I thought I would share my chest, bicep and tricep workout from today. With my favorite workout gloves and, of course, my Extend recovery drink…I blazed in Gold’s Gym and got it done.

Here it is…

4 sets Cybex Incline Chest Press x 15 reps

3 sets Incline Dumbbell Flyes x 15 reps

Superset 3 sets
Flat Bench Dumbbell Press x 15, 12, 10
Pushups

Superset ~ 3 sets
EZ Bar Curl x 15/12/8
Tricep V-Bar Pressdown x 15

Superset ~ 3 sets
Lying Tricep Extensions with Dumbbells x 12
Close Grip Presses (dumbbells touching, elbows close to sides) x 12
Hammer Curls x 12

Superset ~ 3 sets
Incline French Curls* x 12
Incline Bicep Curl x 12

The French Curl is a lying tricep extension done on an incline bench. These can be done using an EZ curl bar, dumbells, or a small straight bar…I used a cable driven french curl machine at Gold’s Gym.

*Lie back on an incline bench, holding the bar over your face at arms length.
*Next, bring your upper arms backwards so that they are at an angle.
*Lower the bar down behind your head and get a good stretch,
*Extend back up until your arms are straight. Keep your upper arms angled throughout the set.
*This exercise targets the long head of the tricep that runs along the bottom of the arm.
*Be sure to keep your elbows tucked in and completely still. Letting them flare out to the sides reduces the effectiveness of the exercise.
*To get into position, the easiest way is to have somebody hand you the bar from behind. This is especially true when using heavy weights.
*You can adjust the angle of the incline that you use, just keep in mind that the higher the incline, the less weight you will be able to use but the more stretch you will get on the triceps.

I hope you enjoy this one…I’d love to hear how you did!!

Adding one or two plyometric exercises to your workout can add a new dynamic and encourage growth to the muscle. Most bodybuilders are used to slow training in the weight room and after a while the body adapts making  shock methods a great way to stimulate further growth. Plyometrics stimulate the fast-twitch muscle fibers, which we know have the greatest potential for muscle growth. When done with consistency, explosive movements add a new degree of hardness to the muscle and help increase strength. I believe these little guys add some spice to the training schedule and make my programs more dynamic. Not to mention increasing your heart rate during your weight training session will increase your metabolism for a long time after completion and improve overall flexibility.

One of my favorite exercises is the bench hop-over. This exercise helps to build explosiveness in the legs, trains your core and works balance and coordination. Seems like a no-brainer, but they will leave you winded.

Place your hands on a bench, leaning forward with both legs off to the same side. Bending your knees slightly, propel yourself over the bench to the other side. Keep your arms straight during this motion and your shoulders directly over your wrists. Immediately after landing, hop back to the original side. Repeat 20- 30 times. It’s a great one for your workout diary.

The second exercise I enjoy putting in my programs is the weighted wall jump.  These are great because you will be using a weighted medicine ball.  You will stand near a wall and plant your feet securely before you begin to squat as low as you can with the ball at chest height, then jump up and extend the ball as high on the wall as your can. Do 3 sets of 12 and focus on jumping as high as you can each time. Superset this exercise with a walking lunge and you are one step closer to having the legs of your dreams!!

Weighted Balls are great to have for any sport specific training.  Simply replace your golf club, tennis racquet, volleyball or basketball with one of these and improve your agility and speed and strength in no time. I have the 4.4 lb and 7.7 lb balls available in my shop now!