Pack On Size and Strength With The Best Back and Biceps Exercises!

Back and biceps go together like steak and potatoes, or a summer day  a stringer tank. This is a day of your training week worth looking forward to… and it’s worth doing right! But the best back workouts for mass aren’t just about heavy lifting, and the best biceps workouts for mass aren’t just about chasing the pump (although that’s definitely part of the fun). You need to do the best exercises, and do them right! Vince will show you how in this in-depth video guide. Find out which exercises you need to add to your next pull day workout and how to execute them properly!

If you are looking to pack on mass, don’t just focus back and biceps! Dial in your entire training week with Vince’s other Ultimate workouts:

Monday: Ultimate Chest & Triceps
Tuesday: Ultimate Back & Biceps
Wednesday: Rest and/or steady-state cardio
Thursday: Ultimate Legs & Glutes
Friday: Ultimate Shoulders
Saturday: Ultimate Arms
Sunday: Rest, play, and meal prep

For a demonstration on the proper form of each of the exercises in this back and biceps workout, watch this video from the V Shred YouTube channel!

Ultimate Back and Biceps Workout for Muscle Gains

A. Pull-up 3 sets, 8-10 reps (do machine-assisted pull-ups if necessary, rest 90 sec.)
B. Bent-over barbell row 4 sets, 12, 10, 8, 6 reps (rest 90 sec.)
C. Straight-arm pull-down 4 sets, 15, 12, 10, 8 reps (rest 60 sec.)
D. Seated cable row, neutral grip 4 sets, 10-12 reps (rest 60 sec.)
E. Preacher curl 4 sets, 10-12 reps (rest 60 sec.)
F. Alternating dumbbell curl 4 sets, 10 reps per arm (rest 60 sec.)

Back Workout Exercises

1. Pull-up

Pull-ups are one of the best back exercises, and it’s a great way to warm up all of the muscles on your back. To do this correctly, make sure to lead with your shoulders and squeeze your elbows into your side. Avoid swinging and kicking your legs to keep the focus on your back muscles. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.

2. Bent-Over Barbell Row

Bent-over barbell rows are popular in a lot of back workout routines, especially for bulking up. This compound exercise works multiple muscles on your back simultaneously. Do 4 sets, decreasing your reps with each set.

There are 3 big mistakes we see most people make when performing this exercise. Check out this video to ensure you are using proper form.

3. Straight Arm Lat Pull-Down

This exercise is great for your lat muscles. Try to keep weight at a minimum to keep the focus on the lat muscle instead of the triceps. Make sure to keep elbows slight bent and keep your chest out. Do 4 sets with decreasing reps with each set.

4. Seated Cable Row, Neutral Grip

For this back exercise, make sure to keep your chest pushed out while pulling back on the cable. Pull back with your elbows by your side instead of flaring them up and out. Do 4 sets of 10-12 reps.

Intra-Workout Supplements

One tip you may not hear often is the importance of taking am intra-workout supplement. Halfway through your back and biceps workout, it could be beneficial to take some quality BCAAs. These are building blocks of protein and will instantly help with muscle recovery, fuel your energy, and hydrate you with a boost of electrolytes. For BCAA supplements, we recommend Sculpt Nation BCAAs. They are digest quickly and can help keep you going for the rest of your workout.

Biceps Workout Exercises

1. Preacher Curl

Preacher curls are a great exercise for working out both heads of the biceps, but it does put more emphasis on the short head of the biceps and improve the thickness of your biceps. Remember to squeeze your biceps when you’ve pulled the bar to the top. Do 4 sets of 10-12 reps.

2. Alternating Dumbbell Curl

Alternating dumbbell curl is a great arm exercise which also targets both heads of the biceps. With this exercise, don’t lift dumbbells beyond your capacity. You will have a harder time maintaining proper form. Do 4 sets of 10 reps for this exercise.

Your biceps are the secondary movers in your back exercises, which makes it easy to target both back muscles and biceps for this workout. In every workout, you need to be mindful of the muscle groups you’re targeting to achieve your muscle mass goals. Most importantly, don’t forget that the best way to see results from these exercises is by practicing good form.

Don’t forget to eat for gains!

Want to grow? Then you need to eat like you mean it. The best way to do that is to use a calorie and macronutrient calculator that can be customized for muscle growth! This is exactly why we built one right into the V Shred App. Download it for your Apple or Android device and start eating for pure gains!

If you just asked “what’s a macro,” hey, we’ve been there. The answer: Hire a V Shred custom coach to make you a personalized muscle-building meal plan to fit your budget, and fill your sleeves even faster!

A great way to kill your gains is to not give your body what it needs after a tough lift. Your body needs specific  nutrients to recover after working out. If not, you could experience muscle loss, fat gain, sore joints, and loss of strength. POST WORKOUT by Sculpt Nation takes out all the guesswork. It is jam-packed with amino acids and the other essential nutrients your body needs for rapid recovery to keep your body primed to build muscle, burn fat, and get stronger after every single workout.

Want to really dial in your arms? Your journey starts with Vince’s legendary Big Arms program. This is a six-week arms specialization that will add size to your biceps and triceps. It will hurt, but it will be worth it!