Thursday - Upper 2

The second upper day balances out the first one

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You’ve made it to Thursday.

You already know how this works by now… (just in case)

  1. The skeleton will be posted

  2. You’ll break open each type of hot dog and talk about what you’re trying to eat/drink/condiment ranking

  3. I’ll give a demo Upper 2 session that I might make

  4. I’ll give a short list of other things I think you should be feeling to make the most of this

Upper 2

The Skeleton

Look whether or not you want to have a different Upper 2 day is up to you, I’d recommend it, but you could just keep running Upper 1 boring 🥱 

Your second Upper session also has two blocks.

For the most part these exercises will be in the 4-8 rep range with 0-1 RIR but please read the description of each type of exercise to make sure.

To learn about how to perform warmups on this please read this.

Every set no matter what will have 2-3m rest.

First Block

Muscle Target

2x Chest Press

Chest

1x Unilateral Sagittal Lat Row

Mid/Upper Lat

1x Kelso Shrug/Upper Back Row

Upper Back

1x Frontal Pulldown

Lower Lat

Second Block

Muscle Target

1x Unilateral Shrugs

Levator Scapulae

1x Preacher Curl

Biceps

1x JM/Overhead Extension

Triceps (Med+Lat Head Focus)

Like always, move around anything anyway you like inside the blocks.

Don’t mess with the ACTUAL blocks themselves. First before Second, always.

To balance this day out, reverse Monday’s order, or structure based on muscle priority.

Picking/Performing the Exercises

First Block

2x Chest Press

For this exercise you’re trying to pick something that makes us move the arm similar to this image.

  • You’re keeping your elbow free from the torso (focusing more on what’s comfortable) ideally around 45-60 degrees of flare

  • You’re keeping your wrists strong and engaged

  • You’re keeping your forearm perpendicular to the force you’re resisting

  • You’re staying in your chests’ active range

The image assumes you’re on a chest press machine, if you were using a freeweight/etc instead you’d just want to make sure that the arm path and force is similar.

Ideally pick something stable like a machine.

Hardest position: When you do this try and make it so that it’s hardest at the bottom of the movement.

Proximity to failure: As you’re doing two sets on this try and have the first set be 1-2 reps from failure and then match the reps on the second set, was your perception of failure right?

Rep range: Try and stay in the 4-8 rep range for this one.

Exercise rankings: Chest Press Machine > Smith Bench > Barbell Bench > Dumbbell Bench

Rep speed: Aim for a maximal effort concentric, 3 second controlled eccentric, and a short pause at the top/bottom.

Equipment: If you’ve got cranky elbows you can add elbow wraps

Alternative Exercise Flyes: If you’re super into flyes feel free to do them instead here. I won’t talk much about them (as I’d rather you didn’t) but I will give a tier list. Back Supported Cable Flyes > DB Flyes > Pec Deck > Cable Flyes

1x Unilateral Sagittal Lat

All of this is the same as Monday, you can do the same movement, or something different that follows the same criteria. Completely up to you.

For this exercise we’re trying to pick something that makes us bring the arm back similar to this image.

  • Your wrist has a neutral grip

  • Your elbow is close to the torso like you’re pulling into your hip

  • Your forearm is perpendicular with the force you’re resisting at the end of the movement

  • Imagine your hand is a hook and you’re pulling with your elbow

  • You’re stopping the movement when the elbow is in line with the torso, not overextending backwards

  • You’re not bringing the shoulder forward or rotating at the torso

  • You should support the chest/hip to add stability

  • You should hold onto something with the free hand to add stability

The image assumes we’d be pulling from a cable, if we were using a DB instead we’d just want to make sure that the arm path is similar and that force acts the same way.

Hardest position: Find what’s most comfortable for you here.

Proximity to failure: Try and be at 0-1 RIR.

Rep Range: Try and stay in the 4-8 rep range for this one.

Exercise rankings: Hip supported cable row > Diagonal Lat Pulldown (JPG Pulldown 🙄) > Any Machine Row (risky) > DB Row

Rep speed: Aim for a maximal effort concentric, 3 second controlled eccentric, and a short pause at the top/bottom.

Equipment: Use straps

1x Kelso Shrug/Upper Back Row

You’ve got two options here.

  1. Do the upper back row you did on Monday here

  2. Do a kelso shrug here

You could also do a different upper back row but if you chose to do that go back to Monday’s email and read up on it.

This will be all about Kelsos.

For this exercise we’re trying to pick something that makes us bring the shoulders back and forward similar to the image.

  • Your wrist has a pronated grip roughly about shoulder width apart

  • You’re keeping your arms locked out, although SLIGHT elbow bend during the movement is allowed

  • You’re focused on rounding the shoulders all the way forward, and then bringing them back to shoulder level (not focusing on going back further for a squeeze)

  • You’re pulling with your shoulders and letting your hands and elbows act as hooks

  • You should support the chest to add stability

The image assumes we’d be pulling from a smith machine with a bench for support, if we were using a machine/anything else instead we’d just want to make sure that the shoulder path is similar and that force acts the same way.

Hardest position: We want this to be the hardest at the bottom

Proximity to failure: Try and be at 0-1 RIR.

Rep Range: Try and stay in the 4-8 rep range for this one.

Exercise rankings: Smith Machine Supported Kelso Shrug > Chest Supported Kelso Machine > Chest Supported DB > No Support Smith/BB/DB

Rep speed: Aim for a maximal effort concentric, 3 second controlled eccentric, and a short pause at the top/bottom.

Equipment: Use straps

1x Frontal Pulldown

This is the same as Monday.

Second Block

1x Unilateral Shrugs

For this exercise we’re trying to pick something that makes us bring our shoulder up similar to this image.

  • Your wrist has a neutral grip in line with the shoulder

  • You’re letting the shoulder be pulled all the way down with the weight

  • You’re bringing your shoulder as close to your ear as possible

  • You’re keeping the arm straight (some slight bend is allowed it natural)

  • You’re holding on to something with the other hand for stability

  • You’re pulling with your shoulder and letting your hand and elbow act as hooks

  • You’re keeping your torso still so you don’t use that to help

The image assumes we’d be pulling from a DB/Smith machine, if we were doing something else we’d just want to make sure that the shoulder movement is similar and that force acts the same way.

Hardest position: This should be hardest at the bottom

Proximity to failure: Try and be at 0-1 RIR.

Rep Range: Try and stay in the 4-8 rep range for this one.

Exercise rankings: Smith Machine Shrugs > DB Shrugs

Rep speed: Aim for a maximal effort concentric, 3 second controlled eccentric, and a short pause at the top/bottom.

Equipment: Use straps

1x Preacher Curl

For this exercise we’re trying to pick something that makes us curl our arm whilst being supported so our arm is in front of us.

  • Your wrist has a pronated grip

  • You’re resting your upper arm against a stable, flat, inclined surface

  • You’re hopefully sitting down/adding stability somehow

  • You’re focusing on squashing your forearm into your upper arm

  • You’re keeping your wrist strong and engaged

The image assumes we’d be doing machine preacher curls, if we were doing something like cable/db preachers we’d just want to make sure that force acts the same way.

Hardest position: Try and make it hardest at the bottom

Proximity to failure: Try and be at 0-1 RIR.

Rep Range: Try and stay in the 4-8 rep range for this one.

Exercise rankings: Machine Preacher Curls > Cable Preacher Curls > DB Preacher Curls > Barbell Preachers

Rep speed: Aim for a maximal effort concentric, 3 second controlled eccentric, and a short pause at the top/bottom.

Equipment: Shouldn’t need straps but it won’t hurt

1x JM Press/Overhead Extensions

For this exercise we’re trying to pick something that makes us extend the elbow (focusing on the triceps).

It’s similar to Tuesday’s email when we spoke about Quad bias vs Hip bias squat patterns.

we want to make sure that at force is furthest from the elbow, to make it bias the triceps

  • Your wrist has a pronated grip and you’re resting the weight on the base of your palm (can be open or closed)

  • You’re focusing on bringing your hands towards your shoulders whilst your bend at the elbow and bring the upper arm down

  • You’re hopefully sitting down

  • You’re focusing on squashing your forearm into your upper arm

  • You’re keeping your wrist strong and engaged

  • You’ve found an amount of elbow flare and a position that feels comfortable

The image assumes we’d be doing a smith machine JM press, if we were doing something like DB we’d just want to make sure that force acts the same way and the movement is as close as possible.

Hardest position: This should be hardest somewhere in the middle/end (can use bands)

Proximity to failure: Try and be at 0-1 RIR.

Rep Range: Try and stay in the 4-8 rep range for this one.

Exercise rankings: Smith Machine JM Press > Freeweight SSB Bar JM Press > Barbell JM Press > DB JM Press/Skullcrushers

Rep speed: Rep speed: Aim for a maximal effort concentric, 3 second controlled eccentric, and a short pause at the top/bottom.

I shouldn’t have to explain the overhead extension, this is it.

same sort of rep range, proximity to failure, rep speed.

Attachment rankings: Straight bar > V Bar. Never use the rope

Demo Upper 2 Session

Here’s how I’d do it, not taking into account your personal goals or enjoyment and gym limitations etc. (I have gym limitations).

First Block

Muscle Target

Exercise I‘d Pick (for me)

1x Kelso Shrug/Upper Back Row

Upper Back

DB Chest Supported Kelso Shrugs

2x Chest Press

Chest

Chest Press (Slightly Decline bc gym limitations)

1x Unilateral Sagittal Lat Row

Mid/Upper Lat

Hip Braced Cable Row

1x Frontal Pulldown

Lower Lat

Lat Pulldown

Second Block

Muscle Target

Exercise I‘d Pick (for me)

1x Preacher Curl

Biceps

Cable Preacher Curl

1x JM/Overhead Extension

Triceps (Med+Lat Head Focus)

Smith Machine JM Press

1x Unilateral Shrugs

Levator Scapulae

Smith Machine Shrugs

Pretty cool huh. I make it so easy for you guys.

Other Things You Should Bear in Mind

You already should have read this, if not read this now please 🙄 I do write it for a reason…

Upper 2 fills in some of the pieces Upper 1 misses, that doesn’t mean you have to do it though. You can just keep running Upper 1 as it’s already very balanced.

I hope you enjoy trying out this structure, and find a combination, and order that works for you.

Remember, as you become more advanced, you’ll need a different order (potentially).

Your Hypertrophy Hero,
Fletcher

P.S. You might be able to guess but I’m starting to get pretty bored of the skeleton stuff (I’ve been doing it all by hand…) hence why some of them are starting to get cursed.

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