Start Small To Lift Big: How To Master 4 Fundamental Exercises BodybuildingExercisesNutrition by ConstanceFreud - 23rd December 201923rd December 20190 Vital StatsName: Dean SomersetOccupation: Exercise physiologist; medical and rehabilitation coordinator for World Health Clubs.Website: deansomerset.comIt’s easy to look at complex movements like dribbling a soccer ball, throwing a baseball, or handling a hockey puck and see how that took years to perfect. Athletes rehearse these movements endlessly, stick to the fundamentals, and trust that practice will improve execution in game situations. One day it finally does, but this happens over time, not overnight.The same theory should apply to weight training. In a perfect world, we would all practice and progress safely, building the type of strength that allows us to handle heavy loads without injuries or negative compensation patterns.Nevertheless, there’s almost always a look of befuddlement on a trainee’s face when I explain that they must first build a foundation with basic exercises. They simply don’t believe the basics will increase their arm size, build chiseled abs, or sculpt jean-busting legs. They want quick results from extreme plans like they see on television.It sounds simple, I’ll admit, but my formula for success is this: commit to long-term training goals, and get the most out of the staple lifts like the push-up, dumbbell row, squat, and deadlift. These four are probably the most common exercises within weight training circles, and they’re included in nearly all of the programs you’ll see on this site.Believe it or not, these exercises are enough to put you on the road to physique of your dreams, if you do them right. However, despite their popularity, they’re very technical movements that can be easy to butcher.It’s easy to attribute technique flaws to a lack of mobility, but here’s what that excuse overlooks: Most exercises are corrective in nature and relatively easy to master, provided you take the time to progress through them and learn them properly.Let’s go upstream and solve these problems before they start! Here’s what I see going wrong with the way most people perform the four fundamental lifts, and how you can perform them to get the most bang for your buck in the gym.Exercise 1 Many push-up issues start when people focus on what muscle groups the push-up “works.” If you’re thinking all about chest, arms, and shoulders, you’ll forget to keep the rest of the body tense and stable. This should be a full-body lift!Make sure your hips and shoulders are lined up your arms and are in the best position to develop true pressing strength. This will help you build the most force at the bottom push-up position.Push-Up FixesWatch The Video – 02:06Push-up coaching pointsSqueeze your glutes and abs to lock your hips to your core.Keep your arm tight to the armpits.Hit the ground with your chest before your head.Exercise 2 Most issues dumbbell rows happen when the spine is held in a flexed and rounded-back position, rather than a neutral position. Improper spine positioning causes the shoulder blade to move up instead of down when the upper back is rounded, which forces the upper traps to work instead of the lats.Focus on keeping a long, tight spine during the movement, and you should feel the burn directly below your shoulder blade, into to your tailbone, and through the lats.Breaking Down The Dumbbell RowWatch The Video – 02:17Dumbbell row coaching pointsTake a wider stance than you think you need.Keep the spine long and straight with the chest up.Let the shoulder blade do the work. The wrist and elbow follow the shoulder.Exercise 3 Problematic squatters generally fall into two camps: those who are stiff and tight, and those who are mobile but have trouble controlling the movement. I discussed squatting issues before in a power panel with my fellow strength training coaches, but this never-ending battle is always worth discussing.Squatting is very technical and involves many moving parts. The best plan: Don’t jump into heavy weight too quickly. Start by doing bodyweight reps within your scope of control. Once you add weight, focus on getting comfortable at hitting depth and building a more effective range of motion.Before you even think of going heavy, ensure that you can control the movement with your heels on the floor, hamstrings resting on your calves, and your torso positioned long and tall.Squat Fix: Low MobilityWatch The Video – 05:12Squat coaching pointsKeep your feet flat on the floor and press evenly throughout.Create force through the hips to drive the movement.Lean the torso forward as your hips move into the rep.Keep the core tense without restricting airflow.Keep the shoulders vertical over the middle of the foot.Exercise 4 The deadlift is a skill-based movement that takes reps and consistent practice to improve. Most common deadlifting issues derive from the spine doing too much work instead of the hips, which are supposed to drive the movement. The spine should be a rigid lever that transfers force from the legs and hips up through the arms, thereby moving the weight.Get your core and shoulders tight and keep the spine stiff to assist the movement. The deadlift isn’t easy, but once you perfect your technique, you’d better believe it can be fun to lift a heavy weight off the ground.Deadlift TutorialWatch The Video – 05:23Deadlift coaching pointsKeep the spine straight and drive the movement from your hips.Set the bar close to your shins at the start of the movement and keep the shin vertical, without positioning the knee ahead of the bar.Brace your abs, squeeze your arms down tight to your ribs, and stand tall without over-extending at lockout.Recommended For YouPower Panel: 4 Deadlifting Cues From Pro Coaches!Strength coaches Tony Gentilcore, Dean Somerset, Lee Boyce, and Todd Bumgardner offer their best deadlifting cues. Rip the barbell from the ground!Crush Your DeadliftsStruggling with the deadlift? Follow these simple drills to master the ultimate strength-builder!Less Time, Better Results: Escalating Density TrainingHave you ever had the dream of spending less time in the gym while achieving better results? It’s time to free yourself from the cage that is your workout. Here’s a better way to train!About The AuthorContributing WriterVIEW AUTHOR PAGECheck out these awesome articles by some of the best writers in the industry.View All Articles By This AuthorShare this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Like this:Like Loading...
Health and fitness talk with Elise Carver ExercisesFitness ModelsNutritionTraining MethodsWeight loss by GymRat - 14th December 201914th December 20190 Health and fitness talk with Elise Carver We chat to Elise Carver, owner and sole trainer of Surf Style Training for Little Bantam Health and Fitness to get an insight into her journey so far, her training and nutrition.On the road so farI studied to be a master trainer through the Australian Institute of Fitness about nine years ago and worked part time at a gym in South Yarra with some fantastic mentors who showed me the value of quality training. Shortly after, I began to fall in love with surfing. When I decided to make the shift to Torquay, I was already on my way to changing my body shape to suit surfing and so the Surf Style Training method was born and developed organically. I soon realised the mainstream way of training wasn’t for me and I have now run a successful business out of my own studio for three years.On body typeYour natural body shape is what you make it. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Like this:Like Loading...
Grind To Grow: Try Your Squats And Presses With Kettlebells! BodybuildingExercisesNutritionTraining MethodsWeight loss by Irisb - 10th December 201910th December 20190 I’ll never forget the first time I squatted with a pair of 32-kg kettlebells on my chest. It felt like an elephant was sitting on me. The pressure in my gut was immense, and I could barely breathe. Afterward, my abs were almost immediately sore. I was shocked, because as a competitive weightlifter I could front squat, butt-to-ankles, more than 400 pounds. But these two 70-pound balls of iron made me feel like I was fighting for my life!I quickly learned that kettlebells are unjustly overlooked as strength equipment; they are often only favored as endurance tools for high-rep ballistic movements like swings and snatches. They’re equally adept and providing muscular overload on slow, heavy lifts like squats and presses.Why? It’s simple: Your body knows that to get stronger, as well as to continue burning fat, it must adapt. Heavy kettlebells give it a challenge that is uniquely difficult to overcome. Because of their odd shape, kettlebells actually make the body do more work than traditional implements such as barbells and dumbbells. Sub them out even just for a couple of movements you already do, and you may be surprised at the benefits you receive.The Toughest Squat You’ve Never DoneThe reason the double-kettlebell front squat is so much more challenging than its barbell cousin is due to leverage. Consider the rack position: With a barbell, the load rests near the top of the spine, across the collarbone and the front of the deltoids, just below the head. In this arrangement, the barbell becomes virtually one with the lifter, making it easier to move the external resistance. This allows you to move much more weight.With a kettlebell, it’s almost the opposite. In the rack, the weight rests low, against the outside of the forearms, with the elbows pointed down rather than out. The bells try to pull your body forward and off-balance, which forces your entire midsection to reflexively contract in order to keep you from folding in half.If you’ve been lifting—or just reading about lifting—for a few years, you’ve probably heard this same argument used as a reason to do barbell front squats rather than barbell back squats. But the truth is that the simple substitution of two kettlebells—or even just one—for a barbell means your midsection will take even more of a beating. And this has benefits beyond building core strength.To start with, you’ll become a better squatter. Because the spine is protected due to the increased reflexive core activation from the rack, lifters can usually squat deeper with kettlebells than they would with a barbell. The difference here is one you’ll likely feel on your backside for days after the first time you try it, so consider yourself warned.Kettlebell Exercises Watch The Video – 0:44Grind To GrowThe increased stability demands upon your core musculature during the front squat are also present in other slow kettlebell lifts—or “grinds,” as they’re often called. Look at the double kettlebell military press, for example: The increased demands placed upon your core mean your body has to work harder to stabilize your joints so your prime movers—the lats and delts, in the case of the press—can do their work.The upshot, as with the front squat, is that you’ll need less weight to make all types of muscles work more efficiently—particularly the crucial stabilizer muscles around the shoulder and other joints. Efficiency, in this case, means they’ll do what they’re supposed to when they’re supposed to do it. To pick one painful example for many lifters, a strong rotator cuff stabilizes your shoulder joint so you can safely bench press. A weak or injured one, on the other hand, keeps you from benching heavy, or from doing it at all.Double Kettlebell Military PressI’m also of the opinion that one of the causes of what are commonly called workout “plateaus” are actually stabilizer muscles that are weak or don’t work properly. Faced with a heavy load that might damage the joint, your body intuitively protects itself by shutting down the nerve force to the bigger muscles—the prime movers—that traditionally do the work.You may have heard similar logic used to tell you why you should train with free weights rather than with machines. Yes, it’s true: Core and joint stabilizer activation happen to a certain extent with any training tool, but both are more intense with a kettlebell, due to the increased muscular activation from the offset handle. Consider them the freest of free weights.You Only Need One“Resist the urge to let your stronger side set the pace. Train both sides to be relatively even with each other.”Want to know what’s even tougher than a double-kettlebell grind? The same movement loaded unilaterally. Working one side of your body at a time, as with a single-kettlebell military press, requires your body to make all the muscles on the side opposite of the load—and especially the core musculature—contract to keep you from being pulled over sideways.Another interesting result from training with a single-kettlebell is that you can even-out strength imbalances from side-to-side. Often, side-to-side imbalances are responsible for holding back your progress on traditional bilateral exercises like the barbell squat, deadlift, and military press. Many people find a single-kettlebell front squat to be much more challenging on the core than a double front squat. The same thing holds true for the military press.If you find you have a strength imbalance, resist the urge to let your stronger side set the pace. Train both sides to be relatively even with each other, both in the number of reps and the amount of weight you put over your head. You may feel like you’re holding back at first, but don’t be surprised if your big barbell lifts get stronger as a result.Grind to BurnStrength is a worthy goal on its own, and it’s more than enough reason to try kettlebell squats and presses. But getting stronger is also essential for burning fat and getting leaner over the long term.Think of it as a cycle. The increased muscle activation and range of motion you experience from doing deep, difficult squats and overhead presses demand that more muscles work harder than they would otherwise. When you work harder, you burn more calories. And since training the core, especially in an integrated manner while standing, makes the body stronger, you’ll be able to lift heavier and work even harder in the future—which burns even more calories. And so on …The downside, if there is one, is that kettlebell grinds are known to leave bruises—on your ego. I think you’ll be just as surprised as I was at just how hard they make you work. But stick with them, and you’ll also be surprised by the fruits of your labor: A stronger midsection, a more powerful and defined body, and more strength you can put to good use.Recommended For YouSwing For The Fences: Kettlebell Training – Burn Fat And Build Muscles!Make the kettlebell swing your 1-stop shop for increased muscle size, definition, fat loss, and the heart of a racehorse!Kettlebell Explosion: Harness The Power Of The Kettlebell SwingDon’t try to learn the kettlebell swing by watching it get butchered in your local gym. Use these drills to nail this powerful movement once and for all!Meet The Squats: 7 Squat Variations You Should Be DoingIn the old days, there were two kinds of squats: ‘good’ and ‘bad.’ Today, you can shop around between multiple versions of the movement. No more excuses. Get off the machines and give the squat a shot!About The AuthorContributing WriterVIEW AUTHOR PAGECheck out these awesome articles by some of the best writers in the industry.View All Articles By This AuthorShare this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Like this:Like Loading...
How to do the Plank up + down ExercisesTraining Methods by admin - 17th November 201917th November 20190 Plank up + down This exercise is fantastic for strengthening your shoulders and core strength. Sarah Lawrence shows us how.The goal is to maintain a solid plank position throughout the whole exercise and to not let your hips sway.Starting on your elbows and toes, or for Level 1, on your knees, engage your core before you start. Keep your hips as still as possible, push up with one hand then the other until you are propped up in a push-up position.Lower back down to your elbows one arm at a time. Halfway through, change your leading arm so you strengthen the other shoulder as you press up to your hands.NEXT: Advanced plank variations>>Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Like this:Like Loading...
How To Master The Pull-Up BodybuildingExercisesTraining Methods by admin - 11th November 201911th November 20190 How To Master The Pull-Up Take on the toughest of fitness classics for serious upper-body strength and master it with our pull-up plan 8 Feb 2018 Bodyweight exercises Exercises Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Like this:Like Loading...
Alexa Towersey’s resistance training workout BodybuildingExercisesNutritionWeight loss by ArmandRivers - 6th November 20196th November 20190 Resistance training targets the full body with particular emphasis on the posterior chain and core for both strength and physique shape and allows you to work towards YOUR own objective by having targeted options with both your rep range and load.It also provides exercises designed to challenge your grip, in addition to providing some of the progressions needed to achieve a pull-up.The HIIT component is representative of Jenna’s ALL IN program. It is designed to challenge your strength, power, coordination and overall fitness, with the metabolic requirement of high reps, moderate load and minimal rest raising your heart rate as quickly as possible and keeping it elevated for up to 36 hours post workout.The active rest and recovery component is highly recommended – not only as a stress management tool, but also to allow you enough time between workouts so that you can perform at your best. For both increased fat loss and muscle repair, in addition to supporting all the detoxification channels that may have been overworked over the holidays, I recommend power walking, foam rolling, infrared sauna and epsom salts baths. Supplementing with a pharmaceutical-grade magnesium is also suggested.This workout consists of a standalone EMOM, followed by two supersets.EMOM stands for ‘every minute on the minute’. The beauty of this format is that you can structure the rep range and load of the EMOM to target your own specific goals.If you’re an advanced lifter, know your one rep max (1RM), and if you want to opt for pure strength and no advance in muscle size, aim for three reps with an exertion level of 8/10.If you’re a beginner to intermediate lifter and want to aim for more strength and minimal size, aim for five reps and an exertion level of 6–7/10.If you’re a beginner lifter and prefer to stick to lighter weights for form OR you want to aim for fat loss with a little lean muscle gain, then aim for 10 reps with an exertion level of 5/10Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Like this:Like Loading...
Fitness 360: Samantha Ann Leete, Training Program BodybuildingExercisesNutrition by GymRat - 30th October 201931st October 20190 Samantha trains to overcome her weaknesses. She doesn’t cherry-pick workouts for her strengths or make excuses for lagging muscle groups. Her most productive days in the gym are when she’s learning a new lift, working on muscle groups that need extra attention, and moving heavy weight. Her desire to build a better body and become a better athlete fuels her through every workout.Samantha Ann Leete Fitness 360Watch The Video – 13:58Mixing It UpSamantha likes to use multiple training strategies so she never gets bored. “I love incorporating supersets, giant sets, circuits, HIIT cardio, low-intensity cardio, dropsets, and negatives,” she says. “I also like to switch up my rep ranges, tempo, and exercises.” These constant changes help keep Samantha excited about her workouts and motivated for her future goals.Although she uses different modalities to train various muscle groups, Samantha likes to keep her split fairly consistent. “I usually lift three or four days per week and do sprints or plyometrics once per week. For my upper body, I usually stick to a 10-12 rep range. For my lower body, I do 10-20 reps per exercise.”Romanian DeadliftLike most of us, Samantha has a tough relationship with cardio. “Sometimes it can be fun and I look forward to it, especially when I’ve had a stressful day and could use a cathartic sweat session.” She’ll squeeze in a cardio session during lunch at work, but if she’s in the gym, she prefers the arc trainer, the stepmill, or plyos.Unlike some elite competitors, Samantha believes in rest days. “I just try to listen to my body,” she says. Sometimes a rest day means hitting a hard cardio session, sometimes it means going for a long, fun hike, and sometimes, rest just means rest. “Rest days can literally mean just chilling out and watching a movie,” she explains.Samantha’s Training SplitGiant Set (60 seconds rest between giant sets) Single-Leg Barbell Squats3 sets of 12 reps (per leg) Lying Leg Curls3 sets of 15 reps Sled Pushes3 sets of 100 metersSuperset (45 seconds rest between supersets) Deficit Romanian Deadlifts4 sets of 12-15 reps Dumbbell Step-Ups4 sets of 10 reps (per leg)Giant Set (45 seconds rest between giant sets) Plie Dumbbell Squats3 sets of 10 reps (per leg) Barbell Glute Bridges3 sets of 15-20 reps Ball Leg Curls3 sets of 15-20 repsGiant Set (60 seconds rest between giant sets) Inverted Rows3 sets of 12-15 reps Close-Grip EZ Bar Curls3 sets of 12 reps Burpee Tuck Jumps3 sets of 15 repsSuperset (45-60 seconds rest between supersets) Pull-Ups4 sets of 12 reps Reverse-Grip Bent-Over Barbell Rows4 sets of 10 repsSuperset (45 seconds rest between supersets) Wide-Grip Lat Pulldowns4 sets of 10 reps Incline Dumbbell Curls4 sets of 12 repsSuperset (30 seconds rest between supersets) Straight-Arm Pulldowns3 sets of 18 reps Hyperextensions (Back Extensions)3 sets of 20 repsPlyometrics (45 seconds rest between each set) Box Jumps3 sets of 30 reps Lateral Box Jumps4 sets of 20 reps Scissors Jumps3 sets of 20 reps Knee Tuck Jumps3 sets of 20 reps Side Hop-Sprints2 sets of 2 minutes Lateral Bounds2 sets of 2 minute Freehand Jump Squats2 sets of 20 repsSuperset (60 seconds rest between supersets) Barbell Squats4 sets of 20 reps Bench Sprints4 sets of 30-60 secondsSuperset (60 seconds rest between supersets) Dumbbell Walking Lunges (bodyweight version shown)3 sets of 15-20 reps each leg Dumbbell Seated Box Jumps3 sets of 12 repsSuperset (45 seconds rest between supersets) Leg Press3 sets of 15-20 reps Calf Press On The Leg Press Machine3 sets of 20 repsSuperset (30 seconds rest between supersets) One-Legged Cable Kickback2 sets of 15 reps per leg Flutter Kicks2 sets of 60 secondsGiant Set (45 seconds rest between giant sets) Push Press3 sets of 10-12 reps Face Pulls3 sets of 15 reps Push-Ups – Close Triceps Position3 sets of 15 repsGiant Set (45 seconds rest between giant sets) Kettlebell Upright Rows (shown with dumbbells)3 sets of 12 reps Bench Dips (weighted)3 sets of 15-20 reps Mountain Climbers3 sets of 50 repsGiant Set (45 seconds rest between giant sets) Front Plate Raises4 sets of 12 reps Side Lateral Raises4 sets of 12 reps Reverse Grip Triceps Pushdowns4 sets of 12 reps Battling Ropes5 sets of 1 minuteRest no longer than 60 seconds between setsCardioThese are examples of cardio workouts that I might do during the weekCardio workout #145 minute Arc TrainerCardio workout #2Treadmill lunge intervals3-minute incline lunge3-minute incline run3-minute incline walkRepeat for 30 minutesCardio workout #3Treadmill HIIT sprints30 second incline sprint30 second incline walkRepeat for 20 minutesCardio workout #4HIIT circuit2-minute row1-minute rope jump100 mountain climbersRest 30-60 secondsRepeat for 20 minutes[ Samantha Ann Leete Fit 360 Main Page ]Recommended For YouROOM TO GROWBrandan Fokken doesn’t just practice being fit for a few months out of the year. He’s dedicated his entire life to fitness and is now reaping enormous benefits. Read his inspiring story!FITTER FASTERSara’s once all-consuming fitness program left her running ragged and almost killed her enthusiasm for exercise. Learn how she revamped her routine and found a healthy medium.HARD CORPS MUSCLECarl Roberts won our 2012 Military Transformation Challenge, and now he is a personal trainer, helping to propel his clients forward with their fitness.About The AuthorCassie SmithVIEW AUTHOR PAGECassie Smith is a writer/editor for Bodybuilding.com and former professor & college athlete. Find out more about her right here.View All Articles By This AuthorShare this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Like this:Like Loading...
Power Pairings: Effective Supersets For Strength And Size BodybuildingExercisesNutrition by Intictsit - 15th October 201915th October 20190 As nice as it would be to have unlimited training time, it’s simply not in the cards for most people. The gym is great, but a little thing called life often throws a wrench in your best-laid plans. Realistically, even the most dedicated people can only attend the gym 3-5 days per week for an hour per day, and that’s with a little luck.The good news is that one hour per session is plenty of time, if you use your time wisely! You just have to be smart with your exercise selection and workout program. Enter “power pairings,” which are specific superset-style exercise pairs I created to help you get the most out of your precious training time.As with any superset, you perform power pairings without resting between the paired exercises. Take a bench press and chin-up pair, for example. You perform one set of bench press followed immediately by a set of chin-ups. You won’t rest until after you complete both exercises.Pairing Power“Full-body workouts are my go-to method when life gets hectic.”Power pairings can be useful within full-body routines or body-part splits, but for this article I’ll explain how to use them in full-body routines. Full-body workouts are my go-to method when life gets hectic. In a full-body routine, you’d use a power pairing after your primary lift. This allows you to give your first lift maximum attention and strength.Start your workout with a big-bang strength movement and devote your full energy and attention to it. When you finish your main lift, implement a power pairing as your finisher. Power pairings use one piece of equipment and require little to no setup, which makes them easy to use even in crowded gyms.Here are four power pairings that you can add to your own training program to cut down on your overall workout time and still get a great training effect!1 Ring Dip And Chin-Up/Hip Thrust ComboPair ring dips with a chin-up/hip thrust combination exercise I created to blast the back, glutes, and hamstrings simultaneously. Rather than confusing you by trying to explain the exercise, here’s a video of what it looks like in action:From a strength and muscle-building standpoint, this pairing works well because the exercises focus on different body parts, so they won’t negatively impact each other or impair your strength. From a logistical standpoint, it’s a great pair because the ring height is the same for each exercise, which means no necessary adjustments between sets.To up the ante, try the pairing in a countdown format, as demonstrated in the video. Rather than doing straight sets of each exercise, start by doing decreasing sets of 10, 8, 6, 4, and 2 reps of each exercise with little to no rest between sets. Be warned: This is not for the faint of heart.Use it: This pair works as a brutal finisher to cap off a great heavy, knee-dominant exercise like the front squat, back squat, split squat, or lunge.2 “Bottoms Up” Front Squats And Inverted RowsInstead of starting in the standing position, “bottoms up” squats call for you to start at the bottom of the rep and lift from the squat rack’s safety pins. Pause after each rep! This is a great front squat variation to hammer your quads and core, and help you build strength out of the hole.After you finish the front squats, leave the bar on the pins and use it to perform a set of inverted rows. The bar will be at a perfect height to allow for full range of motion with no adjustments. It works great from a logistical standpoint.In the video below, I use chains on the front squats, which is great if you have chains at your disposal, but they’re not essential.Use it: This pairing is an ideal finisher after a heavy bench press or overhead press variation.3 Rack RDL And Split-Stance Row ComboI recommend doing RDLs and barbell rows from the safety pins of a squat rack. Reset after each rep to take stress off your lower back and encourage proper form. I also recommend doing barbell rows with a split stance to take stress off the lower back, because the split stance helps prevent against lower-back rounding.Fortunately, the proper pin height is the same for each exercise, so it works well as a pairing. You’ll almost undoubtedly be able to use more weight on RDLs than barbell rows, so you’ll need to change the weight, which is a breeze because the bar is raised off the floor. This video below shows how the pair looks in action. I use an oversized trap bar, which is great if you have one, but you can just as easily use a standard barbell.If you use a barbell, here is how the rows look.Use it: This pair goes well after a heavy pressing day.4 Overhead Press And Front SquatsPairing overhead presses with front squats works well because you don’t need to waste time adjusting the bar in the rack. It’s set to the same height for each exercise, making this a killer combo.I recommend doing the overhead press before the front squats, because after much experimentation, I found that the overhead press doesn’t negatively impact the subsequent front squats. Alternatively, if you do the front squats first, the overhead press suffers.It’s also important to note that most people will be much stronger on front squats than overhead press. This gives you two options: add weight for each set of front squats, or simply do more reps. I usually choose the latter and do twice as many front squats as overhead presses, as I do in this video.Use it: This pairing works perfectly as a finisher after doing a heavy chin-up or row variation. It’s also ideal as a standalone workout when you’re really pinched for time and still want to get a good training effect.Putting It All TogetherHere’s an example of how to utilize these power pairings within a full-body workout program to keep your workouts brief but effective. Shoot to train 2-4 days per week and rotate the workouts as necessary.Workout 1:A1. Front Squats: 5 sets of 6 repsB1. Ring Dips: 5 sets of 10, 8, 6, 4, and 2 repsB2. Chin-Up/Hip Thrust Combo: 5 sets of 10, 8, 6, 4, and 2 repsWorkout 2:A1. Incline Bench Press: 5 sets of 6 repsB1. “Bottoms Up” Front Squats: 4 sets of 10 repsB2. Inverted Rows: 4 sets of 10 repsWorkout 3:A1. Dumbbell Bench Press: 5 sets of 8 repsB1. Rack RDL: 4 sets of 8 repsB2. Split-Stance Rack Row: 4 sets of 8 repsWorkout 4:A1. Chin-ups: 5 sets of 6 repsB1. Overhead Press: 4 sets of 6 repsB2. Front Squats: 4 sets of 12 repsAbout The AuthorBen BrunoVIEW AUTHOR PAGEBen Bruno graduated Summa Cum Laude from Columbia University. He lives in West Hollywood, California, and trains clients at Rise Movement…View All Articles By This AuthorShare this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Like this:Like Loading...
The 12-Week Bikini Competition Diet NutritionWeight loss by GreggKWPvgmpyk - 28th September 201928th September 20190 If you’ve always wanted to hit the stage in a bikini or figure competition, this is your time. Our comprehensive plan includes the Workout Plan, this nutrition plan, and motivational tips to help you get a winning physique in just 12 weeks. Give it a try—even if you’re not ready for the spotlight, you’re guaranteed to get into the very best shape of your life. The diet plan How it works: This nutrition program is designed to help you drop fat without losing muscle. In each phase, you’ll have three daily meals and three snacksShare this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Like this:Like Loading...
How to fast-track fat loss ExercisesNutritionTraining MethodsWeight loss by EltonTalbert - 12th September 201912th September 20190 How to fast-track fat loss Want to know the key to fat loss? Master trainer Daniel Tramontana shares his tips for guaranteed fat loss.To fast-track coveted progress such as greater fat loss, Tramontana says you need to get back to basics.Cardio is not ‘hardio’With a combination of higher intensity interval training (HIIT), low-intensity steady state (LISS) training, body weight training sessions and a nutritious diet, Tramontana ensures his clients are given the best formula for their body.“My cardiovascular programming is based around a 75/25 split of LISS and HIIT. So based on the available amount of time for a client to add in cardio on top of resistance training would determine the amount of each they conducted,” he says.Here’s what your cardio program could look like:2 hours per week for cardio training = 30 minutes of HIIT over two to three days + 90 minutes of LISS over one to two sessions.Be wary, if HIIT was all you did, you may encounter the downside of too much stress on your body, which can ironically turn HIIT into a fat retention tactic.So what about weight training?“For fat loss, I structure everything around two to three full bodyweight training sessions – two sessions based on linear periodisation macro cycle of 16-to-24 week programming, altered every four to six weeks,” he explains.Translation? A program that begins by incorporating high-volume and low intensity weight training, and progressively moves into phases when the volume decreases and intensity increases. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Like this:Like Loading...