Bowflex Elite™ home gym - Manual (Page 81)

57
Abdominal Exercises
Trunk Rotation
START ACTION
START
• Sit sideways on the bench, one
side toward the Power Rods®.
Grasp Hand Grip closest to you
with both hands.
• Raise both arms up near
shoulder level, hands extended
over the leg closest to the
Power Rods®.
• Keep your elbows slightly bent.
• Tighten your entire abdominal
area and slowly rotate your rib
cage and arms away from the
Power Rods® 30-40°, as if you
were rotating with a rod through
the middle of your spine.
• Slowly reverse the motion,
returning to the Start position
without relaxing muscle tension.
FINISH
Muscles worked:
Rectus Abdominus; Obliques;
Serratus Anterior
Bench Position:
Flat Bench Back
Accessory:
None
Pulleys:
Success Tips
• Keep chest lifted, shoulders pinched,
abs tight and slight arch in lower back.
• This exercise must be performed
correctly—failure to do so could result
in injury. Use only low weight Rods.
• Keep all motion in your torso.
• Move only as far as your muscles will
take you—do not use momentum to
increase your range of motion
Leg Exercises
Squat
— Knee Extension, Hip Extension, Ankle Plantarflexion
START ACTION
START
• Remove back support and place
seat in free sliding position.
• Sit on seat facing Power Rods ®
and position bar across the
shoulders (not on the neck).
Maintain a grip on each side of
the bar.
• Flatten your back, keep your chest
up and position your feet in line
with the cable/pulley.
• Place your feet wider than hip
width and point your toes outward
slightly. Direct the thighs to the
same outward angle as the feet.
• While keeping your back
straight, tighten your abs and
move to a standing position.
• Keep the pressure through the
middle of the arches/feet.
• Using control, slowly squat down
by sticking the hips out as the
knees start to bend. Keep the
chest up and back flat as the hips
continue to move backward.
• Lower to approximately 90
degrees at the knees
FINISH
Muscles worked:
Although the squat is often considered a
total body exercise, the glutes, adductors,
hamstrings and quads are primary
movers and the spinal erectors are key
to stabilization.
Bench Position:
Removed.
Accessory:
Squat Bar – w/squat straps
Pulley Position:
Low Pulley
Success Tips
• Keep knees pointed the same direction
as the toes.
• Keep the head/neck in line with the
trunk.
• Never attempt to exercise with more
resistance than you are physically able
to handle