1. How to Do the Pulldown
The pulldown or lat pulldown is an exercise mainly for the back although the shoulders and arms get some workout as well. The latissimus dorsi on either side of the middle to upper back is the muscle group from which the exercise gets its name. Please refer to machinery in the gym.
2. How to Do the Cable Row
The seated cable row develops the muscles of the back and the forearms. Good form for the cable row includes pulling the shoulder blades together with each stroke. Please refer to machinery in the gym.
3. How to Do the Triceps Pushdown
The triceps pushdown exercise uses a cable and pulley machine with loaded weights to provide an excellent exercise for the triceps muscles at the rear of the upper arm. Please refer to machinery in the gym.
4. How to Do the Arm Curl
The arm curl or bicep curl utilizes dumbbells and barbells to work the biceps muscles of the upper arm and the lower brachialis and brachioradialis.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand at the sides with palms facing toward the side of the thigh and arms straight down.
- Position the feet comfortably about shoulder width apart.
- Brace the stomach muscles ready to lift the weight.
- Lift one dumbbell toward the shoulder, rotating the arm as it moves up so that the palm with dumbbell is now facing upward and the elbow is pointing to the ground with the forearm almost vertical. One arm at a time is called a unilateral exercise.
- Lower to the side position and perform the same movement with the other arm and continue to alternate until the set is complete.
5. How to Do the Crunch
The crunch has replaced the situp as the exercise of choice for training the abdominals muscles. The crunch requires lifting the shoulders and upper chest off the ground for a few seconds forcing the muscles of the stomach to contract. Crunches are usually done in multiple sets.
- Lie on the floor face up with hands behind the head. Don’t clasp the fingers behind the head. The hands should not propel the head forward in this exercise.
- Legs are bent at approximately right angles at the knee with feet flat on the floor, shoulder width apart.
- Brace the abdominal muscles and hold a neutral spine position with a slight natural curve in the lower back (lumbar) region yet with the back firmly against the floor.
- Move the shoulders upward and curl slightly forward as you contract the abdominals until the shoulder blades are about two to three inches (5-7 centimetres) off the floor, or about 30 degrees; hold for about two seconds.
- Exhale as you come up and inhale as you return in preparation for the next repetition. Don’t hold the breath on the up movement. Contracting the abdominals does not mean holding the breath. The head should be kept straight and the chin should not drop to the chest.
- Return to the starting position under control. Don’t flop down. Try ten repetitions for three sets starting out and increase it as you get stronger.
6. How to Do the Overhead Press
The overhead press, sometimes called the military press, is performed by lifting a barbell or dumbbells straight from the chest to the overhead position with arms almost extended.
- Hold the barbell at the upper chest with the overhand grip. The weight should be less that what you might normally deadlift.
- Hold heavier weights with the 'clean' grip with wrists cocked back to provide support, and slightly wider than shoulder width.
- Feet should be about shoulder width apart.
- Lift the bar overhead with full arm extension making sure not to lock out the elbows suddenly. Return the bar to the chest and repeat the exercise.
- Brace the abdominal muscles and work them as you lift and lower. This exercise is a good one to give the abs a supplementary workout.
- Remember to breathe out on exertion and not to hold the breath. Breathe in as you lower the bar ready for the next lift.
7. How to Do the Leg Press
The leg press is performed by pushing against a movable platform under weighted pressure. The exercise develops the legs, back and gluteal muscles. Please refer to machinery in the gym.
8. The Lunge
There are static lunges (shown in the example below) holding dumbbells or a barbell. An advanced version of the lunge would be to start with your feet together and then step forward into a lunge, then back to starting position (front lunges). Dips or reverse lunges also start with feet together and then you step back with one leg into a lunge position and then back to starting position.
Guide to a lunge:
Stand with feet together.
Slowly lower your body into a lunge position, keeping the front knee and back knee at 90 degree angles. Keeping the weight in your heels, push back up(slowly!) to starting position. Remember to never lock your knees at the top and never let your knee bend past your toes. Keep your upper body tight and upright (i.e., don't hunch!)
9. How To Do the Squat
The squat weight and strength training exercise takes many forms including with dumbbells, barbells, or even without equipment at all using your own body weight. Here are the basic movements required for safety and proficiency and some pointers to mistakes to avoid.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand and allow them to hang comfortably at the sides.
- Position the feet about as wide as the hips.
- Keep the heels planted firmly on the floor and don’t allow them to rise up.
- Tighten the abdominal muscles. You can identify these by pretending to clear your throat or by coughing. You will notice the ‘abs’ tightening automatically in the stomach region.
- Stand tall, shoulders pulled back with good balance.
- Move as to sit down by bending your knees ensuring that your upper body does not appreciably lean forward.
- The first movement should be with your butt rearwards as you start to lower your body by bending at the knees. Make this a positive and deliberate movement.
- If you concentrate on this butt rearward movement you are off to a good start with the squat. It is important not to arch the back forward on descent or when you return to the start position. Keeping that butt ‘pointing’ rearward and the back straight is the key.
- Don’t descend any lower than where your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Don’t round the back forward, going down or coming up. A rounded back under weight can cause damage to the spine at the upper or lower end.
- Try not to look down -- look straight ahead -- or at least be aware of what your back and butt are doing.
- Keep those heels planted firmly on the ground and the knees lined up with the feet and not splayed in or out.
10. How To Do The Chest Press
The chest press weight and strength training exercise takes many forms including with dumbbells, barbells, or even with exercise bands. Here are the basic movements required for safety and proficiency and some pointers to mistakes to avoid.
- Lie on the bench or floor with a dumbbell in each hand and your feet flat on the surface. If you use a bench, you may have the feet up on the bench or on the floor, whichever is comfortable.
- Position the dumbbells at the shoulders with upper arms at about 45 degrees to the body with elbows infront of the shoulder line to avoid stress on the shoulder joint.
- Brace the abdominal muscles, tilt the chin slightly toward the chest and ensure you have a stable and comfortable position. You're ready to lift.
- Push the weights upward, taking care not to lock out the elbows in an explosive movement. The weights should follow a shallow arc and almost meet over the top of the chest.
- It's okay to straighten the arms as long as you don’t do it with sudden force.
- Try to move the weights in a controlled, smooth and not-too-fast lift. The head or shoulder blades should not rise off the bench.
- Lower the weights under control and muscle contraction to the starting position.
- Maintain the natural arch in the lower back; don’t force the back into the surface.
- Don't allow the forearms to spread wide so that the weights are outside the line of the elbows. Move in an arc toward the center of the chest but don't clash the weights.
- Don’t contort the upper body and shoulders to thrust the weights upward. This suggests the weights are too heavy.
More exercises for the gym
The
Bent-Over Row is good for your upper back as well as building up strength in your core and abs. The biceps also contribute to the movement.
Bend your knees and bend over at the waist, keeping an arch in your lower back and looking forward. It is important not to round your lower back in this exercise.
Take a shoulder-width, palms-up grip on the barbell. Your knees will be inside your arms during the movement. The next thing you should do is suck up your abs and hold them tightly in. This will stabilize your abdominal area.
Keeping your knees bent (the angle will be somewhat greater than 90 degrees) and back arched and without lifting with your lower back, pull the barbell back and up into your lower abdomen.
Fight the tendency to stand up to help cheat the weight up, which can strain your lower back.
Also, do not dip your upper body down to meet the bar. This will reduce the effectiveness of the exercise and can lead to lower back injury.
Reverse Flies are great for both the rear shoulder and the upper back. By keeping your torso parallel to the floor, you can concentrate on the rear part of the shoulder as well as the 'posture' muscles of your upper back.
Using light dumbbells, sit on bench or ball (stand for more intensity) and lean over holding weights in front of legs. Raise arms out to the side to shoulder height, keeping elbows in a fixed (slightly bent) position. Lower and repeat until you feel the burn.