Show Me Your Tired

Every bit of you is begging to stop and quit but you know well that this is where it counts. This is where you decide what it’s going to be. No alternate routes. No more short cuts. Right here in this moment, you can determine the path you set yourself on for the next 5 years. As to what those next 5 years will look like it will come down to just one thing, how bad do you want it?

Here’s the truth: if you walk out of the gym without at least one moment of “Why did I do this to myself?”—you probably didn’t go hard enough. Growth isn’t born from comfort; it’s forged in sweat, shaking arms, and that ever-increasing discomfort of soreness when you take off your shirt.

This back/chest split isn’t complicated. It doesn’t need to be. What it does need is effort. We’re structuring it as a superset workout, because why not get the pain over with faster, right? You’ll push, you’ll pull, and you’ll leave with a back and chest that feel like they’ve gone twelve rounds with gravity itself.

Warm-Up (Don’t Skip It, Rookie)

5 minutes rowing or brisk treadmill walk.
Band pull-aparts x 20.
Pushups x 10–15.
Shoulder rolls and arm swings.

Think of it as sending your joints a courtesy email: “Heads up, chaos incoming.”

The Gauntlet

Perform each pair back-to-back with minimal rest. Take 60–90 seconds after each superset before repeating.

Superset 1: The Heavy Hitters

Barbell Bench Press – 3 sets x 8–10 reps
Barbell Bent-Over Rows – 3 sets x 8–10 reps

Push the weight up, pull the weight back. One builds your chest shelf, the other thickens your spine armor. Balance, symmetry, power.

Superset 2: Angles & Squeeze

Incline Dumbbell Press – 3 sets x 10–12 reps
Seated Cable Rows – 3 sets x 10–12 reps

This combo hits the upper chest and mid-back, the places most beginners leave flat and sad. Press clean, row controlled. Maintain form and keep the tension as you lower the weight.

Superset 3: Bodyweight Humility

Pushups – 3 sets to near failure
Inverted Rows – 3 sets to near failure

This superset humbles everyone. Doesn’t matter if you can bench 225, your bodyweight will still check your ego. Fight through the burn and keep repping.

Finisher: The Lawn Mower Special

One-Arm Dumbbell Rows – 3 sets x 10–12 each side

Single-sided, grinding, stretch-and-squeeze work. Imagine yanking the starter cord on the world’s most stubborn lawn mower. That’s the vibe.

The Inner Narrator (aka: When You Want to Quit)

Somewhere around Superset 2 or 3, you’re going to start bargaining with yourself:

“Maybe three sets is enough today.”
“Do I really need a back this thick?”
“I’ll just go extra hard next time.”

This is where the voice in your head needs to change. Instead of excuses, you tell yourself:

“This is the rep that counts. This is the one that makes me different from the guy who quits early. If I stop now, I stay the same. If I push through, I change.”

Persevering through tiredness isn’t just about building a better chest or back—it’s about proving to yourself you’re tougher than the discomfort. And every time you push through, that toughness grows.

Cool Down

Pec stretch against the wall: 20–30 seconds per side.
Cat-cows: 8–10 reps.
Child’s pose: 30 seconds.
Band pull-aparts: 15–20 light reps.

Don’t be the person who walks out tight and stiff, only to regret it when you can’t scratch your back later.

Final Word

This workout isn’t flashy. It’s not Instagram-trendy. But it’s the real deal: heavy compound lifts, supersets to spike intensity, and bodyweight work to keep you honest.

And yes, it’s going to leave you tired. Gloriously, satisfyingly tired. Because that’s where growth hides—on the other side of fatigue.

So load the bar, tighten your grip, and tell yourself: Show me your tired. That’s where real growth happens.

FITNESS INSIGHTS & GYM ADVICE