There are numerous exercises in which your forearms and hands are merely holding on, weak links and prone to tendon strains. The Isolator ($225) lets you work the muscles of your shoulders, back and chest without gripping a bar or handle and often with little or no use of your upper arms. A velcro strap goes around each upper arm and another around each forearm. Both straps attach to a band, which can be attached to any able cable station, many machines and even dumbbells, which are held beneath your arms during chest and shoulder presses. The Isolator is especially effective on pulldowns and cable crossovers and for working around elbow or wrist strains. Similarly, The Cuff Edition ($80) lets you remove gripping from cable arm exercises. For more info, check out isolatorfitness.com.
