Talk about functional exercises! How often do we have to pick up heavy stuff and carry it? From suitcases to 5-gallon water jugs? Love this for the grip and forcing the body to assume the correct posture while walking.
Just another way to make jumping rope a bit more challenging. This heavy rope weighs about 11 pounds and has a grip that is two inches thick. This works the entire body, but has a special way of hitting the forearms and some of the smaller muscles in the upper back.
Assume a good lunge position with the weight over the body's center of gravity. As with a good lunge, drop the back knee straight down, and remember to push up through the front heel. Getting in a good neutral position with the lumbar spine or a slight posterior pelvic tilt helps take off pressure from the lumbar spine. Also a sweet exercise to help maintain stability throughout the smaller muscles in the upper back.
Doing pull-ups using an 11-pound heavy rope is a great way to work on all aspects of the upperbody's pulling mechanics.
Backpedaling while pulling on a weighted sled is a great way to work the grip, quadriceps, core and numerous back muscles. This can also be done with a rope that has handles, making it easier.
Old faithful with a little dynamic attention added. Great for the back, forearms and biceps. This can also be done on a standard pull-up bar, with the hands simply leaving the bar on each ascent.
We love assisted pull-ups because they allow the proper range of motion while we lift what we are able to lift. Remember anytime we flex the elbow, we're putting the biceps muscle through a concentric action.
Always good to add a little weight to these if we are proficient at doing regular pull-ups. But we can't do about 15 regular pull-ups, we shouldn't worrying too much about doing negatives.
This is primarily a back and shoulder exercise. But to hit just the back and shoulders, they need to be done without flexing the elbow. If, however, the goal is to get a sweet biceps workout in, then by all means, bend the elbow, feel the burn.
Old faithful with a little weight added. Great for the back, forearms and biceps.
This is old faithful here! The good old fashion pulling-your-own-body's-weight. Doesn't get any simpler in explaining than: grab and pull.
A bit more challenging here! Gotta make sure that TRX is sturdy. If it is, be prepared to work the forearms, back and biceps in a huge way!
Another sweet core exercise. This one is a little tougher than knee raises, but not nearly as tough as windshield wipers. Getting good work on the flexors in the forearms, too!