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. Machine Plate Loaded T Bar Row
3 sets 路 10 reps 路 45s rest
Chest support removes the lower back from the equation, so the row can be the focus.
Steps
Load plates onto the T-bar's loading sleeve and step astride the bar with feet shoulder-width apart.
Hinge at the hips with a flat back and a slight knee bend until you can grip the handles.
Brace your core hard and squeeze your shoulder blades back and down to lock the torso position.
Pull the bar up toward your lower chest by driving the elbows back, leading with the upper back.
Pause briefly at the top of the pull, squeezing the lats and mid-back hard before reversing.
Lower the bar slowly over 2 to 3 seconds back to the start, keeping the hinge position locked the whole rep.
Cues
Chest on the pad.
Pull to the belly.
Squeeze the blades.
Common mistakes
Rounding the lower back to lift heavier, which puts serious risk on the spine.
Standing too upright and turning the lift into a shrug instead of a row.
Yanking the bar with body english instead of pulling cleanly with the back.
Cutting the lowering short and letting the bar drop, missing the muscle-building portion of every rep.
2. Narrow Pulldown
3 sets 路 10 reps 路 45s rest
A narrow grip pulls lower on the lats. Avoid leaning back to finish the rep.
Steps
Attach a close-grip V-handle to the cable and sit on the machine with your thighs locked under the pad.
Grip the handle with palms facing each other and let your arms extend fully overhead.
Lean your torso back about 10 to 15 degrees and pull your shoulder blades down to set the lats.
Pull the handle down to your upper chest by driving the elbows down close to the sides of your body.
Pause briefly at the bottom with the handle at your collarbones, squeezing the lower lats hard.
Let the handle travel slowly back overhead over 2 to 3 seconds until your arms are fully extended.
Cues
Sit tall.
Pull to the chest.
Slow release.
Common mistakes
Pulling with the biceps and forearms instead of leading with the elbows and back.
Leaning too far back so the lift turns into a row instead of a vertical pull.
Cutting the top range short and never letting the arms fully extend overhead.
Letting the stack snap up at the top, removing the slow return portion of each rep.
3. Machine Underhand Row
3 sets 路 10 reps 路 45s rest
The underhand grip brings the biceps in and changes where the back works.
Steps
Set the chest pad height so it sits across your upper chest with your shoulders just above the handles.
Grip the underhand handles with palms facing up and let your arms extend fully toward the floor.
Brace your core and press your chest firmly into the pad to lock the torso in place.
Pull the handles up toward your lower ribs by driving the elbows back and down close to the body.
Pause at the top with the elbows behind you, squeezing the lats and biceps for a full beat.
Lower the handles slowly over 2 to 3 seconds back to a full stretch before the next rep.
Cues
Palms up.
Elbows to the hips.
Chest stays tall.
Common mistakes
Curling the arms up with the biceps instead of rowing with the elbows leading the motion.
Letting the chest peel off the pad to cheat the weight up, which loads the low back.
Flaring the elbows wide and turning the row into an overhand-style pull, losing the underhand bias.
Cutting the stretch short and never letting the arms fully extend at the bottom of each rep.
4. Smith Machine Standing Shrugs
3 sets 路 12 reps 路 40s rest
The fixed path means you can load the traps without balancing the bar.
Steps
Set the Smith bar to about mid-thigh height and stand facing the bar with feet shoulder-width apart.
Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width with palms facing the body.
Unrack the bar by rotating the wrists and stand tall with arms hanging fully extended.
Brace your core and shrug your shoulders straight up toward your ears as high as you can.
Pause briefly at the top, squeezing the upper traps for a full beat without rolling the shoulders.
Lower the bar slowly over 2 to 3 seconds back to the start position before the next rep.
Cues
Straight up.
Pause at the top.
No rolling.
Common mistakes
Rolling the shoulders forward or backward at the top, which strains the joint without adding trap work.
Bending the arms during the lift, which turns the shrug into a partial upright row.
Bouncing the bar at the bottom and using momentum instead of a controlled trap contraction.
Cutting the range short and never reaching a full shoulder elevation at the top of the rep.
5. Machine 45 Degree Back Extension
3 sets 路 12 reps 路 40s rest
Finishes the back chain. Rise to level rather than arching past it.
Steps
Set the pad height so the top edge sits just below your hip crease and step into the machine.
Plant your feet firmly on the foot platform and cross your arms over your chest.
Brace your core and hold a straight line from head to heels at the starting position.
Hinge forward at the hips, lowering your torso toward the floor with a flat back.
Stop when you feel a stretch in the hamstrings and your torso is roughly parallel to the floor.
Drive your hips into the pad and squeeze your glutes to return to the straight starting line.
Cues
Hinge at the hips.
Long spine.
Stop level.
Common mistakes
Rounding the lower back at the bottom instead of hinging cleanly at the hips.
Hyperextending the lower back at the top instead of stopping at a straight line.
Adding weight too soon, which compromises the hinge and overloads the lower back.
Rushing the descent instead of controlling the lowering phase for the full range.