Exercise Of The Week; Upright Row

Want strong sexy looking shoulders, try doing upright rows. The upright row strengthens and develops the top portion of your shoulders and trapezius (the muscle at the top of your shoulders that attaches to your neck). Perform this exercise at the cable machine. Attach a straight bar and place the pulley at the lowest level. Grip the bar at a position where your hands are about an inch apart and stand upright with your arms full extended. Position your feet shoulder width, slightly bend your knees, and lift your chest high. This is your start position. Pull your hands to the top of your chest all the while keeping your elbows slightly higher than your hands and then return to the start position. Exhale as you pull the weight upward and inhale as you return to the start position.

I recommend beginners do 2 sets of 10 repetitions of this exercise and those more advanced can do 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Exercise of the Week; The Dumbbell Row

The dumbbell row is a good alternative to the seated row that I mentioned in one of my earlier posts. It it is a great exercise to strengthen and develop the muscles of the upper back.

Hold a dumbbell in one hand, and place the opposite knee on a bench. Lean forward, and place your other hand on the bench. Step to your side with the other leg bending your knee slightly. Proper form is very important on this exercise, so be careful that your lower back is not rounded. Hold the dumbbell fully extended beneath your shoulder. This is your starting position. Now, slowly pull the dumbbell to underarm height, squeeze your shoulder blade toward your spine and return slowly to the start position. The breathing pattern is to exhale as you pull the dumbbell toward you and inhale as you return to start.

I recommend that beginners do 2 sets of 10 repetitions of this exercise and those who are more experienced do 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Exercise of the Week: The Lat Pulldown

I'm starting a series each week of showing you some of my favorite strength training exercises. This week we will start with the Lat Pulldown.

The lat pulldown is a great exercise for strengthening and developing the muscles in your upper back which are critical in having good posture. People whose shoulders are slumped forward most likely have under-developed upper back muscles.

First sit down and adjust the thigh pad to a position that firmly fits over your thighs. Then select a resistance with which the last three repetitions are difficult to complete. If this is your first time doing this exercise is may take experimenting at several weights before you find the right resistance for you. Next, grip the bar a little wider than shoulder width, sit down on the seat and place your knees firmly under the pad. Start with your arms fully extended and your chest held high. This is your start position. Now, pull the bar slowly down to the base of your neck while squeezing your shoulder blades back and together. Slowly return the bar to the starting position. (It should take about 3 seconds to pull the bar down and about 2 seconds to return the bar to its starting position). Proper breathing is very important so, remember to exhale as you pull the bar down and inhale as you return the bar to the starting position.