2 Back and Triceps Workouts For Building an Insane Physique

The typical gym bro split involves training one muscle group a day. Monday is chest, Tuesday is back, Wednesday is shoulders; you know the drill. Spend some more time in the gym, and you’ll make acquaintances with the back-biceps and chest-triceps routines.

However, this article isn’t about any of these. Here, we’ll discuss a unique training split you’ve probably never tried before. I’ll also tell you why this split should be a part of your exercise regimen and how you’re leaving gains on the table by sticking to the vanilla workout routines.

A Word on the Popular Training Splits

Have you ever wondered why single-muscle workouts are so popular? Most lifters believe more is better, meaning they can get better muscle fiber stimulation (and hence, hypertrophy) by focusing on one muscle group in a training session. Don’t get me wrong; there is nothing wrong with this approach. However, contrary to popular belief, this is not the only way to build muscle mass. 

On the other hand, some exercisers train two muscle groups in a single training session. Depending on an individual’s goal, it might allow them three to four rest days a week for better recovery. More serious lifters can use this opportunity to train the same muscle group twice weekly. 

A 2016 Sports Medicine systematic review and meta-analysis showed that “frequencies of training twice a week promote superior hypertrophic outcomes to once a week.” The study concluded that you should train the major muscle groups at least twice a week to maximize muscle growth. [1]

Why You Should Do Back and Triceps Workouts

Now that you know that training two muscles in a single workout can be more effective than hitting each muscle once a week, let’s talk about an incredibly effective training split often overlooked by most lifters — back and triceps. 

The chest-triceps and back-biceps are much more popular training routines than the back and triceps. It is for a simple reason. The second muscle in these training splits is a supporting muscle in most exercises that are used to train the first muscle. For example, the biceps are a supporting muscle in the barbell bent-over row, which targets the back. Interestingly, in these splits, the supporting muscle is always written at the end. You’ll hardly ever hear someone call it a biceps and back workout. 

Benefits of Back and Triceps Workouts

You must always evaluate the opportunity cost of a workout program before starting it. Most training programs range between eight to 12 weeks. You don’t want to waste two to three months following an ineffective training regimen. Instead, you must seek a time-tested exercise routine with a proven track record. 

Chest-triceps and back-biceps workout routines are also proven training regimens that have been followed for several decades. Golden-era bodybuilders such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mike Mentzer, and Frank Zane have been known to train two muscle groups in a single training session. 

However, there is a problem with the primary-secondary exercise regimens. Training the primary muscle group close to failure will undoubtedly hamper your performance in the secondary muscle group due to muscle fatigue and exhaustion. Hitting failure on the pendlay row will lead to suboptimal performance on the barbell biceps curl. 

Training your back and triceps in a single workout eliminates this problem. Your triceps are hardly used in your back training regimen, and vice-versa. It allows you to train both muscles in the same workout optimally. 

Furthermore, since the back and triceps are unrelated muscle groups, you can begin your workout with any of these muscles without worrying that the order of your exercises can impede your performance. You can also superset these exercises for a quick and effective workout.

Back and Triceps Workout 1

This is a conventional workout. Here, you will begin with training your back and then switch to the triceps. To build muscle mass, you must stick to eight to 12 repetitions per set with 60 to 80 percent of your one-rep max (1RM) on each exercise. Alternatively, you can do one to five repetitions per set with 80 to 100 percent of your 1RM for biasing strength gains. [2]

You are allowed a 60-120 second rest between each set and exercise while training for hypertrophy. The rest extends to three to five minutes between sets while training for strength. However, feel free to take a five-minute rest before starting your triceps routine. 

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Lat Pull-Down	3	8-12
Barbell Underhand Bent-Over Row	3	8-12
Dumbbell Pullover	3	8-12
T-Bar Row	3	8-12
Hyperextension	3	8-12
Cable Underhand Triceps Pushdown	3	8-12
Barbell Skullcrusher	3	8-12
Dips	3	8-12
Close-Grip Bench Press	3	8-12

Since the back and triceps are unrelated muscle groups, you are at liberty to begin your training session with the weaker muscle when your overall central nervous system is still afresh. Since the triceps is a relatively small muscle group and is not involved in pulling, it won’t affect your back workouts too much. 

Lat Pull-Down

How To:

1. Select an appropriate weight and set the thigh pads according to your height. 
2. Grab the bar with a shoulder-width overhand grip. 
3. Keep your elbows locked out, bend your knees, take your position on the seat, and secure your upper legs under the thigh pads. Your knees should be directly over your heels. 
4. Take a deep breath and brace your core. 
5. While maintaining an upright torso, initiate the movement by driving through your elbows and pulling them down and into your sides. 
6. The bar should be below your chin at the bottom. Pause and contract your lats at this position. 
7. Slowly return to the starting position. 
8. Rinse and repeat. 

Check out our complete lat pull-down guide here!

Barbell Underhand Bent-Over Row

How To:

1. Stand upright with a hip-width stance with a barbell resting against your shins. 
2. Bend your knees and lower your torso toward the floor while pushing your hips back. Grab the bar with a shoulder-wide supinated grip. 
3. Keeping your back neutral, lift the bar off the floor until your torso is at 45 degrees. 
4. Drive through your elbows to lift the barbell to your belly button. Pause and contract your lats at this position. 
5. Slowly return to the starting position. 
6. Repeat for recommended reps. 

Check out our complete barbell underhand row guide here!

Dumbbell Pullover

How To:

1. Lie across a flat bench with your upper back and shoulders resting on it. 
2. Keep your hips as close to the floor as possible. 
3. Grab a dumbbell with both hands by its plate. 
4. Lift the dumbbell toward the ceiling. Your arms should be perpendicular to the floor at the starting position. Your elbows should be just shy of lockout. 
5. Slowly lower the dumbbell toward the floor behind your head while maintaining the same elbow angle. 
6. Pause and contract your lats at the bottom. 
7. Return to the starting position. Squeeze your target muscles at the static contraction point at the top. 

Check out our complete dumbbell pullover guide here!

T-Bar Row

How To:

1. Insert one end of a barbell in a landmine attachment. Alternatively, you could secure it in a corner and place a dumbbell over it.
2. Add an appropriate weight on the other end of the barbell. 
3. Stand over the edge of the barbell’s shaft facing the weight-bearing sleeve. 
4. Place a V-handle bar just under the bar’s collar. 
5. Bend over and grab the bar. 
6. Lift your torso so it is at 45 degrees. 
7. Pull the weight to your chest by driving your elbows behind your body. 
8. Pause and squeeze your lats. 
9. Return and repeat. 

Check out our complete T-bar row guide here!

Hyperextension

How To:

1. Adjust the height of the pads so your hips are resting against the pad. 
2. Secure your legs under the leg pads. 
3. Hold a weight plate against your chest.
4. Initiate the movement by rounding your shoulders and lowering your shoulders toward the floor. 
5. Your torso should be almost parallel to the floor at the bottom. 
6. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position. 
7. Repeat for reps. 

Check out our complete hyperextension guide here!

Cable Underhand Triceps Pushdown

How To:

1. Set a cable pulley at the highest setting. Attach a straight handle bar. 
2. Grab the bar with a supinated grip and wrap your thumbs around the bar. 
3. Take a step back and lean forward slightly. 
4. Keeping your elbows pinned to your sides, lower the bar. 
5. Lock out your elbows at the bottom and squeeze your triceps. 
6. Return to the starting position. 
7. Rinse and repeat. 

Check out our complete cable underhand triceps extension guide here!

Barbell Skullcrusher

How To:

1. Sit on a flat bench with an EZ bar placed across your thighs. 
2. Lie down on the bench and extend your arms straight. Your elbows should be locked out, and your arms should be perpendicular to the floor. 
3. Keeping your elbows close, slowly lower the bar until it is a few inches from your forehead. 
4. From this position, pull your elbows slightly back and lower the bar further until it is next to your crown. 
5. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position. 

Check out our complete skullcrusher guide here!

Dips

How To:

1. Grab parallel bars with a neutral (palms facing inward) grip. 
2. Your elbows should be locked out at the starting position, and your body should be in a straight line and perpendicular to the floor. 
3. Keeping your torso upright and your elbows close to your sides, lower your body toward the floor until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. 
4. Pause at the static contraction point at the bottom. 
5. Explode back to the starting position and pause and squeeze your triceps. 
6. Repeat for recommended reps. 

Check out our complete dips guide here!

Close-Grip Bench Press

How To:

1. Lie on your back on a flat bench. 
2. Arch your back slightly. Your feet should be flat on the floor and under your knees. 
3. Grab the bar with a slightly wider-than-chest-width grip. 
4. Unrack the bar and hold it over your chest. Your arms should be perpendicular to the floor at this position. 
5. Slowly lower the bar to your chest by bending your elbows and lowering them to your sides. 
6. The bar should be a few inches off your chest at the bottom. 
7. Explode to the starting position. 
8. Pause and contract your triceps at the top. 

Check out our complete close-grip bench press guide here!

Back and Triceps Workout 2 (Superset)

The second workout involves super-setting the back exercises with triceps exercises. Contrary to the back and biceps routine, where super-setting a back exercise can hamper your performance on the biceps exercise, the same doesn’t apply to the back and triceps exercises. 

Plus, your back is recovering while you perform your triceps exercises, allowing you to return to training your back as soon as you are done with your triceps working set. This superset structure can save a lot of time and is excellent for people with tight schedules. 

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Pull-Up & Diamond Push-Up	3	8-12
Meadows Row & Cable Kickback	3	8-12
V-Bar Lat Pull-Down & Cable Rope Pressdown	3	8-12
Seated Cable Row & Single-Arm Dumbbell Overhead Extension	3	8-12
Straight-Arm Pulldown & Overhead Cable Extension	3	8-12

Pull-Up

How To:

1. Grab a pull-up bar with a shoulder-wide overhand grip. 
2. Your body should be in a straight line at the starting position. 
3. Lift your torso toward the bar by focusing on driving your elbows down and into your sides. 
4. Your chin should be over the bar at the movement’s top. Pause and contract your lats at this position. 
5. Lower to the starting position under control. 
6. Repeat for reps. 

Check out our complete pull-up guide here!

Diamond Push-Up

How To:

1. Kneel on the floor. 
2. Place your hands together on the floor so that your thumbs and index finger touch each other. 
3. Extend your legs behind you. 
4. Lock out your elbows so that your shoulders are over your hands and your arms are perpendicular to the floor. 
5. Slowly lower your torso to the floor by bending your elbows. Keep your elbows close to your sides during the eccentric phase. 
6. Your chest should be a few inches off your hands at the bottom. 
7. Explode back to the starting position. 
8. Pause and contract your triceps at the top. 

Check out our complete diamond push-up guide here!

Meadows Row

How To:

1. Place a barbell in a landmine attachment. Alternatively, you could perform this exercise on a T-bar machine. 
2. Stand at the end of the barbell’s free end so that the bar is perpendicular to your body. Your foot should be under the sleeve’s edge. 
3. Bend forward and grab the end of the barbell’s sleeve with a pronated grip. Place your other hand on the thigh of the same side for stability. 
4. Pull the bar to your side by driving your elbows behind your midline. 
5. Pause and contract your lats at the top. 
6. Repeat for recommended reps before switching sides. 

Check out our complete Meadows row guide here!

Single-Arm Cable Triceps Kickback

How To:

1. Set the cable pulley at hip width. 
2. Select an appropriate weight. 
3. Grab the cable at its edge and take a step back. 
4. Lean forward so your torso is at 45 degrees. 
5. Lift your elbow so your upper arm is at your midline. 
6. Extend your elbow to lockout. 
7. Pause and contract your triceps at the top. 
8. Repeat for recommended reps and switch sides. 

Check out our complete single-arm cable triceps kickback guide here!

V-Bar Lat Pull-Down

How To:

1. Attach a V-handle bar to the lat pull-down machine. Adjust the thigh pads to a suitable height. 
2. Keeping your elbows locked out, engage the weight and secure your thighs under the pads. 
3. While maintaining an upright torso, pull the bar to your upper chest by driving through your elbows. 
4. Pause and contract your lats at the bottom. 
5. Rinse and repeat. 

Cable Rope Pressdown

How To:

1. Set the cable pulley at the highest setting. 
2. Connect the rope attachment to the pulley. 
3. Hold the attachment with an overhand grip. 
4. Take a step back and lean forward slightly. 
5. Engage the weight by lowering your upper arms so they are perpendicular to the floor. 
6. Keeping your elbows pinned in place, extend your arms. 
7. Your hands should be together at the starting position. Separate your hands during concentrics. Turn your hands anti-clockwise at the bottom for a better triceps engagement.
8. Pause and contract your triceps at the bottom. 
9. Repeat for recommended reps. 

Check out our complete cable rope triceps press-down guide here!

Seated Cable Row 

How To:

1. Sit on the machine’s seat and place your feet on the footrests. 
2. Lean forward and grab the straight bar with a shoulder-wide overhand grip. 
3. Get into position by extending your legs. Your knees should be slightly bent and your torso upright at the starting position. 
4. Pull the bar to your belly button by driving through your elbows. 
5. Pause and squeeze your lats at the top. 
6. Slowly return to the starting position. 
7. Repeat for reps. 

Check out our complete seated cable row guide here!

Single-Arm Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension

How To:

1. Sit upright on a flat bench while holding a dumbbell in your right hand. 
2. Extend the dumbbell overhead. Your elbow should be locked out, and your arms should be at 90 degrees. 
3. Place your left hand on your abs for stability.
4. Keeping your elbow pinned, lower the dumbbell behind your head. It should touch the back of your neck at the bottom. 
5. Return to the starting position. 
6. Pause and contract your triceps at the top. 
7. Repeat for recommended reps before switching sides.

Check out our complete single-arm overhead dumbbell triceps extension guide here!

Straight-Arm Lat Pulldown 

How To:

1. Set a cable pulley at the highest setting and connect a straight handle bar attachment.
2. Grab the bar with an overhand grip and take a couple of steps back. 
3. Lean forward so your torso is at 45 degrees. 
4. The weights should be engaged at the starting position. Your head, neck, and back should be neutral, and your arms should be in an overhead position. 
5. Brace your core and pull the bar under your chest in a sweeping motion while contracting your lats. 
6. Pause and contract your lats at the bottom. 
7. Slowly return to the starting position.
8. Repeat for recommended reps. 

Check out our complete straight-arm pulldown guide here!

Overhead Cable Extension

How To:

1. Set the cable pulley at the highest setting. 
2. Grab the straight bar with an overhand grip. 
3. Take a step back and turn your back toward the pulley. At this position, your upper arms will be next to your ears, and your lower arms parallel to the floor. 
4. Lean forward slightly and assume a staggered stance for better balance. 
5. Keeping your upper arms in position, extend your elbows until your arms are in a straight line. 
6. Pause and contract your triceps. 
7. Repeat for repetitions. 

Check out our complete overhead cable extension guide here!

Importance of Back and Triceps Workouts

Here is why you cannot skip training your back and triceps:

Aesthetics

The back is a posterior chain muscle. People often overlook training the posterior muscles in favor of mirror muscles like the chest, biceps, abs, and shoulders. Looking at a muscle in the mirror while training makes establishing a mind-muscle connection with them easier, which also helps boost its development. On the other hand, since you cannot look at their back while training it, most people have a lagging back. 

Your back is the second biggest muscle group after your legs. People with a developed back stand out from their peers. One of the oldest adages in bodybuilding is that shows are won from the back. Back workouts can help you develop a wide and dense back. The coveted V-taper can add to the illusion of broader shoulders, which can make your midsection look even smaller. 

Conversely, although a part of the upper arm, the triceps don’t get nearly the same amount of love as the biceps. The triceps are a much bigger muscle than the biceps and can add significant size and definition to your arms. 

Diced horseshoe triceps can make you stand out in poses like the side chest, side triceps, rear double biceps, and rear lat spread. A lack of triceps size and definition can jeopardize your performance in a bodybuilding show. 

Whether you are a professional bodybuilder or a hobbyist exerciser, combining a balance back and triceps workout routine with a nutrient-dense diet can help you build a chiseled physique. 

Strength

Even if you don’t plan to step on a bodybuilding stage in your lifetime, you cannot overlook training your back and triceps. A strong back and biceps are essential for improving your overall functionality, balance, posture, and longevity. 

Furthermore, strong back and triceps are non-negotiable for strength sports athletes such as Strongmen, Olympic weightlifters, and CrossFitters. 

A muscular back can lead to a better performance in events like the deadlift, Atlas stones, and even in the initial parts of the Olympic movements — the snatch and clean and jerk. On the other hand, a strong set of triceps are a must for robust lock-outs in exercises like the overhead press, log press, and bench press. 

Irrespective of your sport or training objective, you cannot overlook training your back and biceps. The two back and triceps workouts listed in this article make it incredibly easy and convenient to train these muscle groups in a single training session. 

FAQs

Is it safe to do back and triceps supersets?

Back and triceps supersets are absolutely safe when done using an appropriate weight and the correct technique. Beginners should seek a trainer’s help to learn the correct training form. Doing so will help improve his performance and significantly limit his risk of injury. That said, you must allow your muscles at least 48 hours between training them again. Training the same muscle group again before this period can lead to overtraining and increase your odds of getting hurt during your workout. [5]

Why are there no deadlifts in these two back and triceps workouts?

Since the workouts listed in this article require you to train two muscle groups in a single training session, they will take much more time to complete than a single-muscle workout. Furthermore, your workout duration will depend on your training experience. Experience lifters that train with relatively heavy weights might need 90 to 120 minutes to complete these workouts. 

Deadlifts are a demanding compound exercise. Training heavy on the deadlift can take a lot out of you and can significantly increase your workout duration. Plus, the deadlift has not been included in the two back and triceps workouts to keep them accessible for beginners. 

Nonetheless, feel free to swap any compound back exercise in either of the two workouts with the deadlift if you don’t deem a back workout complete without doing some deads. Change your training intensity and volume accordingly. For example, following a one-rep max deadlift with a superset is not ideal. 

Can I do these back and triceps workouts twice a week?

Absolutely! Research has shown that training a muscle group twice weekly leads to better muscle and strength gains than training it once [1]. Additionally, both the back and triceps workouts listed in this article follow a different pattern, which will add variety to your training regimen.

The first workout is a more conventional training split that has you completing one workout routine before moving on to the next. Conversely, the second exercise regimen involves super-setting the back with the triceps. 

Wrapping Up

The back and triceps workout regimen is one of the most underutilized training splits. It can be incredibly effective for people who have hit a plateau and need to add more variety to their workouts or increase their training frequency and volume. 

Since the back and triceps are unrelated muscle groups, feel free to change the order of the exercises or train either of the muscle groups at the beginning of your workout. The chest and biceps and shoulders and legs are other unrelated training splits that you can use in your exercise regimen. For optimal results, adhere to these training splits for eight to 12 weeks. Best of luck!

References

1. Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2016 Nov;46(11):1689-1697. doi: 10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8. PMID: 27102172.
2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Van Every DW, Plotkin DL. Loading Recommendations for Muscle Strength, Hypertrophy, and Local Endurance: A Re-Examination of the Repetition Continuum. Sports (Basel). 2021 Feb 22;9(2):32. doi: 10.3390/sports9020032. PMID: 33671664; PMCID: PMC7927075.
3. Lehman GJ. The influence of grip width and forearm pronation/supination on upper-body myoelectric activity during the flat bench press. J Strength Cond Res. 2005 Aug;19(3):587-91. doi: 10.1519/R-15024.1. PMID: 16095407.
4. Pallarés JG, Hernández-Belmonte A, Martínez-Cava A, Vetrovsky T, Steffl M, Courel-Ibáñez J. Effects of range of motion on resistance training adaptations: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2021 Oct;31(10):1866-1881. doi: 10.1111/sms.14006. Epub 2021 Jul 5. PMID: 34170576.
5. Monteiro ER, Vingren JL, Corrêa Neto VG, Neves EB, Steele J, Novaes JS. Effects of Different Between Test Rest Intervals in Reproducibility of the 10-Repetition Maximum Load Test: A Pilot Study with Recreationally Resistance Trained Men. Int J Exerc Sci. 2019 Aug 1;12(4):932-940. PMID: 31523350; PMCID: PMC6719818.

---