Week 1 · Foundation Block

Pull (Hypertrophy Focus)

Higher-rep back and biceps work with cables and machines to stay in the hypertrophy sweet spot.

Session at a Glance

7 pulls that bias lats, upper back, and arms with steady tempos.
Aim for clean form on every set; increase load only when you can hit the target RPE.
Swap to the listed substitutions if a machine is occupied or unavailable.

Use light pulldowns or band rows to open sessions before loading the stack.
Keep rest around 2-3 minutes on rowing work and closer to 1-2 minutes on isolation moves.

Exercise 1

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Keep the handle slightly in front like a pullover-pulldown hybrid and prioritize lat engagement over heavy loads.

Exercise 2

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Flare your elbows roughly 45 degrees and squeeze your shoulder blades together at the peak.

Exercise 3

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Drive elbows down and back while pinching your shoulder blades for a strong squeeze each rep.

Exercise 4

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Pause 1-2 seconds at the peak contraction and drive the rear delt hard each rep.

Exercise 5

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Briefly pause at both ends of the range and think about pulling your shoulders up toward your ears.

Exercise 6

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Set the cable low, keep tension constant, and move the bar with slow, controlled reps.

Exercise 7

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Smooth, controlled reps while keeping the focus on biceps tension.