68 MUSCLE & FITNESS JUNE 2017
THE
OTHER
EXERCISES
YOU’RE
NOT
DOING
2
3.
CRUSH-GRIP
DUMBBELL
BENCH PRESS
(UPPER BODY)WHY YOU SHOULD BE
DOING IT
“ ‘Crushing’ the
dumbbells together
while slowing the
tempo increases the
tension across the chest,
shoulders, triceps,
and upper back,” says
strength and conditioning
coach Jim Smith. “More
time under tension will
immediately increase
the muscle-building
and natural hormone-
release effect.”HOW TO DO IT
Lie back on a flat bench
with dumbbells over your
chest and arms extended,
with the insides of the
dumbbells touching. As
you lower the weights
towards your chest, press
them together as hard
as possible. When they
reach your chest, lift the
weights back up, still
pressing them together.
Keep the rep speed slow.WHY YOU SHOULD BE DOING IT
“This exercise involves both a vertical and horizontal pull from the upper body —
most pulling moves involve only one or the other,” says Martin Rooney, the founder
of trainingforwarriors.com. “It maximises core and abdominal recruitment. So
the arched-back pull-up hits about as much total muscle as any lift.”ARCHED-BACK PULL-UP
Howtodoit
Drape a neutral-grip
cable rowing handle
over a pull-up bar. Grasp
the handle with both
hands and start from a
hanging position, arms
fully extended.Pull your
chest towards the handle
while also lifting your hips
up and letting your head
travel backso that at the
top of the rep, your chest
touches your hands and
your torso is roughly
parallel with the floor.(UPPER BODY)DO THESE EXERCISES