Phase 4 Beginner: Day 3 Phase 4 Beginner: Day 3

Seated banded lat pulldown

Target: Lats, shoulders, back

Form tips:

• Keep your chest up and shoulders down to allow better shoulder movement.
• Squeeze elbows into your ribs as you pull down so you're working your lats, not your forearms.
• An engaged core will support upright posture.
• If sitting with legs straight feels unsteady, try bending your knees.

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.

Banded wide face pull

Target: Shoulders, back

Form tips:

• Stand tall, with your glutes and core engaged for stability
• Aim to keep your shoulders and elbows at the same height as you pull and release the band.
• Pull the band back and apart – aiming to get the band as wide as you can for maximum muscle contraction.

Modification – Dumbbell seated rear flys:

• If you struggle with the band, switch for a pair of light dumbbells and a bench. While the movement of rear flys is slightly different, your rear shoulders and back will still get a strong workout.

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.

Dumbbell tension curls

Target: Biceps

Form tips:

• Control the curl and avoid momentum from your lower body to ensure you're working the biceps.
• 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:

• You may find a hammer curl easier on your wrists than the standard grip.

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.