This is the reason you should train your back and biceps together—here’s how to do it

A woman performs a renegade row with light dumbbells on a yoga mat in a living room. She is in a push-up position, with one dumbbell on the mat and the other bent at the elbow holding the dumbbell near her hip. Behind her we see a couch, alarm clock and plant.

As a personal trainer, I’m a big fan of efficient full-body workouts, which get your heart pumping and build muscle all over. But when I do target specific body areas, I like to train muscle groups that typically work together—like the back and biceps.

Most pull-type exercises, like classic pull-ups and cable rows, recruit the back and biceps. The biceps usually act as a secondary muscle, helping with the pulling movement at the elbow joint. Training these muscles together can lead to greater overall muscular strength and improved neuromuscular coordination (muscle memory).