Bench Press - Works upper pectorals, triceps and deltoids.
Lying face-up on a bench, grab the barbell, thumbs under the bar; hands far enough apart so that when the bar is resting on your chest, your upper arms are parallel to the floor and your forearms are vertical. Press the weight up from your chest until your arms are fully extended. Then lower the weight down and touch the bar lightly to your chest and then press upwards again. Keep your elbows under the bar - don't bring them in towards your body.
|
|
Pec-Deck - Works chest muscles.
Adjust the level of the seat of a pec-deck machine so that your elbows are parallel to the floor when they touch the pads. Your forearms should be relaxed and resting vertically on the pads. Push the pads of the pec-deck toSlowly return the pads to the starting position.
|
|
Incline flies - Works upper chest.
Lie face-up, feet on the ground, on a bench inclined at about 30 degrees. Keeping elbows slightly bent throughout, lower a pair of dumb-bells slowly from a starting position with your arms extended above your chest to a point where they are parallel to the floor. Don't arch your back.
|
|
Good mornings - Works lower back.
Stand with feet shoulder width apart, a light barbell across your shoulders. Start with the bar only as this exercise stresses a weak part of the body. Keep your back straight as you bend forward from the waist. Return to start position.
|
|
Hyperextensions - Works lower back.
These are usually performed on a machine specially designed for the purpose. If one is not to hand, lie on a bench and get a friend to hold your ankles firmly. With your upper body bending freely below the machine or bench, raise and lower yourself until your upper body is parallel with the floor.
|
|
Lat pull downs
Using a lat machine, take a wide grip on the overhead bar. Pull it down, keeping your back straight, until the bar touches the top of your neck. Return slowly to the start position.
|
|
Close-grip pull down
Either using the same wide bar on the lat machine but gripping it with your hands close together, or changing for a bar that allows a narrow grip, pull the bar down to the front of your chest. Slowly return the arms to a straight position and repeat.
|
|
Military press - Works back, deltoids and triceps.
It is preferable to use a machine for this, as it minimises the risk of straining your lower back. Sit with your back straight. Raise and lower the machine's bar, with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart. At its lowest level, the bar should be just above your shoulders; at its highest level, your arms should be straight.
|
|
Upright rowing - Works deltoids and biceps.
Stand holding a barbell, hands four to six inches apart in front of your thighs with your arms straight. Raise your hands as high as you can towards your chin, bending your arms at the elbows keeping the bar close to your chest. Point the elbows outwards, and don't lean backwards.
|
|
Triceps pull down
Keeping your elbows at your sides, pull the bar of a lat machine or triceps machine downwards from mid-chest until your arms are straight.
|
|
Biceps curl
Hold a barbell with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Keep your elbows close to your body and curl the weight up towards your chin. Return to the start position.
|
|
