With spring fast approaching next month, now is the time to start hitting the gym to show off your new toned and strong legs. The weather February provides can be very unpleasant with its cold temperatures. However, it’s crucial to not get complacent now, but rather to become motivated especially when March brings a beautiful park day to its calendar. Enclosed below are three leg exercises that will incorporate multi-joint movements for your muscles. These movements provide significant core, balance, and strength training while burning significant amount of calories in the process.
Therefore, its time to “spring” forward to the gym!
Walking Rear Lunge – This multi-joint exercise engages every muscle below your pelvis especially the gluteus maximus. Walking lunges are more beneficial than the stationary lunge for everyone because they challenge your balance more proficiently, build more glute muscles efficiently, and stretch your posas major and hip flexor muscles more continuously. To begin, take a step back about two times your waking stride length. With optimal posture, lunge down bending both of your knees at a 90 degree angle. To engage your glutes, rise up on your back leg while you “lock” your rear knee before performing the next repetition. Keep your arms crossed against your chest throughout. Perform four total sets, two sets each side of 12 repetitions.
Bulgarian Split Squat – This exercise will provide a deep stretch for your hip flexors and quadriceps while strengthening the glutes. It works your glutes intensely, and stronger glutes are critical for proper function for anyone who exercises. To start, prop the toes of one foot onto a flat surface that is about one foot in height and placed about two feet behind you (therefore creating a 120-degree angle in your leg). While keeping your bent leg and toes secure, stabilize your standing leg on the ground for support. Place your hands crossed and flat against your chest. Next, slowly lower your torso and lunge downward, bending your back knee as low to the ground as possible. Pause at the bottom of the lunge for a solid second while keeping optimal posture without leaning forward. Executing four sets total of two sets on each side performing eight to 12 repetitions would be a great goal.
Jump Lunge – This is a tremendous dynamic movement that will help stretch every muscle in your lower body, especially the hamstrings and hip flexors while engaging the glutes throughout. Furthermore, this exercise will help produce more speed and explosive power in your legs. To perform, begin in the lunge position and bend both knees at 90 degrees while your back knee is an inch above the ground. Then jump straight up and land softly with your back heel off the ground. Your arms should be crossed on your chest at all times during the exercise. This would eliminate any upper body momentum in assisting with this movement. Beginners should attempt four sets total with two sets each side and six repetitions. The more advanced athlete should attempt four sets total with two sets each side and 12 repetitions.
Shaun Zetlin, Master Trainer, Zetlin Fitness
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About the Author: Master Trainer Shaun Zetlin has successfully run his own personal training business in the New York Metro area. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact Shaun here in the comment section below. For further information about this article or to learn about Shaun’s new book, Push-up Progression Workout for a Stronger Core, check out his website at: ZetlinFitness.com.
Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/72213316@N00/5389817342/sizes/m/in/photostream/ read more →
Kickstart your morning with 15-20 minutes of exercise! Learn a great morning workout that will provide you with more energy throughout the day! You may even decide to ditch your morning coffee routine.
Energetic Morning Workouts
Anyone who is looking for something to get them going in the morning, a good workout will always do the trick. Besides the obvious, that working out is good for us, this is also a great way to get the blood pumping and adrenaline flowing.
One of the best ways to get the most results from this is to do what is called vertical loading. In other words, you do one set for each exercise in the group, rest, then repeat for the number of sets desired.
An example of this would be:
- Planks-30 seconds (strengthen the core)
- Glute bridges-10 to 12 reps (strengthen the glutes and hamstrings)
- Push ups-10 to 12 reps (strengthen the core, develop muscle on the chest, shoulders and triceps)
- Alternating lunges in place-8 to 10 reps (strengthen the glutes, quads and hamstrings)
- Jump rope or run in place-30 seconds (get the heart rate up)
The rest time between each set should be 30 seconds to 1 minute. This workout can be repeated for 2 to 4 sets. Also, a good stretch is recommended for an effective cool down.
Damien Johnson, Owner, Sweat Performance Center
About the Author: Having been in the fitness industry for over 10 years, personal trainer Damien Johnson is considered an expert in his field. As a personal trainer he has worked with clients from all ages and levels ranging from children to celebrities to professional athletes. Damien has an undying passion for fitness, a thirst for knowledge and always wanting to be challenged which he then passes along to everyone encounters. He has appeared in newspapers and local radio speaking about the importance of health and fitness. As a personal trainer, coach, leader and motivational speaker Damien is an ambassador to the health and fitness community. His certifications include ISSA-Certified Personal Trainer, ISSA-Specialist in Performance Nutrition, ISSA-Specialist in Sports Conditioning, NASM-Certified Personal Trainer, NASM-Performance Enhancement Specialist, NESTA-Master Trainer.
Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikebaird/390606540/sizes/z/in/photostream/ read more →
There are many effective exercises to maintain a tight belly and flat stomach including crunch exercises such as the reverse crunch, bicycle crunch, vertical leg crunch and full sit up. These exercises target all the major muscles of the core including the rectus abdominis (or the ‘six pack’), obliques, transverse abdominis and the lower back.
However ab busting exercises to get that much-sought after six pack need not just involve crunches. Some other exercises that are simple and easy and ideal for the át home’ abs work out include:
The Plank
My favourite exercise, the plank, works the transverse abdominus and can be done in the privacy of your own home! This isometric abdominal exercise stabilizes your spine whilst strengthening your core. The plank is achieved by lying on your stomach, legs straight and rising up onto your forearms and toes. Hips should be raised to shoulder height and the back should be flat. Squeeze your abs and tighten your glutes. Hold yourself in this position for 30 to 60 seconds without moving while breathing. Work up to three sets.
Dumbbell Oblique Lifts
Dumbbell oblique lifts are an excellent crunch-free exercise to work the oblique abdominal muscles and are straight forward exercises requiring only a set of dumbbells with at least 1kg a piece. To perform these exercises stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms relaxed at your sides. Lean to the right allowing your right hand to trace down the side of your leg. Stand back up straight pulling with your muscles at the side of your waist and not lifting with your arm. Lean to the left. Continue alternating sides. Four to eight reps on each side are ideal.
Little Movements
And let’s not forget the ‘sneaky’ abs exercise’s we can do while driving, sitting at our desk or lying in bed – simply tighten and release your abs repeatedly: a little move that yields results almost without your noticing. Until summer hits of course, and you can put your fantastic bikini body on show!
Ali Cavill, Owner – Fit Fantastic Personal Training
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About the Author: Ali Cavill is a Personal Trainer and owner of Fit Fantastic. A qualified Master Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor, teaching across Sydney, Ali is also an ambassador for Rockwear Gym Clothing and the Australian Institute of Fitness. Ali consults on a range of fitness and health topics for primary and high schools, corporate organisations, sponsors charity events and is rapidly becoming a renowned face” of the fitness industry through her involvement and feature in various print media, corporate websites and TV (The Circle, Foxtel, Home and Away, Biggest Loser Australia and most recently the Australian Institute of Fitness national ad campaign). read more →
When your workout program gets boring and your results are at a standstill it is time to take your training to the next level. Using kettlebells to add variety to your routine and up the intensity will make work outs more enjoyable and productive.
Working with kettlebells, at a high intensity, promotes the development of lean muscle and strength while revving up the metabolism. If you are looking to get lean and toned, while torching away stubborn body fat, kettlebell training is the ideal exercise solution.
Begin your foray into kettlebell training by mastering the proper athletic or exercise position and perfecting a bodyweight squat. Proper athletic position is defined as feet shoulder width apart, chest up, shoulders back and down, abs flexed, back arched (not rounded), slight bend in the knees, and weight distributed into the heels.
Next, move onto the kettlebell swing. It is important to note that the hips, not the arms or upper body, are used to propel the kettlebell through the swing. Power is created by the large muscles of the lower body including the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core.
Beginning in the squatted athletic position, grasping the kettlebell with long arms, drive from the heels through the ankles, knees, hips and core. While rising out of the athletic position, driving with the hips, the kettlebell rises through the full motion of a swing. This motion is created by the hip drive, not a squat or pulling from the upper body.
After you become comfortable with this movement, consider attempting additional exercises such as the weighted sit-up, kettlebell thruster, or deadlift-high pull.
Once you are ready, give this workout a try.
Warm-up:
2 rounds, 30 seconds each
Body Weight Squat
Jumping Jack
Arm Circles (forward /backward, large/small)
Alternate Lunge (each leg)
Training:
5 Rounds, AFAP
20x Kettlebell Swing
20x Deadlift-High Pull
20x Thruster
Rest @ 30 sec max.
5 rounds
15x Weighted Sit-up
5x Push-up
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About the Author: Joe Vennare is the Co-founder/Director of Programming at Hybrid Athlete.
Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/twopoos/4469338159/sizes/m/in/photostream/
Too busy to hit the gym? Grab an exercise ball and you can squeeze in workout time in the comfort of your own home. Use the ball as a chair while at your computer desk, watching TV, or talking on the phone. Your core muscles will benefit by automatically engaging, even while just sitting still. It’s impossible to slouch and relax your entire body, because you would roll off. As long as you maintain good posture, your abs and back muscles will be working together to create a strong core. These five exercises are all done in a sitting position and are easy to fit into a busy day. (more…) read more →
Step Up
There are lots of great exercises that strengthen you legs and hips. One seems to get lost in the shuffle, but is great for the glutes and some of the stabilizer muscles in your legs.
Set up a step, platform, box or other object that is stable for you to stand upon. This should be tall enough to challenge you, but so tall that you cannot maintain good technique. A simple rule of thumb is to have the object come up to just below your knee cap.
Grab a barbell (dumbbells will also work) and put the barbell resting on your shoulders and upper back. Place one foot on the raised object with your entire foot, not just the toes and mid-foot, on the object. Push through the heel of the elevated foot so that you use your hamstrings, glutes and quads and stand up tall. Lower yourself back down under control and repeat for 10-15 reps per leg. Rest a minute or so and do 10-15 reps on the other leg until you have done 3 or 4 sets on each leg.
Brandon Henry, Owner/Coach, Performance Strength & Conditioning
Get ready to show off those great legs this summer in some cute sun dresses. Make May your month of action. What did you do today to get yourself swimsuit ready?
Practice the Pallof Press for a Tight Tummy!
Training the Abdominal area or “The Core” is unfortunately, one of the most misunderstood muscle groups to train. Everyone wants to train the core with crunches, twists, bends, and other movements, when in fact, the core is actually designed to resist movement! That’s right… your core was designed to resist flexion and extension, resist rotation, and resist lateral flexion.
That being said, here is one of my favorite exercises to really work the core the way it was supposed to be worked! It’s called the Pallof Press and it’s a fantastic anti-rotation exercise.
- Stand with your feet about 6 inches apart with a cable machine about 1-2 feet away to your right.
- Grab a handle that’s around waist height and extend your arms out from your body. The weight will be pulling you to the right but you must resist. Keep your abs tight, your shoulders back and down, your chest out, and your glutes tight.
- Hold it for 3 seconds and repeat 8-10 times.
Here is a great video of the Pallof Press, although I personally prefer a narrower stance than what is shown, as a more narrow base of support forces you to engage your abdominals more.
Molly Galbraith, Owner, J&M Strength and Conditioning
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Swimsuit Ready Challenge
This exercise is part of our Swimsuit Ready Challenge (April 2-30, 2012). Do this exercise and comment below “I did this!” to be entered to win our $100 and $50 giveaways. You may enter up to one time per day through April 30th.
Also – be sure to share this on Facebook, Pinterest and other sites to let your friends cheer you on or – better yet – join in on the challenge so they can hang out on the beach with you this summer! read more →
Romanian Split Lunge
This exercise will provide a deep stretch for your hip flexors and quadriceps while strengthening the glutes. It works your glutes intensely, and stronger glutes are critical for proper function for anyone who exercises regularly.
To start, prop the toes of one foot onto a flat surface that is about one foot in height and placed about two feet behind you (therefore creating a 120-degree angle in your leg). While keeping your bent leg and toes secure, stabilize your standing leg on the ground for support. Place your hands crossed and flat against your chest. Next, slowly lower your torso and lunge downward, bending your back knee as low to the ground as possible. Pause at the bottom of the lunge for a solid second while keeping optimal posture without leaning forward.
Then, rise up from the lunge to the starting position to complete the exercise. To make this more of a challenge, try to have your bent knee touch the ground gently with each lunge. On the other hand, if your balance is not quite there, use a pole or the wall to help with stabilization. Executing four sets total of two sets on each side performing 12 repetitions should be a great goal.
Shaun Zetlin, Founder, Zetlin Fitness
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Photo credit: Australian Women’s Health
Swimsuit Ready Challenge
This exercise is part of our Swimsuit Ready Challenge (April 2-30, 2012). Do this exercise and comment below “I did this!” to be entered to win our $100 and $50 giveaways. You may enter up to one time per day through April 30th.
Also – be sure to share this on Facebook, Pinterest and other sites to let your friends cheer you on or – better yet – join in on the challenge so they can hang out on the beach with you this summer! read more →
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