Seated Cable Row Machine
Plant your feet firmly on the foot pads of the machine or the floor (depending on the setup). Adjust the chest pad so that when you extend your arms forward to grip the handles, palms facing in toward each other, you are at full extension. Your chest should be sticking out which will create a slight reverse arch in your lower back. This is the starting position.
Commence the movement by pulling backwards on the handles and squeezing your shoulder blades together. The elbows remain tight in by your sides rather than flaring out. The torso should remain stationary while you exhale through the movement. You should not be rocking forward and backward.
When the elbows are back as far as you can take them, squeeze for a second and then reverse the movement by extending the arms to the starting position, inhaling as you do.
One Arm Dumbbell Row On Bench
Choose a suitable weight dumbbell and place it on the floor to the side of a flat bench. Start by popping one knee and one hand, fingers pointing forward, up onto the bench. The opposing leg is angled slightly out and planted firmly on the floor to provide you support. Bend the torso forward from the waist and flatten your back so that it is almost parallel to the floor, like a table top.
Take the dumbbell in your free hand, palm facing inward and arm hanging down perpendicular to the floor. This is the starting position.
Commence the movement by pulling your elbow up and back whilst it remains close by your body. The torso should remain stationary as you squeeze the back on the working side, exhaling through the movement. Do not jerk the dumbbell up.
When the elbow is back as far as you can take it and the dumbbell is against your side, squeeze for a second and then reverse the movement by extending the arm back to the starting position, inhaling as you do.
One Arm Shotgun Rows
Pin the pulley height to the lowest setting and pin a suitable weight. Your aim is to stand in front of, but far enough away from the weight stack that when your arm is extended, the tension remains in the cable.
You may stand with either a symmetrical stance, knees slightly bent and your weight absorbed through your legs evenly OR a split stance with one leg forward (toes point forward), one leg back (toes at 45 degrees) and the elbow of your non-rowing hand wedged on the lower thigh, just above your knee to support your weight and balance.
Take the weight of the cable with your extended arm and assume your preferred stance. In either stance, the core is tight and your lifting shoulder is forward of its resting position to allow maximum stretch through the back and lats. This is the starting position.
Commence the movement by driving the elbow back and squeezing your lat. The elbow remains tight in by your side rather than flaring out. Exhale through the movement. Starting with a palms down grip on the cable and and twisting the wrist outward until you finish with a palms up grip at the end of the contracting movement can really maximise the contraction.
When the elbow is back as far as you can take it and the cable is in by your side, squeeze for a second and then reverse the movement by extending the rowing arm back to the starting position, inhaling as you do.
Hyperextensions
Plant your heels firmly under the ankle rolls and lay front down into the extension bench with thighs against the pads. Adjust the pad height to just above your pubic line and below your waist to allow you to properly bend the body. Stand with the body in a straight line and arms either crossed in front of the body or hands, palm down, behind the head (like a traditional sit up position). This is your starting position.
Commence the movement by bending the body down from the waist until you have gone as far as you can and without arching the back over. The body should remain straight and torso tight.
Squeeze the lower back to reverse the body to the starting position whilst maintain tightness in the core and hamstrings.
Standing Cable Bar Lat Pushdown
Pin the pulley height on a cable to its highest setting and pin a suitable weight. Your feet are planted firmly and your core is tight as you take position in front of the cable rack. Take an overhand grip on the bar, just outside of shoulder-width. It is preferable to stand away from the rack slightly so that your straightened arms are extended up and out to give you more range of motion and therefore more benefit in the movement. This is the starting position.
Commence the movement by using your back to squeeze the bar through an arc movement - the arms move from in front of your body to the sides of your body whilst remaining straight. Do not use momentum to pull the bar. The torso should remain stationary.
When the bar just touches your upper thighs, squeeze for a second and then reverse the movement by extending the arms to the starting position, inhaling as you do.
