Pull Functional Workout - 20min Intermediate
Develop a powerful posterior chain and ironclad grip with this 20 minute pull session. You will prioritize vertical and horizontal rowing patterns to improve your posture and functional pulling strength. This efficiency focused routine uses Tonal's dynamic resistance to ensure every rep challenges your stability and control.
Ideal for climbers, rowers, or anyone looking to balance a desk bound lifestyle by strengthening the muscles responsible for upright posture.
Equipment
Workout Plan
Rest 60-90s between compound sets to maintain power and 45s between accessory and finisher sets.
Half Kneeling Single Arm Row
Back, Biceps, Obliques
Maintain a tall spine and resist the Tonal cable's pull to keep your shoulders square to the machine.
Biceps Curl
Biceps, Forearms
Keep your elbows pinned to your ribs and use Tonal's constant tension to control the weight on the way down.
Neutral Lat Pulldown
Back, Biceps, Abs
Engage your lats by pulling your elbows down toward your hips while maintaining a proud chest.
Y-Pull
Shoulders, Back
Pull the rope apart into a Y-shape and pause at the top to fire up your upper back and rear delts.
Why this order
The workout follows a compound to isolation sequence, beginning with high output lat pulldowns to recruit maximum motor units. We transition to unilateral rows to correct imbalances and conclude with high-rep postural work to reinforce shoulder stability after the heavy lifting is done.
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 if the Single Arm Row feels unstable?
Focus on driving your lead foot into the floor; the digital weight will try to pull you forward, so use your core to stay anchored.
Can I use the Smart Bar for the Lat Pulldowns instead?
While you can, using the Handles allows for a neutral grip which is often more joint friendly and allows for a deeper range of motion during functional training.
Should I turn on any Weight Features for the curls?
Try turning on Eccentric Mode for the Biceps Curls to maximize time under tension and accelerate muscle development.
How heavy should the Y-Pull be?
This is a finisher for posture; keep the weight light enough that you can hold the 'Y' position for a full second without shrugging your shoulders.