Evidence-aware · beginner-first · no miracle claims
Pull day, taught: 16 back and bicep moves
In one line: Rows, pulldowns and curls for a strong back - the postural half of training that most home programmes skip.
Pulling balances all the pushing in your week, and it is the half that fixes desk posture: rows open the chest, strengthen the shoulder blades, and build the arms honestly. Most home programmes skip it because it is harder to train without a gym. This page fixes that with towels, door frames and bands.
No equipment at all? The towel row and doorway row need neither dumbbells nor bands. If you have one resistance band, the pulldown, pull-apart and face pull cover the whole back. If you have one dumbbell, the one-arm row is your bread and butter.
The towel row
Setup and cues:
- Loop a towel around a fixed pole or door handle at waist height.
- Hold both ends, lean back with your arms straight, body rigid.
- Pull your chest toward your hands, elbows brushing your sides.
- Lower yourself slowly - do not let go of the tension.
The mistake everyone makes: Shrugging your shoulders up to your ears. Pull them down and back as you row.
Sets: 3 sets of 8-12 reps, rest 60-90 seconds.
Easier: Stand more upright - less of your bodyweight is on the arms.
Harder: Lean further back, or walk your feet forward.
The doorway row
Setup and cues:
- Hold both sides of an open door frame at chest height.
- Lean back, arms straight, feet close to the frame.
- Pull your chest to the frame, squeezing your shoulder blades.
- Lower yourself with control.
The mistake everyone makes: Using your legs to do the rowing. The legs stay still; the arms and back work.
Sets: 3 sets of 8-12 reps, rest 60-90 seconds.
Easier: Stand more upright.
Harder: Move your feet further from the frame, or try one arm at a time.
The one-arm dumbbell row
Setup and cues:
- One hand and knee on a bench or chair, back flat like a table.
- Let the weight hang straight down from your shoulder.
- Pull your elbow up and back, close to your body.
- Lower slowly. Finish the set, then switch sides.
The mistake everyone makes: Twisting the torso to heave the weight up. If you have to twist, the weight is too heavy.
Sets: 3 sets of 8-12 reps per side, rest 60 seconds between sides.
Easier: Do it with both knees on the bench for stability, lighter weight.
Harder: Pause one second at the top of every rep.
The band pulldown
Setup and cues:
- Anchor the band above head height (top of a door works).
- Kneel or sit, arms straight overhead holding the band.
- Pull your elbows down to your sides.
- Rise slowly, letting your arms fully extend at the top.
The mistake everyone makes: Leaning way back and turning it into a row. Stay upright and let the lats pull.
Sets: 3 sets of 10-15 reps, rest 60 seconds.
Easier: Kneel closer to the anchor, or use a lighter band.
Harder: Slow the return to three seconds, or pause at your chest.
The band pull-apart
Setup and cues:
- Hold a band at shoulder height, hands shoulder-width, arms straight.
- Pull the band apart until it touches your chest.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the front.
- Return slowly with control.
The mistake everyone makes: Bending the elbows and shrugging. Arms stay long; shoulders stay down.
Sets: 3 sets of 12-20 reps, rest 45 seconds. Great as a warm-up too.
Easier: Hold wider for less tension.
Harder: Narrow your grip or step on the middle of a longer band.
The band face pull
Setup and cues:
- Anchor the band at eye level, hold it with thumbs pointing back at you.
- Pull the band toward your face, elbows high and wide.
- Finish in a double-biceps pose, knuckles by your ears.
- Return slowly.
The mistake everyone makes: Pulling to your chest with low elbows. The elbows stay high - it is a face pull, not a row.
Sets: 3 sets of 12-15 reps, rest 60 seconds. The posture move most programmes are missing.
Easier: Use a lighter band or step closer.
Harder: Pause one second at your face each rep.
The dumbbell curl
Setup and cues:
- Stand tall, dumbbells at your sides, palms forward.
- Curl both weights up without swinging your hips.
- Squeeze at the top, elbows pinned to your ribs.
- Lower for two to three seconds.
The mistake everyone makes: Using your lower back to swing the first rep. If the body moves, the weight is too heavy.
Sets: 3 sets of 10-15 reps, rest 60 seconds.
Easier: Alternate arms, or sit down to remove any swing.
Harder: Three-second lowering, or curl both at once without pausing between reps.
The hammer curl
Setup and cues:
- Same as the curl, but palms face each other all the way.
- Curl the weights up as if hammering a nail.
- Keep the elbows still at your sides.
- Lower slowly.
The mistake everyone makes: Letting the elbows drift forward as you fatigue. Pin them to your ribs.
Sets: 3 sets of 10-15 reps, rest 60 seconds.
Easier: One arm at a time.
Harder: Slow the lowering, or add a small pause halfway up.
The reverse fly
Setup and cues:
- Hinge forward at the hips, back flat, light dumbbells hanging down.
- With soft elbows, raise both arms out to the sides.
- Stop at shoulder height and squeeze the shoulder blades.
- Lower slowly.
The mistake everyone makes: Going heavy. This is a small muscle with a small lever - the lightest dumbbells you own are plenty.
Sets: 3 sets of 12-15 reps, rest 45-60 seconds.
Easier: Sit down and hinge over your knees, or lie chest-down on a bench.
Harder: Pause one second at the top.
The dead hang
Setup and cues:
- Grip the bar just outside shoulder width.
- Hang with straight arms, shoulders active (not up at your ears).
- Keep your body still - no swinging.
- Hold, breathe, and step down before your grip dies completely.
The mistake everyone makes: Holding your breath. Slow nasal breaths keep the hang calm and long.
Sets: 3 hangs of 15-40 seconds, rest 90 seconds.
Easier: Keep one foot on a chair to take part of your weight.
Harder: This is step one of your first pull-up. Add seconds each week, then try slow negatives.
The superman hold
Setup and cues:
- Lie face down, arms stretched ahead of you.
- Lift your chest, arms and legs a few centimetres off the floor.
- Reach long - not high. Squeeze the shoulder blades.
- Hold, then lower with control.
The mistake everyone makes: Cranking the neck up. Keep it long, in line with your spine, eyes on the floor.
Sets: 3 holds of 15-30 seconds, rest 45 seconds.
Easier: Lift arms only, or legs only.
Harder: Add small arm paddles (swimming) while holding the lift.
The seated band row
Setup and cues:
- Sit tall with legs extended, band looped around both feet, held at each end.
- Sit up straight - the band should already be slightly tight.
- Row your elbows back past your ribs, squeezing the shoulder blades.
- Return slowly; do not let the band snap you forward.
The mistake everyone makes: Rocking your torso to move the band. The back stays tall and still - the arms and shoulder blades do the work.
Sets: 3 sets of 10-15 reps, rest 60 seconds.
Easier: Hold the band closer to the feet for less tension.
Harder: A thicker band, or a one-second squeeze at the end of every rep.
The inverted row
Setup and cues:
- Lie under a sturdy table, hands on its edge, arms straight.
- Walk your feet forward until your body is one straight line at an angle.
- Pull your chest to the table edge, elbows tight to your sides.
- Lower yourself slowly. Test the table does not tip before the first rep.
The mistake everyone makes: Letting the hips sag - the body is one plank throughout. Bend the knees and shorten the lever if needed.
Sets: 3 sets of 6-12 reps, rest 60-90 seconds.
Easier: Stand more upright - a steeper angle is easier.
Harder: Walk the feet further forward, elevate the feet, or try one arm at a time.
The dumbbell shrug
Setup and cues:
- Stand tall, a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
- Raise both shoulders straight up toward your ears.
- Pause one second at the top.
- Lower slowly - never roll the shoulders.
The mistake everyone makes: Rolling the shoulders in circles. The shrug is a straight up-and-down; rolling adds nothing and strains.
Sets: 3 sets of 12-15 reps, rest 60 seconds.
Easier: One arm at a time, holding a rail for posture.
Harder: Heavier dumbbells with the same one-second pause.
The concentration curl
Setup and cues:
- Sit on a bench or chair, feet wide, elbow braced inside your thigh.
- Curl the dumbbell up, keeping the arm pinned to the inner leg.
- Squeeze at the top for one second.
- Lower slowly - this isolation tolerates no cheating, which is the point.
The mistake everyone makes: Swinging the torso to start the rep. If the weight needs a swing, it needs to be lighter.
Sets: 3 sets of 10-12 reps per arm, rest 45-60 seconds.
Easier: Lighter weight - isolation moves reveal exactly how strong the muscle is.
Harder: A three-second lowering on every rep.
The band curl
Setup and cues:
- Stand on the middle of the band, an end in each hand.
- Curl the hands up to shoulder height, elbows pinned to your ribs.
- Squeeze at the top - the band peaks there, so work hardest where it is hardest.
- Lower slowly.
The mistake everyone makes: Walking your feet wider mid-set to slacken the band. Set the tension honestly before the first rep.
Sets: 3 sets of 12-15 reps, rest 60 seconds.
Easier: Stand wider on the band, or curl one arm at a time.
Harder: Narrow stance on the band for more tension.
Form beats everything. Stop short of sharp pain, leave 1-2 reps in the tank, and add a rep or a little load when the top of the range feels easy two sessions running. Numbers on this page are approximate starting points, not medical advice.
Keep going
- Push day, taught: 16 chest, shoulder and tricep moves
- Leg day, taught: 16 squat, lunge and hinge moves
- Core, taught: 14 ab and stability moves
- The workout builder - turn these moves into a weekly plan
- The one-rep max calculator - what your reps say about your strength
Sources
Keep going
Related on this desk.
General information, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, have been inactive for a long time, or something hurts sharply, talk to a qualified health professional first.