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Training your back and triceps together offers a host of benefits compared to training the two muscle groups separately. Although this is a combination of two muscle groups, it’s still a form of split training (exercising individual muscle groups separately). In a 2015 study, researchers found that split training was potentially more beneficial than total-body workouts (1). The researchers attributed this to the higher frequency of workouts in split training. To experience the potential benefits, you just need to get clued up about the best back and tricep workout and risk-free ways of performing them.
Training your back and triceps together is a common superset workout (strength training workout where you move from one exercise to another without a break).
Supersets are also referred to as “paired sets”.
You can perform a superset on:
A study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology compared the effectiveness of supersets with traditional workouts and tri-sets (workouts on three muscle groups) (4). The findings revealed that supersets and tri-sets could reduce training time and enhance training efficiency.
However, when using superset and tri-set workouts, you need more recovery time after training to avoid muscle overexertion and an overall fatigue.
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One benefit of combining your back and triceps workout is reducing the time you need to exercise. This may be particularly important to you if you’re always strapped for time and can’t manage to squeeze in a workout into your jam-packed schedule. In fact, in a Gympass study, nearly half of the Americans polled (48 percent) pointed out they had no time to exercise because they were snowed under work (3).
Training two body parts during a workout may also keep you from plateauing. The combined exercise adds that extra bit of shock to your muscles to keep you on track to achieve your fitness goals.
When working out your back and triceps, remember to keep the same rep scheme for both the triceps and back exercises. That means, if you do five sets of back exercises, follow it up with five sets of tricep exercises.
Also, try to get the most out of the workout which targets these specific muscle groups. This means adopting the right posture and getting a good grip on the weights. If need be, use wraps when exercising your back, so you don’t have to worry about your grip instead of focusing on your back.
Most importantly, don’t rest when switching from the back exercise to the triceps exercise.
Perform the back and tricep exercises back to back and rest after that.
To reap even more benefits from this workout, schedule your forearms workout on a separate day. This way, you can fully concentrate on getting the most out of each day’s workout.
Now that you’re ready, here are some of the best workouts that you can try out to blow up your back muscles and add serious size to upper arms.
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Here are three of the best workouts for triceps and back muscles you can rep out to fast-track the results.
In this workout, the lat pulldowns exercise your back, and the rope pushdowns target your triceps. It’s a particularly good back and tricep workout for mass.
Proper form is essential in reaping the benefits and avoiding injury.
Here’s how to do the lat pulldowns.
Your goal with the lat pulldown is to strengthen the broadest muscle in your back: the latissimus dorsi (2). This muscle promotes good posture and spinal stability.
After doing the lat pulldowns, jump right on to the rope pushdowns.
For the rope pushdowns, you can use a pushdown machine (cable machine) in the gym. At home, if you don’t have such gym equipment, simply use a resistance band.
Triceps/rope pushdowns work on all three heads of your triceps.
The triceps brachii muscle, located at the rear of your upper arm, has three components (6):
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Beginners can aim to complete four supersets of 8 reps each, with about 2 minutes rest time between each superset.
If you’re more experienced, you can go up to 20 reps for each superset, and perform more than four supersets.
Here, the dumbbell bent-over row exercises your back, and the EZ bar workout targets your triceps. This can be a simple back and tricep dumbbell workout if you use dumbbells instead of the EZ bar.
The dumbbell bent-over row exerts many muscles in your upper and middle back, including (5):
After the dumbbell bent-over row, go straight to the tricep extension with the EZ bar.
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Pull-ups offer a relatively simple way to exercise your back; whereas, a close-grip variation of the common bench press can effectively target your triceps.
You don’t need special weights for pull-ups, and you can do close-grip push-ups instead of close-grip bench presses. This way, you can comfortably do this back and tricep workout at home.
Once you complete 8-12 reps on the pull-up bar, turn to the close-grip bench press.
One benefit of superset workouts is the wide range of muscle groups exerted beyond the two main muscle groups targeted. Triceps and back workouts also tend to exert chest muscles.
For instance, the dumbbell bent-over row targeting the back also exerts the pectoralis major muscle of the chest. Similarly, the close-grip bench press targeting the triceps also exerts your chest muscles.
By applying these back and tricep workout routines continuously, you’ll also develop other muscle groups like your shoulders, forearms, and chest. This way, you’ll be achieving more from the little time you have to work out.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!