Many people often train the back and biceps muscles in the same workout because they are both considered pulling muscles. Pulling muscles pull weight towards the body. When you train the back and biceps in the same workout it is best to start with your back because it is the largest and strongest, then progress to the smaller biceps muscles.
Back Exercises
The latissimus dorsi and trapezius muscles are the primary muscles trained in back workouts. When you train the back, begin your workout with the most challenging exercise, progressing to isolation exercises. Back exercises performed first in your routine might include three sets of six to eight reps of bent-over barbell rows or pull-ups. Isolation exercises for latissimus dorsi include the lat pull-down or the close grip pull-down. The close grip pull-down uses a parallel cable attachment on the lat pull-down machine -- pull down the attachment to your upper chest. Isolation exercises for the trapezius include the barbell or dumbbell shrugs, in which shoulder shrugs are performed while grasping the weight. Perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps for isolation exercises.
Biceps Exercises
The biceps muscles consist of the biceps brachii and the brachialis. Exercises that target the biceps brachii include the barbell curl, the dumbbell curl or the cable curl. Using an underhand grip with elbows to the side, curl the weight up until your forearms are vertical. Slowly lower the bar until your arms are fully extended. Exercises that target the brachialis include preacher curls or concentration curls. In preacher or concentrations curls, the back of upper arm is rests against either a preacher bench or your inner thigh while the curl is performed. Perform three sets of eight to 10 repetitions of at least one exercise, targeting both the biceps brachii and the brachialis.
At Home Back Exercises
The back can also be trained at home using little or no equipment. However, it may be beneficial to have a pull-up bar or resistance bands, or make your own weights by filling gallon jugs with sand or water. One-arm bent over rows, or lawnmowers, can be performed using the gallon jugs. While bending over and maintaining a flat back, grasp the weight from the ground and pull it up to your side. Pull-ups or chin-ups are an excellent way to target the latissimus dorsi muscle, or you can attach a resistance band to a stationary object above your head and perform a lat pull-down. Shrugs can be performed using weight or with resistance bands.
At Home Biceps Exercise
You can target the biceps by performing underhand chin-ups. If you are unable to complete a chin-up unassisted, you can do it self-assisted by placing your feet on a bench or floor under the bar and pulling yourself up until your chin reaches the bar. Additionally, resistance bands or bottles of water can be used to perform biceps curls. If you have a limited amount of resistance available, complete your concentration curls with slow and controlled movements, flexing hard throughout the entire range of motion to fatigue the muscle.
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