How to succeed with a great back & biceps workout

Back and biceps are a classic muscle combination because biceps are already activated in many back exercises. But to really maximize the workout, you need the right exercises, technique, and strategy. Here's a science-backed guide to building a broad back and strong arms!

1. Start with heavy rowing or pulling exercises

The back muscles are strong and can handle heavy weights, so start the workout with a heavy compound exercise that activates both the lats, traps and biceps.

Good choice:

Deadlift (works the entire back and builds strength)

Pull-ups/Chins (gives a wider back and stronger biceps)

Barbell Rowing (focuses on thickness in the back)

Tip: Aim for 4–6 reps for maximum strength or 8–12 reps for hypertrophy (muscle volume) (Schoenfeld, 2010) .

2. Focus on contact in the lats and traps

Many back exercises are done with too many arms, but to build a wider back you need to find the muscle connection.

Good exercises for lat activation:

Lat pull-ups with narrow or wide grip

One-arm dumbbell row – focus on pulling with your back, not your arm

Seated Cable Row – perfect for building depth in the back

Tip: Test the mind-muscle connection by lowering the weight and really feeling each repetition.

3. Isolate the biceps after back exercises

When your back is tired, you can finish the workout with isolation exercises for the biceps. Since the biceps have already been worked, you don't need as many sets here.

Effective biceps exercises:

Standing barbell curl – builds mass and strength

Dumbbell curl with supination – maximizes biceps contraction

Hammer curl – hits the brachialis and gives thicker arms

Tip: Aim for 10–12 reps per set and control the tempo – slow negative phase produces better muscle growth (Schoenfeld et al., 2015) .

4. Don't forget grip strength!

A strong grip helps with both heavy back exercises and bicep exercises. Include exercises that strengthen the forearms, such as:

Farmers Walk

Hang from railing

Reverse Curls

Tip: Try training without pull-up straps sometimes to strengthen your grip naturally.

5. Finish with stretching and recovery

Your back and biceps are under a lot of strain after the workout. Give them time to recover by:

Get protein quickly after your workout (Swedish Supplements whey )

Sleep 7–9 hours per night for maximum muscle growth

Stretching and mobility training to reduce stiffness