Click on the name of the exercise below to see a video demonstration and written instructions.
Please contact me if you are unsure of the movement and no video or instructions are available.
The number of times you conduct a particular exercise. Generally include at least one warm-up set with less weight/effort than the weight shown in the program.
For example, if you use the low row machine and your program weight is 20kg, you should complete 1 set using 15kg first. Or if you are squatting 100kgs, you may warm up as follows... 20, 40, 60, 80, and then your sets as shown in the program.
Reps - the number of times you do the movement, so if you squat five times in a row, the rep count is 5. If you find it hard in the last few sets to hit the rep count whilst maintaining the correct form, stop before your form breaks down.
Time - use a timer to do the exercise for the prescribed length of time. It is good that there are so many clocks in the gym.
- Adjust squat rack hooks to just below shoulder height.
- Hold the bar outside shoulder width and put your head under it, resting the bar on your traps (upper back), squeeze the bar back and down into your traps and ensure it is not resting on your spine. Your feet should be under the bar, knees and hips slightly bent to allow this position.
- Brace your pelvic floor and core, stand to raise the bar from the hooks, then take 2 steps backwards.
- Position your heels shoulder width with toes slightly rotated outwards.
- Squat with control towards the floor - no dropping fast - ensuring feet are fully connected to the floor.
- Manage depth to keep your spine straight and keep strong abdominal pressure.
- Return to standing position.
- Adjust squat rack hooks to just below shoulder height.
- Hold the bar outside shoulder width and put your head under it, resting the bar on your traps (upper back), squeeze the bar back and down into your traps and ensure it is not resting on your spine. Your feet should be under the bar, knees and hips slightly bent to allow this position.
- Brace your pelvic floor and core, stand to raise the bar from the hooks, then take 2 steps backwards.
- Position your heels shoulder width with toes slightly rotated outwards.
- Squat with control towards the floor - no dropping fast - ensuring feet are fully connected to the floor.
- Manage depth to keep your spine straight and keep strong abdominal pressure.
- Return to standing position.
Hold each pose for 30+ seconds (until you feel a release) and remember to keep breathing.
- adjust height of rack so that you can squat the bar from the hooks.
- hold the bar using the grip that allows you to safely hold the bar above your clavical and on your front delts.
- drive your elbows upwards and squat the bar out of the rack.
- take 2 steps backwards, feet shoulder width apart, brace core and take a breath.
- squat down with a chest up position, controlling your movement downwards (only so far that your back stays straight).
- drive your self back to the starting position - making sure weight is balanced across your feet (if too far forward, try a drill lifting your toes up).
1. use the rack, with hooks just above the knees. With feet hip-width apart, put your thighs on the bar, shoulders back and down, hands just outside legs - thumbs can touch thighs - hinge down to deadlift position.
2. straighten to lift the bar from the hooks, step backwards 1 step.
3. From the top position, brace your core and slightly soften your knees, then slide the bar towards the ground by pushing your bottom backwards whilst keeping your back straight, and stop at the position where you can't go deeper in the move without bending your back down or pushing your knees forwards.
4. squeeze your glutes to stand back up to the starting position.
- Adjust squat rack hooks to just below shoulder height.
- Hold the bar outside shoulder width and put your head under it, resting the bar on your traps (upper back), squeeze the bar back and down into your traps and ensure it is not resting on your spine. Your feet should be under the bar, knees and hips slightly bent to allow this position.
- Brace your pelvic floor and core, stand to raise the bar from the hooks, then take 2 steps backwards.
- Position your heels shoulder width with toes slightly rotated outwards.
- Squat with control towards the floor - no dropping fast - ensuring feet are fully connected to the floor.
- Manage depth to keep your spine straight and keep strong abdominal pressure.
- Return to standing position.
- Adjust squat rack hooks to just below shoulder height.
- Hold the bar outside shoulder width and put your head under it, resting the bar on your traps (upper back), squeeze the bar back and down into your traps and ensure it is not resting on your spine. Your feet should be under the bar, knees and hips slightly bent to allow this position.
- Brace your pelvic floor and core, stand to raise the bar from the hooks, then take 2 steps backwards.
- Position your heels shoulder width with toes slightly rotated outwards.
- Squat with control towards the floor - no dropping fast - ensuring feet are fully connected to the floor.
- Manage depth to keep your spine straight and keep strong abdominal pressure.
- Return to standing position.
1. stand with feet shoulder width apart.
2. with core on, squat down slowly whilst keeping your core and leg muscles engaged.
3. drive through mid foot/heel back to standing position - ensure you fully extend hips (glute squeeze at the top) and knees.
- Adjust squat rack hooks to just below shoulder height.
- Hold the bar outside shoulder width and put your head under it, resting the bar on your traps (upper back), squeeze the bar back and down into your traps and ensure it is not resting on your spine. Your feet should be under the bar, knees and hips slightly bent to allow this position.
- Brace your pelvic floor and core, stand to raise the bar from the hooks, then take 2 steps backwards.
- Position your heels shoulder width with toes slightly rotated outwards.
- Squat with control towards the floor - no dropping fast - ensuring feet are fully connected to the floor.
- Manage depth to keep your spine straight and keep strong abdominal pressure.
- Return to standing position.
- Adjust squat rack hooks to just below shoulder height.
- Hold the bar outside shoulder width and put your head under it, resting the bar on your traps (upper back), squeeze the bar back and down into your traps and ensure it is not resting on your spine. Your feet should be under the bar, knees and hips slightly bent to allow this position.
- Brace your pelvic floor and core, stand to raise the bar from the hooks, then take 2 steps backwards.
- Position your heels shoulder width with toes slightly rotated outwards.
- Squat with control towards the floor - no dropping fast - ensuring feet are fully connected to the floor.
- Manage depth to keep your spine straight and keep strong abdominal pressure.
- Return to standing position.
- Adjust squat rack hooks to just below shoulder height.
- Hold the bar outside shoulder width and put your head under it, resting the bar on your traps (upper back), squeeze the bar back and down into your traps and ensure it is not resting on your spine. Your feet should be under the bar, knees and hips slightly bent to allow this position.
- Brace your pelvic floor and core, stand to raise the bar from the hooks, then take 2 steps backwards.
- Position your heels shoulder width with toes slightly rotated outwards.
- Squat with control towards the floor - no dropping fast - ensuring feet are fully connected to the floor.
- Manage depth to keep your spine straight and keep strong abdominal pressure.
- Return to standing position.
- Adjust squat rack hooks to just below shoulder height.
- Hold the bar outside shoulder width and put your head under it, resting the bar on your traps (upper back), squeeze the bar back and down into your traps and ensure it is not resting on your spine. Your feet should be under the bar, knees and hips slightly bent to allow this position.
- Brace your pelvic floor and core, stand to raise the bar from the hooks, then take 2 steps backwards.
- Position your heels shoulder width with toes slightly rotated outwards.
- Squat with control towards the floor - no dropping fast - ensuring feet are fully connected to the floor.
- Manage depth to keep your spine straight and keep strong abdominal pressure.
- Return to standing position.
- adjust height of rack so that you can squat the bar from the hooks.
- hold the bar using the grip that allows you to safely hold the bar above your clavical and on your front delts.
- drive your elbows upwards and squat the bar out of the rack.
- take 2 steps backwards, feet shoulder width apart, brace core and take a breath.
- squat down with a chest up position, controlling your movement downwards (only so far that your back stays straight).
- drive your self back to the starting position - making sure weight is balanced across your feet (if too far forward, try a drill lifting your toes up).
- Picking up dumbbells, hold them in rack position - start with them in your hands by your side, then bend at your elbows to keep them in front of your shoulders.
- Take a squat position - feet shoulder-width apart - draw in pelvic floor and abdomen.
- Squat towards the ground, leaving dumbbells in the rack position, and on returning to a standing position, press weights above your head with palms facing each other.
- On your way down to the next squat, slowly bring the weights down to rack position by the time you are at the bottom.
New to the exercise - separate the movements by bringing the weights down to rack position before you descend into your squat.