Home Exercises for a Better Back and Bigger Biceps
When most people start training at home, they tend to focus too much on exercises that target the front of the body (push-ups, planks, crazy ab-blasting circuits, etc). This makes sense because people can see the front of our bodies. #Logic
But here’s a little secret:
Building your pulling musculature is the ultimate cheat-code for achieving an amazing physique. A strong back will improve your whole-body power, protect you from muscle imbalances, and promote great posture.
Not sold yet? Then I’ll quickly remind you that your biceps are included in your Pulling musculature… and you want toned arms, right?
If you’re stuck training at home and don’t have a deadlift platform or a curl bar, that’s OK. These on-the-go exercises can get you started towards building your perfectly balanced body (while blasting your biceps to boot!).
Ideally, you are going to want to invest in a pull up bar if you want to get the most out of training at home. I recommend checking out RubberBanditz for an excellent door-frame pull-up bar.
These exercises will work best when periodized into an effective training program. If you need help creating your personalized plan for success, please consider coaching.
*Don’t forget to save the demo videos to your smartphone for future reference. Troubleshooting: Try using Safari as your web-browser. Press and hold the “DOWNLOAD” button under the video, then click “Download Linked File” to save.
Bicep Curls w/ Resistance Bands
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Grab a moderate weight resistance band to get started (anywhere from 20lbs – 40lbs should do the trick). Attach a set of grip handles to your band. Firmly grasp them. Center your stance on the middle of your band.
Stand tall with your knees slightly bent, feet shoulder-width apart, spine straight, head back, and shoulders retracted. Your arms should be at your sides with your palms facing inward.
Flex at your elbow to bring your hands towards your shoulders. Twist your forearms so that your palms face your shoulders at the top of each rep.
Hold briefly before slowly descending back to the start position. This is one rep.
Throughout the movement, keep your elbows stationary and pinned to your sides. Refrain from rotating your shoulders to get your hands higher. This exercise only consists of forearm motion.
Repeat until your biceps are burning and you know you’ve got one or two reps left in the tank before your form goes out the window.
Bicep Hammer Curls w/ Resistance Bands
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Your biceps are a two-headed monster.
Well… at least they’ve got two heads.
Hammer Curls target the “outer” head of the biceps while Standard Curls target the “inner” head. Performed correctly, Hammer Curls will help define your arms and increase your grip strength.
Follow the instructions from the “Bicep Curls w/ Resistance Bands” exercise regression, but make one modification:
Do not twist your forearms on the way up. Your palms should continue to face one another throughout the entire repetition.
Your arms will tend to look especially nice and pumped after this exercise. Try incorporating some hammer curls into your routine before your next date. *wink*
Chin Ups
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Grab your pull-up bar at shoulder-width with a supinated grip (your palms facing your body).
As you lend your weight to the bar, keep your shoulders retracted and your core tense while extending straight legs slightly in front of your body.
Recruit your lats and biceps to raise your body until your chin is above the bar and your elbows are fully flexed. Hold briefly at the top before slowly descending back to the starting position.
This is one rep.
Repeat until your pulling musculature feels exhausted, or until you think you’ve got just 1 rep left in the tank before form failure.
Always keep tension in your back and core. Do not let your shoulders raise up towards your ears at the bottom of each rep. This common tendency will hinder your gains and injure your shoulders.
If this is too easy, add a weighted back pack.
If this is too difficult, place a chair in front of your body with the back facing you. Place one of your legs on the back of the chair to relieve some bodyweight from the bar. *Video demo of this regression coming soon.
Corn-Cob Pull Ups
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This advanced pull up progression will test your isometric power while sculpting everything from your lats to your traps, forearms, shoulders, and even biceps.
Grab your pull-up bar a little wider than shoulder-width using a pronated grip (your palms facing forward).
As you lend your weight to the bar, keep your shoulders retracted and your core tense while extending straight legs slightly in front of your body.
Pull your body up until your chin is in line with the bar and your elbows are fully flexed. Maintain this height throughout this entire isometric sequence:
Bring your head to the left, then to the right, then back to center, finally push yourself away from the bar and back.
After completing the isometric sequence, slowly descend back to your starting position. This is one rep.
Repeat until your pulling musculature feels exhausted, or until you think you’ve got just 1 rep left in the tank before form failure. Add weight if necessary.
*Do not rely on your neck to move your head through the sequence. Use your arms and shoulders to control your body.
Face Pull w/ Shoulder Rotation
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Grab a very light-weight resistance band to get started (10lbs is plenty!). The movement is much more important than the weight. Heavy = dangerous.
Anchor your band at about chest height from a seated position. Attach a set of grip handles to your band. Firmly grasp them and sit towards your anchor with your legs extended in front of your body.
Pull your bands towards both sides of your head – keeping your elbows high. When your elbows are fully flexed, rotate your hands towards the sky.
Pause here for a moment, then slowly lower your hands and extend your arms back to the starting position.
This is one rep. Aim for 10-20 reps using a light-weight resistance band.
*Your elbows should stay in line with your shoulders throughout the entire exercise.
**Focus on creating tension in your upper back. Try to “pinch a pencil” in between your scapula while your hands are high.
***Once again, do not go heavy. You may injure yourself if you do.
****Also featured in the Mobility section.
Lat Pull-Down in Lunge
w/ Resistance Bands
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If you want to achieve a classic V-shaped physique, you must target your lats. Nothing does this as well as the Lat Pull-Down Machine.
However, just because you’re stuck at home, doesn’t mean you can’t reap the benefits of Lat Pull-Downs. All you need is a resistance band and a door.
Grab a moderate weight resistance band to get started (anywhere from 30lbs – 50lbs). Fasten a mount overhead. Attach a set of grip handles to your band, firmly grasp them, and take two steps away from your mount.
Take one step forward and descend into a lunge position. Hinge forward while keeping your spine straight, head back, and arms overhead, resisting tension.
Slowly bring your arms towards your body until your elbows are fully flexed. Your hands should land just outside of your body. Hold briefly before slowly ascending back to the start position. This is one rep.
Repeat until your back is burning and you know you’ve got one or two reps left in the tank before form failure.
*Throughout the movement, keep your arms at your sides and your shoulder-blades retracted. Do not let your arms or shoulders fall forward.
Shoulder Retraction w/ Mobility Stick
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This movement counter-acts the forward-facing posture that many of us develop when working at a desk behind a screen.
Start standing tall with your back straight, your feet shoulder-width apart, your knees slightly bent, and your shoulders neutral.
Tightly grip your mobility stick horizontally and in front of your body at chest-height. Lock out your elbows and keep them locked throughout the movement.
Protract your shoulders by pushing them out in front of your body. Then, retract your shoulders by pulling them back as far as possible. The emphasis is on the retraction – not the protraction.
When you cannot retract your shoulders back any farther, begin to actively squeeze your scapula together as if you are trying to pinch a pencil between them.
Squeeze with max force for about 3-6 seconds and then release the tension relax your shoulders to neutral.
This is one rep. Challenge yourself to perform no more than 10 repetitions by exerting enough internal force to tire you out. It’s up to you to make it count.
*Also featured in the Mobility section.
Pull-Ups
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Grab your pull-up bar a little wider than shoulder-width using a pronated grip (your palms facing forward).
As you lend your weight to the bar, keep your shoulders retracted and your core tense while extending straight legs slightly in front of your body.
Pull your body up until your chin is in line with the bar and your elbows are fully flexed. Slowly descend back to your starting position.
This is one rep.
Repeat until your pulling musculature feels exhausted, or until you think you’ve got just 1 rep left in the tank before form failure. Add weight if necessary or try the “Corn Cob” exercise progression.
Pull-Up w/ Chair Regression
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This beginner exercise regression will help you get started on your journey towards perfecting your pull-up.
Position a chair about 1 foot in front of your body while hanging. Safety first: I recommend you wedge the chair against something heavy, to lock it into place. Plant one foot atop the back of the chair.
Now, simply follow instructions for the standard “Pull-Up” exercise, but lend some of your weight to the chair to assist your efforts to lift your chin up above the bar.
Aim for 10 repetitions. If performing multiple sets, be sure to switch legs for balanced muscle growth.
To make progress, slowly lend less of your weight to the chair over time. Keep at this, and someday you can ditch the chair!
… or just sit on it like a normal person. 🙂
Rear Delt Fly
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Grab a very light-weight resistance band to get started (10lbs is plenty!). The movement is much more important than the weight. Heavy = dangerous.
Stand on your band with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Maintain a straight spine, slightly bent knees, and slightly bent elbows throughout the entire movement.
Cross your handles and grasp them firmly with an overhand grip. Hinge your torso forward while pushing your butt back.
Pull back on your bands using a reverse-fly motion until your shoulder-blades want to retract. Squeeze your shoulder-blades together at the top of the rep. Slowly lower your hands back to the starting position.
This is one rep. Aim for 8-16 reps using a light-weight resistance band.
*Focus on creating tension in your upper back. Try to “pinch a pencil” in between your scapula while your hands are high.
Shrugs w/ Resistance Bands
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Grab a very heavy-weight resistance band. You may need to combine several bands to feel an appropriate pump.
Stand on your band with your feet wide. Maintain a straight spine and straight arms throughout the entire movement.
Begin with your shoulders fully depressed. Slowly elevate them until they are as high as possible. Think about trying to touch your ears to your shoulders.
Hold at the top for a moment, and then slowly descend back down.
This is one rep.
Repeat until your upper-back muscles are exhausted (you should feel it in your Trapezius… if you know what that is).
Refrain from sticking your neck out and letting your head protrude forward. Drive from your upper back – not your neck!
Single-Arm Row in Plank
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This progression of the “Plank” exercise will work your core, lats, and biceps while burning loads of Calories.
Grab a moderate-weight resistance band and setup in a plank position near a door or mount.
Maintain a straight spine and tense core. Your fingertips should be facing forward and your hands should land just outside your shoulders. Your feet can be wide for stability.
Firmly grasp your resistance band with one hand and lend your bodyweight to the other hand.
Keep your hips from rotating while you pull your active arm towards your torso. Twist your forearm while pulling, like I do in the video.
Hold and squeeze briefly at the end-range-of-motion and then slowly release your arm back out in front of your body.
This is one rep
Repeat all reps with one arm before switching to the other arm. Over time, switch which side you train first for a balanced physique.
*Do not overdo the first side – remember that your core is active for both sides, so be sure to save some reps in the tank with your first arm.
Single-Arm Row w/ Resistance Bands
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Unilateral lat training – say that 10 times fast! This exercise will sculpt your back one side at a time, providing some balance/stability improvements.
Grab a light-weight resistance band to get started. Anchor your band at about chest height in a door. Attach a set of grip handles to your band. Firmly grasp the handles with one hand. *If your grip is struggling, you may fasten one handle to both ends of the resistance band. Make sense?
Stand about 3-6 feet from your doorframe anchor. Assume tall posture with your spine straight and shoulders back. Slightly bend your knees and brace your core. Keep your head tall and chin tucked.
Extend your active arm in front of your body without letting your shoulder fall forward. Your knuckles should face the ground at max extension. Rest your inactive arm on your core.
Slowly pull the resistance band towards your body. While pulling, twist your hand so that your knuckles face your body. Pull until your hand meets your side, then slowly return to the starting position.
This is one rep.
Aim to perform 5-15 reps per side. Remember that this is a balance/stability movement, so do your best to keep your entire body as still as possible while executing reps. Keep those shoulders back!
Standing Row w/ Resistance Bands
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The go-to pulling exercise for hitting your lats, traps, rhomboids, and biceps all at once. This one is an industry standard for a reason – it just works!
Grab a moderate-weight resistance band to get started. Anchor your band at about chest height in a door. Attach a set of grip handles to your band.
Extend your arms in front of your body without letting your shoulders fall forward. Your knuckles should face the ground at max extension.
Pull the resistance bands towards your body. While pulling, twist your hands so that your knuckles face your body. Pull until your hands meet your sides, then slowly return to the starting position.
Aim to perform 5-15 reps total. Maintain tension in your core throughout the entire movements. Refrain from letting your shoulders fall forward.
Straight-Arm Pull-Downs
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An effective exercise for activating and sculpting your lats (main back muscles).
Grab a moderate-weight resistance band to get started. Anchor your band at the top of your doorframe. Attach a set of handles to your band (*my door is too short, so I grab the actual bands in the video.)
Stand about 4 feet from your doorframe anchor. Assume tall posture with your spine straight and shoulders back. Slightly bend your kneeds and brace your core. Keep your head tall and chin tucked.
Hinge forward at your hips – about 30 degrees. Grip your bands and extend your arms straight out in front of your body. Keep a slight bend in your eblows as you slowly pull the bands down to your sides.
Hold the peak of the rep for a brief moment and focus on connecting to your back. Pinch a pencil between your scapula before returning to the starting position.
This is one rep.
Aim to perform 8-20 reps. Do not allow your back to round or your shoulders to fall forward. Keep your core tense.
