Muscles Worked
Outer lats and biceps
Execution
Take hold of a chinning bar with an overhand grip, hands a little wider than shoulder width apart. Hang from the bar, then pull yourself up until your chin clears the bar. At the top of the movement, hold for a brief moment, then lower yourself slowly back to the starting position. This is a strict exercise, so try not to help your back by kicking up with the legs.
Muscles Worked
Upper lats and biceps
Execution
With a barbell -
(1) Grasp the bar with a slightly wider
than shoulder, underhand grip. With your knees slightly bent,
bend forward until your body is about parallel to the floor. Keep
your back straight and let the bar hang at arm's length below
you, almost touching the shinbone.
(2) Using primarily the muscles of the
back, lift the bar upward until it touches the upper abdominals,
then lower it again, under control, back to the starting position;
then immediately start your next rep.
With dumbells -
(1) Grasp a dumbbell in each hand, bend
your knees slightly, then bend forward from the waist, keeping
your head up and your back straight, Let the weights hang at arm's
length below the shoulders.
(2) Simultaneously lift both weights
up as far as possible to your sides, holding your upper body steady
to avoid involving the lower back (the weights should come up
to your sides, not your chest, in order to keep biceps involvement
to a minimum). Then lower the weights again, slowly.
Muscles Worked
Outer lats and biceps
Execution
(1) Standing
on a block with your feet close together, knees slightly bent,
bend down and grasp the handles of the T-Bar machine with an overhand
grip. Straighten your legs slightly and lift up until your body
is at about a 45-degree angle. Without changing this angle, lift
the weight up until it touches your chest,
(2) then lower it again to arm's length,
keeping the weight off the floor.
Muscles Worked
Upper and lower lats
Execution
(1) Take hold of the handles and sit
with your feet braced againgst the crossbar or a wooden block,
knees slightly bent. Extend your arms and bend forward slightly,
feeling the lats stretch. You should be situated far enough away
from the weight stack so that you can stretch like this without
the weight touching bottom.
(2) From this beginning position, pull
the handles back toward your body and touch them to your abdomen,
feeling the back muscles doing most of the work. Your back should
arch, your chest should stick out, and try to touch the shoulder
blades together as you draw the weight toward you. Don't involve
the lower back muscles by swaying forward and back. When the handles
touch your abdomen you should be sitting upright, not leaning
backward. Keeping the weight under control, release and let the
handles go forward again, once more stretching out the lats.
Muscles Worked
Lower back
Execution
(1) Place a barbell on the floor in
front of you. Bend your knees, lean forward, and grasp the bar
in a medium-wide, overhand grip. Keep your back straight to protect
it from strain. If you curve your back you risk injury.
(2) Begin the lift by driving with the
legs and straighten up until you are standing upright. To lower
the weight, bend the knees, lean forward from the waist, and touch
the weight to the floor before beginning your next repetition.
Send E-mail to: Franco Licastro