Page 49 - Muscle & Fitness (February 2020)
P. 49
By Andrew Heffernan, C.S.C.S.
INCLINE DUMBBELL
2 PRESS
BEST FOR: Hyper- keep the weight
trophy. “Of the three moderate, and
moves, dumbbells perform the move
allow you to use the either first or second
greatest range of in your workout
motion,” says Poli. program. Any later
As you get stronger, and you might be
instability starts to too tired to get the
limit the weight you weights into posi-
can use, making it tion—much less
only moderately perform a clean set.
effective for getting SAFETY: This varia-
stronger. With these, tion lets your wrists
aim for higher reps. and shoulders move
APPLICATION: You freely, but there are
don’t want to max also a lot of opportu-
out on this move, nities for mishaps,
warns Poli. “You such as when you’re
have to control the wrestling those big INCLINE BARBELL
dumbbells in all suckers into position 3 PRESS
directions—forward, before the lift. Lifting
backward, and side at 80% or more of BEST FOR: Strength. who need strong
to side—so there’s your max? Use a The bar prevents a overhead presses, as
a lot that can go spotter. And have maximal range of it targets the deltoids,
wrong.” Keep your him spot the weights, motion, but it also too. Sets of low to
reps at six or more, not your elbows. offers more stability, medium reps—no
allowing you to use fewer than five—
R A T I N G more weight than you are best.
can with dumbbells. SAFETY: Safer than
3 3 5
SAFETY STRENGTH BUILDING HYPERTROPHY Grip width offers lots dumbbells—usually.
of options to play You’ll lift the weight
with. Like they say, off the rack, so no
not too tart, not too need to clean the
sweet. It’s a classic. weight into position,
APPLICATION: “For which can be hazard-
most athletes, the ous to your shoulder
barbell offers a great with heavier weights.
mix of stability and And during the lift,
function,” says Poli. the bar prevents
Most lifters are about your shoulders from
20% stronger on the rotating into unsafe
flat bench than the positions. Use a
incline, but you can spotter on heavy
still heft some big sets: Getting trapped
weights on this move. under a few hundred
It’s also a favorite pounds of steel can
among strongmen, ruin your day.
E D G A R A RT I G A SAFETY R A T I N G 5 HYPERTROPHY
4
3.5
STRENGTH BUILDING
4 7
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0 / M U S C L E & F I T N E S S
