Monday, December 15, 2008

Try this... Full body workout

Clean Pull

Hold the bar using a pronated grip approximately shoulder-width apart. The bar is on the floor (bar approximately mid-shin height), and close to touching your shin, your hips are down, feet flat and shoulders tall. Your back should not be rounded at all. Forcefully drive into the ground to pull the bar off the floor. You are not pulling with your arms, but rather with your hips on this exercise, so make sure your arms stay extended throughout the movement. As the bar comes off the ground, try to keep the angle of your back constant. Your legs basically start to straighten to bring your body up. As the bar begins to cross the knees, you should be in the perfect power position just like the jump shrug. Pull and shrug as hard as you can in an attempt to make the bar move as fast as possible.

Clean Pull Up A Clean Pull Up B


Overhead Squat


Using a wide (snatch) grip, start with the bar resting behind your neck. Set your feet into a good squatting base and extend the bar overhead. You will need to place the bar slightly behind your ears and retracting your scapula (shoulder blades) to maintain solid stability in this position. Focus your eyes outward (not down) while keeping your chest high and shoulders back. Maintaining a solid arch in your lower back, try to keep your torso as vertical as possible (you won't be able to maintain as erect a torso as with your front or back squats, and this is okay).

Descend as deep as possible, making sure to keep your heels flat and hips pushed back for balance. Keep your core set, drive upward, and exhale as you pass the halfway point during the ascent.

Overhead Squat A Overhead Squat B

Bent-Over Two-Point Dumbbell Row

Start with feet shoulder-width apart and torso bent forward to at least a 45-degree angle at the hips. When rowing with your left arm, slightly stagger your left foot back a bit to facilitate a natural rowing path for the dumbbell, and place your other hand behind your back. There will be a large shift in the load due to the weight of the dumbbell. Attempt to maintain an even position (not tilted) during the entire movement. Start by holding the dumbbell in the center of the body, row the weight up to your rib cage and then back down to the start. Repeat the reps with your other arm.

Bent-Over Two-Point Dumbbell Row A Bent-Over Two-Point Dumbbell Row B

TIP: Due to the shifting of the body, there is a tendency to perform this exercise in a higher position than the other rowing exercises. Remember to maintain an appropriate torso position with your knees bent, torso leaning forward at least 45 degrees, and lower back flat.


Push Press


Start with the bar either in front of or behind the neck. As you start this movement, keeping the body upright, dip downward until you are at about a quarter-squat position, and then forcefully drive upward with your legs, using this power and momentum to drive the weight overhead. Control the weight back as you lower it back down to the shoulders. You will actually shift onto your toes as you drive your legs on this movement. Your legs should be straight when the weight is locked out overhead.

Push Press A Push Press B

Dumbbell Incline Bench Press


Perform a bench press by evenly lowering the weights until they are even with (touch) your outer chest. Drive the weights up until your arms are fully extended.

By using dumbbells instead of a bar, you will force your limbs to work independently and promote strength and muscular balance. Keep in mind that because of this new instability and limb independence, the loads will feel heavier. In other words, if you can bench-press 300 pounds for a 1-rep maximum, you will not be able to perform a 1-rep maximum with 150-pound dumbbells.

dumbellinclinepressAA.jpg dumbellinclinepressA_2.jpg

Pullup


Using a pronated grip (palms facing away from you) with hands slightly wider than shoulder width, start in a complete hanging position under a fixed bar. Drive your elbows out and down to raise your body until your chin is above the bar.

Pullup A Pullup B

TIP: Use assistance if necessary to complete all of the prescribed repetitions.




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