I am not a huge fan of weight machines at the gym, as I tend to find them boring and repetitive. After a while, I find it difficult to find the motivation to keep going back. The Nautilus Gravitron is the exception. Maybe its because I am so terrible at pull ups, but this machine makes me feel like I have mastered them. The Gravitron machine gives you a huge range of motion, and you can combine it with other gym exercises to get a full upper body workout.

1) Chin up – Set the weight on the Gravitron machine to be the amount of weight you want the machine to counter with. That means, the less weight the better on this machine. Now reach your arms up, and grip so that your hands are facing you. Pull yourself up slowly, hold for five seconds, and lower again. Repeat up to 12 times. If you can do 12 chin ups, you can try a lower weight next time.

2) Pull ups – Repeat the first steps of the chin up.  Make sure the handlebars are in the raised position. This time raise your arms so that your hands are facing away from you, and pull yourself up slowly. Be sure to also lower yourself slowly to get the most from each repetition.

3) Wide pull ups – The handlebars of the Gravitron are rather broad, and this gives you the ability to vary your pull ups a bit. This can help you to focus on your triceps to give you a more complete upper body workout. Repeat the steps of the pull ups; just separate your arms more so that you are focusing on the other section of your shoulders.

4) Dips – You also have the opportunity to practice your dips and focus on other upper body areas with the Gravitron. Here you need to reposition the handlebars to the lower setting. Again set the weight, and the lower the weight you set, the tougher the workout. Lower your body until your elbows bend at a 90 degree angle. Hold this position for several seconds before allowing your body to rise slowly.

Combine these exercises with other upper body areas to give your arm muscles a chance to rest in between each repetition and to get the most from your workout. Always start each workout with a five – ten minute cardio workout to get your heart rate up and to get your metabolism working.