With the holidays approaching, it’s easy for fitness and health to take a backseat amid indulgent meals and hectic schedules. Fortunately, Erin Stern is here to help. On November 20, 2024, she shared a back and shoulder workout on her YouTube channel that uses just one machine to help sculpt an impressive V-taper.
Regardless of her situation, whether she’s bulking, dieting, or injured, Erin Stern makes no excuses when it comes to training. As a former two-time Figure Olympia winner, she understands the discipline and science behind crafting effective workout routines.
Using just a single piece of equipment, Stern guides lifters on how to maximize results when shaping the back and shoulders. Below, she details how to properly set up each exercise as well as target the muscles to induce growth.
“Cable crossover machine, you’ll recognize it by the dual handles and the ability to adjust your pulleys from low to high.
The versatility of this machine is out of this world chef’s kiss. You can do lower body, you can upper body, you can pull a bench over, you can cross the cables over, you can do so many different things on this,” shares Stern.
Erin Stern’s Back and Shoulders Workout Using One Piece of Equipment
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Find her exercise selections below:
“Without further ado, let’s go train some back and shoulders and build a beautiful V-taper on the cable crossover.”
- Z press
- Kneeling lat pulldown
- Kneeling low to high row w/external rotation
- Kneeling lateral raise
- Seated high row
Z press
Stern recommends Z presses for anyone eager to improve their overall pressing strength.
“This exercise is performed seated on the floor with your legs out in front of you for stability. Not only are you going to hit all three heads of the delts but you’re also going to hit your stabilizers in the core. This is great for improving overall pressing strength.”
When performing the exercise, she says to lean back slightly and assume an overhand grip.
“You want to think about leaning back slightly, using an overhand grip going nice and slow on that negative. Try to get your upper arm to about parallel to the floor, maybe a bit lower,” advises Stern.
Kneeling lat pulldown
She favored the kneeling lat pulldown, which targets the lats and also helps build the ‘accessory muscles’ in the back.
“Think about simultaneously pulling down and pulling your elbows towards your rib cage. This is going to not only hit your lats but you’re going to hit the accessory muscles in the back as well. Give a nice mid-rep pause and then you’re going to slow and controlled go right back up to that starting position,” she said.
Kneeling low to high row w/external rotation
This rowing variation is ideal for building width across the upper body. As for execution, she says to use an overhand grip and lead with your elbows flared out; once you reach the mid-rep point, think about an external rotation.
“This is an excellent exercise for building width across the upper body. You are going to put the cables on the lowest position using an overhand grip.
You want to think about pulling, leading with your elbows, elbows flared out and as you reach that mid-rep point, I want you to think about rotating, externally rotating slightly, and think about bringing your fist backwards just a little bit.”
Kneeling lateral raise
Implement an overhand grip once again for kneeling lateral raises. Stern offered form cues, urging lifters to keep the shoulders down with a slight bend in the elbow during repetitions.
“Begin kneeling and reach across your body, grab the cable and you’re going to do the same thing on the other side. You’re going to start with an overhand grip.
You want to make sure you have a nice strong grip on those stoppers and then you’re going to think about pushing the cables away with a slight bend in the elbow. Keep that slight bend throughout. Keep your shoulders down.”
Seated high row
To properly set up for the seated high row, Stern says to adjust the height of the pulley to chin-level.
“For this exercise, you’re going to be seated but you want to think about putting that pulley at a height that is going to be somewhere around chin level. It can go a little bit higher if you want. Now, here, you want to make sure you go just a little bit lighter.”
Not only will this movement hit the rear delts, but it will also target some areas of the back, including the traps and rhomboids.
“This is a great exercise for hitting those rear delts. You’re going to hit a little bit of those traps, rhomboids, you’re going to build width across the upper body this way. Overhand grip. You really want to think about a pure pull right to about chin height.”
This wasn’t the former two-time Figure Olympia’s first detailed workout guide using minimal equipment. She also provided a walkthrough for a four-exercise hamstring-building routine, using only a bench and a set of dumbbells.
The cable crossover machine is widely available at gyms and even hotels, making it a versatile and effective machine for muscle building. The next time you have access to one, give Stern’s workout a try!
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