Saturday - Chest, Back, Shoulders

The Hex Dumbbell Press is performed lying on a bench or the floor, holding two dumbbells with a neutral grip (palms facing each other). Keep your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench or floor. Lower the dumbbells slowly towards your chest, maintaining control and keeping your elbows at about a 45-degree angle. Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended, squeezing your chest at the top. Maintain a steady breathing pattern throughout, and ensure your wrists stay stable and in line with your forearms to prevent strain.

To perform a dumbbell flye, lie flat on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other. Keep a slight bend in your elbows throughout the movement. Slowly lower the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc, feeling a stretch in your chest muscles. Once your arms are extended out to the sides and slightly below shoulder level, reverse the movement by squeezing your chest muscles to bring the dumbbells back together above your chest. Keep the movement controlled and avoid using momentum. Maintain proper posture with your back flat on the bench and shoulders retracted during the exercise.

Lie flat on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, held at chest level with palms facing forward. Keep your feet flat on the ground and engage your core. Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended, ensuring the weights stay in line with your chest. Lower the dumbbells slowly back to the starting position, maintaining control throughout. Keep your elbows at about a 75-degree angle during the movement to reduce shoulder strain. Maintain a neutral spine and avoid arching your back excessively.

Row the cable toward your torso to target your middle back muscles.

Sit at a lat pulldown machine and grasp the wide bar with a grip slightly wider than shoulder-width, palms facing forward. Keep your torso upright and pull the bar down towards your upper chest by engaging your back muscles, specifically the latissimus dorsi. Focus on squeezing your back muscles as you pull, and avoid using momentum or leaning back excessively. Slowly return the bar to the starting position with control, maintaining tension in your back muscles. Keep your shoulders down and back throughout the movement. This exercise primarily targets the latissimus dorsi, but also engages the biceps and middle back muscles.

To perform the Cable Straight Arm Pulldown, begin by standing in front of a cable machine with the pulley set at the highest position. Grasp the cable handle with both hands, using an overhand grip (palms facing down) and step back slightly to create tension in the cable. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and engage your core. With your arms straight, pull the cable down in a controlled manner, bringing your hands down to your thighs while keeping your elbows locked and your shoulders down. Focus on squeezing your lats as you pull down. Slowly return to the starting position while maintaining control of the cable. Ensure that your back remains straight and avoid leaning forward or backward during the movement.

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing your torso. Hinge at the hips, keeping your back flat and core engaged, until your torso is nearly parallel to the ground. Keep a slight bend in your elbows and lift the dumbbells outward and upward to shoulder height, squeezing your rear deltoids. Lower the weights slowly back to the starting position. Maintain a controlled movement throughout, avoiding swinging or using momentum.

To perform the Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise, start by standing upright with a dumbbell in each hand, arms at your sides. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and maintain a slight bend in your elbows. Engage your core and ensure your back is straight. Slowly raise the dumbbells out to the sides until your arms are parallel to the ground, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Hold for a moment at the top of the movement, then lower the weights back to the starting position in a controlled manner. Avoid swinging the weights and focus on using your shoulder muscles to lift.

To perform a pull-up, start by hanging from a pull-up bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, palms facing away from you. Engage your core and pull your body upward until your chin is above the bar. Keep your elbows close to your body and avoid swinging or using momentum. Lower yourself back to the starting position with control. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

To perform a pull-up, start by hanging from a pull-up bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, palms facing away from you. Engage your core and pull your body upward until your chin is above the bar. Keep your elbows close to your body and avoid swinging or using momentum. Lower yourself back to the starting position with control. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.