TODAY'S PAPER
48° Good Evening
48° Good Evening

Chest flys

Chest

Swipe to see more exercises

Beginner

Set 1: 12-15 repetitions; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 7-10

Intermediate

Set 1: 12-15: Set 2: 10-12, Set 3: 7-10; Set 4: 3-6

Advanced

Set 1: 12-15: Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 7-10; Set 4: 3-6

Set 5: 3-6

Equipment Needed:

• Dumbbells • Exercise bench

Positioning:

• Lying flat on the bench, hold one dumbbell in each hand with palms facing each other. The weights should be rested on the tops of your thighs for support. • Lift the dumbbells one at a time so that you are holding them up over the middle of your chest. For safety, use your thighs to help you lift the weights. • Keep your elbows slightly bent with palms facing one another.

Completing the exercise:

• Breathing in, begin to lower the weights slowly out and away from one another in a wide arc motion. • Continue to lower your arms until you feel a stretch in your chest muscles. • Breathing out, contract your chest muscles and slowly return your arms to the starting position, using the same arc used to lower the weights.

Considerations:

• Keep your elbow joints stationary throughout this movement, maintaining the same slight bend throughout. The main motion in this exercise should be occurring through your shoulder joints.

Latissimus pulldowns

Back

Swipe to see more exercises

Beginner

Set 1: 12-15 repetitions; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 7-10

Intermediate

Set 1: 12-15; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 7-10; Set 4: 3-6

Advanced

Set 1: 12-15; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 7-10; Set 4: 3-6

Set 5: 3-6

Equipment Needed:

• Weighted cable pulley station with adjustable weights and seat

Positioning:

• Adjust the seat height so that your quadriceps are resting comfortably on the machine’s thigh pads. This helps keep your lower body stationary as you pull the overhead bar down. • Grab the bar with a wide, overhand grip — be sure that your knuckles are pointing upward. Sit back down on the bench with knees under the supporting pads. • You should be able to just reach the bar when stretching your arms up from a seated position. If you can’t, adjust either the cable attached to the bar or your seat.

Completing the exercise:

• Pull the bar down to about upper chest level, while squeezing your shoulder blades together. • Be sure not to push your arms forward just to pull the bar lower. Keep the bar where you shoulders are naturally collapsed and your forearms are upright. •Gently return the bar to its starting position and repeat the exercise. • Once you have finished your set, return the bar to its full upright position, standing up to do so, if necessary.

Considerations:

• Good posture is important in this exercise, so be sure to keep your back straight, chest up and glutes on the seat.

Rows

Back

Swipe to see more exercises

Beginner

Set 1: 12-15 repetitions; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 7-10

Intermediate

Set 1: 12-15; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 7-10; Set 4: 3-6

Advanced

Set 1: 12-15; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 7-10; Set 4: 3-6

Set 5: 3-6

Equipment Needed:

• Dumbbell • Exercise bench

Positioning:

• Grabbing your dumbbell in your right hand, hold the weight with your palm facing your torso. • Place your left knee on the bench and bend forward — your torso should almost be parallel to the floor — and place your left hand on the bench for stability. Your left hand should line up underneath your right shoulder. • Make sure your back remains straight and you maintain a slight bend in your right leg, which should stay planted on the floor. • Keep your head up, relaxed and in a neutral position.

Completing the exercise:

• Breathing out, tighten your core and use your arms to slowly lift the dumbbell up to your side. • Keep your elbows tucked in close to your body. • At the top of the movement, tighten your back muscles and hold the position for a second. • Breathing in, slowly lower the weight back down to its starting position.

Considerations:

• Maintaining good form is very important. If you notice your back starting to arch or slump, decrease the amount of weight you are lifting or stop the exercise.

Lower back extension/flexion

Back

Swipe to see more exercises

Beginner

Set 1: 12-15 repetitions; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 10-12

Intermediate

Set 1: 12-15; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 10-12; Set 4: 7-10

Advanced

Set 1: 12-15; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 10-12; Set 4: 7-10

Set 5: 7-10

Equipment Needed:

• Marcy Roman chair

Positioning:

• Locking your feet into the foot rests, position your body so your hips are at the top of the bench’s pad. Keep your body straight and your core tight. • Place your hands on either side of the back of your head — making sure not to interlace your fingers. You can also cross your arms in front of you, and you have the option of holding a free weight to your chest.

Completing the exercise:

• Breathing out, slowly begin to lower your upper body down toward the ground until it forms a 90-degree angle with your lower body. • Breathing in, tighten your core and back muscles and slowly raise your upper body back up to the starting position.

Shrugs

Back

Swipe to see more exercises

Beginner

Set 1: 12-15 repetitions; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 7-10

Intermediate

Set 1: 12-15; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 7-10; Set 4: 3-6

Advanced

Set 1: 12-15; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 7-10; Set 4: 3-6; Set 5: 3-6

Equipment Needed:

• Dumbbells

Positioning:

• Stand straight with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your torso, and your arms extended straight down at your sides.

Completing the exercise:

• Breathing out, lift the dumbbells by raising your shoulders as high as possible while keeping your arms straight. • Hold the contraction at the top of the movement before slowly lowering the weights back down to the starting position.

Considerations:

• Be careful not to use your biceps or triceps to complete this exercise, relying instead on your shoulders to raise and lower the weights.

Military (overhead) press

Shoulders

Swipe to see more exercises

Beginner

Set 1: 12-15 repetitions; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 10-12

Intermediate

Set 1: 12-15; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 10-12; Set 4: 7-10

Advanced

Set 1: 12-15; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 10-12; Set 4: 7-10

Set 5: 7-10

Equipment Needed:

• Dumbbells • Seated bench

Positioning:

• Sit down with a dumbbell in each hand and arms bent so the weights rest at shoulder level, while shoulder width apart. Use an overhand grip, palms facing away from the body. (It’s safer — and easier — to have a partner hand you the weights.) • During the entire exercise, be sure to keep your back (especially lower) pressed against the back of the seat and feet planted on the ground.

Completing the exercise:

• Breathing out, raise the dumbbells over your head until your elbows are straight. (You can let the ends of the weights touch at the top of the motion, but be sure not to let them slam together.) • Breathing in, slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position.

Considerations:

• This exercise can also be performed with a number of variations including using a Smith machine, which usually consists of a barbell fixed on a steel rail track and includes a self-locking system, reducing the need for a spotter.

Frontal raises

Shoulders

Swipe to see more exercises

Beginner

Set 1: 12-15 repetitions; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 7-10

Intermediate

Set 1: 12-15; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 7-10; Set 4: 3-6

Advanced

Set 1: 12-15; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 7-10; Set 4: 3-6

Set 5: 3-6

Equipment Needed:

• Dumbbells

Positioning:

• Standing with your feet shoulder width apart, hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms at your sides and palms facing your thighs. • Keep your elbows slightly bent.

Completing the exercise:

• Breathing in, raise your left arm in front of you to shoulder height. • Hold the position for a second at the top of the movement, and then, breathing out, slowly lower your arm back down to your side. Keep palms facing downward at all times. • Repeat the movement with your right arm.

Considerations:

• Keep your core tight throughout this motion to prevent your body from swinging and bouncing. • This exercise can also be performed by raising both arms at the same time rather than alternating.

Lateral raises

Shoulders

Swipe to see more exercises

Beginner

Set 1: 12-15 repetitions; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 7-10

Intermediate

Set 1: 12-15; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 7-10; Set 4: 3-6

Advanced

Set 1: 12-15; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 7-10; Set 4: 3-6; Set 5: 3-6

Equipment Needed:

• Dumbbells

Positioning:

• Grasping a dumbbell in each hand, stand with your arms at each side and your palms facing your thighs.

Completing the exercise:

• Keep your torso straight to avoid swinging and lift the dumbbells out from your side laterally. Keep your elbows slightly bent with your hands tilted slightly forward. • Breathing out, continue to raise your arms until they are parallel to the floor. Hold your position at the top of the exercise. • Breathing in, slowly lower the dumbbells back down to your starting position.

Considerations:

• This exercise can also be performed sitting down.

Upright rows

Shoulders

Swipe to see more exercises

Beginner

Set 1: 12-15 repetitions; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 10-12

Intermediate

Set 1: 12-15; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 10-12; Set 4: 7-10

Advanced

Set 1: 12-15; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 10-12; Set 4: 7-10; Set 5: 7-10

Equipment Needed:

• Dumbbells

Positioning:

• Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, feet shoulder width apart. • Your arms should be straight down in front of you, palms facing in and weights resting on your thighs.

Completing the exercise:

• Breathing out, use your elbows to pull the dumbbells upward. • Stop the movement once the weights have reached chest height with your elbows pointing up and out, away from your body. • Breathing in, slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.

Considerations:

• Your elbows should be the driving force of this exercise. You’ll want to make sure they always remain higher than your forearms.

Triceps pushdown

Triceps

Swipe to see more exercises

Beginner

Set 1: 12-15 repetitions; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 7-10

Intermediate

Set 1: 12-15; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 7-10; Set 4: 3-6

Advanced

Set 1: 12-15; Set 2: 10-12; Set 3: 7-10; Set 4: 3-6; Set 5: 3-6

Equipment Needed:

• Cable machine

Positioning:

• Using a high pulley, attach a straight or angled handle. Grasp the handle with an overhand grip, hands shoulder width apart. • Standing upright with your torso straight but leaning slightly forward, bring your upper arms close to your body and perpendicular to the floor. • Your forearms should be pointing up toward the pulley as you hold the bar.

Completing the exercise:

• Using your triceps, exhale and bring the bar down until it slightly touches the front of your thighs and your arms are fully extended perpendicular to the floor. Your upper arms should always remain stationary next to your torso, taking special note not to flare out your elbows, and only the forearms should move. • Hold the contracted position for a second, then, inhale while bringing the bar slowly up to the starting point.