chin-ups & Pull-ups

Using a supinated grip, grasp the bar with a shoulder width grip.

1. Take a deep breath, squeeze your glutes and brace your abs. Depress the shoulder blades and then drive the elbows straight down to the floor while activating the lats.

2. Pull your chin towards the bar until the lats are fully contracted, then slowly lower yourself back to the start position and repeat for the assigned number of repetitions.

deadlift

Position the bar over the top of your shoelaces and assume a hip width stance.

1. Push your hips back and hinge forward until your torso is nearly parallel with the floor.

2. Reach down and grasp the bar using a shoulder width, double overhand grip.

3. Inhale and pull up slightly on the bar while allowing your hips to drop in a seesaw fashion. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as “pulling the slack out of the bar”.

4. As you drop the hips and pull up on the bar, set the lats (imagine you’re trying to squeeze oranges in your armpits) and ensure your armpits are positioned directly over the bar.

5. Drive through the whole foot and focus on pushing the floor away.

6. Ensure the bar tracks in a straight line as you extend the knees and hips.

7. Once you have locked out the hips, reverse the movement by pushing the hips back and hinging forward.

8. Return the bar to the floor, reset, and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

lat pulldown

Pulldowns mostly work your teres and lats, but when you pull down behind your head, you can give your rhomboid muscles on your back a workout, too. Be cautious when pulling the bar behind your head so that you don't hit your cervical spine.

seated cable row

The rowing machine allows you to pull against an adjustable weight as you slide along a frame for seated cable rows. Draw your shoulder blades together and try using a wider grip for variety to work different muscle groups in your back and shoulders. This is a useful exercise for your back muscles as well as the posterior deltoid of your shoulder.