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The Effects of Carbohydrates on Insulin – Part 3: Post Workout Carbohydrates

What you need to know in review: Carbs have a direct effect on the release of insulin Insulin is considered ...

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Interview Q&A Series with Ben: Hormones

Question: “Will taking simple carbs after a workout negate the effect of growth hormone production from your workout and kill ...

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Super-Mineral Magnesium: Essential for Muscle Gains and more…

In their eagerness to increase strength and build muscle, most devoted iron trainees will ceaselessly pound down the protein, carbs, ...

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The Essentials of Bodypart Specialization: Delt Training

There is no need to go into detail about how important shoulder development (specifically deltoids) is to a complete physique. ...

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Resistant Starch, Part 3 of 3, Why?

Why Should You be eating Resistant Starch? RS is a starch that when digested in the large intestine, leads to ...

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Hormonally Fuelling Hunger: How Ghrelin Stimulates Appetite

Our eating habits are dictated in part by the intricately-balanced process of hunger stimulation and inhibition which takes place within ...

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Adductors & Abductors

Serving an important function as hip stabilizers, strengthening the abductors and adductors can help you maintain proper pelvic position and ...

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Tricep Dips

Tricep dips done right for visually impacting arms!

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General Exercise Principles

General Exercise Principles to Learn

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Ab Leg Raises

The best leg raise movements for the abs, and the best pointers you need for maximizing their effectiveness!

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All Bicep Movements

Want bulging biceps? Here are Ben's top execution tips for packing muscle on those guns!

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The Essentials of Bodypart Specialization: Lat Training

There is, without a doubt, a no more difficult area of the body to develop muscle size and strength, than ...

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Shrugs


General guidelines for all shrugging movements
(unless specifically stated otherwise)

  • use lifting straps if desired, particularly for working sets
  • take a shoulder-width-grip ideally
  • chest up, head / neck neutral, elbows / triceps locked-out (unless stated otherwise)
  • if standing, lock out quads and contract glutes and abs (don’t let hips come back and forth)
  • pull everything back / retract scapula (not to an extreme, but to avoid any roll forward)
  • begin by retracting from around the mid-back
  • shrug right to the top of the neck and really squeeze
  • push / protract on the way downward to lower the weight (don’t let it drop).

Standing Shrugs – Dumbbell or Barbell

‘Beside body’ variation depicted

    Exercise Specific:

  • Be sure to keep everything pulled-back throughout with the weight(s) held (constantly) just slightly in front.
  • Dumbbell Optional Variations:
       > Hold DB’s Behind body: this is the position in which you will be weakest
       > Hold DB’s Beside body: hold with a neutral grip (palms facing) and pay extra attention not to rest during this variation in order to maintain constant tension.

 

Prone Incline Shrugs – Dumbbell or Barbell

Note how the shoulders are correctly down and back, not raised and forward

    Exercise Specific:

  • Actively resist the urge to let the shoulders rise up and sag forward during the movement.

 

Shrug + Upright Row Combination

    Exercise Specific:

  • once at the top, bend elbows and pull / row them upwards about 3 inches further.