Workout of the week: 16-min back and shoulder workout

9th September 2024

ALL LEVELS / back and shoulder workout / 16 minutes

Equipment: Dumbbells, resistance band & lat pull-down machine

When looking for workouts online, it’s common to see workouts that combine back and shoulders — and there’s a reason for this. First, these two body parts share overlapping muscle groups and complementary movements. Many back exercises also engage the shoulders, while some shoulder exercises involve upper back muscles. So, combining these in the same session contributes to a more efficient training session.

Pairing two muscle groups will allow for a balanced development of your upper body, help you maintain a proper posture, and reduce muscle imbalances.

This back and shoulder workout can help you get all the benefits above. It has 4 exercises with 12 reps. Perform 4 rounds using challenging weights to make this routine more effective. You’ll get 1-minute to rest between exercises and rounds, making this a 16-minute training session.

Dumbbell seated z press
Plank row
Resistance band pull-apart
Lat pull-down

Ready? Let’s strengthen that upper body!

WORKOUT SETUP

4 exercises
12 reps
4 rounds
1-min rest between exercises and rounds
16 minutes total
Equipment: Dumbbells, resistance band & lat pull-down machine

WORKOUT EXERCISE LIST

4 rounds

1 – Dumbbell seated z press

12 reps

Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
Press the dumbbells overhead until your arms are fully extended.
Lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height, keeping your back straight and avoiding leaning it back.

2 – Plank row

12 reps

Assume a pushup position and place your hands on a set of dumbbells.
Ensure your arms remain fully extended, aligning your hands beneath your shoulders and orienting your palms toward each other.
Maintain your core engaged, keeping your elbows close to your body, and lift a single dumbbell off the floor.
As you raise your elbow as high as you can, contract your shoulder blades together.
Perform the same motion with the opposite arm.
Continue alternating between arms until you’ve finished the 12 reps.

3 – Resistance band pull-apart

12 reps

Stand up straight on a light resistance band with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Have your elbows slightly bent and to your sides. This is the starting position.
Slowly raise your arms towards shoulder height, pulling them apart as indicated in the video.
Hold the position for a moment and slowly rewind the movement to the starting position.

4 – Lat pull-down

12 reps

Adjust the pad on your legs to reduce the movement.
Grasp the bar above your head with a wide grip. Keep looking forward with your torso upright.
Engage your shoulder blades, and then pull the bar down in front of you – upper chest level.
Squeeze your lats at the bottom of the move and avoid leaning back too much to facilitate the movement.
Slowly return up and repeat.