The movements you should be doing.

Entries in dumbbell (11)

Monday
Feb142011

One Arm Row

This is a great bang-for-your-buck exercise that works the pulling muscles asymmetrically and also trains scapular retraction. Plus it hits your biceps like a curl but you don't have to feel like a choade who wastes his time in the gym doing curls. Throw in a little torsional stability and you can see why it's "Coach Stevo Approved!"

Coach Stevo's Top Tips

  • Pack the shoulder.
  • Squeeze the shoulder blades together on every rep.
  • Do not let the plane of your shoulders change relative to the plane of your hips

 

Monday
Feb142011

Goatbag

One of my new favorites, this is the perfect exercise for grooving on the movement I like to call "hinging." Push your butt back and keep pushing back until your knees have to bend so you can push your butt back even more. Keep a flat back and only let your face come down because you have to keep pushing your butt back. Those things on the back of your legs are called "hamstrings." Use a stick at first (pictured) so you can see that your back is flat. And do it in front of a wall so you can keep touching the wall with your butt, stepping forward a little, then repeating. The goal is to keep touching the wall, not to get low. "Hinging" is a back-and-forth motion, not an up-and-down motion. Once you're comfortable, hold a weight on your chest, squeeze your shoulder blades together and prepare to walk funny tomorrow.

Coach Stevo's Top Tips

  • Keep repeating, "Butt back," over and over.
  • Squeeze your shoulder blades together the entire time.
  • Don't be afraid to put your torso between your legs if your butt can go back that far.

 

Monday
Feb142011

Waiter Walk

The ultimate shoulder packing exercise. If you don't know what I'm going on about, try a few of these with a heavy weight. You shoulders will be packed like an Amazon shipping box. Just like with Farmer Walks, you want to stay tall and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Most importantly you want to engage your lats. That's what protects your rotator cuff.

Coach Stevo's Top Tips

  • Tall, engaged, and packed shoulders.
  • Straight wrist.
  • Grip hard.
  • Never transfer the weight with your hands above your head! This picture taken moments before the lady in red took a 12kg bell to the skull!

Dumbbell

Kettlebell

Monday
Feb142011

Farmer Walk

Farmer walks are deceptively simple but some of the best total body "specific" training available to the every day person. You are going to be carrying heavy things in your hands for distance well into your old age, you might as well get really good at it. Start light and work your way up quickly as your grip improves. Any weight with a handle will do.

Coach Stevo's Top Tips

  • Stand tall, like someone is pulling your hair upward.
  • Shoulders back.
  • Pack your shoulders.

Monday
Feb142011

Dumbbell Bench Press

The Bench is most men's favorite lift, but I personally hate it. The form is tricky and barbells can kill you. Therefore, I recommend the Dumbbell alternative. Safer because you can always drop the weights; more difficult because you have stabilize them in 3 dimensions with your shoulders.

Coach Stevo's Top Tips

  • Start with the weight on your knees and roll back into the bottom position.
  • Pull your shoulder blades together the entire time.
  • Don't lower the weight, pull it down.