THE ULTIMATE DUMBELL CHEST EXERCISE

Funk's Multi-Angle Chest Workout

Hey, do you want strong upper chest, great mid-chest and a lower pec line that looks as if a razor carved it out? This multi angle set can train all three areas of the chest in one exercise... DO IT HEAVY, DO IT HARD and DO IT RIGHT.

Multi Angle- Chest Press with Dumbbells

1. Decline Press
Start with the bench on a decline.
This angle will work the lower pec.
Use heavy dumbbells and blast out 7 reps then...

2. Flat Bench Press
Adjust the bench so that it’s flat.
This angle will work the overall chest, but mainly the mid.
Blast out 7 more reps and then...

3. Low Incline Press
Move the bench to a low angle incline about 20-40 degrees.
This will work mid to upper chest, again blast out 7 reps then...

4. High Incline Press
Finally move the bench to a higher incline about 45-70 degrees which will work the upper chest (and some front delts)
7 more and you’re done

Tips
- Each set consists of 4 different bench angles, 7 reps each set and 28 reps overall. A Giant Set
- Train as heavy as your great strict form will let you
- Go from angle to angle with minimum rest in between
- It doesn’t matter what angle you start with as long as you hit every angle, every set, for a total chest development
- Do 3-5 sets of 28 reps for a killer workout. You will not need to do anything else
- Let me know what your chest looks like in a month after doing this big guy

Funk Roberts

Don't Rush the Beat

FUNK’S FANTASTIC WORKOUTS

I have assembled an onslaught of my favourite workouts that focus on each body part. Include one or all of these workouts in to your regimin to help reach your fitness goals.

ABS – FUNK 50
3 Giant Sets
Lying Reverse Crunch -10 reps
Funky Frog Crunch -10 reps
Oblique Crossover Crunches to the right -10 reps
Oblique Crossover Crunches to the left -10 reps
Bicycle Exercise -10 reps

SHOULDERS – CRAZY 28’s
3 Giant Set
Side Lateral Raises – 7 reps
Front Raises – 7 reps
Upright Rows – 7 reps
Bent Over Lateral Raises – 7 reps

BICEPS - BICEPS BOMB
Incline Dumbbell Curl – 3 sets of 10 -12 reps
Standing Barbell Curl – 3 sets of 10 -12 reps
Preacher Curl (dumbbells or barbell) – 2 sets of 10 reps
Dumbbell Curls 21’s – 3 sets of 21 reps
Forearm Wrist Curls – 3 sets 15 reps

TRICEPS – TRIED, TESTED AND TRUE
Lying Barbell French Press – 3 sets of 10 reps
Triceps Press-downs - 3 sets of 10 reps
Triceps Dumbbell Kickbacks - 3 sets of 10 reps
Triceps Dips -Do 3 sets to failure

BACK - BACK BLAST
One Arm Dumbbell Bent Over Row - 3 sets of 10 reps
Seated Cable Row - 3 sets of 10 reps
Seated Front Pulldowns - 3 sets of 10 reps
Pull-ups - 3 sets to failure

CHEST - CHEST CRUSHER
Incline Bench Press - 3 sets of 10 reps
Incline Dumbbell Press - 3 sets of 12 reps
Flat Dumbbell Press - 3 sets of 10 reps
Cable Cross Over - 3 sets of 12
Dips - 3 sets of 10 to failure

LEGS – SUPER LEGS
Squats - 4 sets of 8- 15 reps
Lunges - 3 sets of 10 reps per leg
Leg Extensions - 3 sets of 10 reps
Leg Curls - 3 sets of 10 reps
Calf Raises – 3 sets 20 reps

Funk Roberts
Don't Rush the Beat
Funk Facebook Fitness Group
Funk TV
Funk Roberts Sports Drink

FUNK ROBERTS PUSH UP CHALLENGE

The Perfect Push-Up – Drop and Give Me Ten!

I am not too sure how many of you have seen the commercial for the PushupPro or the Perfect Pushup, which are two handles that you use to help with your pushups. Truth is you don’t need handles to help you develop the perfect pushup, what you need is to start doing them.


The pushup is the ultimate barometer of fitness and one of the basic and most common exercises for the human body. Pushups are a superb exercise that uses the body’s own weight to build a sound fitness foundation. It benefits the entire body, engaging muscle groups in your chest, hands, forearms, biceps, triceps, shoulders, traps, upper and lower back, abs, glutes, hamstrings, quads, calf, feet, your core, stability, your heart muscle and it will even clear your mind.

The great thing about the pushup is that you can do it anywhere, anytime and you can do them completely free.

Pushups can also contribute to better posture and help protect your back from injury and strain. According to Philadelphia-based author and back-pain specialist Dr. Jolie Bookspan, by practicing perfect form while executing pushups, and applying that same form to your upright stance, you may not only stand taller and straighter but you’ll reduce the potential for back pain.

She cautions against the common mistake of allowing the back to arch and sag, putting pressure on the lower back. Try shifting the burden to your core by tucking your hips, flattening your back and contracting your midsection.


The Movement
Assume the classic push up position, with your weight on your hands and calls of the feet. Space your hands just wider than shoulder width apart.

Keeping your back straight, bend your elbows to lower yourself to the floor. When your chest is just off the floor, push yourself back up to the starting position.

Tips
1. Elbows must be fully extended at the start and end of a pushup, forefoot or toes on floor; legs, hips and back straight.
2. Commonly, people don’t make a deep enough descent. Your chest should be slightly lower than parallel to the level of your arms
3. To test your form, have someone make an upright fist and position it below your chest. Your chest should make contact with the fist.
4. Avoid half-pushups, a common error caused by fatigue.
5. Inadequate reps are usually due to a lack of strength endurance, which can be built up over time by executing pushups properly and doing multiple upper body exercises to increase strength.

The Funk Roberts Push Up Challenge

Now that we know the benefits of the pushup, now I would like to challenge my blog readers, Facebook and MySpace Fitness group, friends and family members to complete at least 10 full, proper push ups by the end of April. The test date will be May 8, 2008.

How am I going to that you say, well we are going to practice over the next 6 weeks and by the end, I guarantee you’ll be able to do at least 10 pushups, even if you have never done them before. But you have to work at it and practice. The benefits will be countless.

The Training Program

Before you start with the pushups training program, you must take a test to see where you are and where to start and how to plan your pushups training program. Take the amount of pushups you could do and pick the appropriate category to start

The Beginner
You have never completed a pushup before. You can start with Wall Pushups to help start to develop strength.


shot at System Fitness

Lean against wall with hands shoulder-width apart, and feet together.
Keeping your body straight, slowly lower until your nose touches the wall.
Push back to starting position.

Week 1 – Wall Push-Ups - 5 Days – 3 sets of 10 or Failure – 60 second Rest
Week 2 – Knee Push Ups – 5 Days – 3 sets of 5 or Failure – 60 Second Rest
Week 3 – Knee Push Ups – 5 Days – 3 sets of 10 or Failure – 60 Second Rest
Week 4 – Perfect Push Ups – 5 Days – 3 sets of 5 or Failure – 60 Second Rest
Week 5 – Perfect Push Ups – 5 Days 3 sets of 10 or Failure – 60 Second Rest
Week 6 – Perfect Push Ups – 5 Days 3 Sets of 10 or Failure – 60 Second Rest
May 8 – 1 Set 10 Perfect Push Ups
Try to Increase your reps every workout during the week

The Intermediate
you have completed up to 5 in the past, but have a problem with one. You can start with Modified Push Ups (Knee Push Ups) This exercise is a precursor to the pushup and should be used to get the strength to do a traditional pushup.


shot at System Fitness

Get down on your knees and bend forward towards the ground resting your hands under the shoulders. Push up with the arms lifting the body off the floor. You may move the hands slightly in any direction to make it more comfortable. Lower and repeat.

Week 1 – Knee Push Ups – 5 Days – 3 sets of 5 or Failure – 60 Second Rest
Week 2 – Knee Push Ups – 5 Days – 3 sets of 10 or Failure – 60 Second Rest
Week 3 – Perfect Push Ups – 5 Days – 3 sets of 5 or Failure – 60 Second Rest
Week 4 – Perfect Push Ups – 5 Days 3 sets of 10 or Failure – 60 Second Rest
Week 5 – Perfect Push Ups – 5 Days 3 Sets of 10 or Failure – 60 Second Rest
Week 6 – Perfect Push Ups – 5 Days – 3 Sets of 15 or Failure – 3- Second Rest
May 8– 1 Set 15 Perfect Push Ups
Try to Increase your reps every workout during the week

The Advanced
You can do you to 20 pushups. You are going to practice daily to reach 50 pushups



Shot at System Fitness

Assume the classic push up position, with your weight on your hands and calls of the feet. Space your hands just wider than shoulder width apart.

Keeping your back straight, bend your elbows to lower yourself to the floor. When your chest is just off the floor, push yourself back up to the starting position.

Week 1 – Perfect Push Ups – 5 Days – 3 sets of 15 or Failure – 60 Second Rest
Week 2 – Perfect Push Ups – 5 Days – 3 sets of 25 or Failure – 60 Second Rest
Week 3 – Perfect Push Ups – 5 Days – 3 sets of 35 or Failure – 60 Second Rest
Week 4 – Perfect Push Ups – 5 Days 3 sets of 45 or Failure – 60 Second Rest
Week 5 – Perfect Push Ups – 5 Days 3 Sets of 50 or Failure – 60 Second Rest
Week 6 – Perfect PushUps – 5 Days – 3 Sets of 55 or Failure – 3- Second Rest
May 8 - 20 or more Perfect Push Ups


The Expert
You can do 50 and want a challenge. You can try a variety of different types of pushups to challenge yourself – see video

Practice different types of Push Ups seen in the video below
May 8 – 10 Perfect Push Ups and 10 Alternate Push Ups – Your Choice.

Send or Upload the video on the Funk Roberts Fitness Facebook Group.


I believe, push-ups are the most effective exercise for improving total body fitness. They include cardiovascular training, weight/body lifting and muscle stretching, all in one exercise.

I think we can be the fittest bunch of readers and Fitness Groups on both Facebook and MySpace. Also include your friends and family. Kids can benefit from this challenge and it is always easier and more fun when you can do this with someone you love.

Good Luck to all. I think in total we can accumulate 10,000 Push Ups in one day …wow is that a Guinness World Book Record?

Enough talk - NOW DROP AND GIVE ME TEN!

Funk Roberts
Don't Rush the Beat!
Facebook Fitness Group

A Little Motivation

BLAST YOUR CHEST WITH THESE FOUR ROUTINES

If your goal is to add mass and definition to your frame, you will have to train with heavier weights and lower reps. However, heavier weights alone will not build muscle. You have to ensure that you are supplying your busy with proper nutrition, supplementation and rest.


I am a firm believer in shocking your muscles with different workout principles, sets, exercises, etc. Follow this well rounded chest routine and watch your whole chest explode.


WORKOUT ONE
1. Incline Smith Machine Bench Press 4 sets of 10,8,8,6 reps
2. Flat Bench Press 3 sets of 10-12 reps
3. Incline Dumbbell Flyes 3 sets of 10,10,8 reps
4. Cable Crossovers 3 sets of 15 – make sure the arms come across the top of the chest

WORKOUT TWO
1. Incline Dumbbell Press 4 sets of 10,8,8,6 reps
2. Dips 3 sets to failure
3. Flat Bench Press to the Neck 3 sets of 10,10,8 reps
4. Pec Deck – 3 sets 10,10,8 reps

WORKOUT THREE
1. Incline Dumbbell Press superset with Incline Dumbbell Flyes 4 sets of 10,8,8,6 reps each
2. Flat Dumbbell Bench Press 3 sets of 10,8,6 reps
3. Machine Chest Press 3 sets of 12,10,10 reps
4. Cable Crossovers 3 sets of 15,12,10 reps

WORKOUT FOUR
1.Trisets – one after the other for 3 sets
2. Incline Barbell Press 10,10,8 reps
3. Incline Dumbbell Press 10,10,8 reps
4. Incline Flyes 10,10,8 reps

Good Luck and send me your before and after photos

Funk Roberts - Don't Rush the Beat

Purchase your copy today - CLICK HERE

Parallel Dips

The parallel dip could be my all time favourite exercise. ALL TIME!

I remember going to a Fitness Expo in Toronto, where they had a Dip Contest. The person who could muster up the most dips would win prizes from a supplement company. I knew 3 weeks ahead of time about this, so I trained. Up to that point, I could only perform about 25 dips max. Every day for 3 weeks I dipped after my workouts.

Finally it was Expo day. When I entered, I dashed to the booth that housed the Dip Contest.
Now up to this point, the record was 29, keep in mind it was Friday evening. The attendant had me jump onto the bars and away I went.

He counted. One, two, three, four, twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty. “You have the record now” he said. Forty, fifty, sixty, sixty eight…sixty nine…SEVENTY! I performed 70 dips in a row. That’s right 70. The look on everyone’s face was of amazement… “Are you serious, you didn’t just do seventy dips?” He said.

That was 3 weeks of dips after every workout, just to win a t-shirt, gym bag and water bottle
But for me it was more than that. It was the satisfaction of setting a goal and overachieving. Also without really noticing, my arms were bigger and I had more strength.

When you train and have a goal, it is amazing what other nuggets come out of it. Things you don’t even think of start to surface. You may be training to lose weight, and with doing a program you also gain muscle definition and better heart cardio.

The parallel dip works the bottom edge of the pecs and gives size on the triceps. With this exercise you want to prop up on the dipping bars and then slowly lower yourself to a point where your arms are at 90 angles. You then explode back up, all the time keeping your breathing on pace with the movement. Inhale on the way down, exhale on the way up. Try to blast out 5-10 without the assist. You will soon see that after practice, because that is what it is, you will be able to blast out 15-20.

The key is no matter what you do, when dips are preformed before or after every workout, you will see an improvement in all of your workouts.

Funk Roberts
Don’t Rush the Beat

Kettlebell Move of the Week

As you may or may not know...I LOVE MY KETTLEBELL! I suggest that you should get one and learn to love it too. The ballistic movements allow you to use so many muscles with each exercise and in turn you to gain strength, muscle and burn fat.

Each week Estella Hom will take us through different kettlebell exercises for those of us who are lucky to have them or a gym that stocks them. You can also get more fitness and general information at Estella's great blog - http://estellahom.blogspot.com/

The classic push up gets reworked. This move will work your upper body and challenge your balance.

Strengthens:chest, shoulders, triceps

Instructions: Placing your hands on the handle of your kettlebell, keeping arms straight, elbows unlocked. Straighten your legs behind you, keeping your feet together so that your toes are touching the ground. Your body should form a straight line. Make sure your head is facing down. Without moving your head, slowly lower yourself to the kettlebell. Pause, then slowly push yourself back up and repeat for as many repetitions as possible

* For added challenge, perform this move slow, focusing on good form. The slower you move, the more effort you'll place on the muscles you're looking to strengthen and shape.

Estella Hom

http://estellahom.blogspot.com/

http://www.estellahom.com/

Squats Use 244 Different Muscles

Top 4 Exercises for Weight Gain

I want to thank all who participated in last months Poll Question. I asked "Which one of the listed exercises used the most muscles. Well 41 people answered and the results are in. 48% thought that Squats used the most muscle. 36% went with Dead lifts followed by 5% - Standing Military and 2% - Bench Press.


Because these exercises use multi-joint movements and involve numerous muscle groups as prime movers and helpers, the following exercises are best for simulating muscle-mass increases:



1. Squats - good old-fashioned squats, uses 244 different muscle groups in some matter
2. Dead lifts - including the stiff-leg version for hamstrings, targets a good number of muscles
3. Bench Press - these work the pecs (major and minor), anterior delts, triceps and even some serratus
4. Bent Over Rows - great for lat, erector and rear-delt development


Remember whether male or female, you must include squats in your leg routine. Check out past Olympian Ronnie Coleman's squat 800lbs.

Funk Roberts

Don't Rush the Beat!

Transform Your Chest with These 5 Exercises

The Chest or Pec area is the staple to any body whether your goal is the protect or destroy here are 5 exercises that will help your chest, Transformers style.

1. Incline Bench Press
This is the Optimus Prime of the Chest Exercises. This will help with your strength not only in the chest but other supporting muscles like the triceps and your shoulders. Start your workout with 3 sets of 10 reps increasing the weight each time. Turn that chest from a pick up to an 18 wheeler.

2. Incline Dumbbell Press
This is the Ironhide of the chest exercises as it hits your upper part of the pecs. Perform this exercise with light weights, a slight incline and do 3 sets of 12 reps. Your upper chest will turn into a GMC with a Hemmy

3. Flat Dumbbell Press
This is the Megatron of you chest workout. It will not only give you a little size, but will also firm up the pecs. Try to use heavier weights and perform 3 sets of 10 reps increasing the weight each time will help you turn from a small Cessna to a leer jet.

4. Cable Cross Over
Bumblebee - this exercise is great to give you the separation between the pecs. Stand between the cable machine. Although it is called the cross-over, make sure to bring the handles together and squeeze your pecs. 3 sets of 12 will turn those pecs into a racing car

5. Dips

Call this the Starscreeam or dips because you will feel like you’re flying. It is a great way to end the workout. Most gyms have weight assisted machines to help you, but if you are a true Autobot then no assembly required. 3 sets of 10 will do the trick.

Remember to stretch between exercises and do a warm up set before to get the blood pumping to the muscles. Perform this workout once a week for a month and you chest will become MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE!

Funk Roberts
Don’t Rush the Beat