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Knee Extensions

To Exercise or Not to Exercise

Good form bad workout

Potentially Dangerous Exercises

Behind the neck pulldowns

Ab belts and muscle stem

Stiff Legged deadlifts

Abdominal Machines for a Flat Mid-Section.

Bent Over Rows

The Stiff Legged Deadlift

To Squat or not to Squat

Exercise lists and definitions

Free Fitness Analysis

Tired of all the over-hyped fitness fads, products, and programs that don't deliver on their promises?

Knee extensions as a means of improving squat strength:

The knee extension is performed such that the thigh is fixed to the machine, while the knee extension force generated by the quadriceps serves to move the tibia across the femur. In a squat, the trunk, hip and knee extensors act as prime movers, moving the femur across the tibia, which is the fixed distal segment (along with the foot) in this closed kinetic chain exercise. The relevance here lies in the fact that the motor recruitment patternsfor the knee extension are 180 degrees out of phase with the recruitment patterns activated by the CNS to perform the squat. Another classic exampleis the difference between performing a lat pull down and a chin-up. Any serious climber will tell you that there is a huge difference in the strength quality necessary to perform a closed chain pull-to-press over a rock ledge and an open chain lat pull down."

It is this very point which must be considered when designing resistance training programs for athletes. If for example you use an open chain leg press in attempt to develop explosive strength for sprinting, you will NEVER achieve optimal performance. To shed further light on this potentially "very deep subject", when training a cyclist, you have carryover from both open chain and closed chain exercises due to the very nature of cycling (pushing the pedal down from a seated position vs. standing and driving a big gear or during an intense hill climb).

I choose this example because this is where Open and Closed Chain have a grey
area:

Initially, when the cyclist stands up to drive downward on the pedal, his body may momentarily move away from the pedal, until the arms counter the upward movement of the body - turning the movement into an open chain movement as the pedal descends away from the body. The same scenario can be developed for a boxer punching an opponent in the head; the chain is closed upon contact, yet opens as the force of the arm overcomes the momentary resistance created by the head (a concept I am very familiar with by the way!). This is why boxers can be seen doing both open and closed chain exercises in their training programs, if their coach knows what he is doing!

In bodybuilding, the concept of open and closed chain is far less relevant because there is no athletic component to bodybuilding; the goal being to have the biggest muscles, the best proportions and a good posing routine.

Bodybuilders can benefit greatly from this information though, as alternating between open and closed chain exercises serves to more fully develop both the nervous system and musculature due to the variety of recruitment patterns needed.

To give another illustration that may help clear the confusion, consider that running is a closed chain dominant exercise (you apply force against the earth and you move), while cycling is predominantly an open chain exercise (press on the pedal and it moves away from you). If there was any real transfer of strength qualities and skills developed, Carl Lewis would make a hell of a track cyclist and the Race Across America would probably be won by an ultra distance runner, or vice versa.

PAUL CHEK

To Exercise or Not to Exercise

With cold season upon us, it's good to know when to workout and when not

Q: Can I exercise when I have a cold?

A: If you have a cold, it's generally okay to work out. A recent study found that moderate exercise had no effect on the duration or severity of a cold. So both exercisers and non-exercisers suffered for the same amount of time. But you may feel better if you work out. Exercise releases adrenaline, also called epinephrine, a natural decongestant, which may help clear nasal passages. It may also help you feel better mentally.

One caution: Exercise at a lower intensity than normal --and pay attention to your body. If you start to feel worse, stop exercising and rest instead. High intensity workouts such as running long distances may actually depress your immune system, making you more susceptible to getting sick or increasing the severity of an illness.

If you've got the flu, though, skip your workout -- even if it's low intensity. Here's how to distinguish between cold and flu symptoms, and know when it's okay to exercise and when it's not.

Exercise okay if you have:

runny nose
sniffling and sneezing
scratchy throat

Skip the workout if you have:

fever
body aches or headache
vomiting or diarrhea
chest congestion and a cough

by Michele Stanten with Selene Yeager

Good Form, Bad Workout?

Many beginning exercisers are concerned about using proper form when working out. We have all heard about the evils of using bad form. In general, form is important BUT - don't sacrifice your workout to the "Form Police."

Too many Personal Trainers will tell you that the form must be perfect. They'll say if you can't do an exercise with perfect form, you must stop and/or lighten up the weight. Often you end up with a "workout" that has had the life sanitized right out of it! You keep lightening everything up and stopping as soon as your form falters - and you leave the "workout" without ever breaking a sweat or breathing hard. That's not a workout. That's a waste of time.

Another problem is Personal Trainers that confuse themselves with Physical Therapists. As soon as they see something wrong with your form, they tell you some BS story like "Your trying to compensate with your teres minor, because your infraspinatus is weak." So they give you a bunch of silly "exercises" for you infraspinatus ("exercises" that are so easy most people could do them in their sleep!). I think those trainers are usually just trying to make things sound complex, to make themselves sound smarter than you, and to make you dependent on them. If you ask me, that's like a fireman telling you "Sure, we'll put out the fire, but first, let's dust the shelves, make the bed, and wash the dishes." HELLO - the house is on FIRE - let's set some priorities here! If someone comes to me with an extra 100 pounds of BUTT, I'm going to help them get rid of the butt before I worry about their infraspinatus!

There are times when form is critical. It takes an experienced Personal Trainer to know when form must be very strict, and when it's OK to "cheat." I always say "Cheat to make it harder, not easier." By that I mean when you can no longer keep good form you have two choices: stop - or cheat. Stopping is very easy, and it does your muscles no good. I say keep going, even if you have to cheat. The extra reps you get at the end do you more good than the easy reps at the beginning of the set.

Having said all of this, you must be careful to cheat in a SAFE way. There are exercises where if your form is bad, you risk an injury. So don't cheat unless you know exactly what you are doing. For example, when you are failing with an overhead press, DON'T cheat by leaning back. This puts your lower back at risk for a serious injury. A safe way to cheat would be to bend the knees slightly and let your legs give you a little push, a little momentum on the way up - while keeping the back very straight.

It's hard for most people to know how and when it's OK to cheat. One rule of thumb is that you should never jerk the weights around. The best thing to do is to hire a professional. A good Personal Trainer will always tell you when your form must be perfect, and when it's safe to let it slide a little bit. Just make sure your trainer is putting out the fire before dusting the shelves....

(by Clint Phillips)

Non-Functional and Potentially Dangerous Exercises

Are weight training exercises functional or are we just slaves to fashionable equipment? Strength training is commonly recommended to promote strength, muscle hypertrophy, power, prevent injury and promote recovery following injury. Exercise selection and prescription has commonly been based upon unfounded generalizations passed down from one generation to another, rather than proven scientifically based training principles. A closer analysis will reveal that the execution and design of many weight training exercises and equipment may not necessarily be the most effective, nor functional and at times may be potentially dangerous.

Leg Extension:
- Is not functional in terms of daily physical activity such as squatting, sitting, stepping and running. Activates less upper leg muscle tissue when compared to whole body exercises such as squats, lunges and dead lifts.
- Pulls the patella (knee cap) back onto the femur (upper leg bone) and grinds it across the knee joint.
- Produces shearing forces inside the knee joint.
- Doing whole body leg exercises such as squats are more effective and safer than doing leg extension exercises

Leg Curl Exercise:
- Is not functional in terms of daily physical activity such as squatting, sitting, stepping and running.
- Activates less upper leg muscle tissue when compared to whole body exercises such as squats, lunges and dead-lifts.
- Produces shearing forces inside the knee joint.
- Doing whole body leg exercises such as squats are more effective and safer than doing leg curl exercises.

Pec Deck:
- Is not functional in terms of daily activities such as pushing and lifting yourself off the ground. Activates less chest muscle tissue when compared to the bench press.
- Places the shoulder joint in dislocation position and a position of shoulder impingement (stress on the tendons).
- The bench press exercise is a more effective and safer exercise than the pec deck exercise.

Decline Bench Press:
- Decline bench press is not functional if compared with the daily activities of pushing and lifting.
- Less chest muscles are activated during the decline bench press when compared to the flat bench press because the range of movement is reduced.
- Decline bench press places the head below the heart which places stress on the cardiovascular system. If the body is placed under stress in a decline position, a stroke could be induced.
- The flat bench press is more effective, produces better results and is safer than the decline bench press.

Behind the Neck Lat-Pull down:
- Activates less back muscles than the close, reverse grip, lat-pull down. A wide grip pull-down places the lats in a shortened position, consequently producing less force.
- A reverse, close grip places the lats and biceps (back and arm muscles) in a stronger position to lift more weight, safely.
- Any upper body exercise where shoulders are externally rotated and the hands are behind the head, places the shoulder in the dislocation position (unstable), a position of impingement (tendon stress) and places the neck in a flexed position (stress on the neck)
- The reverse close grip lat-pull down is a more effective and safer version of a pull-down exercise.

Shoulder Press:
- Activates less shoulder muscles than the more functional exercises such as the bench press and the lat-pull down, chin-up and dip exercises.
- The shoulders are worked to their full potential (much harder) during all upper body exercise such as the lat-pull down, seated row, dips and chin-ups and bench presses.
- Some variations of the shoulder press place the shoulder joint in the dislocation position (unstable), position of impingement (tendon stress) and places the neck in a flexed position (stress on the neck).
- The upper body exercises such as bench press or dips are more effective and safer than any form of isolated shoulder exercises.

Back Hyperextension:
- The back extension is a dangerous exercise. It is not functional in terms of daily actions such as squatting, picking things up and getting up and down off the ground.
- It places stress on the lower back due to the isolated flexion and extension through the discs of the lower back.
- An exercise called the dead-lift is a very functional exercise that trains the lower back and abdominals as well as the legs in the one functional action. The dead-lift stabiles and strengthens the lower back during the exercise action.

Bicep Curls and other variations of bicep exercises:
- Biceps curls are not functional in terms of daily actions such as pulling and lifting.
- More bicep muscle is activated during functional exercises such as lat-pull downs. Heavier loads can be lifted with these bigger exercises; consequently the smaller muscles of the arm have to work much harder during these exercises than during the "fluffy" exercises like bicep curls.
- Lat-pull downs and chins ups are more functional and far more effective than bicep curls for working the arm muscles.
- If you are lat-pull downs, chin ups or rowing type exercises, your arm muscles will be working much harder than if you did bicep curls. Bicep curls are not dangerous but they are a waste of your time if you are doing the compound lifts.

Tricep Extension, kickbacks and other variations of the tricep exercise:
- Tricep extension are not functional in terms of daily action such as pushing and pressing.
- More tricep muscle is activated during functional exercise such as bench presses and dips. Heavier loads are lifted by the triceps during these exercises and they have to work much harder.
- Bench presses and dips are more functional and far more effective than isolated tricep exercises and they activate more muscle fibers than "fluffy" isolated tricep exercises.
- If you are doing bench presses, dips and push ups there is no need to train the triceps again and you will not gain any further results.

Push-up Variations

The push up is one of those exercises that seem to have been around forever. I remember my friends and I doing pushups all summer long when we were younger and didn't have access to weights.

When done correctly push ups can effectively train the chest, shoulders and triceps with one movement. With some creativity, you can add some variation to a traditional push up and increase the challenge to the body. I've been incorporating some of these push up variations successfully for years, and you & your athletes will enjoy the challenge!

STANDARD PUSH UP

Concentrate on keeping the back straight. Arms a little wider than shoulder width. Keep the movement in control.

INCLINE PUSH UP

-This movement will place more stress on the upper chest and shoulders. You can make it even harder by having the athlete place only one foot on the box.

STABILITY PUSH UP

This push up is much harder than it appears. It's a great exercises for shoulder stabilization. Make sure you have spotters on each side of the athlete.

ADVANCED STABILITY PUSH UP

Only attempt this with highly advanced athletes. It's an incredible exercise for shoulder stabilization and balance. Proper spotters and safety are a must.

Ryan Lee, MS, CSCS

Behind the head Lat Pull Downs

Behind the head Lat Pull Downs are very damaging to the anterior capsule of the glenohumeral joint. This is because of the following reasons:

1. Most Lat Pull machines are not designed with sufficient ergonomics to allow optimal body positioning to do the exercise. Because you generally can't get close enough to the machine to have the cable hang over T1, the resulting compensation is a forward lean of the trunk, which places excessive stress on the shoulder joint in external rotation and horizontal abduction (the exact position which loads the weakest portion of the shoulder joint capsule). Repeated exposure under load will lead to glenohumeral joint laxity, which can be career threatening if you are an athlete.

2. To prevent bashing your head with the bar, it is common to protrude the head forward into a forward head posture. This causes excessive stress on the cervical spine because of the force transmission through the elevators and stabilizers of the shoulder girdle that are very active during this exercise.

3. The Levator Scapulae is a very important and complex muscle which provides rotation and frontal plane stabilization to the cervical spine and inferiorly rotates the glenohumeral joint. When performing the typical behind head lat pull, the levator scapulii are heavily recruited to inferiorly rotate the glenohumeral joint. Because the loads are often very high (far too high for most people based on body language fit for someone being electrocuted) the levator scapulii are recruited to the point of strain, resulting in neck pain and lost range of motion in the cervical
spine.

4. Beside wearing the neck and shoulder out, the exercise promotes bad motor patterning, as it promotes forward head posture.

By Paul Chek

Increasing My Vertical Jump

The first thing to look at is your level of maximal strength in the muscles responsible for jumping which are (in approximate order of importance) glutes, hamstrings, quads, gastrocnemius, and low back musculature. The usual exercises used in assessing the maximal strength of these muscles are the back squat and/or deadlift.

Although I can't give you any exact numbers, in general, the greater your maximal strength is, the more you should be emphasizing accelerative and explosive training methods in your training (such as plyometrics). The lower your maximal strength is, the more you should simply work on improving that aspect.

If you weigh 185 pounds and your maximal back squat (performed such that the tops of the thighs reach a parallel position when viewed from the side) is 275x1, this would represent a low to low-average level of maximal strength. The majority of your training should be devoted to developing maximal strength. On the other hand, if you weigh 185 and can squat 365, then this represents a relatively high level of maximal strength, and comparatively more of your efforts should be devoted toward developing explosive power.

At least a large percentage of your squats should be performed in a manner that corresponds to your particular style of vertical jumping. If you jump with a narrow stance and significant trunk lean, you won't benefit too much from a wide-stance, vertical trunk squat, for example. Videotape your vertical jump from the front and side and notice the width of your stance and your knee and hip angles. Then perform squats that resemble this position (not ALL of your squats should be done this way, but approximately 50% of them should). If you feel that you are already fairly strong and need to emphasize explosive strength, perform 8-12 sets of 2-3 reps in an accelerative manner (you won't come anywhere near failure) with a load that approximates 60% of your maximal ability in the whatever style of squat you're doing. If you need to improve maximal strength, perform 4-6 sets of 3-5 reps with heavy weights (still trying to accelerate). Additional exercises would include stiff-leg deadlifts, back extensions, reverse hypers, cleans and clean pulls, calf raises, deadlifts, and glute-ham raises. Lower body exercise should be done twice in a 7-10 day period.

So far I've only spoken from a physical preparation perspective, but don't ignore your jumping technique. Bigger, Faster, Stronger sells materials related to vertical jumping technique. Give them a call at (801) 974-0460.

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Can Those Throbbing Abdominal Belts Melt Fat From Your Stomach?

Can Electronic Muscle Stimulators Improve Your Physique?

The relentless supplement industry is not the only party guilty of false advertising. Many years ago, I remember seeing a machine resembling a lie detector (ironically!) comprised of electrodes that attach to muscles in the upper and lower body (Electronic Muscle Stimulators).

Makers of such units claim that electronic impulses miraculously "massage" newfound muscularity, simulating the impact of intense weight training while you sit comfortably in an easy chair watching your favorite television show! Needless to say, these machines are absolutely useless in building muscle or burning fat, but the advertisements made strong, convincing claims to the contrary.

Recently, I noticed that these same electrode based products, proven false many years ago, have resurfaced, but with an interesting twist -- they now wrap around your mid-section and are "a cure for the bulging stomach". These false advertisements claim that a vibrating belt can transform your flabby belly into a sleek, slim mid-section.

To put it mildly, these vibrating ab belts and muscle stimulators are ABSOLUTE FALLACIES, no different from supplements or the seemingly endless supply of abdominal "toning" devices available through mail order companies.

Sure, the advertisements promise lean, defined six-pack abdominals without having to follow proper diet and exercise techniques. What an attractive and convenient alternative! I can sit in my chair and sleep my way to a stunning mid-section! Unfortunately, you will wear the belt for several weeks, find absolutely NO improvement in the appearance of your stomach, and forget to return the product.

Does this sound familiar? The same concept applies to the Electronic Muscle Stimulators which claim to increase muscle mass through vibrating electrodes. It's very sad, but endless lies and deception comprise this multi-billion dollar industry, and we have all fallen prey to their unethical advertising tactics.

Deadlifts: Stiff Legged:

Place a barbell on the floor and stand behind it with your shins touching the bar. Bend over, take a shoulder width overgrip on the bar and stand erect. Your arms should be straight and at your sides, with the bar resting across your upper thighs. That is the starting position.
Stiffen your legs, leaving just the slightest bend at the knees, and keep them that way throughout the set. slowly bend at the waist and lower the barbell until the plates touch the floor, then slowly stand erect again to return to the starting position. Exhale as you bend over and inhale as you return to the starting position.

For a variation on the basic exercise, you can perform stiff legged deadlifts with two dumbbells instead of a barbell.

Abdominal Machines For A Muscular, Flat Mid-Section?

What about all of those abdominal machines claiming to "shape, firm, and tone that sagging middle"? And the "inexpensive home gyms" that have some beefed up trainer saying how he gained 30 pounds of muscle in 10 days using the simple, no fuss "bodypumper"? These abdominal machines, which are nothing but overpriced plastic salad bowls, are portrayed as having built some of the greatest bodies on earth, when in fact they've done nothing but produce significant revenue for the company that promotes such gibberish.

The fact is, NO machine on the market today is effective in building a firm, athletic mid-section, AS THE SIMPLE ROAD TO RIPPED ABDOMINALS IS BODY FAT REDUCTION VIA PROPER DIET, PERIOD! Oh, this is too easy, you say? When I had a 43 inch waist, no abs were visible, and at 33 inches, my abs were extremely defined, yet I RARELY PERFORMED DIRECT ABDOMINAL TRAINING, AND DID NOT ACHIEVE DEFINITION IN MY STOMACH UNTIL I LOST EXCESS FAT THROUGH A NEW DIETARY APPROACH. Nevertheless, these companies will have you believe otherwise.

Bent Over Rows:

The Real Back Thickener

Are you ready to get you back thick.....I mean so thick it feels like it is going to explode? Well let's get started! One of the biggest problems with not being able to develop a thick back is not the lack of genetics, but doing the wrong exercises. To many of us get stuck on the idea that isolation exercises are best. It's alright to use them as tools, but don't ever use them in place of the basic compound exercises. Perhaps one of the best exercises to thicken the back is: "The Bent Over Row." In fact, IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Porter Cottrell says, "Nothing creates the illusion of being bigger and gives you a greater advantage on stage than having a bigger thicker back, and one of the best basic compound movements for the back is the bent over barbell row."

As with most exercises, proper form is absolutely necessary to get optimal growth. The lack of good form means the wrong muscles will be stressed and at the worst....injury. Many times in the gym you will see people doing the bent over row while standing almost completely erect. Then they will even use a complete body swing to lift the weight. This kind of form is incorrect and will not lead to optimal back growth.

PROPER FORM

So what is good form you ask? Simple. Take a good stable stance with you feet about shoulder's width. Lean forward to about a 45 degree angle and bend the knees just slightly so you almost settle your abdomen onto your thighs with the hips being the center of gravity. The head and eyes should be pointed downward to help keep the back in proper position. Make sure the back is kept stable and flat by keeping that slight arch in the lumbar and the shoulders pulled back before you attempt to lift the weight off the floor. Most injuries come from the weight being lifted with the back rounded and then trying to correct the position in the middle of the lift. So get you body position right first!

GRIP

Next comes the grip. Should it be wide of narrow? Start out by using a medium grip by grabbing the bar just a little bit wider that shoulders width . Using a grip that is too wide or too narrow only means that you will not be able to get a full contraction of your back muscles. There are however, several different hand positions or grips that we can use. We have the pronated grip (over hand), the supinated grip (underhand), and the over and under grip. Which one is best?

Pronated grip

With the pronated or over hand grip you want to pull the bar, with the elbows pointing upward, in a straight line up to just below the sternum. This is the point at which the greatest number of back muscles are activated. Where most people make a big mistake is by pulling the bar to the abdomen. This causes many of the adductors muscles of the shoulder girdle (upper back) not to be activated. Because the biceps are deactivated in this movement, you may not be able to lift quite as weight as you would with the supinated grip.

Supinated grip

Now, if you want to decrease activation of the shoulder girdle muscles and increase lat activation use a supinated or underhand grip and pull the bar up to the abdomen in a straight line. With this grip you should be able to increase the weight you use because you are also increasing activation of the biceps.

Split grip

The split or over and under grip simply means having one hand pronated and one hand supinated. This grip is more commonly used by powerlifters and will enable you to lift much more weight with out the use of lifting straps. Because the two different grips cause slightly different muscle recruitment patterns, it would be a real good idea to switch hand position every set.

Now that we know proper form and the advantages and disadvantages of the different grips, lets load up the bar and get started developing a much thicker back. With proper nutrition and sound training, there is no reason why you can't develop the back of a champion.

by Tom McCullough MEd.,MSS

The Stiff Legged Deadlift

My reader's comment that the majority of orthopedic experts and Chiropractic physicians believe the stiff legged style of lifting to be dangerous is quite correct. Although this brief article is too limited in scope to detail the mechanics of the lifting process, the discs between each vertebra are exposed to high forces of compression. However, one of the overlooked factors when lifting with so-called straight legs, is that the stiff legged deadlift, if done properly, is not actually done with "stiff" or straight legs.

Pelvic rotation around joints of the hips is an extremely important phase of any type of bending sequence. If the knees are kept "locked" while flexing or bending forward at the waist, the pelvis will not rotate properly, and will in fact, cause excessive force in the lumbar region. One must bend the knees slightly and maintain that slightly bent position throughout the entire performance of a set of stiff legged deadlifts. This means that the knees do not straighten at all as one nears the upright position, and that conversely, the knees do not flex or bend as the weight is lowered. Of the most common mistakes made during this lift, completely straightening the knees at the extension phase of the lift, or in fact, holding them locked throughout the lift or set is one of the most serious and damaging. Another is the tendency to bend the knees more than their original amount as the weight is lowered, which eventually and inevitably leads to a mispositioning of the weight itself.

As one lifts a heavy object, the forces upon the spine and its elements increase as the resistance is moved further away from the center of gravity or point of rotation. One must keep the barbell as close to the body as possible throughout the entire lift, and the entire set. We actually drag the bar up the shins, knees, and thighs, and lower it essentially in the same way. At no time does the weight "swing" away from the body. In order to maintain such careful control of the weight, the movement must be done relatively slowly. This in turn reduces the shearing and compressive forces, but again, this takes practice and control.

One of the most important factors relative to lifting heavy weights, is the ability to set one's mind properly for the task at hand. This too takes a lot of practice. The stifflegged deadlift puts the body at certain mechanical disadvantages, thus, one has to be prepared to exert more force as the weight leaves the instep, and be able to properly and safely decelerate as a position of normal lumbar extension is achieved. Moving too quickly at the top of the motion, or hyper extending, can damage the facets and/or spinal ligaments. We stand on top of a sturdy box which allows the lumbar spine to go through a full range of motion, and the first repetition is started in a "conventional" deadlifting manner (and yes, we count that as "one").

Despite the disadvantages, I believe that if one does the stifflegged deadlift correctly, it can be an effective muscle and strength building movement. There are many points which must be emphasized: obtaining a full range of motion, moving the resistance under careful control, decelerating as the lumbar spine reaches normal anatomical extension, keeping the bar close to the body as possible throughout the entire movement, maintaining the proper degree of knee flexion, and correctly and accurately setting the mind to exert force in the proper sequence in each phase of the lift are all skills that need to be practiced. This exercise can prove to be beneficial to those who do not have a history of injury, or anatomical limitations which would prevent the proper and effective performance of the movement.

Taken from the June 1987 Steel Tip.
Courtesy of Doctor Ken Leistner, DC

To Squat Or Not To Squat

If I have to choose only one exercise to do the rest of my life it definitely would be the squat, Period. The squat is the most effective exercise you can do, Period. So why wait and make excuses, such as they are bad for my knees?

There are two approaches to squatting you can take. Squat for power and strength or squat shape. I will discuss strength squatting here. From an athletic standpoint you will want to use strength and power squatting.

STRENGTH AND POWER-This form of squatting will be set up in this manner. You will squat with the bar resting on your lower traps. The trick is to wedge the bar between the traps and the rear deltoids. A wide stance is preferable as this draws strength from your hips and glutes.

You will want to completely set the bar in place on your back before you take any other steps. Once the bar is in place tighten you abs, lower back, and hips. Take a deep breath and slowly walk two steps back from the rack. Practice taking two steps. Never less and never more. Take a stance that places your feet about 3 to 4 inches wider then shoulder width.

From here on you must focus and take control of the bar. Your decent must be controlled and deliberate. Begin by tightening every muscle from your toes to your traps. I mentally go from muscle group to muscle group doing a check to make sure the group is ready and tight. A mental lapse during the decent or ascent can be disastrous with heavy weights.

Pick a spot on the wall or mirror about one foot above eye level. You will look at this spot during the entire lift. This trick will keep your back erect and keep you from falling forward. I tape a newspaper to the mirror so I do not see myself in the mirror. Seeing yourself in the mirror will cause you to look slightly downward on your decent. Take a deep breath and hold it for the entire decent. This is very important as it helps keep your torso tight during the squat.

Begin a decent that moves at a comfortable pace yet not to slow. Never go slow (negatives). Your decent should be to a position parallel to the floor. That is, your hip joint should be slightly below your knee joint. Once you reach this position you should explode back up to the starting position. During your accent you should exhale at the end of the squat.

Once at the starting position get set for the next rep. Do not ascend rapidly then begin a decent before getting set again. Failing to get set again lets your body begin descending while it is loose and susceptible to injury.

EQUIPMENT- Power belt, knee wraps, chalk, and stable shoes. A belt should not be worn until you are working with weights 60% of your max. By using a belt for lighter weight you do not allow your torso to strengthen to handle heavier weights. Do not get in a habit of depending on a belt. This holds true for knee wraps also. Use chalk on your hands and back to keep the bar from slipping. Squat shoes are best as they provide unparalleled support.

POWERLIFTING COMPETITION EQUIPMENT- I will discuss squat suits, power belts, wrist wraps, squat briefs, type of chalk, specialized knee wraps, and shoes on an individual basis through email.

Chris Berry 10/11/01

Exercise lists and definitions

Barbell Curls (Close Grip): First, choose a standard straight barbell, or an EZ-Curl barbell. The EZ-Curl bar will alleviate some strain on the wrists which may accompany this exercise. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent, holding the bar with a palms under grip. In a controlled manner, curl the barbell up to shoulder height. Keep your elbows stationary near your sides. Hold the bar at the top for about half a second and then lower it slowly. Repeat the curl for eight to ten repetitions. As long as it does not hurt your wrists, keep at it. There are several ways to hold a barbell. A wide grip that puts more work on the inner biceps head; a standard shoulder width grip that everybody usually does; and a narrower grip that work your biceps more, and also your brachialis and brachioradialis. The brachialis muscle lies just below the biceps and aids in just about any elbow flexion movements (like curls). When it is well developed, it will add to your arm size and shape.

Barbell Curls (Standing): Standing barbell curls build your biceps, the body's showiest muscle. Start by holding the loaded bar at your waist and curl it to your chest. For full effect, keep your elbows still and squeeze the biceps at the height of the contraction. Use a weight belt or stand against a wall to keep your back straight. Do not forget to breathe. Exhale with the effort.

Barbell Shrug: Stand erect with your feet approx shoulder width and you spine in its neutral (slightly arched) position. Look directly forward, keeping your shoulders back and your chest out. Grasp a barbell overhand with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width, arms extended so that the bar rests against your thighs. Inhale and raise your shoulders as high as possible, exhaling as you reach the top. Don't bend your elbows as you raise your shoulders. After reaching the uppermost position, hold for 1-2 seconds to maximize the contraction before dropping your shoulders under control to the start position. Be sure to maintain good posture as you execute the shrug: Keep your shoulders back as much as possible and your chest out as you raise your shoulders.

Bench Crunch: Lie on the floor on your back, with your feet up on a bench or against a wall for support. (Hands are usually placed at the temples, but placing them on your hips helps make the exercise easier). Lift your head and shoulders up toward your knees while flexing your abs hard and crunching them. Keep your body stationary from the waist down. This exercise works the upper abs.

Bench Presses (Barbell): Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the floor. Grip a barbell slightly wider than shoulder width. Lift the bar off the rack and extend your arms fully above your chest. Lower the bar slowly until it touches you mid-chest. Press the bar back to the starting point. Remember to inhale while lowering the bar and exhale while pressing the bar up. Remember, keep your feet on the floor. Do not arch your back. Lower the bar slowly so it does not bounce off your chest. Always train with a partner or spotter in case you get caught with too heavy a weight. Beginner bodybuilders should do 1 or 2 sets, 8 to 10 reps. Advanced bodybuilders can do more.

Cable Rows (One Arm) with a Twist: Use the lower cable attachment. Place your left foot straight forward and your right foot back 2-3 feet at approximately a 45 degree angle to your left foot. Place your left hand on your left knee. Grasp the lower cable handle with your right hand. Extend your arm completely. Your palm should be facing downward. Now, pull the weight into your midsection as far as you can. You should end up just above your hipbone. Here is the twist - as you pull the weight into your waist, twist your hand so that your palm is facing upward at the completion of the rep. Lower the weight slowly, resisting as the handle returns to the start.

Calf Raise (Standing): Stand on a calf-raise machine with your shoulders under the pads. Place the balls of your feet on the foot platform so that your heels are free to move through a full range of motion. Keep your toes pointed straight or slightly out to the sides. Straighten your legs completely and extend your body so that you feet, hips and shoulders are in alignment. Lower your heels at a moderate speed until you feel a strong stretch in your Achilles tendon and calf muscles. As you reach the bottom position, inhale slightly more than usual and hold your breath as you push off vigorously to rise as high as possible. Hold the top position for up to two seconds to ensure maximum muscle contraction. Relax slightly, lower your heels under control and exhale. Don't pause in the bottom position unless you are trying to increase your ankle flexibility. Don't bend your knees. Don't bounce in the bottom position.

Calf Raise (Hack Machine): Adjust the shoulder pads on the hack machine to allow you to stand straight facing into the machine. Place the balls of your feet on the upper edge of the floor plate, approximately shoulder width apart. Lower your heels to full extension, stretching out your calves completely. Press the weight back up by contracting the calves as hard as possible. Flex hard and feel the muscle 'bite'. Lower the weight down to full extension and repeat.

Calf Raise (Leg Press): Sit in an incline leg press machine with your glutes and lower back in firm contact with the seat pads. Place the balls of your feet a comfortable width apart at the bottom edge of the resistance platform so that your heels are free to move. Keep your toes pointed straight or slightly out. Your legs should be straight of very slightly bent but never locked. Grip the machines side handles to stabilize your upper body after your release the platform. Inhale and hold your breath as you extend your feet at a slow to moderate rate of speed through an approximate 30-45 degree range of motion. Hold the fully extended position for 1-2 seconds to maximize the contraction. Exhale as your return under control till you feel a slight stretch in your calves. Pause momentarily and then repeat. To prevent your feet from slipping, wear shoes with good traction and be sure the surface of the resistance platform is not slippery. The balls of your feet should stay in firm contact at all times.

Clean & Jerk: Stand over a barbell so that your heels are directly under it, feet shoulder width apart. Bend at your knees and waist to reach down and grasp it with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Keep your back arched as you push down through your heels to begin pulling the bar up. As the bar passes your torso, elevate your traps and bend your wrists back and move your elbows forward. Then press the bar explosively overhead to full extension, pushing off the balls of your feet so that your heels come off the floor slightly. Reverse the movement and repeat.

Crunches: Your target zone is the Upper Abdominals. Lie on the floor – you can put your lower legs up on a bench if you prefer – with your knees bent and pointing to the ceiling. This position ensures that your lower back is flat against the floor. Place your hands behind your head and curl your upper torso forward, bringing your rib cage toward your pelvis until you feel a contraction in your abs. Pause for the contraction and slowly return to the starting position. Exhale on the contraction – this breathing advice applies to all abdominal exercises.

Curls: Reverse Preacher Curls: Take a shoulder width overhand grip on a five foot straight bar. Lean over a preacher bench with the top edge of the pad under your armpits and your upper arms hanging down along the pad and slowly straighten your arms. Use forearm and upper arm strength to move the barbell in an arc from the starting position up to a point just beneath your chin. Lower it back to the starting position in a count of four. Inhale as you lower the weight and exhale as you raise it. This exercise helps to stress the forearm supinators, brachialis and biceps.

Curls: Seated Dumbell Curls: The basic purpose of the seated dumbbell curl is to build size and mass in the biceps muscles. Sit on a bench with a back support, arms extended down and a dumbbell in each hand. Start with your palms facing inward. Curl one arm (either one) towards your shoulder in an arc. While you are curling upward, your palm should twist so that it first faces out and then faces you at completion of the curl. During the motion, keep your upper arm and body as motionless as possible. There will be some movement, but avoid swinging the dumbbell up. Make the biceps work. Lower the weight slowly and repeat the movement with the other arm.

Deadlifts: Deadlifts, when performed correctly are an incredible overall power exercise that involve more muscles than any other exercise you will come across. They also directly strengthen the lower back muscles .Train with control and form. Too much weight and improper form while performing the deadlift can cause the muscles in the lower back to shorten quickly, causing the ligaments to loosen and the muscles to take on 100% of the weight. This can result in severe pain and muscle spasm. Keep your back flat and straight, your head up and start the lift with your legs and glutes driving the bar up. Use your arms as hooks to hold the bar - do not lift with them. Exhale as you ascend with the weight. Keep your knees over your toes when you bend to grip the bar. Keep the bar as close to your body as possible throughout the lift for maximum strength.

Deadlifts: Romanian Style: This is a power tool of the Olympic weightlifters. It is the drill for huge hamstrings. Start by locking out a conventional deadlift with a lightweight. Use the 'clean', double overhand, palms toward the body, grip. Do not use a belt. Stand upright with a barbell in your hands and your body weight centered on your heels. Look up and inhale so you are staring at the ceiling. Arch your back tightly and slowly force your glutes as far back as possible. We lower the weight by pushing the butt back, not (as in stiff leg deadlifting) by standing erect and bending forward to lower the weight. This is the critical difference. The shoulders, more or less, stay over the ankles throughout the lift: the opposite of a stiff legged deadlift, in which the shoulders move forward, out over the toes. As you lower Romanian style, pull back with the hip flexors, the antagonistic muscles of the glutes and hamstrings. As you are descending, your knees will unlock somewhat. Good! Be sure to keep your shins vertical throughout. Most of the movement will take place at the hip joint, some at the knee and none at the back! Keep jackknifing at the hips until you cannot get any more depth without losing your arch or bending your knees excessively. Stop and reverse to lockout. For most bodybuilders, this level will be no lower than the kneecap. Keep the bar very close, both on the up and down; don't let it swing forward and rock you on your toes. Once you have reached the bottom position, reverse the movement by squeezing an imaginary coin with your glutes and digging your heels into the floor.

Deadlifts: Stiff Legged: Place a barbell on the floor and stand behind it with your shins touching the bar. Bend over, take a shoulder width overgrip on the bar and stand erect. Your arms should be straight and at your sides, with the bar resting across your upper thighs. That is the starting position. Stiffen your legs, leaving just the slightest bend at the knees, and keep them that way throughout the set. slowly bend at the waist and lower the barbell until the plates touch the floor, then slowly stand erect again to return to the starting position. Exhale as you bend over and inhale as you return to the starting position. For a variation on the basic exercise, you can perform stiff legged deadlifts with two dumbbells instead of a barbell.

Dumbbell Lunges (side): If we take a normal forward-stepping lunge and convert it to a sidestepping lunge, it will turn from a good thigh exercise (although there are better quadriceps mass builders) to a great adductor exercise. Grab a light dumbbell in each hand and stand upright. Your feet should be together. It is helpful if you stand in front of a full length mirror. One leg will act as an anchor. With the other leg, step directly out to the side in a line that runs laterally through both shoulders. Keep the toes on both feet pointing forward. Make sure that as you step to the side that your trunk maintains its upright position. Do not look down at the floor while you are lunging or you will soon find more that your feet are on the floor (the mirror forces you to keep your head and eyes up). The foot of your lunging leg should contact the floor in a position that is at least 18 inches wider than your shoulder, but try for more as you get used to the exercise. Bend the knee of the lunging leg and lower you body towards the floor by continuing the bend this knee. Keep the knee straight on the anchor or support leg. You should not keep the dumbbell adjacent to your anchor leg, otherwise it will collide with this leg as you drop into the lowest position. Instead, place the dumbbell behind (posterior) to your back and hanging directly below the shoulder. This will keep your shoulder back and prevent you from falling forward with the weight. The dumbbell should be approximately midbody, but in direct line with your shoulder when you are in the down position. The dumbbell on the lunge side can hang straight down from your shoulder throughout the upward and downward movements of your torso without becoming problematic. Let the foot of your anchor leg roll towards it medial (big toe) side as you lower your body (don't try to keep the sole of your foot on the floor as you lower the body). In contrast, the sole of the lunging leg should be flat on the floor as you lower your torso. You should feel a stretch in the adductor muscles of the anchor leg during the lowering of the body to the floor. Make the stretch (and therefore the descent of your body) slow and controlled. Never bounce into any stretch, particularly with resistance, unless you would like to invite injury rather than prevent it. Your lunging leg should now have a bent knee of 90 degrees (or less in its lowest position). Next, push your body upward with a moderate steady thrust until you have returned to the original standing position. Avoid pushing up with the straight anchor leg, since that is too ballistic for the muscle to handle in a stretched position. You can repeat this procedure also with the other leg.

Dumbbell Presses (Incline): Set an incline bench at an angle no greater than 30 degrees. With a dumbbell in each hand, lie back on the incline bench. Swing the dumbbells up and hold them at shoulder height, palms facing forward. Press the dumbbells straight up directly above your shoulders. Lower them slowly to the start position. Remember to breath properly, exhaling as you exert pressure and inhaling when you lower the weights. Remember to keep your feet on the floor at all times. Control the weights, raising and lowering them slowly without letting them hit at the top. Focus on the muscles being used.

Dumbbell Pullovers: Lie across a bench with only your shoulders on the padded surface and your feet flat on the floor. Grasp a dumbbell with both hands, palms against the inside of the top plate. Hold the dumbbell at arm's length (with your elbows slightly bent) over your chest. Inhale deeply while simultaneously lowering the dumbbell behind your head in a smooth arc. While lowering the dumbbell, drop your hips toward the floor to increase the stretch. Keep your hips low until the weight is returned slowly to the start position. Use a weight that will allow you to perform 15 to 20 reps. Beginners should try 1 or 2 sets while advanced lifters perform 3 - 4 sets. If you did not feel a tremendous stretching sensation through the ribcage, your probably didn't drop your hips down all the way or take a deep breath. You'll know what we mean when it happens.

Dumbbell Rowing: Lean on a bench with your left hand and left knee. Your back should be parallel to the floor. Grab a dumbbell with your right hand at arm's length. Keeping your head level with your back, pull the dumbbell up into your lower rib cage area, palm facing toward your body. Hold there for a 2-count while you flex the back muscle tightly. Lower the weight slowly back to full extension.

Dumbbell Triceps Extensions (Lying): Basic purpose of the lying dumbbell triceps extensions is to develop the overall triceps with director focus on the outer triceps muscles. Lie flat on a bench, head even with the end. Feet can be flat on the floor or up on the bench, whichever suits you. Hold two dumbbells extended overhead, palms facing each other, as if you were about to start dumbbell flies. From this position, lower the dumbbells back towards your head by bending your elbows. Your upper arms should stay fixed. The dumbbells will descend past the sides of your head until your triceps are fully stretched. Your upper arms will slant towards your head slightly. Now press the dumbbells back up in an arc (keeping your arms slanted back) until your elbows lock out. Flex your triceps hard. Repeat the movement. Focus on the muscles being worked. Work the muscles, not the exercise. In other words, don't feel the exercise being worked. The dumbbells are only a means to an end. By keeping your upper arms slanted slightly back toward the head, you maintain constant tension on the triceps muscles. If you bring the upper arms perpendicular to the floor, you reduce stress on the muscle, this losing the full effectiveness of the exercise. Control the weight. Perform slow, deliberate reps. Avoid going too fast and getting into a rhythm. Stop at the top and flex hard. Lower to full stretch, pause momentarily to help control the movement and then press back up. Avoid using dumbbells that are too heavy and cause loose, sloppy form. This will reduce the effectiveness of the exercise on the triceps muscles. It will bring on other muscles into play, perhaps causing injury.

Flyes (Incline): Set an incline bench at a 5-10 degree angle. With a pair of dumbbells in your hands, lie back. Extend the dumbbells over your head, palms facing together. Lower the weights out and down in an arc while keeping your arms slightly bent. Go as low as is comfortable, then bring the weights back up through the same arc to the starting point. Pretend you're hugging somebody. Remember, keep the dumbbells in a wide arc, do not press them up from bottom position. Don't smash the weight together at the top. Use smooth, controlled reps. Concentrate on squeezing your chest muscles as you bring the weights together.

Isolation Exercises: Defined as exercises which involve only one muscle and one joint . These are different from the many exercises which are multi-joint in nature and typically involve several different muscles and are referred to as Structural exercises.

Laterals (Side): Your target zone are the Side Delts. Stand with two dumbbells at your sides, with your palms facing in towards your thighs. With your elbows slightly bent, slowly raise the dumbbells away from your sides; as the dumbbells reach shoulder height, make sure your little fingers are level with or higher than your thumbs. Lift the dumbbells up to about shoulder height, but no higher than that; pause at the top for a contraction and then return to the starting position.

Leg Curls: Your target zone with leg curls are your hamstrings, also known as your leg biceps. Lie prone (face down) on the bench of a leg curl machine and hook your heels under the support pads. Keeping your body flat against the bench, raise your heels toward your butt until you can’t lift the weight any farther. Lower the weight slowly to the starting position and repeat. Don’t rush through the exercise; feel the hamstrings contracting and stretching as you lift and lower the weight.

Leg Extensions: Your target zone are your thighs (Quadriceps). Sit on a leg extension machine and place the tops of your feet under the foot pads. With your lower back firmly against the seat, slowly lift your lower legs until your knee joint reach the locked position. Pause for a contraction, then slowly return to the starting position. Leg extensions, ideal for isolating the quads, are an effective warm up for the squats that follow

Leg Tuck (Seated): Sit on a bench sideways, grasping the edges for support. With knees bent, raise your legs slightly and then straighten them, leaning backward as balance requires. Now lift your knees up toward your chest, keeping your lower leg pointed downward, and flex your abs really hard. Keep continuous tension on the abs throughout this movement. This exercise works both upper and lower abs.

Lunges (Smith Machine): The basic purpose of lunges on the Smith Machine is to develop and separate the muscles in the thigh and shape the muscles in the glutes. Step into the Smith machine and place the bar across your shoulders / traps as you would to squat. Put your right foot two feet in front of you. stretch your left leg back as far as you can with little or not weight on it. Lower with the weight until your thigh is parallel with the floor and your left knee almost touches the floor. Now drive the weight back up using your right leg only, pushing hard from the heel. Finish your set with one leg and then repeat with the other.

Military Presses (Seated): Your target zone are the Front Delts. Your supporting and secondary muscles are your side and rear delts, triceps and traps. Sit on a bench with your back supported. With a wide grip – four to five inches past shoulder width – hold the bar at upper chest level. With your elbows back (don’t let them move in front of your hands), press the weight directly overhead. Lock out at the top – your arms should be straight – and slowly lower the bar to the starting position.

Power Snatch: Bend at your waist and knees to grasp either dumbbells or a barbell on the floor with an overhand grip. Straighten your torso and lift the weight as if performing an upright row; rather than stopping at the top, raise the weight overhead in one continuous motion by rolling your wrists back and 'throwing' the bar or dumbbells overhead. Reverse the movement to return to the start position.

Pulley Rows (Seated): Attach a V-handle to a low cable pulley machine and sit on the machine with your feet braced against the footrest or metal plate. Keeping your knees slightly bent, grasp the V-handle with your palms facing each other. Your trunk should be perpendicular to the floor and your arms outstretched , making the cable taut. Your trunk must remain stationary throughout the movement to ensure that you involve the correct muscles. Pull the handle toward your chest, moving your elbows back and close to your sides as far as possible. Try to squeeze your elbows together behind you at the contraction, then slowly let your arms return to the starting position. Exhale as you pull the cable forward; inhale as your return to the starting position.

Pull-Up: One of the most overlooked exercises in bodybuilding. An excellent exercise in developing the lats and lower-trap fibers, and stresses the biceps quite well, too. Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, hands about 10 inches apart. From an extended position, pull yourself high until your elbows are close to your ribs. As you pull up, lean back by arching your back in an attempt to bring your face next to the bar as opposed to under it. Breathe in deeply as you begin the movement and exhale forcefully once you're through the sticking point.

Pull downs (Reverse Grip): Stand in front of a high pulley with your feet shoulder width apart. Grasp the pulley handle with one hand using a reverse grip and stand back, bending slightly at your hips. Hold the handle so that you upper arm and elbow are vertical and slightly in front of your body with a 90 degree bend in your elbow. Slowly push down on the handle until your arm is fully extended and behind you, then slowly return it to the starting position. Repeat for the required number of reps, then switch arms and perform the same number of reps.

Pushups (Flat Floor): Lying facedown on the floor, place your palms next to your chest a little wider than shoulder width apart. Keeping your body straight, lift up until you are supported on your hands and the balls of your feet. Press up until your arms are extended, then lower your body. Remember, keep your body straight and back flat.

Pushups (Off A Counter): Position yourself in front of a counter, with your hands resting on the edge about shoulder width apart. Move your feet back so your body is positioned at a 45-55 degree angle. Now perform 'Push offs' as you would flat floor pushups.

Pushups (With Feet Elevated): This is the same routine as a Flat Floor Pushup, except you put your feet elevated on a bed or chair.

Sit-ups (Frog style): Lie on your back on the floor, hands at the sides of your head. Bring your knees up while keeping your feet flat on the floor. Let each knee fall out to the side, down to the floor, or as far as your flexibility allows. Once you have assumed the 'frog' position, lift you shoulders only up off the floor as high as possible while crunching the abdominal muscles. Your legs remain steady and still throughout the exercise. This works the upper abs.

Sit-ups (Knees in the Air): Lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet crossed in the air. Place your hands at the sides of your head and sit up, forcing your head toward your knees, while keeping your legs and feet as stationary and steady as possible. Really try to crunch your abs at the top of the movement. Lower yourself back to the starting position slowly. (Placing your hands on your lower abdomen will make this exercise easier). This exercise works both upper and lower abs.

Split Jump: Holding a pair of dumbbells, stand as if you are about to descend into a lunge; one foot extended in front, the other extended back, torso upright. Jump off your front leg and switch your legs in midair so that you land in the opposite lunge position. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Squat Jump: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and toes pointed slightly outward, with a bar resting across your shoulders and traps. Descend into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Explode upward; as your hips and knees approach full extension, jump off the balls of your feet. Upon landing, move immediately into another squat. Look straight ahead and keep your torso and neck muscles tight throughout.

Squat: Wave Squat: In one continuous motion, descend into a quarter squat with a barbell resting across your traps and drive back up through your heels. As you stand up, push up off the balls of your feet.

Squats (Barbell): Start by placing the barbell on your upper back and while standing with your feet slightly wider than your shoulders. Check your balance to make sure your feet remain flat on the ground. Now squat down slowly until your upper thighs are about parallel to the floor. If your legs and knees are not quite warmed up yet, do your first few squats a little less deeply. At first, you will feel like you need to lean forward to keep your balance. This can be altered by leaning your head back and keeping your lower back straight. Maintain your body weight on your heels and mid-foot. Resist going up on your toes to maintain balance. Do approximately 10 to 12 reps on your first set to make sure you are getting the movement down. The lower spine must remain straight and inflexible. Barbell Squats build the muscles of the frontal thigh (Quadriceps) and the posterior hip region (Glutials). You will also feel the effect on the muscles of the lower back and the Hamstrings.

Stretching: It is always a good idea to warm up and stretch before working a muscle group. A good stretch for the pec muscles uses a doorway. Step through the doorway, reaching back with both arms. Hold the doorway on either side, as shown, then stick your chest out. Hold for 10 -15 seconds, relax, the repeat 2-3 times. Try to stretch a little further each time.

Structural Exercises: Defined as exercises which are multi-joint in nature and typically involve several different muscles. These are different from the many exercises which involve only one muscle and one joint and are referred to as Isolation exercises. Some examples of the primary structural exercises include the squat variations (back, front, split), lunge, deadlift, shoulder press, bench press and rowing variations (upright, bent-over, seated). Other structural exercises that are important for power development include the Olympic lifts, which are the snatch and clean and jerk, and parts of these lifts (hang pulls).

Triceps Pushdowns: Your target zone is your Triceps. Stand in front of a triceps pushdown machine and grasp the bar with an overhand grip, slightly less than shoulder width. Tuck your elbows into your sides, bend slightly forward at the waist and position the bar at upper chest level. Relying only on your lower arms to move the weight, push the bar down to arm’s length and squeeze your triceps. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

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