Phase 3 Intermediate: Day 4 Phase 3 Intermediate: Day 4
Centr Team
04 May 2021
Barbell full deadlift
Target: Back, glutes, lats, quads, hamstrings
Form tips:
- Take the time to set up and ensure you are balanced before each rep.
- Make sure the bar is in front of your shins, over the middle of your feet.
- When standing up, your knees and hips should work together to lift.
- Keep your core engaged and back straight.
- Focus on driving the ground away with your firmly-planted feet.
- Remember to squeeze your glutes.
- If you're a beginner, close your fists when gripping the bar so it doesn't slip.
Modification – Barbell hip thrust:
- If deadlifts strain your lower back, use hip thrusts to isolate and strengthen the hip hinge movement.
Chin-up
Target: Lats, shoulders, back, biceps
Form tips:
- As you pull upward, keep your shoulders down to protect your neck.
- Core engaged and neutral spine to control the movement.
- As you raise up, keep your chest high, squeeze in your elbows and engage your glutes for lat engagement.
Modification – Seated banded lat pulldown:
- No chin-up bar? Use a band to strengthen similar muscle groups.
Cable seated high pull
Target: Upper back, shoulders, traps
Form tips:
- Chest and eyes up, shoulders down to allow smooth movement through the shoulders.
- If you experience any shoulder discomfort, reset your posture.
Modification – Dumbbell incline upright row:
- Rows will work the same muscle groups if someone has nabbed the cable machine.
Single-arm pronated-grip row
Target: Shoulders, chest
Form tips:
- Shoulders down and back.
- Avoid overusing your traps to row.
Modification – Dumbbell rear raise:
- A rear raise will hit similiar muscle groups if you struggle with the pronated grip.
Dumbbell incline bicep curl
Target: Biceps
Form tips:
- Sit up tall with shoulders back and down.
- Slow and controlled movements using your biceps, not momentum.
- Don't rest your arms at the top or bottom of the curl – keep moving to maintain tension in your biceps.
Modification – Standing dumbbell curl:
- If you feel shoulder strain using the incline, go vertical for a standing curl.
Dumbbell hammer curls
Target: Biceps
Form tips:
- Lower the dumbbells with control and make sure you're pushing for the full range of motion.
- Focus on tempo and power the curl with your biceps, not momentum.
- Don't rest your arms at the top or bottom of the curl – keep moving to maintain tension in your biceps.
Modification – Dumbbell tension hammer curls:
- If you have trouble feeling the bicep contraction, try a tension curl and zoom in on the squeeze.
