The GYM Workout (3)

■ Chest

Range-Limited Bench Press:  Lie on the flat bench with a rolled towel across your chest.  Grip a barbell so your upper arms are parallel to the floor and your forearms are not quite perpendicular to it.  Plant your feet squarely on the floor and tighten your abdominal muscles.  Lift the bar off the stanchions, then slowly lower it towards your chest.  As soon as you feel the bar lightly touch the towel. Push the weight up until your arms are almost fully extended.  Repeat.

■ Buttocks, quadriceps, hamstrings

Wide-Stance Leg Press:  Lie on your back in the leg-press machine with your feet slightly more than hip-width apart and your toes and knees angled outward about 45 degrees.  Bend your knees and lower the weight until your thigh are almost parallel with the foot platform.  Now use your heels to lift the weight.  Push upward until your knees are almost straight.  Once you reach the top of the movement, bend your knees again and lower to the starting position.

■ Back

Front Pull-Down:  Grip the pull-down bar so your hands are slightly more than shoulder-width apart.  Sit, wedging the center of your thighs snugly under the leg pads.  In a fluids, even motion, pull the bar down past your face until it reaches the top of your chest, and squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull.  Hold for a moment, then allow the weight to slowly pull your arms up. - Liz Neporent   

The GYM Workout (2)

■ Triceps

One-Arm Cable Triceps Extension:  Stand facing the base of the cable machine and attach a handle to the high pulley.  Hold the handle in your right hand, palm up.  Bend your elbow and rest it lightly against your right side [1].  Rest your left hand on your hip or the machine.  Now without locking your elbow or allowing it to move out to the side, straighten your right arm [2].  Slowly allow the weight to pull your arm back to the starting position.  Complete the set, then work your left side.  Keep your back straight throughout the exercise.  Hunching over when pressing the weight down lessens the impact on your triceps and negates the benefits.

■ Hamstrings

Two-Up/One Down Leg Curl:  Lie facedown on the leg-curl machine so the edge of the padding touches your thighs just above the knees.  The backs of your heels should rest against the ankle bar.  Bend your knees, curling your feet toward your buttocks without allowing your hips to lift off the machine allowing your hips to lift off the machine [1].  Once you reach the top of the movement, hold the bar up with your left leg and lower your right leg until straight.  Now slowly lower the weight with your left leg.  Use both legs to raise the ankle bar again.  Hold  the bar up with your right leg, then lower your left leg all the way.  Now use your right leg to slowly lower the weight.  Alternate right and left legs to complete the set.

■ Biceps

Negative Arm Curl:  Sit  straight in the arm-curl machine with your arms out-stretched and the center of your elbows aligned with the machine’s  pulley.  Grasp the handles with an underhand grip.  Bend your elbows and curl the weight toward your shoulders. [1].  Hold a moment, then slowly lower the weight [2].  Taking a full six seconds to straighten your arms [3].  Mae sure you keep breathing as you go. – Liz Neporent

The GYM Workout (1)

Although  makes and models may vary, certain machines are standard in most any gym.  Chances are that if you belong to one, you already have a set series of exercises you like.  No problem.  Take any of the following moves and integrate them into your current workout, or take the whole kit and caboodle and challenge your body in ways it’s never been challenged before.  This gym routine takes traditional weight-machine exercises and gives them a little twist.

■ Quadriceps

Leg Extension with Isometric Squeeze:  Sit on the leg-extension machine and place a small, rolled towel between your knees.  Set your seat so the backs of your knees are at the front edge of the seat and the centers of your knees are aligned with the cam (pulley) of the machine.  Place your feet under the padded ankle bar.  Now squeeze the towel between your knees as you straighten your legs to full extension.  Hold a moment at the top of the movement, squeeze the towel harder, and lower to the starting position.  Keep the towel in place for the entire set.

■ Shoulders

Cable Lateral Raise:  Attached a handle to a low pulley and hold it in your right hand, palm up.  Stand with the cable tower on your left, and keep your feet together with the outside edge of your left foot against the base of the machine.  Grip the frame of the machine at shoulder height with your left hand and lean away from it until your left arm is straight.  Place your right hand in front of your right thigh.  Now, with your right elbows slightly bent and your wrist in line with your forearm, raise your right arm to shoulder height.  Complete the set, then work your life side. - Liz Neporent