Unique exercises

[CHAPS]

I'd like to hear from everybody here if you use and unique exercises and or unique twists on old exercises. I've got quite a few but i'll only cover a couple for now:


Reverse Hack Squats: You perform these facing the pad instead of facing away and really pigan toe your feet out, these really pound your Vastus Medialis and Rectus Femoris muscles of the quads and also pound your glutes.

Hack Squat Machine Good Mornings: You position yourself facing the pad and keep your feet at the bottom of the plate, these can be a bit tricky at first but make sure to keep your back tight and just imagine that the pads on your shoulders are the bar. You can use a fair amount of weight on these but make sure to do them slow and controlled. This exercise will really pound your erectors and hamstrings.

Incline Skull Crushers: I normally set the bench 3 levels above parallel and low the bar as low as I can behind my head as to get a better stretch in the long head of my triceps. These are alot easier on your elbows then doing them flat and they really hit the Lateral head of your triceps quite well.

Incline Tricep Extensions: Set the bench on a STEEP incline, about 2 levels below 90, and use a cambered bar on these, i bring the bar right down behind my head and feel a huge stretch in the long head of my triceps. These put even more stress on the long head of the triceps because of the incline and are great for added tricep thickness.

Toes out leg curls: Put your feet in a pronated position and just perform the leg curl like you normally would, doing them this way disengages your calfs from assisting in the movement so you feel it a great deal more in your hamstrings.


Ok i'm done for now i'd really like to see everyone elses little twists on stuff.

 

[CHAPS]

No one got anything unique? Ok i'll add some more

Lateral Raises: Do these seated and twist your wrists like your poring a drink into a glass, keep them twisted the whole time, this makes the movement much more intense and you will have to greatly reduce the weight.

Front Raises: Do these seated or standing and perform these with a hammer grip, palms facing each other, that way the anterior deltoid is popping straight up and is taking most of the load, whereas the regular style, palms down front raise will also hit the middle deltoid to a great degree.

Bent-over lateral raises: do these like your going to do a row with dumbbells but raise the dumbbell instead of row it, performing it this way will hit your rear delts alot harder because it is taking the medial deltoids out of it once again.

Zottman Curls: Grab some dumbbells and perform a stand curl then pronate your hands so they are palms down, once you reach the bottom return your hands to the starting position and start again. This movement is a combo of a standard curl and a reverse curl.

Incline Hammer Curls: These really give the biceps and brachialis in a nice stretched postion, these will pound the brachialis and brachioradialis.

Drag Curls: To perform drag curls, keep the elbows in back of you rather than pinned at your side. Using an overhand grip, curl the bar up and at the same time keep it in contact with your torso. In effect, you are dragging it up. Be sure not to let the elbows or shoulders rise up or this can turn into a half-ass upright row real fast. You won't need much weight on these.


Across Body Hammer Curls: These are hammer curls that you just perform infront and across your body. These will really help hit the short head of the biceps, brachioradialis and brachialis.

Hiss Shrugs: you perform these on either a calf raise or, a hack squat machine. All you do is load up the machine and shrug up, it's as simple as that, but it's something different that can shock the traps into new growth, you can use quite a bit of weight on these.

Seated Row upright rows: You simply grab the bar and lay right back then perform an upright row while on your back this keeps the movement super strict and really pounds your shoulders and traps.

Seated Row curls: Same as above but this time your performing curls, once again this keeps the movement super strict.

 

[meowmeow]

Rack Chins. I don't know how unique they are but at my gym I'm the only one who does 'em.

 

[CHAPS]

Yep those are definetly unique.

 

[Raladoc]

I got a couple

One arm 21 machine Preacher Curls
One arm bent over cable laterals not sure these are that unique but im the only one in my gym that does them
Not sure what its called but its a type of bent over row that is done with your back more or less vertical and the bar is pulled into you lower gut can also be done on t bar row. It hits your lower lats hard.

Il try to think of some more
Tom

 

[Raladoc]

Its a bit late due though just looked at the dates LOL

 

[bigmoe65]

BB flat bench.

 

[justreading]

Its a bit late due though just looked at the dates LOL

This is good info and a good thread... I see no reason not to re-open it now that I have gotten to see it. Thanks for bumping it.

 

[Raladoc]

Got another one:
Supported Bent Over Rows, Bent over rows while leaning on a bench and each rep try to hit the bench with the bar.

 

[wild12]

A few years back I started doing horizontal pullups with my feet on a physio-ball, to failure. It's not a very hardcore, or heavy exercise, or anything like that, but it definately gives a great burn after only a few reps; you pound out a few no problem and then all of a sudden it just hits you...

 

[JW32Hoops]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lMqNWXRNjA&feature=related"]YouTube - Hannibal Training[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfsTKfUT-RQ&feature=related"]YouTube - HANNIBAL FOR KING[/ame]

 

[wontstop985]

^ whoa

 

[Raladoc]

He is baaaaaad

 

[Chubbinmuffin]

There's this thing at my gym.

Hard to explain... but I move both cables to the very bottom, then I connect them to eachother. I grab the weight belt and connect it to the 2 cables I latched together, and then I do some pullups. Easier than dealing with a bunch of plates.

 

[Resolve]

^^They had one of those at a hotel I stayed in once. I tried doing squats in it- that was a joke. But for doing weighted pull-ups I could see how it would be perfect.

My unusual movements:

Chin-ups with legs raised - hold your legs out straight in front of you and keep them there for the entire set. Better incorporates the abs.

Incline Lateral Raises - gives a better stretch in my shoulders than normal lateral raises.

Snatch-grip, behind-the-neck push press - like a regular push press, but with the bb racked across the back of your shoulders rather than the front. Use a snatch (very wide) grip and only use a weight with which you can control your eccentric (3sec descent).

Towel Reverse Curls - wrap a bb with a towel where you grip it and do reverse curls. The towel increases the diameter of the bar, which increases hand and forearm activation. Same idea as using a fat bar.

 

[ShakesAllDay]

Towel pullups. Instead of holding onto the bar, you throw two towels over the bar and hold onto the ends. Good for grip strength.

 

[VolcomX311]

- One Arm, Smith-Barbell Rows. Bent over, forearm placed over the knee (a la Johnny Jackson) for sturdy posture and foundation.

- One Arm, Smith-Barbell Shrugs.

- Fat Bar Reverse Curls. Placing two, squat neck-pads around a barbell for excessively fat bar reverse barbell curls. Severe forearm pownage.

 

[REEVESDIESEL]

I've got some Fatgripz that make many exercises super grip intense. I highly recommend them.

 

[CHAPS]

I've got some Fatgripz that make many exercises super grip intense. I highly recommend them.

looking into getting these myself

 

[b18cyaaa]

great thread

 

[John Smeton]

one arm t bar row. hits the lower lats/tie ins really good. hits them different than regular t bar rows

there are some good suggestions in this thread

 

[BifWebster]

There is no way i can explain this one, its a lateral raise upright raise variation.
http://mdtv.musculardevelopment.com/content/view/1250/236/

Evan Centopani does them, i tried them and they really do seem to hit all three heads of the shoulder. People always claim arnould presses hit all three heads but i cant feel anything in the rear delt with those. With this exercise I feel it in all three heads.

 

[JW32Hoops]

Evan Centopani

 

[seanlambo]

pull ups using the parrell bar handles, but also lift your legs parrell to the ground, then do pull ups like that with legs raised straight in front of the whole time its like acombo between a hanging leg raise and a pull up. It f-ing destroys your abs better than any abb exercise (for me at least) you will have brick wall abdominals in no time

 

[JudoJosh]

Nilsson Curls

To do this exercise, you'll need a rack or a chin-up bar that allows you to set another close underneath it. Alternatively, you can also use the metal ladder of playground apparatus (that works quite well, too).

Set the racking pins (where you would normally rack the bar on a squat, for instance) to the highest point you can on the rack.
Now move the safety rails up to a point that is about 8 to 12 inches below that (you can play with this height when you try the exercise to get the best dimensions for you).
Set a bar on the top racking pins and set another bar on the safety rails, pushed up against the uprights. It's going to look like two rungs of a ladder.
In my setup, I load the top bar with weight plates to keep it from moving.
If you have a power rack that has pins you can slide in and out of the frame (I don't - mine are intergrated right into the rack) you can also more easily get this set up by setting one safety rail in the top set of holes then the other safety rail in a set of holes below (making your own ladder, essentially). That's the easiest way to set this up and how I used to do it when I had access to a rack that I could do it with.

Now get in the rack and take a close, underhand grip on the top bar. Your forearms should be braced up against the bottom bar, just above your elbows. Your arms should be straight at the bottom.

Now start doing a chin-up. As you pull yourself up, your forearms are pressed against the bottom bar, changing it to a biceps-oriented movement.

 

[tnubs]

after watching that hannibal guy, i wonder why im paying for a gym membership. he is in insane condition but i think having big legs would make a lot of that really really hard for most.

 

[CHAPS]

I've got some Fatgripz that make many exercises super grip intense. I highly recommend them.

Got my fatgripz and I LOVE these things! They are pretty intense i've used them for wrist, pinwheel and sweated curls and i'm incredibly sore lol Not only that your weights get chopped down, wicked pump though. I'm excited to see the gains i'll make in a month, only had them for 2 days now.

 

[REEVESDIESEL]

Got my fatgripz and I LOVE these things! They are pretty intense i've used them for wrist, pinwheel and sweated curls and i'm incredibly sore lol Not only that your weights get chopped down, wicked pump though. I'm excited to see the gains i'll make in a month, only had them for 2 days now.

Haha, that's great man! Yes, they are awesome. I really enjoy using mine AND these things will last FOREVER!

 

[Porty]

nice thread; bumpz!

 

[Raladoc]

Made myself a 1 6/8" Wide forearm roller last night. Tried rolling it up overgrip and had to resort to going down to 4kg. I was devastated. Lol

 

[Jay V 24]

I started doing jumping jacks on a stability ball (bosu)

Def feel it in my core. I fell several times though and may have possibly broken my ankle. No pain no gain i guess.

 

[Raladoc]

I would be scared i would go through it

 

[Rike]

OLD SCHOOL BARBELL HACK SQUATS!!

How about an old school exercise.........

BARBELL HACK SQUATS -
1. Place an Olympic barbell on the floor with some weight loaded on it. (Try 25's on each side for this unless you have done them before. I work up to 315lbs from 135lbs)
2. Next, place two 25's flat on the floor about shoulder width part or a bit closer. You can use anything solid for this step. You are going to place your heels on these.
3. Next, stand in-front of the bar and place your heels on the 25's to elevate your heels.
4. Bend down, reach behind and grab the bar. It should be BEHIND your calves - you should be in a similar position as a dead lift except the bar is behind you.
5. Now pull the bar up off the floor and keep the bar as close to your legs as possible. You will hit your bum at the top but try to stand up straight like the end of a dead lift.
6. Bring the weight back down the same way you came up and make sure you are in a controlled movement.
7. Do it again!!

These work great.

 

[Resolve]

How about an old school exercise.........

BARBELL HACK SQUATS -
1. Place an Olympic barbell on the floor with some weight loaded on it. (Try 25's on each side for this unless you have done them before. I work up to 315lbs from 135lbs)
2. Next, place two 25's flat on the floor about shoulder width part or a bit closer. You can use anything solid for this step. You are going to place your heels on these.
3. Next, stand in-front of the bar and place your heels on the 25's to elevate your heels.
4. Bend down, reach behind and grab the bar. It should be BEHIND your calves - you should be in a similar position as a dead lift except the bar is behind you.
5. Now pull the bar up off the floor and keep the bar as close to your legs as possible. You will hit your bum at the top but try to stand up straight like the end of a dead lift.
6. Bring the weight back down the same way you came up and make sure you are in a controlled movement.
7. Do it again!!

These work great.

Been using these for a couple of years - didn't even think of 'em. Nice addition.

 

[Rike]

Been using these for a couple of years - didn't even think of 'em. Nice addition.

Thanks man!

 

[stullsy]

Behind the back barbell deadlift

 

[REEVESDIESEL]

Been using these for a couple of years - didn't even think of 'em. Nice addition.

Didn't EMG studies show that this exercise hits the quads best? They're a killer!

 

[Rike]

Behind the back barbell deadlift

YES! That is what I have read! Funny thing is, the above post denoted behind the back dead lifts and that is what these are!!! They are actually known as barbell hack squats! They "WHALE" on your tear drop muscle of your quad near the knee but also your inner quad as well. GREAT all around ball buster.

 

[John Smeton]

Didn't EMG studies show that this exercise hits the quads best? They're a killer!

I do not know never heard this before. interesting none the less. I like to include hack squats and my lower outer sweep seems to respond well to these

 

[Porty]

though the machine is by far more popular, hack-squats are pretty common IMO

i thought i'd add a few to this great thread, though I didn't make these exercises up I rarely see people doing them.

Flex Lewis' Steering Wheels (plate twist?):
Basically you just hold a 45 Plate out at arms length and pretend you're steering "right" then "left," alternating directions. I can't seem to find the video where Flex is teaching this to Gaspari. I get some great deltoid activation.

Renegade Rows:
Grab a couple of hexagonal dumbbells and set-up to do push-ups off of them. You then alternate 1 arm dumbbell rows as you complete push-up reps. Supposedly great for the core. Though I haven't gotten around to incorporating these into my routine, I intend to do them some day....

Behind the Back Smith Machine Shrugs
From the many pictures I've seen, and a few articles I've read, the barbell version of this was iconic of Lee Haney. I really, really like the Smith Machine version and it's a staple for my traps now.

When I think of more I'll give this a good bump

 

[Rike]

though the machine is by far more popular, hack-squats are pretty common IMO

i thought i'd add a few to this great thread, though I didn't make these exercises up I rarely see people doing them.

Flex Lewis' Steering Wheels (plate twist?):
Basically you just hold a 45 Plate out at arms length and pretend you're steering "right" then "left," alternating directions. I can't seem to find the video where Flex is teaching this to Gaspari. I get some great deltoid activation.

Renegade Rows:
Grab a couple of hexagonal dumbbells and set-up to do push-ups off of them. You then alternate 1 arm dumbbell rows as you complete push-up reps. Supposedly great for the core. Though I haven't gotten around to incorporating these into my routine, I intend to do them some day....

Behind the Back Smith Machine Shrugs
From the many pictures I've seen, and a few articles I've read, the barbell version of this was iconic of Lee Haney. I really, really like the Smith Machine version and it's a staple for my traps now.

When I think of more I'll give this a good bump

NICE!!!
I use all of these and they all work fantastic. Great addition!
Rike

 

[wolverines]

For side delts, I'll set up an incline bench at 40 degrees and lay on my side. I use 15 to 20lb dumbells and perform side lateral raises. They really hit the side delts good and keep your from swaying or jerking the weight up as you would with seated or standing lateral raises.

 

[BestFriendTim]

I roll myself into a ball and try to suck my own weener. I cant actually do it but i feel major DOMS in my lower back and neck the next day so im pretty sure the muscles are growing.

 

[SilentBob187]

I roll myself into a ball and try to suck my own weener. I cant actually do it but i feel major DOMS in my lower back and neck the next day so im pretty sure the muscles are growing.

:haha:

 

[BestHomeGym]

I roll myself into a ball and try to suck my own weener. I cant actually do it but i feel major DOMS in my lower back and neck the next day so im pretty sure the muscles are growing.

This queer is giving me a bad rep...

 

[lyfespan]

On shoulders day I added in a kinda of seated uppercut lift with sum 15's that will tear apart shoulders,traps and lats, i can get up to 30's but you start swinging and throwing it instead of slow controlled movements.

 

[REEVESDIESEL]

On shoulders day I added in a kinda of seated uppercut lift with sum 15's that will tear apart shoulders,traps and lats, i can get up to 30's but you start swinging and throwing it instead of slow controlled movements.

I've been doing Larry Scott's way of DB presses. Hits delts like I've never felt before. You can see them on Youtube.

 

[CHAPS]

Decline rolling tricep extensions
Decline JM press

I use dumbbells for both great triceps exercises. Also

Incline/flat/decline presses on a stablility ball, make sure it's a quality one and don't skimp on the weight try these with 120's and get back to me lol

 

[captgarrett]

I created a real great bicep burn excercise:

take a pair of ropes on a cable machine. The ropes one would normally use to down tricep pull downs. But instead of having them up top, if your machine has it, put them on the bottom and pull up on them with both hands in a curl.

Once there, get to a weight where you can do roughly 5-6. Do those 5, then lower the weight one plate with only a 5-10 second break and do every plate to fatigue. Keep doing this until there you're down to an unbenficial weight. For me it's like 15 pounds.

I've found that this really builds a lot of volume, gets great blood flow going there as well completely breaks them down. It makes for a fantastic burn at the end of a good bicep routine. Two sets and YOU'RE arms are DONE!

*now I also have tweaked it a little more as well. There are three ways in which I'll curl the weight to hit different angles.

1. typical curl where the hands come up to the chin.
2. A short pump where the weight goes up to the middle of my chest.
3. I rotate my arms out at a 45 degree angle, almost as if you were putting your arms at your side with fist on hips, sort of like a superman stance. Then do them that way as well.

I also do the same scenario in reverse on tricep day. I do some small pumps and full pumps for those as well alternating the angle a bit. I never work bi's and tri's on the same day. It congest blood flow in the arm, which isn't good.

Throw this into your routine once and try it. It's amazing, but like anything else, keep your body guessing and don't do it every time.

 

[doingwork30]

i have a lift thats best incorporated in a full body plan. you pick an olympic barbell from the floor, shrug it and then bring it to your shoulders like a hang clean, do a front squat and as you come up from the squat military press and then behind the neck press. then bring the bar back to your shoulders, front squat and then do the presses again.