Mental Notes & Random Musings

Chins (Pull-Ups or Chin-Ups) Target Muscles: Latissimus dorsi, Trapezius, Rhomboids, Infraspinatus, Teres major, Teres minor, Biceps, Posterior deltoids, Forearms Starting Position: 1. Hang from a chinning bar with your hands just over shoulder-width apart, palms facing forwards. 2. Your arms should be fully extended and your ankles crossed. The Movement: 1. Pull yourself up slowly until the top of your chest nearly touches the bar. Lead with your upper chest. 2. Pause for a second or two; then slowly lower back to the starting position. Tips: • Do not swing your legs forwards or jerk as you pull yourself up - this greatly reduces the stress placed on the back muscles. • Fix your eyes slightly upwards as you pull yourself Up, slightly arching your back. • Ensure your trunk and thighs maintain a straight line. • Do not shorten the return phase of the movement - extend your arms fully. Variations: Behind neck: This variation places extra emphasis on the rhomboids and posterior deltoids. ...

Chins (Pull-Ups or Chin-Ups) Target Muscles: Latissimus dorsi, Trapezius, Rhomboids, Infraspinatus, Teres major, Teres minor, Biceps, Posterior deltoids, Forearms Starting Position: 1. Hang from a chinning bar with your hands just over shoulder-width apart, palms facing forwards. 2. Your arms should be fully extended and your ankles crossed. The Movement: 1. Pull yourself up slowly until the top of your chest nearly touches the bar. Lead with your upper chest. 2. Pause for a second or two; then slowly lower back to the starting position. Tips: • Do not swing your legs forwards or jerk as you pull yourself up - this greatly reduces the stress placed on the back muscles. • Fix your eyes slightly upwards as you pull yourself Up, slightly arching your back. • Ensure your trunk and thighs maintain a straight line. • Do not shorten the return phase of the movement - extend your arms fully. Variations: Behind neck: This variation places extra emphasis on the rhomboids and posterior deltoids. ...

Torso Twist (Extension Bench Bar) Target Muscles: Internal and external oblique, rectus abdominis Starting Position: 1. Start out by placing your feet under the support pads of a back extension bench. 2. Your feet should be shoulder width apart from each other. 3. Grip the bar with your palms facing down and make sure your hands are wider than shoulder width apart from each other. 4. Begin to lift the bar up over your head until your arms are fully extended. 5. Now lower the bar behind your head until it is resting along the base of your neck. The Movement: 1. While keeping your feet and head stationary, move your waist from side to side so that your oblique muscles feel the contraction. 2. Only move from side to side as far as your waist will allow you to go. 3. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions. Tips: • Stretching or moving too far can cause an injury to occur. • Use a slow and controlled motion. • Remember to breathe out while twisting your body to the side and in whe...

Torso Twist (Bent Over Bar) Target Muscles: Internal and external oblique, rectus abdominis Starting Position: 1. Start out by sitting at the end of a flat bench with a bar placed on top of your thighs. 2. Your feet should be shoulder width apart from each other. 3. Grip the bar with your palms facing down and make sure your hands are wider than shoulder width apart from each other. 4. Begin to lift the bar up over your head until your arms are fully extended. 5. Now lower the bar behind your head until it is resting along the base of your neck. The Movement: 1. While keeping your feet and head stationary,bend over and move your waist from side to side so that your oblique muscles feel the contraction. 2. Only move from side to side as far as your waist will allow you to go. 3. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions. Tips: • Stretching or moving too far can cause an injury to occur. • Use a slow and controlled motion. • Remember to breathe out while twisting your body to the ...

Torso Twist (Seated Bar) Target Muscles: Internal and external oblique, rectus abdominis Starting Position: 1. Start out by sitting at the end of a flat bench with a bar placed on top of your thighs. 2. Your feet should be shoulder width apart from each other. 3. Grip the bar with your palms facing down and make sure your hands are wider than shoulder width apart from each other. 4. Begin to lift the bar up over your head until your arms are fully extended. 5. Now lower the bar behind your head until it is resting along the base of your neck. The Movement: 1. While keeping your feet and head stationary, move your waist from side to side so that your oblique muscles feel the contraction. 2. Only move from side to side as far as your waist will allow you to go. 3. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions. Tips: • Stretching or moving too far can cause an injury to occur. • Use a slow and controlled motion. • Remember to breathe out while twisting your body to the side and in when...

Torso Twist (Standing Bar) Target Muscles: Internal and external oblique, rectus abdominis Starting Position: 1. Start out by standing at the end of a flat bench with a bar placed in front of you. 2. Your feet should be shoulder width apart from each other. 3. Grip the bar with your palms facing down and make sure your hands are wider than shoulder width apart from each other. 4. Begin to lift the bar up over your head until your arms are fully extended. 5. Now lower the bar behind your head until it is resting along the base of your neck. The Movement: 1. While keeping your feet and head stationary, move your waist from side to side so that your oblique muscles feel the contraction. 2. Only move from side to side as far as your waist will allow you to go. 3. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions. Tips: • Stretching or moving too far can cause an injury to occur. • Use a slow and controlled motion. • Remember to breathe out while twisting your body to the side and in when mo...

Abdominal Roller Target Muscles: Rectus abdominis, hip flexors Starting Position: 1. Hold the Ab Roller with both hands and kneel on the floor. 2. Now place the ab roller on the floor in front of you so that you are on all your hands and knees (as in a kneeling push up position). 3. This will be your starting position. The Movement: 1. Slowly roll the ab roller straight forward, stretching your body into a straight position. 2. Breathe in during this portion of the movement. 3. After a pause at the stretched position, start pulling yourself back to the starting position as you breathe out. Tips: • Go down as far as you can without touching the floor with your body. • Go slowly and keep your abs tight at all times. • This exercise is not advised for people with lower back problems or hernias. Variations: If you are advanced you can perform the exercise moving the ab roller to the sides in a diagonal fashion as opposed to straight forward. This version places more emphasis on the oblique...

Back Extension (Bench) Target Muscles: Erector spinae, Gluteus Starting Position: 1. Lie face down on the floor or on a back extension bench. 2. Place your hands by the sides of your head, elbows out to the sides. Alternatively, your arms may be placed behind on your back. The Movement: 1. Slowly raise your head, shoulders and upper chest from the floor. This will be just a short distance. 2. Pause for a count of two; then lower slowly to the floor. Tips: • Keep your head facing downwards to the floor in line with your spine. • Keep your legs relaxed on the floor - do not raise them. • Only raise yourself as far as you feel comfortable. Variations: Back extension bench: Tuck your ankles underneath the pads and position your body so that your hips are resting on the middle pad, arms crossed in front of you. Raise your torso until you are parallel with the floor - do not rise higher than this. Slowly bend forwards at the waist until you are almost perpendicular to the floor. Keep your ba...

Leg Lift (Hanging) Target Muscles: Rectus abdominis (especially the lower part), Hip flexors Starting Position: 1. Hang from a chin up bar, the top frame of a smith machine or anywhere else that your feet will not touch the floor. 2. Your arms should be fully extended and your lower back slightly  arched. The Movement: 1. Take your legs slightly behind your body. 2. Keeping your legs almost straight, exhale and raise them upwards as  high as pos­sible. Ideally they should come just above the level of  your hips. Focus on curling your hips towards your rib cage. 3. Hold for a count of two; then slowly return your legs to the starting  position. Tips: • Do not swing your knees up or use the momentum of your legs - use  the strength of your abdominals to move your hips and legs. • For maximal results, raise your legs to approximately 30-45° to the  horizontal. The abs shorten only when your legs go past parallel-  below this point, they hold a static cont...

Leg Lift (Bench Standard) Target Muscles: Rectus abdominis (especially the lower part), Hip flexors Starting Position: 1. Laying on the floor or on a bench, hold your legs about 10 cm off the floor. 2. Your arms can either lay beside you or grasp the side of the bench you are laying on.. The Movement: 1. Slowly lift your legs until they have a 90° angle to the rest of your body. 2. On the way down it is important to move as slow as possible to really burn the lower abs. 3. Stop short of laying your legs down and then start the motion over again. Tips: • Do not swing your knees up or use the momentum of your legs - use  the strength of your abdominals to move your hips and legs. • To make the exercise easier, bend your knees to reduce the  resistance

Triceps Dip (Bench Standard) Target Muscles: Triceps (Especially the outer and medial heads) Starting Position: 1. You will need to place two benches, about the length of your legs,  apart. 2. Place your hands shoulder-width apart, fingers facing forwards, on the  edge of one bench. 3. Place your heels on the other bench so that your legs form a straight  bridge between the two benches. The Movement: 1. Bend your elbows and lower your body until your elbows make an  angle of 90°. 2. Hold for a count of two; then straighten your arms to bring you back to  the starting position. Tips: • Keep your back close to the bench. • Do not lock or snap out your elbows at the top of the movement. • Keep your elbows directed backwards during both the lowering and  raising phases. • Do not shorten the downwards phase. . Keep the movement slow - do  not rush the reps. Variations: Easier Place your feet flat on the floor instead of on a bench. Advanced Place a weight d...

Leg Lift (Roman Chair) Target Muscles: Rectus abdominis (especially the lower part), Hip flexors Starting Position: 1. Rest yourself on your forearms and grasp the handles for support. 2. Your arms should be fully extended and your lower back slightly  arched. The Movement: 1. Take your legs slightly behind your body. 2. Keeping your legs almost straight, exhale and raise them upwards as  high as pos­sible. Ideally they should come just above the level of  your hips. Focus on curling your hips towards your rib cage. 3. Hold for a count of two; then slowly return your legs to the starting  position. Tips: • Do not swing your knees up or use the momentum of your legs - use  the strength of your abdominals to move your hips and legs. • For maximal results, raise your legs to approximately 30-45° to the  horizontal. The abs shorten only when your legs go past parallel-  below this point, they hold a static contraction as the hip flexors raise  the leg...

Knee Lift (Roman Chair Oblique) Target Muscles: Rectus abdominis (especially the lower part), Hip flexors Starting Position: 1. Rest yourself on your forearms and grasp the handles for support. 2. Your arms should be fully extended and your lower back slightly  arched. The Movement: 1. Take your legs slightly behind your body. 2. Bring your knees up at a curling angle so that your ankle touches the dip handle in front of the arm rest. 3. Hold for a count of two; then slowly return your legs to the starting  position. 4. Repeat in the opposite direction to complete one rep. Tips: • Do not swing your knees up or use the momentum of your legs - use  the strength of your abdominals to move your hips and legs. • For maximal results, raise your legs to approximately 30-45° to the  horizontal. The abs shorten only when your legs go past parallel-  below this point, they hold a static contraction as the hip flexors raise  the legs. • To make the exercise easier, be...

Knee Lift (Flat Bench) Target Muscles: Rectus abdominis (especially the lower part), Hip flexors Starting Position: 1. Sit on the edge of a flat bench so that you can balance with little assistance from your hands. 2. Straighten out your body so that your heels are an inch or two off the floor. The Movement: 1. Bring your knees up as close to your chin as possible. 2. Hold for a count of two; then slowly return your legs to the starting  position. Tips: • Do not swing your knees up or use the momentum of your legs. Use  the strength of your abdominals to move your hips and legs. • For maximal results, raise your legs to approximately 30-45° to the  horizontal. The abs shorten only when your legs go past parallel-  below this point, they hold a static contraction as the hip flexors raise  the legs. • To make the exercise easier, bend your knees to reduce the  resistance

Knee Lift (Hanging) Target Muscles: Rectus abdominis (especially the lower part), Hip flexors Starting Position: 1. Hang from a high bar with your hands shoulder-width apart. (You may  use wrist or elbow straps for support.) 2. Your arms should be fully extended and your lower back slightly  arched. The Movement: 1. Take your legs slightly behind your body. 2. Keeping your legs almost straight, exhale and raise them upwards as  high as pos­sible. Ideally they should come just above the level of  your hips. Focus on curling your hips towards your rib cage. 3. Hold for a count of two; then slowly return your legs to the starting  position. Tips: • Do not swing your knees up or use the momentum of your legs - use  the strength of your abdominals to move your hips and legs. • For maximal results, raise your legs to approximately 30-45° to the  horizontal. The abs shorten only when your legs go past parallel-  below this point, they hold a static contr...

Crunch (Hanging) Target Muscles: Rectus abdominis (especially the lower part), Hip flexors Starting Position: 1. Hang from a chin up bar, the top frame of a smith machine or anywhere else that your feet will not touch the floor. 2. Your arms should be fully extended and your lower back slightly  arched. The Movement: 1. Never let your legs extend behind your body. 2. Keeping your legs almost straight, exhale and raise them upwards just enough to get a flexion of your entire abdominal region. Ideally they should never come all the way to your hips, or else you lose emphasis on the mid abdominals. 3. Hold for a count of two; then slowly return your legs to the starting  position. Tips: • Do not swing your knees up or use the momentum of your legs - use  the strength of your abdominals to move your hips and legs. • For maximal results, raise your legs to approximately 20 - 30° to the  horizontal. • To make the exercise easier, bend your knees to reduce the  resista...

Crunch (Side) Target Muscles: Internal and external oblique, rectus abdominis Starting Position: 1. Lie on the floor or on an abdominal bench on your side with your  knees slightly bent. 2. Place your top arm behind your head. The Movement: 1. Slowly exhale as you raise your head and shoulders a short distance  off the floor or bench, aiming your ribs towards your top hip. 2. Hold for a count of two; then breathe in as you return to the starting  position. 3. Repeat for the required number of repetitions; then perform the  exercise on your other side. Tips: • Aim to reduce the space between your ribs and hips. • Do not worry if you don't reach up very far - concentrate on feeling the  movement. • Keep your head in line with your body ­ don't jerk it upwards.

Crunch (90 Degree Oblique) Target Muscles: Internal and external oblique, rectus abdominis Starting Position: 1. Lie flat on your back either on the floor and rest your feet on a bench with your knees bent at 90°. 2. Place your left hand by the side of your head, and your right hand on  the floor for support. The Movement: 1. Lift your left shoulder diagonally, aiming it towards your right knee. 2. Hold for two counts; then slowly return to your starting position. 3. After completing the required number of repetitions, repeat the  exercise on the other side. Tips: • Imagine your rib cage rotating to the side as you curl up. • Lead with your shoulder rather than your elbow. • Make sure you lower your upper body slowly back to the floor. • Do not twist your head, only your torso. . Exhale as you contract your  abdominals.

Crunch (Oblique Decline Bench) Target Muscles: Internal and external oblique, rectus abdominis Starting Position: 1. Lie flat on your back on a decline bench with  your ankles under the pads that hold you in. 2. Place your left hand by the side of your head, and your right hand on  the floor for support. The Movement: 1. Lift your left shoulder diagonally, aiming it towards your right knee. 2. Hold for two counts; then slowly return to your starting position. 3. After completing the required number of repetitions, repeat the  exercise on the other side. Tips: • Imagine your rib cage rotating to the side as you curl up. • Lead with your shoulder rather than your elbow. • Make sure you lower your upper body slowly back to the floor. • Do not twist your head, only your torso. . Exhale as you contract your  abdominals.

Crunch (Oblique) Target Muscles: Internal and external oblique, rectus abdominis Starting Position: 1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet either resting on a  bench or flat on the floor. 2. Place your left hand by the side of your head, and your right hand on  the floor for support. The Movement: 1. Lift your left shoulder diagonally, aiming it towards your right knee. 2. Hold for two counts; then slowly return to your starting position. 3. After completing the required number of repetitions, repeat the  exercise on the other side. Tips: • Imagine your rib cage rotating to the side as you curl up. • Lead with your shoulder rather than your elbow. • Make sure you lower your upper body slowly back to the floor. • Do not twist your head, only your torso. . Exhale as you contract your  abdominals.