Back & Bi's

1. Lie face down on a mat, with your arms fully extended above your head and your legs fully extended behind you.
2. Lift your chest, arms and legs off the floor by arching your back. Only the tops of your quads and your lower abdomen should be in contact with the floor.
3. Hold for a count of 2 while squeezing your abdominals and obliques.
4. Return to the starting position for a count of one, then repeat.

This exercise can be done using one arm and it's opposite leg at a time. For example, right arm and left leg raised while your left arm and right leg remain on the floor. This method of execution allows you to use the free hand to push down on the floor to lift your chest higher from the ground.

1. Lie face down on a hyper extension bench with your upper thighs and lower hips on the support pad. You must be able to bend at the waist freely.
2. Lock your ankles under the footpads.
3. Start with your body in a straight line head to toe.
4. Place your arms across your chest, behind or at the side of your head.
5. Slowly bend forward by relacing your, back and abdominal muscles.
6. Continue as far as possible without rounding your back or raising your thighs from the support pad. You should feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings.Hold for a count of one.
7. Return to the start position by contracting your back and abdominal muscles until your body is once again straight. Do not arch your back up at the end of the movement. Pause and repeat.

As your strength and flexibility increase, you can hold a weight plate against your chest for extra resistance.

1. Lie prone on a swiss ball with your feet hip width apart. You can place your feet against a wall for better stability. Clasp your hands behind your head with elbows pointing out.
2. Engage your abs and raise your torso off the ball, hyperextending your spine.
3. Return your torso to the ball to the starting position.

1. Hold a kettlebell with both hands in an over hand grip.
2. Stand straight, with your legs slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
3. Lean forward at your waist slightly and bend your knees as if getting ready to squat.
4. Keep your back arched and your head facing forward.
5. Let your arms hang loosely.
6. Swing the kettlebell back between your legs while exhaling.
7. In an explosive movement, force the kettle forward and back up in front of you, either to eye level or above head height by thrusting forward with your hips and rotating your shoulders.
8. Continue for the desired number of repetitions or time.

1. Lie face down on a hyper extension bench with your upper thighs and lower hips on the support pad. You must be able to bend at the waist freely.
2. Lock your ankles under the footpads.
3. Start with your body in a straight line head to toe.
4. Place your arms across your chest, behind or at the side of your head.
5. Slowly bend forward by relacing your, back and abdominal muscles.
6. Continue as far as possible without rounding your back or raising your thighs from the support pad. You should feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings.Hold for a count of one.
7. Return to the start position by contracting your back and abdominal muscles until your body is once again straight. Do not arch your back up at the end of the movement. Pause and repeat.

As your strength and flexibility increase, you can hold a weight plate against your chest for extra resistance.

1. Lie face down on a mat, with your arms fully extended above your head and your legs fully extended behind you.
2. Lift your chest, arms and legs off the floor by arching your back. Only the tops of your quads and your lower abdomen should be in contact with the floor.
3. Hold for a count of 2 while squeezing your abdominals and obliques.
4. Return to the starting position for a count of one, then repeat.

This exercise can be done using one arm and it's opposite leg at a time. For example, right arm and left leg raised while your left arm and right leg remain on the floor. This method of execution allows you to use the free hand to push down on the floor to lift your chest higher from the ground.

1. Set up a cable station with a straight bar attached to the top pulley.
2. Sit on the seat facing the station. Keep your feet flat and planted firmly on the floor.
3. Using an overhand grip, hold the bar as wide as comfortable. (Your hands should be about 1 1/2 – 2 times body width apart.)
4. Lean back slightly without arching your back.
5. Pull the bar towards the top of your chest using your shoulders while arcing your elbows out to the sides of your body.
6. At the end of the movement squeeze you shoulders together slightly and hold for a count of one.
7. Return to the start position by arcing your elbows forward while relaxing your shoulders.
8. Repeat.

1. Standing under a pull-up bar, reach up and hold onto the bar with an overhand grip. Make sure your hands are about twice your shoulder width apart.
2. Keep your arms straight and hang from the bar so that your arms are taking all of your weight.
3. Keeping your body straight and not swinging your weight, pull your body up towards the bar by pulling your elbows down towards your torso at an angle.
4. Continue lifting until your chest is nearly touching the bar. You should feel a “squeeze” at the base of your lats (about midway down your back and to the side) as they contract.
5.  Once your lats have completely contracted at the top of the movement, slowly lower your body to the starting position.
6. Repeat.

By using a wide grip, your lats are doing most of the lift, rather than your biceps. It doesn't matter if you keep your legs straight or bent at the knees with your feet crossed. The important thing is that you do not use your legs to assist in lifting your body weight. As your strength increases, you can add weight by using a weight belt.

1. Connect a V-bar attachment to the low pulley on a cable station or cable rowing machine.
2.  Sit down at the station and place your feet on the foot pads or crossbar provided, while keeping your knees slightly bent.
3. Lean forward, keeping your back straight and grip the V-bar handles with both hands.
4. Keeping your arms fully extended pull back until your torso is at a 90-degree angle from your legs.
5. Your back should be slightly arched, with your chest should be pushed out. This is the start position.
6. Keeping your torso stationary, pull the handles back towards you while squeezing your back muscles.
7. Keep your arms close to your sides until your hands reach your abdomen. Exhale as you perform this movement.
8. Hold for a count of one.
9. Inhale as you return to the start position in a smooth movement.
10. Repeat.

Do not swing or rock back and forth as you perform this exercise. Doing so can cause lower back injury. <strong></strong> You can perform this exercise using a straight bar instead of a V-Bar. You can use an underhand or overhand grip.

1. Stand tall with a tight core and flat back. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your side with an overhand grip. Bend slightly at the knees as you push your hips back. Keep your chest and head up. Upper body should be almost parallel with the floor.
2. With your elbows at a 60-degree angle, bring the dumbbells up. Pause when your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Contract the muscle then slowly return the dumbbells to the starting point.

1. Stand tall with a tight core and flat back. Hold a pair of water bottles at your side with an overhand grip. Bend slightly at the knees as you push your hips back. Keep your chest and head up. Upper body should be almost parallel with the floor.
2. With your elbows at a 60-degree angle, bring the water bottles up. Pause when your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Contract the muscle then slowly return the water bottles to the starting point.

1. Begin the movement by stepping on to a resistance band with your feet at shoulder-width, toes pointed slightly out.
2. Bend slightly at the knees and forward at the hips. Maintain a braced core and flat back throughout.
3. Leading with your elbows, pull the handles of the resistance band back, bringing your shoulder blades closer together. Hold this contraction and slowly release to the starting position.

1. Set up a cable station with a straight bar attachment connected to the low pulley.
2. Stand close to the station, feet shoulder width apart either side of the pulley.
3. Grip the bar with a shoulder width underhand grip.
4. Keep your elbows close to your sides.
5. Curls your arms upward from the elbows in a smooth arc.
6. Continue until your forearms are vertical with your palms facing your shoulders. Hold for a count of one while flexing your biceps.
7. Lower the bar back to the starting position in a smooth motion.
8. Repeat.

1. Stand straight holding a barbell with an underhand grip, your hands shoulder width apart and your arms fully extended towards the floor.
2. Keep your elbows close to your sides.Your palms should be facing away from you. This is the start position.
3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the barbell forward and up in a smooth arcing motion while exhaling. Only your forearms should move.
4. Continue upwards until  the bar is at shoulder level with your biceps fully contracted. Hold for a count of one while squeezing your biceps.
5. Inhale as you return to the starting position.
6. Repeat.

This exercise can be performed using a cable station, with a straight bar attachment connected to the lower pulley.

1. Sit on a flat bench holding a dumbbell in each hand  with an underhand grip.
2. Keep your back straight and shoulders back.
3. Keep your arms fully extended with your elbows close to your sides.
4. Rotate your palms so that they are facing in towards you. This is the start position.
5. Keeping your upper arms upper arm stationary, start to curl the dumbbells upwards in a smooth arc.
6. As you curl the dumbbells upwards rotate your wrists, so that your palms  face in towards you at the end of the movement.
7. Continue the movement until  the dumbbells are at shoulder level and your biceps are fully contracted.
8. Hold for a count of one as you squeeze your biceps.
9. return to the start position, rotating your wrists back to an underhand grip position.
10. Repeat.

This exercise can be performed by alternating between arms.

1. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
2. Let your arms hang by your side with your palms facing in to the side of your body.
3. Keep your elbows close to your sides.
4. Curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders. Do not swing your hips to get the weight moving.
5. Continue raising the dumbbells until they are level with your shoulders with your palms facing in. Your forearm should be in a vertical position.
6. Squeeze or flex your bicep and hold for a count of one.
7. Slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position.
8. Repeat.

You can also perform this exercise by alternating between left and right arms or one arm at a time.

1. Standing under a pull-up bar, reach up and hold onto the bar with an overhand grip. Make sure your hands are about twice your shoulder width apart.
2. Keep your arms straight and hang from the bar so that your arms are taking all of your weight.
3. Keeping your body straight and not swinging your weight, pull your body up towards the bar by pulling your elbows down towards your torso at an angle.
4. Continue lifting until your chest is nearly touching the bar. You should feel a “squeeze” at the base of your lats (about midway down your back and to the side) as they contract.
5.  Once your lats have completely contracted at the top of the movement, slowly lower your body to the starting position.
6. Repeat.

By using a wide grip, your lats are doing most of the lift, rather than your biceps. It doesn't matter if you keep your legs straight or bent at the knees with your feet crossed. The important thing is that you do not use your legs to assist in lifting your body weight. As your strength increases, you can add weight by using a weight belt.

1. Step up to the bar and grasp it with your palms facing you and arms close together.
2. Your arms should be fully extended.
3. Cross your ankles and bend your knees,
4. Pull your body up until your elbows are completely bent and close to your body, reaching your chin to the bar.
5. Lower your body until your arms and legs are fully extended in the starting position.

1. Sit at a Lat Pulldown machine and secure your legs underneath the padded surface. Select an appropriate weight on the stack. Reach up to grab the barbell, taking a close-grip. Your hands should be at or closer than shoulder-width.
2. Tighten your core and keep your chest up as you pull the barbell down and towards your chest. Be sure to pull with your lat muscles.
3. Once the bar is at your chest, slowly allow it to return to the starting position but don’t let the weight stack touch. Repeat.

1. Set the bar to your waist height.
2. Lie on your back under the bar.
3. Reach up and grip the bar with an overhand grip with both hands.
4. Keeping your body straight,  pull yourself up towards the bar by pulling your elbows as far back as you can and trying to touch the bar with your chest.
5. Hold and squeeze your arm and back muscles.
6. Lower yourself back to the start position in a controlled motion.
7. Repeat.

For this exercise, you can use a Smith machine bar, an Olympic bar on a rack or any other straight, sturdy bar set to the right height. The lower the bar is to the floor, the more intense it will be due to the starting angles of your arms.

1. Stand straight holing a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip.
2. Keep your arms fully extended with your palms facing in to your sides.
3. Keep your elbows tucked in to your sides. This is the start position.
4. Keeping your upper arm stationary, exhale and curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders.
5. Continue  raising the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
6. Hold for a count of one and squeeze your biceps.
7. Return to the start position in a smooth movement, inhaling as you do so.
8. Repeat.

There are many ways to perform this movement. Other examples include; sitting with or without back support, using alternating arms and also using a cable station's lower pulley.

1. Stand at the cable station with your feet shoulder width apart and with a slight bend at the knee.
2. Grasp the rope with both hands and your palms facing inward.
3. Keeping your core strong and your elbows fixed at your sides pull the rope towards the top of your chest (only the lower portion of your arms should be moving).
4. Tense your biceps at the peak, and then slowly allow the rope to be pulled back down to the starting position.

1. Holding a dumbbell in each hand,stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
2. The dumbbells should be resting on your thighs with your palms facing in.
3. Lift the dumbbells straight up in single smooth movement until they are just below your chin making sure to keep your shoulders back and your elbows out.
4. At the top of the movement, flex or squeeze your biceps and forearms. Hold for a count of one.
5. Return to the starting position slowly to keep tension on the muscles.
6. Repeat.

This exercise can be performed using a barbell,EZ bar or a cable station with a straight bar or EZ bar attachment.

1. Stand with your back straight, holding a barbell with an overhand grip slightly less than shoulder width apart.
2. The bar should be level with the tops of your thighs.
3. Keep your arms extended with a slight bend at the elbows. This is the start position.
4. Exhale and using the sides of your shoulders lift the bar.
5. As you do so, raise your elbows up and out to the side.
6. Keep the bar close to your body as you raise it.
7. Continue  lifting the bar until it is just below your chin. Pause for a count of one.
8. Return to the start position in a single smooth movement. Inhale as you do so.
9. Repeat.

This exercise can be performed using a straight bar attached to a low pulley or using dumbbells.

1. Attach a straight bar to the low pulley on the cable station.
2. Stand facing the station with your feet shoulder width apart either side of the pulley.
3. Grip the bar with an overhand grip, with your hands shoulder width apart and arms fully extended.
4. Keep your shoulders back.
5. Raise the bar straight up in one smooth movement, until it is just below your chin.
6. Hold for a count of one while squeezing your biceps and forearms.
7. Slowly lower to the start position and repeat.

1. Set up an incline bench at 45 degrees.
2. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, sit on the bench, keeping your shoulders and back firmly against the back rest.
3. Put your arms down by your side with your palms facing in to your body.
4. Slowly curl your arms up, rotating your wrist outwards (thumbs pointing away from your body) until the dumbbell is level with your shoulders. (Your palms should be facing your shoulders)
5. Flex or squeeze your bicep at the top of the movement and hold for a count of one.
6. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the start position, turning your palms back in to your body. Repeat.

You can also perform this exercise using one arm at a time or by alternating your arms (Left, right, left, right...)

1. Sit on a flat bench with your legs spread, knees bent and your feet flat on the floor with a dumbbell between your feet.
2. Use either arm to pick the dumbbell up and hold it with an underhand grip.
3. Place the back of that upper arm on the top of your inner thigh on the same side. Your palm should be facing away from your thigh.
4. Keep your arm fully extended downwards without letting the dumbbell rest on the floor. This is the start position.
5. Curl the dumbbell forward and up in a smooth arc, contracting your biceps and exhaling.
6. Continue curling the dumbbell upward until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbell is at shoulder level.  Hold for a count of one while squeezing your biceps.
7. Return to the start position in a controlled, smooth arc inhaling as you do so. Do not swing the dumbbell down.
8. Repeat for all the repetitions for that arm then switch and repeat the movement with your other arm.

Throughout this exercise, only your forearms should move. This exercise can be performed standing in a bent over position. Here there is no upper arm support so it's important to ensure there is no movement or swinging of the upper arm. This harder version of concentration curls isn't recommended for people who suffer lower back issues.

1. Set up a cable station with a straight bar attachment connected to the low pulley.
2. Stand close to the station, feet shoulder width apart either side of the pulley.
3. Grip the bar with a shoulder width underhand grip.
4. Keep your elbows close to your sides.
5. Curls your arms upward from the elbows in a smooth arc.
6. Continue until your forearms are vertical with your palms facing your shoulders. Hold for a count of one while flexing your biceps.
7. Lower the bar back to the starting position in a smooth motion.
8. Repeat.

1. Begin the movement by stepping on to a resistance band with your feet at shoulder-width, toes pointed slightly out.
2. Holding the handles of the band in each hand, tighten your abdominals and straighten your lower back. Keep your chest up and gaze forward.
3. Using an underhand grip or hammer fist grip, slowly pull the band towards your shoulders. Keep your upper arm in place, moving only your forearms.
4. Once you reach the top of the movement, pause, and slowly lower the band to the starting position. Do not lock out your elbows.

1. Holding a water bottle in each hand, stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
2. Let your arms hang by your side with your palms facing in to the side of your body.
3. Keep your elbows close to your sides.
4. Curl the water bottles up towards your shoulders. Do not swing your hips to get the weight moving.
5. Continue raising the water bottles until they are level with your shoulders with your palms facing in. Your forearm should be in a vertical position.
6. Squeeze or flex your bicep and hold for a count of one.
7. Slowly lower the water bottles to the starting position.

1. Stand straight holding a barbell with an underhand grip, your hands shoulder width apart and your arms fully extended towards the floor.
2. Keep your elbows close to your sides.Your palms should be facing away from you. This is the start position.
3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the barbell forward and up in a smooth arcing motion while exhaling. Only your forearms should move.
4. Continue upwards until  the bar is at shoulder level with your biceps fully contracted. Hold for a count of one while squeezing your biceps.
5. Inhale as you return to the starting position.
6. Repeat.

This exercise can be performed using a cable station, with a straight bar attachment connected to the lower pulley.