{"id":62409,"date":"2021-10-12T01:00:03","date_gmt":"2021-10-12T05:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=62409"},"modified":"2021-11-01T15:31:30","modified_gmt":"2021-11-01T19:31:30","slug":"back-chest-exercises-workout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/db\/back-chest-exercises-workout\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Exercises for the Ultimate Back and Chest Workout"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Pushing a shopping cart, lugging some laundry or even dragging your swolemate<\/a> to the gym, require you to put some back<\/a> and chest into it. The best way to make these everyday activities a little less of a struggle? Build strength<\/a> in both the front and back of your upper body<\/a>. Besides getting you to boast some bigger muscles, specifically targeting your chest and back will help you push and pull<\/a> heavy items like they\u2019re light as a feather.<\/p>\n

So to train you to toss and tug anything, we pulled six of the best upper-body exercises \u2014 all from the Daily Burn workout program, Live to Fail<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 to create the ultimate back and chest workout. To start, reach for those heavier weights<\/a>… It\u2019s the key to gaining major muscles and some show-it-off strength.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>What No One Tells You Before Entering the Weight Room<\/a><\/p>\n

Build Upper Body Strength with These Exercises<\/h2>\n

Working through supersets<\/a> \u2014 alternating one chest exercise and one back exercise \u2014 is a seriously efficient way to train your upper body<\/a>. \u201cThe model of working back and chest together works well, because they are agonist and antagonist muscle groups,\u201d says Ben Booker<\/a>, owner of Second Change Fitness in Arthur, IL and lead trainer on\u00a0Live to Fail<\/a>. That means, as you work one muscle group, the opposite one gets to rest, which is a good way keep the intensity up. \u201cYou maximize your time under tension,\u201d Booker explains. \u201cYou can exhaust the chest and give it a bit of a break while you attack the back. This keeps the calorie burn<\/a> high, and your time efficient as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Why Trainers Love MetCon Workouts (And You Should Too)<\/a><\/p>\n

To nail this workout and fatigue each muscle group, Booker suggests performing 10-12 reps of each exercise back-to-back. Do four total sets of each two-move circuit, resting for 45 seconds in between sets. Then move on to the next superset. As for weights<\/a>, Booker recommends two sets of dumbbells \u2014 one heavy and one lighter \u2014 for both men and women. \u201cOnce you can no longer maintain proper form<\/a> with the weight you choose, then drop down,\u201d he says. \u201cIt is called threshold training when you work up to your rep range, while maintaining the best form possible.\u201d After all, that\u2019s how you earn the big guns.<\/p>\n

Superset 1<\/h3>\n

\"Back<\/p>\n

1. Dumbbell Row<\/strong><\/p>\n

How to: <\/strong>Start with your left knee on a bench or chair, and your right leg extended behind you. Lean your body forward to about a 90-degree angle and hold a dumbbell in your right hand (a)<\/strong>. Pull the weight up toward your chest, palm facing you and elbow staying in close to your side (b)<\/strong>. Slowly lower it back down and repeat (c)<\/strong>. Then switch sides.<\/p>\n

\"Back<\/p>\n

2. Box Push-Ups<\/strong><\/p>\n

How to: <\/strong>Place your hands on a plyo box or chair and get into a high plank<\/a> position with your shoulders directly over your wrists and feet on the floor (a)<\/strong>. Perform one push-up<\/a>\u00a0with good form (keeping your body in a straight line from shoulders to heels)\u00a0(b)<\/strong>. Repeat.<\/p>\n

Trainer tip: <\/strong>If you can bang out these push-ups without breaking a sweat<\/a>, switch your stance so your feet are on top of the box and hands on the floor. Trust us: You will definitely feel the burn in your pecs.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Can\u2019t Do a Push-Up? Here\u2019s Where to Start<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Superset 2<\/h3>\n

\"Back<\/p>\n

1. Sitting Shoulder Fly<\/strong><\/p>\n

How to: <\/strong>Sitting on a bench, box or chair, plant your feet on the floor with knees bent. Lean forward to about a 45-degree angle. Hold a weight in each hand, arms extended down by your sides and palms facing away from you\u00a0(a)<\/strong>. Using the muscles of your upper back to drive the movement, pull your arms up and out to the sides, keeping a slight bend in your elbows. For best results: Palms should rotate so they face behind you, thumbs toward the floor\u00a0(b)<\/strong>. Lower your arms back to the starting position and repeat.<\/p>\n

\"Back<\/p>\n

2. Pec Fly Bridge<\/strong><\/p>\n

How to: <\/strong>Lying on your back, feet planted and knees bent, hold a dumbbell in each hand overhead, palms facing each other (a)<\/strong>. Lift your hips up toward the ceiling to perform a bridge<\/a> (b)<\/strong>. Keeping your hips lifted, slowly lower your hands down and out to the sides, with just a slight bend in your elbows to protect your joints and really target those pecs\u00a0(c)<\/strong>. Return to the starting position and repeat. Your hips should stay lifted the entire time.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>6 Weightlifting Exercises to Build Serious Strength<\/a><\/p>\n

Superset 3<\/h3>\n

\"Back<\/p>\n

1. Wide Row<\/strong><\/p>\n

How to: <\/strong>Sitting on a box, bench or chair, plant your feet on the floor with knees bent. Lean forward to about a 45-degree angle. Hold a dumbbell in each hand down by your sides, palms facing behind you (a)<\/strong>. Pull your elbows up toward the ceiling, so your hands reach about chest height, elbows bent 90 degrees (b)<\/strong>. Slowly lower your hands back down to the starting position and repeat.<\/p>\n

\"Back<\/p>\n

2. Dumbbell Chest Press Bridge<\/strong><\/p>\n

How to: <\/strong>Lying on your back, feet planted on the floor and knees bent, hold a dumbbell with each hand overhead, palms facing away from you (a)<\/strong>. Lift your hips up toward the ceiling to perform a bridge (b)<\/strong>. Slowly lower one weight down to the ground, bending your elbow 90 degrees (c)<\/strong>. Push it back up to the starting position (d)<\/strong>. Slowly lower your other weight down to the ground, bending your elbow 90 degrees\u00a0(e)<\/strong>. Push it back up to the starting position and continue alternating. Your hips should stay lifted the entire time.<\/p>\n

Want more weightlifting workouts for men and women? Sign up for Daily Burn\u2019s Live to Fail<\/a> program today. Your first 30 days are free!\u00a0<\/p>\n

Note to reader: The content in this article relates to the core service offered by Daily Burn. In the interest of editorial disclosure and integrity, the reader should know that this site is owned and operated by Daily Burn.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Originally published October 2017. Updated January 2018 and October 2021.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

GIFs via Daily Burn. Cover image via Shutterstock <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

To push and pull with ease, you need a strong upper body \u2014 and we have the plan to get you there. Simply take this back and chest workout to the gym, stat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":67458,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[298,299,301],"tags":[281,341,343,154,99,100],"class_list":["post-62409","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-db","category-programs","category-workouts","tag-strength-training","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2exercise","tag-weight-training","tag-weightlifting","tag-workout"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62409","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62409"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62409\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67458"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62409"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62409"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62409"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}