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Whether it's building muscle, slimming down, or achieving general health and fitness,
I emphasize mobility and exercises aimed to help create a stronger, more comfortable life. My name is Connor Ritter and I am an ACE Certified Personal Trainer here to help you reach your fitness goals! Whether it's bulking up with muscle, slimming down, achieving general health and fitness, or any other specifi
05/24/2026
Here’s a cable focused shoulder and arm day! Using the cables for the accessory exercises provides a different tension and connection compared to using machines or free weights like dumbbells. I always feel a good pump using the cables for shoulders 💪
Swipe to see the routine and give it a try!
I’ve been trying to work my way back into running more consistently especially with the weather getting nicer. I enjoy running outside way more than on a treadmill and it’s something that I know I need to improve and build upon. Stepping outside of your comfort zone and changing your routine with a good challenge is where you’ll find the most growth 👍
May have found our new favorite place to walk 🤔
Stay organized and keep track of your shaker bottles with this storage hack! 🔥
Master the Barbell Row! 💪
The Barbell Row is a great foundational exercise to add to your back and pull day! These target the majority of your back and can help build overall pull strength and build a thicker back.
🏋️♀️ Start by hinging at your hips and keeping your back flat. I would aim for at least a 45 degree hinge but the more you hinge the more you’ll get out of the exercise because you’ll be able to target your lats and rhomboids rather than just your traps. Remember to keep your core tight and engaged throughout the entire movement.
🏋️ Next slowly extend your arms and lower the bar straight down to right below your knees. Keeping the bar path vertical will help prevent any pressure on your lower back.
🏋️♂️ After the stretch, pull the bar back up towards your mid to upper stomach and squeeze your back at the top of the movement to emphasize the connection with your rhomboids and lats. Slow and controlled is key!
Rows should be a staple in every back focused day and this is one variation that I find myself coming back to. Give these a try and watch your back strength grow! 🔥
This is one of my favorite supersets for the triceps which helps target all three heads of the muscle!
🏋️ Start with Cable Overhead Extensions, using the rope attachment to target the long head of the tricep and focus on getting a solid stretch as your hands go above you head. Keep your elbows pointed forward and stable throughout as you squeeze your triceps while extending your arms. I like to aim for 8-10 reps with medium/heavier resistance but you can also use lighter weight and go to failure.
🏋️♀️ After finishing your set turn around to face the cable tower for Close Grip Pushdowns which will target the lateral and medial heads of your triceps. Maintain a strong posture and keep your elbows slightly in front of your body and locked in by your sides. Try to get a full range of motion with these and hold the squeeze for a second at the bottom to emphasize the connection in your triceps. I like to lower the weight from the overhead extensions and aim for a higher rep range, usually 10-12 reps or failure.
You can also use the straight bar or EZ bar attachments in place of the rope attachment to switch it up! Give these a try at the end of your arm or push day and let me know what you think! 💪
This is one of my favorite ways to finish a chest day 💪
Give this push up combination a try and challenge yourself to get as many reps as you can with each level! By the end you’ll be feeling a crazy pump in your chest and arms 🔥
Master the Movement: Skullcrushers! 💪
The skullcrusher is a great tricep exercise which targets the long, lateral, and medial heads in the tricep, and helps isolate the muscle for a deeper stretch and connection. I like using the EZ Curl Bar but you can also perform this exercise with dumbbells or a kettlebell!
🏋️ To start, lay down on a bench and create a strong base with your back and shoulders. Try to use a shoulder width grip with the your hands, but you can bring your hands closer together for a narrow grip which will increase the tricep isolation.
🏋️♀️ Extend your arms and keep your elbows pointed towards the ceiling as you slowly control the weight down towards your forehead as you bend your elbow.
🏋️♂️ Straighten back our your arm towards the ceiling and squeeze your tricep at the top of the movement.
Slow and controlled is key!
Give these a try your next chest or arm day and feel the burn in your triceps 🔥
These are my favorite ready to drink protein drinks that you can find at GNC! I typically use a powder for my protein shakes because it is more cost effective but these are great if you are short on time, traveling, or want to change it up while increasing your protein intake. I know there are many options to choose from but these are the drinks I find myself coming back to. Give them a try next time you see them!
Feel better during your upper body workouts by adding in these warm-up movements! 💪
These are my favorite upper body warm-ups that I do before every upper body focused day, for both pushing and pulling workouts! I sometimes add a couple more depending on the day but these are the go-to movements I do every session. The main idea is to help open up and increase the mobility in my shoulders and upper back so I don’t feel tight while exercising while also preventing injuries and discomfort during the workout.
🏋️ Wall Shoulder Circles: This is one of my favorites to help loosen up the shoulders and build mobility. Start with your shoulder against the wall, standing tall maintaining a solid posture. Slowly start to bring your arm up in front and above your head. Once your arm is above you, rotate your palm and begin to bring your arm behind your body. Try to keep your hand in contact with the wall and avoid twisting your body. Each rep should start to feel easier as you loosen up your shoulders.
🏋️♀️ Dead Hangs: The dead hang is perfect for stretching out your lats while also decompressing your spine! I like to use both an overhand and underhand grip to get an extra stretch in the shoulders and arms. You may also feel your lower back being stretched as it loosens up tightness you may experience if you are offen in the seated position during the day. If your grip gives out or you don’t have a bar high enough, you can also get a similar stretch by pulling on a bar and sinking your hips down and back.
🏋️♂️ Banded Shoulder Dislocates: These may be the toughest of the three movements, but it does a great job of building extra mobility in your shoulders and upper back. You can use a resistance band or a stretching band, depending on how mobile your shoulders are. Start with a wider grip and slowly bring your hands above your head before rotating back and behind your body. Try to keep your arms fully extended without any bending in your elbows to get the most out of this stretch.
Give these three movements a try to help unlock your shoulders and warm up before an upper body workout day! 👍
10/01/2025