Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Men's Health

This 2-Move Upper Body Band Burnout Lights Up Your Back and Triceps

K Aleisha Fetters

From Men's Health

This two-move upper body finisher from trainer Paul Sklar, C.S.C.S., is so effective it can stand alone as its own workout if you're short on time.

The routine is simple enough: Perform 10 resistance band straight-arm lat pulldowns, 10 resistance band triceps pressdowns, then rest for 30 to 45 seconds. That's it. Keep repeating that superset for a grand total of 6 to 8 rounds and you'll finish with your core, lats, serratus, and triceps ablaze.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Do you need a resistance band to try this out yourself? Check out this set from Black Mountain Products for this workout and more.

The key to the series is maintaining total body tension against the variable resistance that bands offer. The farther you pull them, the greater the resistance, creating challenge at peak contraction on both moves. That challenge isn't just for the muscles you're targeting, either; it's for your entire torso. Can you keep your back, core and glutes fully tight? You'll need to, and the only way to do that is to actively squeeze your shoulder blades together, flex your abs to pull your ribcage downwards, and squeeze your glutes.

The total body control is especially important because, with bands, the temptation to use momentum is high. After all, the farther you stretch the band, the harder your muscles will have to work. The thing is, they aren’t used to your end range of motion being the heaviest-loaded one. So, to finish out each rep, your muscles will be begging from some extra oomph. Don’t give in.

You Might Also Like

Advertisement
Advertisement