Move gently and stop if you feel sharp pain, dizziness, numbness, or symptoms that feel unsafe. This routine is general fitness guidance, not medical care.
Exercises
1. Cable Rope Kneeling Face Pull
3 sets · 12 reps · 45s rest
A kneeling rope face pull that locks out body english and isolates the rear delts and mid-back.
Steps
Set the pulley above head height and attach a rope, then kneel facing the cable stack on both knees.
Grip the rope with palms facing each other and arms extended forward at eye level with cable tension.
Pull the rope toward your forehead with the elbows flaring wide and high, leading with the upper arms.
Separate the rope ends as you pull, finishing with hands by your ears and elbows in line with your shoulders.
Squeeze the rear delts and mid-back hard at the end of the pull, keeping the chest tall.
Slowly let the rope travel back to the start over 2 seconds and repeat for 12 to 20 reps.
Cues
Elbows high.
Pull rope apart.
Neck stays relaxed.
Common mistakes
Pulling the rope toward the chin or chest, which turns the lift into a row and loses the rear-delt focus.
Letting the elbows drop, swapping rear-delt work for biceps engagement.
Rocking back on the knees to use bodyweight as a counterweight.
Loading too heavy and shrugging the traps up, hiding the rear delts under upper-trap dominance.
2. Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly
3 sets · 12 reps · 45s rest
A bent-over reverse fly with dumbbells — the classic rear-delt and upper-back isolation in any shoulder program.
Steps
Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand, then hinge at the hips until the torso is nearly parallel to the floor.
Let the arms hang straight down beneath the shoulders, palms facing each other, with a slight bend in the elbows.
Brace the core, set a flat back, and lock the slight elbow bend in place for the rest of the set.
Open the arms out to the sides in a wide arc, leading with the elbows toward the ceiling.
Squeeze the rear delts and the middle of the back together at the top of the lift, pausing briefly.
Lower the dumbbells under control over 2 to 3 seconds back to the hanging start position.
Cues
Hinge and hold.
Arms sweep wide.
Neck relaxed.
Common mistakes
Standing too upright, which turns the lift into a half lateral raise and misses the rear delts.
Pulling the dumbbells back like a row, swapping rear-delt isolation for mid-back rowing work.
Shrugging the shoulders at the top, which trades rear-delt work for trap engagement.
Rounding the lower back at the hinge, which loads the spine instead of the working muscles.
3. Band Pullover
2 sets · 12 reps · 30s rest
A standing band pullover that trains the lats through their stretched range — a strong finisher for back day.
Steps
Anchor a band overhead and grip the handle or both ends with arms reaching straight up above your head.
Step back until the band has tension at full overhead extension and stand tall with feet shoulder-width.
Keep a slight bend in your elbows and pull your arms down in a wide arc to your hips.
Squeeze your lats hard at the bottom, feeling the contraction across the sides of your back.
Slowly return your arms overhead with control over 2 to 3 seconds, fighting the band the whole way up.
Repeat for 12 to 15 reps, focusing on the lat stretch at the top and the squeeze at the bottom.
Cues
Ribs stay down.
Arms stay long.
Pull from the lats.
Common mistakes
Bending the elbows too much and turning the move into a triceps extension instead of a lat pull.
Pulling with the chest and shoulders rather than driving from the lats and shoulder blades.
Cutting the range short at the top — the stretched overhead position is where the growth happens.
Letting the lower back arch as you reach overhead, which leaks tension and risks lumbar strain.
4. Dumbbell Cross Body Romanian Deadlift
2 sets · 8 reps · 45s rest · both sides
A single-leg Romanian deadlift where the dumbbell tracks across the body — biasing the working glute and hamstring through a long hinge.
Steps
Hold a single dumbbell in one hand and stand on the leg opposite that hand with a soft knee bend.
Brace your core and pull your shoulder blades down so the working side stays square as you start.
Hinge at the hips, sending the free leg straight back as the dumbbell tracks across toward the planted foot.
Lower until your torso is roughly parallel to the floor and you feel a strong stretch in the working hamstring.
Pause at the bottom, keeping hips level and the back flat without letting the working hip open up.
Drive the working heel into the floor and stand tall, squeezing the glute hard at the top of the rep.
Cues
Hips stay square.
Reach across gently.
Back stays long.
Common mistakes
Letting the hip of the free leg open up, which turns the lift into a rotation instead of a clean hinge.
Rounding the lower back at the bottom because the hamstrings can't reach the dumbbell yet.
Bending the standing knee too much, which turns the lift into a single-leg squat instead of a hinge.
Standing the dumbbell up with the lower back instead of driving the floor away through the working glute.
5. Bodyweight Elevated Push Up
2 sets · 8 reps · 30s rest
A push-up with hands raised on a bench or box that scales the difficulty down — the cleanest beginner push-up regression.
Steps
Place your hands on a sturdy bench or box slightly wider than shoulder width.
Walk your feet back until your body forms a straight line from head to heels at an incline.
Brace your core, squeeze your glutes, and pull your shoulder blades back and down.
Lower your chest toward the bench under control with elbows tracked at about 45 degrees from your torso.
Pause briefly when your chest is just above the bench, keeping full-body tension throughout.
Press back up explosively through the palms until your arms lock out, then reset for the next rep.
Cues
Body stays long.
Lower with control.
Shoulders away from ears.
Common mistakes
Letting the hips sag down or piking up, which breaks the straight body line and loads the back.
Flaring the elbows out wide, which strains the front shoulders and reduces chest engagement.
Cutting the depth short instead of bringing the chest close to the bench, which removes most of the chest work.
Using a surface that is too high — turns the push-up into a near-standing motion with little load.