Many times getting a smaller looking mid-section has to do with building up your upper and lower body so that your middle appears to be narrower. Front plate raises will help you increase your upper body size creating an illusion of a narrower waistline.

Have you ever looked at a guy with bigger, well built shoulders and wondered what is it that he does to get those amazing wide shoulders?  Well the answer is quite simple; he follows a rigorous workout regimen to get those shoulder muscles.

But it is easier said than done. If you hit the gym regularly you would know that it is very difficult to build muscles on your shoulder safely and effectively.

But it doesn’t mean that it is impossible to get bigger and wider shoulders. It is more like a challenge than a workout and once you successfully achieve the results then you will be amazed looking at the big guy in your mirror and wonder who it is, latter realizing that it is you. Well thinking about that wonderful moment gets a smile on your face right?

Then what are you waiting for, let’s just get straight away to the exercising tips that can help you get those perfect shoulders.
For fresher’s, if you are exercising for the first time on your shoulder muscles then front plate raises back is the best exercise to start with.  Below are the steps to be followed to do the front plate raises back exercise effectively:

•    Start with warm up exercises instead of exerting pressure on those delicate joints.
•    Once you are done with warm ups, stand straight while you hold the barbell plates in your hands at 45 and 135 degrees position respectively( in other words at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock position). Extend your arms completely with your palms facing each other. Keep your arms locked with a slight bend at your elbows. Hold the plate down near your waist in front of you as far as you can hold it. Always note, a thumb rule to be followed here is that your arms should remain in the same position throughout the exercise, as this will be your starting position.
•    As you exhale slowly, raise the barbell plate above your shoulder level and hold this position for a second or two.  Then inhale and get back to the starting position. An important tip to be taken into consideration here is to always be sure that you do not swing the weight or bend at the elbows while you lift the plates. Your upper body should remain motionless throughout this movement.
•    Note that as you inhale and get back to the starting position, you need to bring down the weight slowly. Ensure that you do not play with weight whatsoever.
•    If you are performing this exercise for the first time, then begin with a 25 pound plate and do one set of 25 reps for the first two weeks, thereby increasing it to 3 sets of 10-12 reps in the 3-4 week, 3 sets of 15 reps in the 5-6 week and then 3 sets of 20 reps in the 7-8 week.  Thereby increasing it as per your convenience. If you are an advanced lifter then you can straight away start by lifting a 45 to 100 pound plate.

The benefits of the front plate raise exercise is that it makes your shoulders wider and bigger, which will make your body look lean and perfect. After all, great shoulders equals a great body.

Dumbbell lunges are great exercises for the leg muscles.  Leg muscles get used a lot during the day, however, walking doesn’t help to build the muscles, nor does walking help to strenghten the muscle.

This is another very important factor for any leg exercise. This is a great exercise because it works so many of the different muscles of the leg giving you a very comprehensive workout.
It works the quadriceps and calf of the leg you are lunging with and it allows you to stretch and work the opposite hamstrings. The weight of the dumbbells allows you get more of a workout because that is simply extra weight that these muscles must work to support.

How to do a dumbbell lunge

1.    Start with your body completely straight and your feet facing forward hip width apart.
2.    Bring one leg forward and lunge. Make sure to keep your foot perpendicular to your shin (do not lean your shin forward) so that you are targeting your quadriceps
3.    You will want to make sure that you land on your heel and roll onto the ball of the foot
4.    You want to bend your knee and hip as your move your weight from the heel of your foot to the ball so that your thigh is parallel to the floor.
5.    Then you will push off from the ball of your foot to go back to standing straight up with both of your feet together, hip width apart
6.    Repeat the above instructions with the opposite leg. Continue this pattern of rotating legs until you have completed the amount of reps in your set

Tips for getting the best results whiles doing a dumbbell lunge

•    Remember your posture because it is very easy to cheat with this exercise by throwing off your posture. What this means is that you can do many sets and find that it is doing little for you because you are not working the right muscles in the right way
•     You can get a more complete workout by working the upper body with the dumbbells in your hands. This can be as simple as just doing your bicep curls while you are doing your lunges. The one thing to keep in mind though is that you do not want to have an exercise that will throw you off while you are doing this exercise
•    Make sure that you sit into the lunge and the farther you can go the better
•    It is important to not let your knee come forward while doing this. Your calf and foot should be positioned in an L position (90 degree angle)
•    If you want  to really blast your legs with this exercise, instead of alternating legs, you can just do all the reps for the set on one leg and then move to the other leg and do all the reps for that leg
•    It is important to focus on the muscles as you move through the exercise. Do not just move fast. Instead you want to perform it at a speed where you can make sure you are moving with control and focus on the muscles you are working.

Bent Over T-Bar Rows  are great exercises for the back. Although they can be completed at home, it is best to do them at the gym and have a spotter watch your form as you complete these the first few times as proper form is important for best results and to avoid injury.

This will concentrate on your middle back. The exercise will help build the muscles on your back while making it stronger. It will also go after your lats and biceps and help increase their strength.

You will need an Olympic barbell for doing the bend over t-bar rows. Place a weight only on one end of the Olympic barbell. Make sure the weight is something you will be able to lift up comfortably.
You do not want the barbell sliding backwards while exercising. In order to get the bar in place, lodge the end in the corner of a wall or put something heavy behind the bar.

Place each foot on the side of the bar, and make sure they are flat on the ground. Slightly bend your knees and lower your body until it is almost parallel with the ground. Stretch out your arms and grab a hold of the bar. When grabbing the bar place your hands one in front of the other just behind the weight.

Your palms will be facing in toward each other. Now slowly lift the bar up until you can rest your bottom hand on your knee. You are now in the starting position.

Please make sure to drink plenty of water throughout this routine. While exhaling and keeping your elbows close to your torso, start to slowly raise the bar up toward your chest. Keep raising the bar until the weight touches the lower chest. In order to help build strength in the middle back, while you are lifting the weight up, start squeezing the muscles in your back. When the weight is touching your chest hold this position for a couple of seconds.

Do not arch your back while doing this.  Keeping your back straight is very important otherwise you can easily hurt your back. While inhaling, start lowering the bar back to the starting position. By lowering the bar slowly you will feel it pulling on your lats. The bent over t-bar rows is not about seeing how much weight you can use.

Be sensible and only use the 25 pound plate. This plate will give you the most range of motion and will give the desired workout to your middle back. Take you

Upright Barbell Rows For Firmer, Stronger Back Muscles and for giving you that attractive V shape upper body

The upright barbell rows will help to strengthen your back, which is why it’s one of the better back exercises. It will also go after your shoulders and traps. This exercise will help cut your shoulders and traps while building the muscles in your back.

To perform the upright barbell rows, you will need a barbell with weights that you can easily lift.

Once you have the proper weights on the barbell you will place your feet flat on the floor. Place your feet so they are even with your shoulders. Keep your legs and back straight throughout the complete workout.

When gripping the barbell your hands should be placed just a little less then your shoulder width. You will place your hands over the bar with your palms facing the wall behind you. The weights will be at the top part of your thighs with just a slight bend in your elbows. This is the starting position for the upright barbell rows.

Best back exercises tip: Always make sure to perform warm-up sets before starting.

Start exhaling and begin lifting the bar up toward your chin. When you are lifting the bar make sure you are using your shoulder sides for lifting. Your elbows will bend while you are keeping the bar close to your torso. Lift the bar until your elbows are above your shoulders. Your forearms will be lower than your elbows and the bar will be almost to the top of your chest. Hold this position for a few seconds while keeping your back and torso straight.

Start inhaling as you bring the bar back down to the starting position. You want to lower the bar slowly so your muscles are being stretched at an even pace. Do the recommended number of repetitions.

If using a barbell is awkward and you feel like you have no control over it, then there is other equipment that may be used. You can go to the low pulley machines that have a straight bar for you to grasp a hold of. Set your weights so you can manage them easily and do the same steps as if you were using a barbell. Barbells are another option but, are only recommended for people that know how to properly execute the exercise correctly.

When doing the upright barbell rows remember to always keep your torso and back straight. If you do not keep your back straight then you will run the risk of seriously hurting it. When doing the repetitions you do not want to strain, stop or even relax. If you do this it is a sure sign you will end up hurting your self. When you have completed the recommended repetitions your shoulders and traps will definitely be burning. This is a sure sign that you did the exercise properly. Now you to know why one of the best back exercises is the upright barbell row!

Now that your shoulders, back and traps have been stretched you are ready to start giving your lats a real work out. Your back muscles will love the wide grip lat pull-downs. This exercise is also going to help build up the strength and muscles in your upper back.