2d • Hardcore Workouts
Back & Arms Pyramid Session
1. Deadlift (true pyramid — this sets the tone for the whole session)
- Set 1: 12 reps @ ~50% 1RM
- Set 2: 8 reps @ ~65%
- Set 3: 5 reps @ ~75%
- Set 4: 3 reps @ ~85%
- Set 5: 1-2 reps @ ~90-95% (top)
- Skip the back-off set here — deadlifts are too taxing on the CNS and lower back to add junk volume after a heavy single.
2. Weighted Pull-Ups / Lat Pulldown (true pyramid)
- 15 → 12 → 8 → 6 → 4 reps, adding weight each set
- If you're not strong enough for weighted yet, run it as: assisted → bodyweight → bodyweight+pause, same rep scheme.
3. Barbell Row (reverse pyramid — heaviest first while back is still fresh off pulldowns)
- Set 1: 6 reps, heaviest working weight
- Set 2: 8 reps, drop ~10%
- Set 3: 10-12 reps, drop another ~10%
4. Single Arm Dumbbell Row (straight sets, 3 x 10-12 each side)
- Unilateral work here to iron out any left-right imbalance the barbell work can mask
5. Close-Grip Bench Press or Weighted Dips (true pyramid — triceps compound)
- 12 → 10 → 8 → 6 → 4 reps, climbing weight
6. Barbell Curl (true pyramid — biceps compound)
- 12 → 10 → 8 → 6 → 4 reps, climbing weight
- Superset this with the close-grip bench above if you want to keep density high — arms recover fast enough to alternate.
7. Overhead Tricep Extension (reverse pyramid)
- Set 1: 8 reps, heaviest
- Set 2: 10-12 reps, drop ~10%
- Set 3: 15 reps, drop again
8. Incline Dumbbell Curl (straight-set burnout)
- 3 x 12-15, same weight, full stretch at the bottom, chase the pump
9. Face Pulls (2-3 sets, 15-20 reps)
- Non-negotiable again — rear delt/rotator cuff health, and it balances out all the pressing you did on chest day. Skipping this is how shoulders start hurting six months down the line.
Why this order works
Deadlift first because it's the most neurologically demanding lift you'll do all week — never bury it under fatigue. Back volume work follows while you're still strong, then arms get trained as a mix of compound pyramids (close-grip, curls) and isolation burnouts once the bigger muscle groups are cooked.
Notes
- Rest 3 min on the deadlift top sets, 2 min on rows/pulldowns, 60-90 sec on arm isolation.
- Grip will likely be your limiting factor by the arm work — if you're chalking up or using straps early, that's normal on a back-heavy day.
- Don't run this the day after a heavy leg session — deadlifts + squats on back-to-back days is how people end up injured, not gains.
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Back & Arms Pyramid Session
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