The Best Pull Day Workout Routine For Men

Pull day exercises are exactly what they sound like: strength-building moves that involve a pulling motion, whether that involves using a cable, bar, or dumbbell. Rethinking your workouts by type of movement — push days and pull days — rather than body part (legs day, anyone?) can take some getting used to, but there are benefits to be gained, especially if you keep moving from one exercise to the next rather than resting between sets.

“By super-setting lower-body and upper-body pull movements together, it forces the blood to move between muscles and increases the cardio effect known as ‘peripheral heart action training,’ ” says Raphael Konforti, senior director of fitness at YouFit Gyms in San Diego. “Essentially, you get your resistance and cardio training done at the same time.”

What’s more, pull day routines are great for improving your “posterior chain” — the muscles in your back, shoulders, and glutes. Stronger muscles in these areas improve your posture and overall mobility while helping prevent injury.

Also, because you are covering multiple muscle groups in each pull day routine, your workout is more efficient. “It saves you time and still leads to progress,” says Konforti.

One thing to keep in mind: With traditional workouts split by body part, each muscle group typically gets six to seven exercises or more, says Konforti. “But with push/pull day workouts, each muscle group only gets three to four exercises. Lower volume means that the intensity must be higher,” he says. That means selecting a weight that’s slightly heavier than your usual 15-rep choice.

Ready to get started? These 10 moves work upper- and lower-body pull muscles, primarily developing strength in your back, biceps, core, glutes, and hamstrings. For maximum results, do this pull day workout as one continuous circuit, and aim for four resistance workouts a week, alternating push days, pull days, and rest days.

10 Best Pull Exercises For Your Pull Day Workout

For each of the exercises here, choose a weight that allows you to do 1-2 repetitions less than the total number comfortably — those last couple of reps should be difficult. Konforti recommends aiming to do three sets total for each move.

The Move: Barbell Deadlifts

What it works: Latissimus dorsi, trapezius, glutes, hamstrings

How to do it: Stand behind the barbell, feet hip-width apart. Slightly bend knees, bend forward with a flat back, and grab the barbell, placing hands in an overhand grip just wider than your shins. Straighten legs, press into heels and lift barbell to hip height, keeping your arms and back straight. Bend knees and return barbell to floor.

How many: 3 sets x 5-8 reps

The Move: Weighted Pull-Ups

What it works: Latissimus dorsi, biceps, core

How to do it: Place weighted belt around your waist. Reach overhead to grab pull-up bar with an overhand grip. Engage your core and bend elbows, pulling shoulders back and elbows toward your sides as you raise your torso up until your collar bone reaches the bar. Straighten arms back to start.

How many: 3 sets x 5-8 reps

The Move: Weighted Hip Extensions

What it works: Back, core, glutes

How to do it: Use the hip extension machine or lie stomach down on a flat elevated surface, positioning your hips at the edge of the surface, so your torso is suspended in the air. Keep legs and torso in one straight line, and tuck your toes under an edge for stability. Hold a weight plate against your torso, arms crossed in front of it. Hinge forward at the hips, lowering your torso toward the floor. Keeping your back straight, pull your torso back to a flat position.

How many: 3 sets x 10 reps

The Move: Barbell Rows

What it works: Latissimus dorsi, back, biceps

How to do it: Stand behind the barbell, feet hip-width apart. Slightly bend knees, bend forward with a flat back, and grab the barbell, placing hands in overhand grip just wider than your shins. Keeping knees slightly bent, press into heels and bend elbows, raising the bar to your chest. Straighten arms and return barbell to floor.

How many: 3 sets x 10 reps

The Move: Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts

What it works: Back, triceps, hamstrings

How to do it: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Slightly bend knees, hinge forward with a flat back, and grab a dumbbell on the floor in either hand. Keeping your gaze forward, straighten legs, press into heels, and straighten your back, lifting weights to hip height with straight arms. Bend knees and return weights to floor.

How many: 3 sets x 12 reps

The Move: Lateral Lunges

What it works: Glutes, quads, hamstrings

How to do it: Stand with feet together. Facing forward, take a wide step to the right. Shift your weight to the right, bend right knee, and allow your hips to sink back as if you are sitting. Press through the ball of your right foot, push off the ground, and return to start. Repeat on left side for 1 rep.

How many: 3 sets x 12 reps

The Move: Closed Grip Pulldowns

What it works: Latissimus dorsi, trapezius, shoulders

How to do it: Take a seat below the pulldown machine at the gym. Reach up and grab the bar in an overhand grip, hands spaced slightly wider that shoulder-width apart, arms straight. Lean back slightly as you bend your elbows and pull the bar to your chest, keeping arms close to your body. Pull the bar down until it is roughly parallel with your chin. Release.

How many: 3 sets x 12 reps

The Move: Dumbbell Curls

What it works: Deltoids, biceps

How to do it: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward. Contract your biceps, bend elbows (keeping arms close to body), and raise dumbbells to your chest. Straighten arms back to start.

How many: 3 sets x 10 reps

The Move: Bent-Over Dumbbell Reverse Fly

What it works: Pectorals, latissimus dorsi, triceps

How to do it: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Keeping your back flat, bend knees slightly and hinge forward from the hips so your torso is at a 45-degree angle to the floor. Let your arms hang toward the ground. Squeeze shoulder blades back and toward each other and raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel with the ground, palms facing the floor. Release back to the start.

How many: 3 sets x 15 reps

The Move: Decline Sit-Ups

What it works: Core

How to do it: Set up a decline bench with a 30- to 45-degree angle. Sit on the bench with both knees bent and feet tucked under the padded bar for support. Lie back so your full back is against the bench. Engage your core and roll up to a sitting position. Pause, then roll back to the start.

How many: 3 sets x 12 reps