[UPWOD Nº26] The Turtle Shell Back Workout — Back & HIIT

*UPWODs are Lean It UP’s Workout of the Day. For more info on UPWODs, how to do them effectively, and what they’re all about, read the introductory guide before starting.

**You can find all of our previous UPWODs here.

Build a wide, ripped-up, defined back with UPWOD Nº26.

The Turtle Shell Back Workout cranks up the intensity and uses a number of anchor power moves—including deadlifts and a handful of rows—to dig into the back from a variety of angles, develop pulling power and explosiveness, and carve out gorgeous definition.

It unleashes a number of exercises that specifically isolate and attack the lats, rhomboids, and teres muscles; methodically rips up the entirety of the back piece-by-piece; and builds a WIDE back that’s rippled, segmented, and pristinely defined.

UPWOD Nº26 finishes strong with a back-blasting, fat-burning 2K row to test the limits of your back and provide all of the scorching effects of HIIT.

Lock in.

[UPWOD Nº26] The Turtle Shell Back Workout —

Back & HIIT

The grey column provides substitute exercises that you can do in-home with resistance bands (RBs) and dumbbells so that everyone can blast through the UPWODs.

If you don’t have resistance bands, I use and recommend Black Mountain’s set. If you need dumbbells, I love the Bowflex SelectTech 552 adjustable dumbbells.

**Bonus info for each exercise:

• 1. Barbell Deadlifts — standard barbell deadlifts.
• 2. Barbell Bent-Over Rows — keep your torso at a 45º angle throughout. Lower the bar down to a full extension, pull it up into your upper abs, and SQUEEZE for 1 second.
• 3. Pull Ups — aim for 15 reps per set. If you can’t do 5 pull ups, substitute lat pull-downs instead.
• 4. 1-Arm Dumbbell Rows — use a flat bench as your anchor. Keep your abs tight and lower the DB down to a full extension. You should feel a stretch in your lats and rear delts. Squeeze the contraction at the top.
• 5. Horizontal Cable Rows — use a narrow V attachment. Keep your back flat and core tight and row the cable horizontally into your upper abs. SQUEEZE for 1 second and release all the way back out.
• 6. [SUPERSET] Lat Pulldowns + Cable High Rows — do both back-to-back. For cable rows, use a bar attachment and a wide grip. Attach it high and row it down into your chest.
• 8. [HIIT CARDIO] Rowing Machine — row 2000m as quickly as possible without stopping.

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Bryan DiSanto

Founder & Editor-in-Chief at Lean It UP

ELLO ELLO I'm Bryan DiSanto. I'm the Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Lean It UP, a CPT/CSN/Fitness Coach, Chef trained at Le Cordon Bleu – Paris, NYU graduate, ex-fat kid, and all-around fitness junkie.

I also contribute to Men's Health Magazine.

When I'm not working on my abs (or somebody else’s), whipping up avocado roses and avocado toast, or running a Tough Mudder, I'm probably yelling at a Carolina Panthers game somewhere.

Come be friends with me on Instagram (@BRYDISANTO) & Snapchat (BRYDISANTO).

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