Full Week Iso Workout

1. Attach an EZ bar or rope attachment to a high pulley. Stand 1-2 steps away from the pulley with your feet shoulder width apart.
2. If you’re using an EZ bar hold the bar on the inside grips with your palms facing down and your hands in an almost upside down V following the natural curve of the EZ Bar. If you’re using a rope attachment hold the ends of the rope out in front of you in an upside down V shape.
3. Keep your elbows into your body and your upper our stationary. While exhaling, slowly bring the EZ bar or rope downwards towards your legs as far as you can. During this movement it’s very important you keep your wrists as straight as possible – rotating them with the movement to avoid injury.
4. When you get to the bottom of the movement pause for moment. Now slowly inhale while bringing the bar up towards the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired amount of reps.

1. Place your hands shoulder width apart on a stable chair or a secured bench. Slide your butt off the seat with your legs stretched out in front of you. Straighten your arm while keeping just a small bend in your elbows to reduce elbow joint tension.
2. Bend your elbows to lower your body until your elbows are at about a 90 degree angle. Make sure to keep your back as close to the bench as possible.
3. Once you reach the bottom of the movement, press down into the bench to straighten your elbows, returning to the starting position. This completes one repetition.
4. Repeat for the desired amount of reps.

Tips: Keep your shoulders down as you’re performing this exercise. You can also bend your legs to make the dip easier.

1. Start by picking a pair of dumbbells that will allow you to complete the recommended number of reps. Stand straight with your feet about shoulder width apart with a slight bend in your knees.
2. Keep your torso upright and your back straight while holding both dumbbells on to your sides. The inside of your hands should be facing each other and your fist should be facing downwards almost as if you’re going to punch the ground.
3. Lift the both dumbbell up directly up towards your sides until your arms are slightly above your shoulders. Your elbow should be slightly bent but the rest of your arm should.

1. Start by picking two dumbbells that you can do the desired number of reps with. Lay down on an incline bench with the two dumbbells on your thighs. You should be gripping the dumbbells with your palms facing inwards.
2. Raise the dumbbells over your head with your knuckles facing upwards like you’re punching the ceiling, but don’t lock your elbows. Rotate the dumbbells so your palms are again facing each other. Bend your elbows slowly and slowly bring each arm down to your side as to create a T with your body.
3. With your elbows still slightly bent bring the dumbbells back to the center completing one rep.

The Incline Bench Press is similar to a normal bench press, just on an incline bench instead of a flat bench

1. Pick and load the desired amount of weight onto your flat bar. Sit down on the incline and grip the bar slightly more than shoulder width apart. It should seems as though you’re “punching” the ceiling. Lie back on the incline bench pushing the weight up over your head with your arms locked.
2. From this position slowly bring the bar down until the bar almost or does touch your middle chest. Inhale through this movement.
3. After a brief pause, push the bar to the starting place while breathing out. Concentrate on pushing using your chest muscles. Squeeze your chest at the peak position of the movement, hold for a second, then begin coming down again slowly for your next rep. Tip: Ideally, lowering the weight should take about twice as long as raising it.
4. Once you’re done with the movement carefully place the bar back on the rack.

Use a rope attachment on a high pulley. Sit a few steps away from the pulley holding each end of the rope attachment in each of your hands. Bend your knees as if you’re in the row position, and place the end of your feet flat on the floor in front of the pulley or on the pulley column.

1. Keep your back and torso straight. Exhaling through, pull the cable towards your face naturally bending your elbows out. Your arms should be in an almost “T” shape with your body.
2. Hold this pose for a second then slowly ease the cable back to your starting position inhaling during the process.

The Dumbbell Bench Press is similar to a normal bench press, just with dumbbells instead of a straight bar.

1. Sit down on a flat bench with your desired weights resting on your knees. Lie back on the flat bench pushing the weight up over your head with your arms locked.
2. From this position slowly bring the weights down until the dumbbells touch your middle chest. Inhale through this movement.
3. After a brief pause, push the dumbbells to the starting place while breathing out. Concentrate on pushing on dumbbells using your chest muscles. Squeeze your chest at the peak position of the movement, hold for a second, then begin coming down again slowly for your next rep. Tip: Ideally, lowering the weight should take about twice as long as raising it.
4. Once you’re down with the movement bring the dumbbells back onto your knees before setting them down to prevent any injury.

Decline push ups, are similar to regular push ups, except your feet/legs are elevated to create a decline positions.

1. Start by getting into pushup position with your arms shoulder width apart and your legs near a bench or box. Put your feet on top of this bench or box to create a declined position.
2. While trying to keep your arms tucked in towards your torso and breathing in, lower your torso down to the floor until your chest almost touches the floor.
3. Exhaling through the movement, push yourself back up to your initial starting position.
4. Pause, then repeat the movement for your next rep.

1. Start by sitting at a lateral pulldown cable pulley. Keep your feet planted and adjust the knee holders (if available) to the correct height. Attach a wide bar or a V bar to the pulley.
2. If you’re using a wide bar grip the bar a little less than shoulder width apart on each side of the bar, with you palms facing forward. If you’re using a V bar, grip the V bar from both handles. Lean back at a 25 – 35 degree angle with your chest sticking out. This will give your back a natural curve.
3. Exhale while slowly pulling the bar down towards your chest. You should feel your back squeeze together at the bottom of the movement.
4. Pause, then inhale while slowly letting the bar back up to the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired amount of reps.

Tip: Be sure to not swing with your back to pull the bar downwards. Be sure to also keep your back stable through the movement.

1. Start by sitting at a lateral pulldown cable pulley. Keep your feet planted and adjust the knee holders (if available) to the correct height. Attach a wide bar to the pulley.
2. Reach up and grip on the shorter angled portions on each side of the bar, with you palms facing forward. Lean back at a 25 – 35 degree angle with your chest sticking out. This will give your back a natural curve.
3. Exhale while slowly pulling the bar down towards your chest. You should feel your back squeeze together at the bottom of the movement.
4. Pause, then inhale while slowly letting the bar back up to the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired amount of reps.

Tip: Be sure to not swing with your back to pull the bar downwards. Be sure to also keep your back stable through the movement.

1. Load a desirable/management amount of weight onto an EZ bar. Hold the EZ bar on the inside grips with your pulls facing upwards and inwards (following the curve of the EZ bar).
2. Find an incline bench and lay with your torso against the incline portion of the bench with your feet touching the ground. The EZ bar should be in front of you on the other side of the backside of the bench that your torso is on. Your head should be slightly above the top of the bench.
3. Keeping your elbows into the bench and your torso and your upper arms stationary, exhale while curling the bar up towards the incline side of the bench. Go as high as possible, squeezing at the top of the rep.
4. Pause then inhale while slowly bringing the bar back to your starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired amount of reps.

There are a few variations to this exercise based on the equipment that you have. Some gyms have pulley systems set up with seated rows that have a flat bench with a place for your feet, others don’t.

1. Start by attaching a V bar to the lower or mid to lower setting of the pulley. If you’re on a fixed seated row machine that has a place for your feet you can simply leave the pulley as is. If there is no seated pulley row machine, bring a seated bench about 2-3 feet from the cable machine.
2. Sit with your feet planted against the feet pads or firmly planted. Hold the V Bar firmly in front of you with your arms extended, but relatively straight. Lean back slightly while keeping your torso straight.
3. Pull the V bar towards your chest, while trying to keep your elbows close to your body. You should feel your back muscles contracting towards each other. Exhale through the movement.
4. Pause for a moment then slowly release the weight back to the starting position. Inhale through the movement.
5. Repeat for your desired number of reps.

Reverse Grip curls are similar to barbell or EZ bar curls but with the opposite grip.

1. Start by loading any weight (if desired) onto the EZ bar or a straight barbell, and attaching clips if needed.
2. Stand up straight with your legs shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent. Grab the bar on the wider grip if you’re using an EZ bar and a slightly wider grip than shoulder width if you’re using a barbell so that your palms are facing downwards toward the floor and and/or outwards if you’re using the EZ bar.
3. Keeping the upper part of your arm close to your body and moving only your forearms, curl the weight upwards squeezing your biceps at the top of the ranch of motion. Exhale during the motion. You’ll know you’re using the correct grip if the back of your hands are be close to your chest at the peak of the contraction. Tip: Don’t lean into the rep or use your back to sway the bar upwards. If you feel the need to do this, then it’s a good indication to lower your weight.
4. Now slowly lower the bar to your starting position while exhaling. This completes one rep.

Pulls Ups are one of the best bodyweight workouts you can do. As you get better at them you can add weights to challenge yourself even further.

1. To start, approach a pull up bar. You can use a pull up bar that’s straight or curled. Grab the bar with your palms facing away from you. Based on the muscle groups you’re working you can either grip the bar wide, medium, close together. For the purposes of this demonstration and for most basic pull up exercises, default to a wide or medium grip.
2. Pull yourself up slowly until your head is level with the bar. Breath out during this movement and keep your torso straight and elbows as into your body as possible. As you’re doing this movement your chest should stick out creating a nice curve in your lower back.
3. Breathe in while slowly letting yourself back down.

1. Stand upright with a dumbbell in each hand held at arms length. The elbows should be close to the body and the palms of the hand should be facing your thighs.
2. While holding the upper arm stationary, curl the right dumbbell as you rotate the palm of your hand until they are facing forward. At this stage continue contracting the biceps as you exhale until your bicep is fully contracted and the dumbbell is at shoulder level. As you squeeze the biceps hold this position for a second. Tip: During this exercise, the forearms should only move.
3. As you breathe in, slowly bring the dumbbell back to its original position. Tip: Remember to twist the palms back to the original position as you come down.
4. Repeat this movement with the opposite hand. This equals one repetition.
5. Continue alternating hands for the recommended amount of repetitions.

There are many variations to this exercise, however, we’ll go over two here.

1. Start by picking an EZ bar with your desired amount of weight or by adding an EZ bar to a low pulley.
2. With your feet shoulder width apart and your legs slightly bent. Hold the EZ bar or EZ bar pulley in your hands with your palms facing down and towards each other following the natural curve of the bar. You should be holding the bar close to your body with your arms extended downward.
3. Exhale while pulling the bar vertically up. Your elbows should kick out to your sides.
4. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement then inhale while slowly letting the bar back down.
5. Repeat for the desired amount reps.

1. Start by picking two dumbbells that will allow you to complete the desired number of reps. Sit on a utility or military press bench that will give you back support and place both dumbbells on your thoughts. Grip the dumbbells with your palms facing each other.
2. Use your thighs to kick the weights up to shoulder height on either side. Your wrists should be rotated so that the palm of your hands are facing forward.
3. Exhale while pushing (“pressing”) the dumbbells up until your arms are almost fully extended and the two flat sides of the dumbbell touch.
4. Pause, then inhale while moving the weights back down to shoulder height.
5. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
6. Once you’re done with your set, rotate and lower the dumbbells back onto your thighs to prevent injury.

1. Stand with your legs about hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Pick a weight that enables you to execute the reps that are suggested.
2. This is the starting position. Bend your torso forward and bend your legs slightly so that your arms extend below your body with your hand facing each other as you hold the dumbbells.
3. Exhale and lift your arms out to your sides with your hands facing down, squeezing your shoulder blades together during this movement. Don’t round your spine or move your head.
4. Inhale and gently lower your arms to the starting position. This completes one repetition.

1. Start by picking a pair of dumbbells that will allow you to complete the recommended number of reps. Stand straight with your feet about shoulder width apart with a slight bend in your knees.
2. Keep your torso upright and your back straight while holding both dumbbells on to your sides. The inside of your hands should be facing each other and your fist should be facing downwards almost as if you’re going to punch the ground.
3. Lift the both dumbbell up directly up towards your sides until your arms are slightly above your shoulders. Your elbow should be slightly bent but the rest of your arm should.

Front raises are a great way to strengthen and condition your shoulders.

1. Start by picking a pair of dumbbells that will allow you to complete the recommended number of reps. Stand straight with your feet about shoulder width apart with a slight bend in your knees.
2. Keep your torso upright and your back straight while holding both dumbbells on the front portion of your thighs. The outside of your hand should be facing forward, almost like you’re punching towards the ground.
3. Lift the right dumbbell up directly in front of you until your arm is slightly above your shoulder. Your elbow should be slightly bent but the rest of your arm should remain straight. Exhale through this entire movement. Tip: If you feel the urge to swing the weight up or use your back to help with this movement, it’s a good indication that you may need to decrease the weight as this can cause injury.
4. Slowly bring the weight back down to your starting position.
5. Now repeat with your other arm to complete one rep. Switch off until you’ve finished the recommended number of reps.

Use a rope attachment on a high pulley. Sit a few steps away from the pulley holding each end of the rope attachment in each of your hands. Bend your knees as if you’re in the row position, and place the end of your feet flat on the floor in front of the pulley or on the pulley column.

1. Keep your back and torso straight. Exhaling through, pull the cable towards your face naturally bending your elbows out. Your arms should be in an almost “T” shape with your body.
2. Hold this pose for a second then slowly ease the cable back to your starting position inhaling during the process.

1. Load the desired amount of weight to each side of the leg press machine. Sit down and grip the side handle bars.
2. Place your feet on the platform in front of you with at about shoulder width apart. Slightly angle your toes/feet outward about 5 degrees. This is your starting position.
3. Push the weight up with your legs, then with your hands unengage the safety bars.
4. While inhaling, slowly contract your legs towards your body until your legs are at about a 90 degree angle.
5. Hold this position for a second then exhale push the weight and platform with your heels back to the starting position.
6. Repeat for the desired amount of reps.
7. When you’re finished with your set, push the platform/weight all the forward with your legs and reengage the safety bars before letting your legs and the platform back down.

1. Using a leg press or smith machine, lay down on the machine or floor and place your legs on the platform directly above of you at a medium (shoulder width) foot stance. (Note: For the purposes of this discussion we will use the medium stance described above which targets overall development; however, you can choose any of the three stances described in the foot positioning section).
2. Lower the security bars holding the platform that was weighted and press the stage all the way up until your legs are fully extended in front of you. Tip: Make certain your knees are not locked by you. The legs and your torso must make a perfect angle. This is your place.
3. As you inhale, slowly lower the platform and lower legs until it’s at a 90-degree angle.
4. As you exhale, push firmly with the heels of your feet and using the quadriceps go back to the starting position.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of reps and make sure to lock the safety pins properly soon as you’re done. You don’t want the platform falling on you when it’s fully loaded.

There are multiple ways to do prone leg curls. You can improvise using a cable if your gym does not have a leg curl machine. If you have the strap attachment, insert it on the hook and bring the pulleys down to the lowest setting. If you don’t have the strap attachment the handle attachment often works just as well.

1. Sit on your stomach with your torso raised and your legs 2-3 steps away from the cable machine
2. With the strap attached to your ankle begin to raise your ankle towards your body so that it’s perpendicular from the ground.
3. Slowly bring your leg bag down to the starting position.
4. After you complete the desired number of reps, switch legs and repeat.

1. Start by finding an open spot on the ground or on a mat. Get on your hands and knees and be sure to keep your back straight.
2. While keeping the natural bend in your knee from your starting position, kick one leg out to the side as high as you can (similar to a dog on a fire hydrant).
3. Pause, then inhale while bring your leg back to the starting position. This completes one rep. You can alternate reps between legs or finish your reps on one leg before switching to the other.

Dumbbell lunges are similar to normal lunges, but the added weight helps you challenge yourself through each movement.

1. Start by grabbing to dumbbells that you can reasonably complete the set with. Stand shoulder width apart with both dumbbells by your side. Your palms should be facing each other.
2. Keeping your body upright, take one medium to large step forward while naturally lowering your other leg with your body.
3. Push through the heel of your front foot to push back to your initial starting position.
4. Switch legs and repeat the movement to complete 1 rep.

Tips: Be sure to keep the dumbbells at your side and stationery through the entire movement. Be sure not to extend your front knee too far forward (generally not past your toes) to keep from straining.

1. Start with the barbell supported on top of your traps. Your chest should be up and the head facing forward. Maintain a hip-width stance with the feet turned out as needed.
2. Descend by flexing your knees, refraining from moving the hips back as much as possible. This requires that the knees travel forward. Ensure that they stay align with the feet. The goal is to keep the torso as upright as possible.
3. Continue all the way down while keeping the weight on the front of the heel. When the upper legs contact the lower legs, reverse the motion, driving the weight upward.

1. Attach an EZ bar or rope attachment to a high pulley. Stand 1-2 steps away from the pulley with your feet shoulder width apart.
2. If you’re using an EZ bar hold the bar on the inside grips with your palms facing down and your hands in an almost upside down V following the natural curve of the EZ Bar. If you’re using a rope attachment hold the ends of the rope out in front of you in an upside down V shape.
3. Keep your elbows into your body and your upper our stationary. While exhaling, slowly bring the EZ bar or rope downwards towards your legs as far as you can. During this movement it’s very important you keep your wrists as straight as possible – rotating them with the movement to avoid injury.
4. When you get to the bottom of the movement pause for moment. Now slowly inhale while bringing the bar up towards the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired amount of reps.

1. Place your hands shoulder width apart on a stable chair or a secured bench. Slide your butt off the seat with your legs stretched out in front of you. Straighten your arm while keeping just a small bend in your elbows to reduce elbow joint tension.
2. Bend your elbows to lower your body until your elbows are at about a 90 degree angle. Make sure to keep your back as close to the bench as possible.
3. Once you reach the bottom of the movement, press down into the bench to straighten your elbows, returning to the starting position. This completes one repetition.
4. Repeat for the desired amount of reps.

Tips: Keep your shoulders down as you’re performing this exercise. You can also bend your legs to make the dip easier.

1. Load a desirable/management amount of weight onto an EZ bar. Hold the EZ bar on the inside grips with your pulls facing upwards and inwards (following the curve of the EZ bar).
2. Find an incline bench and lay with your torso against the incline portion of the bench with your feet touching the ground. The EZ bar should be in front of you on the other side of the backside of the bench that your torso is on. Your head should be slightly above the top of the bench.
3. Keeping your elbows into the bench and your torso and your upper arms stationary, exhale while curling the bar up towards the incline side of the bench. Go as high as possible, squeezing at the top of the rep.
4. Pause then inhale while slowly bringing the bar back to your starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired amount of reps.

1. Start by picking two dumbbells that will allow you to complete the desired number of reps. Sit on a utility or military press bench that will give you back support and place both dumbbells on your thoughts. Grip the dumbbells with your palms facing each other.
2. Use your thighs to kick the weights up to shoulder height on either side. Your wrists should be rotated so that the palm of your hands are facing forward.
3. Exhale while pushing (“pressing”) the dumbbells up until your arms are almost fully extended and the two flat sides of the dumbbell touch.
4. Pause, then inhale while moving the weights back down to shoulder height.
5. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
6. Once you’re done with your set, rotate and lower the dumbbells back onto your thighs to prevent injury.

1. Start by picking a pair of dumbbells that will allow you to complete the recommended number of reps. Stand straight with your feet about shoulder width apart with a slight bend in your knees.
2. Keep your torso upright and your back straight while holding both dumbbells on to your sides. The inside of your hands should be facing each other and your fist should be facing downwards almost as if you’re going to punch the ground.
3. Lift the both dumbbell up directly up towards your sides until your arms are slightly above your shoulders. Your elbow should be slightly bent but the rest of your arm should.

1. Select two dumbbells that will allow you to complete the desired number of reps. Lay back on an incline bench with the dumbbells on your knees. While gripping the dumbbells your palms should be facing each other.
2. Move the dumbbells to each side of your body with your arm/elbow tucked into your torso.
3. Slowly contract your biceps to pull the weights up while exhaling. Only your forearms should move through the movement. As you get to the top of the rep, squeeze your biceps for a moment.
4. Now slowly bring the dumbbells back down to the starting position while exhaling to complete one rep.
5. Repeat for the desired amount of reps.

1. Attach a cable or EZ curl bar to a low pulley. Stand shoulder width apart, keeping your elbow into your body. Grab the bar with your palms facing up.
2. Keeping your upper arm stationary, slowly contract your biceps while pulling the bar upwards toward your shoulders. Breathe out as you contract.
3. While breathing in, slowly bring the bar back to the starting position to complete 1 rep.