vendredi 5 mai 2023

Transform Your Lower Body with These Muscle-Fiber Targeting Exercises

 There are two types of muscle fibers in our body: slow-twitch (Type I) and fast-twitch (Type II). Slow-twitch fibers are used for endurance activities such as long-distance running, while fast-twitch fibers are used for explosive activities such as weightlifting and sprinting. Here are some exercises that target each type of muscle fiber:

  1. Slow-twitch (Type I) fibers: These fibers are used for endurance activities and are activated during low-intensity, long-duration exercises. Some examples of exercises that target slow-twitch fibers are:
  • Long-distance running
  • Cycling for extended periods of time
  • Swimming at a moderate pace for a long time
  • High-rep, low-weight resistance training
  1. Fast-twitch (Type II) fibers: These fibers are used for explosive activities and are activated during high-intensity, short-duration exercises. Some examples of exercises that target fast-twitch fibers are:
  • Weightlifting or powerlifting
  • Sprinting
  • High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
  • Plyometrics (e.g., jump training)

As a coach with 25 years of experience, I have seen firsthand the importance of understanding the different types of muscle fibers in the human body and how to target them through exercise. Recent studies have shed light on the subject, showing that certain types of exercises can be more effective for targeting slow-twitch or fast-twitch muscle fibers. In this article, I will summarize three studies that explore this topic and provide specific exercises that can target these muscle fibers in the lower body.

Study 1:

This study conducted by Baechle and Earle (2008) investigated the effects of resistance training on different types of muscle fibers in the lower body. The researchers found a that slow-twitch muscle fibers are best targeted through exercises that involve higher repetitions and lower weights, while fast-twitch muscle fibers are best targeted through exercises that involve lower repetitions and higher weights. This suggests that individuals looking to target specific muscle fibers in the lower body should adjust their training programs accordingly.

Study 2:

In another study, Kraemer et al. (2002) examined the effects of different types of resistance training on muscle fiber recruitment in the lower body. The researchers found that exercises such as squats, leg presses, and deadlifts can effectively target both slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers. This suggests that incorporating these exercises into a training program can be beneficial for overall lower body strength and muscle development.

Study 3:

A third study conducted by Campeau-Lecours et al. (2020) explored the effects of unilateral vs bilateral training on muscle activation in the lower body. The researchers found that unilateral exercises such as lunges and step-ups can be more effective for targeting specific muscle groups in the lower body, while bilateral exercises such as squats and deadlifts may activate more overall muscle fibers. This suggests that incorporating a mix of both types of exercises into a training program can be beneficial for targeting specific muscle groups while also promoting overall lower body strength.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, understanding the different types of muscle fibers in the lower body and how to target them through exercise is important for anyone looking to improve their lower body strength and muscle development. Studies have shown that’s exercises such as squats, lunges, step-ups, and deadlifts can be effective for targeting both slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers. By incorporating a mix of exercises into a training program that targets specific muscle groups while also promoting overall strength, individuals can achieve their desired lower body fitness goals. As a coach with 25 years of experience, I highly recommend incorporating these exercises into your lower body training program to see the best results.

dimanche 30 avril 2023

Benefits of exercise for the brain

 Exercise has numerous benefits for the brain. 



Improved Cognitive Function: Exercise has been shown to enhance cognitive function, including memory, attention, and processing speed. Regular exercise increases the production of growth factors that promote the growth and survival of neurons, which leads to improved cognitive function.
Improved cognitive function can translate into better performance in tasks such as learning, problem-solving, decision-making, and memory. It can also help prevent or slow down the decline in cognitive function that occurs naturally with aging, reducing the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia.

Reduced Risk of Cognitive Decline: Exercise has also been shown to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Regular exercise can slow down the age-related decline in brain function and improve cognitive function in older adults .So, reduced risk of cognitive decline means that exercise can help keep the brain healthy, preventing or slowing down the cognitive decline that happens naturally with aging. This can help a person maintain their cognitive abilities and independence for longer, leading to a better quality of life as they age.

Reduced Risk of Depression and Anxiety: When you exercise, your brain releases chemicals called endorphins, which can improve your mood and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Exercise can also help you focus on the present moment, which can be helpful in reducing feelings of worry and rumination.It can help improve your mood, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve your overall sense of well-being, confidence, and self-esteem. By incorporating exercise into your daily routine, you can help reduce the risk of developing these mental health conditions.

Improved Sleep: Exercise can also improve the quality and duration of sleep, which is important for brain health. Good sleep is essential for consolidating memories and improving cognitive function.


Reduced Inflammation: When you exercise, your body produces anti-inflammatory molecules, which can help reduce chronic inflammation. Regular exercise can also help reduce body fat, which is a source of inflammation in the body.

Reduced inflammation means that exercise can help reduce the harmful effects of chronic inflammation, which can lead to a variety of health problems. By reducing inflammation, exercise can help promote overall health and reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases.

Overall, exercise is essential for maintaining a healthy brain and reducing the risk of cognitive decline, depression, and anxiety. Even moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, can have significant benefits for brain health.

Rise: From Darkness to Strength


 Rise: From Darkness to Strength


Life can be a journey filled with unexpected twists and turns. It can take us through moments of pure joy and happiness, but it can also bring us to the depths of despair and darkness. Yet, in the midst of all this, there is one thing that remains constant - our ability to rise above it all.

I want to share with you my story of how fitness changed my life. I used to be lost and in a bad place. I was depressed, lacked direction, and didn't take care of my body. My future was uncertain, and I felt like my life was at stake. But, one day, I made a bold decision to take control of my life and start my fitness journey.

It wasn't easy at first, but I stuck to it, and gradually I started seeing positive changes. I gained more confidence in myself, and I became physically stronger and healthier. Fitness helped me deal with my existential crisis and gave me a sense of purpose.

I know starting something new can be scary, especially when it comes to fitness. But I'm here to tell you that it's worth it. You don't have to start with intense workouts or follow a strict diet. You can start by making small changes in your daily routine, like taking a walk, doing some stretching, or even just drinking more water.

Don't let fear or self-doubt hold you back. Take that first step and start your fitness journey today. You never know how it could change your life for the better, like it did for me.

jeudi 6 mai 2021

Get Stronger Legs with This Killer Workout Routine: Lunges, Goblet Squats, Kettlebell Swings, and More

 


Get Stronger Legs with This Killer Workout Routine: Lunges, Goblet Squats, Kettlebell Swings, and More

If you're looking to build strength and muscle in your legs, then you need to incorporate a variety of exercises into your workout routine. In this article, we'll be discussing a leg workout routine that includes some of the best exercises to help you get stronger legs. This routine includes lunges, goblet squats, kettlebell swings, dumbbell clean and press, dumbbell clean and jerk, and calf raises. With consistency and dedication, you'll be able to see significant improvements in your leg strength and muscle mass.

Warming up is an essential part of any exercise routine. Before starting any workout, it's important to take the time to prepare your body for the physical demands ahead. A proper warm-up routine can help reduce the risk of injury, improve performance, and increase flexibility.


Warm-up routine

Here are the steps to follow for an effective warm-up routine:


1-Slow High Knees

Begin by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart. Raise your right knee up towards your chest, hold it for a few seconds, and then bring it down. Repeat this movement with your left leg. Alternate legs for 30 seconds, gradually increasing your speed.

2-Slow Butt Kicker

Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Bring your right heel up towards your buttocks, hold it for a few seconds, and then bring it back down. Repeat this movement with your left leg. Alternate legs for 30 seconds, gradually increasing your speed.

3-Hip Circles

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and place your hands on your hips. Slowly circle your hips clockwise for 10 seconds and then counterclockwise for another 10 seconds.

4-Torso Twist

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and place your hands on your hips. Twist your torso to the right as far as you can and hold for a few seconds, then twist to the left and hold for a few seconds. Alternate sides for 30 seconds.

5-Leg Swings

Stand next to a wall or sturdy object to support you if needed. Swing your right leg back and forth, keeping your torso upright. Repeat this movement with your left leg. Alternate legs for 30 seconds.

6-Warrior Two

Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart and turn your right foot out. Bend your right knee and bring your arms up to shoulder height, palms facing down. Hold for a few seconds, then switch sides and repeat. Alternate sides for 30 seconds.

8-Air Squats

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointing slightly outwards. Lower your body down into a squat, keeping your back straight and chest up. Stand back up and repeat for 30 seconds.

9-Jumping Jacks

Stand with your feet together and arms at your sides. Jump your feet out to shoulder-width apart and raise your arms above your head. Jump your feet back together and lower your arms. Repeat for 30 seconds.


Strength Routine:

For this you need a dumbbell or a kettlebell ,all your effort should be focused on the legs ,use the hips to hinge from a standing position to a squat position ,push your butt back ,squeeze the glutes and quads and push with your heels with abs contracted and a straight back.

Exercise One :Lunges to overhead press [4 sets,8 to 12 rep each side ,1 min rest]

Lunges are an excellent exercise for building strength and muscle in your legs. They target your quads, hamstrings, and glutes. To perform lunges, start by standing with your feet hip-width apart. Take a large step forward with your right foot and lower your body until your right thigh is parallel to the ground. Your left knee should be hovering just above the floor. Push off with your right foot and return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side.




Note: you can use single arm overhead press ,also you can keep the arm straight through the movement.

Exercise Two:Goblet squats [4 sets ,10 to 14 reps ,1 min rest]



To perform goblet squats, start by holding a kettlebell or dumbbell at your chest. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Push through your heels to stand back up.


Exercise Three:Dumbbell or kattlebell swings [4 sets ,16 to 24 reps each side,1 min rest]



Kettlebell swings are an explosive exercise that targets your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. They also improve your cardiovascular endurance. To perform kettlebell swings, start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the kettlebell with both hands and hinge at your hips, swinging the kettlebell back between your legs. Drive through your hips and swing the kettlebell up to shoulder height.

Note:You can do it in a pyramid style:


Set 1:Use light weight starting with the left hand, between 15lbs to 30 lbs ,15 to 20 reps ,the key is to push with the heels from a squatting position to a standing position hinging with the hips and squeezing your butt with contracted abs ,while swinging the weight in between the legs with arms extended ,beware to not touch the ground or hit the knees ,always start slow ,make the mind-muscle connection first ,AND FEEL THE BURN !

Set 2:you can stay at low weight ,or if you're advanced ,start increasing it to 25 lbs and do 10 to 15 reps each side.

Set 3:do at least 10 reps with maximum weight ,and always maintain proper form .

Set 4:Decrease the weight and do at least 15 reps each side.

Exercise Four:Dumbbell Clean and press [4 to 5 sets,8 to 10 reps each side,1 min rest or more]




This is a funny one ,little bit harder but a good one for burning lots of calories ,this exercise is composed of three movements:

A:You are in a squat position holding the weight in between the foot either in the ground or higher ,looking forward with a straight back,push with the heels and contract the hamstring and quads ,straighten the legs while elevating the weight from the ground to the shoulder ,then get back to a squatting position letting the weight rest on the shoulder .

Note:use minimum effort with the arms ,all the work is done with the legs ,your have to think that you are pushing the weight with the legs not the arms ,the arms are only for holding the weight to its new position.

B:Weight on the shoulder with a squat position ,now push again with the legs from a squatting position to a standing position while extending the arms  so that the dumbbell or kettlebell is above the head .

C:Now from a standing position with arm extended ,get back to a squat position while lowering the weight to the shoulder ,then back to the ground like in position A.

Exercise Five:Dumbbell clean and jerk [4 sets ,8 to 12 reps each side,1 min rest]



We are stepping the workout a notch ,

Like in Exercise Four ,but this time we are moving the weight from the ground directly above the head ,its done in this order:

1-Squat position,weight on the ground between the foot.

2-Pushing with the heels ,contracting the glutes and quads ,and moving the weight from the ground to above the head extending the legs and arms,then immediately returning to a squat position while maintaining the arms extended,wait for 2 sec in this position ,feel the burn then get back to your first position.

Note:At this point you're warmed up ,if you are new to the movement start with a light weight otherwise don't be afraid to test those muscles ,get them stronger by increasing the weight.

Exercise Six:Calf raises [3 to 4 sets,10 to 15 reps,1 to 2 min rest]


We only have one exercise left ,its an easy one but really satisfying ,

if you have two yoga blockS ,or a stair or you can just fold a mat ,anything that makes for a 3 or 4 inch height is sufficient to do the negative motion of the calf raises,

So,put your foot parallel on the blocks at shoulder stance ,all your weight should be focused on the ball of the foot ,you can step a little back on the edge of the blocks but not too far making little room for the heels to go down on the negative motion ,you can hold weight in your hands or just your body weight ,also for balance you can hold on to a chair or the wall.

First ,push with the ball of the foot raising the heels for 1 second or 2 ,squeeze the calf at the top ,feel your weight, then lower down the heels going a little bit below the blocks level getting a stretch for about 3 seconds ,then repeat 10 to 15 times .

Note:for a little variation its simple ,just change the foot placement ,from normal to 45 degrees out,or to 45 degrees in ,do the same amount of reps at each position .




That's it guys ,we only have left is the cool down stretch.

Cool down stretches (30 seconds):


Toe Touch

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and slowly bend forward from the waist, reaching towards your toes.Hold for 10-15 seconds, feeling the stretch in your hamstrings and lower back.Slowly come back up to standing position.

Quad Stretch

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold onto a wall or chair for balance.Bend your right knee and bring your heel towards your glutes.Reach back with your right hand and hold onto your ankle or foot.Hold for 10-15 seconds, feeling the stretch in the front of your thigh.Repeat on the left side.

Inner Thigh Stretch

Sit on the floor with your legs extended out in front of you.Bring the soles of your feet together and gently pull them towards your body.Use your elbows to push your knees towards the floor.Hold for 10-15 seconds, feeling the stretch in your inner thighs.

Butterfly Stretch

Sit on the floor with the soles of your feet together and knees out to the sides.Hold onto your feet and gently pull them towards your body.Use your elbows to push your knees towards the floor.Hold for 10-15 seconds, feeling the stretch in your inner thighs and hips.

Extended Flat Legs Stretch.Sit on the floor with your legs extended out in front of you.Reach forward towards your toes, keeping your knees straight.Hold for 10-15 seconds, feeling the stretch in your hamstrings and lower back.

Cobra Stretch

Lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders.Push up with your arms, lifting your upper body off the ground.Keep your elbows close to your body and hold for 10-15 seconds, feeling the stretch in your abs and chest.

Child's Pose

Kneel on the floor with your toes together and your knees hip-width apart.Reach forward with your arms and stretch your hands out in front of you.Lower your chest towards the ground and hold for 10-15 seconds, feeling the stretch in your lower back and hips.Remember to breathe deeply and slowly as you hold each stretch, and don't push yourself too far beyond your limits. Incorporating these stretches into your routine can help keep you limber and reduce the risk of injury


Incorporating these exercises into your leg workout routine can help you build strength and muscle in your legs. Remember to start with lighter weights and gradually increase the weight as you get stronger. With dedication and consistency, you'll be able to see significant improvements in your leg strength and muscle mass.


THANK YOU for practicing with us ,SEE you next time ,Peace

mercredi 26 août 2020

Back and Legs with Biceps Strength Workout for Max Gains





Welcome guys to this beautiful full body workout,in it we're primarily hitting back(upper back),legs and arms(biceps) ,for this routine you normally need dumbbells ,a barbell and a pull up bar but since you are at home use something to compensate with like two chair and a strong broom stick for the floor chin ups ,or a 5 gallon jug container as dumbbells  for the deadlift,use your imagination but always strive for safer ways !now with that said ,prepare your water bottle your favorite playlist and let's do it .   

Warm ups (20 to 30 s):
1-Arm circles
2-Torso twists
3-Side bend
4-Slow high knee with arms pulldown
5-Slow kick backs with arms crossover
6-Squat with push and pull (use your arms to push an imaginary wall then pull back)
7-Side lunges
8-Leg swings (left and right)
9-Jog in place
10-Jumping jacks

Ok ,let's move to the strength session

Strength Routine:
Exercise One:Chin ups [4 sets,4 to 12 reps,1 min rest]


assisted:






Note :as mentioned above if you don't have a pull-up bar use two chairs and a strong broom stick and do the seated shin ups ,you can double the amount of reps if your advanced ,the key is to contract the biceps and upper back with retracted scapula through the whole motion.

Exercise Two :Deadlift [6 to 8 sets,8 to 20 reps,1 min rest]






Set 1:Try with an empty barbell ,get used to the movement ,move with a vertical line pushing with the heels contracting the glutes and quads also contract the abs and straighten the back ,move  the bar closer to the shin as possible , ,inhale up and exhale down ,breathing through the diaphragm .

Set 2:Set your weights from 15lbs to 30lbs or more (about 15 to 20 % bodyweight)and doing up to 20 reps.
Set 3:Add 50% the previous weight (means if you're doing 30 lbs ,add 15 lbs) and do 12 to 14 reps.
Set 4,5:Now add 2x times the first weight (means remove the 15 lbs and replacing it with 30 lbs ,to make up to 60 lbs)do 10 to 12 reps .
Set 6,7:Now max it up ,adding the same amount of weight as in Set 3 (means adding 15 lbs ,ending with 75 lbs deadlift),do 6 to 8 reps with it.

Exercise Three:Barbell rows [4 to 5 sets,15 to 25 reps,1 to 2 min rest]




In this exercise ,you need not a super heavy weight ,this will tax your lower back,the key is to choose a weight that you can hold without bending the back like a bow ,pick up a weight and do at least 20 reps ,with elbows at 90 degrees closer to the sides,visualize yourself pulling from the elbow not your hands,contract at the top ,not engaging neither the traps or the shoulder make them loose,let the weight go down slowly feeling it ,and still maintaining a straight back and contracted abs ,when your arms are fully straight pull up again .

Exercise Four (Super-set to the previous exercise):EZ bar Biceps curls ,or Barbell curls [4 to 5 Sets,10 to 15 reps]




Note:Perform this exercise with palms up ,it helps isolating more of the biceps subtracting the forearm work,squeeze the triceps at the bottom ,do not let the arms rest until you've finished all the reps.

Exercise Five:Dumbbells Carry [4 sets ,1 min to 1:30 min hold,1 min rest between]




Use a pretty heavy dumbbell ,i use 10 kg each hand ,hold it tight ,contract the upper back and the abs ,walk with the dumbbells until the time is up ,use your room space to pace back and forth or the backyard .

Exercise Six (Super-set to the previous exercise):Reverse Lunges [4 sets,12 to 20 reps]





Nothing fancy ,pick up medium weight ,you can do alternating or one sided ,the key is to squeeze the glutes on top before lunging ,this helps stability ,the front leg should be at 90 degrees .

Cool Down (20 s):
1-Toe touch stretch
2-Standing Quad stretch
3-Inner thigh stretch
4-Arm stretch
5-Triceps stretch
6-Supine twist stretch
7-Butterfly stretch
8-Deep gluts stretch

Thank you guys for following this routine ,please leave a feedback it only takes a second ,See you .Peace.

samedi 18 avril 2020

8 Exercises For Leg Strength That Will Test You !



Back with another bomb workout,today we'll be working legs(most painful part),we're targeting every muscle in the lower body ,our routine is combined of eight exercises be prepared to spend at least an hour and half doing these exercises,every set should be taken for granted ,we're not going to failure until the last set or maybe not ,try to feel the contraction in the muscle for every rep ,be slow,smart and effective,doing these exercises is beneficial for strength ,coordination and longevity .
With that said ,prepare your water bottle and your favorite playlist and let's do it !

Warm ups(20s):
1-Slow high knees
2-Arm circles
3-Slow butt kicker
4-Toe touch circles
5-Torso twists
6-Leg swings
7-Air Squat
8-Warrior two
9-Jumping jacks

Strength Routine:
Exercise One:Box jump squat twists [4 sets,from 3 to 5 reps each side,30s to 1 min rest]


Note:for a more easy version ,cut off the jumping part, do it on the floor maintaining a good squat form ,with abs contracted and a straight back ,that's important .

Exercise Two:Squat (normal stance and narrow stance) [6 sets ,From 10 to 16 reps,1 min rest]



Set 1 (Normal stance):pick a weight from 15 to 30 lbs ,abs and traps contracted ,looking straight ahead do 10 to 16 reps with it ,try pushing with the heels from the floor up,squeeze the quads and glutes ,always make balance for both legs, if you're feeling it more on one side change foot position look at yourself in the mirror ,maybe you're rushing one leg from the other ,make room for changes.

Set 2 (Narrow stance ):use same weight but narrow your squat position ,the foots should be parallel to the shoulders ,it's a little bit challenging ,now you're involving more of the glutes ,contract them throughout the motion ,be careful not to make pressure on the knees .
Set 3(Normal stance):Add from 50-70% the previous weight and do 12 reps.
Set 4(Narrow stance):Same weight ,do 12 reps.
Set 5(Normal stance):Use heavier weight and do from 8 to 10 reps.
Set 6(Normal stance):Get lighter weight and do 10 to 12 reps.

Exercise Three:Bulgarian split squat [4 sets left and right leg,10 to 20 reps]



Use a chair or your bed or in any other higher platform that should be at your knee level ,get in a lunge position ,the front leg with the feet on the floor,knee bent at 90 degrees and the back leg resting on the chair ,the back feet should rest on the edge of the chair allowing mobility of the ankle,now in this position you can either bend forward with the chest which will involve more of the quads or staying in the center involving more of a glutes and hamstings ,it's up to you ,from this position holding dumbbells on both sides, let yourself sink in the bottom with a vertical line by bending the knees until the back knee almost touch the floor ,contract the glutes ,quads and hamstrings ,at position B push up with the heel ,squeezing the glutes and every muscle until you are back at the first position,do this until the reps are finished ,then switch legs .

Exercise Four:Hip thrusts [5 sets,12 to 16 reps]



Set up between 15 to 30 lbs in the barbell ,for the first set do 12 to 14 reps ,push with your heels squeezing the glutes , quads and hamstring to the top ,then still maintaining the contraction  let the weight go down slowly controlling everything .
Note:the hip thrust should not be exaggerated ,make a straight line with your back ,with the legs at 90 degrees .

Exercise Five:Pistol squats [6 to 10 reps ,5 sets]



or assisted holding to a strap or a chair:



What you should start with is an assisted pistol squat ,this exercise is for advanced but you can get the benifit of it only when exercuting it properly ,so here is how to do both assisted and normal pistol squats:
First ,starting with the left leg ,raise the other leg a feet from the floor ,next contract the glute of the left leg ,squeeze the abs and slowly start bending the knee letting yourself going down ,note that you are not going down in a vertical line ,that would load the knee causing you to lose balance and eventually leading to knee problems ,try going more on a diagonal line ,this will result in a more wide angle between the glutes and the calves making them resist your weight and obviouslly the more you go going the harder it becomes to maintain that position which would result in strengthening your glutes and calves ,next step starts when you reach your threshold  ,for assisted squats ,you can use a box to rest on it or use resistance bands to hold on to ,either ways you're at a sitting position ,for non-assisted squat ,you let the leg fully bend (ass to the grass),the other leg straight forward to maintain balance ,the next phase is going up to a standing position ,and how to do that is by follwing the same steps as before ,contract the glutes ,hams and quads ,push yourself with the heel ,contracting the abs ,breath deep ,feel the weight of your body on one leg ,finally go up straight to a stranding position ,this is one rep.

Exercise Six (Burnout/optional):Goblet squat [4 sets,12 to 16 reps,1 min rest]



This exercise tagets primarily the glutes ,you hold a dumbbell in the centre and squat as deep as possible ,some people prefer to stand on two dumbbells to get more depth which is risky at this point ,just have both feet on the ground and squeeze the glutes from the bottom up .

Exercise Seven (Burnout/optional):Reverse lunges[4 sets,12 to 16 reps,1 min rest]



Exercise Eight:Calf raises [3 sets ,10 to 20 reps,1 min rest]



You can do the normal version or the modified one ,for the modified one the foot are either 45 degrees out ,or in ,split the workout by doing 10 reps with each version .

Cool Down (20 s):
1-Toe touch stretch
2-Standing Quad stretch
3-Inner thigh stretch
4-Pigeon stretch
5-Deep gluts stretch
6-Supine twist stretch
7-Butterfly stretch


jeudi 26 décembre 2019

10 Exercises Kick-ass Workout to Build Strong Back and Explosive Legs !




Hello everyone,we are back with another kick-ass workout that you're going to love,in this routine we are doing variations between endurance-based strength exercises for legs and pure strength exercises for both back and legs ,with one corrective exercise (face pulls) and a HIIT one (Box jump squats),all this exercises are drop-sets of ABAB format with 1 minute rest in between ,that means you jump from exercise A to B without rest(that's the first set) ,resting 1 min then back to AB(2nd set) ,all you need is your basic gym equipment (dumbbells,barbell,plates) and a box or a high platform like your bed to do box jump squats(important).
Now without further talk let's jump into the workout !

Warm ups (20s):
1-Arm circles.
2-Slow high knees.
3-Slow butt kicker.
4-Torso twist.
5-Toe touch sweeps.
6-Hips rotations.
7-Leg swings (left and right).
8-Warrior two.
9-Air Squats.
10-Jumping jacks.

Strength workout :
Exercise one :Face pulls [4 sets,10 to 20 reps ]



Use resistance bands if you're at home ,pull to your face while contracting the upper back ,the traps and the rear delts ,always maintain some kind of tension throughout the set .

Exercise Two:Box jump squat with a twist [4 set,4 to 7 reps each side ]



You need a high platform like a bed or a box or just a steady bench ,the movement start from the floor on your knees ready for a  jump to a squat position then do a twist jump to another squat position on the box or the bed ,then back to the floor with the same motion ,do it in both sides and always contract the abs and the glutes for better stability .
VIDEO:https://youtu.be/bt1woAP3LdE?t=1034

Exercise Three:Deadlifts [6 sets,8 to 14 reps ]



Deadlifts are widely known as the most effective lift to grow strength and explosiveness,but lately there has been some debate about their risk to reward ratio ,but here we're not going to debate about that ,the proper saying is to do them as clean as possible and benefit from them the best way possible,so it's best to consult some videos on youtube like :
Athleanx :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw5EfLi4JGo
Megsquats:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNn7AlPITOw
Eddie Hall:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NyJPgBUREw
these are the best .

Set 1:Use light weight on the bar ,between 15 lbs and 30 lbs and do 12 to 14 reps.
Set2:Add weight 70% the first weight and do 10 to 12 reps.
Set3:Same as set 2.
Set 4:Add 50% the previous weight and do at least 10 reps with.
Set 5:Same as set 4 but do 8 reps.
Set 6:Lower the weight by 50% and do as much as you can.

Exercise Four:Squats pull through [4 sets,10 to 12 reps]



In this one you also need resistance bands if you don't have a cable machine ,the trick is to maintain constant tension with a squat position leaning forward to an angle and squatting while pulling the resistance bands from between the legs with the hips and contracting the glutes at the same time.

Exercise Five:Pull ups [4 sets ,6 to 10 reps]



Note:if you can't do regular pulls ,use resistance bands to assist you or do half pull ups ,watch this video for help:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BWm8bizU34

Exercise Six:Cable pull downs[4 sets ,10 to 15 reps]



Watch your barbarian to get an idea:https://twitter.com/i/status/1188569111242182656

Exercise Seven:Dumbbells Carry [5 sets,50s to 1 min]



Pick up a heavy weight ,contract the abs ,the back and glutes ,walk around the room or in the backyard for about 1 minute .

Exercise Eight :Reverse lunges[5 sets,14 to 20reps]



Do alternating or side by side ,squeeze the glutes and the quads throughout the motion.

Exercise Nine:Goblet squat [4 sets,10 to 15 reps]



This exercise is glutes dominated ,try pushing with the heels from bottom position which is squat position ass to the grass ,then squeeze the glutes at the top position.

Exercise Ten:Single Arm Row [4sets,8 to 12 reps each side]



In this one use a pretty heavy weight ,try pulling with the elbows ,imagine that the dumbbell is actually held by your elbow ,feel the weight with the lats by contracting them at the top ,you can use a little twist of the shoulder at the top,that's ok as long as you gain more contraction on the lats ,if you feel it on the shoulder stop get rest or use lighter weight .

Cool down (20 s):
1-Arm cross stretch.
2-Side bend +inner thigh stretch.
3-Toe touch stretch.
4-Downward dog.
5-Cobra stretch.
6-Quad stretch.
7-Deep glute stretch.
8-Supine twist stretch.
9-Child pose .
10-Butterfly stretch
11-Deep hip stretch

And you're done! good job guys ,please eat healthy ,drink lots of water and get good sleep ,see you next time ,Peace.