SQUATS:
Starting with the so-called "King of All Exercises" we begin with squats. Squats are a great exercise to tone the legs, or grow muscle. Promoting full-body benefits, the legs incorporate heavy lung capacity and energy, thus burning more calories that, let's say a dumbbell curl or a chest press. This fact leads many not to want to perform them. "The lactic acid burn is too much pain", or "the upper body is more important", or my favorite "I will train legs on my own, but I want you to train my upper body." These statements mentally block the individual from the best results in the gym because of the neglect or the half-hearted efforts of the workout. It's a good fundamental exercise for some, if kept in check. The problem is that too few people keep them in check, and many people just aren't built for them. Consider the position: A weighted bar on the lumbar region of the spine, in addition to the stress on the knees (if the knees bend out over the placement of the toes).
Along with the bench press and the deadlift, the squat is one lift in which guys really pile on the plates for low reps. The bottom line is if you're always going heavy, eventually there will be a straw that breaks the camel's or, in this case, the bodybuilder's back. You can cover all needs by performing alternative exercises such as the lunge, 45º leg press, hack squats, or vertical leg press.
HEAVY BARBELL CURLS:
Straight bars put too much pressure on inner elbows. If you have elbow pain, chances are it's from a straight bar. Using a straight bar to perform curls forces you into an un-natural position. Consider the position: If you stand talking to someone, your knuckles or palms aren't naturally facing forward, but instead at your sides with your palms facing each other, and the natural position for a curl is for the thumbs to come up higher than the pinkies, which a cambered bar resembles greatly. Dumbbell preacher curls are an excellent exercise. Dumbbell preachers both restrict your movement (by bracing your arms against a bench) and provide for more freedom, as you can rotate your wrists.
BEHIND-THE-NECK SHOULDER PRESS (Free Weight Bar):
Overall, pressing behind the neck is an un-natural position. Consider the position: With free weights, the bar can lose balance and hyper extend your shoulders too far backward. Too heavy of a weight, and you use the neck to press the weights back up, which isn't safe. Instead of these, I recommend military (front) presses or dumbbell presses, both of which work deltoids much more safely. Additionally, never lower the weight below chin level, instead keep your arms bent at 90º. You'll notice this is about as far as you can go without your shoulders dropping. All that's happening between your chin and your chest is an upper-pec movement and a whole lot of potential damage. I usually perform military presses on a Smith machine, which lets me roll my palms back and find a more natural position. Dumbbells allow for greater freedom of motion.
A great alteration: "Arnold Presses": -Starting with my palms facing each other and twisting my wrists on the way up so my palms face forward.
Zeke Samples, IFA, CSN, CPR, IDEA
Surreal Body Solutions, LLC
803.322.7649
& contributing health and exercise author
Personal Training | Nutrition | Supplements | Motivation
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