Originally Posted by: Kiepa13

1|--------------------12342345---------------------
2|----------------1234--------2345-----------------
3|------------1234----------------2345-------------
4|--------1234------------------------2345---------
5|----1234--------------------------------2345-----
6|1234----------------------------------------2345- etc
udud

There should be a host of other alternate picking exercises on here, but this is the basic one we all started off with.

This ^^

Great for finger strength and alternate picking. I used to go from fret 1 to 12 and then back. The I'd do the same pattern descending (ie - 4-3-2-1 etc) in the same manner above. Then I'd do it in a 'triplet' manner (1-2-3 > 2-3-4 etc) and do it ascending and descending.

Ok, I was kinda freakish about the accuracy in the day but this stuff works. You never lose any hybrid techniques or legato or hammering by doing the above, it just adds to the arsenal.