From: DEHP@calvin.edu (Phil de Haan)
Subject: Re: Short muscles :-(
Organization: Calvin College
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 17:55:30 GMT

In article <1992Sep29.130631.4762@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> ss8f@csissun5.ee.Virginia.EDU () writes:
>Hi,
>       I am cursed with short biceps and triceps :-( I am working on the
>       biceps by doing lots of preacher curls and am seeing some
>       improvement. However, my tris are woefully small near the elbow
>       region. I used to do a lot of dips but that didn't seem to help. Right
>       now I am doing dumbell extensions and do feel the exercise in that
>       area. Any suggestions regarding the type and intensity of exercise
>        must follow? Is there some exercise that will work wonders(!!)?

>       Any suggestions will be appreciated.

>       Thanks,
>       Sanjay Srinivasan

No single exercise that I know of "will work wonders."  But for tris there 
are a few old standbys that will lead to good growth.

1)  kickbacks.  Grab a reasonably light dumbell in your right hand.  Put 
your left knee and left hand on a low bench.  Make your back parallel to the 
floor and hold your right arm alongside your body with your elbow up and 
hand down so that your arm forms a 45-degree angle at your elbow.  Your 
thumb should be on the inside of your body and pointing down.  Raise your 
hand backwards in an arc so that it moves from a hanging position to in line 
with your upper arm.  Keep your elbow high and steady.

2)  "french curls" or "skull crushers."  Lie back down on a low bench.  
Have someone hand you an EZ-curl bar or a straight bar.  Grab the bar with 
hands about a foot apart, palms facing up.  With your elbows steady lower 
the bar to your skull by allowing your hands to "fall" down to your head.  
Push the bar back up while moving just your lower arms, not your elbows or 
upper arms.

3)  push downs.  On a Universal machine, grab a straight bar and attach it 
to the cable.  Stand with elbows close to your sides and hands about a foot 
apart on the bar.  Start with hands about at chest level and then push 
your hands down to your waist in an arc while keeping elbows steady.
  
4)  close-grip bench press.  The name says it all.

5) bench dips.  Put a high bench and a low bench about three or so feet 
apart.  Put your feet up on the high bench and sit the edge of your butt on 
the low bench.  Place your hands beside your body on the edge of the low 
bench about shoulder width apart, palms down.  Scoot your butt off the low 
bench a little so your weight is on your arms.  Now lower yourself almost to 
the ground and push back up.  Again keep your elbows in and steady.  You may 
want to throw a couple of 45s on the bottom of the low bench to keep it 
steady.

Hope this helps!



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 Phil de Haan (DoD #0578)                                       Every day
 Calvin College                                                        is
 Home of the 1992                                                    ride
 NCAA III men's                                                   to work
 basketball champions                                                 day
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