Workout 17: Chest & Abs
Chest Exercises
Caution: In order to protect yourself, it is best to have a spotter help you.
- Start by lying back on a flat bench. Use an overhand grip that is wider than your shoulder width to lift the bar from the rack. Hold it directly above you with your arms fully extended.
- Inhale and begin lowering the bar toward your chest until your elbow creates a 90° angle.
- After a brief pause, push the bar back to the starting position as you exhale. Focus on using your chest muscles to push up the bar.
- Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position at the top of the motion. Hold for a second and then slowly begin lowering the bar.
Caution: In order to protect yourself, it is best to have a spotter help you.
- Start by securing your legs under the brace at the bottom of the decline bench and lay down.
- Using an overhand medium width grip, lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over your chest with your arms fully extended. Your arms should be perpendicular to the ground.
- As you inhale, lower the bar toward your chest until your elbows reach a 90° angle.
- Pause for a second, then use your chest muscles to push the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in at the contracted position. Hold for a second and then start to lower the bar down slowly.
- Pick up the dumbbells and grip them so that so your palms are facing inward. Lie back on an incline bench angled at about 30 degrees, and rest the dumbbells on your hip crease.
- Press the dumbbells out and over you so that your arms are fully extended. Rotate your wrists so that your palms are facing each other.
- Slightly retract your shoulder blades, unlock your elbows, and slowly lower the dumbbells laterally to create a wide arc while maintaining the angle at your elbow. You should feel stretch in your chest.
- Once the dumbbells reach your chest level, reverse the movement while trying not to let the dumbbells touch.
Caution: Always ensure that the dumbbell used for this exercise is secure.
- Sit on a flat bench with one dumbbell resting on your thigh.
- Lie back on the bench with your feet on the ground and your head hanging over the end. Grasp the dumbbell with both hands and hold it directly over your chest at arm's length.
- Both of your palms should be pressing against the underside of the dumbbell.
- While keeping your arms straight, lower the weight above and beyond your head until your upper arms are aligned with your torso. You should feel a stretch in your chest.
- Lift the dumbbell back up and over your chest to the starting position.
- Place the pulleys on a high position above your head and select the same resistance for each side’s handle.
- Stand between both pulleys and move one foot slightly forward. With an overhand grip, pull your arms together in front of you. Your torso should be leaning slightly forward from your waist.
- With a slight bend in your elbows, extend your arms into a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest. Your arms and torso should remain stationary.
- Using the same arc of motion, return your arms back to the starting position.
- Hold for a second at the starting position and repeat the movement.
Abs Exercises
Caution: Do not choose a weight that is too heavy. This can result in straining your lower back.
- Find a cable station and attach a rope handle to the top pulley. Grasp the rope attachment at each end, and kneel down so your knees are bent at a 90° angle.
- Your arms should be stretched over your head. Your palms should be facing each other when holding the rope and your hands should be placed next to your face.
- Slightly flex your hips forward. There should be tension on the cable, and you should feel a stretch in your abs.
- Keep your hips stationary, contract your abs, and crunch your chest towards your hips until your head is between your knees. Your elbows should be approaching the middle of your thighs. After reaching this point, hold the contraction for a second.
- Slowly reverse back to the starting position. Keep as much tension in your abs during this whole movement.
- Lie with your back flat on the floor (or on a bench) with your legs extended in front of you.
- Place your hands to your sides with your palms facing down. To keep your hands down for support, you can place them under your glutes.
- Keep your legs fully extended and as straight as possible (it’s okay if your knees slightly bend). Hold the contraction at the top for a second.
- Slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
- Lie on your back with your arms and legs stretched out into an “X” position.
- In one movement, bring one arm straight up across your body while simultaneously lifting your opposing leg and lifting your head.
- Attempt to touch one arm to your opposite ankle, or try to come as close as you can.
- Alternate sides.
- Place your forearms on the ground with your elbows aligned beneath your shoulders. Keep your arms parallel to your body at about shoulder width distance. (You should be in a push-up position, only on your forearms rather than your hands).
- Ground your toes into the floor and squeeze your glutes to stabilize your body. Be careful to not to lock or hyperextend your knees.
- Neutralize your neck and spine by looking at a spot on the floor about a foot in front of your hands. Your head should be in line with your back. Contract your abdominals to keep yourself up and prevent your booty from sticking up.
- Keep your back flat and hold the position for as long as possible without compromising form.
