Smith Machine Upright Row

Type: Strength
Main Muscle Worked: Traps 
Other Muscles: Biceps, Middle Back,Shoulders 
Equipment: Machine 
Mechanics Type: Compound
Level: Beginner
Sport: No
Force: Pull

1. To begin, set the bar on the smith machine to a height that is around the middle of your thighs. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, grasp the bar using a pronated (palms forward) grip that is shoulder width apart. You may need some wrist wraps if using a significant amount of weight.
2. Lift the barbell up and fully extend your arms with your back straight. There should be a slight bend at the elbows. This is the starting position.
3. Use your side shoulders to lift the bar as you exhale. The bar should be close to the body as you move it up. Continue to lift it until it nearly touches your chin. Tip: Your elbows should drive the motion. As you lift the bar, your elbows should always be higher than your forearms. Also, keep your torso stationary and pause for a second at the top of the movement.
4. Lower the bar back down slowly to the starting position. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Caution: Be very careful with how much weight you use in this exercise. Too much weight leads to bad form, which in turn can cause shoulder injury. I’ve seen this too many times so please no jerking, swinging and cheating. Also, if you suffer from shoulder problems, you may want to stay away from upright rows and substitute by some form of lateral raises.

Variations: This exercise can also be performed using a barbell, E-Z bar, straight bar attached to a low pulley and it can also be performed using dumbbells, though this later exercise should be reserved by the most advanced people that are well familiarized with correct execution.

Same as the Upright Barbell Row but with a Smith Machine.

Snatch Shrug

Type: Olympic Weightlifting
Main Muscle Worked: Traps 
Other Muscles: Forearms, Shoulders 
Equipment: Barbell 
Mechanics Type: Compound
Level: Intermediate
Sport: No
Force: Pull

1. Begin with a wide grip, with the bar hanging at the mid thigh position. You can use a hook or overhand grip. Your back should be straight and inclined slightly forward.
2. Shrug your shoulders towards your ears. While this exercise can usually by loaded with heavier weight than a snatch, avoid overloading to the point that the execution slows down.

Standing Dumbbell Upright Row

Type: Strength
Main Muscle Worked: Traps
Other Muscles: Biceps, Shoulders
Equipment: Dumbbell
Mechanics Type: Compound
Level: Beginner
Sport: No
Force: Pull

1. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand with a pronated (palms forward) grip that is slightly less than shoulder width. The dumbbells should be resting on top of your thighs. Your arms should be extended with a slight bend at the elbows and your back should be straight. This will be your starting position.
2. Use your side shoulders to lift the dumbbells as you exhale. The dumbbells should be close to the body as you move it up and the elbows should drive the motion. Continue to lift them until they nearly touch your chin. Tip: Your elbows should drive the motion. As you lift the dumbbells, your elbows should always be higher than your forearms. Also, keep your torso stationary and pause for a second at the top of the movement.
3. Lower the dumbbells back down slowly to the starting position. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement.
4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Caution: Be very careful with how much weight you use in this exercise. Too much weight leads to bad form, which in turn can cause shoulder injury. I’ve seen this too many times so please no jerking, swinging and cheating. Also, if you suffer from shoulder problems, you may want to stay away from upright rows and substitute by some form of lateral raises.

Variations: This exercise can also be performed using a straight bar attached to a low pulley and it can also be performed using an e-z bar.

Upright Cable Row

Type: Strength
Main Muscle Worked: Traps
Other Muscles: Shoulders
Equipment: Cable
Mechanics Type: Compound
Level: Intermediate
Force: Pull

1. Grasp a straight bar cable attachment that is attached to a low pulley with a pronated (palms facing your thighs) grip that is slightly less than shoulder width. The bar should be resting on top of your thighs. Your arms should be extended with a slight bend at the elbows and your back should be straight. This will be your starting position.
2. Use your side shoulders to lift the cable bar as you exhale. The bar should be close to the body as you move it up. Continue to lift it until it nearly touches your chin. Tip: Your elbows should drive the motion. As you lift the bar, your elbows should always be higher than your forearms. Also, keep your torso stationary and pause for a second at the top of the movement.
3. Lower the bar back down slowly to the starting position. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement.
4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Caution: Be very careful with how much weight you use in this exercise. Too much weight leads to bad form, which in turn can cause shoulder injury. I’ve seen this too many times so please no jerking, swinging and cheating. Also, if you suffer from shoulder problems, you may want to stay away from upright rows and substitute by some form of lateral raises.

Variations: This exercise can also be performed using a straight or e-z bar. Another variation is to use dumbbells, though this later exercise should be reserved by the most advanced people that are well familiarized with correct execution.

Chin To Chest Stretch

Type: Stretching
Main Muscle Worked: Neck 
Other Muscles: Traps 
Equipment: None 
Mechanics Type: N/A
Level: Beginner
Sport: No
Force: Static
Stretch Type: General

1. Get into a seated position on the floor.
2. Place both hands at the rear of your head, fingers interlocked, thumbs pointing down and elbows pointing straight ahead. Slowly pull your head down to your chest. Hold for 20-30 seconds.

Kneeling High Pulley Row

Function of Exercise:

Type: Strength
Main Muscle Worked: Lats 
Other Muscles: Biceps, Middle Back 
Equipment: Cable 
Mechanics Type: Compound
Level: Beginner
Sport: No
Force: Pull

Method:

1. Select the appropriate weight using a pulley that is above your head. Attach a rope to the cable and kneel a couple of feet away, holding the rope out in front of you with both arms extended. This will be your starting position.
2. Initiate the movement by flexing the elbows and fully retracting your shoulders, pulling the rope toward your upper chest with your elbows out.
3. After pausing briefly, slowly return to the starting position.

Upright Row – With Bands

Type: Strength
Main Muscle Worked: Traps 
Other Muscles: Shoulders 
Equipment: Bands 
Mechanics Type: Compound
Level: Beginner
Sport: No
Force: Pull

1. To begin, stand on an exercise band so that tension begins at arm’s length. Grasp the handles using a pronated (palms facing your thighs) grip that is slightly less than shoulder width. The handles should be resting on top of your thighs. Your arms should be extended with a slight bend at the elbows and your back should be straight. This will be your starting position.
2. Use your side shoulders to lift the handles as you exhale. The handles should be close to the body as you move them up. Continue to lift the handles until they nearly touches your chin. Tip: Your elbows should drive the motion. As you lift the handles, your elbows should always be higher than your forearms. Also, keep your torso stationary and pause for a second at the top of the movement.
3. Lower the handles back down slowly to the starting position. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement.
4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Medicine-Ball Upper-Body Shuffles

Objective:

The goal is to improve the athletes power and their quickness in the athletes upper-body.

Performing Exercise:

1. You want to start in the position of a push up.( Your body needs to be straight with one hand on the medicine ball and your shoulders parallel to the floor.

2. Then you will need to fall into a push up and explode off the ball laterally with your hands you want to your body to pass over the ball and your opposite hand will land on the ball.

3.Now remeber your feet will remain about hip width apart and your abdominal need to stay tight throughout the exercise

Body-weight Triceps Extension

Triceps

1. Stand against object slightly lower than waist height, hands about 12″ apart, palms down
2. Keep back straight , head down, knees locked.
3. Bend arms at elbows, lower yourself until head is between hands.
4. Forearms and biceps touching, elbows, lower yourself until head is between hands.
5. Forearms and biceps should be touching, elbows close to head.
6. Press back to starting postion keeping elbows close to head
7. Press back to starting postion keeping elbows in
8. Inhale down , Exhale up

Standing Palms In Dumbbell Press

Front and Outer Deltoids

1. Raise dumbbells to shoulder height.
2. Lock legs and hips
3. Keep elbows in palms in
4. Press dumbbells straight up to arms’ length
5. Return to shoulder height
6. Inhale up exhale down
7. Can also be done seated or with barbell, seated, seated or standing

Medium Grip Barbell Upright Row

Front Deltoids and Traps

1. Hold barbell , palms down , Hands 18″ apart
2. Start with bar at arms’ length
3. Pull bar straight up until nearly under the chin.
4.  Keep elbows out to side, as high as ears.
5. Keep bar close to body
6. Pause momentarily at top before lowering to starting position
7. Inhale up, Exhale down
8. Concentrate on deltoids as you lower weight
9. Can alter by making grip wider

Heel High Sit Up

Upper Abdominal’s

1.  Lie on floor with lower legs on top of bench.

2. position body so thighs are at 45 degree angle.

3. With hands behind head, pull up as far as possible.

4. Return to starting position

5. Do not swing body up and down but concentrate on abdominal muscles.

6. Exhale up , Inhale down.

7. To make harder, hold weight on chest.