Diet 69

Then pull the handles to your chest. Remember, the further away you are from the bungee attachment site, the more tension there will be on the bungee cord, so don't sit too far away from the attachment site in the beginning. Once you've pulled the bungee handles to your chest, simply extend backward against the resis- tance of the bungee cord, as shown. When you perform this exercise prop- erly, you'll feel resistance in your lower back muscles. Stomach Crunch With the bungee attached to the doorknob or railing, sit on the floor fac- ing away from the bungee attachment site, with your knees slighdy bent and your feet shoulder width apart. Bring one bungee handle over your right shoulder and the other handle over your left shoulder. While con- tinuing to hold the handles, link the fingers of your right and left hands to- gether in front of your chest, creating a tight grip on the bungee handles. Slide away from the bungee attachment site to create your desired tension and bend or crunch forward against the resistance of the bungee cord. When you perform this exercise properly, you'll feel the resistance in your stomach muscles. Shoulder Shrugs Detach the bungee from the doorknob or railing and hold one handle in each hand. Allow the bungee to hang down to the floor in front of you. Stand on the bungee with your feet approximately shoulder width apart. With your arms at your sides, shrug your shoulders up and backward against the resistance of the bungee cord. The closer your feet are to the handles on the bungee cord, the more resistance you will create. When you perform this exercise properly, you'll feel the resistance in your trapezius muscles (the ones that connect your neck to your shoulders). Note: You will have to reattach the bungee to the door or railing attach- ment site between sets (12 repetitions) of shoulder shrugs to perform the aerobic portion (walking or running in place) of the bungee workout. This also pertains to all other bungee resistance exercises where you're required to detach the bungee. Anterior Deltoids Detach the bungee from the doorknob or railing and hold one handle in each hand. Allow the bungee to hang down to the floor in front of you. Stand on the bungee with your feet approximately shoulder width apart. Now hold the bungee handles by squeezing them together in front of you with your right and left hands. Keeping your hands close to your body, pull the handles up to your chin against the resistance of the bungee cord. When you perform this exercise properly, you'll feel the resistance in your anterior (front) shoulder muscles. Biceps Detach the bungee from the doorknob or railing and hold one handle in each hand. Allow the bungee to hang down to the floor in front of you. Stand on the bungee with your feet approximately shoulder width apart. Now perform an arm curl against the resistance of the bungee with your right arm and then your left arm. When you perform this exercise properly, you'll feel the resistance in your biceps muscles.