Back Hypertrophy Workout - 20min Beginner
This 20-minute hypertrophy session focuses on building a strong, defined back and peaked biceps using only the handles. You will move through vertical and horizontal pulling patterns to ensure full muscular development. It is designed for beginners who want a streamlined, effective upper body pump.
This is ideal for beginner lifters or busy professionals who need an efficient back and biceps pump without complex equipment changes. It is a great foundation for anyone looking to improve their posture or pull-up strength.
Equipment
Workout Plan
Rest 90s between the heavy lat pulldowns, 60s for rows and pulldowns, and 45s for the biceps finisher.
Seated Row
Back, Biceps, Abs
Maintain a tall posture and resist Tonal's digital weight as it pulls you forward.
Biceps Curl
Biceps, Forearms
Pin your elbows to your sides and control the descent to maximize the eccentric load.
Neutral Lat Pulldown
Back, Biceps, Abs
Drive your elbows toward your hips and squeeze your shoulder blades at the bottom.
Straight Arm Pulldown
Back, Shoulders
Keep your arms locked and use your lats to pull the handles down to your thighs.
Why this order
We start with the Lat Pulldown to prioritize the largest muscle groups of the back while you are fresh. The Seated Row follows to add thickness through a horizontal plane, and we finish with isolation work to fully exhaust the biceps. This compound-to-isolation progression ensures you move the most weight early before targeting smaller muscle groups.
Want this personalized for you?
This is a template workout. Connect your Tonal and the AI coach adjusts weights to your strength scores, swaps exercises around injuries, and progresses you week over week.
Start Free with AI CoachFrequently Asked Questions
What weight should I start with?
Tonal will suggest a starting weight based on your digital strength assessment, but feel free to lower it slightly to focus on form during your first session.
Can I use the bar instead of handles for the pulldowns?
This specific program is optimized for handles to allow a more natural range of motion for beginners, but you can swap them if you prefer a fixed grip.
How often should I do this workout?
For hypertrophy, aim to perform this session twice a week with at least 48 hours of rest between back-focused days to allow for muscle repair.