10 Back And Biceps Exercises To Make Your Upper-Body Burn From A Trainer
Bonus: This combo will rev your metabolism.
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All-over strength is awesome, but there are a lot of benefits that come with a strong back and strong biceps, specifically. When these upper body muscles are pumped up, your posture improves, your basal metabolic rate (BMR) increases, grip strength is better, your everyday tasks are easier, and much more.
The biggest perk of adding back and biceps exercises to your routine? It protects your spine. "All movement derives from your spine, and if your back muscles are weak, your spine is going to move more than it should leading to injuries and back pain," says Barry's trainer Meghan Voell, ACE-CPT. "Strengthening the muscles especially around the spine reduces your risk of back pain and injury. It improves your posture as well."
Meet the expert: Meghan Voell, CPT, is an ACE certified personal trainer and trainer at Barry's in Denver. Tatiana Lampa, CPT, is a certified personal trainer, corrective exercise specialist, and founder of Training With T.
Combining your back and arm workout is a smart and effective way to train, and any pull movement will hit both. "It's a time saver," says Voell. "If you are trying to tackle multiple muscle groups in one workout, that's going to help you do so by combining the two. Then you can actually build out some rest days."
Strengthening your back and biceps helps the rest of your bod perform at its peak, too. "Your body works like a pulley system," says Voell. "If one set of muscles is weak, you still have to complete movements and other muscles take on what those muscles should be doing. When your back is weak, typically your chest your shoulders get tight and come forward creating a hunched look, because they're compensating for what your back should be doing."
Eager to try the best back and arm exercises for a stronger upper body? Grab a set of dumbbells and follow this back and arm workout created by Tatiana Lampa, CPT.
Time: 15 minutes | Equipment: 5–10 pound dumbbells for beginner/intermediate, 12 pounds for advanced | Good for: Biceps and back
Instructions: Choose six moves below (three from the first five moves, and three from the last five). For each move, do three to four sets of 12 reps, resting as needed in between sets. Then continue to the next move.
Biceps Curl
How to:
- Start standing with feet hip-width apart holding a pair of dumbbells at sides. Palms should be facing forward with back straight and chest upright.
- Without moving upper arms, bend elbows and bring weights up toward shoulders.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells back to starting position with control. That's 1 rep.
Hammer Curl
How to:
- Start standing with feet hip-width apart holding a pair of dumbbells at sides. Palms should be facing in toward each other with back straight and chest upright.
- Without moving upper arms, bend elbows and bring weights up toward shoulders.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells back to starting position with control. That's 1 rep.
Wide Biceps Curl
How to:
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a pair of dumbbells in each hand.
- Glue elbows to sides, and hold forearms out at a 45-degree angle away from body.
- Without moving upper arms, bend elbows and curl dumbbells toward shoulders.
- Slowly lower dumbbells back to starting position with control. That's 1 rep.
Crossbody Alternating Biceps Curl
How to:
- Kneel with knees under hips, holding a pair of dumbbells at sides. Palms should be resting against the front of thighs, with back straight and chest upright. (Option to stand with feet hip-width apart.)
- Keeping elbows glued to your side, raise right dumbbell toward left shoulder shoulder.
- Return to start.
- Repeat on the other side. That's 1 rep.
Isometric Biceps Hold
How to:
- Start standing, feet hip-width apart. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides, with palms facing body, and keep back straight and chest up.
- Without moving upper arms, bend elbows and curl the weights until arms form a 90-degree angle, palms rotating slightly to face up.
- Hold here for 30 seconds.
- Lower back down with control. That's 1 set. This is a great move to end your workout.
Alternating Bent-Over Row
How to:
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
- Hinge forward from hips to lower chest toward the floor, arms hanging directly from shoulders and palms facing toward body.
- Brace core, then pull the right weight toward your ribcage, squeezing shoulder blades together and pause.
- Lower back to start.
- Repeat on the other side. That’s 1 rep.
Reverse Fly
How to:
- Grab a pair of dumbbells and stand with feet hip-width apart and knees bent.
- Hinge forward at hips and let arms hang straight down from shoulders, palms facing body.
- Raise both arms out to sides and squeeze shoulder blades together.
- Lower with control to return to start. That's 1 rep.
Single-Leg Row
How to:
- Hold a dumbbell in left hand, palm facing body, and raise left foot behind you.
- Hinge forward, letting the weight hang directly under shoulder as you lower torso and raise right leg until both are parallel to the floor.
- Bring the dumbbell to rib cage, and pause.
- Slowly lower back to start. That's 1 rep. Complete all reps, then switch sides for one full set.
Good Morning
How to:
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold dumbbells in each hand resting behind neck (Alternative: Hold a dumbbell behind lower back in both hands).
- Keeping knees slightly bent and torso straight, slowly hinge from hips until upper body is parallel to the floor.
- Hold for five seconds.
- Return to start. That's 1 rep.
Single-Arm Rear Delt Raise
How to:
- Grab a dumbbell in left hand and bend forward at hips, resting right hand on thigh for stability. Let the dumbbell hang straight down from shoulder, palm facing forward.
- Without moving torso, raise arm straight back until it's a few inches above your body.
- Pause, then slowly return to the starting position. That's 1 rep. Complete are reps then switch sides for one full set.
Jennifer Nied is the fitness editor at Women’s Health and has more than 10 years of experience in health and wellness journalism. She’s always out exploring—sweat-testing workouts and gear, hiking, snowboarding, running, and more—with her husband, daughter, and dog.
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