Advanced Shoulder/Arms

1. Lat Pulldown: Seated facing the cable, grab bar with a slightly wider than shoulder width grip. Pull the bar down to your upper chest while making sure not to lean too far backward with your trunk during the pull. Control the weight as you return arms to the fully extended starting position. Repeat. This exercise can be modified with different types of grips or other equipment in place of the bar to target various other muscle groups. 

2. Chest Press: Seated facing away from the cable, grab the two cable handles in each hand. Starting with elbows bent at your side with hands at chest height, press away from your body in a slow and controlled manner keeping arms parallel to each other and until fully extended. Repeat. Too much weight can cause you to jerk back in your chair and possibly tip. This exercise can be modified and done laying on your back while you press up towards the ceiling. 

3. Butterfly: Similar setup as the chest press except the handles need to be wider apart to allow you the full range of motion. Grab the two handles in each hand and bring them together while keeping arms in a fixed extended (slightly flexed) position. The motion looks as if you are going to hug someone. Slowly control the weight back to the starting position and repeat. 

4. Row: Similar to the lat pulldown except the cable is not beginning overhead. With this setup, the cable is at chest height. Pull the handle to your chest while making sure not to lean too far backward with your trunk during the pull and keeping elbows bent and close to the side of your body. Control the weight as you return arms to the fully extended starting position. Repeat. This exercise is often modified with different types of handles or could be done one arm at a time.
5. Internal/External Rotation: Similar setup to the row but this done one arm at a time. Grab the handle with the arm bent and at the side of your body. If keeping the elbow tight to the side, you can put a small towel roll and think of squeezing it with each rep. To perform external rotation, your hand will be moving away from your body. To perform internal rotation, your hand will be moving toward your body. This is a small range of motion so don’t get discouraged if you cannot make it as far as you thought. Similar, this is a small group of muscles performing this motion so start with low weight and progress up. Focus on quality of motion, not quantity. 

6. Bench Press: Laying on your back with the bar/weight over your chest. Press with both arms straight away from your chest until arms are fully extended. Slowly lower the weight back to your chest and repeat. Focus on timing your breathing, inhale as you lower the bar to your chest and exhale as you press it away from your body. If you do not have a bar to press, you can put a weight in each hand and press up simultaneously for the same effect. 

​Suggested sets/ reps for each exercise (Based on the Oddvar Holten Curve Diagram)15-25 reps x 2-3 sets when focusing on endurance6-10 reps x 2-3 sets when focusing on strength