Making the Cut (42 page)

Static Lunge with Reverse Cable Fly

Place your right leg a stride’s length in front of the left, holding separate ends of a resistance band in each hand, with your arms outstretched at chest level and your palms toward the floor. Bend both knees, and lower your body so that your left knee is a few inches from the floor and the right leg is parallel to it. As you are lowering your body, simultaneously exhale, and pull both ends of the resistance band as far out to the side as you can manage, until your hands are just behind your shoulders. Hold for a beat. Inhale, and slowly retract your arms back, pressing your body back up to the starting position. Repeat. Muscles targeted are glutes, upper back, shoulders, hamstrings.

Military Shoulder Press

Muscles Targeted:
all shoulder muscles

Starting Position:
Sit on the edge of a bench or body ball, your feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, and rest your hands on your thighs. Sit up tall with your abs drawn in, your back straight, and your eyes focused forward. Now raise the weights to ear level with your palms facing forward. (Your elbows should be out to the sides, forearms perpendicular to the floor, and upper arm parallel to it.)

Performance Description:
Exhale, and press the dumbbells up and in so they barely touch over your head. Hold for a beat, inhaling, then slowly lower the weights back to the starting position.

Tips:
Do not let the weights pull your arms out of the correct form. Be careful not to arch your back when you raise the weight. Do not lower the weights below your ears, or you release the contraction in your shoulder muscles.

[variation]

W Shoulder Press

Stand with your feet a hip-width apart, abs tight, and glutes tucked. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and your hands on your thighs. Now raise the weights to ear level with your palms turned toward your ears. Your arms should be in a 90-degree angle, elbows out to the sides, forearms perpendicular to the floor, and upper arms parallel with the floor. Now exhale, and extend your arms up and out, as though you are trying to form the letter W with your arms. Hold for a beat. Then inhale, slowly lowering the weights back to the starting position and repeat. This variation of the Shoulder Press works your entire shoulder but specifically targets the lateral head of the muscle.

W Shoulder Press with Leg Extension

Stand with your feet a hip-width apart, abs tight, and glutes tucked. Raise your right leg at a 90-degree angle so your thigh is parallel to the ground and your shin is perpendicular to it. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, and rest them on your thighs. Raise the weights to ear level with your palms toward your ears. Your arms should be bent at a 90-degree angle, elbows out to the sides, forearms perpendicular to the floor, and upper arms parallel with it. Exhale, and extend your arms up and out as though you are trying to form the letter W with your arms. Simultaneously extend your right foot so that your entire right leg is straight and parallel to the ground. Hold for a beat. Inhale, slowly lowering the weights and retracting your leg to return to the starting position. Perform a complete set, then switch legs and repeat on the opposite side. Muscles targeted are quads, shoulders.

Military Shoulder Press Prone on Body Ball

Choose light dumbbells, and perfect the technique of this move before progressing to a heavier load. Lie prone, with your lower abs and hips on the body ball, feet against a wall. Position your feet straight, glutes tight, spine straight, shoulder blades retracted and depressed, and chin tucked for good neck alignment. With the dumbbells by your shoulders, perform a Military Press overhead and in line with the body. Watch that the dumbbells don’t fall toward the ground as they extend over your head. Keep your core and glutes tight to support your lower back. Muscles targeted are shoulders, back, abs.

Mountain Climber

Muscles Targeted:
cardiopulmonary system, chest, shoulders, lower abs, transverse abs

Starting Position:
Start in a Plank position with your feet a hip-width apart.

Performance Description:
Bend your knee and jump up, bringing your right thigh under the right side of your torso and leaving your left leg out behind you. Quickly jump your right leg back to starting position while simultaneously jumping your left knee in toward your torso. Try to work up to a minute of Mountain Climbers in a row.

Tips:
Keep your pace as fast as possible, and don’t stick your glutes in the air.

Pelvic Thrust

Muscles Targeted:
glutes, hamstrings

Starting Position:
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Lie on your back in front of a bench or platform with your knees bent and your heels on the bench. Your legs should form a 90-degree angle with your knees directly above your hips, and your arms should rest on the floor at your side.

Performance Description:
Exhale, and press your heels down into the bench, lifting your hips off the floor as high as you can. Squeeze your glutes as tight as you can for a beat, then lower back down to the floor and repeat.