Phase 2 Intermediate: Day 4 Phase 2 Intermediate: Day 4

Banded underhand-grip pulldown

Target: Lats, back, shoulders, biceps

Form tips:

• Sit below the anchor point, with a slight lean backward and your core engaged to hold your torso straight.
• Chest up, shoulders down, and focus on bringing your elbows down beside your ribs as you pull down.

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.

Dumbbell upright row

Target: Shoulders, traps

Form tips:

• Chest up.
• Engage your core and glutes and keep a strong, upright posture.
• Don't bring your hands (and weights) in too close to each other.

Modification – Dumbbell incline upright row:

• The incline variation allows for less vertical movement, making it easier on your shoulders.

Banded rear flys

Target: Shoulders, back

Form tips:

• Hold the band with a neutral grip, palms are facing in.
• Keep a slight bend in your arms throughout.
• Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together as you pull your arms out and back.
• Keep your shoulders locked down, don't let them shrug up.

Modification – Dumbbell seated rear flys:

• If performing flys with a band is too challenging, switch for a pair of light dumbbells and a bench.

Dumbbell concentrated curls

Target: Biceps

Form tips:

• Focus on tempo and control the movment.
• Use your biceps, not momentum, especially when lowering the weights.
• Don't rest your arms at the top or bottom of the curl – keep moving to maintain tension in your biceps.

Modification – Dumbbell tension curls:

• If you find it difficult to hold the concentrated curl position, try a tension curl.

Dumbbell hammer curls

Target: Biceps

Form tips:

• Lower the dumbbells with control and make sure you're pushing for the full range of motion.
• Focus on tempo and power the curl with your biceps, not momentum.
• Don't rest your arms at the top or bottom of the curl – keep moving to maintain tension in your biceps.

Modification – Dumbbell tension hammer curls:

• If you have trouble feeling the bicep contraction, try a tension curl and zoom in on the squeeze.