Tag: training
Bicep Curl Drop Set: Pump Your Guns and Maximize Muscle Gain!
The biceps are arguably the most loved muscle group. It is common to hear people skip leg days, but you’ll never hear of anyone missing arm day. Although the biceps curl ranks high on every lifter’s favorite exercise list, only a few have guns worth showing off.
The biceps is a small muscle group, and most lifters rely on curls (an isolation exercise) to add inches to their arms. Nonetheless, only a few succeed.
Usually, exercisers oscillate between doing too little and too much in their arms training regimen. While the first technique lacks training intensity to spark new muscle tissue growth, the latter leads to overtraining. Furthermore, both these techniques lead to a training plateau.
This is where the drop sets come in. Drop sets help increase your training intensity by adding more sets and reps to your training regimen, helping ignite new muscle growth and break through plateaus. Drop sets boost muscle growth by significantly enhancing your target muscle’s time under tension.
To build biceps that surpass people’s imagination, you must put in the work that most people cannot fathom. The bicep curl drop set is a step in the right direction.
The drop set is an advanced training technique that is not for the faint of heart. “Muscle-ripping pump” is a popular term in training jargon. Most lifters throw it around like it’s nobody’s business. The truth is that most trainers have never experienced a “muscle-ripping pump,” unless that is, they try the drop set.
In this article, we go over everything you need to learn about the biceps curl drop set to build bigger and stronger pythons, including the definition, step-by-step instructions, sample biceps drop set workout, its benefits, and tips to make the most of them.
What is a Drop Set?
A drop set is an advanced resistance training technique that helps spark hypertrophy by shocking your muscles through an uptick in training intensity. In a drop set, you perform an exercise with an appropriate weight for the desired number of repetitions, then lighten the load by 10–30% and perform another set to failure without pausing for rest between sets.
The number of reps you will perform will depend on your training objectives. Research has shown that performing 1-3 sets of 8-12 reps of an exercise with an appropriate weight is optimal for building muscle mass. On the other hand, 3-5 sets of 1-5 reps are ideal for building strength. [1]
Training for muscle failure in two non-stop sets fills your muscles with blood and lactic acid, which stretches the fascia and supplies your muscle fibers with the required nutrients for muscle growth.
You could also do a double drop set to take your muscle pumps to the next level. A double drop set involves dropping weights twice in the same set. To do a double drop set, complete a set to failure, lighten the load by 10-30%, and do another set; complete the round by doing another set after reducing the load by 10-30%.
Here is a sample barbell biceps curl double drop set using 95 pounds:
Set 1: 12 reps [95 pounds]
Set 2: Failure (8-12 reps) [85 pounds]
Set 3: Failure (8-12 reps) [65 pounds]
While performing a drop set, you must ensure that you’re following a picture-perfect form. Using momentum or a sleazy form increases your risk of injury as your muscles are already fatigued. You must stop your set as soon as you notice your form slipping.
How to Perform a Biceps Curl Drop Set
The drop set technique can be used for any biceps curl exercise. For the sake of this article, we’ll consider the dumbbell biceps curl. Drop sets require more logistical planning than traditional dumbbell curl sets. Hence, you must ensure that you already have everything you need by your side before you begin the drop set. Stopping to look for weights drops your training intensity and will hamper your muscle-building potential.
Use the following pointers to incorporate the biceps curl into your training schedule:
Choose The Weight
Most lifters are confused about the weights they should be lifting on the biceps curl drop set. While some people bite off more than they can chew, exposing themselves to an injury, others undersell themselves, leaving gains on the table.
As a rule of thumb, you should start your drop set with a weight that allows you to complete 8-12 reps of an exercise with the perfect form. Then, you must not lighten the load by more than 30% for the drop set to ensure optimal small-twitch muscle fiber stimulation. You must choose a weight that allows you to complete 8-12 reps in the drop sets.
For example, if you perform the first set of a dumbbell bicep curl with 45-pound dumbbells, you can only drop the weight to 30 pounds for the drop set. You can then use 20-pound dumbbells for the double-drop set.
Decreasing the weight in small increments (5-10%) can limit the number of repetitions you can perform. You must, however, ensure that you fail in the 8-12 rep range to induce hypertrophy and improve your muscle endurance.
Setup
Many lifters make the mistake of starting the bicep curl drop set without the proper engagement. While doing the dumbbell bicep curl drop set, you should have the 2-3 sets of dumbbells you will use around you and in your reach before starting the exercise.
Looking for dumbbells for your drop sets in the middle of your set will hamper your training intensity. If you wait too long between sets, you’ll end up recruiting your fast-twitch muscle fibers instead of the slow-twitch fibers, beating the purpose of this advanced training technique.
Plan
To make the most of drop sets, you must program them into your workouts strategically. Plan your workouts a week in advance so that you don’t end up using drop sets more than once in a workout and twice a week. Using this training technique too frequently can result in overtraining, increasing your risk of injury and leading you to a plateau.
Training Experience
The ‘advanced’ in advance resistance training technique exists for a reason. Beginners must resist the temptation of using drop sets in their workouts. Furthermore, you should only use it in exercises you have mastered. Experimenting with drop sets in a lift you are still learning increases your risk of injury.
Sample Bicep Curl Drop Set Workout
Given below is a biceps workout that involves a superset of dumbbell biceps curls:
In this workout, we have programmed the drop sets at the end to end the workout on a high. Start with the heaviest dumbbells and do as many reps as possible. Without resting between sets, switch to lighter dumbbells and curl to failure. Lighten the weights again, and work to failure without stopping for rest.
Benefits of Drop Set
Adding the drop set advanced training technique to your exercise regimen entails the following advantages:
Helps Build Muscle Mass
A 2018 study found that drop sets delivered more muscle gains by stimulating slow-twitch muscle fiber growth than the conventional sets during a six-week resistance training protocol. [2]
Drop sets are an incredibly versatile training principle. You could use them in any workout and for any exercise. You can do a drop set at the start of a workout to pre-exhaust your muscles, in the middle of the workout, or at the end to finish your training session with a mind-numbing pump.
Drop sets fill your muscles with blood and lactic acid, which stretches the fascia around the muscle and delivers the required nutrients to the muscle tissue for growth.
Improves Muscle Endurance
Our muscles consist of two types of muscle fibers — slow and fast-twitch. Although conventional strength training exercises are great for engaging fast-twitch muscle fibers, they do little to nothing for the slow-twitch fibers. The slow-twitch muscle fibers are endurance-based, meaning they require a greater time under tension than the fast-twitch fibers to fire up, and this is exactly what the drop sets deliver.
A study published in The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness found that a single set of drop set can lead to better muscle gains than three sets of a conventional resistance training exercise. [3]
Time Effective
Drop sets are a great way to get a lot of work done in a short period. Folks that have hit a plateau and need to up their training volume but cannot afford to spend another 30-45 minutes in the gym should turn to drop sets.
Most drop sets take 15-20 seconds to complete. Lifters that generally do 15 sets in a workout can boost their training volume by 20% just by doing three drop sets of an exercise. Not to mention the insane training intensity that can be achieved using this training principle.
Bicep Curl Drop Set Tips
Here are some bicep curl drop set tips to get the best bang for your buck:
Exercise Type
Prefer doing drop sets in isolation exercises like the biceps curl that focus on a single muscle group. Since compound exercises have multiple moving parts, the risk of injury is significantly higher while doing drop sets.
Lifters tend to compromise on their form on compound lifts like the squat when fatigue starts to set in, increasing their odds of injury. It is easier to bail on a bicep curl drop set rep than to get out of a squat mid-rep.
Sets
You should not do drop sets for more than one exercise in a workout, as it can cause muscle overexertion, increasing your risk of injury. Furthermore, avoid doing more than double drop sets at a time.
Notably, ‘run the rack’ is another advanced training technique that is growing in popularity and involves lightening the load until you lift the lightest weight on the rack. It is a drop set variation that should be reserved for advanced athletes. The high volume and intensity of multiple drop sets can result in a lousy form and an unprecedented strain on your muscles, multiplying your injury odds.
Frequency
Since drop sets are so effective in delivering a muscle pump, many lifters tend to overdo them, increasing overtraining risk. Overtraining affects your central nervous system, and depending on your genetics and recovery program, it might take you months to come out of this phase.
You must limit drop set use to one exercise per workout. Furthermore, avoid performing drop sets more than twice weekly to allow your muscle enough time to recover from your high-intensity workouts.
Are Bicep Curl Drop Sets Safe?
Drop sets are an advanced resistance training technique and should not be used by newbies and rookie lifters. As you start incorporating drop sets into your training regimen, it should be done under an expert’s supervision to minimize the risk of injury.
You must then choose an appropriate weight and exercise for the drop set. Use a weight you can control for 8-12 reps per set and an exercise you have mastered. Doing drop sets on an unfamiliar exercise puts you in a delicate position, and a slight misstep can lead to an injury.
Wrapping Up
The bicep curl drop set is an advanced resistance training technique that will push your limits and challenge your muscles like never before. It will increase your training intensity by increasing the time under tension, helping you avoid and break through a training plateau.
Rookie lifters should start with the conventional drop sets, whereas more advanced lifters can utilize the double drop sets to fill their guns with blood and lactic acid. Finally, you must strategically program the drop sets into your biceps training routine. Doing too much too soon can lead to overtraining, which can stall your growth.
References
Krzysztofik M, Wilk M, Wojdała G, Gołaś A. Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 4;16(24):4897. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244897. PMID: 31817252; PMCID: PMC6950543.
Fink J, Schoenfeld BJ, Kikuchi N, Nakazato K. Effects of drop set resistance training on acute stress indicators and long-term muscle hypertrophy and strength. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2018 May;58(5):597-605. doi: 10.23736/S0022-4707.17.06838-4. Epub 2017 Apr 26. PMID: 28474868.
Fink, Julius & Schoenfeld, Brad & Kikuchi, Naoki & Nakazato, Koichi. (2017). Effects of drop set resistance training on acute stress indicators and long-term muscle hypertrophy and strength. The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness. 58. 10.23736/S0022-4707.17.06838-4.
Shoulder Pain When Doing Overhead Triceps Extensions? Possible Causes and Solutions
The overhead triceps extension, also known as the French press, is one of the best ways to target the long head of your triceps. Hitting this triceps head means putting your arms into flexion, and the best way to do this is to raise them overhead.
Overhead triceps extensions take the target muscles through a large range of motion and provide the triceps with a deep stretch at the bottom of each rep. If you are serious about developing horseshoe triceps, overhead extensions are an excellent option.
However, this exercise has a downside: it can also cause shoulder pain. Pain in the stabilizing muscles is only to be expected and nothing to worry about. In contrast, joint pain could indicate that something more serious is wrong and needs fixing.
In this article, we reveal the possible causes of shoulder pain while doing overhead triceps extensions and how to prevent it.
Causes of Shoulder Pain During Overhead Triceps Extensions
There are several reasons that overhead triceps extensions can cause shoulder pain. Some are easy to fix, while others are less so. Some causes of shoulder pain may require rest or medical attention.
Seated Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extensions
Use the following information to determine why overhead triceps extensions hurt your shoulders.
Poor mobility
Overhead triceps extensions involve raising your arms so your biceps are next to your ears. This requires above-average shoulder joint mobility, and your lats, pecs, and delts must also be flexible.
Tight muscles or immobile joints mean you’ll have to strain to get your arms into the correct position for overhead triceps extensions. Needless to say, if this is difficult for you to do, shoulder pain may be the result.
Related: Five-Minute Mobility Workout for Lifters
Improper technique
Many lifters turn overhead triceps extensions into a bastardized behind-the-neck overhead press. This may be because they lack the mobility necessary to get into the right position, are using too much weight, or simply don’t know any better.
There are two ways to perform most exercises – the right and the wrong way. The right way is generally safe, comfortable, and keeps the tension on the target muscles. The wrong way compromises your joints, takes stress off the target muscles, and is more likely to cause injuries.
Overhead triceps extensions are quite an unforgiving exercise, and even small technical errors can cause pain in all the wrong places.
Poor posture
Posture is the alignment of your joints, and it can be good or bad. Bad posture, such as rounded shoulders or slouching, makes it much harder to get into the correct position to do overhead triceps extensions safely.
This poor posture means you’ll need to change your technique to perform the exercise. Invariably, this puts more stress on your shoulders than it does your triceps.
Using too much weight
Overhead triceps extensions are an isolation or single-joint exercise. Once your upper arms are next to your head, only your elbows should move. Such a strict movement means you won’t be able to lift a lot of weight. As a result, overhead triceps extensions work best with light to moderate loads and medium to high reps.
However, despite this, some exercisers try to use very heavy weights with overhead triceps extensions, which puts a lot of stress on all the muscles and joints involved, including the shoulders.
An underlying shoulder problem
Shoulder problems are common among bodybuilders and weightlifters. The shoulder is a very hard-working joint and is involved in virtually every upper-body exercise you perform. As such, many lifters have chronic shoulder problems, such as bursitis, tendonitis, strains, and sprains.
While you might be able to do some exercises without pain, the overhead triceps extension involves an awkward arm position. Because of this, they may aggravate any existing shoulder injuries.
Not warming up properly
Warming up is crucial as it prepares your body for the workout and exercises you are about to perform. Overhead triceps extensions need a thorough warm-up because of the position of your arms. Not warming up could mean your shoulders feel stiff and immobile, which could cause pain if you force your upper arms up and next to your ears.
Poor shoulder stability and strength
While overhead triceps extensions are undoubtedly an arm exercise, you need strong, stable shoulders to keep your biceps next to your ears. Weak deltoids or unstable joints could cause shoulder pain, despite not targeting them directly.
Lack of shoulder muscle endurance could also mean your deltoids fatigue before your arms, and you’ll feel them burning painfully toward the end of your set.
Overhead triceps extensions don’t suit your body type
Exercise is good for everybody’s body. However, because of biomechanical differences such as shoulder width and arm length, not all exercises suit all lifters. Despite warming up, using good form, and lifting a sensible weight, overhead triceps extensions may still hurt your shoulders.
It’s not the exercise’s fault, but your genetics. Don’t worry, though; there are other ways to train your triceps long head.
How to Prevent Pain When Doing Overhead Triceps Extensions
Now that you know the possible causes of shoulder pain when doing overhead triceps extensions, here are some strategies to avoid it.
Warm up properly
Warming up increases tissue temperature, blood flow, joint mobility, and muscle flexibility. These things make getting your upper arms into the correct position to do overhead triceps extensions easier, reducing the risk of shoulder pain.
Focus on your shoulders, upper back, and elbows when preparing for overhead triceps extensions.
A warm-up for strength training should include the following:
Pulse raiser (light cardio)
Joint mobility
Dynamic flexibility
Movement prep/practice reps
Read more about warming up for strength training here.
Stretch your lats and pecs
It’s generally best to avoid statically stretching muscles before training them. Static stretches can reduce force production and make you weaker. However, with overhead triceps extensions, stretching your pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi should make achieving and maintaining the correct arm position easier.
Don’t worry about losing strength for your workout, as these muscles are not directly involved in overhead triceps extensions.
Check out this article to learn more about stretching your pecs and this article to discover the best exercises for stretching your lats.
Practice and perfect your technique
While overhead triceps aren’t the most technical bodybuilding exercise, they’re not the simplest, either. If you are new to this movement or have picked up some bad habits and don’t do them as cleanly as you should, it’s time to start practicing and mastering your form.
Do this exercise with a light dumbbell to ensure you are performing it correctly. Use a mirror or training partner for feedback. Also, consider videoing yourself for a post-set analysis. Do practice sets before your main workout and a few more before or after your other workouts so you can work on your form.
Fix whatever technical errors you spot to reduce your risk of shoulder pain.
Try using different training implements
There is more than one way to do overhead triceps extensions. Dumbbells might be the most common, but you may find cable or barbell overhead triceps extensions more common. You can also use an EZ bar or a “triceps bomber” bar, which has parallel grips.
All these options put your hands and upper arms in a slightly different position, which may be more comfortable for your shoulders.
Cable Overhead Triceps Extensions
Use lighter weights and a slower tempo
If heavy weights hurt your shoulders, but light weights don’t challenge your triceps enough, try doing your reps more slowly. So, instead of the usual one-second up/one-second down tempo most lifters use, try a 2:2 or 3:3 tempo.
Lifting and lowering more slowly makes light weights feel heavier while taking stress off your joints.
You don’t have to lift heavy weights to fatigue your muscles; a slower tempo and light weights can be just as challenging.
Strengthen your rotator cuff
Overhead triceps extensions require strong rotator cuff muscles to stabilize your shoulder joint. The rotator cuff is the collective name for the small muscles beneath your deltoids.
The muscles that make up your rotator cuff are:
These muscles are often weak and the cause of many shoulder problems. Strengthen your rotator cuff by performing cable or resistance band internal and external rotations.
Fix your posture
Poor posture, especially a slouched upper back and rounded shoulders, makes it impossible to get your arms into the correct position to do overhead triceps extensions. Trying to do this exercise when you’ve got bad posture puts a lot of stress on the shoulders.
Pronged sitting and too much time using screens mean that many people have poor posture.
It’s beyond the scope of this article to tell you how to fix your posture, but stretching your chest and strengthening your upper back with face pulls and band pull-aparts will help. Mobilizing your thoracic spine will also be beneficial.
Get any underlying shoulder problems diagnosed
If your shoulders hurt despite using these tips, you may have an underlying joint, tendon, or muscle problem that needs diagnosing and fixing. While muscle pain in the areas you are training is normal, pain in nearby muscles and joints is not.
Pain is your body’s way of saying something is wrong, and it’s best not to ignore it. Training through pain is a great way to make minor injuries worse.
If overhead triceps extensions hurt your shoulders, stop doing them and find out the source of your pain.
Use alternative exercises
While overhead triceps extensions are an effective exercise, they aren’t the only way to target the triceps long head. There are other exercises that are just as effective but put much less stress on your shoulders.
Good options include:
Take overhead triceps extensions out of your workouts and do any of these shoulder-friendly arm exercises instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have a question about shoulder pain and overhead triceps extensions? That’s okay because we’ve got the answers!
1. I had sudden shoulder pain during overhead triceps extensions. What should I do?
Sudden onset or acute pain suggests you may have strained a muscle or sprained a ligament. In either case, you should stop what you’re doing to avoid making your injury worse.
Depending on the severity of the damage, you may also need to use RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) to promote recovery.
Do not return to training until the pain has subsided. If the pain is severe, get it checked out by a medical professional. You can still work out, but you must avoid aggravating the injured area. Train around the injury and not through it!
2. Are overhead triceps extensions safe?
Overhead triceps are not the riskiest triceps exercise, but nor are they the safest. They tend to place a lot of stress on the shoulder joint and can be uncomfortable. However, providing you have stable, mobile shoulders, and perform them with good form, it would be an exaggeration to say that overhead triceps extensions are dangerous.
3. Do I even need to train my long triceps head separately?
While isolating any of the three triceps heads is impossible, you can emphasize each one by altering the position of your upper arm. Bodybuilders often do this to create the perfect horseshoe-shaped triceps.
However, suppose you are a recreational lifter who doesn’t care about developing a championship-ready physique. In that case, you probably don’t need to train the long head separately. General triceps training will most likely give you the results you want.
4. Can I do overhead triceps extensions even though they hurt my shoulders?
Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should! Pain is your body’s way of telling you to stop and that something is wrong. Training through pain is a good way to turn a minor injury into something more significant.
If overhead triceps extensions hurt your shoulders, try to determine the cause of the problem and then apply the solutions outlined in this article. And remember, the overhead triceps extension is NOT compulsory, and there are plenty of other exercises you can do that are far more shoulder-friendly.
5. Are single-arm triceps extensions safer or better than the two-armed version?
We all respond to exercises differently, and you may find that single-arm overhead triceps extensions are more comfortable than the regular version. Try them and see! They involve a very similar movement, but using one arm at a time means you may be able to position your shoulder at a more forgiving angle. You can also use your free arm for stability and support.
Closing Thoughts
Just because overhead triceps extensions are effective for building muscle doesn’t mean you have to do them. If they bother your shoulders, you should seek alternatives. After all, there are plenty of similarly effective exercises that target the long head of your triceps.
However, if overhead triceps extensions hurt your shoulders, it may not be the fault of the exercise. For example, your shoulder pain could be the result of poor posture, inadequate mobility, a weak rotator cuff, or using too much weight.
Fix these problems, and you may find that overhead triceps extensions no longer cause discomfort.
Remember, though, you should avoid training through pain. Don’t ignore it, as it could be an indicator that something is wrong. The pain could get worse if you fail to do something about it.
Read also:
Kneeling Cable Pullover Exercise Guide: How To, Benefits, Muscles Worked, and Variations
Your back is the second biggest muscle group. A developed back can take your physique aesthetics to the next level. Wide latissimus dorsi muscles can accentuate your V-taper and add to the illusion of broad shoulders and a narrow waist.
The back includes muscles like lats, rhomboids, teres major and minor, traps, and erector spinae. Horizontal pulling movements like the lat pulldown and pull-ups help improve your back width, whereas rowing movements like the cable row and barbell and dumbbell bent-over row build your back thickness.
The problem with most back training routines is that they lack isolation exercises. Compound lifts like the barbell row, deadlift, and cable pulldown will help build size and strength. Still, you cannot overlook isolation exercises as they help fix muscle imbalances and improve strength and conditioning. This is where the cable pullover variations shine.
The kneeling cable pullover is a dumbbell pullover variation that primarily targets the lats. Using a cable instead of a dumbbell allows you to maintain constant tension on your lats throughout the range of motion.
During the dumbbell pullover, when the dumbbell is above your head, there is no tension on your lats. This is, however, not the case with the cable pullover. The cable will pull on your lats even when the bar is in front of your chest.
In this article, we cover everything you need to learn about the kneeling cable pullover to step up your lat game. You’ll discover this exercise’s correct form, benefits, target muscle groups, common mistakes, and best variations and alternatives.
What is a Kneeling Cable Pullover?
The kneeling cable pullover is a dumbbell pullover variation that primarily targets your lats. Most latissimus dorsi exercises result in biceps engagement, as your biceps are involved in the pulling motion required in most back exercises.
Since your biceps are a small muscle group, they fatigue before your lats, hampering your performance and leading you to leave gains on the table. The kneeling cable pullover eradicates this problem as the movement is limited to your shoulder joint in this exercise. There is no elbow flexion and extension involved in the kneeling cable pullover, which helps limit your pythons’ role in this exercise.
As the name suggests, the kneeling cable pullover is performed on a cable machine while kneeling. You’ll be facing away from the pulley during the exercise to achieve an optimal range of motion.
The kneeling cable pullover requires a strong core, especially if you plan to lift heavy on this exercise. We’ll also touch upon the half-kneeling cable pullover in this article, which is a preferred variation of this exercise, as its setup allows better balance and stability.
Muscles Worked During Kneeling Cable Pullover
The kneeling cable pullover works the following muscles:
Primary Muscles
The latissimus dorsi is the primary target muscle group of the kneeling cable pullover. Your lats are the primary movers in this exercise and help move your arms through the eccentric and concentric parts of the lift.
Secondary Muscles
The serratus anterior (located on the upper rib cage), triceps, shoulders, and core are the supporting muscle groups in the kneeling cable pullover. If you feel more tension in your secondary muscles than your lats, it is a sign that you’re doing something wrong and must fix your form.
Benefits of Kneeling Cable Pullover
Adding the kneeling cable pullover to your training regimen entails the following advantages:
Build a Bigger Back
The kneeling cable pullover keeps your target muscle under constant tension throughout the range of motion, resulting in better muscle stimulation and hypertrophy. You should stay in the 8-12 rep range if your goal is to build muscle mass [1]. Furthermore, since the kneeling cable pullover is an isolation exercise, it can also improve your back conditioning.
Improves Shoulder Mobility
The kneeling cable pullover involves movement at the shoulder joint. Furthermore, it stretches your lats and triceps, which are crucial in your overhead mobility. Performing kneeling cable pullovers will help achieve greater shoulder stability and control, improving your performance in compound lifts like the bench press, overhead press, and snatch.
Boosts Core Stability
Since you’ll be facing away from the pulley machine, you must keep your core engaged throughout the exercise to maintain a stable torso. You’ll also experience core stimulation during the eccentric and concentric motion of the kneeling cable pullover.
How To Do a Kneeling Cable Pullover
This is how to perform the kneeling cable pullover with the correct form:
Steps:
Set the cable pulley machine at the highest setting and attach a straight bar handle.
Grab the handle with a pronated (overhand) grip.
Kneel down half a step in front of the pulley with your back toward the pole.
Plant your toes on the floor for stability. Your torso should be perpendicular to the floor throughout the range of motion.
Your arms should be extended overhead, your hands should be over your calves at the starting position, and the cable should be taut at the start position.
While maintaining a slight bend in your elbows, pull down the straight bar until it is at your chest level.
Your arms should be parallel to the floor at the bottom.
Pause and contract your lats at the static contraction point.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat for recommended reps.
Kneeling Cable Pullover Tips:
Keep your core and glutes engaged throughout the exercise for optimal balance and stability.
Sit on your heels if you have trouble maintaining a stable core while performing this exercise. However, your goal should be to build a strong core so you can do this exercise while kneeling.
Using a rope attachment in this exercise offers an enhanced range of motion.
Avoid arching your back during the eccentric (upward) motion of the exercise, as it can put unnecessary strain on your lower back.
Similarly, avoid rounding your back during the concentric (lowering) motion, as it can result in chest and ab engagement.
In This Exercise:
Target Muscle Group: Back
Secondary Muscle Groups: Shoulders, Triceps, and Abs
Type: Strength
Mechanics: Isolation
Equipment: Cable Machine
Difficulty: Beginner
Best Rep Range:
Hypertrophy: 8-12
Strength: 1-5
Common Mistakes While Performing a Kneeling Cable Pullover
Steer clear of the following lapses to make the most of the kneeling cable pullover:
Kneeling Too Far Away From The Pulley
Most people kneel too far away from the pulley. A significant gap between your torso and the pulley increases the risk of the cable rubbing into your head during the concentric (lowering) motion. Staying close to the pulley will ensure the cable misses your head.
Not Following a Full Range of Motion
You must follow a full range of motion to make the most of this exercise. Some lifters lower the bar to their neck level and stop the eccentric motion when their arms form a 90-degree angle with the floor. Limiting your range of motion will restrict your muscle fiber recruitment.
Using Momentum
Many lifters let their egos get the better of them in this exercise. They put more weight on the stack than they can handle and end up swinging their torso back and forth to lift the weight. Using momentum removes tension from your target muscle groups and puts it on your shoulders, triceps, and core. It also increases your risk of injury.
Variations and Alternatives of Kneeling Cable Pullover
Here are a few kneeling cable pullover variations and alternatives to add variety to your training regimen:
Half-Kneeling Cable Pullover
The half-kneeling cable pullover helps maintain better upper body stability as you have a better center of gravity. The steps for this exercise will remain the same as the conventional kneeling cable pullover. While performing this exercise, ensure that the upper and lower leg of the front leg is at a right angle, and the quad of the other leg is perpendicular to the floor.
Resistance Band Kneeling Cable Pullover
Folks that don’t have access to a cable pulley machine can use a resistance band to train their lats without taxing their biceps.
Steps:
Attach one end of the resistance band to an elevated object that is 8-10 feet high, such as a squat rack or a door.
Kneel down on the floor facing away from the door with the other end of the band wrapped around your hands.
Your arms should be extended overhead, and your hands over your calves at the starting position.
Brace your core and glutes, and bring your arms to your chest level.
Pause at the bottom and contract your lats.
Slowly return to the start position.
Pro Tip: Place your hands at varying distances to train your back from different angles. Alternate between holding your hands together, shoulder-wide, and in a snatch grip.
Lying Cable Pullover
The lying cable pullover is the closest you get to the dumbbell pullover while using a cable machine.
Steps:
Set the cable pulley machine at the lowest setting and hook up a rope attachment.
Set up a flat bench at an appropriate distance from the cable pulley so that the weight doesn’t rack at the bottom of the movement.
Place your upper back on the bench and your feet on the floor. You should be at a 90-degree angle to the bench.
Your hips should be as close to the floor as possible. This allows an optimal range of motion.
Hold the rope attachment with a neutral grip (palms facing each other).
Extend your arms so that your hands are over your chest.
Slowly lower your hands toward the pulley while maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.
Pause at the bottom and focus on stretching your lats.
Return to the starting position.
Pro Tip: As you get better at this exercise, you can increase the difficulty by performing it on a decline bench. The decline position helps isolate your lats better, resulting in a better mind-muscle connection.
Incline Cable Pullover
The incline cable pullover can deliver optimal lat engagement because of the lat stretch at the top of the rep.
Steps:
Set the cable pulley at the highest setting and connect a rope attachment.
Set up an incline bench facing away from the pulley. Adjust the bench’s incline to a 45-degree angle with the floor.
Lie on the bench and grab the rope attachment. Ensure that the cable is taut at the bottom of the movement.
While maintaining a slight elbow bend, pull the cable until your hands are in front of your chest.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat for reps.
Pro Tip: Keep your back flat against the bench’s back pad. Arching your back and lifting your chest can result in pectoral engagement.
Straight Arm Lat Pulldown
The straight arm lat pulldown is a popular cable exercise to work the lats. It helps work your back without engaging your biceps.
Steps:
Set the cable pulley to the highest setting and affix a straight bar.
Grab the bar with an overhand grip and take a couple of steps back.
Bend your knees slightly, push back your hips, and lower your torso until it is at a 45-degree angle with the floor.
Brace your core and pull down the bar to your thighs while maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat for reps.
Pro Tip: You can also perform this exercise while kneeling on the floor. It ensures you don’t use your lower body to generate momentum to pull down the weight.
Dumbbell Pullover
This is the OG pullover exercise. Add this movement to your exercise arsenal to build wider lats.
Steps:
Place your shoulders on a bench and your feet on the floor. You should be at a 90-degree angle to the bench.
Hold a dumbbell over your chest with both hands. Your arms should be extended and perpendicular to the floor.
Keep your hips low to the floor throughout the exercise for optimal lat engagement.
While maintaining a slight bend in your elbows, lower the dumbbell toward the floor behind your head.
Pause at the bottom.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Pro Tip: Use a barbell on this exercise to target your lats from a different angle. Also, avoid going super heavy on this exercise as the weight is directly over your head at the top. You don’t want to hit failure in this position.
Medicine Ball Slams
You probably weren’t expecting medicine ball slams on this list. However, it is a great movement to work your lats and core, as it involves explosive strength and power.
Steps:
Stand upright with a shoulder-wide stance.
Hold a medicine ball in front of your chest with both hands.
Squat down slightly to load the spring.
Lift the medicine ball overhead while extending your knees and raising your heels off the floor. Your body should be in a straight line, from hands to toes, at the top of the movement.
Use your lats, core, and arms to slam the medicine ball between your feet with as much force as possible.
Power the slam by lowering into a partial squat.
Repeat.
Pro Tip: Focus on contracting your lats in the overhead position and throwing the ball to the floor.
Wrapping Up
The kneeling cable pullover is an incredibly effective exercise to target your lats. Using a cable allows you to keep constant tension on your target muscle throughout the range of motion. This exercise will help you annihilate your lats without exhausting your biceps, which is the case with most pulling-based exercises.
We have also listed the kneeling cable pullover variations and alternatives in this article that will help you keep your training sessions interesting. Add 1-2 exercises from this list into your back training regimen for building an aesthetically-appealing back. Best of luck!
References
Krzysztofik M, Wilk M, Wojdała G, Gołaś A. Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 4;16(24):4897. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244897. PMID: 31817252; PMCID: PMC6950543.
The 10 Best Forearm Exercises for Arm Wrestling
While strength matters in arm wrestling, technique matters, too. There are several tricks you can use to beat a stronger opponent, such as moving your hand higher up their fingers and thumb to maximize your leverage while weakening theirs. This is called climbing.
But, at its heart, arm wrestling is a test of strength, and arm wrestlers often have very muscular arms and forearms. Most pros train with weights to develop the strength they need to beat their opponents and minimize their risk of injury.
In this article, we reveal the best forearm exercises for arm wrestling.
Arm Wrestling History
Arm wrestling (also spelled armwrestling) is an ancient strength sport. Evidence shows that arm wrestling was practiced in Egypt and Greece over 2,000 years ago. In America, native Americans did a type of arm wrestling, and on seeing it, settlers called it Indian wrestling. Arm wrestling was also popular in Spain, Japan, Cuba, Russia, Norway, and many others.
However, what started as an informal and spontaneous activity eventually became a professional sport. Pro arm wrestlers are now viewed as legitimate athletes.
Organized national and international arm-wrestling bouts started gaining popularity in the early 1950s. Like boxing, there are now several governing bodies, including the World Armwrestling Federation (WAF), The International Armwrestling Federation (IAF), and the World Wristwrestling Championship (WWC).
Despite being a legitime sport governed by rules, a lot of people enjoy casual arm wrestling and like to test their strength against friends and acquaintances. Informal bouts often happen in barrooms, with the loser having to buy the beers.
Arm wrestling has also been featured in movies, most notably Over the Top with Sylvester Stallone.
The 10 Best Forearm Exercises for Arm Wrestling
Build the strength you need to pin your opponents with the ten best forearm exercises for arm wrestling!
1. Barbell wrist curls
Wrist curls are a cornerstone of arm wrestling forearm training. They strengthen the muscles you need to use to top-roll your opponent so their palm is turned upward. This is a weak position which makes it easier to push their arm downward. Most pro arm wrestlers do plenty of wrist curls.
Steps:
Sit on an exercise bench and lean forward so your forearms rest at the top and your wrists are free to move. Hold a barbell in your supinated (upturned) hands.
Extend your wrists and lower the bar down toward the floor. Open your hands and let the bar roll down your fingers.
Next, close your fingers and curl the weight upward. Finally, flex your wrist as far as possible to maximally engage the target muscles.
Continue for the desired number of repetitions.
Muscles Targeted:
Forearm flexors.
Benefits:
A very arm wrestling-specific forearm exercise.
A good exercise for increasing forearm size.
Increases forearm and wrist flexibility as well as strength.
Tips:
Do this exercise with a light load for high reps to build endurance and heavier weights and lower reps for strength.
Lower the weight slowly and then lift it quickly to make this exercise more effective.
You can also do this exercise with dumbbells or just one dumbbell to train one forearm at a time.
2. Cable wrist curl
While there is nothing wrong with barbell wrist curls, they have an uneven strength curve, making some parts of the exercise harder than others. Using a cable machine keeps the target muscles under near-constant tension, which may mean this is a more effective, efficient way to wrist curls.
Steps:
Place an exercise bench in front of a cable machine and attach a straight bar to the lowest pulley.
Sit on the bench, and grab the handle with an underhand grip. Rest your forearms on your legs so your wrists are just past your knees.
Extend your wrists and lower the bar down toward the floor. Open your hands and let the bar roll down your fingers.
Next, close your fingers and curl the bar upward. Finally, flex your wrist as far as possible to maximally engage the target muscles.
Continue for the desired number of repetitions.
Muscles Targeted:
Forearm flexors.
Benefits:
More even tension on the target muscles compared to freeweight wrist curls.
Quick and easy to change the weights.
You can adjust the loading angle by moving the bench closer or further away from the pulley.
Tips:
You can also do this exercise with a single D-shaped handle and train one arm at a time.
Rep out to failure, lower the weight by 15-20%, and then rep out again to improve endurance, build muscle, and get a great pump. This is called a drop set.
Use a thick bar to challenge your grip more.
3. Behind-the-back wrist curls
No bench? No problem! You can get a great forearm workout with a barbell and some space to stand. This old-school exercise will pump up your forearms in seconds and build a cast-iron grip.
Steps:
Hold a barbell behind your back with your palms facing away from you.
Flex your wrists and curl the bar out and away from your body.
Pause with your forearms flexed for 1-3 seconds.
Lower the weight and repeat.
Muscles Targeted:
Forearm flexors.
Benefits:
A convenient exercise for home lifters.
A good movement for heavier weights and low reps.
A very effective old-school forearm and grip exercise.
Tips:
Use gym chalk to stop the bar from slipping out of your hands.
Use a thick bar to challenge your grip and develop more muscular forearms.
End your set with a 15-30 second dead hold to fully exhaust your forearms.
4. Single-arm hammer curls
Pulling your forearm toward your chest increases your leverage while decreasing your opponent’s. Once your arm is close to your body, you should find it easier to press the other guy’s arm down and pin it. Single-arm hammer curls are very arm wrestling specific and deserve a place in your arm-wrestling workouts.
Steps:
Hold a dumbbell in one hand, arm by your side, palm facing your leg.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back.
Bend your arm and curl the weight up to your shoulder. Do not rotate your wrist. Instead, maintain your neutral or thumbs-up grip.
Lower the dumbbell and repeat.
Switch sides and do the same number of reps on the other side.
Muscles Targeted:
Biceps, brachialis, brachioradialis.
Benefits:
A very effective exercise for arm wrestling.
Identify and fix left-to-right strength imbalances.
A great way to build stronger, more muscular upper and lower arms.
Tips:
Use a thumbless grip to increase forearm engagement.
Use clip-on fat grips to work your forearms even more.
Pause for 1-3 seconds at the top of each rep for a more challenging workout.
Use your non-working arm to perform a few end-of-set forced reps.
5. Sledgehammer pronation and supination
Some arm-wrestling techniques involve twisting your opponent’s wrist. As such, you must strengthen the muscles responsible for pronating and supinating your forearm. Strength in these muscles will also make it harder for your opponent to gain the upper hand and turn your wrist.
Steps:
Hold a sledgehammer about a quarter to a third of the way down the handle. Bend your arm to 90 degrees and tuck your upper arm into your side.
Keeping your upper arm stationary, slowly turn the sledgehammer clockwise and then counterclockwise through about 90 degrees in each direction.
Continue until your forearms begin to burn and get pumped.
Muscles Targeted:
Biceps, pronators, supinators.
Benefits:
One of the best ways to train pronation and supination at the same time.
Easy to scale by moving your hand up or down the handle.
A low-tech but high-effect grip and forearm exercise.
Tips:
The further your hand is from the head of the sledgehammer, the more challenging this exercise becomes.
Use a light sledgehammer, as this exercise is more strenuous than it looks. 7-10 pounds should be sufficient for most people.
No sledgehammer? Load one end of an adjustable dumbbell bar and use that instead.
6. Towel wringing
While you can train your forearms for arm wrestling in a gym, you can also get a productive workout at home. This exercise works your grip and forearms using nothing but a water-logged towel. However, don’t let the simplicity of this exercise fool you into thinking it’s easy – it’s actually a beast!
Steps:
Dunk a towel in a bowl or bucket of water.
Remove the towel from the water and grip one end in both hands.
Twisting your hands, wring the water out of the first section of towel, move your hands down a few inches, and then wring it out again.
Continue down the length of the towel until you have wrung out as much water as you can.
Rest a moment, re-dunk the towel, and repeat.
Muscles Targeted:
Forearm flexors and extensors.
Benefits:
An excellent exercise for home workouts.
Very joint-friendly.
A great way to increase grip and forearm strength simultaneously.
Tips:
The thicker the towel, the more challenging this exercise becomes.
Don’t use your best towels for this exercise, as they may rip.
Reverse hand positions/wringing directions to ensure that you train both arms equally.
7. Wrist roller
The wrist roller is an old-school forearm and grip exercise that’s perfect for arm wrestling. While you can use it with heavy weights for low reps to build strength, it’s better for developing endurance so your muscles can cope with the demands of a lengthy arm-wrestling bout.
Steps:
Start with the cord unraveled and the weight resting on the floor. Hold the handle with an overhand grip.
Raise your arms in front of you, and then start rolling your wrists to wrap the cord around the handle. Use an alternating hand action, and try to wrap as much cord as possible per wrist turn.
Continue until you have done the desired number of reps or the weight reaches the handle.
Slowly lower the weight back down to the floor – no dropping!
Muscles Targeted:
Forearm flexors and extensors.
Benefits:
A low-tech exercise that’s ideal for home workouts.
Wrist rollers are widely available and cheap to buy.
Easy to modify by adding or subtracting weight plates.
Tips:
Alternate between rolling your wrists forward (flexion) and backward (extension) to train the muscles on both sides of your forearms equally.
Lower your arms and hold the handle in front of your hips to take pressure off your shoulders.
Make your own wrist roller for just a few dollars – instructions here.
8. Towel pull-up
While towel pull-ups might not be an obvious exercise for arm wrestling, they’re actually an excellent choice. Towel pull-ups not only strengthen your forearms, but they’ll also build a vice-like grip, battering-ram biceps, and rock-hard lats, which are all muscles used during arm wrestling. Simply switching from regular pull-ups to this variation will help make you a stronger, more successful arm wrestler.
Steps:
Hang two gym towels over your pull-up bar.
Grip the ends of the towels and squeeze them tightly together.
Hang with your arms straight, shoulders down and back, and core braced.
Bend your arms and pull your shoulders up toward your hands.
Descend under control and repeat.
Muscles Targeted:
Biceps, forearm flexors, latissimus dorsi.
Benefits:
A total upper body/arm/grip workout for arm wrestlers.
Builds bigger, stronger forearms.
An easy exercise to add to your regular back workout.
Tips:
Wear a weighted vest to make this exercise more challenging.
Thicker towels make this exercise more grip-centric.
Just hang from the towels to build a stronger grip and muscular forearms if you cannot do pull-ups.
9. Hand grippers
Hand grippers are ideal for those times you want to work on your grip and forearms but don’t have time to go to the gym or do a full workout. Keep a hand gripper at home so you can train while watching TV or in your desk drawer at work so you can sneak in a set between phone calls. Buy heavy-duty hand grippers to ensure your workout is as effective as possible.
Steps:
Wrap all four fingers and your thumb around the hand gripper.
Squeeze it closed and then hold for a few seconds.
Slowly relax your hand and then repeat.
Muscles Targeted:
Forearm flexors.
Benefits:
Highly portable, so you can train your grip anywhere and anytime.
Hand grippers are available in a wide range of closing strengths, so they’re ideal for all levels and abilities.
Hand grippers are cheap and widely available.
Tips:
Buy grippers that you can only just close. Easy-to-close hand grippers are of limited value.
Make sure you balance your hand gripper training with a few sets of finger extensions to balance your muscular development (see below).
Resist the temptation to use your hand grippers every day. This could lead to overuse injuries, such as tendonitis. Include a few rest days on your arm-wrestling forearm workouts.
10. Finger extensions
Most arm wrestling exercises focus on your forearm flexors. This makes sense, given how important these muscles are. However, you must also work on your finger extensors to ensure that the muscles that open your hands are strong and well-developed. Imbalances between flexors and extensors can lead to injuries. The good news is that training your finger extensors is easy and requires no special equipment.
Steps:
With your fingers straight and together, take a large rubber band and loop it around your fingertips and thumb. A standard stationary-type band should suffice.
Open your hand and spread your fingers and thumb apart as far as possible.
Slowly close your hand and repeat.
Muscles Targeted:
Forearm extensors
Benefits:
A good exercise for promoting recovery.
Helps to prevent muscle imbalances.
Simple and easy to do – anywhere and anytime.
Tips:
Do one set of finger extensions for every few sets of forearm and hand flexion you perform.
Use a wide band so it stays in place and doesn’t slip off your fingers.
Loop the band around each finger to make your workout harder and make sure the band remains in place.
Keep a finger extension band in your pocket so you can do a set whenever you have a few minutes spare.
FAQs
Do you have a question about forearm exercises for arm wrestling? No worries because we’ve got the answers!
1. Will more muscular forearms make me a better arm wrestler?
Almost every great arm wrestler has big biceps and thick forearms. This is not a coincidence! However, the guy with the most muscular arms is not always the winner, and technique is also important. The small, skilled wrestler can often beat someone bigger but less experienced.
So, work on your forearm and arm strength, but don’t underestimate the importance of learning how to arm wrestle properly. Practice your skills by arm wrestling against a range of opponents.
2. How often should I train my forearms for arm wrestling?
While it may be tempting to train your forearms every day, you’ll probably get better results if you limit yourself to 2-3 intense workouts per week. This will provide plenty of time for recovery and muscle growth while reducing the risk of overuse injuries.
Build each workout around a few different exercises, so you hit your muscles from all the available angles, e.g.,
Single-arm hammer curls – 3 sets of 6-10 reps
Barbell wrist curls – 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Sledgehammer supination/pronation – 3 sets of 15-20 reps
Choose different exercises for your next workout.
3. What is the best rep range for arm wrestling training?
Arm wrestlers need to be strong, powerful, and have good endurance so they’re ready for every type of bout and opponent. For example, being fast and explosive may help you win an arm-wrestling bout quickly. Still, you also need endurance in case the battle lasts longer than you expected.
As such, you should train your muscles with different rep ranges to ensure you are ready for all the demands you are likely to face. This means:
Power – 3-5 reps with heavy weights lifted quickly
Strength – 4-6 reps with heavy weights lifted slowly
Size – 8-12 reps with moderate weights*
Endurance – 15-20+ reps with light weights
*Optional
Use a variety of exercises and rep ranges in your workouts to ensure you have all the tools you need to dominate at the arm-wrestling table. There is no point in being strong if your muscles are tired in 10 seconds. Similarly, unlimited endurance won’t help you if you get pinned straight away by stronger opponents.
4. Do I need to train any other muscles besides my forearms?
While strong forearms are a must for successful arm wrestling, there are other muscles that also deserve your attention. After all, arm wrestling involves your entire upper body, not just your lower arms.
So, make sure you also train your chest, shoulders, back, biceps, triceps, and core in your quest to become an unbeatable arm wrestler.
You should also train your legs simply to ensure your body is well-proportioned and balanced. Friends don’t let friends skip leg day, even if they are arm wrestlers.
5. Are arm wrestlers strong?
Arm wrestlers are very strong, but that strength is often specific to their chosen activity. For example, a powerful arm wrestler may not be a good bench presser or deadlifter. Arm wrestlers also tend not to be as muscular as bodybuilders.
There are exceptions, such as Larry Wheels, who excels in many different strength sports, including powerlifting, strongman, and arm wrestling.
However, as Wheels himself knows, size is not everything in arm wrestling, and smaller, more experienced competitors can sometimes beat much bigger opponents.
6. Is arm wrestling dangerous?
Any activity that tests maximal strength can be dangerous – including arm wrestling. Most arm-wrestling injuries affect the soft tissues and include ligament sprains and muscle strains. However, humerus (forearm bone) fractures also occur from time to time (1).
These injuries can be to the wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm, or shoulder. Chronic overuse injuries are probably more common than acute injuries, although the latter tend to be more serious. Strength training can reduce the risk of injury by ensuring the structures of the body are up to the demands of arm wrestling.
You should also warm up before arm wrestling, stretch and mobilize your wrists, elbows, and shoulders between workouts and bouts, and use recovery tools such as massage guns, foam rolling, ice, and trigger point therapy to stop minor aches and pains turning into more serious problems.
Also, be wary of arm wrestling too often, wrestling against much stronger opponents, not using good technique, or not submitting once you know you’ve lost a bout, all of which increase your risk of injury.
More Forearm Exercises:
Wrapping Up
Arm wrestling is a popular activity and sport. Some people are naturally good arm wrestlers, while others need to work at it.
There is more to arm wrestling than just gripping your opponent’s hand and trying to push it down. There are several techniques and tricks you can use to improve your chances of success. Arm wrestling is a skill, and it’s worth becoming a student of the game if you want to get better.
That said, arm wrestling is a strength sport, and training your forearms will help you become a better arm wrestler. Building more muscular forearms could also protect you from injury.
So, train your forearms, as well as the rest of your upper body, and you’ll soon be king of the arm-wrestling table!
References:
1 – Moloney DP, Feeley I, Hughes AJ, Merghani K, Sheehan E, Kennedy M. Injuries associated with arm wrestling: A narrative review. J Clin Orthop Trauma. 2021 Apr 20;18:30-37. doi: 10.1016/j.jcot.2021.04.010. Erratum in: J Clin Orthop Trauma. 2021 Jul 30;20:101539. PMID: 33996446; PMCID: PMC8091050.
Progressive Overload: The Science Behind Maximizing Muscle Growth
If you have been in the iron game for a while, “progressive overload” might not be something new. It’s a common phrase to help explain what is needed for effective training.
The idea is pretty simple. Training must present progressively larger stressors over time for continued progress. However, as straightforward as it is, there are a ton of misconceptions. Progressive overload is about more than just adding weight to the bar. Yes, lifting heavier is part of it, but it is not the only way to progressively overload the muscles.
In this article, we will address some common fallacies and more as we dig into progressive overload and the science behind maximizing muscle growth.
What is Progressive Overload?
All talk on progressive overload, for better or worse, starts with the story of Milo of Croton. Milo was an ancient Greek wrestler who was known as quite the stud. As legend has it, Milo began lifting a tiny calf on his shoulders daily. As the calf grew, Milo k
ept lifting it until one day, the baby calf grew into a full-grown bull. As a result, Milo grew too.
The story is more myth than fact, but it does help illustrate the concept of progressive overload. In simple terms, progressive overload means training must get progressively more challenging over time to continue stimulating adaptation.
But let’s take a step back.
The human body is a well-balanced machine controlled by homeostasis. It’s like the body’s built-in thermostat. Blood pressure, body temperature, and blood sugar are examples of homeostasis within the body. If the body detects any changes, it takes action to return to balance. It’s why we sweat in the heat and shiver in the cold.
Building muscle is no exception.
The process of building muscle can be described as stimulus, recovery, and adaptation. Or, in a practical sense — train, recover, and then get stronger and more muscular. Lifting weights is the first domino, but the entire process must repeat for continued progress.
The key is the stimulus must represent an overload. Overload is a workload beyond what the lifter is accustomed to.
The adaptation (getting more jacked) is only a result of the overload forcing the body out of homeostasis. This is why doing the same weight for the same reps is eventually a dead end. Progress slows or stops as soon as the workout is no longer challenging, and your body can maintain homeostasis.
Bottom line: Training must get progressively challenging for the workout to continue to deliver results.
Why Progressive Overload Is Essential
The importance of progressive overload comes down to mechanical tension. Mechanical tension is the stress applied to a muscle from external resistance. It’s what happens to the muscle when we lift weights. Although there are many factors for initiating muscle growth, mechanical tension is widely considered the primary factor.
To illustrate how critical tension is for building and maintaining muscle, look no further than astronauts in space. Whether we realize it or not, we are always resisting the force of gravity. Of course, gravity on earth is a low level of tension, but its tension nonetheless.
When astronauts are up in space, they don’t have gravity, so tension is removed. In fact, minimal muscle contraction is needed. According to NASA, astronauts experience up to a 20% loss of muscle mass during spaceflights. In a weightless environment, the body doesn’t require additional muscle mass. If you don’t use it, you lose it.
You may wonder what this has to do with progressive overload and muscle-building.
The reason astronauts lose muscle in space helps explain why progressive overload is essential for progress. The body only wants as much muscle and strength as it needs to carry out daily functions.
Lifting boxes, carrying our kids, and climbing stairs are examples of enough tension to create a hypertrophy stimulus, just a minuscule amount. Once we have enough muscle and strength for these daily functions, they no longer stimulate growth.
To grow additional muscle beyond what is needed for daily functions, we must introduce the body to higher levels of mechanical tension. At first, all forms of resistance training satisfy that requirement. This is why when you first start training, progress is easy. You get bigger and stronger if you show up to the gym a few times per week, give a reasonable effort, and eat halfway decent. But, the newbie gains only last for a brief period.
The body is very good at adapting. Eventually, just showing up will not deliver results. The body adjusted to the workouts the same way it did daily activities. Most of us have experienced this as we transitioned from beginner to intermediate. It’s often called a training rut or plateau.
You must continue overloading the body to break the plateau and stimulate progress.
How to Build Progressive Overload into Your Program
So far, we have talked a lot about the concept of progressive overload but have yet to learn how to implement it. There are many ways to build progressive overload into the training plan. Here are the most common:
Increase the weight lifted: Adding weight to the bar is the easiest way to build progressive overload into any training program. Accomplish this by increasing the weights lifted over time while maintaining the same reps and sets.
Increase the repetitions performed: Another option for progressive overload is adding repetitions over time while keeping the weights and sets performed the same.
Increase the number of sets: One of the most overlooked ways to build progressive overload into your program is by increasing sets. Do this by adding sets over time while maintaining weight and reps. Adding sets is a great way to increase training volume.
Increase the number of exercises performed: Adding exercises is another way to increase training volume and progressive overload. For example, you have implemented progressive overload if you usually do three chest exercises per week and bump it up to four.
Decrease rest periods: Training density refers to the work you can do in a given time. Completing your workouts faster is another form of progressive overload. You can accomplish this by decreasing rest periods between sets. That said, be careful not to reduce rest periods too much that it limits performance. For optimal performance, rest for 1-3 minutes between sets.
Progressive Overload Misconceptions
On the surface, this all seems straightforward. However, there are some common misconceptions we need to address.
Misconception #1: Progress is Linear
Okay, so we have established that doing more work overtime leads to progress. Awesome. Let’s do the math. If you can bench 135 pounds for five reps today and add five pounds to the bar each week for the next two years, you will be benching well over 600 pounds!
We all know it doesn’t work like that. But why?
Progressive overload is the observation of increased performance based on the adaptations that have already occurred. Put another way; you must earn the right to progressively overload your training. It’s not just the act of doing more work. It’s the result, too. Overload is limited by the positive adaptation that results from training. It can’t be forced. The limitations of muscle growth are beyond the scope of this article, but they exist.
Misconception #2: You Need to Progressively Overload Every Workout
Progressive overload does not need to occur in every training session. Beyond the beginner and early intermediate stages, this is unrealistic. However, growth will be limited if you do not add weight to the bar over time. The goal is to keep the big picture in mind.
The more advanced you get, the longer it takes to see meaningful progress. Sometimes you have to do the same thing for a couple of weeks before you can up the ante. The goal is not to do more in each workout but to push for more in each workout. Results will come if the programming is well-designed and the effort is there.
Misconception #3: It’s All About Going Heavy
The biggest misconception about progressive overload is that it’s all about lifting as heavy as possible. Yes, adding weight to the bar is an excellent way to progressive overload, but it’s not the only way. In fact, adding reps is highly effective. Research shows muscle growth occurs with low and high reps [1]. The key is pushing each set close to failure.
Misconception #4: It’s All About Volume
Over the past few years, training volume has received much attention as a primary driver of muscle growth. On the surface, this is true. Research comparing one, three, and five sets per exercise shows that multiple sets are more effective for muscle growth than a single set [2].
However, the response to volume follows an inverted “U” shape curve. What this means is, adding more volume works until it doesn’t. Eventually, volume increases to a point where it exceeds the body’s ability to recover. At that point, progress stalls and, if continued, starts to backslide. Besides, who has all day to spend in the gym?
The right amount of volume will be slightly different for everyone. Based on the current literature, ten sets per muscle group per week is a great spot to build muscle [3]. This doesn’t mean you can’t go beyond ten sets per week. You can. However, once you get beyond ten sets per week, start looking at other ways to build progressive overload into your program to facilitate progress.
Three Examples of Progressive Overload
The key to taking advantage of progressive overload is not leaving it up to chance. Here are three ways to build progressive overload into your program.
Example #1: Increase Weight
The first example is adding weight each week. Don’t be tricked by the simplicity of this setup. A basic linear load progression can be highly effective.
Week 1: 3 sets of 10 reps at 66% of 1RM
Week 2: 3 sets of 10 reps at 68% of 1RM
Week 3: 3 sets of 10 reps at 70% of 1RM
Example #2: Increase Sets
In example two, the number of sets increases weekly while the weight stays the same. Adding sets is a great way to increase volume without lifting heavier each week. Advanced lifters respond well to this style of overload.
Week 1: 3 sets of 10 reps at 68% of 1RM
Week 2: 4 sets of 10 reps at 68% of 1RM
Week 3: 5 sets of 10 reps at 68% of 1RM
Example #3: Increase Reps
The third example involves adding a rep each week while maintaining the sets and weight on the bar. Increasing reps each week is sometimes more feasible than increasing the weight.
Week 1: 3 sets of 8 reps at 70% of 1RM
Week 2: 3 sets of 9 reps at 70% of 1RM
Week 3: 3 sets of 10 reps at 70% of 1RM
Progressive Overload Principles
There are three progressive overload principles you must keep in mind.
Principle 1: Only change one variable at a time
The first principle of progressive overload is only to change one variable at a time. It’s easy to assume that if a bit of progression is good, more must be better. With progressive overload, that muddies the waters, making it hard to know what is driving progress.
Additionally, changing more than one variable at a time can cause you to push beyond your recoverability. For example, if you try adding weight and reps simultaneously, you can outpace your progress and miss reps.
Principle 2: Always maintain good technique
For progressive overload to work, we need natural progression. You can’t use a lousy technique to force weekly advancements that are not there. Adding weight or reps but allowing your form to break down differs from actual progression.
Principle 3: Keep a Training Journal
The key to progressive overload is knowing what you have done during your workouts in previous weeks. Keep a training journal and track the exercises, weights you used, sets, reps, etc. Before each training session, review the journal to know what numbers you need to beat.
Benefits of Using Progressive Overload
Regardless of your goals, there are many benefits to using progressive overload in your training.
Avoid Muscle Building Plateaus:
Once you get past the beginner stage, continuing to build muscle becomes harder. If you don’t have a strategy to build progression into your program, it’s easy to get caught in a muscle-building rut. Eventually, you will stop progressing if you continuously do the same exercises for the same weight, sets, and reps. By constantly planning ahead and building ways to stress the muscles to greater degrees, you can mitigate stalls in progress.
Gain Strength:
To gain strength, you need to lift heavy weights. There is no way around it. That said, you can’t just go to the gym and max out every time and expect to get the best results. Part of quality strength programming is gradually increasing the weights used systematically.
Save Time:
Chances are you live a busy life and can’t spend all day in the gym. Well, using progressive overload is the most time-efficient way to train. One of the problems with training programs that don’t use progressive overload is they end up with a lot of junk volume.
Junk volume is work that needs to be more challenging to stimulate muscle growth. Often this happens when working sets are not close enough to failure to produce enough tension in your muscles. People typically add more sets to make up for the abundance of junk volume. You can train for two hours at a time, but if the workout is 80% junk volume, it won’t deliver results.
Focusing on progressive overload and beating the logbook ensures your program has no wasted sets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an example of progressive overload?
There are many examples of progressive overload. You can increase the weight lifted, the number of sets performed, and do more reps or exercises.
Should I progressive overload every week?
In a perfect world, we could implement progressive overload every week. However, progress is only sometimes linear. As an advanced lifter, you can outpace your progress if you try to force weekly progressions. Think of progressive overload in the big picture. If week-to-week gains are too aggressive, aim for month-to-month.
Is progressive overload safe?
As long as you maintain good form, progressive overload is safe. That said, if you add weight too quickly, you can increase your risk of injury. Only use weights you can handle with good technique.
Can you grow muscle without progressive overload?
Yes, you can grow muscle without progressive overload, but only temporarily. Eventually, your muscles will stop growing unless you continuously apply more stress.
Wrapping Up
Progressive overload is one of the primary principles in strength training. Anyone can make progress for a short time, but as the iron game veterans know, long-term results are a different story. Whether you want to be as strong as possible or look great naked, your workouts must have built-in progressions.
That said, there is more to it than lifting heavier weights. Of course, always aim to get stronger, but don’t avoid the other methods of progressive overload, either. Using all the tools available is the key to long-term progress. Now all you have to do is put in the work!
References:
Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and Hypertrophy Adaptations Between Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. J Strength Cond Res. 2017 Dec;31(12):3508-3523. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002200. PMID: 28834797.
Radaelli R, Fleck SJ, Leite T, Leite RD, Pinto RS, Fernandes L, Simão R. Dose-response of 1, 3, and 5 sets of resistance exercise on strength, local muscular endurance, and hypertrophy. J Strength Cond Res. 2015 May;29(5):1349-58. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000758. PMID: 25546444.
Schoenfeld, Brad J, et al. “Dose-Response Relationship between Weekly Resistance Training Volume and Increases in Muscle Mass: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Journal of Sports Sciences, vol. 35, no. 11, 2017, pp. 1073–1082, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27433992, 10.1080/02640414.2016.1210197.
Leg Press Variations for Powerful Quadriceps
While the squat remains the number one exercise for building powerful quads, the leg press is right up there. The leg press is a terrific alternative exercise if you can’t do squats due to your structure, mechanics, or inherent weaknesses. And, if you can squat, following it with a few sets of heavy leg presses will help you build power and mass in your quads.
In this article, we will uncover several leg press variations that will allow you to better target your quads for power. Most of these changes involve your foot positioning. As you’re about to discover, where you put your feet on the platform can make all the difference when it comes to targeting different muscle groups.
Leg Press Muscles Worked
The leg press is a compound exercise because it operates through two joints — the knee and hips. You are performing hip flexion when you lower the weight to bring your knees back. Then, when you push back to the start position, you perform knee extension.
Leg Press Muscles Worked
The leg press mainly works the quadriceps, which is a four-headed muscle group. These four muscles are:
Rectus femoris: This is the only quad muscle that crosses the hip joint. It originates at the base of the spine, running down the front of the quads to attach to the kneecap. This muscle plays a part in knee extension and hip flexion. A wider leg press stance will put more focus on the rectus femoris.
Vastus lateralis: It originates at the top of the upper leg bone (femur) and runs down the outside of the quads to attach to the kneecap. A wide stance will better activate this muscle.
Vastus intermedius: This muscle runs down the middle of the quads, from the top of the femur to the kneecap.
Vastus medialis: This muscle lies on the inner side of the quads, again running from the femur to the kneecap. Adopting a narrow leg press stance will maximally engage the vastus medialis.
The other muscles engaged when you do the leg press are the glutes, calves, and hamstrings.
Leg Press Benefits
Before we delve into the variations that will allow you to ramp up the intensity on the leg press, let’s consider three reasons why adding this exercise to your leg day workout in the first place makes sense.
Stable Environment
A major benefit of the leg press is that it allows you to work your legs in a stable environment. When you do exercises such as squats and lunges that don’t lock you into a fixed movement pattern, many things can go wrong, especially when working with heavy weights.
Built-in Safety
Because your back is supported when doing the leg press, you can concentrate 100% of your focus and energy on pressing the weight. The machine also has a built-in safety mechanism; with a simple twist of the handles, you can activate the locks that secure the weights in place. That means you can go extra heavy on this exercise without needing a spotter.
Greater Quad Focus
Your range of motion for the leg press is typically shorter than if you were doing squats. If you’re trying to develop quad mass and power, that’s actually a good thing. That’s because it keeps the focus on your quads rather than transferring it to your glutes and hamstrings.
Which Type of Leg Press Should You Use?
There are two types of leg press machines commonly found in gyms:
Horizontal
45-degree
With a horizontal leg press, you push your legs directly out in front of you. On the other hand, the 45-degree version has you pressing your legs at an angle.
So, which is best?
There is no definitive answer to this question. At this stage, no studies have directly compared the effectiveness of the two versions of the exercise in terms of building quad power. However, we can be informed by simple physics on this subject.
When doing the 45-degree leg press, the weight you load on the machine is spread out over the diagonal plane of the leg press machine. This creates a wide moment arm, which is the distance between the line of action and the pivot point, which in this case is the hip joint. The wider the moment arm, the lower the force needed to lift the weight.
But when you do the horizontal leg press, the weight is spread out directly in front of your hips, creating a shorter moment arm. A shorter moment arm means you’ll need more force to lift the weight.
That’s why you’ll find it harder to light the same weight on the horizontal leg press than on the 45-degree leg press.
As a general guide, you should be able to lift about 30% more weight on the 45-degree leg press. But simply being able to lift more weight will not make your quads stronger if the physics of the machine have made it easier.
The fact that it’s easier to lift a weight on the 45-degree leg press doesn’t mean that you should only use the horizontal machine. But if you’ve got access to both machines, you should compensate when using the 45-degree machine by adding extra weight to make up for the longer moment arm. If you don’t, you won’t be pushing your weight limit, and you’re likely to plateau your quad power.
Leg Press Form Tips
Whether using a horizontal or a 45-degree leg press machine, ensure that your lower back and glutes are pressed hard against the pads.
Do not use a weight that is too heavy. This will restrict your range of movement. Don’t be that guy who loads up seven or eight 45s on each side and then moves just a few inches.
Slow down. When you go too fast, your knees tend to cave in, and you may even bounce the weight using momentum at the bottom.
Don’t lock your knees at the top of the rep. Stopping just short of lock-out keeps the tension on your quads.
Consciously think about keeping the weight evenly distributed between both legs.
Should Your Knees Go Over Your Toes?
The knees-over-toes debate is usually associated with the squat, But the same applies to the leg press. For decades, lifters were told not to allow their knees to track over the toes because it would damage the knee joint. Recent research, however, has thrown that argument out the window.
One study showed that allowing your knees to track over your toes during the squat led to significantly improved activation of the vastus medialis head of the quadriceps. This part of the quads is often known as the ‘teardrop’ because of its appearance on a developed bodybuilder with low body fat levels. Furthermore, there was no adverse effect on the knee joint reported. [1]
It should be noted that this study specifically looked at the muscle stimulation of the quads during the squat. It is reasonable to speculate that the same thing applies to the leg press but, to date, there are no studies specifically testing the leg press in this regard.
The leg press foot platform is generally a large area. That gives you the freedom to vary your foot placement from very wide to very narrow. Where you choose to palace your feet on the platform will work your muscles differently. Here’s an overview of the different foot placements and what areas each one targets:
1. High & Wide
When you place your feet high and wide on the platform, you will target your hamstrings. You want to place your legs as high and wide on the platform as possible without your hips coming off the seat pad. Your toes should actually be off the edge of the platform’s top and angled outward. To accentuate the hamstrings, push your heels into the platform on the descent.
In the high and wide position, your feet should be about one and a half times your hip width.
2. Low & Close
Putting your feet low and close together on the platform will emphasize your quads. Your heels should be almost, but not quite, hanging off the bottom of the platform, with your feet about six inches apart.
When pressing, think of pushing your quads out and over your knees. Think also about keeping the weight distributed over the balls of your feet. This position is going to really blow up your quads, but only if you go deep on the descent. So don’t let your ego get in the way of a full range of motion.
As we’ve seen, the more your knees can track over your toes, the greater the quad activation, especially on the vastus medialis head. One way to increase this effect is to wear elevated-heel weightlifting shoes when doing the narrow stance leg press. This is especially beneficial if you have poor ankle flexibility and find your heel coming off the platform in the bottom position of the leg press.
3. Neutral
A neutral stance is where your feet will naturally go on the platform if you’re not thinking about it. Find your most comfortable position with your feet hip distance apart. This position will provide an even distribution across the quads, glutes, and hamstrings.
A neutral foot placement will help you lift the most weight. Focus on a slow descent, bringing your knees down to the outside of your shoulders, and then push the heels through the platform on the ascent. Drive your lower back into the seat pad the whole time.
4. Heels Elevated
An adaptation of the neutral position may place extra emphasis on the quads. This involves wearing weightlifting shoes with elevated heels. The increased angle this creates puts more load on the vastus medialis quad muscle that runs into the knee joint.
5. Toes Elevated
To assume a toes elevated position, you need to place a pair of small weight plates or a squat wedge under your toes on the foot platform. Your feet should otherwise be in a neutral stance. This will shift the emphasis to your hamstrings.
Single Leg Press
The single-leg press allows you to work each quad independently. It helps correct quad strength imbalance, where one leg is stronger than the other.
When you do the two-legged leg press, your dominant side will take a disproportionate percentage of the weight. Doing the single-leg press forces each leg to carry its own weight, which will eventually help balance the strength between your quads.
Place your foot low and inside hip width to target the quads with the single-leg press. Place the other foot firmly on the ground. Unrack the weight and slowly bring the platform back toward you. Concentrate on the knee traveling back and out as you descend. This will lengthen your range of motion so that you don’t hit your knee into your ribcage.
Come back until your leg forms a right angle at the knee, and then push your heel into the platform to return to the start position. Don’t lock out at the top but move smoothly into the next rep.
Do not allow your heel to lift off during the descent. If you do, you’ll transfer the force from your quad to your knee. You must also not allow your hips to roll up off the pad in the bottom position.
A Leg Press Workout For Power Quads
Now that we’ve identified the best ways to do the leg press to target the quads, we can put them together to create a mini quad workout on the leg press machine. We’ll be doing the following three leg press variations:
Neutral-stance leg press
Low and close stance leg press
Single-leg press
The first two exercises will be done as a mechanical drop set. This is when you do a drop set without changing the weight by shifting your foot position. We’ll start with the low and close stance version, as this is the one that most directly targets the quads. After pumping out eight reps, you quickly rack the weight and shift to a neutral stance. Then immediately unrack and do another eight reps.
Because you’re strongest in the neutral stance, following a set of narrow stance reps with eight more neutral stance reps will tap deep into your quad’s strength reserves, allowing you to eke out every ounce of benefit from the set. The key to getting the most out of a mechanical drop set like this is minimizing the downtime between the two phases — it should only take a few seconds.
Once you’ve completed your 16 reps on the mechanical drop set, get out of the machine, shake your legs out, and then take half the weight off the machine. Now get straight back on and start pumping out single-leg presses. This transition should take you less than 30 seconds.
Your goal is to get 16 reps on each leg on the single-leg press. At that point, your quads will be on fire. Rest for two minutes, and then do the whole thing over again. Work up to doing three total sets. Here’s what it will look like:
Set One:
Narrow-stance leg press: 8 reps
Neutral stance leg press: 8 reps
Single-leg press (right leg): 16 reps
Single-leg press (left leg): 16 reps
Rest for two minutes and then repeat for another two sets.
Wrap Up
The leg press is an effective quad power and mass builder. You can target different areas of your upper legs depending on where you place your feet on the platform. The best way to target your quads is with a low, narrow stance. You can target the quads even more by elevating your heels using weightlifting shoes.
The next best foot stance to hit the quads is the neutral stance. This is also the version you can lift the most weight with. Our final quad-centric leg press move for power is the single-leg press with a low stance.
Combine these three exercises into a killer mechanical drop set followed by a unilateral quad isolation workout. You can either do this as the first part of your quad workout and follow it up with leg extensions and lunges or, if you’re game, do four sets of squats first and then jump into your leg press workout.
Just don’t expect to be able to walk the next day!
References
Escamilla, R. F., Fleisig, G. S., Zheng, N., Lander, J. E., Barrentine, S. W., Andrews, J. R., & Bergemann, B. W. (2001). Effects of technique variations on knee biomechanics during the squat and leg press. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 33(9), 1552-1566.
How Long Until Pre-Workout Kicks In: A Guide to Maximizing The Supplement
The difference between a good workout and a great one often comes down to being able to generate an extra 5-10% energy, strength, and focus. It allows you to get that extra rep, keep pushing when every muscle fiber in your body begs you to quit, and dial in your mind-muscle connection. A good pre-workout delivers this edge.
A pre-workout will only be effective if you know the right time to take it. That’s why you need to know how long it takes for pre-workouts to kick in. This article answers that question. We’ll also look at how long a pre-workout lasts, identify the ideal ingredients, and pinpoint when you should take your pre-workout for the best results.
How Long Before a Pre-Workout Kicks In?
How long it takes for a pre-workout to take effect depends entirely on the ingredients. Stimulants, such as caffeine, will take between 30 and 60 minutes to take full effect, depending on your body’s tolerance.
Many other pre-workout ingredients, including taurine, beta-alanine, and creatine, will take approximately 30 minutes to take effect. Their peak time, or the point when their effects are at their strongest, is about an hour after taking it. That is when they will be at their highest concentration in your bloodstream.
So, if you mix your pre-workout in the gym locker room and drink it as you make your way onto the gym floor, you should rethink your timing. You’re not going to feel the full effects of your supplement for about an hour. You’ll have no effect at all for the first 30 minutes. Most people’s workouts are pretty much done after an hour, so you’re only going to get the full effects as you leave the gym.
The best time to take a pre-workout is about 30 minutes before the workout begins.
How Long Does a Pre-Workout Last Once Mixed?
Unfortunately, there is no definite answer to this question. It depends on several factors, which we’ll examine in detail. As a general guideline, however, your pre-workout should last between 1.5-2 hours.
Factors Affecting Pre-Workout Potency
Factors that affect your pre-workout duration:
Supplement Type
The quality of the supplement is the single most significant factor influencing how long a pre-workout will last in your body. Pre-workouts contain several ingredients, each of which has different effective durations in the body. Not only that, but the quality of the ingredient may differ between products. A cheap creatine product may last only half as long as a purer, higher-quality product.
Many pre-workouts contain beta-alanine, which offsets fatigue and allows you to recover between sets quickly. A good quality beta-alanine supplement will have an effective time of about 90 minutes. [1]
Supplement ingredients such as l-citrulline, l-arginine, and nitrate act as vasodilators by boosting the body’s natural production of nitric oxide. These allow for greater blood flow and a better pump. They will last for several hours in the body. [2]
Most pre-workouts contain a combination of ingredients with an average effectiveness time of between one and two hours. [3]
Wrecked Pre-workout Container
Supplement Dosage
Your pre-workout dosage affects its effective duration in your body. If you double the stated dosage of a product, it will last longer, though not necessarily double the period.
However, the recommended dosage stated on the product label usually allows it to work for between 90 and 120 minutes. You do not want your workout to last longer than two hours, so there’s no reason to take more than the recommended dosage. [4]
Your Physique
A supplement’s effect on your body will depend on your physique. A bodybuilder who weighs 260 pounds and has sub ten percent body fat will need a greater dosage of a pre-workout than a 110-pound marathon runner.
If you are over 200 pounds, you will probably want to move toward the higher range of the recommended dosage to get the supplement to work for an average of 90 minutes in your system.
Nutrition
Big eaters will need a higher dosage of a pre-workout to be effective. The reason is that your digestive enzymes will be busy digesting your food and will not be as effective in breaking down your pre-workout ingredients in the required time to give you the full workout benefits.
People who are under-eating will have an enhanced pre-workout effect. However, this is not a healthy habit. You should eat a quality 50/50 carb/protein mix meal about two hours before your workout.
Lifestyle
Pre-workouts provide an immediate energy burst for your workout. They should not be used as a lifestyle booster to help get you through your day after late-night partying.
If you’re looking for something to negate the ill effects of a partying lifestyle so you can hit the gym, your pre-workout will not do that for you. That’s because your poor lifestyle habits will have already mucked up your system to the extent that the benefits of your pre-workout ingredients will be overshadowed by lack of sleep and the processing of alcohol and whatever else you may have ingested. [5]
While we’re on the subject, you should not take alcohol anywhere near your workout. It will wreak havoc on the key hormones required for workout efficiency, namely testosterone, human growth hormone, and insulin.
The drowsy effect of alcohol on the brain will interfere with the ability to react to signals that come from certain pre-workout ingredients. [6]
Water Intake
Your level of hydration will affect the timing of your pre-workout. The pre-workout ingredients will move more effectively through your digestive system if you are well-hydrated. It is, therefore, important to drink plenty of water around the time of your workout. Additionally, sip water throughout the training session.
When Should I Take My Pre-Workout?
Take your pre-workout 30 minutes before your training session. This will provide the ingredients enough time to be absorbed into your system so that they are ready to fire from your first rep.
Most people find that taking a pre-workout sup before they leave home for the gym provides them with enough time to benefit fully when they begin their workout.
You should have a pre-workout meal about two hours before heading to the gym. This should be a 50/50 mix of protein and complex carbs, such as chicken and sweet potato.
So, How Do I Know If the Pre-Workout is Working?
There’s a lot of marketing hype around what pre-workouts can do for you. Generally, the reality is a far cry from what the ads claim. You can expect a noticeable, but not a dramatic, increase in your training motivation, energy, and recovery time, and if the product contains nitric oxide enhancers, a muscle pump during the workout.
Some pre-workout ingredients produce physical side effects that tell you they are working. Beta-alanine, for example, may produce a tingling sensation on your scalp, tongue, or fingertips. Caffeine will increase perspiration.
You should monitor the effect of your pre-workout in a diary and compare it to sessions where you are going pre-workout-free. If you don’t notice any difference, switch to another product.
The 11 Best Pre-Workout Ingredients
Your pre-workout is only as good as its ingredients and dosage. Here’s an overview of the 11 best ingredients to look out for on the label.
1. Caffeine
Caffeine is the world’s most popular stimulant. Billions of people rely on it for the mental and physical ‘pick-me-up’ to power them through their day. So, it’s hardly surprising that caffeine is a base ingredient in quality pre-workouts.
Coffee Bean
Caffeine is an odorless, slightly bitter-tasting neurotoxic alkaloid found naturally in several plants. Plants produce neurotoxins to protect themselves from insects and other predators. Caffeine dissolves easily in water and has crystals that look like tiny needles. It is a potent central nervous system stimulant that releases dopamine to boost motivation, alertness, and energy. [7]
Caffeine has been shown to have the following workout-boosting effects:
Improved mental focus
Enhanced fat loss
Greater muscular endurance
Strength increase
Recommended Dosage: 150-250 mg
Related: Caffeine Calculator – Are Your Consuming Too Much?
2. Theanine
Green tea contains the amino acid theanine. It is principally responsible for green tea’s capacity to calm the nerves and revitalize the body. However, theanine has yet another strong effect. It can lessen the immediate negative effects of caffeine on the body without reducing its energy-boosting benefits. Theanine has also been shown to improve cognition and mood. [8]
Recommended Dosage: 200 mg
3. B-Vitamins
The eight water-soluble vitamins that make up the B vitamins are thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, folic acid, pantothenic acid, biotin, and vitamin B12. Together, the eight vitamins offer various health advantages, such as accelerating metabolism, preserving high energy levels, and improving fat digestion. [9]
Recommended Dosage:
B1: 1.2 mg
B2: 1.3 mg
B3: 16 mg NE
B5: 5 mg
B6: 1.3 mg
Biotin: 30 mcg
Folic acid: 400 mcg DFE
B12: 2.4 mcg
4. Citicoline
Citicoline is a nootropic that enhances brain function. Nootropics boost cognitive function, enabling you to concentrate better and be more conscious of the relationship between your mind and muscles when exercising.
Citicoline produces this result by raising the body’s acetylcholine levels. The brain’s neurotransmitter acetylcholine is essential for improving memory, recall, and consciousness. Additionally, citicoline enhances blood flow to the brain, enhancing cognitive function. [10]
Citicoline is added to pre-workouts to improve focus so you can concentrate more on your workout and enhance the mind-muscle connection. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter than transports messages between brain cells. When you take citicoline, the body’s acetylcholine levels increase. Citicoline has also been shown to improve blood flow to the brain.
Recommended Dosage: 250-500 mg
5. Citrulline Malate
The non-essential amino acid citrulline bonds with the organic salt molecule malate to form citrulline malate. The amino acid glutamine is used to make citrulline in the intestines. It is crucial to eliminate ammonia, a byproduct of exercise that can hamper energy production and cause weariness and poor performance.
Malate is a naturally occurring substance found in fruits like apples. It plays a part in the Krebs cycle, a chemical event sequence that converts carbs, lipids, and proteins into energy. Malate may also recycle lactate to provide energy. This is essential to keep the muscles from being drained and speed up recovery. Combining malate and citrulline improves training results. [11]
Citrulline is a non-essential amino acid. It is combined with an organic salt called malate to create citrulline malate. When you take citrulline malate, it converts to the nitric oxide precursor arginine. Nitric oxide enlarges the blood vessels, allowing more oxygen and nutrients to get to the working muscles.
Recommended Dosage: 6-8 grams
6. Taurine
Taurine is a non-essential amino acid that contains sulfur. It is one of the amino acids in the body in the highest concentrations. Fish, cattle, poultry, and lamb all contain naturally-occurring taurine. It is also a well-liked component of energy beverages like Red Bull.
Due to its capacity to remove calcium from the body, taurine increases the activity of your central nervous system. Additionally, it counteracts the effects of free radicals, a normal side effect of exercise. Taurine supplements will provide additional energy, counteracting weariness and resulting in greater muscle contractions with each rep. [12]
Taurine is an amino acid that is added to supplements for its nootropic effects. It is able to remove calcium from the body, increasing central nervous system activity. It also fights against the free radical damage caused by oxidative stress and increases energy levels.
Recommended Dosage: 1-2 grams
7. Beta-alanine
The human body naturally manufactures the amino acid beta-alanine. Because it is essential for synthesizing carnosine, which is contained in muscle fiber, it is a crucial amino for anabolism. Research and practical experience in the gym have demonstrated that beta-alanine improves muscle contraction while counteracting exercise-induced tiredness. [13]
Recommended Dosage: 2-5 grams
8. Tyrosine
Tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid, meaning the body can make it. High-protein foods like soy, turkey, chicken, fish, peanuts, almonds, and dairy products are good sources of tyrosine. It is a vital precursor of the neurotransmitter dopamine and is utilized in creating protein.
Together, dopamine and serotonin have an effect. Fatigue results when they are out of balance. Tyrosine supplementation aids in keeping the body’s dopamine and serotonin levels balanced. As a result, tiredness is decreased, and performance is improved. [14]
Recommended Dosage: 500-2,000 mg
9. BCAAs
Leucine, isoleucine, and valine make up branch-chain amino acids (BCAAs). Leucine, in particular, is a crucial activator of both protein synthesis and protein degradation. BCAAs can be utilized as fuel for physical activity. Additionally, they will stop the catabolic effects of exercise. After exercise, they boost protein synthesis to facilitate the muscle-rebuilding process. [15]
Recommended Dosage: 6-10 grams
10. Creatine
Creatine Powder
In your muscle cells, creatine and phosphorus combine to form phosphocreatine (PC). When you engage in high-intensity sports like weightlifting or sprinting, this compound, which is rich in energy, nourishes your muscles.
Your body uses phosphocreatine to resynthesize ATP during intense exercise. Performance starts to suffer once these stockpiles are depleted. Your muscles may function at higher rates for longer, thanks to creatine supplementation, which boosts phosphocreatine reserves. An immediate increase in strength will result from this.[17]
Recommended Dosage: 3-5 grams
11. L-Arginine
The amino acid arginine is conditionally essential. Although our bodies can produce arginine, under some circumstances (trauma, illness, stress), the body cannot make enough; hence dietary sources become crucial.
During exercise, arginine can be converted into glucose for energy. Nitric oxide and creatine synthesis both depend on it. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that arginine increases growth hormone production, a potent stimulator of muscle growth. [16]
Recommended Dosage: 3-6 grams
Summary
Pre-workouts are not a magic potion. Good ones will work to increase your training energy, focus, and endurance by between 10 and 20 percent. This effect should last between one and two hours.
Take your pre-workout just before you head to the gym. Then, while training, sip from your water bottle to remain hydrated. Most importantly, monitor the effectiveness of your pre-workout. If it’s not working, change it up and try another product.
References
Hobson RM, Saunders B, Ball G, Harris RC, Sale C. Effects of β-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: a meta-analysis. Amino Acids. 2012 Jul;43(1):25-37. doi: 10.1007/s00726-011-1200-z. Epub 2012 Jan 24. PMID: 22270875; PMCID: PMC3374095.
Sureda A, Pons A. Arginine and citrulline supplementation in sports and exercise: ergogenic nutrients? Med Sport Sci. 2012;59:18-28. doi: 10.1159/000341937. Epub 2012 Oct 15. PMID: 23075551.
Kedia AW, Hofheins JE, Habowski SM, Ferrando AA, Gothard MD, Lopez HL. Effects of a pre-workout supplement on lean mass, muscular performance, subjective workout experience and biomarkers of safety. Int J Med Sci. 2014 Jan 2;11(2):116-26. doi: 10.7150/ijms.7073. PMID: 24465156; PMCID: PMC3894395.
Mangine GT, Hoffman JR, Gonzalez AM, Townsend JR, Wells AJ, Jajtner AR, Beyer KS, Boone CH, Miramonti AA, Wang R, LaMonica MB, Fukuda DH, Ratamess NA, Stout JR. The effect of training volume and intensity on improvements in muscular strength and size in resistance-trained men. Physiol Rep. 2015 Aug;3(8):e12472. doi: 10.14814/phy2.12472. PMID: 26272733; PMCID: PMC4562558.
Leasure JL, Neighbors C, Henderson CE, Young CM. Exercise and Alcohol Consumption: What We Know, What We Need to Know, and Why it is Important. Front Psychiatry. 2015 Nov 2;6:156. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00156. PMID: 26578988; PMCID: PMC4629692.
Jung AP, Bishop PA, Al-Nawwas A, Dale RB. Influence of Hydration and Electrolyte Supplementation on Incidence and Time to Onset of Exercise-Associated Muscle Cramps. Journal of Athletic Training. 2005 Jun;40(2):71-75. PMID: 15970952; PMCID: PMC1150229.
Guest NS, VanDusseldorp TA, Nelson MT, Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Jenkins NDM, Arent SM, Antonio J, Stout JR, Trexler ET, Smith-Ryan AE, Goldstein ER, Kalman DS, Campbell BI. International society of sports nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021 Jan 2;18(1):1. doi: 10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4. PMID: 33388079; PMCID: PMC7777221.
Juszkiewicz A, Glapa A, Basta P, Petriczko E, Żołnowski K, Machaliński B, Trzeciak J, Łuczkowska K, Skarpańska-Stejnborn A. The effect of L-theanine supplementation on the immune system of athletes exposed to strenuous physical exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2019 Feb 15;16(1):7. doi: 10.1186/s12970-019-0274-y. PMID: 30770758; PMCID: PMC6377763.
Lindschinger M, Tatzber F, Schimetta W, Schmid I, Lindschinger B, Cvirn G, Stanger O, Lamont E, Wonisch W. A Randomized Pilot Trial to Evaluate the Bioavailability of Natural versus Synthetic Vitamin B Complexes in Healthy Humans and Their Effects on Homocysteine, Oxidative Stress, and Antioxidant Levels. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2019 Dec 12;2019:6082613. doi: 10.1155/2019/6082613. PMID: 31915511; PMCID: PMC6930747.
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Gough LA, Sparks SA, McNaughton LR, Higgins MF, Newbury JW, Trexler E, Faghy MA, Bridge CA. A critical review of citrulline malate supplementation and exercise performance. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2021 Dec;121(12):3283-3295. doi: 10.1007/s00421-021-04774-6. Epub 2021 Aug 21. PMID: 34417881; PMCID: PMC8571142.
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How to Do the Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat — Technique Tips, Variations, & More
Single-leg training is the embodiment of the “no pain, no gain” philosophy. Not only do unilateral exercises help reinforce good posture and improve your balance, they’re also devilishly effective at building muscle and strength. None, perhaps, more so than the barbell Bulgarian split squat.
The Bulgarian split squat is among the most high-value movements you can do for your glutes, quads, and core — and that’s before you even think about adding any extra resistance into the mix.
Credit: Serhii Bobyk / Shutterstock
Throw a loaded (or unloaded, even) barbell onto your back and you’ve got an all-in-one leg builder. However, the Bulgarian-style barbell split squat isn’t for the faint of heart; nor is it easy to perform. Here’s what you need to know about this exercise and, if you can stand it, what you stand to gain.
How to Do the Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat
It’s no secret; if you want to do the barbell Bulgarian squat, you’ll need a barbell. Additional weight plates are optional but will extend the utility of the exercise as you get stronger.
An elevated surface on which to rest your non-working leg is mandatory as well. A weight bench or plyometric box both work, but any stable knee-height surface will do.
Step 1 — Set Yourself Up
Credit: Sports Rehab Consulting / Youtube
Your best bet is to perform barbell-based split squats in a squat rack. Begin by unracking the barbell from the hooks as if you were going to perform a standard back or front squat. Take a few steps back and then lift and plant your non-working leg onto an elevated surface behind you.
Find your footing and stabilize your body. Grip the barbell tightly and contract your core. That’s the starting position.
Coach’s Tip: Taking a wide grip on the barbell might improve your balance.
Step 2 — Drop Your Hips
Credit: Sports Rehab Consulting / Youtube
From your starting position, descend into the squat by sitting down and slightly back with your hips. Allow your knee to travel freely in front of your toes if necessary. Sit down until the crease of your hip is lower than your kneecap, and then push forcefully into the floor with your working leg to return to the starting position.
Coach’s Tip: Fix your gaze on a point several feet away from you, close to the floor, to help maintain your balance as you move.
Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat Sets and Reps
When it comes to programming single-leg exercises, you should always be cognizant of the balance requirement before jumping into a heavy or high-repetition set. If you’re training to improve your balance, great — but there are other ways to program this movement as well.
To Improve Balance: Go for 2 sets of 15 to 20 reps with a light weight and a slow tempo.
For Muscle Growth: Try 3 or 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps with a moderate weight.
To Gain Leg Strength: Keep it heavy and do 3 to 5 sets of 4 to 6 reps.
Common Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat Mistakes
There’s a lot that can go awry during any single-leg exercise, and the barbell Bulgarian split squat is no exception. To do a proper split squat with the barbell, you need to steer clear of these mistakes.
Too Much Weight on Your Back Leg
The biggest mistake you can make during any single-legged squat is relying too heavily on your non-working leg. In a proper Bulgarian squat (whether you use a barbell or not), your non-working leg should do nothing more than help you suspend yourself in space.
80 to 90 percent of your body weight should rest on your working leg. Think of your off leg as a kickstand. Once you’ve established your setup, shift the bulk of your weight onto your working leg and keep it there for the entire set.
The placement of your working leg during barbell Bulgarian split squats will affect how you perform the exercise and what muscles do the majority of the work.
Credit: Prostock-studio / Shutterstock
If you plant your foot directly under your hips, you’ll need exceptional ankle mobility to sit down into a deep squat. This will tax your quadriceps more than your glutes and also make the exercise more difficult to balance.
On the other hand, stretch your foot out too far in front of your body and you’ll limit quad engagement in favor of more glute and adductor activation instead. This position will also require you to lean forward and stretch your groin.
You should, at first, aim for a happy medium between these two extremes. Once you’re comfortable with the groove of the split squat, you can inch your foot forward or backward a bit to bias certain muscles over others.
Shifting Your Gaze
If you’re having trouble steadying yourself during an exercise like the split squat, one of the worst things you can do is shift your gaze around during your set. Instead, your best bet is to fix your eyes on a specific point from start to finish.
Ideally, you should look forward and down. This will help keep your head aligned with the angle of your torso. Also, your point of focus should be at least five feet in front of you, but what matters most is that your eyes don’t go wandering.
Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat Variations
It may not look like the most versatile movement out there at a glance, but there’s a lot you can do with the barbell Bulgarian split squat. If you’re bored of the standard movement or want to adjust the stimulus, you can try out these variations.
Safety Bar Bulgarian Split Squat
If you have access to a safety bar in your gym, you might want to give it a go during the split squat. The safety bar adjusts the resistance such that it falls closer to your midline, which should make it easier to maintain your balance.
Safety bars also come with two ergonomic handles to hold onto, which can be highly useful if you can’t grasp a bar on your back due to inflexibility or injury.
Front Rack Bulgarian Split Squat
If you’re a true masochist, you can double down on the difficulty of a barbell split squat by holding it in the front rack position instead of across your back.
The front rack barbell split squat takes almost every aspect of the exercise up a notch. It challenges your upper back to a greater degree since the anterior load will constantly attempt to collapse your torso. It’s also harder to balance and asks more of your core.
The only potential downside is that you can’t use as much weight, but the exercise is challenging enough that you won’t need to in most cases.
Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat Alternatives
Heavy single-leg squats have a lot to offer, but the barbell Bulgarian split squats aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. If you like them in theory but don’t gel with them in practice, there are other ways to reap many of the same benefits. Try out some of these alternatives instead.
Assisted Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat
Holding a heavy dumbbell (or two) during your split squats works wonders if you don’t have access to a barbell. However, dumbbell Bulgarian squats can be just as challenging to balance.
If you want to stimulate your legs unilaterally for muscle growth and aren’t concerned with the “acrobatics” of the exercise, you can support your balance by holding a dowel or PVC pipe in your free hand. This provides another point of contact with the ground and makes balance an afterthought, allowing you to focus harder on squeezing your legs.
Barbell Step-Up
Step-ups work just as well for building your legs as any split squat, particularly if you’re willing to load them up with heavy weights.
One unique benefit of the barbell step-up is that you can fine-tune your desired range of motion by adjusting the height of whatever you’re stepping up on to. This can help you ensure you don’t push into a range of motion you aren’t comfortable with or get stuck in the bottom of a split squat with no way out.
Single-Leg Leg Press
Single-leg training may sound alluring but you might only be after some targeted muscular stimulation. In the event that balance and hip mobility aren’t concerns of yours, you can still train your legs one at a time by hopping onto the leg press station.
Single-leg leg presses enable you to overload your quads and glutes with no fear of losing your balance. You also don’t have to devote nearly as much energy to maintaining core stability and posture. This frees you up to focus entirely on taking your muscles to, or beyond, failure.
Muscles Worked by the Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat
To make the most of any exercise you perform in (or out of) the weight room, you should have a working knowledge of the muscles that make each rep possible. Here’s a short overview of the major muscles that contribute to the barbell Bulgarian split squat.
Quadriceps
Your quadriceps, or “quads,” sit on the front of your thighs and control the bending and extending of your knee During the barbell Bulgarian split squat, your quad engages to help you stand up and complete each repetition.
Credit: DmitryStock / Shutterstock
You can also shift more or less load onto or away from your quads by adjusting the distance of your foot relative to your torso. The further away your foot is from your body, the less forward knee movement you’ll have, generally speaking. This limits how much your quads can contribute to each repetition, but you won’t be able to take them out of the equation entirely.
Glutes
Single-legged squatting is among the most effective things you can do in the gym to target your gluteal muscles. Not only do your glutes have to contract to push you out of the bottom of each rep of the split squat, but the gluteus medius and minimus have a stability-focused role.
This makes the barbell Bulgarian split squat a two-for-one glute builder. You can use it to build glute strength and power, while also developing robust hip stability at the same time.
Core
Any movement that requires you use one limb at a time will involve the muscles of your core to some degree. During a movement like the barbell Bulgarian split squat, your body weight isn’t evenly distributed across your base of support.
This requires you to contract your abdominals and obliques isometrically to help stabilize your trunk not only against gravity but the added resistance of the barbell as well.
Benefits of the Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat
Single-leg squatting is among the most valuable things you can do during your leg workouts. From forcing new muscle hypertrophy to shoring up weaknesses, here’s what you stand to gain by adding in the barbell Bulgarian split squat.
Targeted Muscle Growth
When you go to train your arms, you probably don’t perform exclusively bilateral, two-armed exercises. Unilateral training helps you devote all your might to one muscle at a time; the same principle applies to leg training as well.
During back or front squats, your focus can easily shift away from the muscles you’re trying to work and toward simply pushing as hard as you can. While there’s nothing wrong with that, some single-leg work during which you give all your attention to your legs individually can do wonders.
Develops Hip Mobility and Strength
Working on one leg is one of the best ways to bulletproof your hips. Not only do the muscles surrounding your hips have to stabilize the joint as you descend and ascend through the split squat, but those tissues also have to prevent any errant side-to-side shifting as well. That added pelvic stability should carry over to other two-legged exercises as well.
Great Stimulus Without Lifting Heavy
Loading up a heavy barbell is one of the best parts of hitting the weight room, but ultra-heavy training isn’t for everyone. You may be tired, nursing an injury, or simply not have access to enough plates for a heavy squat workout.
Whatever the reason, you can get a brutally-effective workout in by swapping to single-leg training with the barbell Bulgarian split squat. The barbell itself may be enough, and every extra pound you add will be equal parts challenging and rewarding.
Who Should Do the Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat
If you have the guts — and a barbell, of course — you can take on the barbell Bulgarian split squat and reap the rewards. Beyond that, there are a few select groups that stand to benefit from this exercise in particular.
Beginners
If you’re taking your first steps on your fitness journey, a few of those steps should probably happen while you’re setting up for some sort of split squat. Unilateral training is a great way to set you up for long-term success in the gym.
Credit: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock
An exercise like the barbell Bulgarian split squat will help you improve your proprioception, or your bodily awareness in space. This carries over to every other exercise you perform. You’ll also build muscle and strength in the process, of course.
Strength Athletes
Strength athletes who practice powerlifting, weightlifting, strongman, or even CrossFit should consider adding the barbell Bulgarian split squat to their accessory repertoire. Most strength sports involve plenty of bilateral squatting but little to no movement or training on one leg.
Attacking aspects of your athleticism that aren’t covered by your sport will keep your workouts fresh, fun, and diverse. Furthermore, you can use exercises like the split squat as a screener to identify any weaknesses in your joint stability or leg strength that may impact your sport-specific performance.
Those Recovering from Injury
Single-legged movements are among the most commonly prescribed rehabilitative tools for soft tissue injuries. This is partly due to the fact that bilateral exercises (movements like the back squat, where you stand on both legs) can mask discrepancies in strength or stability. Or, your stronger side may pick up too much of the load, robbing the damaged area of proper stimulation.
Alternatively, the setup and execution of the barbell Bulgarian split squat naturally limits the amount of knee flexion. You also simply cannot move as much weight as during a two-legged squat. These factors have led some researchers to recommend split squats as a replacement for bilateral squats for those suffering from knee ailments. (1)
Credit: Manu Padilla / Shutterstock
That said, if you’re injured in any way, you should always consult with your physician or physical therapist before using any form of resistance training as a rehabilitative treatment.
Stand Your Ground
If you want to test your mettle in the weight room and build a pair of beastly wheels in the process, you need to swallow your pride and start doing the barbell Bulgarian split squat. You’d be shocked at how heavy an empty barbell can feel, but the gains are more than worth it.
FAQs
Still wondering if the barbell Bulgarian split squat is right for you? Check out some of these common questions to find the answers you seek.
Are split squats safe with a barbell?Absolutely. The barbell Bulgarian split squat may require a more intricate setup than working with just your own body weight or using dumbbells, but that doesn’t mean the exercise is unsafe.
That said, it’s not as easy to dump the weight and exit the set if you reach failure on this exercise. You may want to recruit a spotter to assist you from time to time, especially if you decide to go heavy.
What leg should I start with during barbell Bulgarian split squats?Generally speaking, during most unilateral movements you should start the set by working your non-dominant limb first. That leg is already working at a small disadvantage of strength or coordination; you don’t want to also be tired from working your stronger leg right before. Work your weaknesses while you’re fresh.
References
Mackey, E. R., & Riemann, B. L. (2021). Biomechanical Differences Between the Bulgarian Split-Squat and Back Squat. International journal of exercise science, 14(1), 533–543.
Featured Image: Serhii Bobyk / Shutterstock
The Best CrossFit Workouts for Building Muscle to Break Through Plateaus
You probably didn’t come to CrossFit for the muscles. Instead, you probably showed up because you were looking to improve your cardiovascular health, get stronger, or just find a fitness community. But, if we’re honest, the muscles probably didn’t hurt.
If you’ve ever even glanced in the direction of the CrossFit Games, you’ll have noticed that CrossFitters tend to be absurdly ripped. For the uninitiated, this can be intimidating, to say the least. But you don’t have to take your shirt off during your WODs (workouts of the day) to be a real CrossFitter. You’ve just got to keep showing up — the muscles will likely show up, too.
Credit: Denis Kornilov / Shutterstock
But if you did come to CrossFit for all that sweet muscle mass, don’t worry. We’ve got the best CrossFit workouts for building muscle just for you. Because even though your average WOD will help you get jacked, these CrossFit-style workouts are designed to focus on hypertrophy — muscle growth — and take your boulder shoulders and teardrop quads to the next level.
Editor’s Note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. When starting a new training regimen and/or diet, it is always a good idea to consult with a trusted medical professional. We are not a medical resource. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. They are not substitutes for consulting a qualified medical professional.
Best CrossFit Workouts for Building Muscle
Best CrossFit Workout for Building Upper Body Muscles
CrossFitters use their upper bodies like nobody’s business. Even if a movement seems to be about their lower bodies, it’ll often be performed in a way that taxes the upper body. For example, lunges seem like they’re all about your lower body until you’re performing them front-racked or overhead.
But for this workout, you’re going to focus entirely on your upper body. The goal here is to really shore up the smaller muscles of your upper body that risk getting overshadowed by your back and chest. Your triceps and biceps are going to get a lot of play, so get ready to feel a pump.
The Workout
CrossFit workouts are about pushing your limits. Even when workouts look simple on paper, they’re designed to present extreme challenges in practice. Here, the rep scheme combined with working against the clock will get very taxing, very quickly.
12-minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible)
Especially since you’ll be performing strict chin-ups instead of kipping pull-ups, you’ll have to be very strategic about how you’re splitting up your reps. Consider modifying the movements later in the workout even if you don’t have to right away.
Movement Modifications
This workout is deceptively simple, but the fatigue will build extremely quickly. Since there are only two moves — and they’re both upper-body focused — your exhaustion will have nowhere to hide.
You might not have to modify this workout right out of the gate. But to keep working up to the 12-minute mark, you might need to use variations of these exercises to get you to the finish line with sharp form.
Some modifications for the chin-ups follow:
Some alternatives for the bar dip follow:
Band-Assisted Dip
Bench Dip
Close-Grip Push-Up
Best CrossFit Workout for Building Lower Body Muscles
CrossFit will take a toll on your lower body, plain and simple. Anyone who’s ever suffered through a WOD can probably tell you that it’s like getting hit with multiple leg days at once when you try to hobble out of bed the next day.
But that’s no reason not to give your legs a little extra love. The more attention you give your legs — as long as you’re recovering well — the better equipped you’ll be to face down the rigors of your next WOD.
The Workout
This workout will go after all areas of your legs, including one place where it’s notoriously difficult to build muscle — your calves. Make sure that you’re giving your heels and ankles ample attention in your warm-up and recovery time.
Five rounds, for time:
For each lift, choose a weight that feels very manageable during the first round but will be challenging by round three. It should be quite difficult to get through unbroken by round five.
Movement Modifications
Unless otherwise specified, calling for back squats and front squats indicates using a barbell. If you need to modify, you can instead use dumbbells.
To get the stimulus of a back squat, stand with each foot on a bumper plate or a step riser, with a gap in between just wide enough to accommodate a dumbbell. Squat while holding a dumbbell between your hands with your arms long. Keep your torso tall.
This position will allow you to sink deep into the squat while using a significantly heavier weight than you might be able to goblet squat.
Speaking of goblet squats, this is an excellent option for modifying your barbell front squat. If you need unweighted versions, you can use a PVC pipe or even a broomstick to simulate the positions of a barbell in both types of squats. You can also, of course, simply perform air squats.
Instead of doing a barbell Romanian deadlift, you can also swap in dumbbells. You can also perform hip hinges with the same form as a Romanian deadlift, but with empty hands. Just focus on maintaining tension in your glutes and hamstrings. Move slowly and with control.
If you can’t pull off a single double-under, let alone 20, try for single-unders — regular jump rope skips. Without a jump rope, you can simply simulate jumping rope with small hops. If your feet, knees, or hips can’t abide jumping, you can opt instead for eccentric calf raises. Be sure to stretch your calves — maybe even treat yourself to a calf and heel massage — afterward.
Best CrossFit Workout for Building Core Muscles
You do not need a six-pack to be an incredible CrossFitter. You can, indeed, be incredibly strong and fit without your muscles showing through a low body fat percentage (which is how one acquires a visible six-pack).
But if you’re looking to build out your core muscles, you’ve come to the right place. This workout will have you taking advantage of some classic CrossFit moves to help you build an incredible amount of core strength and muscle mass.
The Workout
Here, you’ll be performing some of the most well-known CrossFit exercises in one of the most well-known CrossFit formats: the descending rep ladder of 21, 15, and nine reps. You’ll perform 21 reps of each exercise first. Then, do 15 of each exercise. Finish off your workout with nine of each movement.
21-15-9 reps, for time:
Movement Modifications
If need be, you can sub in a goblet squat or even an air squat to make the front squats more accessible. Try to use a weighted variation if you can, as the front-loading of the weight is what makes the front squat move particularly good for core strength.
Without access to a glute-ham developer (GHD), you can perform sit-ups on a decline bench. You can also simply perform regular sit-ups.
If you can’t do a full toes-to-bar, consider hanging leg raises or even hanging knee raises. No access to a pull-up bar? Try lying leg raises instead.
A modified workout might go like this:
21-15-9 reps, for time:
Goblet Squat
Sit-Up
Hanging Knee Raise
Best Beginner CrossFit Workout for Building Muscle
CrossFit beginners truly have their work cut out for them. Not only are they fighting an uphill battle of learning new skills, but they’re also developing strength and high-intensity endurance all at the same time.
To help ease the transition into CrossFit, beginners might find a muscle-building workout more their speed. It’s less traditional CrossFit and more introductory style to help athletes find their footing. You’ll be using a classic, sport-specific rep scheme — a descending ladder — but you’ll be doing it with an eye toward hypertrophy.
The Workout
These movements look simple on their own, but they get very intense, very quickly. If you’re less used to the descending ladder nature of many CrossFit workouts, think of this workout as one big drop set. But instead of dropping the weight, you’re dropping the number of reps you perform with each round.
Three to five rounds, for time:
Movement Modifications
While this workout is already designed for beginners, that doesn’t mean everyone’s beginner level looks the same.
For example, ring rows might be too unstable for you. In that case, try inverted rows in a Smith machine or with a barbell anchored in a power rack. You can also perform light barbell rows — the sheer volume of reps will add up.
Bulgarian split squats may not be accessible to you in terms of balance or your current level of hip mobility. In that case, try forward or reverse lunges. If you need to, hold onto the handles of a TRX suspension trainer or equivalent to help give you a counterbalance. Your upper body’s engagement can also give your legs a little bit more strength if need be.
The box step-ups can be replaced with a regular step instead of a full plyo box. Or, you can substitute high knee marches in place.
If you can’t lift overhead, consider swapping in bench presses. In situations where an empty barbell is too heavy for you, you can also simply use lighter dumbbells.
Best No-Equipment CrossFit Workout for Building Muscle
Just because a workout is bodyweight-only doesn’t make it equipment-free — especially in CrossFit. Bodyweight moves include everything from ring muscle-ups to box jumps, all of which require equipment.
But with this equipment-free CrossFit workout, you’ll be able to build muscle (and get your heart rate going) anytime, anywhere. You’ll need enough space on the ground for you to essentially be able to lie down. Otherwise, space won’t be an issue.
The Workout
Don’t mistake the lack of equipment for easiness. This workout is tricky — especially if you’re looking to perform each move to your maximum potential. With your overhead squats, keep your upper body just as engaged as you would if you were holding a loaded barbell.
Be just as disciplined with your form as you would be hefting a lot of weight. This diligence will pay off in spades when you start to notice all the muscle you’ve built.
21-15-9 reps, for time:
Movement Modifications
If any of these movements aren’t for you, that’s alright — they’re relatively simple to swap out.
For athletes who struggle with burpees, there are a few options. You can step back into a plank position instead of jumping back. If you’re pregnant or otherwise can’t get your belly on the ground, you can hike your hips up to help lower your chest. You don’t need to perform a jump at the top, and you can similarly eliminate the push-up from the bottom.
With the bodyweight overhead squat, simply keep your hands down or out in front of you instead of overhead if the reach is too intense for you. You might also sit down on a stable chair instead of going to full depth if need be.
Perform a regular push-up instead of a pike push-up if you have to. You can also do a wall push-up, an incline push-up, or a push-up from your knees.
Finally, eliminate the jumping part of the jump squat and simply squat, down to a steady chair if you need to. To maintain a similar explosive stimulus from jumping, sink into your squat slowly. When you’ve reached your full range of motion, explode upward quickly. No need for your feet to leave the floor for you to start generating power.
Benefits of Building Muscle for CrossFitters
But should CrossFitters focus specifically on building muscle? If you’re able to dedicate the recovery you’ll need to accommodate any extra training sessions, then the short answer is yes — you probably should.
Prevent or Break Through Plateaus
Make no mistake — even smaller muscle groups get a tremendous amount of work from the functional compound movements found in any CrossFit WOD. But by building those smaller muscles, you’ll likely be able to improve your lifts a tremendous amount. How?
Take kipping pull-ups, for example. Your entire body and core will be taken to town in an incredibly intense way. Your grip will be on fire by the end of your sets. And, yes, that will give a tremendous amount of strength and development — even size — to your forearms.
Credit: UfaBizPhoto / Shutterstock
But when the workload gets to be too much, your smaller muscles are likely to burn out before your bigger muscles. That creates a limiting factor in how many reps you can handle unbroken before taking a break to shake it off.
Pausing between reps costs valuable time and can hamper your gains. Relatively underdeveloped smaller muscle groups may even be the culprit behind your latest plateau.
Building up your smaller muscles (like your forearms, biceps, and triceps), you’ll be shoring up the bottom line of your bigger lifts. In doing so, you’ll be raising the bar on all of your lifts and WODs, helping you improve that much more before facing down your next plateau.
Combat Muscle Imbalances
Since so many CrossFit movements are bilateral — barbell work and deficit handstand push-ups, for example — it’s easy for your dominant side to take over. If you’re a lefty, the left side of your body might bear more of the brunt of weight distribution during bilateral work. This can create both strength and muscle imbalances.
Perfect symmetry might not matter all that much to you if you’re not a physique athlete. But it’ll likely matter to you in terms of injury prevention. Keeping your muscles as balanced as you can be able to help make your body more resilient against injury. And the longer you can go without injury, the more likely you are to tackle each WOD to the best of your ability.
Help Transition Into CrossFit
Coming over to the dark side from a different strength sport? Welcome in. You’re likely used to performing a set number of sets and reps to induce a certain adaptation — say, building more strength or stimulating hypertrophy.
In CrossFit, you’ll be counting reps alright. But you’ll be doing it staring down a ticking clock and burning lungs and muscles all over your body. Training for hypertrophy — giving a CrossFit flair to the types of workouts you’re already familiar with — can help CrossFit beginners feel confident about their new sport.
CrossFit Warm-Up for Hypertrophy
No matter what your specific session goal is, you always want to warm up before tackling your WOD. Warm-ups not only prepare your body for the rigors of your upcoming workout — but they also optimize your performance and help make you more resilient against potential injuries.
When you’re training for hypertrophy, you’ll want to pay close attention to smaller, often overlooked muscle groups. You’ll focus closely on these muscle groups — think, your rear delts, triceps, and biceps — during your hypertrophy training. So, you’ll also want to single them out during your warm-up.
Cater each warm-up to the specific movements you’ll be doing that day. For example, spend extra time on hip mobility if you’re going to be snatching, front squatting, or lunging. Take extra time with your shoulders and thoracic mobility if you’re going to be doing any kipping or overhead work.
But generally speaking, CrossFit workouts are going to involve your whole body in some way, shape, or form. Because of that, a good CrossFit warm-up should cover all your bases.
Air Bike: 3-5 minutes, low intensity
Band Pull-Apart: 15-20
Active Frog Stretch: 60 seconds
World’s Greatest Stretch: 6 per side
Lateral Lunge: 8 per side
Half-Kneeling T-Spine Rotation: 8 per side
Bear Crawl: 30 seconds forward, 30 seconds backward
Crab Reach: 8 per side
Session-Specific Strength Exercise: 2-5 ramp-up sets, 3-6 reps per set*
*For each main lift of the day, get a feel for the movement with your bodyweight only or an unloaded barbell. Gradually increase the intensity of the movement in separate sets until you approach the weight or intensity of the exercise as prescribed in your workout.
Don’t perform so many reps that you’ll tire yourself out, but aim to get your blood pumping and your muscles firing.
How to Program CrossFit Workouts for Building Muscle
In CrossFit, you’ll be challenging pretty much all your muscles in every session. It’s a big commitment to toss in an additional focus on intentionally building certain muscles. Here’s how to program intelligently to make sure that you’re maximizing your gains and minimizing your risks.
Focus on Recovery
There’s no getting around it — CrossFit is a whole lot of work. Adding more sessions to your regimen to build muscle can run the risk of interfering with your body’s ability to adequately recover from one session to the next.
Help your muscles recover by ensuring that you’re getting enough sleep and food to fuel your performance. Make sure you’re warming up and cooling down before and after each workout to help you stay more resilient against injury. Consider self-myofascial massage with foam rollers and filling out your stretching routine with resistance bands.
The more you focus on recovery, the more you’ll be giving your muscles the space and fuel they need to grow.
Program on Separate Days
This option may be especially appealing to strength athletes who are newer to CrossFit. If you’re currently doing one or two CrossFit WODs per week — on your weekends, perhaps — consider sprinkling these muscle-focused workouts into the rest of your week. That way, you won’t be taking away from your recovery.
You will also be giving your body a more familiar way to sink into CrossFit training. The sets and rep schemes typical of hypertrophy training in other sports like powerlifting, weightlifting, and bodybuilding can help you ease into the conditioning and mental rigors of CrossFit. You’ll be building muscle and getting better at CrossFit as you go.
Add Hypertrophy Finishers
For those who are more experienced with CrossFit, you might have trouble adding extra hypertrophy-based sessions to your program. You may already be doing two-a-day workouts or simply doing an intense WOD every day.
In those situations, it might eat into your recovery — or simply not work logistically — to add another standalone workout into your program. To solve this problem wisely and with an eye on your recovery, simply add a short hypertrophy-focused session to the end of your WOD.
Complete your WOD, grab some water, wipe off the sweat, and dive back in for a slightly less intense bout of muscle-building. Stack your hypertrophy sessions strategically. If you’re looking to drive muscle growth in your legs, choose that session after a legs-focused WOD. That way, your legs will get all the action in one day and you can consolidate your recovery period.
Program Around Your Weak Points
Be smart about which muscle-building workouts you want to focus on. Focus on what aspects of your performance are lagging during your WODs.
Having trouble with your shoulder-to-overheads? Focus on upper body hypertrophy, since your troubles may lie with weaker triceps for lockout strength. Having trouble with your deadlift lockout? Work on building those glutes and hamstrings with a lower-body hypertrophy workout instead.
Build Those Muscles
There’s no way around it — CrossFit pros are ripped. If you’re looking for your piece of the hypertrophy pie, you might not want to depend on WODs alone. While you can (and probably will) gain a lot of high-quality muscle mass with just your regular training, you can pack more muscle onto your frame with hypertrophy-specific CrossFit workouts.
Integrate these CrossFit workouts for building muscle into your training program after your typical sessions or on their days entirely. Make sure your recovery is dialed in, then proceed to build up your weakest links with hypertrophy sessions. Your WODs will thank you — and so will the size of your muscles.
If you’re ready to find out more about everything CrossFit training, here are some articles to sink your teeth into next.
Featured Image: Denis Kornilov / Shutterstock
The 10 Best Middle Back Exercises for Strength, Mass, and Better Posture
Take a look at most bodybuilding back workouts, and you’ll see an abundance of lat pulldown and pull-up exercises. That’s good news because these vertical pulling exercises are responsible for building upper back width.In fact, if you want a classic torso V-taper, pull-ups and pulldowns are all but compulsory.However, if you want a back that wide AND thick, you need more than vertical pulls. You need to include horizontal pulling exercises in your workouts, too. These hit your middle back more than your lats.A strong middle back will add a lot to your physique, increase your strength in the big lifts – even the bench press – and improve your posture. For these reasons, the best back workouts usually include as many horizontal pulling exercises as they do vertical.In this article, we reveal the best exercises for building up this critical muscle group. Middle Back Anatomy and Functions While you don’t need to be an expert in anatomy to build an impressive physique, knowing a little about the muscles of the human body can help you choose the best exercises for your workouts.When talking about the middle back, we’re actually referring to the muscles located across and between your scapulae or shoulder blades.These muscles are (1):Rhomboids The rhomboids connect your scapulae to your thoracic spine. There are two rhomboids: major (largest) and minor (smallest). They come as a pair – left and right. The rhomboids are not large muscles, but they are powerful and play an important part in the shape of your upper back and how it functions. For example, they play a vital role in stabilizing your shoulder blades and keeping them pressed flat against your ribcage.Trapezius Known as the traps for short, this is the large kite-shaped muscle of your upper back. It goes from the base of your skull down to the middle part of your spine and spans out toward your shoulders.The trapezius is made up of three sets of fibers – upper, middle, and lower. Each set of fibers has a different function.The upper traps pull your shoulders upward in a movement called elevation of the shoulder girdle. In contrast, the lower traps pull your shoulders downward, which is a movement called depression of the shoulder girdle.However, it’s the mid-traps that work with the rhomboids and are the main topic of this article. The mid-traps, working in conjunction with your rhomboids, pull your shoulder back and together in a movement called shoulder girdle retraction.Posterior deltoidsThe posterior or rear deltoids are NOT part of your middle back, but it’s almost impossible to train your mid-traps and rhomboids without working the muscles at the back of your shoulders. The rear delts are involved in horizontal shoulder extension and external rotation, which are two movements that happen during many mid-back exercises.As such, if you are training your middle back, you are probably working your posterior deltoids, too. This is no bad thing because a weak upper back is usually accompanied by underdeveloped rear deltoids.So, your mid back is actually two muscles working together – the mid-traps and rhomboids. When these muscles contract, they pull your shoulders together. This movement is a necessary part of many exercises, including rows, deadlifts, and even bench presses. It’s also important for your posture. Why is Your Middle Back Weak? Many people, including hardcore exercisers, have a weak upper back. This often manifests as poor posture, a rounded upper back during deadlifts or difficulty fully engaging the mid-traps and rhomboids. Poor bench press performance is often caused by an underdeveloped middle back.Common causes of upper back weakness include:Prolonged sittingSitting for a long time, especially if you hunch over a keyboard or screen, can stretch and weaken your upper back. As most people are habitual slouchers, it’s no wonder that so many people have a weak upper back.Not doing enough upper back trainingMonday is national chest training day, but when is national back training day? A lot of lifters spend far more time training their chests than they do their back, which makes muscle imbalances and weaknesses all but unavoidable.Read also: How to do the middle back stretch.Doing too many of the wrong back exercises and not enough of the right onesMost back exercises fall into one of two groups – vertical pulls or horizontal pulls. Ideally, you should do an equal amount of both types of exercise. But, if your middle back is weak, you should do more horizontal pulling than vertical pulling. Many back workouts involve too much vertical pulling, and that leaves the middle back underdeveloped.A poor mind-muscle connection It’s almost impossible to develop a muscle if you can’t feel it working. This is called your mind-muscle connection. Some people “lose touch” with their muscles and cannot feel them working or control them properly. So, even if you’re doing the right exercises, they may not produce the results you want.A good mind-muscle connection means you can control your muscles at will, and every exercise you perform will become much more effective (2).The good news is that you can fix your mind-muscle connection – find out how here.The 10 Best Middle Back Exercises Do you want to develop an impressive middle back but aren’t sure where to start? These are the ten best exercises for your mid-traps and rhomboids!1. Bent-over barbell row The bent-over barbell row is a somewhat controversial exercise, with some coaches saying that it’s best avoided. However, done with good form and not too much weight, the bent-over barbell row is an excellent middle-back exercise and can be performed safely by most people.Barbell Bent Over RowSteps:Grip and hold a barbell with an overhand, wider-than-shoulder-width grip. Pull your shoulders down and back, brace your core and bend your knees slightly.Hinge forward from the hips and lean over until your upper body is almost parallel to the floor. Let your arms hang straight down from your shoulders.Without using your legs or back, bend your arms and row the bar up and into your chest. Pull your shoulders back and keep your elbows level with your shoulders.Extend your arms and repeat.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps, latissimus dorsi, erector spinae.Benefits:An excellent total back builder.A very accessible exercise – all you need is a barbell and weights.Small changes to the angle of your back will change the feel and effect of this exercise.Tips:Keep your lower back arched throughout to protect your spine and maximize middle back engagement.Lead with your elbows and pull the bar to your chest to emphasize the mid-traps and rhomboids.Keep your wrists straight throughout.2. Seal row If bent-over rows bother your lower back, or you prefer to work your upper body in isolation from your legs, then seal row is the exercise for you. You’ll need a tall bench for this mid-back builder, but in return, you’ll be able to push your mid-back to the limit without having to worry about your lower back at all.Steps:Place a flat bench on blocks or stacks to bumper plates so that your hands are a few inches away from the floor when you lie down on it.Lie face down on the bench and grip a barbell or dumbbells. Pull your shoulders down and back.Bend your arms and pull the bar up and into the bench level with your abdomen.Extend your arms, lower the weight, and repeat.You can also do this exercise on a slightly angled bench to hit your lower traps a little more, i.e., incline seal rows.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps, latissimus dorsi.Benefits:A very back-friendly exercise.Can be done using a barbell or dumbbells as preferred.An effective way to target your middle back.Tips:Shrug your shoulder back at the start of each rep to fully engage your middle back.Lead with your elbows to maximize mid-back engagement.Use dumbbells to increase your range of motion.3. Seated chest-supported cable row The great thing about cable exercises is that they let you keep your muscles under near-constant tension, so you get a better workout in less time. This lower-back-friendly exercise is a very effective middle-back movement. It is ideal for beginner and advanced lifters alike.Steps:Attach a rope handle to a low cable. Alternatively, you can use D-shaped handles on an extended strap.Adjust an incline bench to about 70 degrees and place it in front of the cable machine, with the back of the bench facing the pulley.Sit on the bench with your chest against the backrest. Grip the handles and extend your arms.Pull your shoulders down and back, and brace your core.Bend your arms and pull the handles in toward your lower ribs. Lead with your elbows, keep your wrists straight, and squeeze your shoulders together to maximize upper-back engagement.Smoothly extend your arms, let your shoulders shrug forward to stretch your middle back, retract your shoulders again, and repeat.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps, latissimus dorsi.Benefits:No lower back strain to worry about.Your back muscles are under near-constant tension.Cable machine exercises are ideal for drop sets.Tips:Adjust the angle of the bench to hit different parts of your mid-back. The more inclined the bench, the more lower trap and lat engagement there will be. An upright bench focuses more on your mid-traps and rhomboids.Keep your wrists straight and lead with your elbows.Shrug your shoulders back and together to maximize mid-back engagement.4. Pendlay row Pendlay rows are named after legendary powerlifting and weightlifting coach Glen Pendlay. Also known as dead-stop rows, this barbell exercise is popular with Olympic weightlifters, who often use it to fix any upper and mid-back weakness. The dead stop between reps means you should be able to perform this exercise with moderate to heavy weights in relative comfort.Steps:Start with your barbell on the floor. Stand with your feet about hip to shoulder-width apart, toes under the bar.Bend your knees slightly, hinge forward from the hips, and bend over until your upper body is parallel to the floor.Grab the barbell with an overhand, slightly wider than shoulder-width grip. Tuck your chin in and lengthen your neck; do not lift your head to look forward or allow your lower back to round.Brace your core, draw your shoulders down and back, and pull the bar up into your abdomen. Keep your upper arms tucked in close to your sides. Your upper body should remain stationary throughout.Lower the barbell back down the floor and let it settle, reset your core, and repeat.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps, latissimus dorsi, erector spinae. Benefits:A convenient exercise, as most gyms have a suitable barbell.Provides a brief pause between reps so you can reset your grip and core, do more reps, or use a heavier-than-usual weight.An excellent exercise for powerlifters, weightlifters, and strongman competitors.Tips:You can also do this exercise using dumbbells instead of a barbell.Raise the weight on blocks if you cannot maintain a neutral spine.Use lifting straps if you are training with heavy weights.5. Horizontal row You don’t need to use weights to train your middle back. In fact, there are a couple of great bodyweight exercises that are every bit as effective. Horizontal rows, also known as inverted rows, body rows, and Australian pull-ups, are a very convenient way to train your middle back without gym equipment.Steps:Set a bar to about waist height. Make sure the bar will not move. You can use a barbell in a squat rack or a Smith machine.Sit on the floor beneath the bar and hold it with an overhand, slightly wider than shoulder-width grip.Lean back so your arms are straight, brace your core, and pull your shoulders down and back.Lift your hips, so your weight is supported on your heels and hands only. Make sure your body is straight – from your heels to your shoulders.Keeping your body properly aligned, bend your arms and pull your chest up to the bar. Keep your wrists straight and focus on leading with your elbows. Squeeze your shoulders together at the top of the rep.Slowly and smoothly extend your elbows and return to the starting position, keeping your body straight the whole time.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps, latissimus dorsi.Benefits:No equipment required, so ideal for home exercisers.Easy to scale by raising or lowering the height of the bar.Very lower back friendly.Tips:Use a suspension trainer or gymnastic rings for variety.Bend your legs and put your feet flat on the floor for an easier workout.Rest a weight plate on your hips for a more intense workout.6. Renegade row The renegade row is a combination middle back and core exercise. You can even combine it with push-ups to make it a total upper body builder. Be warned; this exercise is more strenuous than it looks, so don’t go too heavy too soon!Renegade RowsSteps:Hold a dumbbell in each hand. You can also use kettlebells. Squat down and place the weights on the floor, so they’re roughly shoulder-width apart.Brace your abs and walk your feet out and back into the push-up position. Your body should form a straight line. Keep your wrists straight, and do not allow them to collapse.Move your feet out so that they are wider than shoulder-width apart to increase balance and stability. Look straight down at the floor to ensure your neck is neutral.Keeping one arm straight, bend the other arm and row the weight up and into your lower ribs. Do NOT allow your hips or shoulders to twist.Lower the weight back to the floor, swap sides, and repeat. Alternate arms for the duration of your set, keeping your core braced throughout.You can also do this exercise with your legs bent and knees resting on the floor to take pressure off your core.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps, latissimus dorsi, core.Benefits:Works well with light dumbbells.A very comprehensive upper-body exercise.Great for home exercisers, as so little equipment is required.Tips:Use hex-shaped dumbbells if available, as they’re more stable and less likely to roll.Wear a weighted vest to make this exercise harder.Do a push-up between rows to develop your chest as well as your back.7. Dumbbell rear delt row The dumbbell rear delt row does more than work your posterior deltoids; it also hits your mid-traps and rhomboids. The great thing about this exercise is that you don’t need a lot of weight to do it, so it’s ideal for home exercisers and anyone without access to heavy dumbbells.Steps:Sit on the end of an exercise bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Hinge forward from the hips and lower your chest toward your legs. Let your arms hang down from your shoulders. Rotate your wrists so that your hands are in the pronated or palms-down position.Leading with your elbows, pull the weights up and out so your upper arms are perpendicular to your upper body. Keep your wrists straight, and pull your shoulders down and back.Extend your arms and repeat.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps.Benefits:Very little strain on your lower back.This exercise works well with light dumbbells.An accessible exercise that’s suitable for home and gym use.Tips:Use a chair if no bench is available.You can also do this exercise standing and by leaning over.Think about driving your elbows back to maximize middle-back engagement.8. Band pull-aparts The band pull-apart is arguably the most convenient way to train your middle back at home. This is a hugely effective posture exercise, and everyone who lifts weights should do band pull-aparts a few times per week. Do this exercise between sets of bench presses or during your upper body warm-ups. Alternatively, do sets of pull-aparts to break up long periods of sitting.Steps:Hold your resistance band with an overhand, shoulder-width grip. Raise your arms in front of you so your hands are roughly level with your shoulders. Pull your shoulders down and back.Open your arms and stretch the band out across your chest.Return to the starting position and repeat.You can work your rhomboids from different angles by changing the angle of your arms and stretching the band diagonally across your chest, not just horizontally.Muscles targeted:Primary: Mid-traps, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: N/A.Benefits:A very shoulder-friendly exercise.You can do band pull-aparts anywhere and at any time.One of the best posture exercises around.Tips: Do this exercise seated or standing as preferred.Try to accumulate 100 reps every day to fix your posture and keep your shoulders healthy.Include band pull-aparts in all your upper body warm-ups to activate and engage your upper back.9. Face pulls Face pulls are so-called because, when you do them, you look like you are going to stick your thumbs in your ears and waggle your fingers like a rude kid! Don’t let this peculiar name or image put you off; the face pull is an excellent mid-back exercise. It’s also fantastic for your posterior deltoids.Cable Face PullsSteps:Attach a rope handle to a cable pulley set to about chest height.Stand with your feet hip-width apart and grab both sides of the handle using a neutral grip. Place one foot in front of the other for balance if necessary.Keeping your elbows level with your shoulders, bend your arms and pull the rope toward your face, contracting your rear deltoids as you pull the ends of the handle apart.Straighten your arms and repeat for the desired number of reps.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: Biceps.Benefits:A very lower back and shoulder-friendly exercise.Very accessible, as most gyms have a suitable cable machine.Perfect for intensity-boosting drop sets.Tips:Imagine you are trying to poke your thumbs in your ears to maximize upper back engagement.Use a resistance band if you don’t have access to a cable machine.Pull the ends of the handles apart as well as back to work your back even more effectively.10. Reverse pec deck fly Reverse pec deck flys are often viewed as a read deltoid exercise, but they’re much more than that. They’re also a very effective way to target your middle back. With no weights to balance, this exercise leaves you free to focus on pushing your mid-traps and rhomboids to their limit. They’re also an excellent exercise for intensity-boosting drop sets.Steps:Sit on the pec deck machine with your chest against the pad. Reach out and grab the handles. Extend, but do not fully straighten your arms. Your hands should be level with or just below your shoulders.Open your arms and draw the handles out and back until your arms form a T-shape with your body.Return to the starting position, stopping just short of letting the weights touch down, and repeat.Muscles targeted:Primary: Middle trapezius, rhomboids, posterior deltoids.Secondary: N/A.Benefits:No need to stabilize your upper body – the machine does it for you.An excellent exercise for beginners.Very lower back friendly.Tips:Experiment with a neutral and pronated grip to see which one you prefer.Lift your chest and pull your shoulders down and back to maximize mid-trap and rhomboid engagement.On reaching failure, lower the weight by 15-20% and crank out a few more reps to increase the intensity of your workouts.Frequently Asked QuestionsDo you have a question about middle-back training or back workouts in general? No sweat because we’ve got the answers!1. What is the best way to bring my mid-back up to the same level as my lats, shoulders, and chest?If your mid-back is weak, you must prioritize it in your workouts. Train your mid-traps and rhomboids twice per week, e.g., Monday and Thursday, and work them first in your back workouts, i.e., before your lats. Also, consider doing less lat training to give your mid-back a chance to “catch up.”Also, become more mid-back-aware, and pull your shoulders down and back during almost every other exercise you perform, even your arms and legs. This will help strengthen that all-important mind-muscle connection.Once you are happy with your middle back development, maintain it by doing an equal amount of horizontal pulling and pushing training. In other words, for every set of chest training, do a set of rows or similar.2. I can’t feel my middle back working – is this normal?A lack of sensation on your middle back is common and normal, and suggests that you have a weak mind-muscle connection. The good news is that this is relatively easy to fix, although it will take a while to reconnect your brain and back.Ways to do this include:Training your middle back more often.Practicing pulling your shoulders back and together several times a day, especially before training.Adding mid-rep pauses to rows and other mid-back exercises.Doing your reps more slowly and with less weight so you can emphasize retraction.In time, you should notice that you can feel your muscle back working more, indicating your mind-muscle connection is getting stronger.3. What sets and reps should I use for my middle back workouts?Your rep range is goal and exercise-dependent. To build strength, you must lift heavy weights for low reps, i.e., 1-5. Of course, such heavy loads are not practical for some middle-back exercises, such as horizontal rows or band pull-aparts.To build muscle, you can use light to moderate weights and do anywhere from 6-35 reps per set.Generally, the lower end of the scale is best for compound exercises. In contrast, the higher end is more suitable for isolation or single-joint movements.When training for hypertrophy or muscle growth, ensure that you take your sets to within 1-3 reps of failure. Easier sets will not trigger much muscle growth.4. How many times a week should I train my middle back?Twice a week is an excellent place to start for most people. This provides a good balance between work and recovery.For example, you could train your back on Monday and Thursday, leaving plenty of time for the rest of your body and recovery. One workout per week probably won’t be enough to produce good results, but will probably be sufficient to maintain muscle mass and strength.5. How many sets should I do per week for my middle back?The accepted number of sets per muscle group per week is 10-20. Beginners and older exercisers should do 10-14, while younger and more advanced exercisers can work up to 15-20. However, more sets will not necessarily produce better results.These sets should be evenly spread over your workouts. For example, if you want to do 15 sets for your back per week, you could do three workouts, each consisting of five sets for the target muscle.6. Why isn’t my mid-back growing?Your body will respond to your workouts unless you are doing something wrong. Common reasons for not achieving muscle growth include:Failing to consume enough protein – you need between 0.7 to 1.0 grams per pound of body weight.Not training hard enough – you must train to within 1-3 reps of failure.Not training often enough – once a week or less won’t cut it!Skipping too many workouts – even the best middle back exercises and workouts will not work if you don’t do them. You MUST be consistent.Training too hard, long, or often – your body has a limited capacity for recovery. If you work out hard seven days a week, your muscles won’t have the time or energy needed for growth.Not getting enough sleep – your muscles do most of their growing when you’re sleeping. So, you need 6-8 hours per night, and not just at weekends!It’s not been long enough – it takes time for your body to start responding to your workouts. If you’ve only been training for a few weeks, you probably won’t see many changes yet. So be patient and stick with it.7. Got a good mid-back workout for me to try?Sure do! Do this workout twice a week on non-consecutive days, e.g., Tuesday and Friday. But, before you begin, spend a few minutes warming up by doing some light cardio followed by dynamic mobility and flexibility exercises for your shoulders, elbows, and upper back.#Exercise SetsRepsRecovery1Pendlay rows44-63 minutes2Seal row36-82 minutes3Reverse pec deck fly310-1290 seconds4Face pulls212-1560 seconds5Band pull-apart215-2060 secondsMiddle Back Exercises – Final Thoughts It’s easy to neglect your middle back. After all, you can’t see it, so there is less of an incentive to train it. However, the mid-traps and rhomboids play a crucial role in your posture, shoulder stability, and upper back thickness. If you want to look and perform at your best, you MUST train your middle back as hard and as often as you train your lats, chest, and deltoids.Use the exercises and tips in this article to build a mid-back you can be proud of.More Back Exercises:References: 1. KenHub: Back Muscle Anatomy https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21632-back-muscles2. PubMed: Importance of Mind-Muscle Connection During Progressive Resistance Training https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26700744/