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The Best Way to Do the Close-Grip (V-Grip) Lat Pulldown

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Table of Contents + Instructions Expert Tips Workout Programming Mike's Take Close-Grip Lat Pulldown Alternatives 3 Close-Grip Lat Pulldown Workouts Muscles Worked by the Close-Grip Lat Pulldown More Back Exercises Instructions Attach a V-grip (close-grip) handle to the lat pulldown machine, and adjust the thigh pad so that it locks your legs in place and prevents your butt from rising off the seat when pulling the handle down. Grab the handle with your palms facing each other, and sit down, letting your body weight pull the handle down with you, and then wedge your legs underneath the thigh pad. Sit slightly behind the cable rather than directly under it, with your chest proud and a slight arch in your lower back. Relax your arms and shoulders, letting the weight pull your arms straight and your shoulders as high as possible (they should be almost touching your ears). Staring straight ahead, pull your shoulder blades down as far as you can, without bending your e...
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The Best Way to Do the Machine Chest Press

Table of Contents + Instructions Expert Tips Workout Programming Mike's Take Machine Chest Press Alternatives 3 Machine Chest Press Workouts More Chest Exercises and Workouts Instructions Adjust the seat so the handles are in line with the middle of your pecs (roughly nipple-height, for most people). Sit up straight and pull your shoulder blades together and down. Grip both handles and press forward until your arms are straight. Reverse the movement and return to the starting position. Expert Tips Before your first set—especially if you haven’t done any other chest exercises in your workout—take a moment to activate your chest muscles. The key is to think about pulling your upper arm across your chest, rather than pressing your hands forward. Read this article to learn more: How to Set Up for the Bench Press in 5 Simple Steps . Experiment with different seat heights to find what’s most comfortable for you. Try using a thumbless grip (aka false-g...
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The Best Way to Do the Seated Machine Row

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Table of Contents + Instructions Expert Tips Workout Programming Mike's Take Seated Machine Row Alternatives 3 Seated Machine Row Workouts Muscles Worked by the Seated Machine Row More Back Exercises Instructions Adjust the seat height so the top of the chest pad is level with the top of your breastbone, and grip the handles with your arms straight. If the handles are adjustable, set them so they’re just out of reach when you extend your arms. Grab the handles and let the weight pull your arms straight and your shoulder blades as far forward as they’ll go. Staring straight ahead, retract your shoulder blades and pinch them together as close as you can, without bending your elbows. Once your shoulder blades are pulled back as far as they’ll go, bend your elbows and pull the handles back as far as you can (generally until your hands are level with your chest). Pause briefly, then reverse the movement to return to the starting position: straighten y...
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The Best Way to Do the Machine Rear Delt Fly

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Table of Contents + Instructions Expert Tips Workout Programming Mike's Take Machine Rear Delt Fly Alternatives 3 Machine Rear Delt Fly Workouts Muscles Worked by the Machine Rear Delt Fly More Shoulder Exercises Instructions Adjust the seat height so the handles are in line with your shoulders, then adjust the handles so your hands are as close together as possible. Grip the handles with your palms facing the floor (if the machine allows) and keep a slight bend in your elbows. Push your torso into the chest pad and shrug your shoulders forward as far as you can. Keeping your shoulders shifted forward, push your hands away from each other in an arc. Once your upper arms are roughly in line with your torso, reverse the motion and return to the starting position. Expert Tips Let the weight pull your shoulder blades forward, and keep them in that position throughout each rep. In other words, don’t pinch your shoulder blades together when you extend your arms...
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Anyone Can Say “Grass-Fed.” We Can Prove It.

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Casein+ is made with Truly Grass Fed certified milk, meaning the cows: Spend 250+ days per year on pasture Get 95%+ of their diet from grass and forage Are never given rBST or other growth hormones Produce antibiotic-free milk, double-tested before use And all of this is verified by independent audits, not self-reported. View Truly Grass Fed Certification Verifies the grass-fed standard (diet + pasture). Verifies higher animal-welfare practices. Confirms non-GMO feed and inputs.   What I...
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The Best Way to Do Dumbbell Shrugs

Table of Contents + Instructions Expert Tips Workout Programming Mike's Take Dumbbell Shrug Alternatives 3 Dumbbell Shrug Workouts More Trap Exercises Instructions Hold a dumbbell in each hand, stand up tall with your chest out, and lean forward so the dumbbell handles are over your toes and your shoulders are over the dumbbell handles. Let the dumbbells pull your arms straight and shoulder blades down as far as they’ll go. Take a deep breath, brace your abs, and raise your shoulders straight up toward your ears as high as they’ll go, keeping your arms straight. Pause briefly, then let the weight pull your shoulders down and return to the starting position. Expert Tips Think about trying to touch your shoulders to your ears, and pause a little longer at the top than you would for most exercises. This exercise has a shorter range of motion than most, so you want to make sure you take full advantage of it. Allow the dumbbells to pull your shoulders a...
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The Best Way to Do the Barbell Bent-Over Row

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Table of Contents + Instructions Expert Tips Workout Programming Mike's Take Barbell Bent-Over Row Alternatives 3 Barbell Bent-Over Row Workouts Muscles Worked by the Barbell Bent-Over Row More Back Exercises Instructions Load a barbell with one 45-pound plate on either side, or bumper plates that are the same size as standard 45-pound plates. This ensures the bar is the proper height off the floor. Stand in front of the bar, position your feet so your heels are about six inches apart with your toes pointed slightly out, and move the bar about an inch from your shins. Bend over and grab the bar with a double-overhand grip (both palms facing down) just outside your shins. Flatten your back by pushing your hips up and your belly forward, pull your shoulder blades “back and down,” and push your upper arms into your sides. Start the pull by extending your legs (raising your hips) to “pop” the weight off the floor, then pull your elbows toward the ceiling t...
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