This exercise primarily works the lower back.

1. Begin by getting onto the machine, locking your heels below the stops and lowering your upper body as far down as you can, relaxing at the hips.

2. Raise your body to at least horizontal or higher if you can; do not raise so high as to put painful pressure on your spine. Do not jerk during the exercise; keep a slow, fluid, steady motion.

Starting position

Ending position: note that this shows a weight plate behind the head in case you wish to increase intensity. You can either hold the plate like this or touching the chest in front.

The gluteham raise, in relation to the hyperextension is different because the range of motion of this exercise carries you beyond parallel, allowing a full hamstring and gastroc contraction, which is particularly useful for a strong punch, sprint, etc. A hyperextension is mainly for the lower back, whereas the gluteham raise ties the lower back into the hamstrings.

1. Begin by getting on a glute machine and lowering your upper body from the waist so your head and upper body are hanging down.

2. Raise your body as high as you can then, lower back to starting position. You have completed one repetition. The glute ham raise is moderately difficult and should be executed in a smooth, fluid motion. Care should be taken to avoid jerking motions and rapid speed.

Starting position

Ending position

The RDL strengthens the lower back and is easily done with dumbbells.

1. To begin, grip the barbell or dumbbells, standing with arms relaxed to the side and feet shoulder width apart. From this position, bend the knees slightly then, bend forward at the waist. Let the barbell or dumbbells glide down the thighs and shins and bend as far forward as individual flexibility will allow.

2. From this position, straighten the back and assume the starting position. You are ready for the next repetition.

Notes:
Anytime that you perform a deadlift or a similar exercise that requires bending at the hip, flexing the knees is very important to reduce the chance of injury. Also, this type of lift is a great one to be totally conscious of in terms of ‘feeling’ the entire body and what muscles are moving and which do not seem to participate in the exercise to any great degree.

Remember: If you decide to use the straight bar, do so only after you have developed good technique. But, the straight bar will result in the best total body benefits to improve your game long term.

Dumbbell Starting position

Dumbbell Ending Position

Barbell Starting Position

Barbell Ending Position

Much like the chin up, a pull-up is a compound, pull-type exercise that works a large number of muscles in your back, shoulders, and arms.

1. Approach the pullup bar and extend your arms, taking a shoulder width, overhand grip on a pullup bar, i.e., palms facing away from you. Likely, you will need to jump up to grab the bar or reach if from a bench.

2. Hang extended from the bar then, inhale as you begin to pull upward, sticking your chest out.

3. Pull until your chin is level with the bar.

4. Exhale as you complete the movement, lowering yourself to the starting position then, repeat the next repetition.

Notes:
This is a difficult exercise for most to perform. When beginning, take a narrower grip on the bar. As you become more conditioned and experienced, take a wide grip. The wider the grip the more the exercise will work the traps and lats.

This exercise develops the lats and teres major. It also places intense focus on the biceps (though not as much as a chin up) and brachialis. It is usually incorporated in exercise programs that focus on training the arm regions.

Other secondary muscles involved include the trapezius (both middle and lower portions), rhomboids, and pectorals.

Because this exercise requires great strength and muscle conditioning, it is advisable to use a resistance pull-up machine before attempting the full exercise. The resistance machine will help you develop a strength foundation for this exercise and adequately condition your muscles.

This is like doing a regular pullup with one exception – your legs are locked straight out in front of you, toes extended.

1. Hang from a pull up bar, hands about shoulder width apart.

2. Once you are in position on the bar, lock your legs straight out in front of you, toes pointed forward, in direction away from the body. This is the starting position.

3. Pull up until your chin approaches the pullup bar then, lower to starting position. Do not let your heels fall beneath the level of your butt.

4. Lower to starting position for next repetition.

1. Inhale and pull the barbell straight upward until the bar is close to, or contacts your chin.

2. Lift your elbows as high as possible at the top of the movement. At the top of the movement they should be in a straight line with each other, about 180 degrees or a little more.

3. Exhale while you lower the barbell the starting point for the next repetition.

Notes: This exercise primarily works the upper trapezius and the medial-posterior deltoid groups. Secondary emphasis is placed on the anterior deltoids, biceps, forearm flexors, abdominals, buttocks and sacrospinalis.

A wider grip with the exercise will work the deltoids more and the trapezius less.

1. Inhale then, pull the T-bar up until the plates contact your chest or until your arms make a straight line from elbow to elbow, i.e., about 180 degrees. This will depend on your equipment.

2. Exhale while you complete the movement. Lower the weight and begin the next repetition.

Notes: This exercise is very similar to bent over rows. However it places more emphasis on the back and requires less effort to set your body in the correct movement position.

This exercise works the lats, teres major, posterior deltoids, arm flexors trapezius and rhomboid muscles.

Stand facing the bar. Place your feet considerably wider than shoulder-width apart with you toes pointing outward at about a 30 to 45 degree angle. To get the most out of this exercise and avoid injury, ensure that your toes and knees are in the same alignment, i.e., pointed the same way while in the squatting position.

1. Flex your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor.

2. Use an overhand grip on the bar – hands about shoulder-width apart. Keep your arms hanging straight down inside your knees.

3. Inhale and hold your breath to expand your diaphragm, thereby protecting your back. Arch your back a little, shoulders back. Contract your abdominals and straighten your legs, extending your torso to stand erect. Exhale at the top of the movement.

4. Return to starting position and begin next repetition. Make sure to stabilize the weight before beginning lift.

Notes: This exercise places primary emphasis on the quadriceps and adductors and secondary emphasis on the back.

If lifting heavy weight, wear a weight belt. Also, make sure you can control the weight properly before moving up or down. Do not attempt heavy weight with this exercise if you are inexperienced. Doing so will possibly injure the adductors or hips and interconnecting tissue, as well as the sacrum and the lumbar vertebrae.

1. Keep your back straight and inhale. Your abdominal muscles should be motionless.

2. Keeping your arms straight, press/pull the bar down until it touches your upper thighs. Make sure you keep your elbows fully extended.

3. Exhale while you complete the movement. Return to starting position and begin next repetition.

Notes: This exercise works the lats and strengthens the teres major. It also works the triceps long head.

1. Inhale and pull the handle toward you until it touches your lower rib cage. Be sure to arch your back.

2. When the handle reaches your torso, be sure your elbows travel as far back as possible.

3. Exhale while you complete the movement then, repeat the next repetition.

Notes: This is an excellent exercise for building the back. And, it will actually build the back better if you use a long bar like that in lat pulldowns and a wide grip. To perform the exercise in this manner, attach a long bar instead of the close grip and lean forward so that your face is almost touching your knees just like in crew rowing, which this machine emulates. Pull so that you lean back slightly (about 35 degree) until the bar touches the bottom of your pectorals. Then, return to starting position.

This exercise isolates the lats, teres major, posterior deltoids, biceps, brachialis, brachiordalis, trapezius and rhomboid muscles. When you straighten, it also involves the spinal erectors. The negative phase of this movement, especially with the long bar, when you lean forward to starting position, completely stretches your lats.