So what we¡¯ve done here is take that at-home routine to the gym to spruce it up with some barbell and cable work for added triceps isolation. This workout is bookended with the aforementioned DIY moves (replacing the granite countertop with actual dip bars), and sandwiching in lying EZ-bar extensions and cable overhead extensions in between. What you¡¯re left with is a nice blend of bodyweight and machine training, multi-joint mass builders, and single-joint detailers. Know what else you¡¯re left with? A beefier pair of tri¡¯s you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home, or anywhere else you care to flex.?

?

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Dip

Keep your torso vertical with the floor (upright) throughout the set and lock out the elbows at the top of each rep.

Video:?How to Perform the Bodyweight Dip

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Lying EZ-Bar Triceps Extension

For these skull crushers, go as heavy as you can for 10 to 12 reps with minimal flaring out of the elbows (though slight elbow flare on the last 2 to 3 reps is allowable). Bring the bar lightly down to your forehead and push up.

Video:?How to Perform the EZ-Bar Lying Triceps Extension

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Cable Overhead Triceps Extension

Keep your torso stationary throughout the movement to support triceps isolation. Point your elbows out to the sides and flex your triceps at the end.?

Video:?How to Perform the Cable Overhead Triceps Extension

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Triceps Pushup

Keep your elbows tight to your sides as you lower yourself to activate the tri¡¯s more than the pecs. Use a closer hand position if your shoulders are healthy.?

Video:?How to Perform the Close-Hands Pushup

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Straight Up Triceps Workout

^{*On the first two sets, stop short of failure (SF); on the last two sets, go to failure (F) on each.?
**Failure + rest-pause (RP). Fail, rest 15 seconds, rep out.?}

Their recommendations will take your workout¡ªand your body¡ªfrom just average to extraordinary.

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The Body Part: Back

The Best Exercise for Width:?Wide-grip Pulldown

The Best Exercise for Thickness:?Prone Dumbbell Row

The Expert:?Jim Smith

TWO-POINT PLAN

A barn-door-size back is built with two kinds of pulling exercises: horizontal and vertical. The former encompasses all rowing variations, while the latter covers pullups and pulldowns. You must use both kinds of pulling regularly, says Jim Smith, founder of Diesel Strength and Conditioning.

WHAT TO DO

The dumbbell row focuses on your lats, traps, and rhomboids, increasing the thickness of your back. This should be your staple horizontal pulling movement. For vertical pulling, use the wide-grip pulldown. It recruits the lats and teres major muscles, which, when developed, give the appearance of greater width, says Smith.

BONUS TIP

Try this strategy from Smith, called the Diesel Mass method: Do a heavy working set (six to eight reps) of wide-grip overhand pulldowns, then 15 to 20 reps with a lighter load and a different grip, such as a wide-grip underhand pulldown.

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The Body Part: Quads

The Exercise:?Front Squat

The Expert:?Ben Bruno

A SAFER SQUAT

The back squat is widely known as the king of leg exercises, but placing the bar across the front of your shoulders hits the quads even better because it forces you to keep your torso upright, says Ben Bruno, a strength coach in Los Angeles.

WHAT TO DO

If you don¡¯t have the wrist flexibility to use a clean grip, use the ¡°cross arm¡± grip or lifting straps to serve as handles.

BONUS TIP

Keep your elbows pointing straight ahead during the set. Once they drop, your upper back will round, and the bar can fall.

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The Body Part: Hamstrings

The Exercise:?Romanian Deadlift

The Expert:?Nick Tumminello

TRUE FUNCTION

These days you hear a lot about ¡°functional¡± exercises, but there¡¯s nothing more functional than an old-school Romanian deadlift. ¡°RDLs lead to results you can see,¡± says Nick Tumminello, founder of Performance University.

WHAT TO DO

To perform an RDL, keep your knees slightly bent. Instead of thinking about lowering your shoulders toward the floor, think about driving your hips backward, which will cause them to hinge, says Tumminello. RDLs transfer to all field, court, and combat sports because the movement closely matches the force-generation patterns involved in sprinting, jumping, and rotating. They¡¯re also effective for building better-looking glutes and hamstrings.

BONUS TIP

Romanian deadlifts contribute to fat loss because they¡¯re a compound exercise, so they burn more calories as they recruit more muscles.

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The Body Part: Calves

The Exercise:?Calf Raise

The Expert:?Brad Schoenfield

DOUBLEHEADER

The calves consist of the gastrocnemius and the soleus muscles. The gastroc gets worked by standing calf raises, and the soleus bears the brunt of the load during seated raises. ¡°Optimal calf development requires bent-knee and straight-knee positions for maximal growth,¡± says Brad Schoenfeld, author of The M.A.X. Muscle Plan.

WHAT TO DO

Avoid bouncing out of the bottom of your reps on either exercise. The calves are often tight due to walking and running, so holding the bottom of your reps for a second or two builds stretching into your workout and encourages more long-term growth.

BONUS TIP

There¡¯s some evidence that turning the toes in during a standing calf raise will target the lateral head of the gastroc (it¡¯s a two-headed muscle, just like the biceps), and that turning the toes out will target the medial gastroc. You can alternate your foot placement each set or dedicate one month to training the calves using one foot position and then switching it. You can do the same with seated calf raises for the soleus.

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The Body Part: Glutes

The Exercise:?Barbell Hip Thrust

The Expert: Bret Contreras

JACKED ASS

Your glutes are the most powerful muscles in your entire body. And according to Bret Contreras, a glute-training expert in Phoenix, the majority of people neglect them. Build them up with hip thrusts.

WHAT TO DO

The barbell hip thrust maximizes gluteal muscle activation. Strengthening your backside with this movement has been shown to transfer to the squat and deadlift and make for a rounder, fuller-looking butt.

Use a load that allows you to achieve anywhere between eight and 15 reps, says Contreras. Push through your heels and raise your body to full hip extension, and hold the contraction at the top of the movement for a one-second count. Perform the movement off the floor to start and, when you can, off a bench that¡¯s about 16 inches high. (See the photo at left.)

BONUS TIP

Hip thrusts are best used as an assistance exercise on a lower-body day¡ªafter sets of squats and/or deadlifts.

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The Body Part: Chest

The Exercise:?Dumbbell Flye

The Expert:?Arnold Schwarzenegger

OAK CHEST

While the bench press is great for building strength, the dumbbell flye is a superior move for targeting pec growth. It allows you to keep tension directly on your pecs for longer periods of time, thoroughly exhausting the muscles so they have to grow and taking them through a fuller range of motion.

WHAT TO DO

The secret sauce is in the range of motion and the squeeze at the top. ¡°Take your flyes all the way down as far as you can,¡± says Arnold Schwarzenegger, ¡°and inhale to expand the chest. Feel the pain and growth.¡± Then try to accelerate up as fast as you can and decelerate as your hands come together. Squeeze your chest at the top. The combination of moving as fast as possible and then having your muscle fibers work to slow down the movement and squeeze will result in a better muscle contraction. In other words: more tension on your muscles, less tension on your tendons, and a perfect combination for growth. We can¡¯t guarantee pecs like the Austrian Oak¡¯s, but you¡¯ll definitely see an improvement over what you have now.

BONUS TIP

Use flyes at any point in your workout or at the beginning to pre-exhaust your chest before you hit the bench. Prioritizing your pecs is the first step in boosting pec gains.

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The Body Part: Shoulders

The Exercise: Barbell Overhead Press

The Expert:?Martin Rooney

HEAVY DUTY

No other shoulder exercise lets you go as heavy as the overhead press, which is exactly why it¡¯s the best way to push growth, says Martin Rooney, C.S.C.S., founder of Training for Warriors.

WHAT TO DO

Try using a ¡°false grip,¡± keeping your thumb and fingers on the same side of the bar. This will allow for a little motion at the wrist and?shoulder to make the lift more comfortable.

BONUS TIP

¡°Be sure to pay attention to the eccentric [lowering] phase,¡± says Rooney. That means controlling both the up and down parts of the lift.

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The Body Part: Traps

The Exercise:?Rack Deadlift

The Expert:?Jason Ferruggia

NICE RACK

Deadlifts from the floor are great, but rack deadlifts are more effective for building hulking traps. You don¡¯t have to lift around your knees in the eccentric (lowering) phase, so they¡¯re less stressful to your body and thus easier to recover from, says Jason Ferruggia, owner of Renegade Strength & Conditioning.

WHAT TO DO

Set the bar slightly above knee height. (Having the bar on mats, if available, or plates is better than pins.) Keep a neutral spine and get down in position by pushing your hips back and compressing your hamstrings, says Ferruggia. ¡°Don¡¯t use a belt¡ªuse a double overhand grip [to prevent a potential biceps tear], and crush the bar in your hands.¡±

BONUS TIP

You don¡¯t need to go heavy to make rack deadlifts effective. Start by using 80 percent of your one-rep max deadlift. ¡°You can still get insanely strong and set new PRs with that,¡± Ferruggia says.

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The Body Part: Biceps

The Exercise:?Chinup

The Expert:?Dan Trink

ARM YOURSELF

Curls are fine, but the advantage of chinups is that they let you work your biceps using your full body weight, says Dan Trink, C.S.C.S., founder of Trink Fitness. It¡¯s that type of overload, rather than 30-pound dumbbells, that leads to new biceps growth.

WHAT TO DO

Grasp the bar with an underhand grip (palms facing you). Start from a dead hang with your arms fully extended; drive your chest all the way up to the bar and squeeze your biceps at the top as if you¡¯re flexing. Then take four seconds to lower your body back to a dead hang. You won¡¯t be able to do many reps, but you¡¯ll see your arms grow.

BONUS TIP

Avoid excessive biceps work. You don¡¯t need to do direct arm training more than twice a week if your program already includes chinups and row variations¡ªthat¡¯s overkill. Also, curls should be done light. Never go below six reps per set. Save heavy loads for chinups. (They can handle it.)

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The Body Part: Triceps

The Exercise: Decline Triceps Extension

The Expert:?Dan Trink

CRUSH ¡¯EM

Lying triceps extensions (aka skull crushers) build the perfect horseshoe triceps, says Trink. But performing them on a decline bench takes it up another notch. The decline bench puts a greater stretch on the triceps, forcing them to contract harder and recruit more fibers. The angle also makes it more difficult for the weight to rest on your elbow joints. Having your arms point behind your head keeps the tension where you want it¡ªon the triceps themselves.

WHAT TO DO

Set the bench to a 30-degree decline and secure your feet. Have a partner hand you the bar and hold it behind your head. Keep your upper arms in this position. Lower the bar to the space between your eyebrows and hairline, taking three to four seconds to do so. (Don¡¯t sling the bar back behind your head or slam it into your forehead¡ªneither is good for your health or your performance.) Then press the weight back to the starting position and flex your triceps at the top.

BONUS TIP

Keep reps on the higher side to protect your elbows, and use an EZ-bar to take pressure off your wrists. Another option: Use dumbbells.

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The Body Part: Abs

The Exercise:?Lying Bench Hip Rollup

The Expert:?Ron Mathews

LET IT ROLL

The lying bench hip rollup strengthens your deep core muscles¡ªthe transverse abdominis and obliques¡ªsays Ron Mathews, trainer to celebs like Joe Manganiello and Hugh Jackman. The two primary functions of these muscles are pulling the ribs down and stabilizing the spine. Why is this so important? Because if your rib cage raises, it forces your back to arch excessively, which isn¡¯t efficient for transferring force and can lead to injury. Strengthening these muscles will help your posture, protect your back, and minimize lost force across the core.

WHAT TO DO

Lie down on a bench, reach over your head, and grab hold of the bench with your elbows pointing up. Raise your legs so that your thighs are perpendicular to the floor and your shins are parallel, creating a 90-degree angle at your hips and knees. Press your lower back flat into the bench and don¡¯t let it arch at all for the entire exercise. While keeping your back flat, extend your legs out straight. Slowly bring your legs back in to the starting position and then continue to roll your hips off the bench one vertebrae at a time. Slowly lower your hips with control. Perform 10 full reps, then another 10 with just the hip roll up and down but not the leg extension.

BONUS TIP

Place your ab training at the beginning of your workout if abs are top priority.

After all, the shoulders not only carry a huge workload in everyday life¡ªthey call it ¡°shouldering a burden¡± for a reason¡ªbut also play a key role in overall?posture and alignment. That¡¯s especially a concern in our modern, sedentary culture, when all of us spend too much time hunched over computers and behind steering wheels. We need to take preventative action to keep our shoulders from rounding permanently, thus contributing to muscle dysfunction from head to toe. Plus, a pair of powerful, properly aligned shoulders gives you a strong overall look. And unlike most people, who lose height over time as they shift forward, you¡¯ll literally stand tall with a big, functional set of shoulders.

We¡¯re going to do five?supersets?of two exercises each. Do one set of the first exercise, then move to the next exercise without resting. Rest only after the second exercise in each superset. Do each superset twice in total before moving on to the next superset.

?

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90/90 Shoulder Stretch / Suspension Trainer Y

1A. 90/90 SHOULDER STRETCH

Why it works: You don¡¯t want to start a shoulders workout without addressing the impact they¡¯ve taken from sitting all day, likely rounding forward. This stretch opens your shoulders while stretching the muscles of your middle and upper back.

How to do it: Lie on the ground on your left side with legs tucked into the torso at a 90-degree angle. Keep both arms straight, parallel to your knees. Keeping the knees together and on the ground, rotate your chest and right arm to the right, putting your back on the ground. Hold for two seconds and return to starting position.

Prescription: 2 sets of 10 reps to each side.

1B. SUSPENSION TRAINER Y

Why it works: This move not only strengthens the back and shoulders, but also counteracts the effects of sitting by pulling your shoulders back and down where they belong. That¡¯s especially important in this first superset. It¡¯s also a brilliant way to target your rear deltoids with only your bodyweight.

How to do it: Stand facing a suspension trainer, knees slightly bent, holding a handle in each hand. Your arms should be overhead to form a Y with the trainer hanging diagonally. Lean backward, initiating the movement with your shoulder blades. Make sure you keep your elbows slightly bent, and that you don¡¯t round your back. Return to starting position. If you need to make the move slightly easier, stand more upright; if you want to make it more difficult, lean back farther at the start of each rep.

Prescription: 2 sets of 10 reps.

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Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press / Pullups

2A. ALTERNATING DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS

Why it works: The dumbbell press challenges the shoulders to stabilize more than a barbell bench does. The extra pulse at the end also works the shoulders.

How to do it: Lying faceup on a bench, holding dumbbells at the outside of your shoulders and with palms facing your thighs, lift both dumbbells over your chest. Keeping one arm straight, lower the other dumbbell, touch the outside of your shoulder, and push it back up. At the top of the movement, push farther with both hands, as if you¡¯re trying to punch the ceiling.

Prescription: 2 sets of 10 reps.

2B. PULLUPS

Why it works: Pullups often are cast as a back, chest, or even biceps exercises¡ªand yes, pullups do work all of those areas. But if done properly, by squeezing the shoulder blades back and down, the pullup also really works the shoulders and traps.

How to do it: Grab the bar with an overhand grip. Hanging from the bar, pull your shoulder blades back and down to lift your body up and build momentum. Finish by pulling up with your arms. Don¡¯t kick or bend your knees¡ªkeep your legs straight and your toes pointed.

Prescription: 2 sets of 10 reps (or as many as you can).

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Reach, Roll, and Lift / One-Arm, One-Leg Dumbbell Row

3A. REACH, ROLL, & LIFT

Why it works: A variation on yoga¡¯s familiar child¡¯s pose, this stretches your shoulders and upper back.

How to do it: Set up as if you were about to use an abs roller (kneeling on the floor, arms extended in front of you) except with a foam roller. Sitting on your heels, extend your arms and the back of your hands forward. Roll the foam forward while keeping your hips back, dropping your chest toward the ground. Lift and hold the stretch for two seconds. Return to starting position.

Prescription: 2 sets of 10 reps.

3B. ONE-ARM, ONE-LEG DUMBBELL ROW

Why it works: This total-body exercise works the hamstrings and lats, but the deep row targets the shoulders, too.

How to do it: Stand on one leg, gripping a stable surface in front of you (perhaps the dumbbell rack) with one hand. Bend by dropping your chest and lifting the leg opposite your free hand. Grab a dumbbell with your free hand. Pull it to the side of your waist and then lower it. Do 10 and switch sides.

Prescription: 2 sets of 10 reps per side.

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Suspension Trainer W / Feet-Elevated Pushup

4A. SUSPENSION TRAINER W

Why it works: Like the Suspension Trainer Y, this move strengthens the back and shoulders by pulling your shoulders back and down where they belong.

How to do it: Stand facing a suspension trainer, knees slightly bent, holding a handle in each hand. Your elbows should be bent 90 degress, forming a W with your torso so the trainer hangs diagonally. Fire your shoulders and back as you lean backward. Initiating the movement with your shoulder blades, pull yourself back up to the starting position. Make sure you maintain a 90-degree angle in your elbows.

Prescription: 2 sets of 10 reps.

4B. FEET-ELEVATED PUSHUP

Why it works: This version of the pushup places more emphasis on working the shoulders.

How to do it: Assume pushup position with your feet on a stair, bench, or Swiss ball. Lower while inhaling until your chest nearly touches the floor. Exhale as you push back up.

Prescription: 2 sets of 10 reps.

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Dumbbell Flye / Side-Plank

5A. DUMBBELL FLYE

Why it works: Though a reliable chest/pecs standby, this also works the deltoid, especially if you maintain proper form.

How to do it: Lie supine on a flat bench, holding a pair of dumbbells over your chest with elbows slightly bent and palms facing each other. Separate your hands, and lower the dumbbells to the sides until you feel a stretch in your chest. At the bottom of the movement, your palms should face the ceiling. Fire your pecs and lift the dumbbells until you reach the starting point, a movement some liken to hugging a barrel.

Prescription: 2 sets of 10 reps.

5B. SIDE-PLANK

Why it works: Your shoulders support this movement as they do with so many movements in life.

How to do it: Start on the ground on your left side, with your left forearm on the ground and your elbow under your shoulder. Push up off your elbow, creating a straight line from ankle to shoulder. Your hips should be off the ground, and only the side of your bottom foot and your elbow should be on the ground. Hold for 30 seconds.

Prescription: 2 sets.

Pete Williams is a NASM-certified personal trainer and the author or co-author of a number of books on performance and training.

SEE ALSO: The Complete 4-Week Beginner¡¯s Workout Program

1 of 10

Overworking Accessory Muscles

I¡¯ll see many new guys in the gym doing 10 sets of forearm curls for absolutely no reason. Overworking smaller muscles will take away your potential to perform the more important compound exercises. For example:? say you¡¯re doing an overload on the forearms, well if you try and deadlift tomorrow, your grip will most likely give out and not allow you to perform the exercise.

Solution: Focus on the main muscle groups first and leave accessory exercises towards the end for 3-4 sets. It is also important to remember that compound exercises normally will work the smaller accessory muscles. For example: You perform a wide-grip pulldown for lats, but you¡¯re also working your biceps and forearms.?

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Not Warming Up

A huge mistake I see is beginners in the gym not treating weightlifting as a sport. Warming up is essential in weightlifting just as it is in football, soccer, basketball, etc. Improper or inadequate warm up is the number one way to get yourself injured¡ªespecially when lifting heavy.

Solution: Always warm up on a cardio-machine for 5-10 minutes and using lighter weights for that exercise before starting your working sets. If you choose not to hop on a treadmill, make sure that you warm up using lighter weights and that your joints are moving around to get warmed up.?

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Training for Soreness

This mistake can go hand in hand with the mistake involving heading to the gym without a plan¡ªexcept I¡¯ve seen this mistake made both with athletes using programs and athletes not using programs. As you¡¯ve probably already learned, the way muscle-building works is: you go and break the muscles down in the gym then they recover in a larger and stronger state in your time outside of the gym. As with anything, there¡¯s a certain limit of muscle strain which is beneficial to you, then once you work the muscle to complete exhaustion it actually can be counter-productive as it may take you a lot more time to recover than usual.

Solution: By no means am I telling you to undertrain. I am simply saying to be smart in training and to not go 150% every day. For example: if you decide to do a AMRAP (as many reps as possible set), limit to one set of AMRAP a workout and don¡¯t burn-out on every single set you perform that day. This will allow you to train that muscle group more frequently and open up the door to more muscle growth.?

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Training Without a Plan

Training just to train might be a little counter-productive if you ask me. A big mistake many beginners make is heading to the gym without a plan, and proceeding to hit every muscle in the upper body with no real purpose. While technically this is still considered a workout, if you don¡¯t have a plan to progress, you¡¯ll always be that guy in the gym who looks the same today as they did in 2012.

Solution: A structured training protocol will ensure that you grow in both strength and muscle. So don¡¯t make the mistake of going to the gym just for the sake of it¡ªgo in with a plan and be ready to crush it from the beginning.?

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Not Sleeping Enough

Sleep is the third key staple of what you need to grow muscle¡ªright next to nutrition and training. But again, as with diet, many forget that our muscles recover as we sleep and then wonder why they¡¯re not growing with 4 hours of sleep every night. Sleep is crucial not only in lifting but for general health, so try your best not to stay up too many nights.

Solution: Program 7-9 hours of sleep every night and try your best to get a good night¡¯s rest every night.?

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Being a Supp Addict

Another huge mistake with beginner lifters is putting too much stress on supplements. Yes, a good pre-workout, protein powder, and some BCAAs will help you out, but nothing is more important than your training and diet.

Solution: Use supplements as exactly what they are¡ªsupplements. This means they are an aid to your core needs to grow. Don¡¯t think if you skip breakfast and go into training on an empty stomach that your preworkout will provide you with the main nutrients to have an effective workout. Focus on diet and training¡ªTHEN worry about your supplements.?

7 of 10

Taking Too Much Advice

This is a big problem with beginner lifters coming across so much ¡°bro-science¡± out there. I might see someone doing a certain exercise which I don¡¯t really deem beneficial. When asked why, some will say something along the lines of ¡°so-and-so told me to do it¡±. Taking advice from the wrong people and not doing your own research could end up holding you back from your goals¡ªso when someone tells you something, take it with a grain of salt, go home, and look how it holds true in the professional realms.

Solution: Like I mentioned before, take everything with a grain of salt. It¡¯s real easy to believe everything you¡¯re told, but that is a major reason why some don¡¯t progress as they should. Instead of trying everything someone tells you, go online when your get home and see how effective whatever they told you really is.

8 of 10

Ignoring Nutrition

I¡¯ll get beginners who ask my why they¡¯re working hard in the gym but not seeing results. Almost 95% of the time, their workout routine is spot on¡ªbut their diet seems to be far off from what it should be in order to see solid results.

Solution: Treat your diet just as serious as your workout routine. Track your intake and make sure that your carbohydrate, fat, and protein intake reflect your goals¡ªwhether you may be trying to lose weight or put on mass.?

9 of 10

Thinking ¡®Small¡¯

Many of the newer guys focus far too much on the smaller muscles rather than working on gaining overall mass from the legs up. Not focusing on compound movements will not allow you to grow to your full potential and will also open up the door for an unsymmetrical physique.

Solution: There¡¯s no exercises which give you more bang for your buck when it comes to muscles targeted than the big three¡ªbench, squat, and deadlift. The best training programs to gain mass will generally compound movements such as the big three combined with accessory exercises to help you target every muscle group with adequate volume to grow.?

10 of 10

Going Too Heavy

This is the most prevalent mistake I see¡ªespecially on a college campus with new lifters just starting off every day. I¡¯ll often go into the gym and see beginners squatting down an inch with 315, deadlifting 405 with a rainbow-shaped lower back, and pushing 225 on bench with their spotter doing all the work. Overloading the bar and forgetting form will not only puts you in a position to get injured, but also will not activate any muscles associated with the movement¡ªand without muscle activation, you can throw the idea of putting on muscle right out the window.

Solution: Start off using lighter weights and perform each exercise with the proper range of motion and technique. Once you begin to break form, lighten the load a bit¡ªespecially when starting off. Once you gain a little experience, begin to test heavier weights and you will see progress in both strength and muscle mass.?

For answers, we spoke with Nick Clayton, MS, MBA, CSCS,*D, RSCC, Personal Training Program Manager for the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Follow Clayton¡¯s tips, and you might finally manage to turn those skinny legs into tree trunks.

Leg Exercises

The Ultimate Leg-Training Workout

Upgrade your wheels with this multifaceted lower-body onslaught.

Read article

1 of 7

You¡¯re Not Changing Enough

Consistent change is essential to maintaining consistent growth¡ªespecially for gym rats. ¡°The longer someone has been training the more frequently they need to change things up,¡± Clayton explains.

But a key thing to remember is that the term ¡°change¡± extends beyond exercise selection. ¡°Changing things up can mean anything from a squat type to an exercise to a rep scheme,¡± he adds. ¡°Even if someone is doing the right exercises [for bigger legs] they might be doing three sets of 10 across the board.¡±

Things like giant sets, dropsets, extended sets, supersets, pyramids, and varying your rest periods other things you can use to make your next workout differ from the previous one.

2 of 7

Your Legs Aren¡¯t Strong

You might hear people complain that their legs are strong but not big. To determine whether that¡¯s the case the word ¡°strong¡± needs to be defined ¡ª and Clayton¡¯s definition might differ from yours.

¡°I¡¯d consider strong legs the ability to squat two times your bodyweight and deadlift two-and-a-half times your bodyweight,¡± Clayton says. ¡°If you can squat and deadlift that and your legs are still skinny, it¡¯s probably just lousy genetics. But I don¡¯t see too many people who can do those percentages of squats and deads with skinny legs.¡±

3 of 7

You Need More Volume Training

There are times to go big and heavy and push yourself to the max, just not all of the time. So break free of the mindset that every time you squat the bar has to be loaded with weight.

¡°There is a lot of research that supports using lower loads and higher volume to build your legs,¡± explains Clayton. ¡°For three weeks try doing a higher volume using lower weight¡ªsay 10 sets of 10 reps with something light.?Recover for a week. And then go heavy with 6-10 reps, [and then] 5 sets of 3-5 reps. And then cycle back through. Each phase will either build volume or strength, and challenge the body and nervous system.¡±

4 of 7

You¡¯re Making Things Too Complex

We know we said you need to change things often, and you do. But Clayton suggests keeping two things in your routine constant: the squat and deadlift.

¡°Variations of squats and deadlifts should be the keystone of every leg workout,¡± explains Clayton. ¡°Doing varieties of squats and deads correctly is the best way to get bigger. Using a new piece of equipment ¡­?is a good way to get some variety in your workout, but your body will adapt to it and once that happens it¡¯s game over.¡±

5 of 7

You¡¯re Doing Too Much Cardio

Doing enough cardio work to keep you from huffing and puffing whenever you take the stairs is understandable. Otherwise, it can become a hindrance.

¡°If your goal is to put on size focus on strength training and make cardio a minimum,¡± he suggests. ¡°Going long on the cardio is when you get catabolic and you start breaking down muscle. Even if you¡¯re looking to get leaner, cut the cardio down and work on metabolic conditioning with circuit-style work and high-intensity intervals ¡­?so you¡¯ll keep muscle mass and burn fat.¡±

6 of 7

Your Carb Intake Needs to be Higher

¡°Carbohydrates are critical when it comes to building muscle,¡± says Clayton. ¡°Carbs allow you to perform at a high level and help with recovery.?Bodybuilders are 30-50 pounds over their competitive weight in the offseason. You need to get calories in, and the more the better. You¡¯ll put on some fat and a lot of muscle. You have to feed the machine. If you don¡¯t, you won¡¯t grow.¡±

For people looking to add mass, Clayton suggests constructing a diet that consists of 60% carbs, 30% protein, and 10% fats (60/30/10). If the end game is to get lean, opt for 40/30/30. However, it¡¯s also contingent upon your genetics and how active you are. So use these percentages as a guideline and make tweaks when necessary to fit your specific needs.

7 of 7

You Neglect TUT with Calf Training

You don¡¯t want to be the guy who has the body of a top. That means your calves need love, too. According to Clayton, when working with calves, focusing on rep counts can be deceiving. ¡°Squatting six reps might take you 30 seconds, but six calf raises might take you six seconds, so it becomes a time under tension (TUT) question,¡± he says. ¡°In general, you¡¯re looking at that 20-second time frame if you want to build strength,¡± he says. ¡°Size and hypotrophy should take 40 seconds, and muscular endurance is about 60 seconds. So you might need 20 reps to get that time under tension with calves.¡±

Enter the 6-Week Fat Loss Workout Program.

To maximally reduce your body fat percent, you¡¯re going to have to start in the kitchen. You may have heard the saying that?abs are made in the kitchen, which is true ¨C you can lose fat and not even pick up a single weight or run a single step through caloric deficit. But in order to lose weight, build muscle, increase muscular strength, and improve your cardio fitness you¡¯re going to have to start putting some effort into your weight loss goals. So, to lose fat as much as possible, your program will consist of 3 full body workouts per week (alternating between Workout A and Workout B) with 2 days of cardio and 2 days off.

Over the 6-weeks, your fat loss workout program will look like this:

What does ¡°5 reps/L/R (10RM) for X-min¡± mean?

Set your timer for the number of minutes (X) recommended and choose a weight you can perform 10 repetitions with. In this workout, you¡¯ll only be performing 5 reps. With 5 reps ¡°left in the tank,¡± you¡¯ll be able to move to the pair exercise with little to no rest. For the paired exercise, do the same: Do what the workout suggests rep-wise or choose a weight you can do 10 times, but only perform 5 reps. Go back and forth between these paired exercises with as little rest as possible. Once your timer beeps, you¡¯re done that circuit for that workout. Make sure to check the table for the suggested timeframe for the following week(s).

Edgar Artiga

Workout A: Full Body

*Barbell Complex = Bent Over Row, Hang Power Clean to Push Press, Back Squat
**add 5-10lb to the weight used the week prior
***add 5-10lb to the weight used the week prior

Hero Images / Getty

Workout B: Full Body

*Barbell Complex = Romanian Deadlift, Hang Clean to Thruster (squat to press), Good Morning
**add 5-10lb to the weight used the week prior
***add 5-10lb to the weight used the week prior

Per Bernal

Cardio Workout 1

Start with a 5-10 minute general cardiovascular warm up followed by 5-10 minute dynamic drills (stretches and skipping variations).

Next, set up a treadmill to the maximal incline and at a speed you can sprint for 30-seconds. Set up a mat beside your treadmill with an exercise ball, a 50lb dumbbell and an ab wheel.

• Perform a 30-sec hill sprint and carefully step off the treadmill (keep it running).
• Perform 30-sec Elbow Plank on the exercise ball.
• Perform another 30-sec hill sprint.
• Perform 30 reverse crunches while holding the dumbbell (which is placed on the floor above your head).
• Perform another 30-sec hill sprint.
• Perform 30 ab wheel rollouts from your knees.

Repeat this total sequence 8-10 times through.

Finish with a 5-10 minute general cardiovascular cool down.

Cardio Workout 2

Start with a 5-10 minute general cardiovascular warm up followed by 5-10 minute dynamic drills (stretches and skipping variations).

Next, set up a treadmill to the maximal incline and at a speed you can sprint for 60-seconds.

• Perform a 60-sec hill sprint and carefully step off the treadmill (keep it running).
• Perform 20 kneeling high cable crunches.
• Perform a farmer¡¯s carry with the heaviest dumbbells you can find. Walk as far as possible before putting the dumbbells down.
• Perform another 60-sec hill sprint.
• Perform 20 lateral medicine ball wall tosses per side.
• Perform another farmer¡¯s carry just as written above.

Repeat this total sequence 6-8 times through.

Finish with a 5-10 minute general cardiovascular cool down.

Losing fat and taking your body fat percent down is not as easy task. You¡¯re going to need a great support team to help you stay on track. Make sure to get enough quality sleep per night to ensure you can recovery well in between workouts ¨C shoot for 7-9 hours per night. Drink plenty of water spaced throughout the day and prepare healthy snacks just incase you¡¯re out and get hungry. Remember, diet plays more of a role in fat loss than high intensity workouts. I¡¯ll end by rephrasing a quote I read from fitness great Adam Bornstein: ¡°Eat for the body you want, not for the body you currently have.¡±

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Now that that¡¯s out of the way, there are some aspects of a man¡¯s physique that catch a woman¡¯s attention. After all, it doesn¡¯t hurt to have an Adonis-like physique to go along with good listening skills, an inquisitive nature, and attention to detail. Think of yourself as a dinner plate¡ªyou might taste good (i.e. be polite and have a good personality) but if you look like crap very few diners are going to want to stick their fork into you. You eat with your eyes first.

Here¡¯s a roundup¡ªin no particular order¡ªof the features women love on a guy; and not even just the body parts, but what specifically about men appeal to women. Some of these are obvious, while others might catch you off guard. Either way, all of these have been proven by science to be irresistible to women so get your notebook out now.

You can sculpt some in the gym, but others have already been fated by genetics (sorry). Either way, this will give you some insight on what females prefer. Hint: You¡¯ll quickly find that women are not much different than men.

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Nice Set of Abs

In a (not-so-surprising) study conducted by Western Illinois University, women rated abs as the sexiest muscle on a man¡¯s body, ThePostGame.com reports. It makes sense; your abdominals are front and center¡ªwell, if you¡¯re not wearing clothes¡ªso her eyes are inevitably drawn there at first-glance (other than your face, of course). Lucky for you, you can sculpt your abs; no such luck with changing your face. And to be fair, it¡¯s not that women are completely shallow. Men with a large amount of abdominal fat have lower levels of testosterone, which translates to a lower sex drive and fertility, according to Gordon Patzer¡¯s book ¡°Looks: Why They Matter More Than You Ever Imagined.¡±

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Generous Posterior

Women aren¡¯t staring at the back of your head or the backs of your knees when you turn around.?Surprise!?Women like butts just as much (okay, maybe not as much) as men do, as evidenced by an?AskMen?poll. Of the 100 women surveyed,?majority expressed their adoration for strong glutes; see, your girlfriend is paying attention when you watch football and baseball.?

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Wide, Strong Shoulders

A woman¡¯s sexual satisfaction is strongly linked to her partner¡¯s attractiveness and shoulder breadth, a study from the University of Albany found. The takeaway for meek-shouldered men: hit the gym. Broad, well-defined shoulders have always been considered a sign of strength and masculinity; plus, men with a higher shoulder-to-hip ratio reported having sex at an early age and with more sexual partners, according to David Perett¡¯s book In Your Face: The New Science of Human Attraction.

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Ripped, Tapered Back

In a 2013 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, back broadness (remember that shoulder-to-hip ratio?), accounted for over 79 percent of the variability in a woman¡¯s perceived attraction to a man. Having a wide V-shaped back even trumped a man¡¯s height and endowment when it came to physical attractiveness.

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Defined, Strong Arms

In a HerCampus.com?survey of over 100 college women across the country, a majority ranked arms as the biggest turn on. Women feel it¡¯s a sign that you take good care of your body and admitted they love to see a hint of a man¡¯s biceps through his t-shirt or sweater. Strong arms signify a man¡¯s ability to protect a woman¡ªand, inadvertently, his ability to lift her up¡­

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Chiseled Chest

As mentioned before in Perett¡¯s book, In Your Face: The New Science of Human Attraction, women show a stronger attraction toward men with a figure consistent with the ideal hunting physique: strong shoulders, narrow waists, and broad chests and shoulders. Women prefer a man to be toned, but not brawny and bulked out to the max. You want a solid chest; not man boobs or muscle boobs that rival our own, just chiseled pecs.

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Your Face

According to research from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, women are most attracted to men whose faces inspire their proclivity to nurture with their desire to mate with a sexually mature partner, the LA Times reports. What this means is they like men with large eyes and a medium-to-small nose (¡°baby face¡± features), and a strong jaw and wide cheekbones (mature man¡¯s face). Women want a compassionate-looking good guy?and a bad boy that exudes sexual power. Basically women have made up their mind to not make up their mind.

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Mysterious Mouth

Oh, the allure of bad boys. A study from the University of British Columbia found that women are less sexually attracted to happy guys than brooding men. Warning: you may become sulky after reading this. While a smile is essential to social interactions, women were more attracted to men who looked proud, powerful and yes, a little moody at first-glance. Act mysterious and aloof at first, and once you¡¯ve got her, grin away.

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Powerful Hands

Women are detail-oriented. In an AskMen poll, women said they loved a man¡¯s hands because it says a lot about him like what he does for a living, as well as his devotion to grooming and maintenance. Bigger hands also relate to masculinity, though you probably knew that already.

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The Right Amount of Facial Hair

Women find men with heavy stubble to be the most attractive form of facial hair, a 2013 study from the journal Evolution & Human Behavior finds. They find heavy beards, light stubble and clean-shaven faces to be less attractive. However, women associate full beards with good health and parenting ability¡ªsomething to think about for the future, perhaps.

Some studies found that even if you¡¯re physically active throughout the week and meet recommended guidelines for activity, being sedentary for most of the day still increases your mortality risk. And if you sit for more than eight hours a day and aren¡¯t active, studies say your risk of dying was similar to those of people who were obese or smokers, according to the Mayo Clinic.?

Besides the increased risk of death, sitting for too long can increase blood pressure, and is associated with high blood sugar, extra belly fat, and unhealthy cholesterol levels.? Short of quitting your job and finding one that doesn¡¯t involve sitting all day, you can adjust your workday and office setup to reduce pain and counteract some of the ill effects of sitting.

Here, experts in occupational therapy and physical therapy share how sitting at your desk job all day hurts your health, and what to do about it. We recommend standing up while reading this.

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1 of 5

Sitting Can Lead to Carpal Tunnel

¡°When you¡¯re not moving your body and changing postures on a regular basis, that exposes you to issues that we call cumulative musculoskeletal disorders,¡± says Karen Jacobs, occupational therapist, board certified professional ergonomist, and clinical professor at Boston University. If you¡¯re sitting at a desk (or standing) and your mouse and keyboard aren¡¯t set up properly, it could lead to wrist, hand, and arm pain.

¡°Carpal tunnel syndrome is when a median nerve is squeezed or compressed through the wrist,¡± Jacobs says. It can feel like your fingers are hurting or tingling. You may feel wrist pain.

Ways to Help

If you have any of these symptoms, Jacobs recommends talking to your doctor about it first. ¡°You could have an occupational therapist come to your home or office and do an ergonomic job site analysis to see if there¡¯s a good match between the tools and equipment,¡± she says.

Look for one through the American Occupational Therapy Association website by state and local area. They can make recommendations for you, like using a specific keyboard, wrist pad, or a different mouse. Make sure your wrists are straight and your arms and elbows are close to your body, she suggests.

Try this wrist extension stretch from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:

• Straighten your arm and bend your wrist back as if signaling someone to ¡°stop.¡±?
• Use your opposite hand to apply gentle pressure across the palm and pull it toward you until you feel a stretch on the inside of your forearm. Hold for 15 seconds.?
• Repeat 5 times, then perform this stretch on the other arm
• Next, do a wrist flexion stretch by extending the arm out, with your palm facing down and bending the wrist so your fingers point down. Pull your hand toward your body and hold this for 15 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

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Sitting Can Lead to Back Pain

If you¡¯ve sat at a desk for too long¡ªespecially one that wasn¡¯t set up properly¡ªyour back was probably one of the first places you experienced pain. Parham Tabloei, D.P.T., C.S.C.S., aka ¡°Dr. Par,¡± works at Active Therapy Center in Santa Monica, CA, and has many clients who work at desk jobs in Silicon Beach.

¡°They sit all day and ask, ¡®Why is my lower back hurting?¡¯¡± Most work environments are not ergonomically fit for each employee, he says. ¡°After two or three hours of sitting the muscles in the lower back tend to elongate. They stretch out the ligaments and the muscles themselves,¡± he says. ¡°The pelvis tilts backward, and that slouching effect ends up putting [pressure] on all of those muscles that run up and down close to the spine, to the vertebrae.¡±

¡°This could lead to dysfunction, radiculopathy (pinched nerve), or even shooting pains down the legs and sciatica,¡± Tabloei says. ¡°At the same time, you have stuff going on in your mid-upper back and neck. One thing often leads to another.¡± This causes a cascade of issues: The back muscles get really tight and stiff, the neck ends up hurting, and then people begin complaining of headaches because of that period of extension, he says.

Ways to Help

¡°Even if you have an ergonomically perfect environment, you¡¯re still going to run into health issues down the road if all you¡¯re doing is sitting, and then going home and sitting in front of your computer or TV and then going to bed¡±, Tabloei says. ¡°For every hour of sitting, spend an hour of either standing or stretching.¡± If you have a sit-to-stand desk, he suggests switching from standing to sitting every hour with some stretching bouts in between.

Try these desk stretches to relieve tight back muscles:

Side bend:

• Sit up tall in your chair.?
• Reach across the front of your body with one hand and grab the side of your chair.
• Reach up with the other hand and gently bend toward the opposite side while breathing deeply and slowly sink into the stretch.?
• Hold for 30 seconds, switch sides, aim for three reps on each side.

Thoracic twist:

• Put your elbows on the desk.
• Bend your elbows until hands reach your shoulders.?
• Reach your butt back on the chair to create an extension of your back.
• Lifting one elbow at a time, gently twist the upper back in the direction of the lifted elbow. Hold for 5 seconds and switch to lift the elbow on the other side. Aim for 20 reps.

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Sitting Can Lead to Sciatica

Sciatica is a type of nerve pain that originates in the lower spine and branches down the back of both legs, which can hinder simple movements like sitting and walking.

¡°One of the things I have people do when I¡¯m evaluating their computer work station is, I have them keep a one-week time log of activities they¡¯re doing,¡± Jacobs says. ¡°So that I get the whole picture of what a week looks like, and then we go over that. I might say, ¡®Could you highlight in yellow when you start having some symptoms? When are your back, neck, and shoulder hurting? Or when is your wrist hurting you?¡¯ That helps me identify what the triggers are.¡± You can keep a log yourself to identify what body parts hurt and when they start to ache so you have a better idea of what may be causing those pains.

¡°If you sit all day and then go to the gym and pump weights, you¡¯re setting yourself up for more stiffening around your body, specifically the joints,¡± says Tabloie. ¡°That¡¯s going to cause all kinds of issues like sciatica, compressed nerves, neurological issues, and pain.¡±

Ways to Help

¡°I recommend taking a break from sitting or standing every 30 minutes. If you¡¯re standing, take a walk. If you¡¯re sitting, get up and stretch, and take a walk to the water cooler,¡± Jacobs suggests. This can help prevent sciatica, as can practicing good posture, according to the Mayo Clinic. ¡°I suggest everyone change and vary their postures often,¡± Jacobs adds. ¡°Stretch before starting your day at your computer.¡±

You may want to see if your company has a policy about standing desks to set up at your office.?Both Jacobs and Dr. Par suggests switching from sitting to standing every hour if you have a standing desk.?

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Sitting Can Lead to Tight Hips and Butt Muscles

Experiencing hip pain could be due to a number of factors, but if you¡¯re sitting at a desk all day, your hips and glutes can become tight.

¡°When you¡¯re sitting, your knee is at 90 degrees, and that puts the hip in a shortened position. All the muscles in the front of your hip that run down (like your quads)?tend to get stiff and short in that position,¡± Tabloie says. ¡°Then, some of the rotators of the hip¡ªin the back toward the buttocks¡ªalso become short.¡±

If the gluteal muscles and your IT band are too tight, they can pull at the thighbone where they attach and cause pain on the side.

Ways to Help

Think you shouldn¡¯t care about hip mobility? Having looser, more flexible hips can help you get into a deeper squat when lifting.

¡°People are spending all day sitting and then going to the gym pumping weights thinking that the resistance training is going to save them from some of the back pain,¡± Tabloie says. ¡°It all comes down to flexibility, mobility. You need to have mobility before you can start to create strength and stability around the joint.¡±

Try this stretch after warming up for a few minutes at the gym or at home:

Deep hip flexor and glute warmup:

• Kneel on the ground in a lunge position, uninvolved leg forward.?
• Rotate your pelvis slightly backward, flattening your lower back.
• Place one hand on the wall for support.?
• Lean forward, while maintaining straight posture and keeping your head up.
• Reach back and pull your ankle toward your buttock without bending the hip.?
• Squeeze your glutes.

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How to Reduce Your Daily Sitting Time

Take the time to go for a 10-minute walk every hour or every couple of hours, Tabloie suggests. When you¡¯re going to the bathroom, maybe go to one on a different floor or further down the hall so it just forces you to walk a little bit more. When you¡¯re sitting statically, things slow down in the body¡ªyour?metabolism rates drop and you have less flow of fluid throughout your body. Getting up and moving is going to lubricate your joints and get your blood flowing.

¡°It¡¯s also important to not just think about what you¡¯re doing at your job, but how you¡¯re using technology at home or traveling,¡± says Jacobs.

You may sit on the train or bus for a commute and have your neck bent to read from your phone. Or, you may have your laptop open while sitting on your couch later, which isn¡¯t great for your health, either.

Just typed all day at work and then texting all night with friends? You¡¯re doing a number on your hands.

¡°One of the things I tell people to do when they¡¯re starting to become symptomatic and experiencing pain is to use voice recognition software when texting or using their smartphones,¡± Jacobs says. ¡°It¡¯s another way you want to give your body a break if you¡¯re doing a lot of repetitive movements.¡±

Pullups are not easy ¨C the mechanical advantage is poor even in when you are in good position. Cheating them, while a fair thing to do on the last rep or two of each set, will not improve your long-term strength or size. Since the?lats?are a large muscle group that needs to be hit from different angles, you need to use a full range of motion across a variety of exercises. Pullups also require the contribution of dozens of smaller, contributing muscles which is good news ¨C it means that consistent training will lead to rapid strength gains in the short term and more total muscle gains down the road.

The following 6 exercises, when performed regularly (and correctly), will attack your entire group of pull muscles (including your biceps). Whether you can only do one or a few, if you continue to execute these movements with precision, you will find that a dozen pullups (or more) are well within your reach.

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WIDE-GRIP PULLUP

The emphasis: Upper lats, teres major

The breakdown: The king of the pulls, this exercise targets the lats from top to bottom but really emphasizes the top third, which makes it ideal as a width-builder. Due to the wide grip, the range of motion is often shorter than most pulls. However, you owe it to yourself to get as many reps as you can pulling as high as you can on each rep, the goal being to get your upper chest as close to the bar as possible before squeezing your shoulder blades together. Because your arm angle stays pretty open during this move, the contribution from the biceps is minimized.

The plan: This was one of Arnold¡¯s favorite exercises for building wide-flared lats. Because he was pulling around 230 pounds to the bar, he would simply pick a number ¨C say, 50 ¨C and complete as many sets to failure as was necessary to reach that number. The fewer the sets it takes to reach that number, the better. In the 50-rep scenario, once you can reach your goal in five sets or less, it¡¯s time to add weight.

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PULLUP (SHOULDER-WIDTH)

The emphasis: Upper-middle lats, rhomboids, rear delts

The breakdown: Perhaps the toughest of all the pulls, this variation calls into play your rhomboids, rear delts, and even the brachialis and brachioradialis to complete each rep. Because your hands are spaced more narrowly ¨C shoulder-width is ideal ¨C this move allows for a longer range of motion, meaning that the vertical emphasis of the pull starts to shift south to your lower lats, even if the upper lats remain the primary movers. Make sure you go all the way down, fully extending your arms and maximize this exercise for its tremendous strength challenge.

The plan: Using this move will require more involvement from your biceps so grip may become a factor. If your forearms are prone to fatigue, consider using straps to make it through your working sets. Shoot for multiple (3-4) sets of 10-12 reps, adding weight once you can do so with ease. It should be noted that you can perform kipping pull-ups to ¡°cheat¡± through a few reps if you fail before your target number of reps.?

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KIPPING PULLUP

The emphasis: Upper lats, teres major, biceps brachii

The breakdown: As a weight-room traditionalist, I am not a fan of these for building muscle thickness or even pure strength. Originally, this move was designed to help teach the body how to use momentum in climbing or gymnastics but due to the surge in CrossFit, it has become a mainstay of many conditioning programs. While the lats and upper back do get a workout as they initiate the movement, performing these early on will only enforce bad form and reduce your ability for good solid strength exercises later in your workout as the ballistic nature will both create a pump and instigate fatigue.

The plan: If you¡¯re a dyed-in-the-wool CrossFitter, this is part of the required curriculum and so should be part of your regular training routine. If you¡¯re new to the movement, be sure to train it only under the supervision of a knowledgeable and vigilant coach to limit your risk of injury. Because it places such a stretch on the fragile musculature of the shoulder joint, the small muscles of the rotator cuff may decide to revolt. In the context of a more traditional, size-and-strength focused routine, kipping pullups are an excellent way to finish a set of normal pullups. Once you hit initial failure on your controlled reps, add a handful (3-5) of kips to really finish off your lats.

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CHINUP

The emphasis: Lower lats, rhomboids, biceps brachii

The breakdown: By supinating your palms (i.e. going with an underhand grip), you will activate your biceps muscles more than in any of the other pullup variations because your elbows remain close to your body and the range of motion is significantly longer than with other pulls. The lats fire from top to bottom on this move as you pull with the upper portion of lats at the beginning of the movement when arms are fully extended and then down through the lower lats as you reach the top position. The movement also targets the mid-back, traps and rhomboids making this exercise one of the very best for overall back development. Additionally, it may be one of the easier moves of the bunch because it involves so many muscles at that optimize mechanic positioning for pulling. A well-rounded back routine includes both overhand and underhand pullups. Try performing reps without your thumb wrapped around the bar to keep as much focus as possible on the lats instead of the biceps.

The plan: If your lower lats have been lagging behind then you should try making this challenging move your focus. Try to maintain a vertical body positioning as you pull through to the top and squeeze your shoulder blades together before lowering yourself under control to a full stretch. For variety and increased difficulty, as well as a slight shift in the muscular focus, try using a wider (outside shoulder-width) underhand grip.?

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NEUTRAL-GRIP PULLUP

The emphasis: Lower lats, rhomboids, traps, brachialis

The breakdown: This off-the-beaten-path incarnation of the pullup is one of my personal favorites, especially if you use a wide grip. Like the underhand grip, this move provides a longer range of motion which helps you work the lats thoroughly as well as the traps and upper back muscles such as the rhomboids. You also get strong biceps activation with emphasis on the brachioradialis muscle. This again, due to mechanics, makes this exercise, one of the easier pulls. However, using a wide-grip will make this one of the tougher exercises in your arsenal as your mechanical advantage is seriously decreased. Additionally, the wide grip will reduce the contribution by the biceps, increase rear deltoid activation, and give more flare to your wings. Do both when you perform this move.

The plan: To perform the narrow-grip neutral pullup, simply position a parallel-grip cable attachment over a pull-up bar. The wider-grip version will usually require more creativity but certain pull-up towers in gyms have parallel bars that extend out a bit. They may be thicker than the provided pullup bar, which means the use of additional grip strength. An outdoor alternative may await you at your local playground where a set of monkey bars will offer a variety of hand spacings ¨C narrow, wide and other! Incorporate a variety of neutral-grip pulls into your routine for thorough development.

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TOWEL PULLUP

The emphasis: Lower lats, rhomboids, traps, brachialis, brachioradialis, wrist flexors

The breakdown: Taking a towel attachment and throwing it over and around a high bar to use for your grip ups the ante on pullup day. You can arrange multiple towels for wide grip moves or a single towel for close-grip pulls. The thicker the towel, the harder it is to grip, and thus you get the added benefit of providing a serious challenge for your forearm gripping muscles. But to that end, it will cause an intense forearm burn that will reduce your grip strength if you work these too soon in your training day. I¡¯d advise doing these first off in a routine to allow for maximal strength. The exception is if you incorporate these into a day dedicated exclusively to forearm training.

The plan: A pure strength move, the towel pullup first focuses on your forearms. If your forearms aren¡¯t strong enough to solidify your grip, then your lats won¡¯t be able to do the work that they need to in order to complete the pull. Like the one-arm push-up on chest day, this is a move for more advanced trainees who have mastered the basics. This simple move, however, can translate to greater grip strength on your traditional pulls, so don¡¯t wait until you feel you have ¡°graduated¡± into the realm of the advanced. Finish your next back day off with 2-3 sets of this move to failure and strive for a greater number each time you hit the gym.

THE STRAP TRAP: This question lingers on but the solution is easy. If you want big forearms, don¡¯t use straps. If your forearms fatigue to soon and limit your back development, then by all means use them. Studies show that the use of straps on pull days can help lifters get an additional 1-2 reps. But remember, when using straps you are simply mitigating the strain of the problem to a crutch not a cure, so my advice is to do as many sets as you can without straps and reserve their use for only your most difficult sets.?