Step One

Start with the body perfectly upright, the traps slightly flexed and the arms fully extended. Despite all the articles you've read telling you to pull the elbows back as far as possible, this is incorrect. Doing this will limit the range of effective work. Ideally, the upper arm should be parallel to the torso with the shoulder blades and traps lightly pulled back. For advanced trainees shifting the elbow slightly forward without cheating will give an even stronger high-range contraction.

Step Two

Raise the bar to a full contraction without moving the shoulder position or using the low back. An example of this would be the guy in the gym who is befuddled by his lack of progress, yet proceeds to do a crossbreed deadlift/curl every time he trains arms. Don't be this guy! As you approach the top of the movement, (slightly) letting the wrist back will displace any undesired forearm activity into the biceps. Whatever you do, please don't be the guy who curls his wrist inward the whole time in his unspoken quest for 12" biceps and 15" forearms!

Step Three

Lower the weight slowly back to the starting position.

Step One

Start by adjusting the pulley to waist-level. The arms will be fully extended and should draw a straight line from the shoulder to the pulley. Lean the body back about 10 degrees.

Step Two

Curl the weight up with out letting the upper arms change position and slightly let the wrist back toward the top. It is critical not to let the elbows drift back during the curl. This will turn the curl into a weird variation of a cable row. This curl also places emphasis on the high range of the movement, much like a concentration curl. A change in arm position will detract from this high range emphasis.

Step Three

Slowly lower back to starting position.

Step One

Place the pulley in the lowest position possible. Grab the bar with the thumbs underneath and the palms facing the floor. Back away from the pulley about 12"-18".

Step Two

Keeping the elbows slightly forward of center, curl the weight up until full contraction is achieved. Keep the wrists completely straight on this movement and the thumbs locked down tightly. If a straight bar places too much stress on the wrist you may opt to use an ez-curl bar on this movement.

Step Three

Slowly lower the weight back to starting position.

Step One

Place the pulley in the lowest position possible. You may need to stand on a small platform (Reebok Step, etc.) to allow full extension of the arms depending on the length of the rope.

Step Two

Keep the elbows firmly planted at the sides, the palms facing each other, and the elbows back. Curl the weight up to a full contraction. Toward the top of the contraction you may slightly shift the elbow forward (1"-2") and gently let the wrists tilt downward. This will increase tension achieved in the brachialis with this movement.

Step Three

Slowly lower the rope back to starting position.

Step One

Start with palms no wider than shoulder width on the dip bars. Any wider than this will place too much emphasis on the chest and shoulders. Keep the torso as upright as possible. This will also help to divert the tension into the triceps rather than the chest/delts.

Step Two

Lower the body slowly to a position where the upper arms are parallel or slightly short of parallel to the dip bars. Go too deep and you will burn the front delts out before the triceps are done. As you lower, be sure not to lean too far forward, this will keep the tension in the triceps.

Step Three

Raise back up to starting position with a controlled but powerful movement.

Step Four

Add weight by using a dip belt or placing a dumbbell between the legs as needed.

Step One

Lay down on a flat bench and position yourself just like a regular bench press: centered, shoulders pulled back at all times, feet wide to provide stability for the torso, low back and abs tight. Slide the head back as far as it will go without coming off the bench. This will minimize the bar distance traveled from the rack to the starting position for this exercise. Grip the bar with the hands 12"-18" depending on wrist health and shoulder width. If your wrist stability is nominal you may opt to use a wider grip. Use a "thumbs under" grip to lend extra support to the wrist and make sure the other four fingers are clamped down tightly on the bar.

Step Two

Lower the bar slowly to the sternum, elbows close to the torso and keep the load directly above the elbows AT ALL TIMES!

Step Three

Press the weight back up with controlled power, keeping the shoulders back, the chest out and briefly pause at the top.

Step One

Start on a 30-45 degree decline with the arms extended and each dumbbell directly above the shoulder. Palms should be facing toward the knees.

Step Two

Slowly lower the weight to either side of the head while simultaneously turning the palms toward each other.

Step Three

Stop with the dumbbells about 2" away from making contact with the top of the shoulders and raise back to starting position by simply reversing the movement.

Step One

This movement is a truly great finisher when done correctly. It is a fairly complex movement, so take the time to learn to do it right or it will only be minimally effective. Start with a slight bend in the knees and slight sacral tilt. By leaning slightly forward you will displace the load from the traps and other stabilizers on to the triceps. This rule applies to every triceps pushdown movement you will ever do. Grab the rope at the very bottom with the palms facing each other and the hands about an inch or two from the chest. The elbows will be facing behind you at the start of the movement.

Step Two

Press the weight downward keeping the palms parallel throughout the movement and the shoulders slightly pulled back and down.

Step Three

At the bottom of the movement the palms should still be in front of the chest and not too close to the body. The palms will rotate away from the body (elbows pointed outward) as the rope is pulled into an attempted straightened position. I say "attempted" because the rope will never be completely straightened regardless of how light the weight is. The desired weight on this movement will be approximately 50%-60% of the weight used on regular pushdowns with a straight bar.

Step Four

Reverse movement back into starting position.

Step One

Star with the pulley high. Use a straight bar with a shoulder width, palms up grip. Move 3 to 4 feet away from the weight stack and assume an exaggerated version of the pushdown position described in Exercise 8.

Step Two

Pull the weight down using the triceps. Be sure not to move the upper arms during this movement.

Step Three

Pause briefly during the contraction at the bottom and control the weight back up to the starting position.