bodybuilding Archives - Fit & Elegant

Best Full Body Workout to Perform to Achieve Toned Muscles

August 16, 2020 by Kristin Brown

Full body workout can be an endless number of exercises that you can perform. There are at home or drill to be performed at the gym. But can you guess what can be the effective and best full-body workout for you?

The full-body workout that will best for you be those that you can easy-to-learn and could target multiple muscle groups. The goal of the full-body exercise increase strength and build muscle mass. You do not need to have fancy and expensive equipment for the full-body workout.

When I tried doing the full-body workout, there are principles that I followed so I can achieve the goals. First of all, I always prepare to have floor space and some dumbbells. Dumbbells are simple equipment that can help tone my muscles. Then I started to move my body to perform other exercises as part of my full-body workout.

To fully understand how does the full-body workout helps you achieve your body goals, here are the best exercises which most athletes performed.

Top Exercises for the Full Body Workout

Before the workout, prepare the equipment you need. Moderate weight dumbbells can be your option as the beginning.

Each workout will need some warm-up. Exercises like glute bridge, dead bug, bird dog, and bodyweight squat would be your choices for warm-up before the workout.

For 30 seconds, you can perform the warm-up exercises. Make sure to have 5 seconds rest between each move and perform two rounds. A minute of rest can be done after completing both.

Then you can perform the dumbbell circuit like squat to overhead press, bent-over dumbbell row, and wood chop.

For the dumbbell circuit, you can perform each for 30 seconds, with 15 seconds rest in between. Complete this routine with 3 rounds.

For bodyweight, you can perform skater hop, plank up-down, and v-up. Complete this routine for 30 seconds, with 15 seconds rest in between. Do three rounds for the bodyweight circuit.

Deadlift

Best-Full-Body-Workout-to-Perform-to-03 In performing the deadlift, muscle groups like calves, thighs, glutes, core, lower back. It helps build strength with three sets and 8 repetitions.

Suppose you were wondering why deadlifts are the foundation of all strength exercises. By performing this full-body workout, it will activate all the muscles, literally from toes to neck. Few reps can make you exhausted, and the last set can drain your energy so you should maintain rest in between.

It’s important to remember when doing a deadlift to make sure that you keep your back straight while your shoulders are open to prevent injury. Before the starting position, prepare yourself in an area of sitting down on the flow. Then that would be an excellent time to grab the bar and prevent you from actually reaching the floor. Maintain your back straight and your legs apart in shoulder-width. The next move is for your thighs and glutes, which will straighten your back. Then do the same on the way down, but it should be the other way around like bending your back then glutes and thighs.

You can perform deadlift at home because, in this full-body workout, the body form is essential to pay attention to the exercise.

Bench Press

QsvcbYhy Bench press workout targets the group muscles of pec, tricep, front shoulders, and traps. For this routine, the chest and arms will be useful if you do 3-4 sets and 8-12 repetitions.

Traditionally, the bench press is a full-body workout that your elbows should be tucked in and concentrated on your pecs. It should move both ways. You can also do the bench press in a Smith machine if you are at the gym. The only good thing about this machine is to stabilize the bar. It will make the bar more comfortable to push. With that, a gym instructor can assist you.

While at home, you can perform this using a flat bench or an incline one. It is what I do for bench press. I also used dumbbells, which is a more sensible way to perform it than working at home.

Overhead Press

qwefreEVf In this full-body workout, the overhead press can increase the muscle mass of the chest, delts, triceps, and traps. It is also good to perform for shoulder definition by doing 3-4 sets with 8-10 reps.

Why this workout? The shoulders and arms muscles need to be developed to keep your back straight. It will also allow your core muscles to be flexible and to perform a perfect pressing up of the bar. Make sure that you avoid your chin.

A tip for the bar makes its move into a straight line going up and down. It ensures that you bod your head back and forth while the bar crosses in front of it.

Squats

Best-Full-Body-Workout-to-Perform-to-04 When doing squats, the muscles activated for this one are the glutes or the most significant muscle in your body. Thighs, traps, obliques, and upper back or lats are the muscle group that will benefit in doing the squats.

To activate your muscle groups in thighs, glutes, and improve core strength, complete the three sets with 8-12 repetitions.

Why perform squat for the full-body workout? There are many brilliant reasons for you to start doing this. Squats are best with bar sitting on your shoulders. The right weight can activate a range of muscles aside from legs and glutes.

If you decided to perform squats with the bar on your shoulders, then the core muscles should be engaging as well as your legs. You can always choose the right weight for your bar, so you should not force yourself.

Bent-Over Row

TcsdQs564 This workout works the muscle group where lats, shoulders, forearms, and biceps as part of the full-body exercise. The glutes and back muscles are also the targets of this full-body workout.

If you chose this workout, it would be best to widen the back and work on your biceps. Doing the bent-over row with 3 to 4 sets of 8-12 repetitions will surely give you a surprisingly best results. Bent over row is great for your arms and back. Core muscles are plus on this workout.

To do this, you have to bend over while you stood up, and your legs are shoulder with apart. Use an underhand grip when holding the bar. This way can activate bicep muscles and pull the bar close to your abs. Pulling it near your chest is not a good option.

Sharing My Thoughts

Usually, people do the full-body workout 2 to 3 days per week, and then gradually increase it to 3 to 4 times. It is the movement in which all your muscle groups engage in working out. Using some equipment may help you to increase muscle mass and tone your muscles. When performing a full-body workout, you can expect the effects and best results of your entire body.

Bodyweight Moves for Smaller Guys – What you need to know

April 25, 2020March 12, 2020 by Kristin Brown

Bodyweight moves for smaller guys are worth trying as long as you are not taller than 5 feet 8 inches height. Smaller guys can do many bodyweight movements. Can you imagine you are making some moves like squats, bench presses, and deadlifts?

Bodyweight moves for smaller guys can be achieved when you observe proper repetitions. You may also need to consider the range of motion since shorter guys can do different movements without causing injuries.

It is unusual to have workouts for smaller guys. Bodyweight moves for smaller guys are far from bigger guys. Well, this is an advantage for shorter guys.

Now, what are the workouts for smaller guys, and how can you perfect the bodyweight for smaller guys? You can do many things when you are below the average height of men.

Bodyweight Moves for Smaller Guys

If you are one of the smaller men and want to know what bodyweight you can do, here are the best and easiest workout plan for you. Our tips for smaller guys will explain that there are many moves you can do compared to taller guys. You can practice different bodyweight moves without getting fatigued, and you will be encouraged because there are lots of simple routines for smaller men.

Remember, as one of the bodyweight moves for smaller guys; you can do lift. You can add more tension per set as well as additional time for the routine. You will need strength and conditioning routine to improve muscular stabilization on both sides of the body. It will keep your muscle fibers under tension for longer.

On the other hand, the disadvantage of being a small guy is your hands are too small, and the grip of the bar might be too big for your hands. Given that you are short in height, you can find that pulling exercises using your back and legs are too weak. You can overcome this by practicing the move with these lifts regularly.

Plunk Pushup

Any men with different height and build are encouraged to do pushups. So why, pushup? Because pushup is a great way to give more impact to your joints and tissue if you want to build some muscles. However, be careful to follow proper moves to avoid risking injury. If you are a smaller man, how will you do it? Make sure you are pressing the floor while in the position of pushup until your hands leave the ground. Then make a clap, but be careful if you will do this; make sure your hands will land to where they started and prepare to cushion the landing.

Squat

One of the exercises you can do if you are short in height is squat. Because when you have long legs and ranges of motion, squats, especially a pistol, are impossible to perform. Even if you have an average height, the squat sometimes is impossible to perfect. But this move is essential so your one leg at a time and can correct size and symmetry imbalances.

What tricks can you do when you are doing squat? Make sure you are holding your leg in front of you, using both your arms extended for counterbalance. Then sit back on your grounded leg and slowly make a squat. Keep your knee cave outward and reach for your full depth while returning to your position.

Pushup

Do not forget that pushup is a package of strength, control, and stability. But when you have a small height, your arms are shorter, and your body weight is lighter. It will be a real struggle, especially if you are overweight.

To successfully do a pushup when you are smaller men, make sure your hands are on the floor, next to your head and kick up, so your feet are resting against the wall. Your arms should be far from your hands or slightly wider than your shoulder width. Then slide up and down the wall while performing inverted presses. Make it a point that your head can nearly reach the floor. For safety, place a mat under your contact pin.

Dragon Fly

Why choose dragonflies when you are smaller men? Even if you are short in height, bodyweight moves for smaller size when you do dragonfly, it gives pressure to your core and makes strain on the lower back.

To make this move, make your starting position by setting up on the floor with your hands secured around an immovable object. Then lever your entire body up as one rigid unit until you reach a vertical position and lowering yourself on the floor. It makes your abs brace, but make sure you are not breaking any parts of your body, especially from shoulders to toes.

Ab Workout

For short men, bodyweight moves for smaller guys can have a direct effect on your ab. The core strength can hurt your lower back, but doing it using an ab wheel can make a difference. Your rib cage should stay and lead your hips toward the floor while kneeling on the floor. It should make a full extension pulling your arms and bringing the wheel back in.

Ring Dipbody

It is another workout routine when you are trying to find bodyweight moves for smaller guys. This movement creates an immense amount of instability, which results in damage. So, a workout that is easier for guys to reduce the range of motion.

It is one of the exercises that you can perform efficiently. Make sure that you keep your shoulders brushing the straps, which can hold the rings at all times. It is like rubbing against you with complete repetitions.

Pullup

If you are doing a pushup, you will need to do some pullups. Why pullup? When you are doing a pullup, it is like lifting your chest all the way up that requires a more exaggerated range of motion. It can give you more contractions.

To do it, make sure you are starting from a dead hang position. Then pull simultaneously with your body facing the ceiling. Make sure that your body is as horizontal as possible, combining a pullup with an inverted row. Then make contact on the lower chest before returning to the starting position.

Our Insights

Trying to get your body fit and healthy, when you are seeking the bodyweight moves for smaller guys, you should consider doing it regularly and with guidance from your fitness instructor. So any of your movements will not cause injuries.

Easy Bodybuilding Moves for beginners to Perfect the Workout

April 9, 2020February 20, 2020 by Kristin Brown

Bodybuilding moves are your secret weapon to achieve the body you are dreaming about. But in doing so, you will need time, focus and consistency. Yes, it takes a lot of effort to make bodybuilding moves.

Bodybuilding moves require discipline to do your routine daily. There are many bodybuilding moves that you can perform and make the most of it.

Before making the moves, you should know the rule of bodybuilding moves. If you are a beginner, you should not force yourself to push harder. You can start your routine with proper intervals and repetitions.

For starters, you will need to have some reminders to take note so you will avoid getting injured. But let us discuss those laters. At this point, you should learn first what are different bodybuilding moves that you can execute.

You do not have to be professional to perform these routines. You should know that you can finish the intervals and repetitions. If you can, then you have the strength, discipline, and focus.

Is it surprising that there are bodybuilding moves that you can enjoy while achieving the goals you have been reaching for quite some time now?

Bodybuilding moves

Doing squat

The squat is one of the favorites of bodybuilders. To be specific, the Olympic squat is a typical workout that can develop your leg strength. The variation you can perform will give your legs, glutes, and hamstrings a good workout.

The Deadlift

It is the second bodybuilding moves that will give impact to achieving your body goals. When you say deadlift, the heavy lifting will show the best results. You can see the difference between your back. It is where you can see lean muscle.

Performing Press

One of the bodybuilding moves which develop your chest muscle is the bench press. Why bench press? Aside from building the muscles effectively, it allows you to use more weight. It will result in your upper body getting bigger and stronger.

If you want other variations, you can do the overhead press. This kind of press will add benefit to your triceps. Make sure that you will solely do overhead press and not with a push press. Why? Because overhead press does not require bending of knees. By doing so, it will make your legs the prime mover that will stop the intended delts.

The Bent-over row

So how do bodybuilding moves work? Well, the key is squeezing the shoulder blades. How can you do this? Perform the bent-over row, which will give you the perfect muscles to your shoulder.

Doing a wide-grip pull-up

How is the wide-grip pull-up one of the bodybuilding moves? The target muscle of this workout is your full back. It needs a more intensive grip than the regular drill.

Tips for Beginners

How can you achieve bodybuilding moves? For beginners, you might need the following tips to get more patience, workouts, and diet that will surely help you.

Start using Light Weights

As a starter, you will need to grab some light equipment so your muscles will not burn out. Dumbbells and barbells can help you build muscles, but should you do it, make sure you are using light weights.

Basic Movements

Of course, when you are a beginner, you should start with the basic routine. Basic movements come in the forms of squat, deadlift, and barbell bench press.

4 Days of Workout

When you are a beginner, daily working out can be skipped. Instead, you can do it three or four times a week. In this case, you can spend the days off to rest and recover.

Correct Form or Exercises

Make sure that you are training each of your muscles every week. How can you do this? Try to set a routine each week for each muscle and do not forget to know the right form of exercise. Make sure that you have prepared all safety measures.

Eating the Right Foods

When you are working out, you use a lot of protein. So the best thing to manage this is to eat the right food rich in protein like chicken, fish, eggs, milk, dairy products, and some nuts and vegetables. If you think you lack protein, you should consider drinking a protein shake.

Also, you should monitor your calorie intake while working out. At this point, you will maintain your weight and achieve your goals. So we should say to avoid junk food so you can keep carbohydrates and fats. Lots of junk food consists of sweets and salty that can increase your weight.

Our Insights

When you make bodybuilding moves, there are many things that you should remember. For instance, you should make sure that you are eating fruits and vegetables. Also, make sure that there are safety measures prepared before starting your workout. It will help you achieve your body goals.

Avoid some unnecessary habits like skipping meals that build an impression of losing weight without eating. You should also avoid drinking energy drinks to keep you hydrated.

Some natural ways will keep you on track to lose some weight, make sure you have a list of what you eat, a meal plan, and a workout routine.

Cable Row Exercise – A Simple yet Effective Workout Routine for You

September 6, 2020November 16, 2019 by Kristin Brown

Cable row is an exercise using a cable machine. Don’t underestimate this workout because it does not contain weights. Understand that doing cable row exercise creates a constant level of tension throughout the movement. Those tensions are incomparable with the masses.

Cable row, as one of the best cable exercises, demonstrates the edge of a cable machine, in which the movement it creates to our body is working at the same level of muscle resistance. It creates tension evenly to your muscles in your lats, delts and back. Also, it includes your biceps and forearms.

Are you thinking of adding cable row exercises to your regular workout routine? Then you can try the following cable row that we include in this article. As you read along, you can find some insights that will help you understand about cable row exercises – why do you need it and what are the variations that you can do.

Cable row is useful and the right choice for those who opt for not lifting. It is a simple exercise, yet you can see the results. The benefits that you can get from cable rowing exercise are giving your back muscles some formation. Your muscles in your forearms and upper arms play a significant role in this exercise.

The main goal of doing cable row exercise is to develop strength, not doing some aerobic rowing exercise. It enables your body muscles in your abs and legs while keeping your back straight. If you do this exercise correctly, you will prevent strain and injury. It is essential for your safety during squat and deadlift exercises.

But how can you do it? Well, we are giving you a free load of what to do on each variation of cable row. Here are your choices with some tips to perform appropriately.

Seated Cable Row

For beginners, the seated cable row is useful. It focuses on the muscles of your back, biceps and shoulders. Of course, you will need the cable machine and the attached cable to perform the seated cable row.

How to do it: Sit at a low pulley cable station attached with a V-handle. Then place the feet securely on the platform and grab the handle with both hands using an overhand grip. Sit back with arms fully extended, supporting the weight. After doing this position, keep your torso stationary and drive your elbows past to your sides. Pull the cable attachment towards the waist. Then hold this position and squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the row before returning to the starting position.

Reminder: Prevent yourself from leaning forward. Maintain your upright position.

Cable Row Standing

If you master the seated cable row, you might want to do this exercise while standing. Aside from your muscles back, biceps and shoulders, your abs muscles are also involved in doing cable row standing. You will still use the same equipment – the cable machine.

How to do it: First, stand in front of a cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart, and your knees slightly bent. Then do cable rows wide grip. Grab a straight-bar attachment with a wide grip from the low setting. Next, pull the bar toward your torso while keeping your chest forward and back straight. Hold this position and return to the starting position.

Reminder: Prevent yourself from leaning forward. Instead, keep your back flat and core tight. Make sure your chest up and pinch your shoulder blades together to avoid letting your shoulders roll forward.

Rope-handle

This variation of cable row focuses on strengthening your muscles at your back, biceps, shoulders and abs. Still, you will use the cable machine on this one.

How to do it: Do a low cable row. Sit at a low pulley cable station and grab the double-handled rope attached to the cable machine. Then place your feet on the platform and push back using your legs, not your back. Your arms should be fully extended to support the weight. Next, your upper body should stay stationary while pulling the cable attached to the waist. Keep your chest forwards and your shoulders down while squeezing your shoulder blades together. Return the weight by fully extending your arms back to the starting position.

Reminder: Prevent yourself from leaning forward. Make sure your torso is upright and back straight. If you are going to end each set, return the weight to the start position by bending at the knees, not the lower back.

Single Arm High

This variation of the cable row is beneficial for your upper back. Your upper back muscles are essential for good posture. The force to your core is vital to stabilize your body. Additional resistance can be done with tubing or a band.

How to do it: Seat on the bench and bracing your feet firmly. Then hold the handle at shoulder-width, your palms facing down. Next, pull the handle straight back toward your chest and keep your elbow out. Make sure you keep your chest up and your trunk stabilized. Slowly straighten your arm to the start position.

Reminder: Avoid dropping your elbow as you pull back. Maintain your shoulder and don’t let it shrugged. Make sure you do the cable row with your body straight and no tilting to one side.

Why will you do it?

Like other workouts, when you first try, some mistakes are unavoidable. It could cause you injury, and the results to your muscles are not satisfying.

You are making unnecessary movements.

Avoid moving around, especially turning your back. When doing cable row, your back should be straight at all times. Avoid bending. Your flex should also be slightly at the hip to allow a full range of motion. Also, make sure that your torso is not moving when you try to move. Use your arms for the movement, instead of your torso.

Return and do each stance at phase and carefully.

One of the common mistakes of any workout is returning your weight under tension. It causes you to move fast to your starting position. Don’t crash the loads. Make pauses after the reps and avoid bouncing at the bottom of the lift.

Make limitations on the range of motion.

Cable row exercise does not need motions. So, you have to reduce the range of motion. It will be able to ensure that you are getting a full range for this exercise. Make sure of the weight is enough for you to do some movements. Otherwise, check the pressure and ensure you are getting a proper range of motion while doing this exercise.

In a Nutshell

Indeed, cable row is an exercise that can be done in many ways. You can modify each variation to meet your needs and goals. Since it targets your shoulders, biceps and abs, you can add this exercise to your regular workout routine.

If you want to modify, you can start with light weights. Don’t jump with heavier weights if it is your first time. The moment you can add more weight is when your body adapts for additional weight.

Also, if you want to challenge the cable row, you can change your hand attachment and your grip to target different areas of your back. It can also affect how much you are using your biceps. For instance, the single-arm cable row exercise focuses more on your core. It challenges the muscles to work harder but keeping your torso from rotating.

Of course, you will need to consider the safety and precautions before doing cable row exercise and other workouts. If you have an existing or previous injury on your shoulder and lower back, you will need to consider seeking medical advice from a therapist. Without any history of trauma, but you still feel some pain while doing the cable row, you must stop instantly.

You must be prepared before doing any workouts. You should consider wearing proper attire and eating healthy foods. These are essential factors to accomplish the cable row exercise perfectly.

Cable Fly Exercise – What you need for Attractive Chest Muscles

April 26, 2020November 12, 2019 by Kristin Brown

Cable fly is not redundant with any workout contrary to many people’s beliefs. You can do this exercise to build muscles on your pecs. It is what cable fly changes in your body.

Cable fly is one of the variations of chest fly. But you cannot compare it with a dumbbell fly or pec fly. The movement for this workout will improve your muscles on your pecs and forearms.

Before going through with cable fly, let us define first what chest fly is? Chest fly indeed is one of the best exercises when it comes to building muscles in your chest. It teaches you to have a more scapular reaction. Scapular reaction means to pinch your shoulder blades with combatting poor posture from sitting hunched over a desk all day.

What muscles involve in chest fly workout? The muscles involved with this one are your chest and shoulders. Triceps are also included. When your muscles in your chest are already build up, doing push up will be a lot easier. If you are not working correctly with your muscles, then you will end up injured. And that is what we are avoiding.

But the main event in cable fly is not only doing the chest exercise but also feeling it in your chest. You can feel it with the number of weights you are lifting every time you are doing the chest exercise. You can also add some challenge or upgrade your cable chest fly.

Why cable fly?

There are benefits of cable fly like, for instance, that can replace bench press due to joints pain. It could also change the angle of the movement enough to limit the potential stress on the joints. In doing this exercise, you will have lots of tension on the muscle through the entire range of motion. The cable fly setup gives your muscles almost uninterrupted time under strain and a massive pump of pressure to improve muscle growth.

Focus Muscles

The muscles involved in cable fly are the pectorals. The pectorals are your muscles in the chest—major and minor. The primary muscles are those that visible, powering the adduction of the arms and making inward rotation and elevation. The small muscles are located a layer deeper and draw the shoulder blades down and forward.

The major pectoral muscles have two functions. One is that it uses for the upward angle of movement to emphasize the upper portion of the chest. You can have low to the high motion of the cable fly exercise so that you can target the upper part of the chest. Then the other one is the lower angle that emphasizes, the lower portion of the muscle.

How to Do Chest Fly vs Cable Fly

As we have mentioned earlier in this article, cable fly is a variation of chest fly. So what will be the difference between the two? How will you do it?

Chest Fly

Step 1: Lie faceup on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand, resting on the tops of thighs with palms facing in.

Step 2: Then, use your legs to assist in raising the weights. Lift the dumbbells to hold them directly over the chest.

Step 3: Press them up, so your arms are extended over the center of the chest, with palms facing in to start.

Step 4: Keeping your elbows slightly bent, inhale and slowly lower both arms out to the sides. But keep your shoulder blades retract naturally.

Step 5: Hold the position when dumbbells reach shoulder height.

Step 6: Exhale and squeeze through the chest to pull dumbbells back together over the chest to return to the starting position.

Step 7: Repeat this workout for 15 repetitions and 3 sets.

Cable Fly

On the other hand, cable fly has different ways to achieve perfect pectorals.

Step 1: Before anything else, make sure that you set the pulleys on a dual-cable machine to chest height.

Step 2: Then, your starting position is to stand between the two stacks and grasp the handles.

Step 3: Keep your back straight and core engaged while raising your arms out to your sides, palms, facing forward.

Step 4: Next, walk a step or two forward to create tension on the cables. Stand with one foot in front of the other.

Step 5: Make sure your elbows are bend slightly and keep them away from your shoulders.

Step 6: The next thing you will do is pull your hands toward each other in wide arcs in front of you.

Step 7: Hold this position for a few seconds before bending your elbows. Make sure of your foot to forward alternate with each set.

Other Variations of Cable Fly

Cable fly also has variations that you can choose from if you decide to build your pecs.

Cable Fly using Cable Machine

The cable machine is a dual pulley machine that use to perform different exercises like rows, flyes and presses. Traditional dumbbells and barbells efficiently replicate the rows and presses. However, the cable fly is more difficult to do with dumbbells, and impossible to do correctly with kettlebells or barbells.

Cable Flyes using Neutral Grip

The good-looking chest is a visible image of being active. When you have perfect shape chest, cable fly can work much better in the single-arm variation. Given this, you can angle your body to achieve much more muscle engagement. When you are doing bodybuilding, time under tension becomes a critical component. The short-range of motion and simplicity of this exercise lends itself nicely to long 90 second sets.

One Arm Cable Flyes

One arm cable fly exercise means that it is better to perform at a time. Doing it at the same time will give you fewer results. But if you have lesser time to do cable fly, you can try doing the low to mid fly as it will provide you with a move that can be done bilaterally. Also, performing single alternating arm 90-second chest flyes will build enough amount of rest automatically for each arm, so you don’t even need to track your rest time. Cable flyes for chest are slow, regular exercise. But if you want to develop and sculpt your chest, they are one of the best activities available.

Standing Cable Fly or Seated Cable Fly

Standing cable fly has more control of your core and your upper body weight. But if you can’t hold your body weight while standing, you can opt to do the seated cable fly. You can use a bench with a back that can provide additional stability so that you can focus on muscle in your chest.

How to do cable flyes properly?

Like other workouts, you cannot avoid some mistakes in doing cable fly.

Step 1: Make a slight bend in your elbows and lock it. Maintain this position while doing the repetitions.

Step 2: Then, fully extend your arms to begin the cable crossover flyes. While doing this, make sure your hands will remain together and in a forward position. You should see your hands in the arched path, not in a straight line.

Step 3: If you want to do another position like a side-by-side foot stance, you need to have balance as you move your arms forward. Split position, on the other hand, can help you adapt to the center of gravity. Make sure your rear foot to be in more sideways.

How to avoid the stress to your shoulder?

Try to slow down.

Doing slow down motion is necessary when you are in full extension. Make sure your weights will not pull your arms backward and lose control of your directions. Also, the movement you will make to your left will be reflected in your right. You will observe that this is more beneficial to your cable flyes exercises.

Try different angles and an extensive range of motion.

There are different angles for your cable flyes exercise. To try it, you should consider raising and lowering both pulleys. Then try to change the point where you will point the handles together. It can be high, low or in between. Make sure your both hands will be meeting and crossing each other while doing a different angle of cable flyes exercise.

Have control.

Take control of any exercise. It is essential because you will need to maintain your strength for the whole duration of your workout. Not only for cable flyes exercise, but you also have other routines to be performed, so taking control of your strength and movement is essential. It will also allow you to divert your focus in every method, which is good because you will have time to explore many workouts.

In a nutshell

When doing cable fly, it looks like a straightforward exercise. But you will need to have a firm grip and control over the cable. Properly doing this exercise can make your pec more good looking and attractive. When doing cable fly, especially when doing the incline cable fly, you should gear yourself with proper form. Your body must be prepared before doing any workout.

Barbell Squat, Effective beyond Complexity Exercise

April 26, 2020October 31, 2019 by Kristin Brown

The barbell squat is a complicated squat yet effective way to increase the muscle mass of your posterior chain. These muscles must be built stronger to produce hip extension. The squat is one of the exercises that improve your strength for jumping, pushing, pulling and other lower body movements.

The barbell squat is one of the squat variations that provide additional tension to your lower and upper body. Basic squat uses the most amount of weight. The squat should be performed through the effective range of motions. You only need to ensure that your hip is dropping below the top of the knee.

But for the barbell squat as one of the squat variations, you will need the barbell to be placed on your shoulder back.

How to do this?

Since the barbell is in the rack at the height of mid-sternum, take a thumbless grip on the bar that is narrow enough for your straight wrists. Then place the heel of the palm against the bar, while placing fingers on top. The hands keep the barbell from rolling down our back. With grip and hooks in place, walk under the bar and place it right under the spine of the scapula on the meat of the rear deltoids muscles. With the bar in position, take a deep breath and stand up with the bar on the back. Next, you will have to step out of the rack and make the same shoulder-width stance as the stretch without the bar. Take a big deep breath to increase the intra-abdominal pressure of the gut and provide stability for your back.

While doing the squat with a barbell, you will need to keep in mind some of the things that you should need to learn. For instance, the hands don’t hold the bar on the back; instead, our back muscles hold the bar on our back. We use the low bar position to allow us to bend over and use the hip drive to stand up.

Also, when you are preparing to squat down, there are two things that you need to remember, as well. The first one is you have to shove your knees out. And the second one is squat down to depth and come right back up by driving your hips up.

Learn the Basic

Aside from the barbell squat, there are other kinds of squat that you want to try. But you’ll need to know how to do the basic squat.

For the basic squat, the starting position is standing with your heels apart with shoulder-width distance. Put your heels under your shoulder and turn it out at 30 degrees. While, push your knees to the side, the same direction of your feet. Then bend your hips and knees at the same time. Start moving it back and down while pushing your knees out. Make your lower back squat with a natural arch shape when you stand. Your hands should be outside your shoulders while squeezing the bar hard. But let your upper back carry the bar. The bar should be in the center, between your traps and rear shoulders or on your traps. For your elbows, you will need to place it behind the top of your torso. Before unracking, raise your chest and make sure your legs are straight before walking back.

While doing that, bend your hips and knees at the same time. Your head should be in-line with your torso. Next, squat down until your hips are lower than your knees. Lock your hips and knees for racking and step forward, hit the rack. Move the bar in a vertical line over your middle foot. Then, hold it at the bottom while breathing in and out.

Quick Reminder: Avoid raising your toes or heels while doing squat. On each repetition, lock your knees at the top and stand with it. Do the proper breathing and get tight for the next repeat. Make sure your back is neutral and no rounding nor excess arching. Keep it at a diagonal angle. To support the bar, never use your hands to prevent damage on your wrist.

Common Mistakes while Doing the Barbell Squat

You will avoid the lack of tightness during lifting by making the right stance. Doing the correct position should give you a tighter set-up. Also, it can build muscle mass and provide more balance while doing squat barbell.
Try placing your barbell at the rack evenly and balanced. Keep it placed irregularly towards the left or right of the center. It will make your shift on whether the barbell is placed asymmetrically.
Another common mistake during the barbell squat is making your knees forward too much. It will make your squat pattern weaker and can cause injury to your joints in your knees and lower back.
On the other hand, if you move your knees inward, it can lead to a vulnerable position that could harm your knee joint. It should be one of the common mistakes when doing a barbell squat.
The most common mistake while doing a barbell squat is not reaching the proper depth or doing only half squats. It is the result of a lack of an ingrained understanding of what an adequate extent and has locked down the feeling of joint positioning. To avoid, allot more time in the bottom position through holding repetitions.

Doing a barbell squat has many benefits.

Doing squat helps your body to build more muscles.

Indeed, a barbell squat doesn’t just help you achieve incredible, toned legs. Also, they promote body-wide muscle building by creating muscles in the body. They work up your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, abdominal muscles, lower back and your butt too.

It can burn calories faster and more effective.

As calories burn, it will help you build muscle. It will become more efficient at burning calories so you can get to that slimmer physique faster. When you squat with weights bar, you’ll burn the calories even quicker.

More flexible muscles after incorporating weighted squat in your routine exercise

Being flexible is one of the factors to perform well in the workout routines. Our muscles, tendons and ligaments become less elastic as we grow old. But this does not mean that we cannot slow it down. Doing regularly weighted bar squats will help you limber up and become more flexible as the exercise involves bending and stretching of the leg muscles.

Like other exercises, it improves mobility and balance.

You will need to have strong legs for your daily activities. Strong thighs are essential for staying mobile; thus, you will need to do squats. Not only do they develop leg strength, but they also work out your core to stabilize your muscles. These muscles help you to maintain balance.

Maintain good health of your lungs and heart.

If you do exercises, your breathing will be practiced. Also, your heart will improve its function in blood circulation. Also, it will strengthen your cardiac muscles and lung capacity.

Prevent you from having injuries.

Proper stance while doing the barbell squat can prevent you from getting injuries. Aside from muscles, squat strengthens the tissues and ligaments in our body. By doing this, it helps your body to become steady while your primary muscles can do their job.

Stronger Bones and Improve functions of joints

Doing barbell squat engages your hips, knees and ankles at the same time. It helps build muscle and improves joint health and joint strength. Aside from joints, squat increases bone density in our bodies. It helps our bones to become stronger over time.

Good posture in doing squat.

Another good thing in performing squat has a good posture. While improving your core and leg strength, it influences your muscles at the back to have good posture.

Getting support for your daily activities

In general, doing a barbell squat will increase your capacity for doing everyday tasks. The squat is one perfect cardio exercise that you will need to improve your lower body, which is vital for daily movement.

In a nutshell

Indeed, doing a barbell squat improves our muscles in the lower body and at the back. But what could be the reasons for choosing the squat? Why squat if we could have other choices?

In the beginning, the squat is the most natural exercise that we have. It is one of the most foundational functional movements in our lives. And as we get older, it is crucial to maintain and to do squat correctly.

Don’t be deceived if you notice that doing squats is more comfortable than any workout. In fact, squats are compound movement. It means that it is a movement that needs your every joint working. A simple bodyweight squat workout uses almost every muscle group in the body. Adding a barbell in your routine, it helps your primary muscle group to work.

Aside from legs, don’t forget your muscles at the back, hips and core as well as your shoulders and arms moving.

Because of utilizing your bones and muscles completely, it burns calories and fats. In return, it adds muscle mass and increases bone density. Given this, it improves your flexibility. The increase in your knees and hips reduces your chance of getting an injury.

T Bar Row Exercise for Stronger and Sexier Shoulder Back

April 26, 2020October 18, 2019 by Kristin Brown

T bar row can be compared with barbell bent-over rows, and this workout specializes with the mass building. You can have a T bar row as an alternative for more angles and dimensions. It will make the T bar row form more exciting and challenging.

T bar row targets the area in the middle back. It strengthens and improves muscles in this area. While doing this movement, your shoulder back and biceps are involved. Your abs, hamstrings and glutes stabilize your body while in the position of bent-over.

If you would like to try T bar row exercises, you will need to go to the gym and look for the stations on this one. You will also need techniques and assistance on how to do t bar row. It is essential to know the proper T bar row workouts.

To learn and make easier the T bar row, you will need some techniques. For beginners, these techniques are essential to do this workout properly.

Make sure you have a good grip with the handle to pull the crossbar of the T towards your chest. You should allow your hinge going upward from the hips if you perform the lift. While doing this, aim for your back to stay still. But for dynamic lift, your back will hinge up slightly. Make sure you will not allow your back for full hinge up.

In some cases, your grip will be different depending on your stance in doing T bar row. Typical grip with T-bars are wide, palms facing either down or up. Others opt for close grips when they want the hands close against the bar and emphasize lat engagement. When tight grip, you will have your elbows close to your body.

Why T bar row?

Like other mass builders workout, the T bar row provides strength and exercise the balance of our body. It backs up our muscles to our shoulders and arms. Unlike the barbell row, the T bar row is an exercise for your back. It is another variation of bent-over row done by using a T bar machine.

Let us give you the easy way on how to do a T bar row workout.

Step 1: Your starting position is firmly keeping your feet planted on the floor.

Step 2: Next, you have to bend forward with your hips while keeping your back flat and knees bent.

Step 3: Then get a grip with your T bar or a lever. Use both hands to grasp it.

Step 4: While doing this, keep your head as high as possible and keep your torso parallel to the floor.

Step 5: Extend your arms fully and pull the level towards you.

Step 6: Lift the bar until it touches your chest and also keep your torso parallel to the ground.

Step 7: Afterwards, make sure that the lever or T bar touches your chest and keep your torso parallel to the ground.

Step 8: Your final position is lowering the T bar slowly until your arms straight. Repeat this movement about 10 to 12 repetitions.

What are your choices?

Since the barbell row has many variations, you can trust us with some of the alternatives to do the T bar row.

Pendlay Row

Your starting position is to set up an Olympic bar with a suitable weight.
Next, stand with your feet apart with shoulder-width and place a small bend in your knees.
Then move forward with your hips and grab the bar with an overhand grip. Your hand should be neutral, in a straight line from your shoulders.
Make sure that you flatten your back to a neutral position before you commence the lift.
After that, row the barbell up to the bottom of your rib cage and back down to the ground in one swift and powerful movement.
Maintain that your spine is neutral throughout this exercise. Repeat this with a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 10 repetitions.

Reminder: For beginners, you can start to lift below 20 kg weight plates. Otherwise, make sure you use bumper plates to have the bar at the right height as its dead stop point.

Kroc Row

Your starting position is standing while holding a dumbbell in one hand. While the other hand is placed over something reliable that will allow you to have your shoulders higher than your hips.
Then, your upper back should be at the correct angle, more or less 15 degrees to the floor.
With your arm holding a dumbbell, you can start working on it by fully extending it towards the ground.
After that, pull the dumbbell up towards the lower portion of your ribs in an explosive movement. Avoid creating too much momentum when doing this.
Allow your arm to go to full extension on the way down and have your shoulder lowered towards the ground to feel stretch through your read deltoids and lats. Don’t forget to do this before making repetitions.

Reminder: Doing the Kroc row will significantly increase your upper back strength as well as your grip strength. If you want to improve your overall deadlift, you will need this variation of T bar row. You can also try this without the straps so that your forearms will get a solid workout.

Exercise Ball Narrow Grip Row

Before doing any movement, you will need to attach the narrow grip or your close grip handle to the cable machine. It should be about waist height while seated on the exercise ball.
Then, walk the cable out and sit on the exercise ball with your knees bent at 90 degrees angle, which will require maximum core stabilization.
When you are in this position, you can start this workout by fully extending your arms towards the cable machine.
Then pull the cable towards your stomach and your elbows skimming your sides.
Make some squeezing to your shoulder blades together and hold for a second or two.
The eccentric phase of this exercise should be slow and controlled.

Reminder: This exercise requires stability from the core rather than your hamstrings and glutes. You don’t need to lift heavy objects while doing this. Instead, this exercise is best for many repetitions, mass building and conditioning. For optimal strength, you can do workouts involving heavy lifting.

ISO-Lateral Row

Before doing your starting position, make sure that the seat height is appropriate for you and the chest pad should be aligned with the middle of your chest. Also, your chest pad is set at the right distance from the handles.
After this, your starting position is reaching the handle of the bar. In each hand, while keeping your chest firmly against the chest pad, you will need to pull the handles all the way back towards you.
Then your elbows should go straight behind you, and your shoulder blades should come together.
Now, you can hold and squeeze it before returning to full extension. Create a stretch through your rear deltoids and lats. You don’t need the weight plates touch at the end of the movement. You should always maintain tension.
Repeat this workout for a minimum of 10 repetitions and a maximum of 12 repetitions.

Reminder: This workout is useful to strengthen the balanced through the upper and middle back. If the ISO-lateral row machine you are using has adjustable handles, hold them away with 45-degrees to hit your lower lats hard.

What could have been done wrong?

You will presume that you are doing the T bar row correctly, but in fact, you are not. Sometimes you are not aware that you are doing it all wrong. Or at some point, you made some mistakes.

So we are giving you some of the things that you should avoid when doing the T bar row exercise.

Warning 1: You are missing the target.

Since doing T bar row focuses on your back muscle group, but many are confused about how to build your back muscle.

To avoid, you will need to do the following:

Focus on chins and pulldowns with a grip wider than shoulder-width. In this way, your lat width will improve.
Keep your elbows close to your sides and pull them as far back as possible. It will make your ranges of motion in maximum contractions. It is helpful to activate your lower lat.
For your middle and upper back muscles, you can do wide grip rows that can pull to your chest. Use a Smith machine or low cable while seating, instead of a barbell.

Warning 2: Do not forget your lower back.

Indeed, the T bar row is right for your back, but the common focus is your upper back. So don’t forget to do some exercises with your lower back. Your muscles at your lower back help you a lot for standing and doing some errands daily.

To avoid this, you will need to do some deadlifts. This workout will focus on your lower back every time at the end of each back routine. Also, you can do stiff-leg deadlifts and back crunch. This workout improves your back extension but with a shorter movement. Instead of bending your waist and hips, you can contract your abs and curl your torso down.

Warning 3: You are doing wrong with your grip.

Losing your grip is a common problem with every workout. So, when you do some workouts, you will need to exercise a good grip. First, your underhand grip involves the biceps. So doing some workout with your biceps can improve your grip. Also, you will need to wear training straps when you are doing a T bar row to have a good grip.

Warning 4: Do not put 100% reliance on machines.

Doing a workout using a machine should not be your option. Though most gyms offered unique rowing machines, you will also need to have alternatives. You can use barbells, dumbbells and chinning bars to have a good mass building.

Warning 5: You are frequently using your secondary muscles.

Because you cannot see your back muscles, you tend to do crucial forms like stretches and contractions during rows, pulldowns and other lifts. It is usual for bodybuilders who have trouble isolating the muscles. To avoid overusing your secondary muscles, you will need to work with your weight. Don’t let it work you. You can always use weights with a comfortable handle with a maximum of 12 repetitions. If you are aware of your biceps of doing too much of the work, you will need to utilize an overhand grip. Focus on the weight or the path of the movement, instead see to it that the targeted area is your back and you are doing it right.

In a Nutshell

T bar row is your shoulder-back exercise. Properly doing it will give you impeccable results; otherwise, you are just wasting your time for some workout with no results. Always remember that before doing exercises, you will need to do some preparations. You will have to ensure that you are wearing proper workout attire and eating healthy foods. Also, you must seek assistance from a professional trainer if you want to do the T bar row.

Barbell Row Forms for Stronger and Firmer Shoulder Back

April 26, 2020October 12, 2019 by Kristin Brown

The barbell row is one of the best exercises that will build strong and firm shoulders and biceps. However, doing a barbell row is not an easy workout to do. Given that, some mistakes cannot be avoided.

The barbell row is not an everyday workout that bodybuilder does. It is one of the best exercises that many are doing. However, not everyone does it in the right way. And still, some people don’t fully understand the benefits of doing barbell rows.

If you have already started a workout routine, you can still consider doing the barbell row. It is an excellent add-on to your exercises for stable and firm shoulders and back. When you have strong shoulders, it will be easier for you to do other workouts involving heavy lifting.

The muscles involved in the barbell row are your back, abs, arms and hips. Building these muscles will give you a balanced shape. For instance, a barbell row makes your upper back or the shoulder-blades at your back a V-shape. It also involves your traps, rear shoulders and the rest of the muscles in your upper back. For the lower back, which is your lower spine, your muscles in that area need to workout. In doing the barbell row, you will need to avoid having disc injuries. The gravity tries to bend your back by pulling the bar down. However, resisting the force strengthens your lower back muscles.

Another muscle that gets worked out with a barbell row is your abs. Your abs muscles are essential to strengthen, which will support your lower back. Then your hips will also benefit from doing barbell row. This workout gives dynamic and static contractions. When you raise your torso to get the bar moving off the floor, muscles in your hips are working. They also provide support to your lower back. The most apparent muscle that works during the barbell row is your arms. Muscles in your forearm are essential for daily work. Your movements always involve your forearm, especially when lifting.

How to do it?

Barbell row, unlike other workouts, focuses their strength and building muscle mass to your whole back. By using more massive weights over time, this will increase the force that will make your shoulders firmer and stronger.

If you want to build your muscles in your shoulder-back, we have here the natural and necessary steps for the barbell row.

Step 1: Your starting position is standing with your mid-foot under the bar. This is what we call a medium stance.

Step 2: Your next position is bending over as you grab the barbell with your palms down and a medium grip.

Step 3: Then, unlock your knees while keeping your hips high. While doing this, lift your chest and keep your back straight.

Step 4: After doing that, pull the bar against your lower chest.

Step 5: Return the bar to the floor. Practice breathing and straighten your back.

Step 6: Hold this position for a few seconds and continue with repetitions.

Keep in mind that barbell rows are full body and compound exercise that provides a workout to your upper back, lower back, hips and arms. In doing a barbell row, it also gives you a muscular back and bigger biceps. This workout is your preparation before doing squat, bench press and deadlift.

Variations for Row Workout

Though it is considered as one of the best and most effective exercises, barbell row has its limitations. If you want to have less stress on your shoulders and back, you can have other activities aside from barbell row exercise.

Single-Arm Dumbbell Row

Many choose to do the one-arm dumbbell row because it improves strength in your back and biceps. It also exercises a good grip, especially those with smaller hands and a weaker grip.

How to do it: You can perform this workout with a knee while your hand is placed on the same side of the bench. Then, put your other foot on the floor to reduce the demand on your lower back.

Inverted Row

It is a good alternative for the barbell row workout. It has the same stance, but instead of pulling the barbell up to your body, you will pull your body to a bar. This workout is included in the training routine of beginners.

Chest Supported Row

You can do this workout using a machine or a bench set to a low incline with dumbbells on both hands. If you do the chest supported row, unlike the barbell row, it will limit your movement while using some weights. It is an advantage, especially if you want to give your low-back a rest.

What’s good in doing the barbell row?

Like other workouts, the barbell row provides some goodness in your body. If you can do it properly, you can enjoy the following:

Better Posture

Since the barbell row targets your upper back muscles, it also gives excellent support to your shoulder-back. It provides strength imbalance between your chest and your back, which your shoulders will hunch forward.

Bigger Lifts

Barbell row trains your muscles in your shoulder blades to do great while doing other shoulder workouts like the bench press. The more stabilize your shoulders, the more strength you can generate in your arms and chest. It also provides a platform to press the weights and decreases the risk of a shoulder injury.

Firm Upper Body

If you can observe, a thicker, broader and more muscular upper back can result in you having a V-shaped torso. Barbell row also provides total body strength that will prevent your spinal from breaking during deadlift and squat. It means that you can carry loads with better form and less injury to your back. It gives more strength, muscles and power from head to toe.

Common Mistakes with Barbell Row

You cannot get the benefits from the barbell row if you are doing it wrong. To avoid these mistakes, we noted down the common improper way of doing it.

Don’t do the “bouncing” stance.

It is a big no-no if you are doing the bent-over barbell row. It’s typically the result of using a weight that’s too heavy, forcing you to bounce up and down to generate enough momentum to move the load. You may think that this is the best technique, but it is plain cheating.

How to avoid: Use a lighter weight for bent over row barbell. Performing the exercise with a weight you can control will more effectively recruit your back muscles. It will also give you the momentum for this barbell row form. But a small bounce can improve your lift. Since your biceps have a limiting factor, a little bounce can help you overcome this weakness. It will allow you to lift a weight and challenge your back muscles.

Never reach the 45-degree angle.

Another thing to avoid when doing a barbell row is getting your torso at a 45-degree angle. If you are doing this, then you are doing this wrong. It happens a lot when you lack core strength, or the weight is too heavy.

How to avoid: Before doing the barbell row, build a stronger core that will prevent you from making the 45-degree angle. But if you have a strong core and still doing this angle, you will need to place a plate on your lower back to maintain the proper position. It is the technique to have an appropriate posture during the exercise.

Avoid Flaring of your Elbows

It is unavoidable that your elbows will shift while doing the barbell row. This is because of the movement of the bar, forward and in front of your midfoot. This stance increases the amount of stress to your lower back. Also, it causes pain to your shoulder.

How to avoid: Row the bar in a vertical line over your midfoot to just below your chest and make sure your elbows are at about a 45-degree angle with your body.

Rounding Position for your Back and your Neck

While doing a barbell row, avoid doing some unnecessary movements like rounding your back that places your spine in a dangerous position. It will increase your risk of injury. Also, your neck position is essential. Looking too far up or down can throw the rest of your spine out of whack, making it difficult to hold a safe and stable torso position as you row the heavyweight.

How to avoid: Brace your abs as if you’re about to take a punch with your back in a neutral position. You can use a lighter weight if you can’t maintain this position. For your neck, align it in a straight line with your back. The easiest way to find this position is to focus your eyes on the ground a few feet away in front of your body and give yourself a double chin.

What can we say?

Indeed, the barbell row is a crucial workout to prepare your shoulder back before doing the lifting. Three essential factors will lead you to perform it properly.

You’ll need to have compression, range of motion and contraction. Compression is something that’ll allow you to squeeze the muscles against a significant load. It’ll also give your muscles some connection with each other. But you’ll need to handle considerable weight to achieve the level of compression required.

Range of motion means you’ll allow your muscles to work in longer intervals. Some variations of barbell row provide rip from your body, and the other end of the repetitions can get your elbows back.

Also, you’ll need contraction that will allow you to feel your back contract. It’ll be a result of your biceps and triceps. It will also take time and practice, but when you master it, it’ll make a massive difference in terms of results.

But then again, doing the barbell row properly, it’ll keep your lower back neutral. There’s no squeezing on your spinal discs. Also, never hold the bar in the air between repetitions or else your back will be forced. Instead, rest the bar on the floor between repetitions. Set your lower back in neutral before your next barbell row repetitions.

To quickly achieve your barbell row, there are ways to simplify them, but try not to cheat. The techniques are lifting heavier weights by using your hips, but you will still need your upper-back to do most of the work. If your torso rises above horizontal, the weight will not be easy to lift. If you lower it, it’ll work best to your upper back. Therefore, the barbell row focuses on strengthening your shoulder back, not your hips or lower back.

What is Plank Exercise and why is it Effective beyond Other Exercises?

April 26, 2020October 8, 2019 by Kristin Brown

What is the plank exercise? And how it’s different from other activities? Can you do this at home or you will need some equipment while doing a plank? Why is it essential in a workout routine?

What is the plank exercise that suitable for your body and age? There are many variations of plank exercises, and we are giving you our top list on that. Also, we are giving you some tips on how to do a plank correctly.

Plank, like squat, is a simple yet effective bodyweight exercise. It is the state wherein you hold your body stiff to develop strength in your core and other muscles such as shoulders, arms and glutes.

As there are many variations of plank you can choose from, you will not need equipment. Meaning you can always perform it at home or the park. There are common mistakes in doing planking. But lots of good things will happen, and because of these smart things, people are going crazy asking – what is plank exercise.

Like squats, plank does not go out of fashion. Planks are one of the exercises needed to build muscles most simply.

So why, plank?

We will make this short – plank is doing some exercise that will improve your core definition and performance. It is an ideal exercise for abs muscles and all of your major core muscles. Empowering your core muscles, you will increase your ability to lift heavier weights, improved sports performance like jumping and the capacity to do stable side-bending and waist twisting. For sure, you will have excellent support at the back.

With enough support at the back, you can reduce the risk of your injury at the back and to your spinal column. It is a type of exercise that will strengthen your muscles and ensures firm support for your entire back. While doing this, you will not need to put too much pressure on your spine and hips. Therefore, you will have less injury but more strength.

Aside from strength, you can increase the overall metabolism of your body. It is one of the reasons why many choose to plank over other exercises. Doing this daily is one way of making your abdominal muscles increase the energy to burn. If you have no time to attend workouts at the gym, you can do planking. It is essential if you are spending the majority of your day in sedentary.

Also, good posture is one of the benefits of doing planking. While other workouts busy increasing your muscles, a plank, however, does a great job of improving your posture. A good posture is making both of your bones and joints in the correct alignment. Meaning, both bones and joints are maintained and healthier. If you have the right-back position, you will have fewer sufferings of back pain.

Other benefits that we can get from plank exercise are improved overall balance and mobility. Also, it gives calmness to your brain and treats anxiety and depression.

How do you do it?

Before going to different variations of plank exercises, it is crucial to know the necessary steps on how to do planking. Here is our easy step-by-step plank position.

Your starting position is getting yourself into a push-up position on the floor. But your arms bent at 90 degrees and your forearms are rested to your weight.
Make sure your torso is straight and your body in a straight line from ears to toes with no sagging or bending.
Then your head should be relaxed and looking at the floor.
You will need to hold this position as long as you can. But remember to breathe, inhale and exhale slowly and steadily.
When you feel your muscles are already toughened by the pressure, slowly return to push up position.

Upgrade your Plank Exercise

When you learned the basic plank workouts and taking this exercise seriously, you will need to know the techniques on how to do a plank.

Forearm Plank

Your starting position is lying down, with your face looking at the floor and your legs extended and elbow bent under your shoulders.
Clasp your hands and make sure your feet should be hip-width apart, and your elbows should be shoulder-width apart.
While on this position, make some contractions to your abs and then tuck your toes to lift your body. You should be in a straight line from head to heels.
Hold this position for 60 seconds or as long as you can. But remember to breathe, inhale and exhale slowly and steadily.
When you feel your muscles are already toughened by the pressure, slowly return to push up position.

Straight Arm Plank

Your starting position is lying down, with your face looking at the floor and your legs extended. Your elbows should not be bent; instead, it should be straight like a push-up stunt.
While on this position, make some contractions to your abs and then tuck your toes to lift your body. You should be in a straight line from head to heels.
Hold this position for a minute or two or as long as you can. But remember to breathe, inhale and exhale slowly and steadily.
When you feel your muscles are already toughened by the pressure, slowly return to push up position.

Side Plank

Your starting position is lying down in a plank position. But, you will have to press your one hand into a mat. It will turn your body so your weight will be on the outer edge of your right foot.
Then stack your left foot on top.
You will need to do some other movements like pressing your torso up and down. Don’t forget to extend your left arm, pointed toward the sky.
Make contractions in lower abdominal muscles and to your major core muscles.
You can hold this position for a minute.
Afterwards, you can return to your plank position and repeat on the left side. Make up to three repetitions.

Resistance Plank

To have more pressure on your core, you can add a resistance band to work your core, shoulders and hamstrings.
Place band around your wrists and ankles to form as straight-arm plank.
Start moving your left hand and right foot out six inches.
Return to start and repeat on opposite sides.
You can have up to 10 repetitions.

Plank Tuck

Your starting position is lying down, with your face looking at the floor and your legs extended and elbow bent under your shoulders.
Clasp your hands and make sure your feet should be hip-width apart, and your elbows should be shoulder-width apart.
Your knees should also be bent but do not touch the ground. Tilt your pelvis up and hold for 4 breaths.
While on this position, make some contractions to your abs and then tuck your toes to lift your body. Then go back to your position in a straight line from head to heels.
Repeat three times.
When you feel your muscles are already toughened by the pressure, slowly return to push up position.

Caterpillar Plank

Your starting position is standing with your feet apart with shoulder-width distance.
Then bend forward at the waist and place your hands on the floor.
Crawl forward to plank position with your shoulders directly aligned over wrists.
Then bend your elbows to lower your body toward the floor then push back up.
Your starting position is lying down, with your face looking at the floor and your legs extended and elbow bent under your shoulders.
Next, bend your left knee toward your chest and rotate your waist while doing this.
After you reach the position of your left leg parallel to the floor, return to plank and repeat on the opposite side.
Return to a standing position.

Twisting Knee Plank

Your starting position is getting yourself into a straight arm plank.
Then twist your lower body to the left, then to the right and return to center.
Bring your left knee forward to touch your left elbow and hold for a second.
Return to center and repeat on the right side.
You can make 1 repetition up to 20 repetitions.

Plank with Side Snatch

Adding a dumbbell for your plank will make your movement works better. While in a plank position, make your body straight and your feet wider than shoulder-width.
Hold your dumbbell and engage in your core muscles.
Then keep your arms straight and make a twist to your waist.
Lift the dumbbell in the left hand out to left and up overhead.
Return to plank position and continue for 60 seconds.
Then switch sides and repeat.

Plank using a Ball

Get a stability ball and place your shins and tops of your feet over the ball.
Then put your hands on the ground in a plank position.
Engage your core and squeeze your butt muscles and hold for 60 seconds.
When you feel your muscles are already toughened by the pressure, slowly return to push up position by releasing the ball.

Also, you can try other plank positions using the ball. It is called stir-the-pot-plank.

Your starting position is kneeling in front of the ball with your forearms and elbows on the ball with your hands clasped.
Roll the ball forward until your legs are extended, and your body is in plank position, toes tucked.
Your shoulders should be stacked directly above your elbows, and your chest lifted off the ball. Don’t forget your neck in line with your spine.
Brace your abs and make a small circle to the right with your forearms, as if stirring a pot.
You can do this for 15 repetitions and repeat circles to the left.

Are you feeling of improving your plank?

There are several ways of improving your plank. In many ways, what is plank exercise if you cannot have its full effect?

The first thing you will need to do is start your plank workout in straightforward variations. You can start with bent knee or forearm plank if you are a beginner. After you experienced plank for two minutes, you can try other plank variations.

The key to do that is practice daily. Discipline yourself to have a few minutes for your plank exercises. If you can do this, instead of the basic plank, you can increase your repetitions as well as upgrade the plank variations that you will do.

Quick Tips for Plank Exercise

Like other workouts, you can find flaws in doing planks. There are many mistakes, but we will focus on the top things that need to be resolved.

Make sure you have enough support for your back.

Put some effort to support your back by pulling your belly button in toward the spine when you are doing some contraction. It will help you torso flat, making your spine safe.

Your backwards should be in straight form.

It happens a lot to your butt. When you do planking, your butt is going upwards, or your back is going downwards. But the thing is, make sure your backward is in straight form, and you will have enough abs that will engage from top to bottom.

Keep your head straight while looking at the floor.

Don’t keep your hips, butt and back the only focus of your plank exercise. Another thing that is important to notice while doing the plank exercise is that your head is straight, making your neck in a neutral position. It is beneficial to your neck during this exercise.

Learn the essence of breathing in and breathing out.

Like other exercises, breathing is essential. You can deny oxygen to your body while doing the plank exercise. Make sure you know proper breathing to avoid dizziness and nausea. If you don’t know the appropriate breathing technique, you may need to ask for assistance on this one.

Stop being time conscious.

Free your mind from time and focus on your workout. Restraining your routine can affect your muscles and body while doing plank exercise. Never limit yourself with time. Instead, focus on the results that you want to achieve.

In our Opinion

After realizing and knowing about what is plank exercise, it is a useful exercise if you want to have strong muscles overall your body. But its pressure focuses on your abdominal muscles, so plank exercise is also known as plank abs.

How to Do Deadlifts for Firmer and Stronger Lower Body Muscles

April 27, 2020October 3, 2019 by Kristin Brown

How to do deadlifts for your lower body is essential. Therefore you need to include this workout in your routine. Other than your core muscles, your glutes, hamstrings, and quads are the muscles built by doing deadlifts workouts.

How to do deadlifts is beneficial for your health, especially to your muscles’ strength. Also, our body needs support for daily movements. The pressure in our muscles for doing deadlifts is keeping your core tight while the weight is trying to pull you forward.

The benefit of doing deadlifts comes in many ways; for instance, by doing deadlifts, it builds more power. The hip hinge is the best force move, propelling running strides, jumps, and other lifts. Also, for women, doing deadlifts will improve blood pressure more than those who do cardio exercises. The explanation involves lifting act as intense interval training, prepping your arteries to dilate more quickly. Other than blood pressure, you can have stronger bones when doing a deadlift. Especially when it comes to your spine and hips, lifting will make those bones in the areas turned into rock-hard bone.

How to do deadlifts or planks for better abs muscles? When you really want to have six-pack abs, choose deadlifts. Deadlifts give more tension to your core, making it durable and firm. It does far better than what plank can do.

And obviously, the deadlift can make you lose fat quickly. The effect of deadlifts can be noticeable to your hip, glutes, and hamstrings.

How to Do Deadlifts

Knowing the goodness on how to do deadlifts, we are giving you this easy step-by-step workout.

Step # 1: Your starting position is holding the barbell or two dumbbells at your side. Keep your arms straight, and knees slightly bent.

Step # 2: Next, bend at your hip joint. Lower the weights as far as possible without rounding your back and keep it straight. Keep your spine neutral with a natural low-back arch with your shoulders down.

Step # 3: Make sure that your deadlift weights, such as barbell or dumbbells, are close to your legs.

Step # 4: Then squeeze your glutes to pull yourself up at a quicker pace than it took you to bend down.

Step # 5: Use weights that you can do three sets of 12 to 15 sets. More than this can make your muscles get fatigued.

Variations that you can Do for Deadlifts

Romanian Deadlift

How to do it: First, start positioning yourself by standing with the bar in your hands as opposed to the floor and lower until you feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings. Never forget this Romanian deadlift form for you to correctly build flexibility as well as strength, power, and control.

Rap Bar Deadlift

How to do it: Also known as the hex bar deadlift because of the hexagonal shape of the bar. It is the classic version of the deadlift, which is useful. It is excellent for gaining strength and put pressure on your lower back.

Sumo Deadlift

How to do it: Your starting position is placing your feet wider apart. Grasp the bar with a narrower grip than you would with a regular deadlift. The weight of the bar should be lighter for your hamstrings. This workout can be a great builder for leg power.

Snatch-grip Deadlift

How to do it: Your starting position is to hold the bar a broader grip to place greater emphasis on your upper back muscles. Then lift the bar slowly and to avoid jarring your back.

Rack-pull Deadlift

How to do it: Your starting position is to find the range of motion, starting with the weights raised on blocks or a rack. You can begin to the variation until you are more confident with the movement required. It places less strain on your lower back.

Deficit Deadlift

How to do it: Your starting position is standing on a block close to the bar. Slowly and steady, rise from the position and maintain balance and avoid injury. This variation of deadlift will increase your range of motion and improve your ability to lift the bar off the floor.

In a Nutshell

How to do deadlifts offer our lower body for strength and flexibility. If deadlift can be done correctly, you can achieve the best results without getting injured. Also, you can have that perfect six-pack abdominal muscle.