Bent Over Barbell Row

With an overhand grip, place your hands on the barbell around shoulder-width apart. Bend at a 45-degree angle from the waist, letting the barbell sit just below the knees. You can bend your knees slightly to remove pressure from the lower back and hamstrings if necessary. Keep your back arched.

Pull the weight towards your abdomen. Hold the contraction for a count, and then slowly return the weight to the starting position in a controlled motion. The movement should be smooth and not jerky.

ONE-ARM DUMBBELL Row

Start on a flat bench with one hand on the bench, the other hand holding the dumbbell. Have one knee on the bench under your hip and the other leg out to the side. You want to keep your spine in a neutral position. Hips and shoulders parallel to the floor. With the hand holding the dumbbell, let the shoulder blade stretch, and then pull the shoulder blade back. Pull the arm back, bringing your elbow to your side. Squeeze before slowly lowering the dumbbell back towards the floor.

Seated Cable Row

Attach a V-handle to a low cable rowing machine. Sit down and grasp the handle with both hands. Keeping your torso straight, back arched, and arms extended, slowly pull the V-handle to your abdomen, squeezing your shoulder blades together as you do so. Once the handle reaches your body, slowly return to starting position. Resist the weight as you extend your arm back to starting position and keep control of the cable for a slow return.

Seated Lat PullDown

Starting in a stretched position, use a medium-wide grip and pull down the bar to the top of your chest with a slight arch in your back. Slowly return bar to starting position. Stretch your back muscles when your arms are extended. Keep the exercise controlled and really focus on squeezing your muscles throughout the entire movement.

Standing Cable Lat PullDown

Stand facing the cable machine and grasp the straight bar attachment with a shoulder-width (or slightly narrower) grip. Keeping your arms fully extended, your hands should be around eye level in starting position. Keep your back arched during the entire motion. Activating your lats, press the weight down so that the bar arcs down towards your upper thighs. Slowly return the bar to starting position, feeling a stretch along your sides as you do so. Other than your arms, your body should remain stationary throughout the movement.

Seated Alternating Dumbbell Curl

Sit at the end of a flat bench with your feet firmly on the floor. Hold the dumbbells with your palms facing in and your arms straight down at your sides at arm’s length. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart. While holding the upper arm stationary, curl the weight as you rotate the palm of the hands until they are facing forward. Continue alternating in this manner for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Hammer Curl

Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, take a dumbbell in each hand. Arms should be hanging down at your sides with palms facing each other. Keeping the upper arms stationary, and without bending at the wrists, curl the dumbbells up slowly towards your shoulders. Stop when your forearms become parallel with the floor. Lower the dumbbells back down slowly, making sure to keep the elbows stationary throughout the movement.

Barbell Curl

Take a shoulder-width grip on the bar. With your feet hip-to-shoulder width apart, chest up and eyes focused forward, hold the bar in front of your thighs. Curl the bar upward towards your chest. Do not let the tension off your biceps at the top position. Lower with control back to starting position.