without changing the program.

In myreplog

  1. It is already set up. These 6 exercises arrive in your account as a program, with the sets and reps above.
  2. Tap, do not type. Set your weights the first time, then mark each set done as you finish it.
  3. Records count themselves. From your second session, a lift that beats your best is marked as a personal record on the spot.
  4. 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 50 minutes. That is 20 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, biceps and lats. The forearms, lower back, glutes and hamstrings assist. The map on this page shades each muscle by the number of sets that reach it.

What equipment do I need?

A full gym: barbells, dumbbells, cables and machines.

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.

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