WEEK EIGHTY :: What Are The Best Underground Exercises?

[webmaster]

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TOPIC: What Are The Best Underground Exercises?

For the week of: June 7th - June 13th
Tuesday @ Midnight Is The Final Cut (Mountain Time, US & Canada).

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We all know of the squat, bench press, deadlift, bicep curl, etc., but there is more out there than just that. There are some very strange, weird, awkward, and effective exercises that aren’t commercialized.

What are some of the best underground exercises? Be specific when describing them.

Which is your favorite?

Why do you think these exercises are so unpopular?

BONUS QUESTION: Do you know of any underground cardiovascular exercises? If so, what?

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* New Rule (beginning: June 1st, 2006): Any exercise not listed on our exercise listing (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htm) must be accompanied by a full and complete description and pictures (or a link to the exercise(s) where pictures and description are given).

Thanks.

Don't discuss any other topic in this section. ONLY discuss the question above.

The best response will get $75 in credit to use in our online store! The other good responses will be used in an article on the main Bodybuilding.com site, with the poster's forum name listed by it. Become famous!

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Webmaster
Bodybuilding.com

[DOMER]

Not many pictures are available for this movement, but the idea is the same for traditional up-right rows.

Lee Haney popularized this movement in his championship reign and used this exercise to hit the trapezius muscles. This motion provides an additional option to shrugs for stimulating entire trap developement. The upper/mid back (Rhomboids) and the side/rear deltoids will also be activated.

Hold a barbell with either a close grip or shoulder-width grip behind the back. Initiate a typical shrug movement without using any rotational movement by simply bringing the shoulders upward to the ears. In the midst of the shrug and in a fluid motion, pull the barbell up as in a regular upright row. Imagine the hands as a claw only to hold the bar and your elbows pulling up to the ceiling. This will put additional demands on the trapezius as well as incorporated other muscles in the vascinity. Finally a compound exercise that targets the traps as the primary muscle group.

This may seem like a small movement, but the demand it places on the body is tremendous. A great addition to any shoulder/trap workout, and definately underground. You rarely see this being performed for how effective is really is.

[RippedJordanian]

wow man thats actually a pretty cool exercise, i gotta try that after exams. Listen, do we HAVE to have pictures or is a thorough description ok ? Coz i dont have a digital camera and **** so wat am i supposed to do ?

[Big Boi 1906]

EXERCISE NAME:
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Reverse Hack Squats

PRE-REQUISITE FOR EXERCISE:
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Before trying this exercise, ensure that you have good form in the basic free-standing squat.

REASON WHY REVERSE HACKS AREN'T POPULAR:
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The reverse hack squat can be awkward if you're not used to doing squats the correct way. And yes, you will definitely feel like your butt is in the air with this one, which can be uncomfortable for women and men alike.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTION:
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Facing the hack squat machine, place your shoulders under the pads. Plant your feet on the platform about shoulder-width apart. With your back straight, squat until your legs are parallel with the platform. Keep your knees aligned with your hips. Now exhale, push through your heels and squeeze your glutes at the top of the exercise. For additional glute recruitment, widen your stance and sit deep on your descent. You want to feel the muscle running up the back of your legs to your butt. Remember to squeeze every time.

PHOTO LINK:
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http://www.mesomorphosis.com/images/videos/dennis-james/3-workout-quads-1.jpeg

[PUMPED DIESEL]

incline dumbbell row for the back i have not seen anyone do this at a gym so far around my area
its basically a db row but yur chest is supposrted on an incline bench the angling really helps hit more of your outer and upper back depending on how far u hold it out this is not an ego lift at all

another movement that i have not seen done is rhomboid shrugs
its basically the same principle of the regular shrug
except instead of pulling up you pull back and bring your shoulder blades together as much as possible
i suggest doing this at the end of your back workout and dont let your ego get in the way because you can easily start training unintended muscle groups

another excercise i consider underground i dont know what the proper name for the excercise is but it is like a normal db shoulder press but you use a hammergrip
so you are ultimately hitting more of your front delts
i find this movement very useful because i am actually front delt deficient
i have only seen one other person besides me do this excercise around the gyms in my area because most people are rear delt lacking

anywayz those are the one i can think of for now

[Elijah_MB]

As bodybuilders, we are all aware of the "Big 3": squats, barbell bench press, and deadlifts. These are the core exercises that get most of the attention, or should get most of the attention, in a weight lifting routine. Lets look at the other end of the spectrum. There are many exercises that are over-looked and not used because of many different reasons. It may be because we've just gotten used to doing the popular exercises that everyone else does. Or, it could be because we never really felt like we "got anywhere" with the exercise even though we only tried it once. It takes time to see if an exercise works but a good diet and adequate rest are a must in this case.

These exercises are the ones I don't see many people doing these days. These are great change in a repetitive routine. (NOTE: All descriptions are taken from Bodybuilding.com and pictures are available here-http://bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htm)

Dumbbell Pull-overs:
{Lie on a bench, head at the end, with your fee flat on the floor. Start with your hands flat against the inside plate of the dumbbell at arms' length above chest. Lower dumbbell in semicircular motion behind head as far as possible without pain. Keep your elbows as straight as you can. Return dumbbell to starting position. Can also be done with a barbell.}

Depending on how far you bring the dumbbell over you, this can be targeting the Lats or the Chest. These can be very painful on the shoulder joint if not done right. Start out with a light weight and work your way up to heavier weights. I think a good rep range for these would be 8-12. This is a good rep range to keep from getting hurt.

Straight-Arm Pulldowns:{Stand in front of a lat pulldown bar with your arms outstretched towards the bar. Place your palms flat on the bar and pull it down to shoulder level. Keeping your elbows slightly bent and your wrists locked, pull the bar down towards your body in an arcing motion. Once you contracted the lats fully and the bar has touched or come close to your thighs, slowly allow the bar to come back up to the starting position. Keep your torso erect!}

These are great isolation for the Lats. As the description says, stay erect. This is very important so the tention is kept on the lats and does not go to the shoulders. Keep your abdomen tight. You'll have to use a lighter weight with this since you are directly targeting the Lats. If using too heavy of a weight, this could put alot of stress on your elbows. So stay in the 8-12 rep range and find your comfort zone.

Stiff-Leg Barbell Goodmorning:{Place a barbell on your shoulders. Keep your head up and your back completely straight. Bend at your waist with your legs locked, until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Return slowly to the upper position. Can also be done with your knees slightly bent.}

This is a great exercise of helping the Deadlift. This puts direct focus on the lower back area. Flex your abdomen on the return to starting position. Do not round your back, and do not allow the bar to roll up on the neck. This can lead to serious back and neck injuries. This is a big reason why most people stay away from this exercise. If done correctly, this exercise is great for stimulating the lower back. Start off light and work your way up. I recommend a rep range of 8-12 for this also.

When doing these exercises, always find your comfort zone. If somthing doesn't feel right or you feel unusual pain, stop at once. Practice these exercises and warm up properly before doing any working sets. This will decrease the risk of injury and will get you ready to lift heavier weight. There are no secrets to these exercises. If one will use correct form and work hard, these exercises can create great results in a weightlifting routine.

[Which is your favorite?]
My favorite one would be the dumbbell pullover. This gives me great seperation in my Lats and I can "feel" the lats doing the work. When I do Pull-ups or Lat pull-downs my biceps feel like they get some of the work. These are great for focusing JUST on the Lats.

[Bonus: Do you know of any Cardiovascular Underground exercises? If so, what?]

I belive there are many speed drills that are overlooked. These can be great for cardio. Some examples are:

Speed Step Ups: Use the stairs or a stable box high enough to step on. Begin by putting one foot on the box followed by the other. Reverse this action (one after the other) in coming off the box. Do this as quick as possible for 30sec-1min.

Burpees/ Squat-Thrust: Start by standing straight. Squat down so your able to touch the floor. Place your hands on the floor and kick your feet out so you are in a Push-up position. Complete one pushup. Then, pull your feet up quickly back to the squatting stance. Push your body straight up back into starting position. Do as many of these as desired.

[lc5315]

Here you go! I've learned just as much writing this article and i hope you do too!

[Theshadow324]

I used to have a bit of trouble getting a good workout for my abs for quite a while. I did crunches and side bends and twists, just about anything I could think of, finally I asked one of my buddies who had pretty well developed abs what he did to work midsection, to my astonishment it was a very feminine set of pilates ball style exercises. I was intrigued, if a little put off by the idea of rolling around on blue and yellow beachballs, but I gave it a shot.

The first of these exercises involved sitting on the ball, a little forward of the middle, and leaning all the way back until your back is hyper extended, and then crunching up while exhaling all of the air in your lungs. Controlling the air in your lungs if of utmost importance as it is very hard to completely contract your abdominals while you still have air in you.

The next exercise involves lying on the ground and holding the ball between your ankles and your buttocks. Same thing, just crunch up and exhale all of your air.

Next roll the ball out so that your laying down with your legs extended out and supported by the ball, keep doing those crunches.

Do a few sets of these, you may find that although you look much less masculine while doing them, your abs are on fire.

Sure no guy wants to be seen with pilates balls, but when you're out on the beach showing off your six-pack the guys that laughed at you in the gym are going to be pretty jealous.


Onto cardio.
My absolute favorite underused cardio exercise is the boxing speedbag. For those of you that don't know, it's the little red bag that hangs down and when punched swings up and hits the board and then swings back. It's not unknown, it's not exotic, almost everyone has seen Rocky pound away at one and knows the basic movement, but so few people use the bloody thing. It takes a bit of practice to get the timing right as you rotate your forearms around each other and slug the bag with the bottom of your fist, but once you get it down you can increase your speed and your hitting power, change your rhythm, and there are dozens of different combinations and ways to hit the bag. This is a great extra cardio exercise and also works the traps, delts, and tris pretty dramatically. Give it a shot, after a day or two of looking ridiculous you'll be a pro.

[Pain!]

I do this exercise on delt days that I feel particularily strong on. Its basically a string of different exercise rolled together. I call it:
Clean and Press from the Hang/Behind the Neck Press/Bradford Press.
Step 1: Clean barbell with apropriate weight
Step 2: Press overhead
Step 3: Lower to behind the neck
Step 4: Press overhead
Step 5: Lower to collarbone
Step 6: Press until weight is 5 inches over your head
Step 7: Hold for 5 seconds
Step 8: Lower to behind the neck
Step 9: Press until weight is 5 inches over your head
Step 10: Hold for 5 seconds
Step 11: Lower to collarbone
Step 12: Return to hang....that's one rep.
Step 13: Cry like a little girl (optional), though I usually do this anyway.
Crap, my pics are too big to upload.....Oh well, guess you'll have to use your imagination this time....sorry!

[ando88]

Here ya go...I hope you like it!

[RippedJordanian]

Great articles, good luck to you all!

[Brute Force]

Good luck to everyone!

[RoosterVA107]

Underground exercises are extremely effective, but often overlooked by the common lifter. They are a great way to keep your workout interesting or to change the angle of attack on your muscles. Though many are simply variations on more popular exercises, they should be included as many of them are great in developing certain muscle heads.
[What are some of the best underground exercises? Be specific when describing them.]
Barbell Pullovers - Barbell Pullovers are often overlooked. They are an ideal exercise for anyone seeking to strengthen their core, as the pullover works both the lats and the chest. Variations on this exercise, particularly when they are performed on a machine, can incorporate the abdominal muscles as well. This is really one of the best compound exercises around.
http://www.shapefit.com/chest-exercises-bent-arm-barbell-pullovers.html

Spider Curls - Generally, most people do not incorporate spider curls into their workout. Though they are extremely similar to preacher curls, spider curls increase the biceps’ range of motion, therefore, increasing the stress placed on the muscle during the exercise. It is important to go down all the way to stretch the biceps at the end of this exercise. It is also important to control the weight on this exercise as many people find this exercise to be particularly uncomfortable for one’s chest.

Cable Bicep Curls (not to be confused with cable curls) - This exercise is great for widening the head of the bicep. By fully extending your arm, the muscle is stretched and then contracted with a great deal of resistance. It is important to emphasize control in this exercise and try to keep your arms parallel with your shoulders. Bringing your arms closer to your head during the curl will compromise the concentration on the biceps in this exercise. I often try to touch my fists to my head while still keeping my arms stable. This exercise can be performed with one arm, as shown in the link, but can also be performed with two arms, with cables extending from the top of both cable stations.
http://www.thinkmuscle.com/multimedia/video/brad-hollibaugh/hollibaugh.htm

Wide Grip Straight Bar Pressdowns - This exercise is used be some of the most famous bodybuilders of today, but I came into contact with it through watching some of Jay Cutler’s training excerpts. This exercise is good for packing on some serious mass on the triceps. I have found this exercise to be particularly helpful in my triceps training as the wider grip eliminates more work from the shoulders, as opposed to V-bar or rope pressdowns. For this exercise, one can utilize a lat bar, taking a wide grip with controlled movements.
http://www.jaycutler.com/

Seated Reverse Grip Cross-Body One Arm Pressdowns - This exercise is great for hitting the triceps at a different angle and not commonly used. It is important to hold your working arm at the elbow with your other arm for increased stability and control of your movement. The success of this exercise is dependent on the stability of your arms and shoulders and it provides a great break from the normal pressdowns or extensions. This exercise is shown in the picture at the bottom of the page presented by the link.
http://www.maxmuscle.com/index.cfm?fa=article&doc_id=301&subcat=body_building

[Which is your favorite?]
As full-time student, I often find myself with limited time at the gym, even though its undoubtedly my greatest priority. Therefore, I like to incorporate a lot of compound exercises into my workouts. Barbell Pullovers are ideal in this situation. I can get a good stretch in my chest and lats. Furthermore, upon incorporating this exercise into my workout, my bench max has substantially increased as this exercise, as pointed out by Rusty Jeffers in the fit show, used to dictate your bench in the old days.

[Why do you think these exercises are so unpopular?]
One of the reasons these “underground exercises” are particularly unpopular is that they are often quite uncomfortable at first, but upon mastering your form, they are extremely effective. Furthermore, they are not commonly included in most exercise databases and are not encouraged by coaches or personal trainers. For example, it took me a while to get my form down for seated reverse grip cross-body one arm pressdowns as the motion was uncomfortable for my body (my wrists in particular), but once I mastered the motion, this exercise proved to be quite effective for hitting the tricep heads at a different angle.

[BONUS QUESTION: Do you know of any underground cardiovascular exercises? If so, what?]
Treading water is an ideal cardio exercise that is not commonly used. The success I have found in this exercise it that its occupies your focus very well. As a heavy lifter, I find cardio to be very boring, but treading water in the deep-end of a pool is often an interesting way to avoid the treadmill. Treading water acts not only as a cardio exercise, but stresses nearly all the muscles of your body as you strive to stay afloat. Overall, it’s a great way to stay focused during cardio training.

The second form of cardio, which I have found to be extremely successful, is a training method I use for boxing. Attach a rope to both sides of your legs only allowing them to extend about shoulder-width apart. Attack a partner, who is not bound by the rope. Your partner will easily be able to knock you down with the weakest punch if you square up to them, so you are forced to keep your legs moving. This tip was given to me by a Gold Glove boxer training at my gym and it has proved extremely effective in averting from my normally boring cardio workout. Its also a great way to increase the competitiveness present between you and your training partner if you have one, along with improving your boxing skills.

[Squats]

WEEK EIGHTY :: What Are The Best Underground Exercises?

What are some of the best underground exercises? Be specific when describing them.

When taking about underground exercises, I really try to stress how well some of these exercises can be towards gaining muscle mass and strength. There are plenty underground exercises that most of the population doesn’t know about. As I write this article I am figuring what exercise would be best for gaining muscle mass to stay on topic here at bodybuilding.com. The main thing when trying out these “newly discovered” exercises is to get the form correct, perfect it and gain on it. Progressive overload is the best way to improve muscle mass and strength.

#1 – The Box Squat

This is an exercise that was made famous by the powerlifting club Westside Barbell. It started back in Culver City in California at the original WSB club. They did a movement called “rocking box squats,” were they had someone assist them while sitting on box with a barbell on their back rocking back and forth and then performing an assisted squat off of a box.

Today at WSB you will see guys doing something a little similar. They don’t rock, nor do they get assistance. They take a wide stance and squat back onto a box. This breaks the concentric-eccentric chain and helps with power out of the hole. In a meet, powerlifters flex out of the hole not bounce like an Olympic weightlifter would.

http://bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?Name=Barbell+Squat+To+A+Bench

Here is what the movement looks like. Now here it says to go touch and go, which is okay, but the main purpose of the exercise is to sit on the box for a second or two and explode off the box.

For more information on the box squat, check out this link (http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459391).

#2 – Floor Press

This is another powerlifting exercise focused to build strength in the upper body in a compound movement. This is a great exercise for building up the triceps, chest, and delts. This can be used as a max effort or repeated effort lift.

You lie on the floor outside the front of a power rack with the j-hooks at shin level. Place the barbell in the hooks and lie down (lie on a flat surface). Take the barbell out of the rack and do a normal bench press; you shouldn’t get a full range of motion.

For some additional information, follow this link (http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/default.asp?qid=4099&tid=102).

#3 – Pin Pull

This is a great exercise for bodybuilders and powerlifters. Exposing the body to a heavier weight and allowing it to adapt and grow bigger. This is basically a limited range of motion deadlift in the power rack.

Set up the pins in the power rack below the knee so the barbell sits under the knees. And perform a deadlift, a very simple exercise.

For a picture of the exercise, follow this link (http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/default.asp?qid=4106&tid=102).

#4 – Bradford Press

This is an overall deltoid exercise that is great for packing on mass to your shoulders. It allows you to combine two exercises into one movement to hit all three delts.

Take a barbell out of a rack (standing or seated) and do a military press, stop the barbell just above the head and go behind your head and do a behind the neck military press. Repeat.

For some additional information, follow this link (http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/default.asp?qid=33902&tid=102).

#5 – Scarecrows

This is an exercise made famous by Joe DeFranco. It is a great rear delt exercise that is great for building muscle mass.

You will need a special attachment for this exercise that has two long chains hooked to some handles. It will look like a “Y” and should be arm span lenth. Stand at a cable station with the cable set at neck level and do a flye.

For a picture of this exercise, click this link (http://defrancostraining.com/articles/images/t-mag/skinny/311west15.jpg).

Which is your favorite?

My favorite exercise of the five exercises I listed would be the box squat. This is a tool that can help with squatting form, staying tight, and build a lot of power and strength. It is a very simple exercise and doesn’t need a lot of costly equipment, just a bench and a barbell which most gyms have. It allows you to use a heavier weight and let’s your body adapt to the weight and help build some extra muscle mass.

Why do you think these exercises are so unpopular?

These exercises are unpopular because they haven’t been exposed to a bodybuilding website like a powerlifting website. People also read a lot of materials that stresses the basic exercises and same old thing. They never fully research to find these exercises.

BONUS QUESTION: Do you know of any underground cardiovascular exercises? If so, what?
General Physical Preparedness (GPP) is one of the most underground cardiovascular exercise. A lot of scientific strength trainers such as Mel Siff and Vatsiorsky all have researched this and the many benefits of GPP. You can improve GPP by doing circuits of bodyweight exercises, sled dragging etc.

A lot of information about GPP can be found here (http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459405).

[misswhitney]

Good luck to everyone!

[-Nostalgia-]

Here it is... enjoy.

[Aussie LTD]

Underground exercises