Bench Press
Shoulder Horizontal Adduction with Elbow Extension
Define Your Goals
Reaching Your Goals
To reach your goals, follow a consistent, well-
designed program that provides balanced
development to all parts of the body and includes
both aerobic and strength exercise. Only then
will you meet your goals safely and efficiently.
The workout routines found in this manual are
professionally designed and written to target
specific fitness goals. Should you not find one
specific program to your liking, you can design
your own, based on sound information and the
principles found in this manual.
Design Your Own Program
You may want to design your own personal
program specifically geared to your goals and
lifestyle. Designing a program is easy, as long as
you follow the guidelines below.
Understand fitness and its components:
Improperly designed programs can be dangerous.
Take some time to review this manual as well as
other fitness guides.
Know your current fitness level:
Before you start any fitness program you should
consult a physician who will help you determine
your current abilities.
Identify your goals:
Goals are critical to choosing and designing an
exercise program that fits and enhances your
lifestyle, but so is strategy. It’s important not
to rush the process and try to accomplish too
much too soon. That will lead to setbacks and
discouragement. Instead, set a series of smaller
achievable goals.
Select complementary exercises:
Be sure to pair exercises that address compound
joint movements and single joint movements.
In addition, select exercises that address
complimentary muscle groups.
Put first things first:
During each session, first work muscle groups that
need the most training.
Remember your cardiovascular component:
Any fitness program must contain a cardiovascular
fitness component to be complete. So complement
your resistance training with aerobic exercise such
as walking, running, or bicycling.
Training variables:
When designing your own program there are
several variables that, when mixed properly, will
equal the right fitness formula for you. In order to
find out the best formula, you must experiment
with several combinations of variables.
The variables are as follows:
• Training Frequency: The number of times you
train per week. We recommend daily activity
but not daily training of the same muscle
group.
• Training Intensity: The amount of resistance
used during your repetition.
• Training Volume: The number of repetitions
and sets performed.
• Rest intervals: The time you rest between sets
and the time you rest between workouts.
Once you’ve established a base of fitness,
follow these basic principles
:
• Isolate muscle groups: Focus work on specific
muscle groups.
• Progressive Loading: The gradual systematic
increase of repetitions, resistance and exercise
period.
Nautilus
®
Olympic Bench Exercises
Muscles Worked:
Pectoralis Major;
Anterior Deltoids
Success Tips:
• Maintain a 90° angle between upper arms
and torso throughout motion.
• Keep chest muscles tightened. Limit and
control your range of motion.
• Keep elbows in front of shoulders and feet
flat on the floor.
• Keep shoulder blades pinched together and
maintain good spinal alignment.
Start:
• Adjust Bench to a flat position and adjust
Bar Rack to a proper height to allow you to
push the bar off the rack, and replace it after
the exercise.
• After the bar with weights has been placed
on the bar rack, lie on the bench, bar across
your sternum.
• Line up arms with cables keeping your
wrists straight and in line with elbows.
• Raise chest, pinch shoulder blades together,
and maintain a slight, comfortable arch in
your lower back.
Action:
• Push up on the bar, lifting it off the rack.
• Slowly push the bar toward your body,
bending elbows outward and keeping
forearms parallel.
• Stop when upper arms are straight out to
your sides, elbows level with shoulders.
• Slowly return to Start position, keeping your
wrists at shoulder width and in line with the
cables and your chest muscles tight.
Finish
Start
Muscles Worked:
Anterior and Middle
Deltoids; Triceps
Success Tips:
• Keep knees bent and feet on floor.
• Do not increase the arch in your lower back
as you raise your arms, but keep your
spine steady and tight.
• Keep abdominals tight, chest lifted and
good spinal alignment.
• Elbows should travel in line with your
shoulders.
• Limit and control your range of motion.
Start:
• Adjust the bench to flat position, and place
the bar rack at a height where you can
place your hands under the bar, arms at
your sides, elbows bent.
• Grasp the bar with your palms facing away
from you, elbows bent.
• Stabilize your lower body.
• Grasp the bar, hand is in line with
forearms, elbows bent 90˚.
Action:
• Lift the bar off the rack.
• Slowly move the bar upward, slightly in
front of your face, elbows straighten
parallel to each other. Hands remain over
elbows throughout movement.
• Stop when upper arms are approximately
straight over your shoulders.
• Slowly lower the bar by bending your
elbows and moving upper arm straight out
from your sides. Elbows will be level with
the shoulders or slightly below.
Seated Shoulder Press
Shoulder Abduction with Elbow Extension
Finish
Start
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