If You Want to Work Out Four Days a Week: Upper-Body Routine 2
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The workout below is for 6 Weeks to Stronger, SELF’s new six-week workout plan geared toward building serious strength. Check out the full program right here for the rest of your workouts and more important info!
Next up: Your plan’s second upper-body day. This workout will follow in line with your previous two—same focus on big lifts and complementary moves to support them—but you’ll take on new exercises to challenge your muscles in slightly different ways.
For instance, your main move is the barbell bent-over row (which you can totally do with dumbbells if that’s what you’ve got and feel comfortable with). This provides a set of balance to your program, since in your first upper-body routine, you focused on the overhead press. That move works the front of your upper body, while the bent-over row targets the back. That means you’ll spend some time going hard on both opposing muscle groups throughout the program—which is great for warding off muscle imbalances. (For more general info on the program, make sure to check out our primer here.)
Then you’ll follow that up with a three-exercise circuit that’ll further zero in on your upper body: the incline chest press (which hits your upper chest and shoulders a little more than the traditional version), the pullover (targets your back and chest), and the quadruped rear delt raise (a single-sided move which fires up the small muscles along the backside of your shoulders).
You’ll finish off your routine with two targeted exercises to hit your arms: the biceps curl and the triceps kickback. These exercises work opposing muscle groups—the front and back of your upper arms, respectively—so even though you’ll be going right from move to move, your muscles won’t feel too smoked.
Before you get started, take a look at the complete directions below for all the important intel!
The Workout
What you need: Dumbbells (or a barbell if you prefer) and an adjustable weight bench. You may also want an exercise mat for comfort.
Exercises
Straight Set:
- Barbell Bent-Over Row
Circuit:
- Incline Chest Press
- Pullover
- Quadruped Rear Delt Raise
Superset:
- Biceps Curl
- Triceps Kickback
Directions
- For Straight Set, complete 5 to 8 reps. Rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Complete 4 sets total.
- For Circuit, complete 8 to 12 reps of the first exercise; rest for 60 to 90 seconds before going on to the second exercise. Rest for 60 to 90 seconds before going to the third exercise. Rest for 60 to 90 seconds after all three are done, and then repeat from the top. Complete this circuit 3 times total.
- For the Superset complete 12 to 15 reps of the first exercise. Rest for 30 to 60 seconds before going on to the second exercise. Rest 30 to 60 seconds, and then repeat from the top. Complete this superset 3 times total.
Katie ThompsonBarbell Bent-Over Row
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your arms at your sides or with both hands grasping a barbell a bit wider than shoulder-width apart in an overhand grip.
- With your core engaged, hinge forward at your hips, pushing your butt back. Bend your knees and make sure you don’t round your shoulders. (Your hip mobility and hamstring flexibility will dictate how far you can bend over.)
- Gaze at the ground a few inches in front of your feet to keep your neck in a comfortable position.
- Do a row by pulling the weight up toward your chest, keeping your elbows hugged close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades for 2 seconds at the top of the movement. Your elbows should go past your back as you bring the weight toward your chest.
- Slowly lower the weights by extending your arms toward the floor. This is 1 rep.
This big compound move hits your lats, rhomboids, and biceps. Do it with a barbell or a pair of dumbbells; make sure you can control the weight and aren’t jerking it up—that will overstress your back.
Katie ThompsonIncline Chest Press
- Set the incline of an adjustable bench between 30 and 45 degrees. The higher the incline, the more it’ll work your shoulders versus your chest. Sit on the bench with your back supported and feet planted on the floor.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your legs at your chest. This is the starting position.
- Press the weight toward the ceiling, straightening your elbows completely and keeping your palms facing your legs. Pause here for a second.
- Slowly bend your elbows and lower them back down to the floor. This is 1 rep.
The incline chest press hits your upper chest and shoulders more than a OG version, but if you don’t have an adjustable bench, you can do a traditional chest press instead.
Katie ThompsonPullover
- Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent, or on a flat bench with your feet planted on the floor.
- Grip a dumbbell securely at both ends with each hand. (If your dumbbell is larger, it might feel safer to hold it vertically, with both hands around one end.) Lift it into the air directly above your chest, keeping your arms straight.
- Slowly bring the dumbbell over your head.
- Bring the weight back to the starting position, engaging your core as you move the weight. This is 1 rep.
This move works the back of your body (your lats) as well as your chest, and your core will really feel this too.
Katie ThompsonQuadruped Rear Delt Raise
- On a mat, start in an all-fours position with your knees underneath your hips and palms underneath your shoulders. Hold a dumbbell in one hand.
- Raise that arm to the side, feeling the work in the back of your shoulder. Brace your core, keep your back straight, and try not to twist to the side.
- Lower your dumbbell back to the ground. That’s 1 rep.
- Complete all your reps on one side, then switch sides.
You’ll work each side of the back of your shoulders individually with this posture-boosting move. And, like with the pullover, your core will be firing here too.
Katie ThompsonBiceps Curl
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand, and hold your arms at your sides with your elbows and arms pushing in toward your ribs, palms facing up.
- Perform a biceps curl by bending at the elbow.
- Bend your elbow to lower the weight back down. This is 1 rep.
This accessory move hammers your biceps, which have already put in some hard work in your bigger rowing exercise.
Katie ThompsonTriceps Kickback
- Bend your knees forward and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your core tight and back flat.
- Hold your arms at your sides with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
- Bend at the elbows until your forearms are parallel to the ground, keeping your elbows tight by your rib cage.
- Kick the weights back to completely straighten your arms.
- Bend your arms to return to start. That’s 1 rep.
Your triceps were already working in your chest press, but they get a little more isolated love in this accessory move.
Demoing the moves above are Lauren Leavell (GIF 1), a NASM-certified personal trainer and founder of Leavell Up Fitness; Francine Delgado-Lugo (GIFs 2 and 4), a strength coach and co-founder of Form Fitness Brooklyn; and Chad Ryan (GIFs 3, 5, and 6), a personal trainer, group fitness instructor and life coach.
Lauren Leavell wears: Top and leggings by Beyond Yoga; shoes by Reebok; and socks by Alo. Francine Delgado-Lugs wears: Top by Aritzia; pants by Yitty; and shoes by Alo. Chad Ryan wears: Top by On Running; shorts by Reebok; and shoes and socks by Alo.
BowFlex 5.1S Adjustable Weight Bench by Bowflex.
SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.
