Quick Tip: Reduce shoulder rotation by allowing for a bend in the elbows at the bottom of the movement. Do not allow your upper arm to break too far below the plane of the bench; we want to build our pecs, not strain our shoulders!

Quick Tip: Many of the top bodybuilders in the world, including former Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates, prefer this movement as their primary exercise instead of the flat bench, which can be rough on the shoulders. BARBELL INCLINE BENCH PRESS

Quick Tip: For the bench press, technique is everything! Protect your shoulders by retracting your scapula and staying tight. Check out this link (Mark Bell article) to see how the best bench presser in the world does it!

Quick Tip: Many lifters, including our own Kris Gethin, prefer to slightly rotate the dumbbell as they complete the motion. This allows you to better squeeze the muscle at the top of the movement.

DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS

Quick Tip: Many people rest at the top of the motion, but that's when you should be trying to maximize the tension on your chest. Without clanking the dumbbells, push them together at the top while contracting your pecs as forcefully as possible.

Quick Tip: One of the advantages of dumbbells is that you don't have to have a perfectly pronated grip while you perform your movement. You can turn the dumbbells out a little bit, making the movement easier on the joints while also increasing tension on your chest!

Click Image To Enlarge.

  Click Image To Enlarge.

Lie on a flat bench with either an EZ bar placed on the floor behind your head and your feet on the floor. Grab the bar behind you, using a medium overhand (pronated) grip and raise the bar in front of you at arm's length. The arms should be perpendicular to the torso and the floor. The elbows should be tucked in. This is the starting position.

As you breathe in, slowly lower the weight until the bar lightly touches your forehead while keeping the upper arms and elbows stationary. At that point, use the triceps to bring the weight back up to the starting position as you breathe out. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions

WeighTED

dIPS

Standing Overhead Low Pulley Triceps Extensions

Single Arm Low Pulley Triceps Kickback

PUSHdowns

Standing Rope

Seated E-Z Bar Cable Preacher Curls or Elbow Flexor Exercise of your choice

Incline Dumbbell Curl or Elbow Flexor Exercise of your choice

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Standing Biceps Cable Curl

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Dumbbell Bicep Curl

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Fat-Grip E-Z Bar Reverse Curls

THE 7 ARM COMMANDMENTS

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldowns

Seated Rows

T-Bar Row

BARBELL SHRUGS

                                           

Overhand barbell row The overhand version will not involve the biceps as much as the underhand version. You don't need to be bent at a 90-degree angle for this movement but don't just slightly lean forward, either. Position yourself at 45 degrees and your lats will get blitzed. After your warm-up set, do this movement for 8-12 reps.

Bent-Over Two-Arm Dumbbell Row ///You can have the dumbbells right there where you are doing the barbell rows, so transitioning will be quick. The dumbbells will force you to work each side of your back independently-plus you can pull in more than you can with the bar. You're doing this immediately after the barbell rows, so you won't be able to use the same total weight with the dumbbells that you have on the bar. For example, if you have 200 pounds on the bar then, you likely won't be able to perform the dumbbell rows with the 100s. After your warm-up set, do this movement for 8-12 reps.

Reverse-Grip Pulldown ///Your grip will be closer, and your palms will now be facing you. So while your biceps will help a little, focus on your lats instead. Just like with the wide-grip pulldowns, you control the weight, not vice versa. You may be tempted to start swinging a little at this point to move the weight, but resist. Lower the weight instead and pull with the lats. After the warm-up set, do this movement for 12-15 reps.

Hyperextensions ///Finally, we're at the last exercise. Can't forget about the lower back. You may want to either speed up to get through this or skip it altogether, but once again, finish strong and finish right. If your bodyweight isn't enough resistance, hold a plate across your chest. If you start to use weight and realize you can't finish the set, simply place the weight down and keep going. After the warm-up set, you'll do this movement for 20 reps.

EXERCISE 1// (4 sets of 10-18 reps)DUMBBELL SHOULDER PRESSThe wide rep range is in place to keep the body guessing. If you do 10 reps then the weight should be heavier, but if you do 18 reps then the weight should be lighter.It's important to go to failure on every set, so adjust the weight and reps accordingly. If you feel you can do more, increase the weight!

EXERCISE 2// (4 sets of 15-18 reps)LATERAL / FRONT RAISE COMBOOne lateral raise and one front raise equal one rep for this combo.Don't be afraid to go light on this lift. It's more important to maintain constant tension on the muscles. Rather than lifting heavy and letting your arms rest at the lowered position, make your transition seamless by not allowing your arms to drop all the way down to your side.

EXERCISE 3// (4 sets of 10-12 reps)DUMBBELL UPRIGHT ROWUsing dumbbells for upright rows activates the stabilizer muscles.This exercise can also be done using the barbell or Smith Machine for extra support if needed.

EXERCISE 4// (4 supersets of 12-15 reps)REVERSE AND FORWARD HAMMERSTRENGTH SHOULDER PRESSThe reverse position of this exercise is unconventional, but effective. By sitting backward on the seat, you'll get an angle on the pressing movement which will hit your muscles differently. To keep your body guessing, you should always think outside of the box!The reverse portion consists of two single-arm mini-sets that are considered one working set.The forward portion consists of alternating single-arm presses. Pressing both left and right arms is considered one rep.

EXERCISE 5// (4 supersets of 12-18 reps)REVERSE PEC DEC SUPERSETWITH REAR LATERAL RAISEThe rear (posterior) deltoids often get overlooked, but are a critical part of a shoulder. They give that nice round appearance that caps out your delts.Supersetting two rear-delt exercises helps you to not only reach failure on your first set, but to push past failure on your second set.With the Reverse Pec Dec, adjust the seat to where your arms are in a straight plane from your shoulders to your wrists. Also, keep your shoulders relaxed so you're not engaging your traps - you want to keep all the tension on shoulders.Don't let the tension come off your shoulders when you reset to the starting position, and squeeze your shoulder blades together at the end movement for a full contraction.For a quick transition superset, use the pec dec for your rear lateral raises as well. Simply turn around to the forward position and sit on the edge of the bench that you're already seated on. Reach down to grab your free weight and BAM! You're in position.

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CLICK TO ENLARGE Click to enlarge