WARM-UP
BEFORE YOU START MAKING THEM MUSCLES, YOU NEED TO WARM-UP AND STRETCH.
LET'S GO!
DO BELOW EXERCISES 3 TIMES.
10 - 12 - 16
ABOVE-THE-KNEE RACK PULLS
The rack pull is performed by placing a loaded barbell on the supports of a power rack, usually just above or below the knees, and lifting it by gripping the bar and extending the hips to full lockout. Blocks or bumper plates can be used if a power rack isn't available.
BACK WIDOW
To do this simple exercise, starting position is face up on the floor and bending your elbows on the ground with fists up in the air. Push hard through the upper back to engage the rhomboids, traps, and posterior delts to get your upper body and spine up and off the ground, and pull your shoulder blades in, keeping your knees bent with feet on the floor. Pause at the top, and then return to starting position lowering your body toward floor, and then push yourself up again. The pro tip here is to hold the contraction on each repetition, and make sure you get yourself up by using your back muscles and not momentum!
PULLTHROUGH
Hinge your hips, grab the rope attachment between your legs, and pull it forward with a controlled movement.
SHORT BREAK
DO BELOW EXERCISES 3 TIMES.
10 - 12 - 16
BARBELL SEAL ROW
Elevate the weight bench on both sides with weight plates so the barbell is just above the ground when your arms are straight.
Lie prone on the bench with the barbell underneath you with your upper body and hips on the bench and your legs off the end.
Squeeze your glutes and brace your abs to keep your back neutral.
Pull your elbows towards the hip until the barbell touches the bench.
Lower down towards the floor reset and repeat.
Best rep range: 8-12 (moderate load)
BENT KETTLEBELL SHRUG
HALF KNEELING LAT PULLDOWN
Place the cable machine on the highest setting and grab the handle with one hand.
Get into a good half-kneeling position, knee underneath hip and ankle underneath knee with your glutes engaged and ribs down.
The knee that’s down on the same side that’s working.
Keep your shoulder down, and chest up and pull your elbow towards your hip.
Extend your arm towards the cable machine until your arm is straight.
Reset and repeat.
Best rep range: 8-16 (light to moderate load)
GOOD JOB!
SQUEEZE-OUT
LET'S DO A LITTLE SQUEEZE-OUT! PERFORM 3 SETS OF MAX SCAPULA PULLS.
MAX X SCAPULA PULL
Begin in a normal pull-up position with a palms-away grip and hands shoulder-width apart. From a full, nearly passive hang (shrugged shoulders), draw your scapula down and together, thus raising your body slightly but without bending your arms as in a regular pull-up. The best learning cues are: Try to “bend the bar” and think about doing a reverse shrug (i.e. shoulders drawn downward). Do this, and you’ll feel your head shift backward and your chest raise upward, as your scapular pinch together. Hold the top position for one second, then return to the starting position. The range of motion is only a few inches. Do six to twelve reps, keeping nearly straight arms and tight spinal erectors and glutes throughout. At first, you may find this to be a difficult exercise (a sign that you’ve found a critical weakness to correct!), but resist the urge to overdo it.
WELL DONE!