In the current issue of Men’s Health magazine, there is a story regarding some of the best new exercises to have improved on the old standards. Here are a few from Men’s Health to help you get into top form in no time.
Pushup Plus
Assume a pushup position with your arms straight and your hands placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Your body should form a straight line from your ankles to your head. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor. Pause, and then push back up. As you straighten your arms, push your upper back toward the ceiling. Besides working your chest as effectively as any exercise, the “plus” part of this movement hits your serratus anterior—a small but important muscle that helps move your shoulder blades. Strengthen your serratus, and you’ll improve your posture and reduce your risk of shoulder injuries—as you build your chest.
Mixed Grip Chinup
Grasp a chinup bar with your hands shoulder-width apart on a chinup bar. Use an underhand-grip with one hand, and an overhand-grip with the other. Hang at arm’s length, and cross your ankles behind you. Now pull your chest to the bar by bending your elbows and squeezing your shoulder blades down and back. To prevent your torso from rotating as you perform this exercise, your back, shoulder, and core muscles have to work harder than in a conventional chinup.
Farmer’s Walk On Toes
Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them at your sides at arm’s length. Then rise up on the balls of your feet. Now walk forward for 60 seconds. Not only will this work your calves, but it also improves your cardiovascular fitness.
Bar Hold
Set a barbell on a rack at the level of your waist and load the bar with a heavy weight. Grab the bar with an overhand grip that’s beyond shoulder-width apart. Dip your knees, lift the bar off the rack, and hold it for the appropriate amount of time for your goal. This helps make sure your forearms don’t give out too early, so you won’t shortchange the rest of your working muscles.
Read more at: www.menshealth.com
