WGBJ 3 - Workout 49

Workout 49: Shoulders & Abs

Sit on a military press bench, or any utility bench that has a back support, and hold two dumbbells upright on the top of your thighs.
With your palms facing each other, lift the dumbbells up (one at a time) to shoulder-level.
Then, rotate your wrists so that your palms are facing upward toward the ceiling.
Press your dumbbells up and toward each other, without jerking your back.
Slowly lower them until they return to the starting position.

Sit on a bench with a back support directly underneath the barbell of a Smith machine. Grip the bar with a double overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart at just above shoulder height.
Gripping the bar as tight as possible, press it overhead until your arms are completely locked out. Pause at the top, then lower it back to the starting position.

Set the bar on the smith machine to a height that is around the middle of your thighs. Grab the bar with both hands, wider than shoulder-width apart.
Lift the barbell up and fully extend your arms so that your arms are straight but you’re holding the weighted bar.
Use your side shoulders to lift the bar.. The bar should be close to the body as you move it up. Continue to lift it until it nearly touches your chin. Drive your elbows up towards the ceiling to ensure you’re using your shoulder.
Slowly lower the bar back down slowly to the starting position.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Stand in front of a medium-height rotating pulley and grab each side of the rope attachment.
Step back away from the machine until your arms are fully extended in front of you.
Your feet should be slightly wider than shoulder width apart and with a soft bend in your knees.
Brace core and drive elbows past back, while pulling the rope handles slightly outside of your ears.
Hold and contract shoulder blades together.

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.

Start off standing with your side next to a high pulley cable machine with a grip attachment connected to the machine.
Grasp the handle with one of your hands, with your feet shoulder width apart and the other arm rested at your side.
Slowly pull down with the arm grasping the cable with your obliques until you feel a stretch in your abs.
Return back to the starting position and repeat. Only when you’re done with one side, move to the opposite side.
Repeat!

Hang from a chin-up bar with both arms extended at arms length in top of you using either a wide grip or a medium grip. The legs should be straight down with the pelvis rolled slightly backwards. This will be your starting position.
Raise your legs until the torso makes a 90-degree angle with the legs. Hold for 0.5-1 seconds.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Position yourself face-down on the ground and place your hands shoulder width apart. Keeping your back as straight as possible, push your body off the ground, through your hands.
Inhale as you lower yourself downward, until your chest nearly touches the ground.
Exhale and press your upper body back up to the starting position while squeezing your chest, arms, and abdominal muscles.