Breathe in through your nose when your arms are extended and slowly release the air through your mouth as your arms rise. You should have expelled all the air out when your arms are resting on your quads.
BENEFITS: Stronger, bigger upper chest. REPS: One Minute (Cardiomuscular™ system).
- Lie on a bench on your back with feet touching the ground.
- With an underhand grip, grab a very light barbell with a medium grip (12 inches).
- Place the barbell on your thighs with your arms fully extended.
- Abs drawn in. Feet flat on the ground.
- Squeeze as your raise your arms up and continue behind your head until your arms are parallel with the ground.
- Slowly return your arms to the starting position.
- Do Not Lift Your Back or Neck Off the Bench During This Exercise.
POSSIBLE DAMAGE FROM INCORRECT LIFTING: Damage to the rotator cuff, lower and upper back pain, neck pain and ligament and tendon damage, pulled groin muscle.
The key element here is to avoid injury at all cost. Some of the pitfalls that take place causing undue stress, as well as injury is the speed in which we release the weight and not necessarily when we make the exertion. The complete repetition must be done at the exact same speed when we are exerting to lift the weight, as when we are releasing it, to avoid velocity to put hundreds of pounds of pressure on the joints, ligaments, and tendons of that particular body part. Additionally the grip should be firm but not tight to avoid any nerve damage in the hands. Once those items are mastered the correct breathing will help muscle growth and focus and concentration will allow you to put the most effort into the particular muscle that you’re working out. Above all do not sacrifice form for weigh or repetitions… never sacrifice form.
©Copyright – Hector Sectzer
