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When you do the same lifts week in and week out, things can get boring (and your results can start lagging). Here are a few tough moves for the experienced trainee who’s looking to spice up his or her workouts:
1. Dumbbell Pushup / Row Combo: Perform regular push ups, with your hands on two parallel dumbbells. When you reach the top position of the push up, row one dumbbell to your chest, then back down; then, row the other one. Return back to the bottom of the push up position. Repeat for reps.
2. Zottman Curls: If I had to guess, this would probably be one of the least known exercises for biceps. Perform this exercise like a regular dumbbell curl, but at the top of the movement, rotate your wrists (so your palms are facing forward) and slowly lower the dumbbells. Remember to flex your biceps at the top of the movement.
3. V-Handle Pull-ups: Drape a V-Handle (it looks exactly like a V…it’s usually attached to the Cable-Row Machines but you can clip them off) over a pull-up bar and perform pull-ups alternatively to the left and right of the handle. Pause and squeeze your lats at the top of each movement.
4. Overhead Barbell Squat: Performed like a squat, but with the barbell held over your shoulders (like at the top movement of the Military Press).
5. Yielding Isometric Holds: I know the name sounds intimidating, but this kind of lifting can do wonders for your fitness goals. Instead of lifting the weight, try holding it at the top portion of the repetition for a certain amount of time (on a scale of 10-45 seconds; less for strength, longer for endurance). It works best with movements like lateral raises for shoulders and dumbbell or barbell curls for biceps. As the weight begins to fall, keep on resisting (hence, you’re “yielding” a little bit but still resisting).
For a killer combo, try supersetting Dumbbell Shoulder Presses with Yielding Isometric Lateral Raises.
5. Towel Curls: A form of assisted yielding isometric holds, do these with a partner. Load a barbell with a very light amount of weight (something you could curl about 20 times) and have your partner drape a towel over the center of the barbell. Curl the weight up to the top position of the repetition, then have your partner tug downwards (towards the floor) on the towel, while you resist. You should be fighting with him/her; so make sure your partner makes you struggle, but doesn’t overpower you (he should alter the strength of the pull as you weaken, etc.). When the barbell reaches the bottom portion of the rep, curl it up (without any resistance) and then repeat. Do 4-5 repetitions.
Towel Curls can be a fantastic finishing move for biceps.
6. Medicine Ball Stair-Runs: Instead of holding the medicine ball at your chest, try running the stairs with the medicine ball held over your head to work your core and shoulders, in addition to your legs. Be very careful with these (it’s easy to trip as you get tired).
7. Prone Curls: Perform dumbbell curls on an incline bench, but with your chest resting on the bench itself and curling the weights on the other side. You might have to adjust your feet to get comfortable; The bench should hit you at about mid-chest. Since you’ll be less able to cheat and the move significantly reduces shoulder involvement, expect to use less weight than you normally would on curls.
With these, experiment with where you curl the weights (across the plane of the bench, or straight up and down).
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Thanks for the great tips, I also like bulgarian sqaats. One legged sqauts with the second kleg behind you hoohed onto a chair or bench. Great for the quads!
Amelia.
www.ameliaburton.com.au
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