68 summer 2019
BACK EXTENSION
Lie facedown with your arms
extended overhead and your legs
straight. Keep your head in line
with your spine as you exhale and
lift your upper body and legs off
the fl oor as high as you can and
hold for a count of 10. Slowly lower
to the start.Training tip: If you can’t lift both
your torso and legs off the
fl oor simultaneously, alternate
between the two, or position your
arms along your sides to reduce
the load on the upper body.DEADLIFT
Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and your toes
underneath a barbell. Push your glutes back, then bend
your knees to take an overhand or alternating grip on the
bar outside your legs. Your shoulders should be over the
bar, hips higher than your knees, shoulder blades packed
and back straight. Extend your knees and hips at the same
rate to pull the bar up in a vertical line along the front of
your body to standing. Reverse these steps, touch the bar
lightly to the ground and then go right into the next rep.Training tip: Squeeze your upper arms into your sides as
if you were holding a ball in your armpit, and take the
slack out of the bar before initiating the pull. These cues
will allow you to pull more weight while simultaneously
fortifying your spine.ANTI-
FLEXION
Back extensions also can be done on
a machine designed for that purpose or a
GHD — glute-ham developer — for variety
and an increased range of motion.