The Body Sculpting Bible for Women (80 page)

Keep your chest cavity against the chest pad at all times during the exercise with your torso totally upright.

TECHNIQUE AND FORM

Begin the exercise with your feet flat on the floor, thighs pinned snug against the thigh pads, and body upright with chest against the pad and chin rested on the edge.

With hands holding the grips in an overhand position, make sure that your elbows are pointed directly out to the sides. This is very important for isolation of the rear delt muscles.

Before you begin the movement, make sure you are consciously focused on the rear delt muscles and begin to isometrically contract them before moving the weight. This might take some practice to perfect, but you will soon multiply your muscle isolation abilities ten-fold.

Begin bringing the bars away from each other and maintain your anatomical positioning at all times. Bring the bars as far back as possible without jerking or using momentum to do so.

As you reach the top of the movement, with arms fully extended outward, try to hold this position for one count while feeling the rear shoulder muscles taking the brunt of the resistance. At this point, really squeeze the rear delts.

Slowly allow the arms to return to the start position, resisting the bars on the negative portion of the exercise.

Once you have reached the position where the bars are just about touching each other, do not allow the weight stack to touch the bottom. You want to keep constant tension on the muscles and must stop right before the weights touch bottom. From here immediately begin to bring the bars apart once again with great form.

VARIATION

FAQ:

The overhand grip hurts my wrists. Can I use another grip?

ANSWER:

Yes. There are several other grips available on this machine. Try a couple to see which one feels comfortable and helps to elicit the best recruitment of the rear deltoid muscles.

Rotator Cuff

The four small muscles of the rotator cuff need strengthening, as they are prone to injury. You will need to use a noticeably lighter weight for this exercise than for other arm exercises. To make sure that you get the maximum benefit from this exercise, make sure you maintain the 90-degree angle in the arms throughout the range of motion.