Name: Playbook - Rob Riches - Back & Traps (Ep 7.1 - Endurance)
Uploaded: 2021-06-07T18:32:11.413Z
Duration: 45 min
Description: Back & Traps (Ep 7.1 - Endurance)

Welcome to workout #13 of the Endurance part of my Lean Muscle Growth Program. Throughout this 3rd week you'll be performing a lot more supersets and drop sets, often with a higher rep range to help improve muscular endurance and efficiency.

Keep rest times short, and select a weight that will challenge you towards the total reps shown per set, aiming to increase the weight (or add a few reps) for following sets.

You'll notice that there is a superset exercise (highlighted within the description with '*'. This means perform that exercise and then immediately perform a set of the next exercise, resting only after the second exercise has been performed. 

You'll also see there is an abdominal circuit included at the end of the program. This can either be performed at the start or end of this program, or performed separately, usually first thing in the morning before eating when your gut is empty. Cardio can be performed at a separate time,  ideally first thing in the morning.

*Perform superset of 10 body-weighted, or assisted, D-Grip chin ups, after each sets (2, 3). On set 4, Perform a drop set, lowering weight by 33% - to failure.

Grip the bar with a narrow, underhand grip (about 4-6 inches apart) If not, a regular pulldown bar is fine.

Your first set can be a warm up of 15-20 reps, but still engaging the back and squeezing it at the bottom of each rep.

Start your second set using a weight that pushes you to reach the desired number of reps. For each set that follows, aim to increase the weight by a small amount.

Perform all sets using a firm overhand grip, with knuckles pointing upwards, wrists straight, and shoulders pulled back and down. Pull the bar down towards the top of your chest as you exhale, driving the elbows down, tucking them into your sides at the bottom. Pause momentarily to reduce momentum, then control back up at a slower rate until full stretch.

The narrow underhand grip will allow you to focus more on the inner region of the back.

Seated Underhand Lat Pulldown

Use a D-Grip attachment (if you don't have one, a rope or towel will work), and hook it over a pull up bar. Holding on to the handles with both hands, pull yourself up to the bar, alternating from the left to the right side.

Allow a full stretch in the arms and back at the bottom of the rep (feet should not be touching the floor, so keep these crossed behind you with knees bent). As you start to pull yourself back up, make sure you retract your shoulders and focus on driving the elbows down as you pinch your back together.

At the top of the rep, pause momentarily as you really emphasize the contraction in the back and squeeze it deeply before slowly lowering yourself back down.

Keep your chest lifted up (almost touching it to the handle at the top), and keep your elbows tucked in at your side.

You may also want to add extra weight through use of a dip belt, or dumbbell held between your knees.

D-Grip Pull Ups

If you have access to a T-Bar Row, use this (either with the T-Bar handle, or use a D-Grip for a closer, neutral grip), or you can create one by positioning an Olympic Bar against the corner of a wall, placing a heavy dumbbell across it to anchor it down, and use a D-Grip attachment just below the collar.

Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width either side of the bar a few inches back from where you grab the handle. Keep your back straight and hinge forwards at the waist (about 70-90 degrees) as you row the bar up towards your chest.

Keep your shoulders pulled back, and focus on driving the elbows up towards the roof, keeping them close to your body. Pause momentarily at the top of the rep and squeeze your back together. The lower the bar back down under control, allowing for a full stretch in the arms at the bottom of the rep, but don't let the weights touch the floor until the end of each set.

Keep your knees slightly bent throughout the movement.

V-Bar Rows

Set a cable pulley to the highest position with a handle attached. Get into a lunge position on the floor a few feet back from the pulley (if your holding the handle with your left hand, your right knee should be bent, with your left leg behind you).

Ensure you're far enough back so that with your (left) arm fully stretched up, there is tension in the cable and the weights aren'r resting. With your shoulders pulled back and down, and your back straight, row the handle down towards the side of your chest, driving the elbow back behind you, and squeezing with your Lat at the bottom of the rep.

Perform all reps in a smooth and controlled manner on one side first, then switch up your kneeling lunge position, and perform with the opposite arm.

Performing this Lat pulldown variation with each arm separately, allows you to focus on building strength and muscle evenly in the back, and eliminates the more dominant side from taking over.

Single Arm High Cable Pulldown

Lock in a smith machine or Olympic bar on a rack (ensuring it cannot roll forwards and off the hooks), position yourself under it with an overhand grip (shoulder-width apart), arms at full length with your chest directly beneath the bar, and legs stretched out in front of your, with only your heels on the floor.

Your body should form a straight line from your heels, through your hips, and up to the shoulders. (Hips should not be too raised up or sinking down). Keep your chest lifted up, with the shoulders pulled back and down.

Raise your chest up to the bar by driving your elbows down to the floor while you engage your back muscles to assist with the lift. Pause momentarily at the top of the rep and flex the back and shoulders, before slowly lowering yourself back down until arms are fully stretched.

Repeat all reps at a slow and controlled pace, ensuring no momentum or bouncing within any reps.

Inverted Smith Row

*Superset with Y-Raises

Grip a barbell with an overhand grip slightly-wider than shoulder-width.  Stand upright with feet shoulder-width apart, shoulders pulled back, chest lifted, and the barbell at full-arms length resting just in front of you.

Your arms should remain at full length throughout this exercise. Shrug your shoulders up (imagine trying to touch your ears with your shoulders, even though you won't be able to) and pause momentarily at the top while you squeeze your Trap muscles. Then lower the bar back down. (Try not to bend at the elbow as this will reduce the effectiveness of the exercise).

The trapezius and rhomboids are primarily worked by the barbell shrug. Located in the upper back, these muscles work together to stabilize and pull back your shoulders.

Standing Barbell Shrugs

Set a bench to an incline of around 45-60 degrees and lay forward facing  down on it, with your head and shoulders just above the top of it (Your legs may be straight behind you as though you're resting against the bench and not quite sat on it).

Holding a light dumbbell in each hand, allow your arms to hang at your sides with your grip turned inwards (so both hands are facing each other).

Retract your shoulder blades and slowly raise your arms up in front of you (maintaining the same "Hammer" Grip). Aim to form a Y-shape in front of you, raising your arms up and slightly outwards (keep going until your grip is just above shoulder height). Pause momentarily at the top, then lower the arms back down at a controlled and steady speed.

By raising the dumbbells upwards in a Y-formation to just above shoulder height, you'll engage the Trap muscles.

Incline Bench Y-Raises

This Abdominal circuit will focus on the upper and lower region of the abs, as well as the obliques (the side muscles), and is ideal for beginners just starting out. 

Perform a set of the first exercise, then immediately perform one of the second and third exercise without rest. You can rest for up to 60 seconds after completing all exercises (that's one round) before starting the next round.

Remember to actively engage your abdominals during each exercise, and  focus on your breathing pattern so that you really feel your abs working and contracting on each and every rep.

Using a decline bench to lock your feet in, lay back flat on the bench so that your shoulders are lower than your hips. With your shoulders touching the pad, raise your head up slightly and place your hands either by the side of your head at the temple (or for an easier version, cross them over your chest, or extend them out towards your knees).

Engage the abs and exhale as you crunch the abs to raise the shoulders a few inches off the bench. You do not need to sit up right (most make this wrong assumption, which works the hip flexors more than the abs). 

Think of your shoulders following an arc-like trajectory towards your hips, and pause at the top of the rep momentarily as you flex the abs hard hard at the top of the movement. Return back to the starting position, and as soon as you shoulders touch the bench, go back into the crunch.

You should be exhaling deeply, while contracting and engaging the abs on every rep.

This will primarily work the upper region of the abs.

Decline Crunch

Lay upon a decline bench so your head is where you would usually lock in your feet, and hold on to the support with both hands, (arms positioned so elbows are either side of your head).

With your back flat against the bad, bend your knees and raise your legs up until they're vertical with the floor. Exhale and crunch your abs so the hips raise forwards from the bench as your legs move forwards over you, stopping when your toes are over your eye line level.

Exhaling will allow you to fully contract your abs and squeeze them hard at the top of the rep. Lower the legs back under control and repeat.

Your legs shouldn't be pushing upwards. Think more like your feet are following a curved arc that's always equal distance from your hips. If the full range of motion is too challenging for you, start with your legs directly above your hips and crunch the hips slightly forwards until feet are over your eye-line level.

This exercise develops more of the lower region of the abdominals.

Decline Leg Raises

Using a decline bench to lock your feet in, lean back far enough until you feel your abs are fully engaged. Holding a medicine/slam ball in your hands, arms bent so as it's about 6- inches from your chest , rotate it over to the left of you, then take it over to the right of you and repeat

Engage the abs and exhale as you rotate only the upper body, keeping the hips firmly fixed and pushed down into the bench.

Think of your elbows following an arc-like trajectory from the left and right of you. You should be exhaling deeply, while contracting and engaging the abs on every rep.

This will primarily work the side obliques of the abdominal area.

Decline Med Ball Rotations

Abs Circuit - Stage 4

Ideally, cardio should be performed first thing in the morning before eating so your body burns more fat as fuel.

Choose a piece of cardio, such as an upright stationary bike, and perform at a level that is around 70-80% exertion (one that will push you but still allow you to maintain a conversation), for a total of 50 minutes.

If you have a heart rate monitor, keep notes on your activity and training zone to see how it changes over the coming weeks and months. It can be a great indicator to see how your fitness levels are improving.

If you're able to, choose between two different types of cardio (switching from one to the other after 25 minutes), so that the body doesn't become used to performing the same activity.

Steady State Cardio (LISS)

Back & Traps (Ep 7.1 - Endurance)

Back & Forearms (Ep 1.1 - Strength)

Shoulders & Chest (Ep 1.3 - Strength)

Quads & Calves (Ep 1.2 - Strength)

Traps & Hamstrings (Ep 1.4 - Strength)

Biceps & Triceps (Ep 1.5 - Strength)

Cardio (Rest Day - Week 1)

Back & Forearms (Ep 2.1 Strength)

Quads & Calves (Ep 2.2 - Strength)

Shoulders & Chest (Ep 2.3 - Strength)

Traps & Hamstrings (Ep 2.4 - Strength)

Biceps & Triceps (Ep 2.5 - Strength)

Cardio (Rest Day - Week 2)

Back & Forearms (Ep 3.1 - Strength)

Quads & Calves (Ep 3.2 - Strength)

Shoulders & Chest (Ep 3.3 - Strength)

Traps & Hamstrings (Ep 3.4 - Strength)

Biceps & Triceps (Ep 3.5 - Strength)

Cardio (Rest Day - Week 3)

Back & Forearms (Ep 4.1 - Strength)

Quads & Calves (Ep 4.2 - Strength)

Shoulders & Chest (Ep 4.3 - Strength)

Traps & Hamstrings (Ep 4.4 - Strength)

Biceps & Triceps (Ep 4.5 - Strength)

Cardio  (Rest Day - Week 4)

Back & Triceps (Ep 5.1 - Endurance)

Quads & Calves (Ep 5.2 - Endurance)

Biceps & Forearms (Ep 5.3 - Endurance)

Shoulders & Chest (Ep 5.4 - Endurance)

Hamstrings & Calves (Ep 5.5 - Endurance)

Triceps & Forearms (Ep 5.6 - Endurance)

Back & Triceps (Ep 6.1 - Endurance)

Quads & Calves (Ep 6.2 - Endurance)

Biceps & Forearms (Ep 6.3 - Endurance)

Shoulders & Chest (Ep 6.4 - Endurance)

Hamstrings & Calves (Ep 6.5 - Endurance)

Triceps & Forearms (Ep 6.6 - Endruance)

Quads & Calves (Ep 7.2 - Endurance)

Biceps & Forearms (Ep 7.3 - Endurance)

Shoulders & Chest (Ep 7.4 - Endurance)

Hamstrings & Calves (Ep 7.5 - Endurance)

Triceps & Forearms (Ep 7.6 - Endurance)

Back & Traps (Ep 8.1 - Endurance)

Quads & Calves (Ep 8.2 - Endurance)

Biceps & Forearms (Ep 8.3 - Endurance)

Shoulders & Chest (Ep 8.4 - Endurance)

Hamstring & Calves (Ep 8.5 - Endurance)

Triceps & Forearms (Ep 8.6 - Endurance)

Biceps, Forearms, & Triceps (Ep 9.1 - Conditioning)

Quads, Hamstring & Calves (Ep 9.2 - Conditioning)

Back, Chest, Traps, & Shoulders (Ep 9.3 - Conditioning)

Biceps, Forearms, & Triceps (Ep 9.4 - Conditioning)

Quads, Hamstrings, & Calves (Ep 9.5 - Conditioning)

Back, Chest, Traps & Shoulders (Ep 9.6 - Conditioning)

Legs & Shoulders (Ep 10.1 - Conditioning)

Biceps & Triceps (Ep 10.2 - Conditioning)

Back & Chest (Ep 10.3 - Conditioning)

Legs & Shoulders (Ep 10.4 - Conditioning)

Full Body Conditioning (Ep 10.5)

Biceps, Forearms, & Triceps (Ep 11.1 - Conditioning)

Quads, Hamstrings, & Calves (Ep 11.2 - Conditioning)

Back, Chest, Traps, & Shoulders (Ep 11.3 - Conditioning)

Biceps, Forearms, & Triceps (Ep 11.4 - Conditioning)

Quads, Hamstring, & Calves (Ep 11.5 - Conditioning)

Back, Chest, Traps & Shoulders (Ep 11.6 - Conditioning)

Legs & Shoulders (Ep 12.1 - Conditioning)

Biceps & Triceps (Ep 12.2 - Conditioning)

Back & Chest (Ep 12.3 - Conditioning)

Legs & Shoulders (Ep 12.4 - Conditioning)

Full Body Conditioning (Ep 12.5 - Conditioning)

Back & Traps (Ep 7.1 - Endurance)

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