Chest & Back Hypertrophy Workout - 20min Intermediate
This high intensity session focuses on building a powerful upper body through classic compound movements and isolation finishers. By utilizing the same accessories for the entire workout you maximize your time under tension and minimize transition periods. It is the perfect hypertrophy routine for lifters who want thick lats and a defined chest.
This is designed for intermediate lifters and busy professionals who need an efficient upper body hypertrophy stimulus in a short window of time. It is ideal for those who prioritize muscle thickness and definition over raw strength.
Equipment
Workout Plan
Rest 90 seconds between heavy compound sets and 60 seconds between the isolation and pulldown sets.
Bench Press
Chest, Triceps, Abs
Engage Tonal's Spotter mode so you can push to failure safely on the final set.
Seated Row
Back, Biceps, Abs
Focus on driving your elbows past your torso while maintaining a proud chest throughout the row.
Middle Chest Fly
Chest, Shoulders
Keep a slight bend in your elbows and squeeze your chest hard at the center of the movement.
Neutral Lat Pulldown
Back, Biceps, Abs
Slow down the upward phase to let Tonal's digital weight provide a deep stretch in your lats.
Why this order
The workout begins with the heaviest horizontal push and pull movements to recruit the most muscle fibers while you are fresh. It then transitions into a vertical pull and an isolation fly to target the muscles from different angles and achieve a maximum pump. Using handles throughout ensures zero downtime between exercises to keep the heart rate elevated.
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
Can I use the Barbell for the Bench Press instead?
You can, but the smart handles allow for a greater range of motion and eliminate the time spent swapping accessories during this quick 20-minute session.
How do I know if I am lifting heavy enough for hypertrophy?
Tonal will automatically adjust based on your strength, but you should aim for the last two reps of every set to feel significantly challenging with good form.
What should I do if I can't finish the high rep fly sets?
Enable Tonal's Burnout mode; it will intelligently reduce the digital weight as you fatigue so you can complete every rep in the set.