"How To Do Close Grip Chin Ups"

by

healthy_blogging

Hey, guys! Today I'm going to tell you about an often overlooked but very remarkable compound exercise: close grip chin ups. Why is this exercise so remarkable? Close grip chin ups have many benefits including:

• strong triceps
• strong shoulders
• strong forearms
• strong back
• helps develop the V taper

It's also very easy to learn, so let's get started.

How To Do Close Grip Chin Ups

You'll need a chin up/pull up bar for this exercise. (Note: this exercise is for immediate to advanced strength trainers. To learn more about the basic chin up exercise watch my chin up video.) Grip the bar with both hands. Make sure that your palms are facing you (supine grip) and that both of them are touching. Now use your biceps and upper back muscles to pull yourself up. **Do not use your legs in this exercise. Some people like to "kick" or swing themselves upward, but this assistance defeats the entire purpose of chin ups.** Once you've pulled your chin above the bar, you can lower yourself down again. That's one rep. Perform ten to fifteen reps then take a break before going again. I would recommend doing no more than one hundred reps (divide them over multiple sets).

Close grip chin ups are a tougher version of the standard chin up because the latter places a lot of emphasis on your forearms. The long term benefits of this are massive forearms, incredible grip strength and a strong back. Thus the close grip chin up has carryover advantages for other exercises e.g. deadlifts,bench press. It's also good for developing the classic "V" shape. The best time to do them is on back day or chest day.

Do you want to become stronger and healthier? Of course you do. Now's your chance, guys. Seize the moment and do it.

"Great Chest and Whole Body Workouts: How To Do Close Grip Chin Ups" copyright 2011 Great Chest and Whole Body Workouts. All Rights Reserved.

How To Do The Shoulder Press With Dumbbells

by

healthy_blogging

Today I'm going to show you the seated shoulder press with dumbbells. This exercise is an excellent way for beginners to develop power shoulders and overall upper body strength. Some of the benefits of the exercise include:

• strong shoulders
• strong biceps
• strong core
   

You will definitely need to add this exercise to your workout routine.

How To Do The Shoulder Press With Dumbbells

You'll need a pair of dumbbells and a chair or bench for this exercise. The first thing that you need to do is warm up, so start of with light weight dumbbells. Sit up straight with you feet placed shoulder width apart. Raise the dumbbells up to your shoulders. Your palms should be facing forward. Use your shoulder muscles to press the weights above your head. Hold for a two second count then return to your starting position. That's one repetition. Repeat this nine more time to complete the warm up set.

Now grab a pair of heavier dumbbells. If your goal is to build massive shoulder muscles you want to go for lower reps (4-6) with heavier weights (five sets total); if you want to tone up, do use lighter weights and increase the repetitions (10 -15 reps for three sets). Strength trainers should increase the weights by five to ten pounds every week while keeping the number of reps and sets the same.

The overhead press with dumbbells (or dumbbell shoulder press) - as this exercise is also called - is a good way for beginners to get a feel for pressing weight overhead. Once you become stronger you can graduate to the barbell shoulder press. Another great thing about the shoulder press with dumbbells exercise is that it forces both shoulders to carry their own weight. Muscles don't always develop at the same pace, dumbbell exercises allow the weaker muscles to work much harder than they would if the stronger muscles were taking up most of the slack.

The dumbbell shoulder press will have carryover benefits to other exercises including the bench press and dips. When you're lifting heavy dumbbells you'll also stimulate growth hormone production which will be used by muscles throughout your body thereby creating overall muscular development. 

You have to choose the direction you want to take in life, to become better or just stay the same. Since you're reading this article, you obviously want to become stronger and healthier. Make good use of it. Now is the time.

"Great Chest and Whole Body Workouts: How To Do The Shoulder Press With Dumbbells" copyright 2011 Great Chest Workouts. All Rights Reserved.

How To Do Dumbbell Standing Calf Raises

by

healthy_blogging

I recently showed you how to do seated calf raises. Today I'm going to show you how to do dumbbell standing calf raises. It's very important to learn a variety of calf muscle exercises to strengthen the muscles in the lower leg. Some of the benefits of the dumbbell standing calf raise include:

• strong calves
• improved flexibility
• improved posture
  

This can also be considered a very good calf exercise for women, because strong lower leg muscles help prevent osteoporosis.

How To Do Dumbbell Standing Calf Raises

You need to start out with a warm up set, this loosens the muscles, improves circulation and helps you to develop a feel for the exercise. Grab a pair of light weight dumbbells. Stand up straight with both feet planted firmly on the floor. Make sure to hold the dumbbells at your sides. Now flex your calf muscles to push yourself on to the tips of your toes. By now you should be standing on the balls of your feet. Hold this position for a two second count then lower yourself down to the starting position. Repeat this nine more times to finish up your warm up set.

Now choose heavier dumbbells and go again. The purpose of the weights is to make your calf muscles stronger through resistance, the standing calf raise operates through plantar flexion, but it becomes a much better exercise when you must work harder against gravity. To give yourself a good calf workout, figure out what your goals are. If you want to build muscle go for six to eight reps (for a total of five sets); if you want toned calves then workout using light weights (ten to fifteen reps for five sets).

This exercise is one of the best ways to go from skinny to big calves. Each week, add weight in ten to twenty pound increments i.e. five or ten pounds per hand. Leg exercises also distinguish aesthetically proportionate physiques from those people who have huge upper bodies but tiny chicken legs. And for the ladies who are reading this article, if you want toned, sexy calves this is the workout for you.

Summer's almost over and most of you are back in school and hitting the books. Make sure to regularly train your body as well as your mind.

I'll see you back here next week for another Great Chest and Whole Body Workout.

"How To Do Dumbbell Standing Calf Raises" copyright 2011 Great Chest and Whole Body Workouts. All Rights Reserved.

Great Chest and Whole Body Workouts: How To Do Lateral Raise With Machine

by

healthy_blogging

Last fall I showed you how to perform the dumbbell lateral raise. Today I'm going to show you a different version of lateral raise exercise. Instead of using free weights, you're going to use a machine. You might be asking yourself why you need to learn a different method. The answer comes down to practicality. Some benefits of doing the machine lateral raise include:

• sculpted shoulders
• alternative means of doing the exercise if free weights aren't available
• improved upper body strength

How To Do The Lateral Raise With Machine

You'll need access to a lateral raise machine for this exercise. You need to start out with a warm up set, this helps to circulate blood to your muscles and gives you a feel for the exercise. Stand up straight with your feet spaced shoulder width apart. Make sure that you're facing the machine. Take a handle grip in each hand. At this point your palms will be nearly touching. Now use your shoulder muscles to raise your arms until they're parallel to the floor. Hold for a moment then lower your arms down again. Repeat this ten more times before adding more weight.

It's important to know that some machines come with elbow pads, others don't. With these machines, you must place your elbows on the pads and push your arms away from your sides; this means that your elbows will be doing much of the work. I prefer the method where your deltoid muscles are doing most of the heavy lifting, while giving the muscles in your upper back a workout, too.

Other machines are equipped for the seated position and often times you'll have to place your back against a support which causes you to face away from the machine. There's nothing wrong with the seated lateral raise machine, but you're doing less work if you're in a seated position.

Regardless of which type of machine available, you need to add weight in to become stronger. Add weight in five to ten pound increments; to build strength you should be performing between four and six reps per set (five sets tops). If you just want to tone your shoulders, exercising in the range of ten to fifteen reps per set is where you want to be.

You get out of life what you put into it. This applies to study, career, relationships and exercise. To reach your full potential, do your best and don't ever stop.

"Great Chest and Whole Body Workouts: How To Do Lateral Raise With Machine" copyright 2011 Great Chest and Whole Body Workouts. All Rights Reserved.