back and biceps

i'll get straight to the workout.

warmup with 5 minutes on an elliptical or rowing machine, or a tabata of jumping jacks.  if you need a refresher on tabatas, see here.

for the back part of our workout, we are doing pull-ups. 

ugh, pull-ups. 

one of the most unfair exercises.  boys make them look so easy.  even scrawny boys can do pull-ups!  but for us girls (or at least me)... they are the devil.

that's why i use the pull up machine or a resistance band.  they make me feel better about myself.

for biceps we are doing curls.  boys do "curls for the girls", but us girls can do "curls because we are awesome".

here's the workout.

1st set
wide grip pull-ups: 12 reps 
{place your hands as far apart as you can.  if you need more help from the machine on this set, go for it.  wide grip is for sure the hardest for me.}

dumbbell bicep curls with external rotation: 15 reps
{i like to do these on the incline bench.  it helps to go through your whole range of motion.  i use 12 lb weights, go however light or heavy you want.  if you want detailed instructions on how to do these, click here.  these are also the hardest for me - i always get the hardest stuff overwith first.}


2nd set
regular grip pull ups: 12 reps
{just like it sounds.  place your hands just slightly further than shoulder width apart and go for it}

 regular bicep curls: 15 reps
{start with your hands down to your sides.  as you lift the dumbbell, rotate outward.  more detailed instructions here.  oh and don't get intimidated that the instructions show a boy doing this.  girls can lift too!!}

3rd set
narrow grip pull-ups:  12 reps
{place your hands close, like directly above your shoulders.  in my experience, most pull up bars aren't connected in the middle and so you can place your hands right up against the bar.}

hammer curls: 15 reps
{start with your dumbbells down at your sides like before.  however this time, bring them straight up to your shoulders without rotating.  detailed instructions here.}


if that's all the time you have or you feel like you are dying, then stop here.  but actually, even if you feel like you are dying probably don't stop.  just kidding... kind of.  you know your body better than anyone else, and you decide if you are pushing yourself too hard or not hard enough.  but i say take a 3 minute rest and get a drink.  then go for round 2.

for round 2, do ALL the same sets as above, but decrease your reps and/or lighten your weights if you need to.

pull-ups:  10 reps/set
curls: 12 reps/set. 

same goes for round 3.  take a 3 minute break, get a drink and  lighten your weights if you need to.

pull-ups:  8 reps/set
curls:  10 reps/set

so to clarify, there are 3 rounds that each have 3 sets of both pull-ups and curls.

and then you're done!  if you need to do less reps (example: 8/5/3 for pull-ups) then go for it.  push yourself, but don't kill yourself.  and hopefully you are happily sore tomorrow!