Exercise 1
Wide-to-Narrow-Grip Pullup

(upper back, latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius, biceps)

In each set of this move, do as many as you can, disregarding the
repetition counts in the table. Grab a pullup bar with your hands wider
than shoulder-width apart, palms facing forward. Pull yourself up until
the bar is even with your chest. Pause, then lower yourself until your
arms are straight. For the second set, grab the bar with your hands
shoulder-width apart, palms toward you. For the third set (weeks 3 and
4), grab narrow parallel bars so your palms face each other.



Watch Your Form: Lower yourself slowly; don't let gravity take over.



Video Demo

















Exercise 2
Long-Bar Bent-Over Row (upper portion of lats) Stick
one end of a bar in a corner and put weight plates on the other end.
With your back to the corner, straddle the bar near the weighted end
and bend forward until your upper body is almost parallel to the floor.
Grab the bar with both hands just behind the plates. Keeping your
elbows in and your knees slightly bent, pull the weighted end of the
bar up until the plates touch your chest. Lower the bar until the
weights are just above (not touching) the floor. Watch Your Form: Keep your head and neck in line with your back to avoid pulling neck muscles that are already tight. Video Demo

















Exercise 3
Underhand Medium-Grip Pulldown

(middle and outer edges of back)

Grab a lat-pulldown bar with your hands about 2 feet apart, palms
facing toward you, and sit on the seat. Keeping your head and back
straight, slowly pull the bar to the top of your chest. Squeeze your
shoulder blades together at the bottom of the move, then let the bar
slowly raise your hands above your head again, resisting the pull as
you go.



Watch Your Form: Resist the urge to curl the bar
toward your chest, which brings more of your biceps into the movement.
Instead, picture your elbows being pulled straight down to the floor.



Video Demo

















Exercise 4
Hyperextension

(lower back, spinal muscles)

Lie on a hyperextension bench and tuck your ankles under the
footpads. Your upper thighs should lie flat across the wide pad in
front. Place your hands lightly alongside your head, behind your ears,
and slowly bend forward at the waist as far as you comfortably can.
Keep your back flat as you go. Slowly raise yourself until your body
forms a straight line.



Watch Your Form: Avoid arching your back, which
stresses your lower back, spine, and neck muscles. Give yourself at
least 2 seconds down and 2 seconds up so gravity doesn't do the work.



Video Demo

















Exercise 5
Single-Arm Lateral Raise

(middle deltoids)

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a light dumbbell
in your right hand. Your right arm should hang straight at your side
with your palm facing you. Keeping your arm straight, slowly raise it
up and out until it's parallel to the floor. Pause for 2 seconds, then
slowly lower the weight. Perform the assigned number of repetitions on
one side before repeating the exercise with your other arm.



Watch Your Form: Keep your body straight. Arching your back or leaning to the side lets momentum cheat the weight up.



Video Demo

















Exercise 6
Seated Bent-Over Lateral Raise (posterior deltoids) Sit
on the edge of a bench with a light dumbbell (5 pounds to start) in
each hand. Bend at your waist until your chest touches your thighs and
your arms hang down. Slowly raise the dumbbells up and out to the sides
until your arms are parallel to the floor. Pause for 1 second, then
slowly lower your arms until they're almost vertical. Watch Your Form:
Keep your torso locked in position throughout the movement. Raising
your torso even an inch or two brings more of your lower back into the
movement, cheating your posterior deltoids and straining your neck
muscles. Video Demo

















Exercise 7
Behind-the-Back Shrug

(trapezius, upper back)

Sit on the edge of a bench, arms hanging straight behind you. Have
someone hand a bar to you, and grab it with your hands shoulder-width
apart or slightly wider, palms facing backward. Keeping your back and
arms straight, slowly raise your shoulders as high as you can. Pause,
then slowly lower your shoulders.



Watch Your Form: Raise and lower your shoulders
only. Rolling your shoulders forward or backward at the top of the move
is a waste of time and can place them at risk of impingement or
rotator-cuff problems over time.



Video Demo

















Exercise 8
Pendulum

(rectus abdominis, obliques)

Lie flat on your back with your arms out at your sides and your legs
together. Slowly raise your legs until your feet are above your hips.
This is the starting position. Keeping your legs together and your head
and upper back on the floor, slowly roll your legs to the left as far
as you comfortably can. Pause, return your legs to the center, then
repeat to the right.



Watch Your Form: Keep your head flat on the floor
by staring at the ceiling. Turning your head to watch your legs can
twist your body off the floor. This makes it easier to use momentum to
raise your legs.



Video Demo