The sling is very similar to the front raise, but is geared to stimulate athletic response in terms of muscle interconnectedness with athletic activities.

1. Stand with a split stance like you are walking/running with a dumbbell in each hand.

2. Raise the arm with the following leg straight up and stiff, but with dumbbell vertical as shown below.

3. Lower the dumbbell and raise again.

4. Repeat all repetitions on one side, switch your stance then, repeat repetitions on other side. You have completed the set.

Beginning position

Ending position

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

1. This exercise is performed by hanging from a bar while keeping the legs straight.

2. Raise both legs at the same time to horizontal level, pause for one second then, slowly lower the legs to the starting position.

Intensity can be increased by making legs straight instead of bending at the knees as shown or placing weights (ball, dumbbell, etc.) between the feet. While hanging, relax your upper body as much as you can; it’s not about gritting strength, but performance under relaxed conditions.

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

This is a common and simple exercise.

1. Stand erect facing forward with good posture, i.e., eyes forward, chest up, etc.

2. Step forward into a long stance, stretching the back leg, while squatting down with the leading leg. The length of your step should be such that your knee does not protrude past your toes when you squat.

3. The depth of your squat should be such that the squatting legs thigh is horizontal to the ground, while the trailing leg had the knee about 3-4 inches off the ground.

4. Standing up, step forward so that the trailing leg is now the leading leg. Once you have done squats on both legs you have completed one repetition.

5. Generally, people will walk around a gym, track, etc. until they are pretty burned out. You can also do a specific number of repetitions per set or a set distance for a set.

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.

1. You begin this exercise in a pushup position – your weight supported by your hands and toes.

2. Flexing the knee and hip, bring your right leg forward until the knee is approximately under the hip. This is your starting position.

3. Next, explosively reverse the positions of your legs, extending the right leg until the leg is straight and supported by the toe, and bringing the left foot up with the hip and knee flexed.

4. Repeat in an alternating fashion for about 30 seconds. You should feel a good burn in the upper thighs.

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.

This is perhaps one of the most interesting exercises of all resistance exercises. It will test both your balance and strength. The actual movement is slow so, don’t try to be a jack rabbit with it or you’ll find yourself in a quandary. The exercise can be done with a dumbbell or a straight bar. I recommend the dumbbell initially because, unless you have great upper body and arm strength, a 45-lb Olympic bar is difficult to handle, not to mention once you load it. However, because the straight bar is the most difficult, I will utilize it to describe how to perform a Turkish Getup.

1. Begin the exercise flat on your back with the straight bar, with perhaps 5 kg (11 lb bumper weights) loaded – one on either end. Situate the weight so that the bar is in one hand, arm fully extended above your head, much like doing a one-arm bench press. However, the bar is in the same direction from head to feet of your body. Alternately, you may want a partner to hand you the bar.

2. Keeping your eyes on the bar, with your arm perpendicular to the floor and straight, slowly rise to your feet. Do whatever is required to get to your feet, but at the same time, the weight must remain extended above your headed at all times, you cannot drop it. I find easiest to place your opposite arm/hand next to your waist and slide it up as far as you can to beneath the bottom of the shoulder area to help push yourself into a sitting position. Once in a semi-sitting position, you can roll both knees toward one side and get a foot beneath you so that you can begin to stand as you get both feet beneath you.

3. Once in a standing position, your are fully erect and the weight is straight above you head. Next, switch the weight to the other hand and lay back down onto your back in the same manner you stood up. This means to do back to the starting position laying on your back, except now the weight is in the opposite hand.

4. Repeat until all repetitions and sets are finished.

Notes: lots of people believe they have great balance. Many of my martial arts students pro athletes are in that group. This exercise will test whether you have great balance or not. Either way it will improve it. Good luck on this one.