The Dumbbell Swing is a great exercise that can be used as a strength exercise or conditioning exercise. It builds power and endurance in the hips and posterior chain. You can do the Dumbbell Swing on its own or as part of a circuit.
Dumbbell upright rows strengthen and define the shoulders and traps. The biceps also assist in pulling the dumbbells up. The dumbbell upright row should be performed with a moderate weight and care must be taken to use proper technique. If too heavy of a load is used with improper technique a shoulder injury may occur. A common injury at the shoulder joint is “impingement” in which the bones pinch the tendons in the shoulder rotators.
The lying barbell row develops the latissimus dorsi “lats”, rear-deltoids, and the scapula muscles. The bench provides a brace for the upper body to prevent excessive strain on the lower back. Select a bench that allows the bar to travel through a full range of motion. Use lighter weights for muscular endurance and heavier weights for strength development.
The lying reverse cable fly targets the rear-deltoids and upper back muscles. This is a classic bodybuilding exercise for “filling out” the shoulders. Using the bench removes the stabilization demand normally placed on the hip and core muscles. The cable column provides more tension for the shoulders than dumbbells. Squeeze at the top for a peak-contraction.
The reverse grip pull up is a great exercise that strengthens and tones your back. It also strengthens your biceps and grip at the same time. If you are unable to do pull ups on your own you can have your workout partner assist you. You can also do kipping pull ups. A good goal is 20 reverse grip pull ups.
The Single Arm Hang High Pull is a good exercise for the traps and shoulders. It is also great for building explosive power and improving coordination of the upper and lower body in preparation for more advanced exercises.
The single arm push up is not for the weak. This exercise challenges your chest, shoulders, triceps, core, and mental toughness. The single arm push up is a favorite of athletes in mixed martial arts (MMA) and wrestling. The single arm action loads the abdominals and hip flexors for stabilization.
The Single Dumbbell Overhead Squat is a very challenging exercise. It requires a lot of coordination, flexibility and strength. It will also improve all of those qualities.
The single arm rotation row is a good upper back and core exercise. There is also an element of torso rotation. This is a good exercise for both body builders and athletes. This exercise can also be done with resistance tubing and bands.
The spider crawl strengthens the shoulders, chest, arm, torso, thighs, and calves. This is a great calorie burning exercise that can be performed at home or in the gym. This is a fun, effective exercise to add to your workout. Challenge your friends to a spider crawl race off.
The push up test is a way to test chest, shoulder, arm and core strength. To start, balance on your hands and knees with your body straight. The goal is to do as many as you can in one minute. Tests like this are a good way to see how fit you are now. When you do it again in the future it will show you how much progress you have made.
Doing push ups with your feet elevated is more challenging than regular push ups. To perform this you simply put your feet on a step, bench or chair. This engages your deltoids more. As your prop gets taller, the exercise gets more challenging. Eventually you may be able to work up to a handstand push up.
The push up with your hands elevated is a beginner version of the push up. As you get stronger you can move your hands down, closer to the ground. The goal is to eventually do regular push ups on the ground. This is a good exercise for beginners or people that have a hard time getting down to the ground.
The push up is a great upper body and core exercise. It does not require any equipment and it can be done anywhere. The push up is a favorite of many military exercise program. Even if you aren’t in the military the push up is a great exercise for over all fitness and conditioning.
The push up on knees is another way to make the push up a little bit easier for those who aren’t strong enough to do a regular push up. When doing this exercise it is important to keep your body straight and you stomach tight. When the push ups on your knees gets too easy you can advance to regular push ups.
The Renegade Row is a combination of two exercises: the push up and the row. It works both the pushing and pulling muscles simultaneously while also challenging the core musculature. The Renegade Row is a great exercise for bringing balance to the upper body.
The rock and roll is a fun way to strengthen the abs and improve coordination. The rock and roll is a basic bodyweight exercise that can be performed anywhere. This exercise transfers well to life and sport.
Rock and Roll to Stand increases strength and agility. This is a functional exercise that can be performed in your workout to add variety or to improve sport-specific strength. The rock and roll to stand is fun and challenging. Try to stand up on your feet faster each workout.
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