Phase 4 Advanced: Day 2 Phase 4 Advanced: Day 2

Dumbbell single-arm row

Target: Shoulders, chest, lats

Form tips:

• Position yourself facing downward, chest up and out, with shoulders down away from your ears.
• Find a foot positioning that makes your hips as level as possible.
• Push through the hand you are leaning on to stabilize yourself.
• Keep a neutral spine and avoid rotating your torso.

Modification – Dumbbell chest-supported row:

• If you can't maintain good form with a single-arm row, try the chest supported version for a more simple position.

Pull-ups

Target: Lats, shoulders, back

Form tips:

• Chest up, core and glutes engaged.
• Squeeze your elbows in at the top of the pull-up to get maximum lat engagement.
• Don't let your shoulders hike up, keep them down.

Modification – Assisted pull-ups:

• Build up to pull-ups using an assist, focusing on lat engagement and correct form.

Dumbbell seated rear flys

Target: Shoulders, chest

Form tips:

• Focus on good form ahead of heavy weights.
• You should be feeling this move in your rear deltoids. Keep your elbows slightly bent and shoulders round to prevent other muscles taking over the movement.

Modification – Dumbbell rear raise:

• The standing raise is an alternative if you have issues with seated positioning.

Barbell bent-over row

Target: Shoulders, back, chest, core

Form tips:

• Keep your back straight and torso close to horizontal – this will ensure you're pulling with your shoulders, not your upper traps.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the lift.
• If you are a beginner, close your fists when gripping the bar so it doesn't slip.

Modification – Dumbbell chest-supported row:

• If you have trouble holding form on bent-over rows, a chest-supported row will hit smiliar angles without so much load on your hamstrings and back.

Standing banded pull-over

Target: Lats, back, shoulders

Form tips:

• A slight split stance will help you to maintain balance.
• Pin your shoulders back and down, then keep your arms locked out as you pull the band down and in toward your hips.
• As you pull the band down to its lowest point, aim to hide your armpits with your arms to max the contraction of your lats.
• Control the tempo as you release the band back up.

Banded seated row

Target: Shoulders, back

Form tips:

• Lean back slightly, with your core engaged to keep your back straight back.
• Chest up, shoulders down and back to avoid shrugging.
• As you row the band back, squeeze your shoulder blades together.
• If the tension on the band is too strong, move your butt forward to sit closer to the anchor point.