Forget pull-ups — you just need a set of kettlebells and these 5 exercises to sculpt your back and biceps

More and more people are using kettlebells in the gym instead of dumbbells, gym machines, and barbells. Kettlebells give you more freedom and range of motion during your workouts, and they add excitement and explosive power to your strength and conditioning training.

Whether you’re using the perfect kettlebell set for a kettlebell flow routine, cardio, or conditioning, bells can make training incredibly fun and provide plenty of opportunities to build strength and learn new movement patterns.

Below, we’ve put together five upper body kettlebell routines that you can do from anywhere, designed to target your back and biceps without any pull-ups or bar work, so you can build muscle without doing any pull-ups or bar work.

What is the 5-step kettlebell workout that will build your back and biceps?

To get you started, we’ve programmed five moves to work your back and biceps using only kettlebells. Each exercise is explained and it’s worth practising the technique before adding it to your routine to maximise the benefits of your training and prevent injury.

1. Gorilla Line

Like most rowing movements, the Gorilla Row works the lats, traps, rhomboids, rear delts, and biceps. The exercise’s unique leg position also activates the lower body. As you bend forward at the waist and lower your chest until it’s parallel to the floor, your core muscles, hip flexors, lower back, and hamstrings are also activated.