Which Muscle-Which Equipment

Which Muscle-Which Equipment by Scott Jameson

If you are a newbie to the gym, all the equipment may look confusing. Now I am sure over time, you can watch others use the equipment and get the hang of how to use it but not necessarily will you know when to use it. In other words which muscle group are benefiting.

You see, most workouts consist of focusing on one muscle at a time. Generally you should not do one exercise for chest, followed by an exercise for legs and then followed by an exercise for back. It just doesn’t maximize the intensity of your workout. You should perform the entire workout on a given body part or muscle group before moving to the next.

Okay, so which exercises hit which muscle groups? I will detail that out below but keep in mind this is a shopping list that you choose. Also, this list is not all encompassing. I'm sure I could add a dozen more exercises but I will just list some of the basics. Also I will not list the machines for the specific muscle groups below. The machines are self defining. BUT you should add some of those machines to your routine. By the way some of these exercises can be seen in pictorial format under the link, Training Photos. Here goes the basics:

Chest
Flat Bench Press-Barbell
Incline Bench Press-Barbell
Decline Bench Press-Barbell
Dumbbell flies with flat, incline or decline bench
Standing Cable Crossover Flies

Back
Wide Grip Pull Ups using body weight (hands forward)
Wide Grip Seated Cable Pull down
T bar rows
Bent over barbell rows
Seated Cable Row
One arm dumbbell rows

Shoulders
Seated Bench Barbell Presses
Seated Bench Dumbbell Presses
Side lateral flies-Dumbbells
Front Alternating flies- Dumbbells
Seated bent over (chest on legs) flies –Dumbbells
Barbell Shrugs
Dumbbell Shrugs

Biceps
Barbell Curls- straight bar or E Z bar
Dumbbell Curls Standing or Seated
Preacher Bench Barbell or Dumbbell curls
Standing Cable curls
One Arm Concentration Curls
Alternate Dumbbel Curls

Triceps
Skull Crushers (got to love this name, 20 years ago it was call lying French press). Ask someone how to do Skull Crushers. Barbell is usually the E Z bar
Dips- Like a gymnast, the body on parallel bars dipping up and down.
Cable Tricep pushdowns
Bent Over Tricep kick backs
Close grip bench press (hits inside of chest too)
Behind the Head One Arm Extensions

Forearms
Forward Forearm curls
Reverse Forearm curls

Abdominals
Sit ups
Crunches
Leg lifts
Side twists

I am going to break my rule here and mention machines for legs since many have become so basic and necessary to great leg workout.

Legs- Quadriceps
Squats- Barbell behind head
Front Squats- Barbell in front of heads
Lunges with Dumbbells in hands
Leg Extension Machine
Hack Squat Machine
Leg Press Machine in umpteen varieties

Legs- Hamstrings
Stiff legged dead lift (stretches hamstrings) Barbell normally
Leg Curl Machine

Calves
Standing Calf with Dumbbells (on block)
Standing Calf Machine
Seated Calf Machine

Here you go. Act like pro when you hit the gym confidently knowing what you are doing.

Training Photo

-ARMS-Biceps-
Seated Dumbbell Curls





Alternate Standing Dumbbell Curls





One Arm Concentration Curls



Standing Barbell Curls





Standing E-Z Barbell Curls





Bent Over E-Z Barbell Curls





Double Bicep Pose



One Arm Hammer Curls



One Arm Cable Curls



-ARMS-Triceps-
Cable Pushdowns





Bent Over Tricep Kickbacks





One Arm Behind the Head Extensions



One Arm Tricep Extension-Alternate View



Two Arm Tricep Extension-Alternate View



EZ Bar Standing- Behind the Head Extensions



-ARMS-Forearms-
Forward Forearm Curls





Reverse Forearm Curls





-BACK-
Seated Cable Rows





-CHEST-
Flat Bench Chest Flies



-SHOULDERS-
Seated Dumbbel Presses





Alternating Front Deltoid Flies



Bent Over Rear Deltoid Dumbbell Flies



Standing Side Lateral Deltoid Flies





Standing Dumbbell Shrugs for Traps



-LEGS-
Squats





THANKS FOR WACTHING MY BLOG TRAINING BODY BUILDER
DINO

Lesson 3-Consistency

You Have to Show Up to Muscle Up! by Scott Jameson

I have often said the single most important step in getting a good workout is to simply, SHOW UP. I know there are bazillion reasons and distractions that will annihilate a workout, but that is NO EXCUSE.

IF YOU WILL JUST SHOW UP YOU WILL WORK OUT. Is that too tough?

In other words, be consistent and regular in attending the gym. Be so consistent that if you did miss a workout for a legitimate reason (and I can’t think of too many) your bodybuilding buddies ask “where were you?” You should be a fixture in the gym; you are always there on your scheduled days.

Okay so how do you do it?

Go straight to the Gym after Work- Do not go by the grocery, the bank or your house. If I go home for even a few minutes after work I am tempted do a few things, eat a quick snack and before long a few minutes turn into hours and then it too late to hit the gym. I am better off to drive directly from work to the gym every workout day. Make this a habit.

Schedule Your Gym Time- Just like work; you have certain hours you need to be at wok and this is same for the gym. If you have standard 8 hour work day, it is pretty easy to maintain a consistent arrival time. If your hours vary, then lay out your schedule accordingly.

Let Your Others Know Your Schedule- Tell your wife, friends or parents this is your scheduled gym time. If someone wants you do something or be somewhere during these hours, they know it is like asking you to take off work. Tell them you need advance notice of any such event. If there is a mandatory event that smacks your workout, plan ahead and make schedule rearrangement. But don't miss a workout.

Feelings don’t count! –I’m sorry but they don’t. There are days I too feel tired and just don’t fell like going to the gym. Well my fellow bodybuilders, it is not about how you or I feel. It is everything about getting your butt to the gym. I remember reading that Arnold said one time when he didn’t feel like hitting it hard in gym he just went through the motions finally left the gym mad at himself. The next day he used that disappointment to motivate himself back to his peak. But notice AT LEAST ARNOLD SHOWED UP.

Plan Ahead to Find a Gym-If I am out of town, my gym bag is packed with me so I can go the gym while I am away and right after my plane hits the tarmac. Hunt down the local gyms in new cities. Before the days of the internet, I would get to the hotel, whip out the Yellow Pages or ask the concierge for the local gym choices. Nowadays, you search the internet for gyms in your traveled city prior to arrival. I know this sounds fanatical but it can be fun seeing how the rest of world trains and at the same time getting a workout. You might even learn something.

Sometime circumstances don’t allow me enough time so I must hit the hotel gym. I don’t like working out those lousy hotel gyms (if you call them that) but psychologically I at least did my best under the circumstances. Surprisingly, workouts aren’t too bad because many times the equipment is so unfamiliar and cranky; it tends to work your muscles differently.

Show Up and Sweat will eventually harden to muscle!

Lesson 2-Finding a Gym

Look Around! Is Your Gym Maximizing Your Bodybuilding Gains by Scott Jameson

I bet you are thinking that my gym has all the equipment I need. Well, it is true that having the right equipment is an essential of bodybuilding. BUT there are many other factors that play a LARGER role.

First of all let me say this article is going to focus on training at a gym. If you have chosen to train at your home, basement or garage or buddy’s private gym, you really need to really need to read this article, perhaps even more than the reader that goes to a gym.

Over my bodybuilding career, I have trained just about every place imaginable but my workouts pound for pound and push for push were best achieved in a public gym.

I can’t begin to tell you how many seriously minded people I know have bought the home gym equipment and never stuck with it. Or if they do they often get lackluster workouts that at BEST produce mediocre gains. The home (usually the basement) is so full of distractions that training is gets bombarded into oblivion. The phone rings, the doorbell chimes, the wife interrupts, the TV distracts or that home projects begs attention are all deterrents to a superior workout.

I have a very close friend that moved his training from the local gym to his basement about 10 years ago. This guy had a spectacular physique and was on the road to greater contest wins. He had the money and created a really sweet personal gym in his basement. He had all the goodies. The gym was loaded with the equipment, mirrors and posters. But it might as well be museum because a year after he created the gym, he chucked working out all together!

I know you say you may be different. If you are, you are in the minority. I’d say 99% can’t do it on their own.

I can't say it stong enough, find a good gym because the environment is essential to mind blowing workouts that produce extraordinary gains.

Okay enough preaching. What makes a truly great gym?

Basic Free Weight: Yes, the starting point is about right equipment. A good gym should have plenty of free weights, dumbbells and benches. It should also have plenty of machines that will provide isolated muscle training. Spend some time evaluating what equipment the gym has for each muscle group. For example, if you are checking the gym for the chest workout, then does the gym have flat benches, incline benches, decline benches and heavy enough dumbbells? You should do this for each muscle group.

Machine Essentials: Machines isolate muscle groups better than free weights and are central if you going to pump the muscle to the max. Nautilus, Icarian and Hammer Strength are recognizable brands that have traditionally produced high quality machines for bodybuilding. The gym should also have a decent selection of cardio equipment. Again determine what is available for each muscle group.

By the way, if you don’t know which muscle group a piece of equipment works, most machine will generally have a label describing what it does. Some equipment is more generic and if you don't know it use, you need to read an article in Bodybuilding Basics- Which Muscles-Which Equipment.

Okay so what’s beyond the weights and equipment?

While you cannot have a gym without the weights and equipment, the following gym qualities will detonate your routine to be nuclear!

Clientele: What kind of persons are training at the gym. Go to the gym during the time that you will normally attend and CHECK THIS OUT. If you see primarily geriatrics (old farts) recovering from a heart attack or knee replacement, it is not likely they are going to stimulate you to intense workouts.

Look for gym jocks! Those are the guys that are obviously serious about their training. Observe the:
The intensity of their workouts. How much sweating is going on?
Their words of motivation during training. Do you hear anyone saying, “get it up” push it out, you can do it or one more rep”
Their present level of muscular development. It helps to have some that are significantly superior bodybuiders that motivate you to excel, some that are similar to your physique to create competition and yes some less than your physique, so you can help them to improve. If some newbie asks your for advice, figure you just received a compliment to your physique. Now don't you feel like working harder!

Other qualities to look:
Does the staff look like they practice what they sell? At least a portion of the staff should be into bodybuilding, fitness or other sports that the gym can prepare them for. They should be able to teach you about the equipment and also offer a spot to you during an exercise.
Mirrors and equipment placement: This may sound silly but mirrors are important to your training. This is not about narcissism. It is about feedback. When you exercise it is important to see if you are maintaining good form. Properly placed equipment will allow this to happen. Mirrors can help you lock out those triceps, keep you back straight and prevent excessive cheating during the movements. Also seeing the muscle work will provide positive feedback push out that last rep.
Juice Bar: Can you get a protein shake or energizing drink before a workout? Also this is location for chit chat and small talk….not the gym floor.

If you are working at home, find a gym. If you are working out at a gym, determine if its the best. There was a time in my training that the best gym was 30 miles round trip, while the lesser gym was a mere 4 miles away. You can guess what I did….and it made a difference.

Why do you think the best bodybuilding in the world all train in a handful of gyms in California? Location, location, location; it makes the difference in their training.

Lesson 1-Creating Goals

Goals-The Foundation of Your Bodybuilding Success by Scott Jameson

“If you don’t know where you are going, any path will do”

As with any worthy endeavor including the sport of bodybuilding, goals are an essential part of being a winner. I know what you are thinking, I just train hard and eat right and everything will turn out right…right? Wrong. Oh sure you can make progress, but how do you know if you have pushed hard enough or watched your diet close enough. Goals will help you choose the path that supports the outcome.

I remember as kid that a farmer told me to keep his rows straight he focused his eyes on a fixed object off in the distance. As soon as he dropped his eyes lower to the front of the tractor, the rows began go wavy. Whether you are driving a Ford tractor or driving weights to build your chest, goals are an essential.

So what are good goals in bodybuilding?

I have spent 30 years in business world and good goals are goals that are SMART. SMART is an acronym for

Specific

Measurable

Aligned

Realistic

Time bound

“Specific” means to clearly define what is to be accomplished. For example, specifically you may want to gain 10 pounds of muscle in the next 12 months. If you are concerned about body fat you may want to include “at what % body fat”.

“Measurable” is an aspect of specific. Measurable means that the goal is objective rather than subjective. A subjective goal might be “I will have more of the bodybuilder shape in the next 12 months. A nice goal but it is not measurable. An objective goal would be the quantification of the bodybuilder shape. For example; “I will achieve a 40 inch chest/back measurement and a 32 inch waist measurement in the next 12 months.”

Notice how the Measurable goal drives your behavior in the gym and at the next Home Town Buffet meal.

“Aligned” means to be in harmony with other life goals. Bodybuilding though it may be important to you, need to align with other goals such family, work and health. For about 8 years, I lived and breathed bodybuilding. At 31 years old, my wife gave birth to twin boys, “Daddy’s Training Partners”. At this time, I had to make some tough choices. Was I going to be a Dad or completely a gym jock? My choice was, I think a wise one. I reorganized my gym time and became more flexible to my wife’s needs. Believe me I kept the gym important but not at the inconvenience of her. When I did this for her she was more sympathetic to an occasional inconvenience.

Be wise. Be holistic in your approach to your life goals. Failure to choose wisely can cause an even greater loss in all your life goals (especially Bodybuilding) if you go through a divorce or deal with out of control kids. Get your priorities right and align bodybuilding appropriately. Okay enough preaching.

“Realistic” means to choose an accomplishment that is reasonably attainable in the time frame mentioned. For example, don’t set your goal to win the National Bodybuilding Contest next year when you haven’t even competed this year. By the same token, don’t set the bar (no pun intended) so low that you can loaf your way to success. Make the goal a stretch but realistically attainable. When I suggested a goal “to add 10 pounds of solid muscle next year” that would be a good stretch goal. By the way, 10 pounds of muscle is a lot. This is not same to 10 pounds of weight on the bathroom scale until you check that body fat.

My favorite ridiculous goal

Right after the first pretty spring day where guys can and do take their shirts off, the following Monday you’ll see a lot of guys flock to the gym that you haven’t seen since Christmas holidays. I laugh when I hear them say, “I am going to get in shape for the summer”. Well bud, if you aren’t 90% in shape right now, you are not going to be in shape for summer. It just don’t work that quick.

“Time Bound” means to frame what you want to accomplish with when you will complete it. If you noticed in my examples above, time was included in the goal. “I will achieve a 40 inch chest/back measurement and a 32 inch waist measurement in the next 12 months.”

Now with your goal complete, create in between milestones and measurements. If you goal is to gain 10 pounds of muscle in 12 months, work to gain 5 pounds in 6 months. If you goal is attain a certain body part measurement, create some in between milestones.

Okay so there you have it, the framework for creating a SMART goal. Now snap to it. Write it down. Write it on 2 index cards and place copies on the refrig and bathroom mirror.