Chest and Back Exercises for Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Lifters!
Practice chest [Chest developing exercises] and back exercises before you work on any other muscle groups. Try to raise the amount of weight you lift in each exercise by about 5-10 percent every week. Do the remaining lifts in your workout in any order you wish.
Here are some suggestions for beginner, intermediate and advanced lifters:
Beginners: Practice total-body workouts 2-3 times in a week. Once you complete the chest and back exercises, attempt to do any one set of 8-12 repetitions which are given below:
- Leg curls
- Dumbbell biceps curl
- Squat or leg presses
- Seated alternating dumbbell press
- Crunches (15-20 repetitions)
- Cable triceps extension
Intermediate lifters: If you are an intermediate lifter, then divide your program into two workouts, one for your upper body[????upper body workout routine] and the other for lower body. Alternate between the two programs and take one day break after each workout program.
Upper body workouts: After the completion of chest and back workouts, select one workout each for your biceps, triceps and shoulders. Practice 2-3 sets of shoulder exercises and 1-2 sets of the arm exercises.
Lower body workouts: For lower body, select hip-dominant exercises, which mean that it should emphasize the hamstrings and gluteals like step-ups and various dead lifts. After this, select one knee dominant exercise, which means, it should emphasize the quadriceps muscles of the front of your thigh.
Practice 2-3 warp-up sets and 2 work sets. Choose your own choice of abdominal and calf workouts.
Advanced lifters: If you are an advanced lifter, then break your workout into 4 elements. Practice one element for each week. Don’t work out more than 2 days in a row.
- Knee-dominant workouts and also abs, calves
- Hip-dominant exercises and also abs, calves
- Chest and back workouts
- Shoulder [Shoulder exercises] and arm exercises
Here are some simple workouts for beginner, intermediate and advanced lifters:
For beginner:
If you are new to weight lifting or returning to it after a long break, then consider yourself a beginner. Practice the beginner exercises for 4 weeks.
- Week 1-2: 2 sets of 10-12 repetitions of each workout
- Week 3-4: 2-3 sets of 8-10 repetitions
Wide-grip barbell chest press:
In this position elevate your feet.
- Choose a flat bench and lie down on it on your back. Bend your hips until they are in 90 degree position and keep your feet up in the air.
- Hold the bar with your hands and keep your hands at distance from the flat bench, then lift the bar up to your arms length above the chin.
- Gradually lower the bar until it touches middle of your chest.
- Give break and repeat the same until you feel that you are in correct position.
Bilateral cable rear lateral raise:
Fix two stirrup grips to the lower ropes of a cable-crossover station.- Hold the right handle with your left hand and left handle with your right hand. Stand in between the setup. Back should be flat and bend your knees and waist until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Your hands are in crossed position before you.
- Then, lift your arms until they become parallel to the floor. During this, don’t change your positions; you must be steady. After 5-10 seconds, gradually bring your arms to the starting position.
Single-arm row:
- Hold a dumbbell with your left hand and put your left knee and left hand on a flat bench. Your back should be flat and your upper body must be parallel to the floor. Your left hand should be straight down and the palm facing towards your left leg.
- Then, lift your left upper arm until it comes parallel to the floor. In this position, upper arm is at 90 degree angle with your body and lower arm is facing towards the floor.
- Pause, and repeat the procedure.
For intermediate lifter:
Here are six intermediate or advanced workouts for 4 weeks practice.
Swiss ball reverse pushup:
- Place a bar 3-4 feet height from the floor. Lie down beneath the bar and hold it at your shoulder length. Keep your lower legs on the Swiss ball and hang.
- Keep your body firm and drag your chest towards the bar.
- Break and return to the starting position.
Single-leg alternating dumbbell row:
- Hold two dumbbells each in one hand and stand with one foot in front of another. Keep your back flat and bend your hips so that the dumbbells are hanging at your arm’s length and the palms facing each other.
- Then lift your one of the arms so that the elbow is at your middle of the back.
- Similarly alternate between the arms.
- Practice until you complete a set.
Staggered grip pullup:
- Hold a pull up bar with your hands. Keep your right hand straight above your right shoulder and your left hand at a distance of 6-2 inches away from your left shoulder. Hang at the arm’s length.
- Drag yourself up as much as you can
- Then gradually come back to the starting position.
- Exchange your hand postures for each set.
Advanced lifter:
Bent over cable crossover:
- Fix two stirrup handles to the lower ropes of a cable crossover section.
- Hold the right handle with your left hand and left handle with your right hand. Stand in between the setup. Keep your back should be flat and bend your knees and waist until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Stretch your arms outside with slightly bent.
- Get your hands together but you don’t change the angle of your elbows.
- Break and comeback to the starting position.
Santana t-pushups:
- Obtain a push up position by keeping your hands on the dumbbell handles which are situated at your shoulder width.
- Practice a push up when you come up. Turn your body in order that raises your left arm straight up along with the dumbbell. Ensure that your body is in a T-position.
- Return to the starting position and repeat it with the other hand.
Alternating Swiss ball incline dumbbell press:
- Hold the dumbbells and situate yourself on the Swiss ball by lying on your back. Ensure that your torsos are at 45 degree angle with the floor. Grab the dumbbells outside of your shoulders and about the jaw level with your palms facing forward.
- Then raise one hand at your arm’s height just above the chin. When you lower the arm then try with another hand.
- Repeat until you complete the set.
