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25-Minute Full Body Pull Workout (Stronger 25, Day 6)

Build total body strength and endurance with this full body pull workout. This type of strength training routine focuses on exercises that target the muscles involved in pulling movements, such as the back, biceps, hamstrings and glutes. Each circuit supersets two compound pull exercises together, creating an effective full body strength workout in under 30 minutes.

This is DAY SIX of our Stronger 25 Program.

woman performing a bicep curl hold and dumbbell press out

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Strengthen all the muscles involved in “pulling” motions with this full body pull workout at home.

You loved the challenge of our Full Body Push Workout (Stronger 25, Day 1) last week. This is the complement to that workout – hitting the opposing muscles in the body.

Today’s workout is made up of pulling exercises that target both the lower body pull muscles (hamstrings, hips and glutes) and the upper body pull muscles (back and biceps).

Pull workouts focus on the muscle groups that work in a pulling motion (when weight is being pulled towards your body). For example, think of how your biceps flex as you pull the weights up towards your shoulders in a bicep curl.

two women performing a woodchop sit up as as part of a full body pull workout

Full Body Pull Workout FAQs

What Exercises Do You Do For Pull?

Pull ups, lat pulldowns, bent over rows, barbell rows, bicep curls and hyperextensions are all examples of popular pull exercises. Deadlifts are an example of an exercise that targets both the lower body and upper body pull muscles: hitting the glutes, hamstrings and lower back muscles all at once.

Why Should You Do Pulling Exercises?

Pulling exercises target the muscles of the posterior chain, such as the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius, hamstrings and glutes. Strengthening these muscles can improve posture, support the spine, reduce back pain and improve overall strength.

Is Push Day or Pull Day Better?

Both push exercises and pull exercises are necessary to include as part of a well-rounded workout routine. These opposing muscle groups work together to perform daily movements and stabilize the body. Training one more than the other can lead to muscle imbalances and injuries.

Two women performing a dumbbell swing as part of full body workout

Build muscle and challenge your endurance with this 25-minute full body pull workout.

Compound strength exercises will target all of the major pull muscles in the body in under 30 minutes.

Add full body workouts like this one to your workout routine 1-2 times a week to build muscle mass and increase endurance.

Workout Equipment:

A medium-to-heavy set of dumbbells. I suggest anywhere from 8-25 lbs. We used 10-20 lb dumbbells in this workout.

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Woman performing a rear foot elevated hammer bicep curl as part of full body pull workout

Workout Instructions:

Follow along with the guided Full Body Pull Workout on YouTube, led by certified personal trainer and fitness instructor, Lindsey Bomgren. 

Your Workout Looks Like This:

  • 3 Circuits
  • 2 Moves Per Circuit (A/B/A Format)
  • Timed Intervals (40 seconds work, 10 seconds rest)
  • Repeat Each Circuit x2 Sets
  • Bonus Core Circuit

Workout Outline

CIRCUIT ONE:

A: Single Leg Deadlift Hold and Batwing Back Row (Right)
B: Dumbbell Swings
A: Single Leg Deadlift Hold and Batwing Back Row (Left)

CIRCUIT TWO:

A: Rear Foot Elevated Single Leg Deadlift and Single Arm Hammer Curl
B: Incline Forearm Plank and Row
A: Rear Foot Elevated Single Leg Deadlift and Single Arm Hammer Curl

CIRCUIT THREE:

A: Glute Bridge Hamstring Curls
B: Wood Chop Sit Up
A: Glute Bridge Hamstring Curls

CORE:

1.  Adductor Side Plank (Right)
2. Adductor Side Plank (Left)
3. Plank and Alternating Dumbbell Push 

two women performing hamstring walk outs

Prefer to Watch On YouTube?

youtube icon Pull Workout

6 Full Body Pulling Exercises

Single Leg Deadlift Hold and Batwing Back Row

Targets: Legs, hamstrings, glutes, hips, lower back, mid-back, abs and core.

Two women performing a single leg deadlift with a single arm back row as part of full body pull workout

How To Do Single Leg Deadlifts and Batwing Back Rows

  1. Start standing with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold dumbbells in both hands, palms facing in (narrow grip).
  2. Transfer your weight into your right foot and float your left foot off the ground, balancing on your right leg.
  3. Perform a single arm back row on the right by pulling your right elbow to the right hip. Hold the dumbbell in your right hand at the top of this row position for the rest of the timed interval.
  4. Then, perform single arm dumbbell rows on the left, pulling the dumbbell in your left hand towards your left hip, before lowering with control and repeating.

Modification: perform a staggered deadlift with both feet on the floor, feet shoulder width apart. Keep 80% of your weight in your front heel and 20% in your back toe.

Dumbbell Swings

Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, hips, core, and all the stabilizing muscles in your back and shoulders.

two women performing dumbbell swings as example of lower body pull exercise

How To Do Dumbbell Swings

  1. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, holding a single dumbbell vertically between your hands.
  2. With a slight bend in your knees and weight in your heels, ‘hike’ the dumbbell back between your legs to start the swing movement.
  3. Drive through your heels to stand tall, pushing your hips forward as you squeeze your glutes to swing the dumbbell up. Aim for shoulder height, with arms extended out away from the body. Think long, loose arms (your arms are just a vehicle for moving the weight, your hips and glutes generate the power).
  4. As the dumbbell begins to descend, think of catching the weight with a hip hinge, loading the glutes and hamstrings.

Rear Foot Elevated Single Leg Deadlift and Single Arm Hammer Curl

Targets: Hamstrings, gluteus maximus, biceps and core.

Elevating the rear foot shifts the focus more into the hamstrings. And single leg exercises increase core engagement.

Two women performing a rear foot elevated single leg deadlift with a bicep curl

How To Do Rear Foot Elevated Single Leg Deadlifts and Single Arm Hammer Curls

  1. Start standing in front of a bench or chair, holding a dumbbell in your left hand. Place your left foot behind you on the bench, shoelaces down.
  2. Keeping hips square, press your glutes back towards the wall behind you, hinging at the hips and gliding the dumbbell down your front leg until you feel a stretch along the back of your right leg. Range of motion will be different for everyone.
  3. Exhale as you press through your front heel and stand tall, returning to starting position.
  4. Then, curl the dumbbell up towards your left shoulder, palm facing in (hammer curl grip).
  5. With control, lower the dumbbell to your hips, returning to starting position.

Modification: perform a staggered deadlift with both feet on the floor, feet shoulder width apart. Keep 80% of your weight in your front heel and 20% in your back toe.

Incline Forearm Plank and Row

Targets: Shoulders, back, glutes and core.

Two women performing an incline plank and dumbbell row

How To Do Incline Forearm Planks and Rows

  1. Place your left forearm horizontally on a raised surface (a box, bench or couch work great). Hold a dumbbell in your right hand.
  2. Step your feet back to find an incline forearm plank position, left shoulder stacked over left elbow, pelvis tucked and core engaged. Think of creating one long line from your heels through the top of your head.
  3. Then, perform a single arm row on the right by pulling the dumbbell in your right hand towards your right hip.
  4. Pause at the top of the movement, then lower the dumbbell with control, returning to starting position.

Modification: Perform a bird dog back row from a quadruped position. As you perform a single arm back row on one side, extend the opposite leg out behind you.

Glute Bridge Hamstring Curls

Targets: Glutes (gluteus medius) and hamstrings.

This move replaces the leg curl machine you would find at a conventional gym.

Two women performing hamstring curls on towel as example of pulling exercise

How To Do Glute Bridge Hamstring Curls

  1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent. Position your feet hip-width apart and place a towel under your heels (or paper plates if you workout on carpet)
  2. Inhale to brace your core, then squeeze your glutes to lift your hips off the ground.
  3. Exhale as you slowly slide your heels away from your glutes, extending your legs fully. Focus on keeping your hips even and core engaged.
  4. Slowly and with control, return to the starting position by bending your knees and sliding your feet back towards your body until your knees are bent at approximately 90 degrees.

Modification: Perform a hamstring walkout from the floor. Start lying on your back in a glute bridge. Slowly “walk” your heels out away from your body. Then walk them back in, returning to starting position.

Wood Chop Sit Up

Targets: Core, lats (latissimus dorsi), pecs (pectoralis major and pectoralis minor), and shoulders.

The dumbbell pullover is one of the best exercises to work the muscles you need for pull ups without a pull up bar.

Two women performing wood chop sit ups as part of full body pull workout

How To Do A Wood Chop Sit Up

  1. Start laying on your back, knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Hold a dumbbell vertically between both hands overhead.
  2. Extend your arms straight above your head, keeping a slight bend in your elbows. This is your starting position. Engage your abs by drawing your belly button in towards your spine.
  3. Leading with the dumbbell, perform a sit up as you “chop” the weight up. Upper body lifts up off the mat as you come to a seated position, dumbbell tapping the floor between your heels.
  4. Then slowly lower your back to return to the mat, keeping your arms extended as you bring the dumbbell overhead, returning to starting position.

Modification: Perform dumbbell pullovers, omitting the sit up.

Stronger 25 Feature Image. Woman performing an oblique crunch and knee drive.

Stronger 25: FREE Strength Training Program

A 2-week, strength training program designed to help you feel stronger in just 25 minutes a day.

If you liked this full body strength and abs workout at home, download the FREE, 2-Week Full Body Workout Plan.

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2 comments
  1. Those incline plan-and-rows in circuit 2 were a killer! Loved the side-plank adductor exercise toward the end too. Great new moves in this terrific new workout! Keep up the great work!