The Body Sculpting Bible for Women (60 page)

FAQ:

In your exercise pictures, I see very little difference between the chest and back versions of this exercise. What are they?

ANSWER:

With the chest variation, your objective is to sink the torso down as low as you can while simultaneously bringing your arms as low as possible, resulting in a workout that functions from the shoulder joint only. Remember to keep those elbows locked in place and don’t allow them to lower the dumbbell.

With the back variation, your objective is to keep the torso up and maintain the level throughout, while keeping your arms and elbows much straighter than in the chest variation.

Straight Arm Pull-Down

This is a great isolation exercise for the back as it allows you to work without the involvement of secondary muscles such as the biceps. In addition, you get the bonus of working the abs indirectly as you will need to contract them in order to maintain the position required to perform the exercise. This will without a doubt become one of your favorite exercises. It gives you the ability to really learn how to isolate those stubborn back muscles. Just make sure to follow the correct steps listed below for optimal results.

PROPER ALIGNMENT

Stand in front of a pull-down bar with your arms extended in front of you holding on to the bar at shoulder width using a palms down grip.

In order to gain stability, bend your legs slightly at the knees, contract your abdominals and keep your weight at the heels.

Keep the elbows slightly bent and the wrists straight and in a locked position.

Maintain a comfortable and forward tilt of the upper body in order to maintain stability throughout the movement.

TECHNIQUE AND FORM

Push the bar down towards the body in an arc like motion, making sure that you are only moving from the shoulder joint and not extending at the elbow. There must be no movement at the elbow joint. It must be locked securely in place.

Contract your lats as you lower the bar towards your thighs.

As soon as the bar touches your thighs, hold the position for a second or two and then slowly go back to the starting position.

FAQ:

I’ve seen people using wider than a shoulder-width grip. Why?

ANSWER:

A shoulder-width grip usually makes for a great position to engage the back muscles, but what works for most might no work for you. If you don’t think you are fully getting the benefit from the shoulder-width grip, by all means try another grip width. Try both narrower and wider grips and see what works best for you and your particular body mechanics.

Chapter 8

Chest