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Muscular Endurance > Shrugs and Rows

This is one of my less demanding routines. It's good for a day when I still want to work out but don't feel like going heavy. Most of the various lifts can be done with either a barbell or dumbbells.

Bent-Over Rows: Bend over with your back straight and lift the bar to your chest; only your arms should move.

Upright Rows: Stand up straight and lift the bar towards your lower to middle chest. Don't lift the bar to your upper chest. Lifting it too high can impinge the nerves causing shoulder damage.

Reverse Grip Rows: Reverse grip rows work best with an EZ Curl bar because the specialty bar is easier on your wrists. Bend over at an incline. You don't want to be parallel with the ground. Instead, you want to be somewhere between parallel and a standing position. Grip the bar with your palms facing forward and lift the bar towards your stomach. If you haven't done these before, they feel good, giving your upper back a pump.

Shrugs: Stand up straight with your arms down holding the barbell across your thighs. Lift the bar by shrugging your shoulders. For a variation, hold the bar behind you while shrugging.

Reverse Grip Shrugs: Stand up straight with your arms down holding the barbell across your thighs. Grip the EZ Curl bar with your palms facing forward. Lift the bar by shrugging your shoulders.

Side Armpit Rows: Stand up straight and hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Raise the dumbbells toward your armpits as your elbows bend outward.

Afterwards, consider doing Barbell Pullovers. Lie supine on a bench with a barbell or two dumbbells in your hands. With arms straight, lower the weight behind you towards the floor, and then lift it back to an overhead position.