6 Great Exercises to Rock Your Tank Top This Summer
Close gallery popup button
1 OF 7
1 of 7
Nathan Benn / Contributor / Getty
Fill Up Your Tank
As the temperatures start to go up this summer, the amount of clothes we wear (to work, the gym, the park, the beach) begins to diminish. And while it’s yourright as a hard-working gym rat to show off the fruits of your labor, it’s not always appropriate to do so while completely shirtless—what a shame.That said, you can still give the general public a really good idea of just how well-developed your upper body is by donning a nice, form-fitting tank top. However, before you go rushing off to your local sportswear store to put together your summer wardrobe, make sure you spend some more time in the gym hitting these six crucial, tank top-tearing movements.
2 of 7
Ian Spanier
Side Lateral
Target: medial deltoidsThis is a movement that will build width to your shoulders, creating a “cannonball” appearance. This is especially impressive when wearing a tank.Tips: These can be performed seated or standing, and with DBs or on a machine or cable station. Take advantage of all of these variations. Do this movement strictly, with no swinging for maximum side-delt recruitment.
3 of 7
Katherina Kolupaeva / EyeEm / Getty
Shrug
Target: trapeziusFew things look more powerful on a physique than a pair of thickly developed traps that appears to rise almost as high as the ears. A tank top truly showcases these wicked-looking muscles.Tips: These can be performed utilizing a BB, DBs, Smith, or specialized trap-machine. Again, variation is a good thing. Short, choppy reps are not the way to go—make sure you get a full range of motion, allowing the traps to stretch at the bottom and contract intensely at the top.
4 of 7
Matthew Leete / Getty
High Angle Incline Press
Target: upper pecs/front deltsPeaking out of the top of any tank top will be your upper chest, so you want to make sure it is “hanging” off your clavicles like two thick steaks.Tips: The angle we’re looking for is about 60°, so you will need an adjustable incline bench to get this done. Perform this exercise with a pair of DBs or on a Smith machine. Make sure to keep your ribcage high, and your shoulders shrugged back and downward into the bench. Focus on pressing with the chest, even though we’re still looking to stimulate growth in the anterior shoulders as well.
5 of 7
Getty Images / Mr. Big Photography
Hammer Curl
Target: brachialis/brachioradialisSince we walk around most of the time with our arms at our sides, we want to make sure there is ample thickness on the outside of the biceps and forearms. Hammer curls target these areas with precision.Tips: This highly versatile movement can be performed standing, seated, inclined, and off a preacher bench. As well, you can curl the DBs straight up, or at various angles toward the opposite shoulder to stimulate different sets of motor unit pools. Variety is a good thing.
6 of 7
Dustin Snipes / M+F Magazine
Overhead Triceps Extension
Target: long head of tricepsSince the inner, long head of the triceps contains the most muscle mass, you want to make sure it’s as “meaty” as possible. When you’re wearing a tank, and someone views you from the rear, it’s a highly developed long triceps head that will give your upper arm a look of pure power.Tips: Any triceps extension performed with the elbows up by the ears will most strongly recruit the fibers of the inner, long head. Thus, there are many options available when approaching this movement. A BB, DB, and/or cable (with various attachments–rope, straight bar, V-bar) will each provide a slightly novel feel and target somewhat different muscle fibers. Whichever variation you choose, make sure to take every rep to full stretch to create the stimulus for the most intense muscle contraction.
7 of 7
Edgar Artiga
Dumbbell Kickback
Target: lateral triceps headSince the lateral head of the triceps resides clearly on the outside of the upper arm, you’ll need plenty of mass in this area to drop some jaws while strutting around in your favorite tank top. Kickbacks hit this head hard.Tips: 99% of the time, people (almost always men) perform this exercise with a DB that is far too heavy. This takes the focus off the triceps and places it on the lats and rear delts, since the movement resembles more of a DB row than a DB kickback. Keep your ego out of this one, my friends, and use a weight that allows you to keep your elbow tucked firmly at your side while you utilize only triceps power to squeeze the arm back to full extension. Additionally, hold the contraction at the top for 1-2 seconds to really fry that lateral triceps head.
As the temperatures start to go up this summer, the amount of clothes we wear (to work, the gym, the park, the beach) begins to diminish. And while it’s yourright as a hard-working gym rat to show off the fruits of your labor, it’s not always appropriate to do so while completely shirtless—what a shame.
That said, you can still give the general public a really good idea of just how well-developed your upper body is by donning a nice, form-fitting tank top. However, before you go rushing off to your local sportswear store to put together your summer wardrobe, make sure you spend some more time in the gym hitting these six crucial, tank top-tearing movements.
Side Lateral
Target: medial deltoids
This is a movement that will build width to your shoulders, creating a “cannonball” appearance. This is especially impressive when wearing a tank.
Tips: These can be performed seated or standing, and with DBs or on a machine or cable station. Take advantage of all of these variations. Do this movement strictly, with no swinging for maximum side-delt recruitment.
Shrug
Target: trapezius
Few things look more powerful on a physique than a pair of thickly developed traps that appears to rise almost as high as the ears. A tank top truly showcases these wicked-looking muscles.
Tips: These can be performed utilizing a BB, DBs, Smith, or specialized trap-machine. Again, variation is a good thing. Short, choppy reps are not the way to go—make sure you get a full range of motion, allowing the traps to stretch at the bottom and contract intensely at the top.
High Angle Incline Press
Target: upper pecs/front delts
Peaking out of the top of any tank top will be your upper chest, so you want to make sure it is “hanging” off your clavicles like two thick steaks.
Tips: The angle we’re looking for is about 60°, so you will need an adjustable incline bench to get this done. Perform this exercise with a pair of DBs or on a Smith machine. Make sure to keep your ribcage high, and your shoulders shrugged back and downward into the bench. Focus on pressing with the chest, even though we’re still looking to stimulate growth in the anterior shoulders as well.
Hammer Curl
Target: brachialis/brachioradialis
Since we walk around most of the time with our arms at our sides, we want to make sure there is ample thickness on the outside of the biceps and forearms. Hammer curls target these areas with precision.
Tips: This highly versatile movement can be performed standing, seated, inclined, and off a preacher bench. As well, you can curl the DBs straight up, or at various angles toward the opposite shoulder to stimulate different sets of motor unit pools. Variety is a good thing.
Overhead Triceps Extension
Target: long head of triceps
Since the inner, long head of the triceps contains the most muscle mass, you want to make sure it’s as “meaty” as possible. When you’re wearing a tank, and someone views you from the rear, it’s a highly developed long triceps head that will give your upper arm a look of pure power.
Tips: Any triceps extension performed with the elbows up by the ears will most strongly recruit the fibers of the inner, long head. Thus, there are many options available when approaching this movement. A BB, DB, and/or cable (with various attachments–rope, straight bar, V-bar) will each provide a slightly novel feel and target somewhat different muscle fibers. Whichever variation you choose, make sure to take every rep to full stretch to create the stimulus for the most intense muscle contraction.
Dumbbell Kickback
Target: lateral triceps head
Since the lateral head of the triceps resides clearly on the outside of the upper arm, you’ll need plenty of mass in this area to drop some jaws while strutting around in your favorite tank top. Kickbacks hit this head hard.
Tips: 99% of the time, people (almost always men) perform this exercise with a DB that is far too heavy. This takes the focus off the triceps and places it on the lats and rear delts, since the movement resembles more of a DB row than a DB kickback. Keep your ego out of this one, my friends, and use a weight that allows you to keep your elbow tucked firmly at your side while you utilize only triceps power to squeeze the arm back to full extension. Additionally, hold the contraction at the top for 1-2 seconds to really fry that lateral triceps head.
