Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip : 3 Sets Of 4-6 Reps
1. Lie back on a flat
bench. Using a medium width grip (a grip that creates a 90-degree angle in the
middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms), lift the bar
from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be
your starting position.
2. From the starting
position, breathe in and begin coming down slowly until the bar touches your
middle chest.
3. After a brief
pause, push the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out. Focus on
pushing the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest
in the contracted position at the top of the motion, hold for a second and then
start coming down slowly again. Tip: Ideally, lowering the weight should take
about twice as long as raising it. As
you start to change the direction of the bar and begin the press up, drive with
the legs. If you have a tendency to shift your feet around, try placing 2.5
pound plates on your feet.
4. Repeat the movement
for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
5. When you are done,
place the bar back in the rack.
Caution:
1.
If you are new at this exercise, it is advised that you use a spotter.
If no spotter is available, then be conservative with the amount of weight
used.
2.
Also, beware of letting the bar drift too far forward. You want the bar
to touch your middle chest and nowhere else.
3.
Don't bounce the weight off your chest. You should be in full control of
the barbell at all times.
Dumbbell Bench Press : 3 Sets Of 8 Reps
1. Lie down on a flat
bench with a dumbbell in each hand resting on top of your thighs. The palms of
your hands will be facing each other.
2. Then, using your
thighs to help raise the dumbbells up, lift the dumbbells one at a time so that
you can hold them in front of you at shoulder width.
3. Once at shoulder
width, rotate your wrists forward so that the palms of your hands are facing
away from you. The dumbbells should be just to the sides of your chest, with
your upper arm and forearm creating a 90 degree angle. Be sure to maintain full
control of the dumbbells at all times. This will be your starting position.
4. Then, as you
breathe out, use your chest to push the dumbbells up. Lock your arms at the top
of the lift and squeeze your chest, hold for a second and then begin coming
down slowly. Tip: Ideally, lowering the weight should take about twice as long
as raising it.
5. Repeat the movement
for the prescribed amount of repetitions of your training program.
Caution:
1.
When you are done, do not drop the dumbbells next to you as this is
dangerous to your rotator cuff in your shoulders and others working out around
you.
2.
Just lift your legs from the floor bending at the knees, twist your
wrists so that the palms of your hands are facing each other and place the
dumbbells on top of your thighs. When both dumbbells are touching your thighs
simultaneously push your upper torso up (while pressing the dumbbells on your
thighs) and also perform a slight kick forward with your legs (keeping the
dumbbells on top of the thighs). By doing this combined movement, momentum will
help you get back to a sitting position with both dumbbells still on top of
your thighs. At this moment you can place the dumbbells on the floor.
Variations:
Another variation of this exercise is to perform it
with the palms of the hands facing each other.
Also, you can perform the exercise with the palms
facing each other and then twisting the wrist as you lift the dumbbells so that
at the top of the movement the palms are facing away from the body. I
personally do not use this variation very often as it seems to be hard on my
shoulders.
Dumbbell Flyes : 3 Sets Of 8-12 Reps
1. Lie down on a flat
bench with a dumbbell on each hand resting on top of your thighs. The palms of
your hand will be facing each other.
2. Then using your
thighs to help raise the dumbbells, lift the dumbbells one at a time so you can
hold them in front of you at shoulder width with the palms of your hands facing
each other. Raise the dumbbells up like you're pressing them, but stop and hold
just before you lock out. This will be your starting position.
3. With a slight bend
on your elbows in order to prevent stress at the biceps tendon, lower your arms
out at both sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch on your chest. Breathe
in as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: Keep in mind that
throughout the movement, the arms should remain stationary; the movement should
only occur at the shoulder joint.
4. Return your arms
back to the starting position as you squeeze your chest muscles and breathe
out. Tip: Make sure to use the same arc of motion used to lower the
weights.
5. Hold for a second
at the contracted position and repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of
repetitions.
Variations: You may want to
use a palms facing forward version for different stimulation.
Pushups : 3 Sets Of 12 Reps
1. Lie on the floor
face down and place your hands about 36 inches apart while holding your torso
up at arms length.
2. Next, lower
yourself downward until your chest almost touches the floor as you inhale.
3. Now breathe out and
press your upper body back up to the starting position while squeezing your
chest.
4. After a brief pause
at the top contracted position, you can begin to lower yourself downward again
for as many repetitions as needed.
Variations:
1.
If you are new at this exercise and do not have the strength to perform
it, you can either bend your legs at the knees to take off resistance or
perform the exercise against the wall instead of the floor.
2.
For the most advanced lifters, you can place your feet at a high surface
such as a bench in order to increase the resistance and to target the upper
chest more.
