workouts Archives - Fit & Elegant

Best Ways to Exercise at Home-Most Engaging Workout with No Injury

August 12, 2020August 10, 2020 by Kristin Brown

Best ways to exercise at home are essential in our lives more than ever since gym closures are one of the protocols in this quarantine time. However, it should not be an excuse for you to skip exercising. Remember that exercising is one of the things that our body needs to prevent symptoms of coronavirus and other diseases.

The best ways to exercise at home can be in many forms, and there can be various routines you can follow. Still, I will discuss some simple and effective ways to do exercise at home. Since you will do exercise at home, the first thing is to consider suitable the area at your home and the and equipment you will be using. Not to mention your capacity to perform and discipline to strictly follow the schedule of exercises at home is a vital issue to make it a success.

Yes, it will be inviting for you to sit and enjoy watching Netflix that you almost forgot to move around and exercise even a little bit. The best ways to exercise at home should be on schedule.

Take it from me; my gym schedule is always Saturday to destress and increase emotional balance and improve healthy hormones. But this time of the pandemic, I almost forgot my schedule of exercising. The result? Well, it was devastating.

But it was not a long term effect since I found some options to do a workout at home. These exercises helped me to overcome anxiety and depression. It builds up positive hormones and prevents me from different diseases.

So here are the best ways to exercise at home. Aside from it will keep your system up and going, these exercises are free, and you can do it without exposing yourself outside.

Engaging Best Ways to Exercise at Home

Small Equipment

JmpdfjRopdassf If you are like me and always looking for a workout at home using small equipment, I think you should try these workouts.

In my case, since staying at home is the new norm, I tried aerobic, resistance, and exercises for flexibility.

For aerobic exercises, I use jumping rope since we have a porch where I could hop, skip single footed, side to side, running, big jumps, or swinging the string in reverse.

Then I used some bodyweight, of course, the weight should be compatible with what I could carry out. The weights are not necessary. As long as I feel my heart elevates to a certain level and maintains the intensity.

When using resistance bands with weights can add tension, so it will be harder to move the loads. Dumbbells and kettlebells are the best equipment to do with resistance bands. Doubling the pressure of this equipment will give the weight.

At the end of the best ways to exercise at home is self-massage and stretching. It will improve the flexibility of the body.

Virtual Training

Best-Ways-to-Exercise-at-Home-Most-03 Staying indoors is not bad for some people as long as internet connections are around. Now, it is one of the essentials and has many advantages. Like for instance, online workout. I got my routines just by watching videos online that give out options on how to do the best ways to exercise at home. It works for some individuals doing a workout at home before the pandemic. And I know it by now why some people are hooked in workouts at home. For this reason, video tutorials for workouts are useful and easy to follow. There are also plenty of exercises to choose from.

There are also custom training and nutrition plans that you can adopt coming from a professional trainer. Going to a gym will make a difference for sure, but following the schedule will improve discipline and commitment to workout.

Performing circuits is another option if the equipment is not available. Circuits are workout after another workout with repetitions on each set. It involves the whole body and the core while doing this workout. And as you increase the phasing, the body will feel the pressure and tension will become harder and rising.

Body Workouts with no Equipment

First of all, before doing a workout at home, start with no equipment, make sure that all considerations are checked.

To some individuals in self-isolation, pregnant, or with underlying health conditions, consultation with your doctors is essential beforehand.

You see, to be successful in the best ways to exercise at home, strength and balance exercises are essentials. Muscle strengths are needed to increase repetitions and performance of workouts like yoga, resistance training, and other activities at home.

In this pandemic battle, individuals in isolation at your home should not be a hindrance for you to workout. Instead, it should motivate you to move and perform movements and activities.

These exercises also improve your health conditions while quarantines are being imposed. The long term effects of the coronavirus cannot be reversed instantly. It will take a long process for the body to process the changes. Well, it is inevitable.

So here are the best ways to exercise at home without using equipment and not injuring yourself.

First is the tricep dips using chairs.

trcepschr This workout needs a chair at home. While sitting on the edge of the chair, hold onto it with your hands. Preferably onto the front of the chair and place your feet out in front of you. Make sure to have legs either bent or straighten as long as your elbows are in a 90-degree angle before pushing back up.

Second is the top press-ups using the table.

Other than the chair, you can use the table. The incline press-ups using a table are one of the most natural furniture to use compared to bed, chair, or even a wall. Now, for the table, your hands should be placed on it while your legs are stretched behind you. Please make sure they are straight out nicely. Then lower your weight, but keep your elbow tight to your body and press back up.

The third is squatting using your room wall.

As I said, plenty of time and things to do inside your home, so using the walls in your room is a thing. So, begin to lean on it and sit against it. Imagine that you are sitting in a chair at a 90-degree angle.

Sharing My Thoughts

The best ways to exercise at home have no real secrets. Every workout and exercise needs discipline and motivation to do the routines correctly. Of course, there are safety measures to be first checked before each workout.

Yoga HIIT Workouts – The Best Combination of Exercise for Better Results

August 13, 2020July 8, 2020 by Kristin Brown

Yoga HIIT workouts, or high-intensity interval training, are a combination of yoga poses and high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which strives to achieve better results. Do you know the feeling of intense for your heart rate yet satisfying? This combination, yoga HIIT, can give your body a difference from inside and out.

Yoga HIIT workouts are intense routines, which include cardio, running, weights, and yoga poses. For some, yoga is a lame exercise compared to weight lifting and cardio workouts. But hear me out, I have tried the yoga HIIT workouts to build strength and noticed the results.

The results I got when doing yoga HIIT workouts are far from what I have imagined. The visible results I have seen gave me the courage to do more and continue as regular exercise.

So, where did I learn it? At first, I admit to encountering different troubles and difficulties. Especially doing the intensity interval training at the hips, arms and legs, it will give your heart rate a jump start like a ball bouncing on the ground. Adjustment of the body like your arms and your hips, with the strength and coordination, are the first you will meet.

If you notice your body in the difficulty of breathing, rest for one minute, inhale and exhale to five breaths, and return to your starting position. Look and feel the amount of time you will be spending if you are doing a downward dog exercise to the floor.

My first try at yoga poses at home were beginners’ moves. With the help of video tutorials, I managed to perform different poses. Then I started looking for another set of workouts. I started looking at cardio conditioning and strength exercises, and there I came across the HIIT.

So when I am already doing HIIT, I include yoga poses as cooldown routines. It is the right combination if you want to relax your body after the cardio and strength workouts. Other than cooldown, I also tried doing yoga poses as a warm-up to HIIT. Guess what? It works perfectly, and I never regret doing yoga HIIT workouts.

So why do the yoga HIIT workouts?

The yoga and HIIT workouts are the opposite. As you can imagine, I explained that I applied yoga poses as warm-up and cooldown to prevent injuries. You must listen to what our body needs. Is it strength or cardio or just basic yoga poses? Can you do it if you switch your legs then switch sides? Can you calculate the percent of your maximal heart rate to build strength and return your entire body and go to starting position without injury?

Knowing this is important to get the benefits from your yoga routine by integrating calories on each exercise for cardio yoga workout. The workout consists of the sequence and practice of different exercises such as lunge and plank using equipment like kettlebell can burn fats, and increase stamina and the flexibility of muscles.

But sometimes, those who performed yoga develop injuries. And you know why is that? Wrong pose and you ta end to push your body too hard at the first session.

When I first did the yoga HIIT workouts, I practiced being careful, especially during the first session. It is essential to find the technique. Proper breathing is necessary to do the yoga HIIT workouts successfully. Keeping yourself calm will help you perform the yoga HIIT workouts.

So how can you manage if you do HIIT workouts from the beginning?

For some that HIIT workouts have been the exercise, in the beginning, it will not be easy to adjust to a new workout routine. It is like the opposite of what I did, and since I am aware of how a yoga lesson can make to your body, here are the yoga poses you can do.

The Warrior II

So how would you do it?

Stand back with your left foot into a wide stance.
Turn your left foot in 45 degrees while opening your arms.
With your arms open, put your right arm forward in line with your right toes then your left arm behind you.
After that, bend your right knee to lower your hips. Make sure you keep your back leg firm and your back straight.
Then reach through your fingertips to opposite walls and stay still for three to five breaths.
Repeat this on the other side.

For more advance of a yoga pose, you can do the following:

While your both feet parallel to the short edges of the mat, inhale and stretch your arms overhead.
Then exhale and swan dive into a forward fold. Make sure your hands do not touch the floor. You use a yoga block.
While in this position, shift your weight in the center of your feet. Slowly, lift your kneecaps, and release the crown of your head toward the floor.

Eagle Arms with a Twist Yoga Pose

There was a time when I needed to have a good stretch with my shoulder and upper back. HIIT workouts, when you are not used to it, you will need a good stretch before and after the session.

Stand as your starting position while bringing your left arm under your arm. So the position of your elbows is hooked.
Then slide your left palm up to your right palm.
After that, inhale and lift your elbows. Make sure you exhale and fold forward your elbows toward your belly button.
Repeat the breathing five times and switch your arms.
Then from the fold, place your left hand under your head on the floor or a block.
Inhale and lift your right arm toward the ceiling. Make sure your right hip is not reaching up or back.
With your strong legs, maintain as well your breathing pattern about five rounds and switch sides.

Tree-like Yoga Pose

Like other yoga HIIT workouts, you can do a pose called a tree. A tree-like yoga pose is a challenging routine. I tried this one time to work on my core stability, balance, and strength. It also helps to keep my hip and chest balanced. When I achieved the results, I started to include this pose once in a while during my yoga HIIT workouts.

Your starting position is standing tall, your thighs and abs are engaged.
Then shift your weight to your left leg and bring your right foot into the side of your left ankle. Make sure you avoid knee joints.
Afterward, bring your hand to your chest and lift them over your head slowly. It will look like branches are growing toward the sun.
While doing this, make sure your left thigh is engaged and lift out of your left hip.
Then relax your shoulders while standing tall and uplifted.
Try holding your breath 3 to 5 times before switching the legs.

Bridge Yoga Pose

If you want focus strength to your legs, glutes, and back, try doing the bridge yoga pose. This pose will open your front hips and chest. How to do it?

In this yoga pose, you will start by lying down on your back while bending your knees to put your feet on the floor.
Then, stretch your fingertips toward your heels and take a gaze towards your knees.
Inhale and begin to lift your hips, one at a time. It will keep your shoulders on the floor.
Exhale while lifting your chest and hold your breath for three to five times.
Then roll down to your back and repeat twice for the best result.

What can we say about it?

Yoga HIIT workouts are the exercises you should do if you want to achieve the best results to get physical fitness and improve mental health. Strength and balance are essential for daily activities. Combining these two exercises, you will gain more benefits than normal HIIT or yoga workouts.

Fat Burning Leg Workout, Effective Exercises Stronger Legs

May 5, 2020 by Kristin Brown

Fat burning leg workout is what you need to get slim and toned legs. Who would refuse to gain leg muscles, especially when you are fond of wearing shorts and skirts? Skinny jeans can look best for toned legs.

Fat burning leg workout has seen to be an effective way to lose some fats below your body. If you want to get the proportion size and build of your body, you have to try these workouts for your legs. Including this in your regular exercise can help you achieve your dream form and shape.

Leg exercises are more straightforward than you realize. But when you are overweight and seem to have difficulty in positions for a fat-burning leg workout, we have here some of the best exercises for you to try.

Make sure you are decided, motivated, and looking for the best results after you performed the fat burning leg workout. While doing these exercises, you will observe the differences to your hamstrings, glutes, calves, and thighs, especially inner muscles. Some of the fat burning leg workouts, you do not need to use any equipment, especially the heavy ones.

Aside from toned muscle formation, doing fat burning leg workout will give you more muscular legs. It means that you can do more than a simple workout eventually. Regular exercises for your legs are better to have more strength and perform well if you do bodyweight exercises.

Actually, before doing heavy weight lifting and other exercises, you will need to have more robust legs to support your upper body. Other than that, more muscular legs can take you far when you are in a marathon. While doing training, fat burning leg workout will be essential, especially when you are eyeing for high-intensity training.

Benefits of Leg Workouts

There are other benefits of doing fat burning leg workout. One of those is strengthening the muscles and giving your body a sense of balance. Power is what the leg workouts provide to our bodies, and you must have this when you perform other training.

Simple exercises for your leg help your mind to focus on your core and improve your posture. For instance, squatting helps your glutes and hamstrings to have a perfect shape. And standing with your classic toned leg, you can observe the ideal form with your fitting pants or leggings.

Preparing your leg strength will give yourself more chances to make more complex moves, such as weights that will accompany some of this. If you take the fat burning leg workout seriously, you will achieve the perfect leg workout.

Famous Fat Burning Leg Workout

Workouts for your legs are not complicated but not easy as well. You can try a different fat burning leg workout, but you should know what exercise to begin with.

Squats

Squats are a great workout and a common choice if you want to build sturdy legs. Your starting position should be standing with your feet with shoulder-width apart. Then you need to turn your weight slightly on your heels. Afterward, bend forward your hips while retaining your butt into a sitting position or a squat. Bend your knees the same with your thighs, which are parallel to the ground. While in this position, drive through your heels to stand back up straight. Make a squeeze with your butt, and keep the muscles in your core tight as you stand.

Another form of squats is the pistol squat workout. You are starting with the same position but your feet together. Then lift one leg a few inches from the ground, extending it forward as you flex your foot. With your right knee bent, hinge forward at the hips and sit back into a squat position. Lift your left leg the same height with your hip. Then extend your arms out for balance. Now, try bending your knee at 90 degrees. At this point, do not push yourself too hard if you cannot do it at first try. If you succeed, push your right heel to straighten your leg and return to the starting position. You can repeat this with your other leg.

Lunges

Reverse lunges are one of the workouts for your legs. If you can perform this fat burning leg workout, you will see the difference in your leg formation. First, you stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart then step backward with your left foot. Place the ball at your side and make sure one of your feet lands on it. Then bend both of your knees, creating two 90-degree angles. Afterward, push your right heel to stand again, but make sure you thrust your left knee toward your chest. You can repeat this on the other side and feel the difference between your legs.

You can make side lunges if you want to perform a fat burning leg workout. Standing with your feet apart about hip-width, you can take another big step out to your right side. Then bend your right knee while pushing your butt back. Make sure to keep a big step out to your right and bend your right knee. Your butt should be driven at the back, maintaining your left leg straight. Also, your chest should be lifted and your core tight. You can repeat this on the other side.

High Knee with Toe Taps

One of the effective leg workouts is the high knee with toe taps. This exercise starts differently. Make sure you stand facing a chair if you are at home or a bench if you are at a gym. Then put your hands on your hips. If you are not comfortable, you can place it on your sides. After that, tap your left foot on the bench and swap legs quickly and alternating each side. While doing this, make sure that you keep your back straight and your chest out the entire duration.

Leg Raises

The most common and favorite of many is the side leg raises as it is the simple and less effort fat burning leg workout. If you do not want to exert effort, this workout is for you. The starting position is lying on one side with your legs out straight on top of each other. Then make your torso up with your forearm or just make sure your chest is rested flat on the mat. While in this position, lift your top leg toward the ceiling in a slow and controlled movement. See to it that the lift movement will be coming from the hip and butt. Forget the lower back. Then you can return to start and repeat on the other side.

Single-Leg Workout

There are different single-leg workouts to burn fats around your legs and thighs. Slimmer legs are better than those with stretch marks and fats.

For instance, you can do the single-leg calf raises. Your starting position is standing with your feet hip-width apart. Then raise your left knee to your hip level, and toes pointed with your hands on hips. You can also put your hands behind your head, whichever is comfortable for you and will make it stable in your position. Make sure your core is tight as you lift your right heel as high as you can from the floor while balancing the ball of your foot. Stand still in this position for three seconds and lower the heel back down. You can repeat this on the other side.

With your glute bridges, you can perform a single-leg workout. Lie on your back and make sure your knees are bent and your feet flat on the floor. Then lift your right leg and make it straight out to your knee. Keep your thighs parallel to each other and point your toe toward the ceiling. Your heels should be pushed to lift your hips while exerting effort to your glutes. It should create one diagonal line from your shoulders to your knees; hold this spot for one to two seconds before lowering back down. You can perform this with the opposite leg.

Inner Thigh Leg Workout

You should never miss this workout to burn those fats in your leg. You can start in a single position like lying on one side with your legs out straight and stacked on top of each other. Make sure your torso is flat on the mat and propped up on your forearm. Then cross your top leg over your bottom leg. The crossing should bend your knee, making your foot in front of your bottom knee. After that, lift your bottom leg toward the ceiling in a slow and controlled movement. It should keep your torso stable the entire time. Then you can start with your position and repeat on the other side.

Another inner thigh workout is the inverted inner thigh openers. When you start doing this workout, you should lie on your back, the same with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Then lift your right leg and make sure it does not touch your thighs. Then extend your leg up toward the ceiling. Lower your right leg out to the right side as far as you can, slowly. It will make your hips and lower back glued to the floor. Then bring your leg back to start. You can do the same on the other leg.

Our Insights

You can choose different fat burning leg workouts as long as you can do it regularly. Also, it will be more effective if you can do it with a proper diet and meal plan. You should watch your calorie intake, especially after your workout.

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.

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.

No Gym Workout for Perfect Summer Body in 7 days

April 26, 2020October 15, 2019 by Kristin Brown

No gym workout for seven days? It can happen, and you will be amazed at how you can achieve this body without going to the gym. You will see the results within seven days without squeezing your schedule to workout.

No gym workout can make your life easier, especially when you need to juggle your schedules to make sure everything is being done on time. This kind of exercise is useful, and the results can be seen quickly.

The no gym workout can be crazy as it may sound, but many recommend this workout, especially for professionals. What you need is to know the time and chance to perform it. In this workout, you don’t need to go to the gym or use the workout equipment. All you have to do is to make sure your body has enough preparation to perform no gym workout.

Set your Own Time

In every workout, time is the most crucial factor in assuring the success of your exercises. If you have no time for a workout, you will need the no gym workout. But when you get time for your workout, discipline is the key to perfect the no gym workout.

For no gym workout, time depends on your daily fitness and energy. Practically, our body has a different level of energy each day. And that particular situation will dictate us what workout we will perform.

As you can feel, when doing exercises, it helps our heart to burn more calories, which increases our metabolism. And as the process goes, it will give our body strength and our muscles to work on its own.

Small Tools for your Workout

No gym workout small tools like resistance bands or stress balls can give you more advantages to achieve quicker results. If you are results-oriented, you may want to invest in these tools. You don’t have to worry about the space it will require in your suitcase or bag. Since it is small, it needs a small storage space only.

Your No Gym Workout Starter Pack

Quick Jumping Jack plus Pushup

The combination of jumping and pushup is one of the workouts that require no gym. This combined exercise is what we call burpees. Fitness instructors recommend burpees if you are into no gym workout. The only requirement you will need to have is time and space if you don’t want to be a nuisance to everyone. This workout provides our body to have a short but intense physical activity.

No Chairs at the Office

Sitting versus standing, what do you prefer? You will choose to sit in the office. But if you think about the health benefits of standing once in a while, you will think twice. Because standing in the office is considered as one of the workouts if you have no time to attend gym classes. Taking a break and standing at the side of your work station can make a big difference in your health.

Planking and Wall Sit

Aside from pushups and jumping, you can do planking and wall sit. How to do this? An expert trainer recommends that you can do 30 seconds wall sit and then half minute planking. The only precaution that you will need to remember and avoid injury is to maintain good form while performing this no gym workout.

Smaller Thighs

No gym workout exercises target our thighs, and this is one of the reasons why women are into this kind of workout. Since going to the gym takes time, many are considering the no gym workout. But the trick to get smaller thighs is to use resistance bands to squeeze.

Take Advantage of your Weight

Your weight is your ultimate workout equipment. With the no gym workout, you can decide to do a full-body workout to maximize the time you have. You will have phasing when you do a full-body exercise. You will need 45 seconds for the training then 15 seconds for recovery and transition. A minimum of three rounds and a maximum of ten rounds for each exercise can give you the results you have been waiting for.

Take Stair Once in a While

I know that taking stairs going up and down can be exhausted. But making it a part of your daily exercises will pump up your heart for sure. Many personal trainers and coaches advise taking stairs rather than using the elevator. Except for rushing into meetings, you can add some routines while using stairs. You can combine this by doing lunges and squats.

Do some Chores and Make it a Habit

There is no harm in doing household chores like cleaning, laundry and simple gardening. When you do cleaning, isn’t it evident that you are doing a full-body exercise? From sweeping, mopping and scrubbing the tub, your core is pulling your body, and it keeps on challenging your muscles. Washing dishes can be a simple chore, but you can do a no gym workout with it. While doing this, you can raise your calf or stand on your toes. Do this to your legs alternately.

Couch Potato Workout

When you want something to be done, but at the same time you want to rest, then all you have to do is take advantage of the occasion. While doing couch potato, you can do a little exercise. All you have to do is do exercises during commercial segments like squats, pushups, lunges and crunches. Taking a rest like couch potato can be more exciting and fun if you add some twist like making a no gym workout routine.

Make Use of your Towels

When you hold your towel, you can perform these three exercises – the overhead, biceps and triceps and ab blaster. These exercises can repeat 10 times. For instance, while holding your towel overhead, you will need to bend side to side. Then you can also try to work your biceps and triceps. And the ab blaster can also be done using a towel. All of these exercises can be performed while seating. Repeat ten times, and you will feel your heart is pumping.

Stuck in Traffic

When you are stuck in traffic, you want to have other things to think rather than the red lights you see ahead of your way. So while you are in the traffic for almost an hour, you can do some exercise. You can work on your biceps and triceps by getting some weights if you are wise enough to store some of your 3-pound weights. But you can also get some bottled of water or resistance bands if you have one. You can start curling your arms towards your shoulder. Of course, you cannot do this while moving in the traffic though in moderate, safety first.

Your Take Away for No Gym Workout

Indeed, no gym workout helps many of us, and unconsciously we are doing some of these exercises regularly. Most of the time, we choose a high-intensity workout, but we don’t look for a simple routine first. Our goals in this simple exercise are to train our body to be flexible and resistant. Also, empowering cardio is our primary objective here. So if we do these mentioned above consciously while doing our other daily activities, then we are good to go. So that, even in simple exercises like no gym workout can build endurance to our muscles and flexibility.

How to Bench Press: Workout for Power and Strength

May 2, 2020September 26, 2019 by Kristin Brown

How to bench press properly technique is essential to know because it can give you the power and can shape your upper body. Your shoulders, chest and triceps must be well-built for strength in lifting objects.

How to bench press is a skill you need to learn if you want to have an effective workout for your upper body. In doing this exercise, you will need a bench. The bigger the seat, the bigger the chest.

In doing the bench press, the bar stays in its position when you do the exercise correctly. Unlike the squat or deadlift, the movement goes to your mid-chest over your shoulders. It is the safest way to bench press for your joints.

For quick learnings, here are some basic techniques on how to bench press. Lie on the bench with your eyes under the bar. Then grab the bar with a medium grip width. Pull-up the bar to get it off the rack. When doing this, make sure your arms are straight. Then lower the bar to your mid-chest. Press the bar back up until your arms are straight.

But if you are looking for more detailed bench press form tips, you will need to focus on being stable as possible on the bench. For maximum strength and size, here are the techniques you want to know on how to bench press.

Grip it as you mean it!

First, get the proper grip of the bar with your shoulder, and then width apart to maintain the best position to press the weight up; this is the key on how to do this effectively. The significance of getting a grip is giving pressure to your shoulder joints and small places on your elbows. Then wrap your thumb around the bar to bring more tension around the muscles.

Press your feet on the floor.

As a starting position on how to do this workout, your feet should stay on the floor. Like with your head, upper back and glutes into the bench, you will do the same with your feet on the floor. As you do this, it will create total-body tightness that allows your muscles to be in its maximum potential.

Support your lower back with an Arch

While lying on the bench and lifting the weight, maintain support to your back with an arch. As you lower the pressure, focus on getting into this position before putting your hands on the bar. Also, make sure that your glutes are in constant contact with the bench. It will make your lower back, and your core braced stable. If you are not able to do this, it will create tension across your torso. It will create body compact, giving you the ability to push harder when lifting heavier.

Perfect form means keeping your elbows close

Keep your elbow close while lowering down the bar slowly until it touches your chest near the nipples. The ideal way means your elbows stay close to your sides as possible.

Support Back of your Head

While doing the bench press, you need to support your body part, especially your head. In doing this, your head should be in contact with the bench from the moment you lie down to the moment you rack the weight. The support is essential, especially when you are trying to raise your head. Also, make sure that your shoulders and upper back should stay in contact with the bench for the whole duration.

Bench Press Incline

There are various bench press workouts. One of which is the bench press incline. The incline bench press is an exercise involving the chest muscles. The shoulders and triceps can be indirectly involved, as well.

In this position, it targets the upper portion of the chest. When doing this workout, this part of our body is seldom involved. So if you want to have perfect chest, strong arms, firmed shoulders, you can include this in your chest workouts and full-body workouts.

How to bench press in incline position?

If you are not familiar on how to bench press in an incline position, here are the fundamental and easy steps to do it.

Start your position by lying your back flat on an incline bench, setting your hands outside of shoulder width.
Next is set your shoulder blades by leaning them together into the bench.
Then, hold a deep breath before you lift the weights from the rack. To do this, you will need an assistant to help you raise. Also, keeping your breath steady will help you maintain the tightness through your upper back.
After lifting the weights, let the pressures settle and maintain the tightness in your upper back.
Inhale to allow the bar to go down slowly by unlocking the elbows. Lower the bar in a straight line to your lower chest, touching it.
After completing the lift, push the bar back up in a straight line by pressing yourself into the bench. In this way, it will drive your feet into the floor for leg drive. It will extend the elbows.
You can repeat your desired number of repetitions.

Bench Press Decline

On the contrary, the bench press decline is the opposite of the bench press incline. Doing the bench press decline has many benefits. Such benefits are targeting the lower portion of your chest better than the necessary bench press or the incline bench and making your chest around, full and defined. Also, the routine of bench press decline is fixing imbalances that you may have noticed in your chest due to a lack of lower pectoral stimulation. It also increases your chest strength significantly.

The positioning of the bar in this workout helps your shoulders do less of the work. Meaning, your chest is doing every exercise. Also, it minimizes strain on your lower back after doing the flat bench press.

How to bench press in decline position?

If you feel like doing the bench press decline, we have the necessary and simple steps to do the workout.

Get a decline bench and slide it into a power rack.
Make sure you place your feet at the end of the decline bench and lay back flat.
Watch for the bar not to hit your head, so make sure it is placed even with your head.
If you do it correctly, the weight will be positioned at the center of your chest.
Then, grab the bar slightly wider than your shoulder width.
When you lift off the bar from the rack, breathe in and lower the bar towards your chest slowly.
Once the bar is lowered to your chest, pressing the bar back up to its original position. Do the presses while exhaling.
Repeat desired sets and reps.

Do’s and Don’ts

Like other workouts, there are things in doing bench press that need to be avoided, and keep this in mind all the time.

For instance, the first rule on how to bench press is making sure your back is always arched. Your elbows are essential to be in 45 degrees and keep them flat. Your elbows should be in 45 degrees and keep them in-tacked. Also, you need to keep your knuckles up throughout the entire lift to avoid injury the wrist.

On the other hand, you will need to avoid that your upper back, glutes and feet come off contact with the bench or floor. Don’t do push up when de-racking. Instead, pull the bar with your lats.

As we conclude it

Doing the bench press is essential to your upper body. Your shoulders, chest and upper arms are needed to be built stronger and firm. So, learn the bench press techniques for the best results of this workout.