Mental Notes & Random Musings

Deltoid Row (Machine Wide Grip Seated) Target Muscles: Latissimus dorsi, Rhomboids, Teres major and minor, Erector spinae, Biceps, Fore-arms, Pectoralis major Starting Position: 1. Sit facing the row machine and place your chest against the pad. Grasp the handles palms facing down in a wide grip. 2. Maintain a normal, slightly curved spinal position. 3. Pull back a little way until your torso is nearly upright and your arms are fully extended. The Movement: 1. Pull the handles towards you until it grips are beside your chest. You should be pulling your elbows and shoulders directly backwards as far as possible. 2. Hold for a count of two; then slowly return to the starting position, maintaining a near ­upright position. Tips: • To achieve maximum rear deltoid development, keep your torso nearly upright during the entire movement - it should not move forwards or backwards more than 10°. • Maintain a normal curve in your back - do not arch your back excessively. • Inhale at the start of ...

Squat (Machine Hack) Target Muscles: Gluteus, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Lower back, Adductors, Hip flexors. Starting Position: 1. Position yourself in a hack squat machine. 2. Place your feet firmly on the platform with your heels at least six inches above the bottom edge. Your legs should be fully extended and feet hip-width apart. Release the safety catch. The Movements: 1. Press the platform away from you as far as possible. 2. Bring your knees down as far as possible. In a perfect world they would make it into your armpits. Tips: • Do not hurry the reps or bounce up from the bottom. • Stretch your hamstrings fully at the bottom of the movement - your heels should be lower than your toes. • Keep your legs slightly bent at the top of the movement.

Squat (Machine Hack) Target Muscles: Gluteus, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Lower back, Adductors, Hip flexors. Starting Position: 1. Position yourself in a hack squat machine. 2. Place your feet firmly on the platform with your heels at least six inches above the bottom edge. Your legs should be fully extended and feet hip-width apart. Release the safety catch. The Movements: 1. Press the platform away from you as far as possible. 2. Bring your knees down as far as possible. In a perfect world they would make it into your armpits. Tips: • Do not hurry the reps or bounce up from the bottom. • Stretch your hamstrings fully at the bottom of the movement - your heels should be lower than your toes. • Keep your legs slightly bent at the top of the movement.

Deltoid Row (Machine Wide Grip Seated) Target Muscles: Latissimus dorsi, Rhomboids, Teres major and minor, Erector spinae, Biceps, Fore-arms, Pectoralis major Starting Position: 1. Sit facing the row machine and place your chest against the pad. Grasp the handles palms facing down in a wide grip. 2. Maintain a normal, slightly curved spinal position. 3. Pull back a little way until your torso is nearly upright and your arms are fully extended. The Movement: 1. Pull the handles towards you until it grips are beside your chest. You should be pulling your elbows and shoulders directly backwards as far as possible. 2. Hold for a count of two; then slowly return to the starting position, maintaining a near ­upright position. Tips: • To achieve maximum rear deltoid development, keep your torso nearly upright during the entire movement - it should not move forwards or backwards more than 10°. • Maintain a normal curve in your back - do not arch your back excessively. • Inhale at the start of ...

Leg Press (Machine Lying) Target Muscles: Gluteus, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Lower back, Adductors, Hip flexors. Starting Position: 1. Position yourself in a leg press machine. 2. Place your feet firmly on the platform with your heels at least six inches above the bottom edge. Your legs should be fully extended and feet hip-width apart. Release the safety catch. The Movements: 1. Press the platform away from you as far as possible. 2. Bring your knees down as far as possible. In a perfect world they would make it into your armpits. Tips: • Do not hurry the reps or bounce up from the bottom. • Stretch your hamstrings fully at the bottom of the movement - your heels should be lower than your toes. • Keep your legs slightly bent at the top of the movement.

Calf Press (Machine Seated) Target Muscles: Gastrocnemius, Soleus Starting Position: 1. Position yourself in a seated calf press machine. 2. Place the balls of your feet on the bottom of the platform with your heels hanging off the edge. Your legs should be fully extended and feet hip-width apart. The Movements: 1. Press the platform away from you as far as possible. 2. Hold the fully contracted position for a count of two; then slowly return your heels to the starting position as far back as they can go. Tips: • Do not hurry the reps or bounce back on the return. • Stretch your calves fully at the bottom of the movement - your heels should be lower than your toes. • Keep your legs straight (not locked) throughout the movement. Variations: Toes pointing out: Angling your feet outwards at 45° places more emphasis on the inner part of the calves. Toes pointing in: Angling your feet inwards at 45° places more emphasis on the outer part of the calves.

Calf Press (Machine Lying) Target Muscles: Gastrocnemius, Soleus Starting Position: 1. Position yourself in a leg press machine. 2. Place the balls of your feet on the bottom of the platform with your heels hanging off the edge. Your legs should be fully extended and feet hip-width apart. Release the safety catch. The Movements: 1. Press the platform away from you as far as possible. 2. Hold the fully contracted position for a count of two; then slowly lower your heels down as far as they will go. Tips: • Do not hurry the reps or bounce up from the bottom. • Stretch your calves fully at the bottom of the movement - your heels should be lower than your toes. • Keep your legs straight (not locked) throughout the movement. Variations: Toes pointing out: Angling your feet outwards at 45° places more emphasis on the inner part of the calves. Toes pointing in: Angling your feet inwards at 45° places more emphasis on the outer part of the calves.

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 (Machine) Target Muscles: Erector spinae, Gluteus Starting Position: 1. Adjust the back machine to your desired height and stamina. 2. Place your hands by the sides of your head, elbows out to the sides. Alternatively, your arms may be placed behind on your thighs to keep from a jerking movement. The Movement: 1. Slowly raise your head, shoulders and upper chest from the bent over position. Carry this out until your back is arched over the pad in the back. 2. Pause for a count of two; then lower slowly back to the starting position. Tips: • Keep your head strait at all times in line with your spine. • Keep your legs relaxed on the foot rest - do not raise them. • Only raise yourself as far as you feel comfortable.

Leg Curl (Machine Seated) Targets muscles: Hamstrings, Gastrocnemius Starting Position: 1. Lie face down on the leg curl or sit upright in an upright machine and hook your heels under the roller pads. Adjust the machine if necessary so that your knees are just off the end of the bench and your thighs are fully supported. 2. Hold on to the hand grips or the edge of the bench for support. The Movement: 1. Bend your knees, bringing your heels towards your backside. 2. Hold this fully contracted position for a count of two then slowly lower your heels back to the starting position. Tips: • Keep your hips and thighs in contact with the bench throughout the movement - do not allow your hips to rise. • Control the movement on both the upwards and downwards phase - avoid kicking your heels back fast. Variations: Toes pointed: Performing the movement with your toes pointed intensifies the work performed by the hamstrings. Single leg curl: You can do leg curls with one leg at a time. This allows...

Crunch (Machine Standard) Target Muscles: Rectus abdominis (mainly the upper part) Starting Position: 1. Lie flat on your back either on an abdominal bench with  your knees bent over your hips and your ankles touching. 2. Place your hands on the handles beside your head 3. Press your lower back to the pad and make sure your head is directly between the handles. The Movement: 1. Use your abdominal strength to raise your head and shoulders from the bench. You should only come up about 10 cm and your  lower back should remain on the bench. 2. Hold in this contracted position for a count of two. 3. Let your body uncurl slowly back to the starting position. Tips: • Focus on moving your ribs towards your hips. • Do not pull your head with your hands ­ keep your elbows out and  relaxed. • Exhale as you contract your abdominals.

Crunch (Machine Upright) Target Muscles: Rectus abdominis (mainly the upper part) Starting Position: 1. Adjust the machine to your optimal height requirements. 2. Sit on the machine with your feet firmly on the floor. 3. Place your hands on the handles beside your head 4. Press your lower back to the pad in the back of the seat. The Movement: 1. Use your abdominal strength to pull your upper body down towards your knees. 2. Hold in this contracted position for a count of two. 3. Let your body uncurl slowly back to the starting position. Tips: • Focus on moving your ribs towards your hips. • Do not pull your head with your hands ­ keep your elbows out and  relaxed. • Exhale as you contract your abdominals.

Leg Extension (Machine Seated) Target Muscles: Quadriceps Starting Position: 1. Sit on the leg extension machine, adjusting it so that the back of your thighs are fully supported on the seat. 2. Hook your feet under the foot pads. The pads should rest on the lowest part of your shins, just above your ankles. 3. Hold on to the sides of the seat or the handles on the sides of the machine to prevent your hips lifting as you perform the exercise. The Movement: 1. Straighten your legs to full extension, keeping your thighs and backside fully in contact with the bench. 2. Hold this fully contracted position for a count of two; then slowly return to the starting point. Tips: • Do not allow your hips to raise off the seat. • Try to 'resist' the weight as you lower your legs back to the starting point - avoid letting the weight swing your legs back. • Make sure you fully straighten the leg until the knees are locked do not perform partial movements. • Avoid swinging/kicking your legs ­ ...

Fly (Pec-Deck) Target Muscles: Pectoralis major (mid chest), Anterior deltoids, Pectoralis minor Starting Position: 1. Sit on the seat of the pec dec machine, ensuring your lower back is pressed against the back support and adjusting the seat height so that your elbows and shoulders are level with the bottom of the pads. 2. Place your forearms against the pads. Check that your shoulders and elbows make a horizontal line. The Movement: 1. Move the pads towards each other until they just touch in front of your chest. 2. Hold for a count of two; then slowly return the pads to the starting position. Tips: • Contract your pectorals hard at the mid­ point. • Do not curl your shoulders forwards as you bring the pads together. • Move the pads in a smooth arc - do not jerk the pads together as this reduces the work on the pectorals.

Biceps Curl (Machine) Target Muscles: Biceps brachii, Brachialis, Brachioradialis Starting Position: 1. Sit on a biceps curl machine with your back and shoulders pressed firmly  against the bench. 2. Hold the handles by your sides, palms facing forward. 3. Your arms should be fully extended and hang downwards. The Movement: 1. Slowly curl one handles towards your shoulder, so that your palm faces your shoulder at the top of the movement. 2. Hold for a count of two; then slowly lower the handles back to the  starting position. 3. Repeat with the other arm and continue alternating arms. Tips: • Do not allow your body to move forwards to generate momentum -  keep your torso still. • Make sure you fully straighten your arms at the bottom of the movement.

Bench Press (Machine Standard) Target Muscles: Pectoralis major (mid chest), Anterior deltoids, Triceps Starting Position: 1. Sit down at a standard bench press machine and adjust the seat so that the handles are around your pectoral area. 2. Hold the handles, with your palms facing forwards and your arms fully extended, positioned over your shoulders. The Movement: 1. Slowly press out the handles so that your arms are almost fully extended.. 2. Hold the position for a count of two; then allow the handles to come back slowly to the starting position. Tips: • Keep your hips firmly on the back pad throughout the movement. • Lower the handles as far as you can, aiming for a maximum but comfortable stretch. • Keep the handles about your chest area, starting too low or too high can cause injury and work the muscles far less than optimally.

Deltoid Row (Machine Wide Grip Seated) Target Muscles: Latissimus dorsi, Rhomboids, Teres major and minor, Erector spinae, Biceps, Fore-arms, Pectoralis major Starting Position: 1. Sit facing the row machine and place your chest against the pad. Grasp the handles palms facing down in a wide grip. 2. Maintain a normal, slightly curved spinal position. 3. Pull back a little way until your torso is nearly upright and your arms are fully extended. The Movement: 1. Pull the handles towards you until it grips are beside your chest. You should be pulling your elbows and shoulders directly backwards as far as possible. 2. Hold for a count of two; then slowly return to the starting position, maintaining a near ­upright position. Tips: • To achieve maximum rear deltoid development, keep your torso nearly upright during the entire movement - it should not move forwards or backwards more than 10°. • Maintain a normal curve in your back - do not arch your back excessively. • Inhale at the start of ...

Squat (Machine Hack) Target Muscles: Gluteus, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Lower back, Adductors, Hip flexors. Starting Position: 1. Position yourself in a hack squat machine. 2. Place your feet firmly on the platform with your heels at least six inches above the bottom edge. Your legs should be fully extended and feet hip-width apart. Release the safety catch. The Movements: 1. Press the platform away from you as far as possible. 2. Bring your knees down as far as possible. In a perfect world they would make it into your armpits. Tips: • Do not hurry the reps or bounce up from the bottom. • Stretch your hamstrings fully at the bottom of the movement - your heels should be lower than your toes. • Keep your legs slightly bent at the top of the movement.