Exercise Library

Banded Face Pull

A face pull against a band at head height. Rear delt and upper back work that costs nothing and is worth doing most days.

Banded Row

A seated or standing row against a band anchored in front. The whole back workout that fits in a suitcase.

Chest Supported Row

A row done face-down on an inclined pad. The chest support removes the lower back and hips entirely, so every rep is the mid back and nothing else.

Doorway Row

A bodyweight row gripping a door frame and leaning back. No equipment, and the only back exercise some people have access to.

Meadows Row

A one-arm row off the end of a landmine, taken from a staggered stance. The angle of the bar gives a longer stretch at the bottom than a dumbbell allows.

Mid Row (Machine)

The seated row machine found in every commercial gym — chest against the pad, handles pulled to the midsection. The chest support takes the lower back and hips out of the movement, so the mid back does the work.

Pendlay Row

A barbell row from a dead stop on the floor with the torso parallel to the ground. Every rep starts from zero, so there is no bounce and no momentum to hide behind.

Prone T Raise

The same face-down raise with the arms straight out to the sides. Targets the mid traps and rear delts and pairs naturally with the Y raise.

Prone Y Raise

Lying face-down and lifting the arms overhead into a Y. Hits the lower traps, which almost nothing else in a normal programme touches.

Reverse Snow Angel

A face-down snow angel, sweeping the arms from the hips to overhead and back while keeping them off the floor. Works the whole upper back through a long arc.

Scapular Push-up

A push-up position where only the shoulder blades move, sliding together and apart with the elbows locked. Trains the serratus, and a good warm-up before pressing.

Towel Row

A row hanging off a towel looped round something solid. The hotel-room back workout.