Bench Press (Smith Machine) – The Smith Machine is a machine in which the barbell is attached to tracks at either end. This means it is impossible to drop it and also means you don’t need to use the supporting muscles in your arms for balance. This means you can use heavier weights but at the same time you won’t get as much benefit in areas other than your pecs. It is therefore only really useful as a way to build up to a heavier bench press.

Dumbbell Press – To perform dumbbell presses, lie on a bench with no wrack with two dumbbells extending above you at arms length. Now press the dumbbells as you would with the barbell in a bench press. This is useful as a way to ensure both sides are using the same effort and improve overall symmetry.

Incline Bench Press – If you bench press on an uneven surface it will engage different areas of the pec more and involve the shoulders either more or less. For variation try experimenting by adjusting the incline.

Chest Press – The chest press is a resistance machine version of the bench press where you are sat upright pushing the weights away from your body outwards rather than upwards. Like the smith machine it works fewer supporting muscles but isolates the targeted muscles, as do all resistance machines.

Pec Flies – To perform Pec Flies you should be lying on a bench holding two dumbbells as though you were about to do dumbbell presses. Now rather than pressing them, pivot outwards at the shoulders keeping your arms straight so that you are in a crucifix position holding a dumbbell in either hand (this will require you to use lower weights again). From this position you should feel a burn right across your chest. Now, generating power from your pecs, lift them back into the centre. This works the outsides of both your pecs and your deltoids.

Cable Flies – Cable flies are essentially the same movement as pec flies, except performed standing up and pulling two cables in towards the middle rather than dumbbells. The force here comes from a slightly different angle but works essentially the same muscles. You’ll need to step forward into the movement in order to be far enough away from the machine to pull the cables.

Pec Dec – The Pec Dec is a seated resistance machine version of the pec flies/cable flies that uses two pads that must be pushed together from either side in a similar movement.

Shoulder Press – The shoulder press is similar to the bench press except you are pushing directly upwards while either sitting or standing upright in order to work the deltoids. This can be done with a resistance machine, dumbbells or a barbell and works unilaterally or bilaterally (one sided or double sided). Mix and match to keep your muscles guessing.

Shrugs – Shrugs are a simple and easy way to work your deltoids. Here you hold a dumbbell in either hand with them dangling by your sides, arms fully extended. From this point simply shrug, lifting up the weights as you do. You look confused, but the positive aspect is you’re training your deltoids with fairly little effort.

Lateral Raises – For lateral raises hold a fairly light dumbbell in either hand by your sides then raise them outwards with straight arms pivoting at the shoulders as though you were a crucifix. This works the outsides of the deltoids.

Forward Raises – Like the lateral raises except you raise the dumbbells upwards directly in front of you rather than out to the sides.

Squat – The squat is another compound movement that works your core more than any other exercise. At the same time it works your shoulders and almost every muscle in your legs. Additionally it will trigger the growth hormones in your body, switching on your anabolic capabilities. No training programme is complete without the squat.

To perform this movement you need a squat rack. Set it so that the barbell is perched at such a height that you need to stoop just slightly to get under it (this is so you don’t need to be on tip toes to lift it off the rack). Now stand underneath and fit the bar along the line across your neck and shoulders. It should be at the front of the latter and the back of the former and you’ll find there’s a groove there that seems almost designed for this purpose. Now lift it off the rack by bending at the knees (not the back) and step away. Now to squat have your feet shoulders width apart then simply squat downwards so that you’re almost sitting in an imaginary chair. Hold for a second then raise yourself with your knees and repeat. Ensure you back remains straight at all times and that the barbell is directly above your centre of gravity. Use a light weight and/or a spotter to begin with until you’ve got the technique down.

Leg Press – The leg press is a simpler and safer version of the squat though it works fewer of the core muscles. To perform this movement you’ll sit in a seat that has a flat surface in front of it. When you sit in it your feet should be on the pad and the seat should be adjusted so that your knees are bent to achieve this. Now simply straighten your legs at the knees, pushing the weight outwards as you do. Alternatively on some machines you’ll find that it’s the chair that moves so don’t be surprised if this is the case. This will work the quads, hamstring and gluteus maximus.

Deadlift – The deadlift is the third of the three main compound movements (the other two being the bench press and the squat). To do this one you will need a dumbbell resting on the floor with you standing just in front of it. The bar should be just above the ends of your toes so that you’re a minimal distance away from it.

Now squat down low enough that you can grab the bar, making sure not to bend your back, and hold it so that you have one palm facing inwards and one facing outwards. If you prefer you can have both palms facing towards you and the backs of your hands facing away, though this method is slightly less secure as the weight could slip through your grip so it’s really just a matter of preference; comfort or security? Once you have a good grip on the barbell stand up again by straightening your legs. Your back will be diagonal so that too will straighten by pivoting at the hips, ensuring not to arch the back at all. As you do be careful not to hit your knees with the bar. Now while standing, holding the weight for a couple of seconds, then place it back down by bending in the same way.

Leg Extensions – The leg extensions are a resistance machine where you sit in a chair with your legs dangling in front of you and a pad resting against the front of your shins or on the bridge of your feet. From here you straighten your legs by pivoting at the knees in order to curl the pad upwards. This will work your quadriceps.

Hamstring Curls – The hamstring curls are essentially the opposite movement to the leg extensions being another resistance machine that this time works the hamstrings. Here you lie flat on your stomach with your legs straight behind you and pads resting on the backs of your ankles or heels. Now you are curling the pad upwards towards your bottom in order to lift the attached weights.

Calf Raises – To perform calf raises you can use one of several methods. One way is to use simply a step or a raised surface. From here you stand on the edge on the balls of your feet so that your heels are hanging over then dip down so that they lower before rising up on tip toes. If this is too easy you can make it more difficult by doing it on one leg with your other foot tucked behind one ankle. Another way to do this is to use the resistance machine, which has the platform as well as heavy pads to rest on your shoulder as you perform reps. Alternatively you could obviously replace these pads with a barbell or dumbbells. The final method is to sit on a bench and balance a weight on your knee to offer resistance and extra weight raising your calf.

Mack LeMouse

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