Serratus Anterior

Meet Serratus Anterior

Serratus Anterior is a cool little muscle group that packs a lot of punch for its size.  It looks really wicked from the front and sides.

This muscle group is responsible for shoulder protraction and scapula rotation.  Train it with small movements.  One option is the High Plank Press:

To do High Plank Press, start in the high plank position.  Relax so that your shoulder blades come together.  Now, press down hard.  You will only move a few inches, but this will work Serratus Anterior.

You can do this motion in another way:

Work the Serratus Anterior while you're doing Bench Press by really giving an extra strong push at the top of the lift.  Maybe even pulse it for a couple reps at the top.  Again, this will be a very small movement.

Tom

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Inguinal Crease

The Money Maker

Let me introduce you to the newest "Gotta Have It" muscle...which isn't a muscle at all.  It goes by many names (Love-Line, Marky's Mark, Adonis Muscle...) but is properly called the "Inguinal Crease".  Its actually connective tissue.  It becomes visible when body fat gets low.  Genetics will ultimately determine how much it pops but you won't know until you really try.

Own the Beach

Be the reason that boyfriends suddenly yank their honeys off the beach.  "Hey - my eyes are up here sweetheart!  LOL".  The crease takes hard work and discipline.  Those are the two essential ingredients.

Hard Work

Knees to Elbows

Knees to Elbows is a great abdominal exercise.  Hang from a bar.  Pull your knees up to touch your elbows.  Very intense and very effective.  Go for your max number of reps and strive to add one more rep each week.

Low Plank Leg Raise

Adopt the Low Plank position.

Now...raise one leg.  Then lower it and raise the other leg.

Low Plank Leg Raise is an excellent core workout which will hit the lower abs.  Holding the Low Plank position is tough but then lifting a leg will freak your core out.  Go for a total of ten each side.

 

Side Plank

Side Plank is nasty; so you know its good!  Lay on your side like you're about to read a good magazine.  Now lift your whole body off the floor.  Hold it for a second.  Relax back down and then repeat.  This exercise works your obliques - the core muscles at the sides of your waist.

 

Tummy Suck

 

The girl in the photo is probably doing a yoga pose called Cat but its still a good picture for describing an exercise I call Tummy Suck.  Get on your hands and knees and then pretend that you're trying to touch your spine with your belly-button.  If you feel a little sick to the stomach - you're doing it right.  This exercise works a muscle called Transverse Abdominis.  This muscle holds your guts in place and is key to developing the "Adonis Muscle".  This exercise will evoke memories of dry-heaving during your last bout with undercooked fiddleheads.  Do ten good hard Tummy Sucks at the end of your ab workout.

 

Discipline

 

The Enemy

 

You must carefully consider everything you stuff into your gob if you hope to dazzle your wife/GF with your scintillating "Love-Line".  You have to eat super-clean.  You need to get your body fat levels down to about 7%.  Here is what you should eat:

 

Breakfast

 

Oatmeal is great for breakfast.  Slow-burning complex carbs to power you through the morning.  Its not that tasty but who cares?  It'll be worth it when you smirk into the mirror with smug satisfaction as the crease appears.

 

Morning Snack

Eat a piece of fruit for your mid-morning snack.  For example...bananas or...kiwis. 

 

Lunch

 

Re-fry a couple of small juicy pieces of steak in a cast-iron pan with some tomato and maybe sprinkle with cayenne.  Protein, iron, vitamins, flavour.

 

Mid-Afternoon Snack

 

Have a handful of blueberries.  Or raspberries etc.  But...nothing that comes in a bag that crinkles or contains ingredients that your children can't pronounce.

 

Supper

Treat yourself to a nice grilled chicken breast for supper.  If it tastes dry and boring...sprinkle lemon juice on it.  Have some spinach and kale on the side.  Drink lots of water with supper.

 

Evening Snack

 

If you absolutely must nibble in the evening...try sunflower seeds.  These little beasts contain healthy fats and fibre.  Way better than chips or cookies.

 

Tom

 

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Triceps Training

Triceps

Triceps are one of my favourite bodyparts to work.  Well-developed triceps are visible from any angle.  This muscle group is vital for almost all sports and any fitness test that includes push-ups.  Triceps derives its name from the fact that it is a three-headed muscle-group. 

Training Triceps

There are countless excellent exercises to work the triceps and there is never a reason to be bored when it comes to triceps.  Here are a few of my favourites:

Skull-Crusher

Decline Skull-Crusher

Skull-Crusher takes it name from the appearance that you're going to crush your melon with the bar.  Often done on a flat bench, this exercise can also be on a decline bench as pictured above.  You can use a normal barbell, an EZ bar or dumbbells.  To do the Skull-Crusher, lie back on the bench.  Hoist the iron straight up over your face.  Fix your elbows in place.  Slowly lower the bar toward your forehead, just bending the elbows (not shoulders).  Press the bar back up until the elbows are fully extended.  Repeat.

Dumbbell Kickback

Dumbbell Kickback

Dumbbell Kickback is a killer.  This hits the largest head of the triceps full-force.  Grab a lighter dumbbell (or a kettlebell).  Plant a knee and same-side hand on a bench.  Your back should be flat and parallel to the floor.  Lock your active elbow in place.  Let the dumbbell hang straight down.  Extending only your elbow, raise the dumbbell until the elbow is fully extended.  Slowly let the weight return to the starting position.  Repeat.  No swinging.

Close-Grip Bench Press


Close-Grip Bench Press

Close-Grip Bench Press is an advanced exercise that is great for building mass.  Load up a barbell on the rack.  You won't need much weight (try 50lbs for starters).  Lie down on the bench.  Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, thumbs about 6'' to 8'' apart.  Keep thumbs wrapped around the bar for safety.  Press the bar straight up until elbows are extended.  Lower to chest.  Repeat.

Program

Try this routine to jump-start your tricep development:

3 sets of ten repetitions - Close-Grip Bench Press;
3 sets of ten repetitions - Skull-Crusher;
3 sets of twelve repetitions - Dumbbell Kickback

Tom

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