GET TOUGH!

Dual Drills for Back & Shoulders

Hardcore muscle growth is achieved with weight-training sessions that are exhausting, yet exhilarating. You must literally force your muscle fibers to expand, using tons of sweat and energy. Fewer repetitions of each exercise are performed because you’ll be working close to your maximum effort. You must be prepared for the assault, and your body must be strong enough to take it. Presented here is a comprehensive shoulders and back build-up, comprised of alternating exercises featuring cables, dumbbells, a barbell and pull-up bar. Now get growing!

Photography by Jason Ellis

SHOULDERS
Cable Military Presses
Sit at a cable military press station grasping handles palms out. Proceed to press
up to arms’ length. Pause, then return to starting position.
Perform 8 repetitions.

BACK
Wide-Grip Front Cable Pulldowns
Sit at a cable station grasping a wide bar overhead. Proceed to pull the bar down in front of the head. Pause, then return to starting position. Perform 8 repetitions.

SHOULDERS
Dumbbell Military Presses
Stand grasping dumbbells palms out above
shoulders. Proceed to press them up to arms’ length. Pause, then return to starting position. Perform 8 repetitions.

BACK
Single-Arm Dumbbell Rows
Kneel on a flat bench with the left knee, grasping a dumbbell just off the floor with the right hand. Proceed to pull the weight up to the chest. Pause, then return to starting position. Perform 8 repetitions, then switch arm and leg positions for another set.

SHOULDERS
Upright Barbell Rows
Stand grasping a barbell palms back in front of thighs. Proceed to pull the bar up under the chin, extending elbows out to sides. Pause, then return to starting position. Perform 8 repetitions.

BACK
Bent-Over
Barbell Rows
With a barbell at your feet, bend over and grasp it with palms up. Lift it to knee level, keeping legs slightly bent. This is the start position. Proceed to pull the bar up to the chest. Pause, then return to starting position. Perform 8 repetitions.

SHOULDERS
Close-Grip Pull-Ups
Grasp an overhead bar or handles with hands close together. Proceed to pull yourself up until the head is above the hands. Pause, then return to starting position. Perform 8 repetitions.

BACK
Wide-Grip
Pull-Ups
Grasp an overhead bar or handles with hands wide apart. Proceed to pull yourself up until the head is above the hands. Pause, then return to starting position. Perform 8 repetitions.