Mental Notes & Random Musings

Bench Press (Barbell / Smith-Machine Standard) Target Muscles: Pectoralis major (mid chest), Anterior deltoids, Triceps Starting Position: 1. Lie on your back on a flat bench, ideally with an attached barbell rack. If you have an excessive arch in your back, place your feet on the end of the bench or on a low step. 2. Hold the bar, with your hands just over shoulder-width apart, palms facing forwards. 3. Remove the bar from the barbell rack and position it directly over your chest with your arms fully extended (but not locked). The Movement: 1. Slowly lower the bar down to your chest. The bar should touch your upper chest just above your nipple line. Hold for a count of two. 2. Push the bar upwards in a slightly back­wards arc so that it ends up over your shoulders. Tips: • Keep your hips firmly on the bench. If you lift your hips to generate leverage, you will risk lower-back strain. • Do not arch your back as you push the bar upwards or you will reduce the amount of work done by ...

Deadlift (Barbell Standard) Target Muscles: Gluteus, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Hip flexors, Lower back, Adductors, Latissimus dorsi, Trapezius, Abdominals Starting Position: 1. Stand in front of the barbell with your feet parallel and shoulder-width apart. 2. Bend your legs until your hips and knees are at the same level, keeping your rib cage up and your head level. Your back should be straight, at a 45° angle to the floor. 3. Grasp the bar, with your hands just over shoulder-width apart, one overhand, the other under. This will facilitate better balance and keep the barbell in the same plane. The Movement: 1. Using the power of your legs and hips, and keeping your arms straight, lift the bar from the floor until your legs are straight. The bar should be against the upper part of your thighs. Hold for a count of one. 2. Slowly return the bar to the floor, keeping your torso erect, arms straight and head up, eyes looking forwards. Your chest should be slightly forwards and over the bar. ...

Squat (Barbell / Smith-Machine Jefferson Lift) Target Muscles: Gluteus, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Lower back, Adductors, Hip flexors. Starting Position: 1. Position the bar on the floor standing with one leg on each side of it. 2. Firmly grip the bar, with your hands almost double shoulder-width apart. As you lift the bar off the floor, keep your shoulder blades together and chest up, and ensure there is a normal (stable) curve in your lower back. 3. Position your feet shoulder-width apart (or slightly wider), toes angled out at 30°. The Movement: 1. Begin raising yourself up, and do not lock your knees. 2. Keeping your head up and your trunk erect, slowly lower yourself down until your thighs are parallel to the ground; it is not wise to go any further than this. Keep your knees aligned over your feet, pointing in the direction of your toes. Hold for a count of one. 3. From here, pull the weight up, pushing hard through your feet and keeping your body erect as you return to the star...

Calf Raise (Barbell / Smith Machine) Target Muscles: Gastrocnemius, Soleus Starting Position: 1. Place your shoulders under the pads of a standing calf raise machine, or place a barbell across the back of your shoulders. 2. Step on to the platform or, if you are using a barbell, use a step or block. Allow your heels to hang off the edge. 3. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and pointing directly ahead. 4. Straighten your legs as you lift the selected weight clear of the rest of the stack. The Movement: 1. Rise up on your toes as high 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: • Keep your legs straight throughout the movement to keep maximal emphasis on the calves and reduce the involvement of the quadriceps. • Stretch your calves fully at the bottom of the movement - your heels should be lower than your toes. • Do not bounce up from the bottom - keep the movement smooth and continuous. • Keep...

Deadlift (Smith-Machine Barbell Stiff Leg) Target Muscles: Hamstrings, Gluteus, Lower Back Starting Position: 1. Grasp a barbell with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, using an overhand grip. 2. Stand up straight, looking directly ahead. The Movement: 1. Keep your back flat and legs nearly straight. 2. Bend forwards from the hips until your back is parallel to the ground. You should feel a stretch in your hamstrings and glutes. As you bend forwards, your hips and glutes should move backwards and your body should be centred through your heels. 3. At the bottom of the movement, do not allow the weight to touch the floor and don't round your back. 4. Hold for a count of one then forcefully contract your gluteus and hamstrings to raise your torso back into the erect starting position. Tips: • Keep your back flat. Rounding your back will increase the risk of injury. • Do not lower the bar too far. The bar should be hanging at arms' length below you. Going below th...

Shoulder Shrug (Barbell / Smith-Machine Behind the Back) Target Muscles: Trapezius, Rhomboids, and Various other neck and shoulder girdle muscles Starting Position: 1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. 2. Hold a barbell behind your thighs, keep your arms straight. The Movement: 1. Raise your shoulders straight up towards your ears, keeping your arms straight. 2. Hold for a count of two; then lower the , dumbbells back to the starting position. Tips: • Keep your arms straight throughout the movement. • Lift and lower the bar slowly and deliberately - don't jerk them. • As you lower the bar, allow your shoulders to drop down as far as possible ­this stretches the trapezius and increases the range of motion. • Do not rotate your shoulders backwards at the top of the movement - this increases the risk of injury to the shoulder and places no further work on the trapezius. • Use straps to improve your grip. Variation: Dumbbell shrug: Hold a pair of dumbbells by your sides level with ...

Deadlift (Barbell Standard) Target Muscles: Gluteus, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Hip flexors, Lower back, Adductors, Latissimus dorsi, Trapezius, Abdominals Starting Position: 1. Stand in front of the barbell with your feet parallel and shoulder-width apart. 2. Bend your legs until your hips and knees are at the same level, keeping your rib cage up and your head level. Your back should be straight, at a 45° angle to the floor. 3. Grasp the bar, with your hands just over shoulder-width apart, one overhand, the other under. This will facilitate better balance and keep the barbell in the same plane. The Movement: 1. Using the power of your legs and hips, and keeping your arms straight, lift the bar from the floor until your legs are straight. The bar should be against the upper part of your thighs. Hold for a count of one. 2. Slowly return the bar to the floor, keeping your torso erect, arms straight and head up, eyes looking forwards. Your chest should be slightly forwards and over the bar. ...

Squat (Barbell / Smith-Machine Jefferson Lift) Target Muscles: Gluteus, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Lower back, Adductors, Hip flexors. Starting Position: 1. Position the bar on the floor standing with one leg on each side of it. 2. Firmly grip the bar, with your hands almost double shoulder-width apart. As you lift the bar off the floor, keep your shoulder blades together and chest up, and ensure there is a normal (stable) curve in your lower back. 3. Position your feet shoulder-width apart (or slightly wider), toes angled out at 30°. The Movement: 1. Begin raising yourself up, and do not lock your knees. 2. Keeping your head up and your trunk erect, slowly lower yourself down until your thighs are parallel to the ground; it is not wise to go any further than this. Keep your knees aligned over your feet, pointing in the direction of your toes. Hold for a count of one. 3. From here, pull the weight up, pushing hard through your feet and keeping your body erect as you return to the star...