Form Friday | Stiffleg Deadlift

How many deadlifts do you need in your life? It’s a question that everyone who lifts weights regularly should ask, and the answer is at least three. The standard deadlift is, of course, an exercise that should be on the workout schedule of every serious gym-goer. The other two deadlifts to consider are the Romanian deadlift and the stiff-leg deadlift. These two exercises look similar, and both put more focus on the hamstrings than a standard deadlift, but they differ in how much you flex your knee. The stiff-leg deadlift, as you might expect, involves less bending of the knee, and so increases the work the glutes have to do along with the hamstrings.

How To Do The Stiff-Leg Deadlift

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAH6-jJ1GuY

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart holding a barbell in an overhand grip (palms facing you). Your knees should be slightly bent and the aim is to maintain this slight degree of flex throughout the movement.

Bend at your hips and lower the barbell, keeping your back straight. Lower until you feel the stretch in your hamstrings and glutes, and then slowly straighten back up. Keep the bar close to your body throughout and avoid jerky movements – keep it slow and controlled.

Stiff-Leg Deadlift Variations

Stiff-leg deadlift with dumbbells

Switch out the barbell for two dumbbells and keep the form the same. Using dumbbells can increase your range of motion and will help to iron out any imbalances in the muscles on either side of your body.

Stiff single-leg deadlift

This is a great exercise for runners and people who play team sports because it trains your legs individually in the manner they are used when running – you’re not moving forward with two-footed leaps, right? You can use a barbell, or two dumbbells, or even just one dumbbell but whichever you opt for, keep the weight fairly light. Start in the normal stiff-leg deadlift position, holding your chosen weight in front of your thighs. Then bend forwards, taking one leg off the ground behind you as you lower the weight. Keep the raised leg straight. Once you feel the stretch in the hamstring of your grounded leg, bring the weight back up and the raised leg back down.

reprinted from coachmag.co.uk

Form Friday | Dumbbell Swing

Dumbbell Swing is a movement that is regarded by many fitness trainers as a full body exercise. It builds the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, calves, lower back, abdominals, front and rear shoulders, upper back and traps.

Dumbbell Swing is a great exercise for sports that require coordination of different muscle groups. A good example would be the jump shot in basketball. During the jump you transition from the hips, glutes, legs, calves toward the lower back, upper back and shoulders when you release the shot.

link to video: https://youtu.be/I5y9won2LCQ

Dumbbell Swing How To

• Grab the handle of a barbell with both hands and stand in a wider than shoulder width position.
• Tighten your core; inhale and initiate the downward swing by bending at the hips then knees and dropping back at the glutes.
• The dumbbell should swing between your legs and your arms in a straight position.
• Exhale then swing the dumbbell upward by extending the hips, knees and flexing the calf muscles to bring the dumbbell up over your hard. Keep your arms straight at all times.
• Allow the dumbbell to swing down by following the same path to the starting position between your legs.
• Repeat the movement until you have completed the targeted number of reps.

Form and Technique

It is important that you do not initiate the downward swing by bending forward with your lower back and your knees rolling over your feet.

Think about assuming the same position when doing T-Bar Rows. Your body is angled forward by bending at the hips.

Use your legs to drive the dumbbell to shoulder level. If you want a more challenging movement, then complete the transition by flexing your calf muscles so the dumbbell can continue its ascent above your head.

Keep your core tight at all times. Visualize pulling your rib cage toward your stomach to keep the start position tight.

reprinted from exercises.com.au

Form Friday | Calf Raise

The calves are often ignored when it comes to weight training, but they’re an instrumental part of daily life—from walking and running to jumping and reaching. For sedentary and lightly active people, calf muscles can be overactive (tight) due to a lack of flexibility training. To avoid exacerbating the issue, it’s important to remember to stretch or foam roll both before and after training.

With proper stretching, standing calf raises can be a beneficial part of regular strength training. Strong calf muscles contribute to overall stability, reduce stress on the Achilles tendon, and give the lower leg a defined appearance.

Benefits
Standing calf raises activate the two muscles that run down the back of the lower leg: the gastrocnemius and soleus. These muscles are integral in ankle flexion and extension, propelling running and jumping. The gastrocnemius also works in tandem with hamstrings to control knee flexion, while the soleus maintains proper balance and pumps blood from your leg back up to your heart. When weak, the calf muscles more easily cramp, strain, and even tear, making walking and running difficult.

Calf raises are an easy, low-impact method for strengthening the gastrocnemius and soleus. Strong calf muscles result in better stability and balance, decreased risk of ankle and knee injuries, and better agility when running and jumping. Once strengthened, the fast-twitch muscle fibers of the gastrocnemius allow more rapid, explosive movement, making this a great exercise for amateurs and athletes alike.

How To Do a Calf Raise

Standing calf raises are an easy exercise to perform at home, at the gym, or when traveling. Use dumbbells, kettlebells, or even gallons of milk to add weight to your raises.

• Hold weights of the same size at your sides with your arms slack
  
  
• Spread feet shoulder-width apart, then slowly raise your heels, keeping your knees extended (but not locked). Pause for one second.
  
  
• Slowly lower your heels back to the ground.
  
  
• Repeat 10-30 times.

Common Mistakes
Calf raises may seem simple enough, but there are still a few common mistakes to be made.

Forgetting to Stretch
Stretching is perhaps the most important component of calf exercises as it prevents cramping and reduced flexibility. Spending five to 10 minutes stretching before weight training is always recommended.

Going Too Fast
A controlled tempo is necessary to see the full benefits of standing calf raises. Performing the movement too quickly isn’t effective—it’s best to raise and lower your heels slowly to see increased strength and aesthetic improvement.

Folding Forward
To stay properly balanced while performing calf raises, keep your chest up and stand tall. Leaning too far forward redistributes both your own body weight and the weight of your dumbbells, which can cause back pain and reduce the effectiveness of the exercise.

Too Few Reps
Because standing calf raises are an isolated exercise with a small range of motion, it’s recommended to perform a higher number of repetitions to maximize the move. The sweet spot on reps depends on the amount of weight you’re using, but between 10 and 30 is a good place to start.

Rotating Feet
Turning your feet in or out while performing calf raises isn’t necessarily wrong, but it does target different muscles. For an overall calf workout, keep your toes pointing straight forward.

Modifications and Variations

Need a Modification?
To make calf raises easier, try performing them without weights and/or hold on to a chair or the wall to help stabilize yourself. You can also perform calf raises seated, although this method only works the soleus muscle. Grip dumbbells and set them just below your knees, then lift your heels the same way you would for a standing calf raise.

Up for a Challenge?
If you’re ready to take this move to the next level, try increasing the weight or using a barbell instead. You can also increase the range of motion by using a step or stair to allow your heels to drop further into the eccentric part of the exercise. Lastly, a challenging way to progress this motion is by doing box jumps—using only the muscles in your calves, jump onto a very short step (2 inches is a good place to start). Step back down and repeat.

Safety and Precautions
Calf raises are generally safe for all populations, but if you’ve recently endured a lower-body injury, talk to your doctor before performing this exercise.To prevent injury, focus on moving slowly, keeping a soft bend in the knees, and pushing shoulders back to prevent rounding in the back. If you experience pain, stop the exercise and consult your doctor. 

reprinted from verwellfit.com

Form Friday | Russian Twist

The Russian twist is a simple and effective way to tone your core, shoulders, and hips. It’s a popular exercise among athletes since it helps with twisting movements and allows you to quickly change direction.

It’s also ideal for anyone looking to tone their midsection, get rid of love handles, and develop that all-important core strength, which helps with balance, posture, and movement. Plus, it’s easy to learn!



How to do a traditional Russian twist

Here are a few pointers to keep in mind as you get started:

• For beginners, press your feet into the floor or extend them straight out as you get a feel for the movement.
• Breathe steadily and deeply. Exhale with each twist, and inhale to return to the center.
• As you twist, keep your arms parallel to the floor or reach down to tap the floor beside you.
• Engage your abdominal and back muscles throughout the exercise.
• For more stability, cross your lower legs.
• Maintain a straight spine, and avoid slouching or rounding your spine.
• Allow your gaze to follow the movement of your hands.
  
  

How To

• Sit on your sit bones as you lift your feet from the floor, keeping your knees bent.
• Elongate and straighten your spine at a 45-degree angle from the floor, creating a V shape with your torso and thighs.
• Reach your arms straight out in front, interlacing your fingers or clasping your hands together.
• Use your abdominals to twist to the right, then back to center, and then to the left.
• This is 1 repetition. Do 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 repetitions.

Variations on the Russian twist

Weighted twist

• If you don’t have a weight, grab a compact household object that’s at least five pounds.
• Choose a weight that allows you to maintain proper form.
• Hold a dumbbell, weight plate, or medicine ball between both hands.
• Twist the same way as the original variation, keeping the weight at chest level or tapping it to the floor each time.

Leg-cross twists

• As you twist to the right, cross your right calf over your left.
• Uncross as you twist back to the center.
• Cross your left calf over your right as you twist to the left.

Punch twists

• You can do the punching motion with your fists instead of a weight.
• Sit with bent knees and your feet pressing firmly into the floor, holding a dumbbell in each hand next to your chest.
• Sit back slightly, keeping your spine straight.
• Exhale as you twist to the left, punching your right arm over to the left side.
• Inhale back to center, and then do the opposite side.
• This is 1 repetition.

Decline twists

• Sit on a decline bench with your hands together or holding a weight.
• Twist in the same way as the original version.
  
  

reprinted from healthline.com

Form Friday | Glute Bridge

Spending all day sitting behind a desk is a surefire shortcut to weak glutes and lower back problems. The impulse is often to sit too far forward, which causes your hip flexors to become tight and also results in the glutes effectively switching off. Activating them as part of your training program does wonders not only for your physique but for your structural health.

How to Perform a Glute Bridge

Lie face up on the floor, with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Keep your arms at your side with your palms down.

Lift your hips off the ground until your knees, hips and shoulders form a straight line. Squeeze those glutes hard and keep your abs drawn in so you don’t overextend your back during the exercise.

Hold your bridged position for a couple of seconds before easing back down.

Aim for two sets of ten bridges, two to three times a week, either as part of a wider bodyweight workout or on their own, if all you really care about is your derrière.


Benefits Of The Glute Bridge

You should feel the burn in your glutes and your hamstrings if you’re doing it correctly. The bridge is also great for improving hip mobility and strengthening your lower back, two things that any desk-bound worker can really benefit from.

Variations

There are plenty of worthwhile variations to the glute bridge that don’t require any gym equipment. The best place to start is with the single-leg glute bridge, which halves the number of grounded legs to double the difficulty.

Lie on your back and bend your knees so your feet rest flat on the floor. Then raise one leg until it is stretched out straight. Brace yourself, then drive the heel of the foot still grounded into the floor and push your hips up until your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to the toes of your outstretched foot. Slowly lower yourself again, then repeat on the same side. Aim for ten reps on one leg, then switch to the other.

Form Friday | Upright Row

The upright row is considered one of the best muscle builders for the back and shoulders, but it is also regarded as potentially dangerous for the shoulders. This is a lift that requires perfect form for the best results and to avoid injury. It is generally performed by bodybuilders, but also used in boot camps and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) classes using dumbbells, kettlebells, or barbells.

Benefits
The upright row exercises the front and middle heads of the deltoids, as well as the trapezius, rhomboids, and even the biceps muscles. It is very good at growing these muscles. 



Step-by-Step Instructions
When using a barbell, the "wavy" EZ curl bar makes this exercise a little easier on the wrist joints.

Stand with legs at a comfortable distance apart—shoulder-width is about right.

Grasp a barbell or dumbbells and allow it to hang in front of you at the length of your arms.

Your palms should be facing your body.

Standing up straight, adjust your grip so that your hands are about in line with the thighs.

Shoulder-width apart (no closer) is recommended for wrist and shoulder safety.

Breathe in and brace the abdominals, keep the back straight, chest up, and eyes focused forward.

Lift the barbell straight up toward the chin, leading with the elbows and keeping the bar close to the body. Breathe out during the effort. Your arms should go no higher than parallel with the shoulders. Slightly less is OK.

Pause at the top of the lift.

Return the barbell back to the starting position, breathing in as you lower it.

Repeat the move for your defined number of repetitions.

Common Mistakes

Avoid these errors so you get the most from this exercise and avoid strain or injury.

Elbow Position
While lifting, keep your elbows above the level of your forearms. Don't raise the arms above parallel to avoid shoulder impingement.

Wrist Position
This exercise can strain the wrists, so use only a wide grip (shoulder-width). Keep your wrists supple during the lift, allowing them to flex as needed. Try to keep the wrists from moving down or to the side during the lift.

Back and Torso
Keep the torso stationary and your abs braced throughout the lift—no turning or twisting. Keep your back straight, with the chest up and eyes focused ahead. Do not squat down and up after the initial pose. No movement in the legs should occur.

Too Heavy of Weight
Do not lift heavy with this exercise unless you are experienced and trust your shoulder joints.3 Shoulder impingement has been reported with excessive weight or poor form. The shoulder joint is a very complex mechanism and injuries to it can severely impact your exercise goals and can be slow to heal.

Modifications and Variations
This exercise can be adjusted to make it more accessible to the beginner and to increase the effort needed as you build strength. Using a barbell is best as you develop your technique. Other options include dumbbells or a cable pulley machine.

Need a Modification?
Look for an EZ-curl bar that allows you to grip the barbell at slight angles to help reduce the strain on the wrists from the angle at the top of the lift.

If you're new to the upright row, start with a barbell with no weight.4 This will give you a chance to experience the lift, learning the movement and the positioning throughout. Add weight gradually, and don't add too much weight before your shoulders are ready.

Up for a Challenge?

Increase the weight lifted cautiously. It is generally recommended that you switch to other exercises to develop these muscles. Use dumbbells only if you know how to do this exercise correctly. The dumbbell lateral raise in a slightly bent-over position is preferred.

Safety and Precautions

The American College of Sports Medicine and the National Federation of Professional Trainers both say this exercise should be avoided by people of all levels of fitness.5 If you choose to use it, be sure you are being coached to use perfect posture and form. Whenever working the shoulder area muscles, care must be taken to avoid injuring the shoulders. Avoid heavy weights with this exercise. If pain or inflammation occurs, cease the exercise.

reprinted in part from verywellfit.com

Form Friday | Side Kick

The side kick works all the major lower body muscle groups, particularly the quads, glutes and outer thighs. Side kicks also automatically use the muscles of our core. We call this reactive core training, where our core gets stronger because the side kick forces these muscles to automatically respond.

Stand with your back straight, abs engaged, shoulders relaxed, elbows bent, hands in fists, feet together, and hands up in front of your chin as in in "defense." Keep your arms up at all times. Bend your knees and lean (from the waist) toward the right.

Breathe deeply, shifting your weight into your right foot to prepare to kick your left leg. A proper kick should string together four phases: 1) Lift your left knee up while abducting your leg (away from the midline of your body), knee and shoe laces pointing in front of you. 2) Without moving your thigh, straighten your left knee to kick an imaginary target on your left. 3) Without moving your thigh, bend your knee again. 4) Lower your foot back down to the floor. Repeat side kicks on this leg OR alternate legs after each kick (not pictured). After several repetitions on this leg, switch sides.

Keep your abs engaged, the knee of your standing leg slightly bent, and find a focal point in front of you to aid in balancing. You will lean slightly to the right when kicking to the left, but keep your back straight. Make sure your knee does not lock when you extend your leg. Kick lower to the floor to decrease intensity or higher to increase intensity. Slow down or speed up depending on your fitness level.

Form Friday | Hammer Curl

The dumbbell curl is one of the most commonly performed exercises for the upper body. The hammer curl is a simple variation of the biceps curl that helps to target additional muscles in the upper and lower arm for greater definition and increased strength. Many believe that this exercise can also help to increase wrist stability and improve your grip strength.

While this exercise is almost always performed with a dumbbell, it can also be performed with cables or bands if a dumbbell is not available. Other typical bicep curl equipment such as a barbell or kettlebell would not be appropriate for this exercise because of the wrist rotation that is necessary.

Benefits
The biceps or biceps brachii is often considered a vanity muscle because they are easily apparent on the front of the body. Men and women looking to get a muscular appearance often target these muscles to get a more athletic look. Other vanity muscles include the pectorals (chest), deltoids (shoulders), trapezius (back) and, of course, the abdominals. But there are other benefits to having strong biceps.

The biceps brachii is an elbow flexor—meaning that it is responsible for the bending movement at the elbow joint so that the lower arm moves closer to the shoulder. It also helps to rotate (supinate) the forearm.

In everyday movements, strong biceps help you to lift and carry heavy objects. These muscles also help with movements like closing a door or pulling objects toward or across your body.

The hammer curl is just one way to build stronger biceps muscles. The traditional biceps curl is the most common exercise used to strengthen this muscle. A barbell curl and preacher curl are variations of the exercise that also work the biceps.

How to do a Hammer Curl



Before you include the hammer curl in your exercise routine, you should have some experience lifting weights. If you are new to this or any weight training exercise, try the movements without weight (or with very little weight) to get comfortable with the movement. You can also work with a fitness trainer to get tips and advice.

To prepare for the exercise, stand with your shoulders relaxed and arms at your sides. Practice good posture by keeping the feet parallel with ankles and knees aligned under the hips. Your legs should be straight but not stiff or locked. Engage the abdominal muscles throughout the exercise to prevent movement through the lower back as you lift and lower your weights.

Place one dumbbell in each hand. Rotate the hands so that the palms face the thighs. By doing so, you'll notice that the thumbs face forward.
Keeping the elbows in a fixed position, flex (bend) at the elbow so the lower arms lift up and toward the shoulders. Keep the shoulders relaxed as you work. Keep your grip firms and wrists in line with the forearm.
At the top of the movement, thumbs will be close to the shoulders, palms facing in toward the midline of the body.
Lower the weights to the starting position.

When first starting out, you may want to try two sets of 7–10 reps each. As you get stronger and more flexible, add repetitions first. Then add more weight.

Common Mistakes
There are a few common blunders that are often seen when performing the hammer curl.

Using Momentum
Exercisers often use a swinging motion to lift their weights during hammer curls or traditional biceps curls. You can tell if you're using momentum if you start the exercise by leaning forward slightly and bringing the weights behind your hips. These movements help you to "wind up" for the workload.

Unfortunately using momentum decreases your ability to build strength with this exercise. Swinging motions may also put you at higher risk for injury because you lose control when momentum takes over. It is not uncommon for exercisers to arch their lower backs if they swing during a curl.

Curling Too Fast
The hammer curl employs a relatively small range of motion. So it's easy to rush through this exercise and use quick movements, especially during the lowering phase. But you shortchange yourself when you rush.

Experts generally recommend that your concentric or shortening phase (when you lift the weight) should last about two breaths. The eccentric phase or lengthening phase (when you lower the weight) should also last about two breaths. Taking time on the way up and on the way down gives you time to control the movements and focus on form. Slowing your movements also adds a slight challenge because you have to engage the muscles for a longer period of time.

Curling too fast may be a sign that you are not lifting enough weight. Try adding a few pounds to see if that helps you to focus and challenge the muscles.

Floating Elbows
It's easy to allow the elbows to float away from the body during a curl. Moving the elbows allows you to engage other muscles, such as the deltoids (shoulder) to lift the weight. But the more you engage other muscles, the less you target the biceps.

Try to keep the elbows in a stable, fixed position and concentrate on moving the lower arm only during your hammer curl. If you are unable to lift the weight without moving the elbow, you are lifting too much weight.

reprinted from verywellfit.com

Form Friday | Front Kick

Front Kicks are a standing cardio exercise that increase your heart rate and stretches your hamstrings and glutes. Taken from cardio kickboxing this move provides a low-impact option with cardiovascular benefits. If you are looking for another way to increase your heart rate without all the jumping around, you should learn how to do Front Kicks. How does it work? Your legs are heavy. Lifting them over and over at a fast pace gets your heart rate up. It’s as simple as that!

There are a few things to consider before doing Front Kicks. You should be sure to keep your kicks low until you feel sufficiently warmed up. If you kick too high, too soon, you may pull a hamstring. Once you feel warm, you can begin to move them higher and faster for a higher heart rate. Front Kicks are also a great way to strengthen your core muscles. In order to get your legs to lift you naturally engage your core, but by focusing more intently on pulling the core in you will be able to move your legs more quickly and higher for a better result.

Don’t worry too much about having perfectly straight legs on this move. Most people have tight hamstrings and need a little bit of a bend in the knee. Even if you bend your knee more than a little, this is still a worthwhile move for you to try. Use it as part of any cardio workout for a change of pace to the usual jumping jacks, or insert some front kicks into your weight lifting routine to keep your heart rate up in between sets.



What Muscles Do Front Kicks Work
Front Kicks are an awesome low-impact cardio exercise that work your legs and core while giving you a great cardiovascular move that gets your heart rate up anytime, anywhere.

Benefits of Front Kicks
There are many reasons you should incorporate Front Kicks into your workouts. Here are just a few:

Cardio Boost
You can choose your effort level in front kicks, but no matter how you do them you are going to get a great cardio workout. The best part is that this is low impact. No stress on your joints or connective tissue. Just kick and the harder and faster you move, the more results you will feel (just make sure you don’t kick higher than your body is capable and injure your hamstring).

Work Your Lower Body and Core
Your legs are working and they will feel this move! Same goes for your glutes. But the surprise might be that your core has to tighten up to hold your posture tall while you are kicking.

Hamstring Stretch
While you should be careful not to kick higher than you are able, it is pretty remarkable how great this move is for stretching your hamstrings. While many leg exercises cause tightness, this one actually stretches you out.

reprinted from gethealthyu.com

Form Friday | Jumping Jacks

Jumping Jacks are a simple, easy-to-do move, and a great way to fit in cardio anywhere and anytime! This is a calisthenics workout, which means it’s great for cardiovascular health and boosting your metabolism. Getting your heart rate up is the number one way to burn fat, and learning how to do Jumping Jacks is a great total-body exercise for accomplishing that very thing!

How To Do Jumping Jacks

Start standing up with your legs together, a slight bend in knees, and hands resting on thighs.

Keeping the knees bent, open the arms and legs out to the sides. Arms come above the head and legs wider than shoulders.

Close your arms and legs back to your sides, returning to your start.

What Muscles Do Jumping Jacks Work?

Jumping Jacks is a cardiovascular exercise that engages every large muscle group in your body, especially when you keep your core engaged to fire up the abdominal and back muscles. You won’t just be burning fat—you’ll be toning muscle too! Just be sure to keep a brisk pace to keep your heart rate up and maintain the aerobic benefits of this exercise.

Benefits of Jumping Jacks
There are many reasons you should incorporate jumping jacks into your workouts. Here are just a few:

Cardio Exercise At Home
The cardio benefits of Jumping Jacks are amazing, but even better is the fact that you can do this move right at home. No need to go to a gym or head into bad weather, just find some space and get moving. Some short burst of moves like jumping jacks can be mixed with things like squats and push-ups to get a full workout in right at home.

Warm Up Your Shoulders
It might seem strange to say about a cardio exercise, but the truth is that the movement of your arms during a Jumping Jack provides a great stretch for your shoulders. This is one of the reasons you also find jumping jacks used during a warm up for other workouts.

High Intensity Interval Benefits
No matter how you look at it, jumping jacks are going to get you breathing heavy! Jumping jacks can be done in a variety of ways and even stay low impact, but the harder you push, the higher your heart rate. You can use them to reach your anaerobic state meaning breathing only through your mouth and needing a break after about 20-30 seconds! If regular Jumping Jacks don’t get you working hard enough, just add a few power jacks by lifting your feet up at you open your legs! Need low impact? Bend your knees and step out right and left instead of jumping.

reprinted from gethealthyu.com

Proper form does more than just make people look good, it’s highly beneficial, nay essential. It’s the reason you hear commentators during sporting events talk so much about technique and practice, because it makes a massive difference in performance and separates the bad, mediocre, good, and great. To clarify why, here’s 5 major reasons to spend some time focusing on proper form.

1. Avoiding Injuries
The primary reason for proper form in exercise is injury prevention. With weights, you’re putting greater stress on your muscles, joints, and tendons than they’re used to handling. Your body is a big kinetic chain, with every part linked together. So, if one part is out of alignment, the rest risks breaking down.

If your squat or dead-lift form is off, you risk major injury to your lower back. If your bench technique is off, you can damage your wrists and pectoral muscles. If you aren’t careful with abdominal exercises, it can lead to lower back and neck pain.

It’s a major reason we coaches preach technique so much; to avoid our people from getting injured.

2. Effectiveness
Think about when you hear a strange noise with your car, you know that something is off, out of alignment, and you’re certain it’s affecting your car’s performance. It’s the same with your body.

If you’re bending too much, reaching too far forward, too far backward, have knees or wrists in the wrong places, you’re not able to get a full lift. Proper form allows for a more complete extension and contraction of muscles with consistent tension and range of motion – which allows for better output.

3. Reaching Your Goals
This plays off the previous one. If you’re getting better output, it will create better results. If you see exercise as a mathematical formula, better technique multiples results rather than simply adding, creating a larger after effect – i.e. more results which will get you to your goals faster.

If your goals are essentially to get stronger, better form, as I said previously, allows for better extension and contraction of muscles, which allows for a more complete lift, creating better muscle development.

4. Less Waste
With bad technique, such as bending or leaning too low or far back, you’re expending more energy than necessary. It inadvertently becomes wasted motion. Hopefully, you properly fuel yourself before an intense workout, so you don’t risk tiring yourself out before you’ve even started.
An easy analogy is driving a car. If you know you need to get somewhere yet occasionally take what you think is a shortcut because it’s more familiar, it might in fact, take more time and waste gas trying to get you where you need to be.

5. Breathing
You’d think this would be the easy one, right? Unfortunately, bad technique can affect your breathing. Your muscles need oxygen to move weight, it’s why you huff and puff after lifting weights, because your muscles want more oxygen. Timing your breathing can be essential to getting more out of your workouts.

A simple guideline to follow, is to breathe OUT as you exert yourself (as pressure can build up this allows you to let it off), and breathe IN as you lower the weight allowing your muscles to bring fresh oxygen in before lifting again. For my clients I always count their reps so they can focus on breathing rather than counting, and usually remind them to breathe in and out as they do so.

Proper technique is essential to reaching your goals. It makes sure you don’t hurt yourself while getting the most out of the exercises you do.If you find that some exercises are difficult for you and easy for others, it could be technique. Reach out to improve your form, so you can have the best workout possible!

reprinted from myxperiencefitness.com

Form Friday | Bench Press

The bench press builds the muscles of the chest as well as the triceps of the back of the arms and the front deltoid shoulder muscles. You can do this exercise with barbells, dumbbells, or with a Smith machine, which constrains the path of the barbell and makes the exercise a little easier. You will often learn the bench press in a strength training program. Beginners should try lifts without weight on the bar to warm up, get a feel for the bar, and learn to do it with good form. You can use it regularly as part of an upper body workout for strength and muscle development.

Benefits
The bench press is a compound exercise that involves the pectoralis major of the chest, the anterior deltoids of the shoulder, and the triceps brachii of the upper arm. It builds strength as well as encourages the growth of these muscles. Muscle growth is not only desired by bodybuilders, but also for anybody over age 40 when age-related muscle loss is a concern.1 It is a functional exercise that helps you with any daily activities that require pushing or carrying. The bench press can help restore muscle balance for athletes that primarily use pulling muscles, such as in wrestling, rock climbing, and swimming. The barbell bench press is a competitive lift in the sport of powerlifting, with the other two being the deadlift and squat. If you're training for competition powerlifting, you should contact a professional coach for personal instruction.



Step-by-Step Instructions

If you don't use the specialized bench press rack, a standard flat bench can be used with dumbbells or a light barbell. Or, you can use a Smith machine. Select the appropriate weights. Beginners and those lifting heavy weights should get the assistance of a "spotter" who stands behind the rack and assists with the bar when you have trouble lifting.

Lie flat on the bench under the rack that holds the bar. Your eyes should be approximately aligned with the front of the barbell rack uprights. Butt, shoulders, and head should be flat on the bench with a slight (neutral) bend in the spine. Feet should be flat on the floor and relatively wide apart.
Grasp the bar with your thumbs on the outside of your closed fist, overhand grip, with arms slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. The angle of the upper arms should be at about 45 degrees to the body.
Remove the barbell from the rack and lock the elbows out before lowering the bar to the chest at the nipple line. Don't move the bar in an arc from the rack directly to the chest position. With the Smith machine, you can't do this; the path is restricted.
Take a deep breath and raise the bar to above the chest with arms extended, exhaling while you push upward and aiming consistently at the same spot on the ceiling. Don't watch the bar; focus on the ceiling.
Return the bar to just above the chest and repeat the exercise. Three sets of 10 reps is a suggested number.

To finish, replace the bar on the rack from the locked out position. Move the bar backward gradually until you feel the rack uprights, then lower the bar to the rack rest. Do not try to hit the rack rests directly. If you miss, you can lose control, which can be dangerous.

Common Mistakes
Bench pressing can be dangerous. Be sure to avoid these errors.

Low Bar
Make sure the path of the bar is not low over the mouth and neck region when unracking or racking the bar. That means you should move the weight "from" and "to" the rack from an arms-extended position and not low across the neck and face.

Width of Grip
The grip on the bar should normally be wide enough so that the elbow joints are at least at right angles and the forearms in a perpendicular plane. If your grip is too wide and your elbows are too flared out you risk injuring your pectoral muscles.

Locking Elbows Suddenly
You can "lock-out" your elbows, contrary to some safety advice that is generally misguided. Just make sure you don't lock them out suddenly or explosively.

Thumb Position
The hand grip should be overhand and feature the thumbs placed under the bar and across the top of the fingers. Don't place the thumbs behind the bar or locked beneath the fingers.

Pushing Head Into Bench
Keep your head flat on the bench and feet flat on the floor for stability, but don't push your head into the bench to assist the lift; firm up the neck muscles instead.

Arched Back and Lifted Buttocks
Your buttocks should remain flat on the bench. Do not emulate the powerlifter style of arching your back so much that your buttocks lift off the bench. This can result in low back pain.

Modifications and Variations

Need a Modification?
If you are not at ease with feet on the floor because of short legs, use blocks or weight plates under the feet to boost height rather than placing legs on the bench, which reduces stability.

If you have any concerns about shoulder joint stability, don't lower the bar so far that the top part of the arm falls much below parallel.

Up for a Challenge?
Once you are able to perform the bench press safely with good form for three sets of 10 reps, you can begin to add weight. Each week, add 2.5 pounds to each side of the bar (5 pounds total addition per week). Do not add more weight until you are able to lift that weight with good form.

Variations include inclining or declining the bench to emphasize the upper or lower chest muscles. Lifting from an include emphasizes the anterior deltoids of the shoulder. Lifting from a decline emphasizes the pectoralis major.

Once you are experienced with the bench press, you can vary the grip for different effects. A slightly wider grip will increase the use of the pectorals. A narrower grip will increase the use of the triceps.

Safety and Precautions

If you have any injury to your shoulders, you should avoid the bench press. If you feel any shoulder pain during the bench press, replace the weights and end the exercise.

If you are bench pressing a heavy weight, do so only with the assistance of a spotter. It is also good to use a power rack, which has bars on either side set at the level of your chest. If your lift fails, the bars will prevent the barbell from crushing your chest.

reprinted from Verywellfit.com

Form Friday | Tricep Dip

The triceps dip exercise is a great bodyweight exercise that builds arm and shoulder strength. This simple exercise can be done almost anywhere and has many variations to match your fitness level. Use it as part of an upper body strength workout.

Benefits
The triceps dip is one of the most effective exercises for activating the triceps muscles in your upper arm. Additionally, you must activate your core as you hold your hips off the ground. The triceps are used for pushing, and you will engage them in any daily activities that require pushing. As well, you want to keep your body in balance. If you participate in sports that use a lot of pulling action, you want to maintain strength in your triceps as well.



Step-by-Step Instructions
Find a stable chair, bench, or step.

1. Sit on the edge of the chair and grip the edge next to your hips. Your fingers should be pointed at your feet. Your legs are extended and your feet should be about hip-width apart with the heels touching the ground. Look straight ahead with your chin up.

2. Press into your palms to lift your body and slide forward just far enough that your behind clears the edge of the chair.

3. Lower yourself until your elbows are bent between 45 and 90 degrees.

4. Slowly push yourself back up to the start position and repeat. Control the movement throughout the range of motion.

5. Begin with 10 repetitions and work up to 25 repetitions over several weeks.

Common Mistakes
Avoid these errors so you get the most from this exercise and avoid injury.

High Shoulders: Keep your shoulders down, away from your ears. You need to maintain a long line of your neck throughout the movement.

Dipping Too Low: Pay attention to the strain on your shoulders. Don't go any lower if you begin to feel a heavy strain. Otherwise, you risk a possible shoulder injury.

Locking Elbows: Don't lock your elbows at the top of the movement. Keeping them slightly soft maintains tension on the triceps.

Leaning Forward: If you lean forward, you will be exercising your chest rather than your triceps. Maintain a straight line without any forward lean.

Modifications and Variations
You can vary the triceps dip in several ways to make it more or less difficult.

Need a Modification?

If you can't do 10 repetitions of the exercise, you can modify the chair dip to decrease the intensity. You can do the dips with bent knees for the easiest variation.

Limit how far you lower your hips to decrease the amount of effort used during the exercise. As you get stronger, increase the range of motion and number of repetitions. Over time, as you build strength, you will be able to do the full chair dip. For a complete upper body workout, add the basic push up.

Up for a Challenge?
You can increase the intensity by using two chairs or two sturdy benches. In this version, you will be lifting more of your body weight:

1. Place the chairs facing each other, about 3 feet apart.

2. Sit on the edge of one chair and grip the edge of the chair with your hands.

3. Place your heels on the edge of the other chair and hold yourself up using your triceps.

4. Slide forward just far enough that your behind clears the edge of the chair, then lower yourself until your elbows are bent between 45 and 90 degrees.

5. Slowly push yourself back up to the start position and repeat. Control the movement throughout the range of motion.

6. Begin with 10 repetitions and work up to 25 repetitions over several weeks.


You can also make this exercise more difficult by crossing one ankle over the opposite knee while dipping.

The intense version of the dip is done using parallel bars or a set of rings. In this version, you will be lifting the entire weight of your body with no support other than your arms.

1. Use an overhand grip to hold onto the rails or rings with straight arms. Contract your core and take your full body weight onto your arms, bending your knees so your feet are off the ground.

2. Bend your elbows and lower your body slowly. Begin by lowering for two seconds or as low as you can go without great discomfort in your shoulders.

3. Pause in the low position for a second or two.

4. Press back up to the upright position.

5. Repeat 10 to 12 times.

6. End by straightening your legs to stand up.

For the most intense version of the triceps dip, perform it on parallel bars with a weight attached to a weight belt.

Safety and Precautions
The exercise can stress the elbows and shoulders, so if you have any joint pain, you may want to use the pushup exercise to build strength in the triceps and shoulder. If you have shoulder problems, you may want to avoid this exercise.

reprinted from verywellfit.com

Form Friday | Lunge

Form Friday | Lunge

If you’ve ever knelt down to tie your shoe or seen someone propose on a bended knee, you’re familiar with the lunge. A lunge is a single-leg bodyweight exercise that works your hips, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and core and the hard-to-reach muscles of your inner thighs.

Lunges can help you develop lower-body strength and endurance. They’re also a great beginner move. When done correctly, lunges can effectively target your lower-body muscles without placing added strain on your joints.

While studies on this quintessential exercise are limited, we did dig up a study on swimmers. In 2015, researchers figured out that those who warmed up with either squats or lunges had faster swimming times — not too shabby for such a simple exercise.Trusted Source

How to do a forward lunge

Ready to take the lunge? Master the move by following the steps below from personal trainer Greg Nieratka and the Claremore Rec team. Then keep reading to learn how to fix common mistakes and try some variations.



1. Stand tall with feet hip-width apart. Engage your core.

2. Take a big step forward with right leg. Start to shift your weight forward so heel hits the floor first.

3. Lower your body until right thigh is parallel to the floor and right shin is vertical. It’s OK if knee shifts forward a little as long as it doesn’t go past right toe. If mobility allows, lightly tap left knee to the floor while keeping weight in right heel.

4. Press into right heel to drive back up to starting position.

5. Repeat on the other side.


Common mistakes and how to fix them

-Tightrope lunge - Sure, lunges will challenge your balance, but there’s no reason to make it extra hard on yourself by narrowing your stance. Avoid bringing your front foot directly in line with your back foot, as if you’re walking on a tightrope. “This dramatically reduces stability,” Nieratka explains.

The fix: Start with feet hip-width apart and maintain that gap as you step.

-Heel pop- We hate to break it to you, but “pop, lock, and drop it” should be reserved exclusively for the dance floor. When it comes to lunging, you’ll want to step forward enough so that your front heel won’t pop off the floor.

“If your step is too shallow, your knee will travel forward past your foot, which puts unnecessary stress and strain on the knee,” Nieratka says.

The fix: Take a larger step, plant your heel, and drive it into the floor to return to starting position.

-Upper-body drop- With a forward lunge, it’s OK to, well, shift your weight forward. But beware of bending at the hip and letting your upper body drop, which will put added strain on your knee.

“This is especially important if you are doing a lunge under load or with a weight,” Nieratka says. If your chest falls, you run the risk of losing balance, falling, or even dropping the weight on yourself — ouch!

The fix: Engage your core. Think about pulling your belly button toward your spine. Also, keep your eyes forward instead of looking down.

Forward lunge variations

Once you master proper form, you can add weight to make it more challenging — and rewarding. “The weight can be a barbell, one or two dumbbells, a kettlebell, or really any object you have at home,” says Nieratka.

Water bottles or a jug of laundry detergent totally counts too. Or try these lunge variations to switch up your routine.
Reverse Lunge- Go easy on your knees with this lunge. Stand with feet hip-width apart, engage your core, and take a big step backward.

Activate your glutes as you bend front knee to lower your body so back knee lightly taps the floor while keeping upper body upright. Drive front heel into the floor to return to starting position. Repeat on the other side.

Walking Lunge - Perform a forward lunge and walk it out. At the low point of the lunge, instead of returning to starting position, shift your weight forward and drive front heel into the floor.

Rise up as you bring back foot forward to meet front foot. Reset feet to hip width. Repeat on the other side as you continue to move forward.

Lateral lunge - From starting position, take a big step to the right with right foot, keeping toes forward and feet flat on the floor. Send hips back, shift weight into right heel, and extend arms in front of you for balance. Push off right heel to return to starting position, then repeat on the other side.

Curtsy lunge- With hands on hips and feet wider than hip-width apart, step left leg behind right leg. Bend right knee, engage glutes, and lower until right thigh is parallel to the floor. Lightly tap left knee to the floor. Drive right foot into the floor to rise to starting position. Repeat on the other side.

Split lunge jump - Stand with feet hip-width apart. Instead of stepping, jump into a forward lunge position with right foot forward. Drive right heel into the floor to explosively jump up.

Switch legs in midair so you land with left leg forward. Immediately lower into a lunge on the other side. For momentum, pump arms as if you’re running.

reprinted from greatist.com

Form Friday | Overhead Press

The dumbbell overhead press increases strength throughout the shoulders and engages the core for stability.1 It can be done in either a sitting or standing position, and with dumbbells held horizontally at the shoulders or rotated in a hammer grip. A sitting position helps stabilize the back, while a standing position works a wider range of muscles. Beginners should pick a light weight to start, increasing it until you find a weight that you can lift with good form for 10 repetitions but feel fatigued at the final rep. Women might start with 5-pound dumbbells and men with 10-pound dumbbells. You can use this exercise in any upper body strength workout.

Benefits
This exercise works all aspects of the deltoid muscle of the shoulder. While you can do an overhead press with an exercise machine or barbell, dumbbells offer some unique benefits. In using a dumbbell you have more activation of the anterior (front) deltoid than when using a barbell.

You can also identify whether you have an imbalance in your shoulder strength. When performing it standing you will be challenging your core muscles to stabilize you during the press.2 In daily life, you may need to place objects on shelves above your head (or your luggage in the overhead compartment on a plane) and this exercise will build strength to do it safely.



How to 
- Stand upright and keep the back straight.

- Hold a dumbbell in each hand at the shoulders with an overhand grip. Thumbs should be on the inside and knuckles facing up.

- Raise the weights above the head in a controlled motion while exhaling. Pause at the top of the motion.

 -Return the dumbbells to the shoulders while inhaling.

- Repeat for eight to 12 repetitions as desired.

Option: Alternate arms, pressing up with one and then the other, instead of both arms at once.

Common Mistakes
To get the most out of this exercise, avoid these errors.

Flared Elbows Don't point your elbows straight out from your sides as this will put stress on your rotator cuff muscles.

Locked Elbows Locking your elbows when you reach the top of your lift will transfer tension from your deltoids to your triceps, which aren't the target.

Shoulder Position For added stability, keep the shoulder blades down and back during the press.

Pressing Too Fast Don't push up explosively. Press slowly and smoothly. Control the motion of the weights, and don't allow them to stray too far forward or back during the push. Try to keep them slotted in a path above the head.

Arching Back For safety, keep your back straight at all times and avoid arching your lower back too much while raising the dumbbells overhead.3 Excessive arching in the lower back can be a sign that your weight is too heavy. Shift to a lighter weight to practice holding your back in a safe position and build up to the greater weight.

Lowering Dumbbells Too Far During the exercise, lower the dumbbells only to your shoulders before pressing again. If you lower them more you increase the risk of straining your shoulders.

Modifications and Variations
Variations of the overhead press will have different effects on the muscles.

Need a Modification?
While the standing overhead press is a classic move, you can perform an almost identical move while seated. A seated dumbbell overhead press is a better option for individuals who are getting started in strength training or for people with back issues or injuries. To do the exercise, simply sit on a bench (one with a back support is preferable) and follow the same steps.

Up for a Challenge?
Changing how you do this exercise will challenge different aspects of your shoulder muscles. This exercise can be done sitting, standing, with alternating arms, or with a hammer grip in which the palms are turned in toward your face. Using a barbell is an additional option.

Safety and Precautions
If you have a shoulder, neck, or back injury, talk to your doctor or physical therapist to find out whether this exercise is appropriate. It is possible to injure your shoulders when doing this exercise, especially if you are using heavy weights or poor technique. If you feel any pain during the exercise, slowly lower the weights and end the exercise. Only use a weight you can press with good form for 10 repetitions.

reprinted from verywellfit.com

Form Friday | Tricep Extension

For those who subscribe to the philosophy that curls get the girls and bi’s get the guys, triceps are easy to skimp on during a workout. But they’re absolutely critical to your upper body’s overall strength and power. And since the triceps muscle accounts for two-thirds of your upper arm’s overall mass, isolating it is key to gaining size and strength. One of the best movements for accomplishing this is the overhead triceps extension.

The overhead triceps extension should be a key player in every tricep workout. It won’t just help you build strong tris; the move also helps set you up for success in other areas. As Openfit fitness specialist Cody Braun notes that strong triceps “assist the chest and shoulder muscles in many functional pressing movements.” Think: Common weightlifting exercises like the shoulder press and bench press, plus everyday movements like picking up your kids or putting away heavy groceries on high shelves.



How to Do the Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension With Perfect Form
-Stand with your feet staggered while holding a pair of dumbbells directly overhead, with your palms facing each other and the weights touching.

-Without moving your upper arms, lower the weights behind your head. Keep the dumbbells pressed together the whole time.

-Press the weights back up to the starting position until your arms are fully extended, stopping short of locking them out.

-Alternate your forward foot each set.

How to Make the Overhead Triceps Extension Easier (and Harder)

To modify the move, use lighter weights or use a single dumbbell instead of two. If you have limited shoulder mobility or core strength, Braun suggests sitting on an upright bench for this exercise.

To intensify the overhead triceps extension, use heavier weights, or try balancing on one foot to further challenge your core.

Bonus Tips for Doing the Overhead Triceps Extension

Braun suggests warming up your shoulders first for better mobility. Also, remember to engage your core — this will help protect your lower back and prevent it from arching or swaying. Finally, it’s an isolation exercise, so you don’t want to go too heavy, or else you may sacrifice form and the full range of motion necessary to take full advantage of the move.

Variations on the Overhead Triceps Extension

If you have access to a weight machine, try the cable overhead triceps extension. This, too, can be performed standing or seated.

Benefits of the Overhead Triceps Extension

The overhead triceps extension achieves a few important objectives. Beyond strengthening all three heads of the triceps (more on that below), it also activates your core, and recruits your shoulder muscles for stability, Braun says. Plus, in the variation depicted in video, the overhead triceps extension works each arm separately, forcing you to confront and correct any muscle imbalances you might have.

What Muscles Are Used in the Overhead Triceps Extension?
Triceps

It’s no surprise which muscle benefits most from the overhead triceps extension. But the way in which the muscle is worked during any triceps exercise varies depending on a number of factors, including grip, body position, and plane of movement. The triceps is a single muscle comprised of three heads. Working outward from body, they are: the long head, the medial head, and the lateral head.

The medial and lateral heads originate atop the humerus (upper arm bone), while the long head originates at the scapula (shoulder blade). They all eventually fuse together and attach at the elbow to facilitate the straightening of your arm. The medial head is framed by the other two, which form the horseshoe associated with a defined triceps muscle.

Deltoid

This is the muscle most responsible for movement of your shoulder, the body’s most mobile joint. It’s comprised of three sections: the anterior (front) deltoid, which helps raise your arm forward; the lateral deltoid, which helps raise your arm out to the side; and the posterior (rear) deltoid, which helps raise your arm behind you. In an overhead triceps extension, the anterior delt receives the greatest emphasis.

reprinted from openfit.com

Form Friday | Crunch

Crunches have been the mainstay of ab workouts for decades. They target the rectus abdominis, the six-pack muscle that runs along the front of the torso. Building this muscle is one part of developing your core muscles for stability and performance. Crunches can be part of a core strength workout or a total body workout.

Benefits
The rectus abdominis muscle flexes to bring your shoulders towards your hips. As one of the major core muscles, it provides stability for the body. A strong back and abs are the foundation of all your daily movements as well as performance in sports.

Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Lie down on the floor on your back and bend your knees, placing your hands behind your head or across your chest. Some people find that crossing the arms over the chest helps them avoid pulling on the neck. However, if you find your neck is strained, you can keep one hand cradling the head. If you are putting your hands behind your head, your fingers should gently cradle your head. The idea is to support your neck without taking away from the work of your abs.

2. Pull your belly button towards your spine in preparation for the movement. Slowly contract your abdominals, bringing your shoulder blades about 1 or 2 inches off the floor.

3. Exhale as you come up and keep your neck straight, chin up. Imagine you're holding a tennis ball under your chin. That's about the angle you want to keep the chin the entire time.

Hold at the top of the movement for a few seconds, breathing continuously.
Slowly lower back down, but don't relax all the way.

Repeat for 15 to 20 repetitions with perfect form for each rep.

Common Mistakes
Doing crunches correctly is harder than it looks. Avoid these errors so they can be as effective as possible.

Pulling on the Neck
This not only strains the neck, but it takes away from working your abs. You want to originate the movement in your abs, not from your head. To keep your neck in proper alignment and not moving, place your fist under your chin.

Crunching Too High
The crunch is a subtle movement, lifting the shoulder blades just a few inches off the floor. Jerking the shoulders up adds momentum and reduces the effectiveness of the exercise. It takes time to build strength in the abs, so it's best to take your time and do the move slowly rather than using momentum to get the body up.

Relaxing Down to the Floor
It's easy to let your shoulders fall to the floor but a more effective approach is to keep the tension on the abs throughout the entire movement. You never want to completely relax the shoulders onto the floor.

Back Arch
In the past, it was recommended to keep your back flat against the floor throughout the entire movement. Now it is believed it is better to keep a neutral spine. That simply means your spine is in the strongest position to support you.

A quick way to find it is to rock the pelvis back and then forward and then allow your pelvis to relax somewhere between those two extremes. If your back arches too much, that may mean your abs need time to build strength. Try propping your feet on a step or platform to give your back some support.

Reduce Belly Fat
If your goal is having flat abs or displaying your six-pack, the truth is that spot reduction just doesn't work. In addition to building your six-pack muscles, you will need exercises that burn fat.2 When you exercise, your body draws energy from the entire body, not just the part you're working. High-intensity interval training has been shown to target belly fat.

If you're new to HIIT training, start with beginner interval training and work your way up to more advanced training. Lifting weights not only helps you lose body fat, but it can also specifically help you lose belly fat. Studies have shown that people who lift weights along with doing cardio have less belly fat than people who don't.

Examine your diet. You've probably heard that flat abs are made in the kitchen and there's a reason for that saying. Often your diet is where you can make the most progress with losing belly fat. Start by getting an idea of how many calories you need and then keep a food diary to track your eating habits.

Modifications and Variations
The crunch can be used by all levels of exercisers. Additionally, there are many options available to customize this exercise to fit your individual needs.

Need a Modification?
While crunches are fine, there are plenty of other effective ab exercises. Some of the best exercises for your core are done using your entire body, not just your abs. Options include:

Reverse woodchops with the band
Side bends with a medicine ball
Overhead squats
Med ball rotations with static lunges
Standing side crunch

It's great to incorporate exercises into your routine that work the abs naturally. For example, compound exercises like squats with an overhead press or pushups with a side plank almost always put quite a bit of emphasis on the core. In addition, the more muscles you work during an exercise, the more functional that exercise is and the more calories you burn.

Up for a Challenge?
Crunches have been the mainstay of ab workouts for decades. They target the rectus abdominis, the six-pack muscle that runs along the front of the torso. Building this muscle is one part of developing your core muscles for stability and performance. Crunches can be part of a core strength workout or a total body workout.

Benefits
The rectus abdominis muscle flexes to bring your shoulders towards your hips. As one of the major core muscles, it provides stability for the body.1 A strong back and abs are the foundation of all your daily movements as well as performance in sports.

To add variation, bring your knees in at the same time you lift your upper body off the floor (full body crunch). To make it more difficult, balance on an exercise ball, or hold a weight at your chest. Here are some more common crunch variations:

Bicycle crunch exercise: This ab exercise generally ranks at the top of the list of best ab exercises if done properly.

Vertical leg crunch: This version can be a challenge for the lower back if done improperly; make sure you do it right by having a trainer check your form.

Long arm crunch: This exercise is another version of a favorite exercise that almost anyone can start doing.

Reverse crunch: Get some extra challenge by kicking up the feet with the torso holding steady.

Crossover crunch: This exercise is especially good for the obliques.

Safety and Precautions
If you have any back or neck problems, talk to your doctor or physical therapist about whether crunches are appropriate for you. If not done with proper form, they can compress the spine and stress the neck. Avoid crunches after the first trimester of pregnancy, as soon as the belly expands.

reprinted from verywellfit.com

Form Friday | Push-up

This Form Friday we are highlighting the push-up.

There's a reason that push-ups stand the test of time: They're a challenge for most people, and even the most physically fit humans can find ways to make them hard.

And while adding any exercise to your life will result in positive change, adding a few push-ups a day can make all the difference in your upper body and core strength-not to mention your overall "I'm gonna crush it" attitude in life.

Push-Up Benefits and Variations

"This simple upper-body exercise is a solid option to work the muscle groups in your shoulders, triceps, chest (pecs), and core," says Rachel Mariotti, an NYC-based trainer demo-ing the move above.

You may be tempted to skip these because, well, they're hard and you'd rather move on to something more fun. However, "this is one of the standard fitness exercises for upper body and should be a baseline for other upper-body strength exercises," says Mariotti. Take the time to master this before you attempt other exercises, and your body will thank you. (BTW, the push-up is also a great indicator of whether you have adequate core strength since it's essentially a moving plank.)

If full push-ups just aren't doable at this point or cause wrist pain, don't feel ashamed if you need to drop to your knees. NO, they're not "girl" push-ups, they're just the appropriate progression to make sure your form is on-point before you try the standard push-up variation. Fun fact: You're lifting approximately 66 percent of your bodyweight when doing a standard push-up, but 53 percent of your bodyweight when on your knees, according to a 2005 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. You can also try doing push-ups with your hands on an elevated surface (like a box or bench) to place less of your weight on your upper body. No matter which progression you're doing, the key is to keep your body in a straight line from shoulders to hips-just like in a plank or a regular push-up. (Resist the urge to hinge at the hips and stick your butt out.)

Once you've mastered the standard push-up, you can upgrade to some tricky variations: Here's an entire 30-day push-up challenge dedicated to mastering the move in all its forms.

If you want to challenge your core even more, take your push-up off the ground: Doing push-ups on a suspension trainer (like a TRX) activates your abs and spine stabilizers in your lower back more than any other "balance" device, according to a 2015 study published in the Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness.



How to Do a Push-Up

A. Start in a high-plank position with palms just wider than shoulder-width, palms pressing into the floor and feet together. Engage quads and core as if holding a plank.

B. Bend elbows back at 45-degree angles to lower entire body toward the floor, pausing when chest is just below elbow height.

C. Exhale and press into palms to push body away from the floor to return to starting position, moving hips and shoulders at the same time.

Do 8 to 15 reps. Try 3 sets.

Push-Up Form Tips

Don't allow hips or low back to sag toward the floor.
Don't let elbows flare out to the sides or forward while descending.
Keep neck neutral and gaze slightly forward on the ground; don't tuck chin or lift head.

reprinted from shape.com

Form Friday | Plank

This Form Friday we are highlighting the plank.

The plank looks like an easy exercise—after all, you’re not even moving during it. But there’s more involved in how to do a plank than you may think. And if you master the exercise, you will reap some serious total-body benefits.

That’s because if you do a plank with proper form, your abs won’t be the only muscles that feel the move.

“I would call the plank a total-body exercise for sure,” trainer Steph Dorworth, D.P.T., C.S.C.S., tells SELF. “In addition to working the core, which helps stabilize the low-back spine area, it really works the shoulder stabilizers and the glutes as well.”

There’s a lot of real-world carryover to building strength in these areas too: The exercise is considered an isometric move—meaning one that challenges your muscles with a static contraction rather than putting them through the lengthening or contracting phases—so it helps you build strength as you strive to keep your entire body stable, says Dorworth. This works your joints, tendons, and ligaments as well as your muscles.

Planks also help you build endurance, since you try to hold the move for a certain amount of time (more on that later). You’ll also improve your posture, since you have to be very aware of your body’s positioning during the move. When you do a plank with proper form, you focus on keeping your shoulders down and back, Dorworth says.

“It really works that mind-muscle connection to hold your body still in an isometric position,” she says.

That all sounds pretty good, right? No argument here. In fact, because of how much it improves strength, stability, endurance, and posture, Dorworth considers the plank one of her top-five exercises overall.

What’s the right way to do a plank?

When people say “plank,” they generally are referring to the forearm plank, where your elbows and forearms are on the ground, rather than when your palms are on the ground (like in the start of a push-up). That’s referred to as a “high plank.”

To make the most out of the forearm plank, it’s really important that you take the time to learn how to do a plank properly. This will ensure that you’re working the muscles you want to be working—again, your core muscles, shoulder stabilizers, glutes, and even your quads—and not overstressing other muscles, says Dorworth.

First, on an exercise mat or yoga mat, position your elbows directly under your shoulders and rest your forearms on the ground. Many people keep their hands in fists, but some flatten them out on the ground—either way is fine. Then you’re going to pop up on your toes, keeping your body in a straight line from head to toe, says Dorworth.

Make sure you’re engaging your core—think of pulling your belly button up to the ceiling—firing your glutes and quads and focusing on keeping the weight distributed evenly throughout your body.

Once you’re up, there are some important cues you should keep in mind: For one, you should keep your eyes down on the ground—look at a spot between your hands. This will stop you from cranking your neck up.

“This means that your spine can remain in a neutral, normal alignment,” Dorworth says.

Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades back and together (you want them to adduct, or come together toward the midline of your body, rather than abduct, or pull away). This will prevent your shoulders or upper back from rounding—one of the top plank mistakes Dorworth sees with clients. If you tend to do this, you may feel the plank more in your shoulders than spread evenly throughout your body.

You also want to make sure your hips stay level. People tend to hike up their hips or stick their butt out, almost like they’re setting out to do a Downward Dog yoga pose. “It’s usually because they don’t have the core strength yet to control that neutral position,” says Dorworth. (If that’s the case, focus on pulling your belly button up, which can help cue your hips into more of a posterior pelvic tilt.)

And, finally, breathe. People tend to hold their breath when they’re holding an isometric contraction, but you want to make sure you’re taking deep, regular breaths while you’re performing a plank, she says.

How long should you hold a plank?

There’s no one right answer for this, says Dorworth. The amount of time you should hold a plank has more to do with what feels challenging for you.

“For most people, a minute is going to be extremely difficult,” she says.

Start small with the plank. If you’re doing the exercise with proper plank form—with your core, glutes, and quads actively firing—it’s going to feel much harder at a shorter amount of time. You might start with just 10 seconds, gradually increasing by five seconds or so each week, until you can hit that minute mark, Tony Gentilcore, C.S.C.S., owner of CORE in Brookline, MA, told SELF previously.

There is an easy answer to when you should stop the plank, though. When you notice your form is declining—say, your hips are starting to sag, or you feel your shoulders begin to round—that’s a sign that you need to end the set, says Dorworth. Take a break, rest, and try another set after.

So, like most things in the exercise world, quality matters over quantity. You want to hold the plank for as long as you can with good form. Holding it longer with deteriorating form is not going to bring you any benefits and can even end up overstressing the wrong muscles.

How can you make a plank easier—or harder?

One reason a plank is such a versatile exercise is because there are a number of plank progressions and regressions that can make it harder or easier.

Let’s say a regular forearm plank is too hard to start with. If that’s the case, you can try some easier plank variations first. Simply dropping to your knees when doing a forearm plank can help, since you’re “shortening the lever arm” and putting less stress on your body, says Dorworth. Another option is the reverse plank. Unlike with a regular plank, where you’ll be facing down, you’ll be facing up for this one. Start by sitting on your mat, then lean back, placing your hands and forearms on the ground on either side of your body, and drive your hips up toward the ceiling so your body forms a straight line from your ankles to shoulders.

There are also plank variations that can make the exercise harder. Performing a plank with your elbows or hands on a BOSU ball can make it more difficult, since your body will have to fight the unstable surface to keep steady, says Dorworth. (If you don’t have one, you can recruit a household member to give your body a few gentle nudges while you’re holding a regular plank, since this will also make your body work harder to stay still.) Moving your feet closer together will also make it harder too.

If you’re still feeling the need for more challenge, you can take away some points of contact with the ground, which will make your muscles fire more to stay stable. This can mean raising a leg, an arm, or even one of each, says Dorworth. A side plank can also be more challenging, since not only are you taking away two points of contact with the ground, but you’re also emphasizing the muscles on the side of your body, like your obliques, a little more.

How can you use planks in your workouts?

Planks, or plank variations, are great exercises to include in your workouts one to two times a week, though if your goal is to specifically get better at them, you may want to increase that to two to three, says Dorworth.

Pencil in your planks toward the end of your workout, she says. You want to get in your big, compound moves—think squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, or rows—early in your workout, when your muscles are fresh and you’re still feeling energized.

reprinted from self.com