Monday, February 16, 2009

Switch To Cable

Men's Health

Avoid gym lines and head straight to the cable crossover station. With this fast, full-body routine, you'll train on every plane of movement.

The result: You'll "build bigger muscles and a more athletic body," says Robert dos Remedios, C.S.C.S.

Sculpt picture-perfect muscles with these four simple exercises.

Squat and Row

Attach a rope handle to a low-pulley cable and grab with both hands.

Stand facing the weight stack, your elbows bent and your hands next to the sides of your torso.

Lower your body by bending at your hips and knees as you allow your arms to straighten in front of you.

When your thighs are parallel to the floor, reverse the movement back to the starting position.

Punch and Pull

Grab the handle of a low-pulley cable with your left hand, and the handle of the opposite high-pulley cable with your right.

Face the low pulley and stagger your feet, left foot forward.

Hold your right hand next to your shoulder, keeping your left arm straight.

Pull your left hand back as you punch your right hand forward. Do all your reps, then switch arm and leg positions and repeat.

Split Squat and Press

With the weight stack to your left, grab the handle of a low-pulley cable with your left hand and bring it to your shoulder.

Stagger your feet, right leg forward. Bend at the knees and lower your body as you press the weight overhead and bend your torso to the right.

Do all your reps to one side, then switch arm and leg positions and repeat.

Woodchopper

With your left side toward the weight stack, grab the rope pulley of a high-pulley cable with

both hands.

Keeping your arms straight, bend your knees and rotate your hips as you pull the rope down and across your body until your hands are just outside your right knee, then reverse the motion.

Finish your reps before switching sides and repeating the movement.

Perform three or four sets of eight to 12 reps of each exercise, resting 30 seconds after each set.

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