Best Back and Bicep Workouts for Strength Building

The back and biceps are muscle groups often paired together during body part split training sessions. This workout is geared toward people who have experience using gym equipment and are practicing good form.

The back and biceps go together because most pulling movements or back exercises stimulate and activate the biceps as a secondary muscle. For example, while performing a row, people also pull with the help of their bicep muscles.

Benefits of Training Back and Biceps Together

Training back and biceps simultaneously offers several benefits.

• It Is Efficient 

The back and biceps consist of muscles that are simultaneously used to pull things. When you train your back, you work on your biceps as well. That’s why it makes sense to combine the two into one workout.

• It Allows Maximum Recovery

If you split back and biceps muscles into several workouts, you might face recovery issues depending on how you schedule your workout sessions.

If you train the bicep muscles a day or two after your back workout, your biceps will see a lot of action for such a small muscle. 

A bicep workout session the day before training the back can also create a weak link for the much stronger and bigger back muscles if your arms have not fully recovered.

Training back and biceps together solves all these potential issues, and one doesn’t have to worry about recovery between workouts.

Best Back and Bicep Workouts For Muscle Mass:

• Warm-up

Before starting the back and bicep workout, begin with a 5-minute warm-up of low to medium-intensity cardio. Then try to perform some upper-body mobility movements before moving on to the following exercises.

Before the work sets, you can also do a couple of ramp-ups using progressively heavier weights. These movements not only act as a warmup but also coordinate the central nervous system and muscles for better performance. 

• Pull-ups and Lat Pulldowns

The pull-up is an excellent lat workout to build back width. It requires a few pieces of equipment, which usually includes your body and a pull-up bar. The lat pulldown is also a similar exercise but without the added challenge of pulling the body weight.

Both exercises typically work on your biceps, lats, and the lower parts of the trapezius. Pull-ups comparatively require plenty of overall body stability and control to hit the target muscles, while the lat pulldowns do not require pulling your whole body weight, and the machine makes this workout a more comfortable and stable option.

• Barbell High Row

Barbell high-row workouts involve highly effective compound movements that will help you stimulate the entire back. 

To do a barbell high row workout, bend your knees and hinge at the hips, bringing the torso forward until the back is almost parallel to the floor. Then let the barbell hang in front of you.

After that, try to squeeze your shoulder together and engage the upper and middle back as you pull the weight toward the chest. Conclude this exercise by lowering the barbell and at least repeating this process 10-12 times.

• Close Grip Lat Pulldown

A back and bicep workout usually includes two different pulldown variations, and they are typically considered to be the most effective exercises for optimally targeting the lats.

The close grip lat pulldown puts your arms in a stronger position and enables you to pull more weight. That’s why it is a great addition to your back workout. 

When performing these exercises, it’s important to maintain proper form and use a weight that challenges you but also allows you to complete the desired number of reps.

It’s also important to warm up properly before beginning the workout and stretch afterward to prevent injury and aid in recovery.

How to Do a Pull-Up?

Grip the bar with palms, then slightly widen the shoulder-width. Keep your chest up, and inhale. Then pull yourself up until the bar touches your upper chest or your chin is over the bar. After that, exhale and lower yourself until your arms are fully extended.

How to Do Lat Pulldowns?

To do lat pulldowns, slightly widen the shoulder width. Then sit down with your thighs under the leg support, and keep your chest up.

Inhale and pull the bar towards you; after that, pull the bar down until it touches your lower body or is below your chin. Exhale, then gradually return the bar until your arms are fully extended.

FAQs

Can You Use Supersets with the Back and Biceps Workout Routine?

Yes, you can definitely use supersets with the back and biceps workout routine. Supersets are a great way to increase the intensity of your workout and save time by working for two muscle groups simultaneously.

To create a superset for your back and biceps workout, you can choose two exercises, one for your back and one for your biceps, and perform them back to back with no rest in between.

For example, you could perform a set of pull-ups followed immediately by a set of bicep curls, then rest for a minute or two before repeating the superset for the desired number of sets.

Here are some examples of back and biceps exercises that you could use in a superset:

• Rows and concentration curls. 
• Chin-ups and preacher curls.
• Deadlifts and reverse curls.

Remember to choose weights that challenge you but allow yourself to perform the exercises with proper form. Additionally, it’s important to listen to your body and adjust the weight or reps as needed to avoid injury.

Is It Ok to Train Back and Biceps Together?

Working out the back and biceps muscles together can make a great combo day at the gym. With a proper routine, you can target all the major muscles of your back and biceps and can acquire optimum benefits. This might also have a significant impact on your overall upper body strength.

Moreover, strengthening the back and biceps on the same day is considered to be a good pairing because the biceps are an assisting muscle group for usually all back exercises.

The reason for this is that many back exercises, such as rows and pull-ups, also involve the biceps to some extent. By training these muscles together, you can hit both areas effectively in a single workout and potentially save time in the gym.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that your training program should be designed to meet your specific goals and needs. If you’re looking to build mass or strength in your back and biceps, combining them in a workout can be a good strategy.

But if you’re focusing on other areas or have different goals, you may want to consider splitting them into separate workouts or adjusting your training plan accordingly.