If you need advice on how to maximize your upper-body potential, Arash Rahbar and Frank Sepe are two of the best in the game to go to. Not only are they both knowledgeable and successful in the industry, they’re both more than willing to share their experience for those that want to be their best. That’s why they recently posted an Instagram live video of a serious upper body workout. The video is available in its entirety on the Muscle & Fitness YouTube channel if you happened to miss this the first time around.
Assisted Pullups and Cable Pullovers
“I like to go with the bigger muscle and work down when I do full-body or circuits,” said Rahbar. “You need more energy and it takes a little more oomph.” They begin back training with assisted pullups. While both men are capable of doing regular pullups, Rahbar explains that the assistant helps with isolation.
“I really want to pull with the lats,” he explained. While Sepe was doing his set, Rahbar went over to the cable station to perform cable pullovers. He was using a specific handle, but a rope attachment would work as well.
Machine Seated Row
Rahbar said there’s nothing wrong with leaning back while doing a row, but he shared a tip that could make this exercise work much better in the long run.
“Anytime you come forward, keep your chest stuck on the pad, stick your butt back a little bit, I would call it a completely different exercise,” he explained. “It’s so much harder.”
“It’s not about the weight, it’s about the form,” added Sepe.
Lateral Raise
Rahbar credits this next exercise for him having his round and capped delts that he’s presented onstage numerous times. He demonstrated two ways to make the most out the exercise – one with dumbbells and the other with cables. He also advocated not to think of them as doing the same thing.
“You might think they’re the same, but they’re not. You can even do both of them in the same day.”
The duo demonstrates several versions that you can apply as you see fit. They can be performed unilaterally or with both arms at once.
Dumbbell Flye
After shoulders, they move on to chest, and they focus on is the dumbbell flye. Sepe sets an adjustable bench to a low incline position, and he suggests that using a lighter weight is better than trying to live on the heavy end of the dumbbell rack.
“(Rahbar) is getting a good stretch at the bottom and the squeeze on top,” he pointed out while watching Rahbar complete his set. “Perfect.”
Rahbar also wanted to emphasize that each person should focus on his or her own range of motion. What worked for him didn’t work for Sepe.
“He has to go back further to get that stretch,” he pointed out.
Cable Overhead Triceps Extension
Rahbar explained that doing an overhead triceps movement with a cable is better for him than a free weight version like skull crushers.
“(They) put your elbow in an awkward position, and they hurt my elbows. This doesn’t hurt my elbows as much.”
They are also using a rope that they can spread apart to get a greater contraction at the top of the movement. Keeping the elbows high also will make this more effective.
Dumbbell Preacher Curl
“This is my favorite biceps exercise of all-time,” Rahbar said emphatically. “If you do this correctly, and you’re not fried, you didn’t do it correctly.”
Correctly means sinking into the pad, making direct contact with your arm pit, using a full range of motion, and going slow. He said doing this standing makes it more challenging as well.
“This is going to allow me to keep the tension on the bicep.”
Sepe and Rahbar share numerous tips in this video for you to take to the gym with you. So, watch it in its entirety so your next workout will be the best one. Also, follow @muscleandfitness on Instagram so you can see Sepe train with other great bodybuilders and coaches in future videos.
Arash Rahbar and Frank Sepe Upper Body Workout
Assisted Pullups and Cable Pullovers – 3 supersets of 8-10 reps each.
