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. ...

Crunch (90 Degree) Target Muscles: Rectus abdominis (mainly the upper part) 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 hands lightly by the sides of your head (or across your  chest if you are a beginner). 3. Press your lower back to the floor or bench. The Movement: 1. Use your abdominal strength to raise your head and shoulders from  the floor or bench. You should only come up about 10 cm and your  lower back should remain on the floor. 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 (Cross Leg) Target Muscles: Rectus abdominis (mainly the upper part) Starting Position: 1. Lie flat on your back either on the floor or on an abdominal bench with  your knees bent over your hips and one leg crossed so your ankle is just below your knee 2. Place your hands lightly by the sides of your head (or across your  chest if you are a beginner). 3. Press your lower back to the floor or bench. The Movement: 1. Use your abdominal strength to raise your head and shoulders from  the floor or bench. You should only come up about 10 cm and your  lower back should remain on the floor. 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 (Standard) Target Muscles: Rectus abdominis (mainly the upper part) Starting Position: 1. Lie flat on your back either on the floor or on an abdominal bench with  your knees bent over your hips and your ankles touching. If you are  on the floor, rest your feet on a bench with your knees bent at 90°. 2. Place your hands lightly by the sides of your head (or across your  chest if you are a beginner). 3. Press your lower back to the floor or bench. The Movement: 1. Use your abdominal strength to raise your head and shoulders from  the floor or bench. You should only come up about 10 cm and your  lower back should remain on the floor. 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.

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...

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. ...