Get in a push-up position with your shoulders directly above your hands. Now, lower the forearms and elbows down toward the floor. Your biceps should make full contact with your forearms at the bottom. It’s not as easy as it sounds! Most people don’t get it right the first time, so I get them to…
Everyone does work for the back part of the lower leg, but hardly anyone does work for the front part. The tibialis anterior, the major shin muscle, is quite often neglected and it’s unfortunate because a significant discrepancy between this muscle and your calves can limit growth. Several loading options exist for the tibialis raise….
The pectoralis major muscle functions not only to flex and adduct the humerus, but also to rotate the humerus medially like during an arm wrestle. In fact, this muscle really comes into play during resisted internal rotation as Dr. John Basmajian noted in his classic text Muscles Alive. Try this cable crossover variation for a…
Here’s a tip that may get those stubborn calves to start growing again. Consider it more of a machine modification than an exercise modification. Performing calf raises on a rounded platform will increase the range of motion and give you a greater stretch at the bottom and a greater contraction at the top, and ultimately…
To take wrist curls a step further so to speak, try doing them seated on a platform. An adjustable step unit such as the Atlantis Leg Platform is great for this. Adjusting the height of the platform can influence the overload: a high-platform position where the hips are higher than the knees will overload the…
Doing sit-ups on the floor or on a slant board is not a problem for most experienced lifters, but try doing them hanging upside down. You may be humbled! Another cool exercise with these gravity boots involves inverted squats. Instead of just bending at the hips as you would with sit-ups, try bending at the…
You know you’re supposed to vary the grip with chin-ups to avoid stagnation, promote balanced strength and size development, and possibly avoid recurring injuries. The problem is that you only have a straight chin-up bar. Supinated, pronated, and even mixed-grip chin-ups are not an issue, but what about neutral-grip chin-ups? Here are 3 options: a)…