KAVA 1

DETAILS

Performing a pull-down with a hammer grip provides three benefits. First, it increases activation of the biceps, making it an excellent arm builder. Second, it’s less stressful on the shoulders than an overhand grip. Third, your arm position allows the lats to fully stretch, which is beneficial for shoulder mobility. This is the ideal vertical pulling exercise for people who lack the strength to perform a hammer-grip pull-up.

HOW TO DO IT 

1. Attach the V-shaped handle to the highest pulley. Grip the handle with your palms facing each other, then sit on the seat with the pads resting against the top of your thighs. Extend your arms without shrugging your shoulders, and lean your torso back slightly (see figure a). 

2. Pull the handle down until the tops of your knuckles are lower than your chin; squeeze your shoulder blades together (see figure b). 

3. Slowly extend your arms back to the starting position and repeat.

ADVANTAGES 

• This variation increases activation of the biceps. 

• It improves mobility of the lats.

COACHING CUES 

• Avoid pulling the handle to your chest to reduce strain on the anterior shoulders.

DETAILS

The face pull simultaneously strengthens and builds the rhomboids, middle traps, and external rotators. Sufficient strength of those muscles is crucial to shoulder health. This exercise should be part of any resistance training program, which is why you’ll see it programmed so frequently in this book.

HOW TO DO IT 

1. Stand tall with your arms held in front and parallel to the floor. Loop a long resis- tance band across the back of your wrists with your palms facing forward, fingers spread and pointing up (see figure a). Step back to generate tension on the band. 

2. Perform a horizontal row, and then at the halfway point of the motion, externally rotate the shoulders until the upper arms are slightly below parallel to the floor (see figure b). 

3. Slowly reverse the motion and repeat.

ADVANTAGES 

• The face pull improves shoulder integrity by simultaneously strengthening the external rotators and scapular retractors.

COACHING CUES 

• This exercise can also be performed by looping the band through the clip of a cable with the pulley set at a lower chest height. The cable will extend toward you as you pull the band closer to your body.

DETAILS

The dip is often thought of as a triceps exercise since it targets that muscle group with a heavy load. But it’s also an effective way to build your chest. The shoulder angle places an emphasis on the sternal portion of the pectorals, which increases the size of the lower half of the chest.

HOW TO DO IT 

1. Grip the handles with your hands shoulder-width apart, or slightly wider, palms facing each other. Your arms are fully extended and your traps are as far from your ears as possible (see figure a). 

2. Bend your elbows and lower your body through tension in your triceps as your trunk shifts forward. Slowly lower as far as your mobility and strength allow (see figure b). 

3. Press up until your elbows are fully locked and repeat.

ADVANTAGES 

• The dip simultaneously increases the size and strength of the triceps and chest.

COACHING CUES 

• To increase the load, add weight to a chin/dip belt or hold a dumbbell vertically between your feet.

DETAILS

The trap bar deadlift (also known as the hex bar deadlift) is another excellent option for taller lifters. And the handles allow for a neutral grip, which spares the shoulders for many people. Since the trap bar centers the load more than a barbell, it works well to increase the size and strength of the quadriceps.

HOW TO DO IT 

1. Load the bar and stand in the middle. Set your feet somewhere between hip- and shoulder-width apart, toes forward. Grab the handles with your arms just outside your legs. Push your hips back, push your chest out, and tighten everything from your hands to your feet (see figure a). 

2. Thrust your hips forward and pull the bar straight up from the floor until your ankles, knees, and hips are fully extended (see figure b). 

3. Pause,quicklylowerthebartotheflooralong the same path, reset your grip, and repeat.

ADVANTAGES 

• For many lifters, this is the most back-friendly deadlift option, since the load is always at the center of gravity. 

• The high handles are also a boon for athletes who aren’t good candidates to pull from the low bar position. 

• The trap bar takes some work from the pos- terior chain (especially the middle and lower back) and moves it to the quadriceps, making this variation a squat–deadlift hybrid.

COACHING CUES 

• Lifters often stop short of full hip extension during this exercise, so maximally squeeze the glutes when standing tall to avoid that shortcoming.

DETAILS

Performing a one-leg calf raise from the floor is one of the most user-friendly calf builders you’ll find. You can do this exercise literally anywhere, assuming you just want to knock out as many reps as possible and don’t need to hold a weight in your hand. This is an ideal high-frequency exercise to build your calves. The goal is to work up to 25 repetitions through a full range of motion with each leg, and then progress to the elevated version covered next. Or you can keep adding reps until you reach 100 or more. There really is no limit.

HOW TO DO IT 

1. Stand on your left leg approximately 12 inches (30 cm) in front of a wall, with your right foot elevated about four inches (10 cm) off the ground and behind you. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand, and rest your left fingertips lightly against the wall to maintain balance. If you don’t have the strength for extra load, place the fingertips of both hands against the wall (see figure a). 

2. Push through the base of your left big toe to elevate your heel as high as pos- sible (see figure b). Focus on getting an intense calf contraction at the top of the movement. 

3. Slowly lower back to the starting position. 

4. Perform all reps on the left leg, and then switch sides.

ADVANTAGES 

• This variation requires twice the muscle activation of the two-leg version. It increases single-leg strength.

COACHING CUES 

• Many people prefer to perform this, or any calf exercise, without shoes because they feel a stronger calf contraction. 

• Holding a weight in your hand isn’t necessary in the early stages if your strength isn’t up to par. 

• Perform this exercise with both feet on the ground if you lack the strength to perform the one-leg version. 

• To make this exercise more challenging, hold the peak contraction for 1 to 3 seconds for each repetition. 

• A weighted vest works well to increase the load when a dumbbell or kettlebell isn’t available.