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Time-Tested Squats With Weights Exercises

September 22, 2015 by Strongains

Squatting exercises are compound, time-tested exercises that target hamstring, quadriceps and the glutes muscles. The ACE ( American Council on Exercise) regards squats as an entire body exercise, which comes highly recommended to incorporate in most fitness routines.

Machines are not needed in order to achieve interesting types of variations for this exercise. Squats with weights exercises can up any fitness challenge routine.

Dumbells Used For Squat Exercises

Using dumbbells for a type of intermediate front squat can be done anywhere. The individual will need to hold onto a pair of appropriate dumbbells, while standing with the feet just a little wider than shoulder length apart. The core muscles will need to be in a brace position by tightening up the abdominal muscles and the dumbbells will need to be bought up to the position of resting on each shoulder.

The knees must be bent, hips faced back and down so that the thighs are in a parallel position to the floor. From this position the knees must be straightened out doing two sets of 12 repetitions.

Using The Wall And A Ball

To do this exercise, hold a pair of dumbbells in each hand and then place an exercise ball against a wall pushing it on the small of the back. Feet will need to be about shoulder width apart and walk a few steps forward away from the wall. The knees need to be bent, squatting down until the thighs are in a parallel position to the floor.

The ball should roll up the back and then progress onto straightening the legs to a standing position. With these squats, exercises can be done using two sets of ten repetitions.

Hack Squats

This is a type of advanced squat using a barbell. The barbell should be placed on the floor behind the body. The exercise involves squatting down and reaching for the barbell with both hands using an overhand type of grip. The back should remain straight with the chin level and return to a standing position with the barbell bar in the hands.

At this stage the individual should return to a squatting position. The back and the arms should remain straight throughout the exercise and the toes and the knees should be facing in the same direction. Two sets of twelve repetitions are advisable for the exercise routine.

Squat Mythology

The ACE states that there are no specific rules and regulations in place in relation to squats with weights exercises. Many of the squat techniques used depend on the individual’s body and the type of exercise goals in mind. One of the myths about squatting exercises is to never allow the knees to go further than beyond the toes. However, it has been proven that allowing the knees to extend past the toes is regarded as a healthy and perfectly normal type of “range of motion”.

Individuals who exercise regularly will know how to listen to what their bodies are telling them in regards to a good or bad type of exercise. There are various squatting exercises available according to the level of experience.

The Benefits Of Doing Spiderman Pushups

September 16, 2015 by Strongains

Doing pushups can be a good way to work on your upper body strength, but there are many variations that you can do besides the basic exercises that you learned in P.E. classes in school. For example, doing Spiderman pushups can be a good way to get more out of your workouts.

Learning how to do these pushups is simple, and you can include them in your daily workouts. By doing them on a regular basis, you can expand your repertoire and have more options open to you when you are working out. This helps keep you from getting bored with the same few exercises.

To do this type of pushup, start in the familiar plank position. Your feet should be together and your legs held straight. Put your hands on the floor a bit farther apart than your shoulders. Be sure to keep your back straight, and do not let your rear end stick up in the air.

Lower yourself to the ground, as in a normal pushup, by bending your elbows. However, when you are at the lowest point of the movement, do not simply raise yourself back up to the starting position. Instead, lift your right foot off the ground and bring your knee forward until it reaches your elbow.

Hold this position for a moment, and then return your right leg to its initial position. Push yourself back up to the plank position. Repeat the same movement, but this time bring your left knee forward to your left elbow. Continue alternating sides for as many reps as you want.

The advantages of doing a Spiderman pushup are that it helps your chest and arm muscles work harder. When you move your leg forward, it shifts your weight, which means that your muscles have to adjust to the new position. This helps to work different muscle groups, increasing the resistance and helping you strengthen your muscles more quickly.

As with most forms of pushups, a Spiderman pushup mainly works your pectoral muscles, your deltoids, and your triceps. It is an excellent form of upper body workout. It also can engage your core muscles and helps to strengthen them.

Since you are only supporting yourself on three points of contact when you move your leg forward, this means that your abdominals and other core muscles have to work harder to maintain stability. Moving your legs forward and back also helps to work your lower abs since it mimics the movement used in many abdominal exercises.

These pushups are an excellent addition to any exercise regimen, especially if you are an athlete or outdoor enthusiast who needs to maintain a strong upper body. Because they also work the abdominal muscles, they let you strengthen multiple muscle groups at the same time, making your workouts more efficient.

Learning how to do Spiderman pushups gives you more options when you are working out. Start to incorporate these and other variations on the basic pushup into your daily exercise routine.

Trap Bar Deadlift Benefits

September 12, 2015 by Strongains

Deadlift Benefits

There are many benefits to dead-lifting that makes it advantageous as workouts for bodybuilders as well as weightlifters. Because dead-lifting requires the use of all major muscle groups, it provides overall strength and growth to muscle groups such as quads, hamstrings, glutes, spinal erectors, obliques, abdominals and lower back muscles. A single deadlift is equivalent to a combination of several strength exercises such as leg presses, abdominal crunches and squats.

Deadlifting releases crucial components like growth hormones and testosterone to increase stability and control of minor muscles. It will also increase forearm and grip strength to aid in other lifts such as bench presses. It strengthens the lower back muscles which protect your body from damage when doing heavy workouts.

Deadlifting will also tax the cardiovascular system and strengthen the heart muscles.

Trap Bar Deadlift

The trap bar, or hex bar, is a hexagonal, or sometimes diamond shaped weight lifting bar that looks something like the chassis of a car. Despite its strange looking appearance, the trap bar is considered by weight lifters to be one of the most innovative strength training pieces of equipment to hit the weight training industry during the past thirty years. Originally patented by the power lifting aficionado, Al Gerard, who was looking for an alternative form of weight training because of a lower back injury, the trap bar has since gathered the support of coaches who recommend it as an alternative to squats and straight bar deadlifts, to protect and strengthen injuries to the lower back.

Deadlifts are not mainly for those who wish to work around an injury, but can be used as a stand-alone exercise in a modern strength program, with benefits that will surpass that of traditional straight bar deadlifts.

Trap Bar Deadlift Benefits

The trap bar is used in specialized training in two main exercises, the shrug and the deadlift. This deadlift is considered far superior to barbells for power and strength training as it transfers the load more to the knees than to the hips of the lumbar spine, ideal for those suffering from lower back problems.

The trap bar provides a safer version of deadlift than the straight bar version as it produces significant levels of peak force, power and velocity while allowing more weight to be lifted over a longer period of time. It reduces the potential for injury and at the same time maximizes power. The upright torso position used in the deadlift improves posture and corrects weightlifting techniques.

The technique used in a this deadlift is more advantageous for beginning weight lifters who require a greater amount of upfront coaching in their mobility work. The one thing coaches find challenging is to prevent the over-extension of the back muscles which can be avoided with the right type of execution.

For most weight lifters, getting into the correct deadlift position using a straight bar is quite challenging without lots of coaching and mobility work upfront. This is especially true for those who are desk bound for 8 hours per day and do not have the same flexibility as serious lifters who practice their lumbar flexions and posterior pelvic tilt postures for hours. The trap bar design allows a more upright torso position where the knees move forward, allowing the hips to sit lower, which avoids scraping the shins as sometimes happens with a straight bar movement.

This strength training exercise is a good one, as you can see here. It helps to prevent injury, utilizes your full strength, and is a great exercise for your legs and back.

How to Do the Reverse Crunch Exercise Correctly?

September 11, 2015 by Strongains

The reverse crunch exercise is one of the best exercises to tone your ab muscles. Unlike the regular crunch exercise, which is not that effective and can cause back pain, this exercise is really effective and can cause your muscles to feel the strain. It will not cause any back pain and could be done at home or any place where there is a little bit of space and something soft to lie on. It works on the entire abdominal muscle group: upper, lower and obliques alike. This exercise is a must in anyone’s routine, who would like to tone that pooch.

How to Perform the Reverse Crunch –

First, lie down on the floor on a comfortable mattress or rubber. Bend both knees as you would do for a regular sit-up and place both hands near the hips. Let the arms rest stretched out on the floor. Your head should be placed on the floor, and the back should be touching the floor, full-length.

Now raise both your legs, which are bent, upwards. The hips should be perpendicular to the ground during this posture. The feet can be placed, held a bit above the knee position. Keep both the ankles close to each other, or cross the ankles if needed. While exhaling and clenching your abs, bring both of the knees towards the chest. Remember to bring both knees together towards your chest. Your lower back will be naturally lifted in this position, and it should not be a problem for the effectiveness of this exercise. You should make sure that your abdominal muscles are only working here. Don’t clench your hips as this mainly is an abdominal exercise and you need to keep most of the pressure on the ab muscles.

The movements should be fluid but not too fast. There is no need to actually touch your chest with the knees. Just bring the knees as close to the chest as you can. Once you have brought the knees towards the chest, return them back to the original position. This should be done slowly and with full control. Your ab muscle group will be working here to make the most out of this return position. You can do as many reps as possible. It will mainly depend on your fitness and strength. If you are having back pains or any other health condition, it is always better to consult your physician before starting a Reverse Crunch Exercise regimen. You doctor will check all your physical conditions and advise if the reverse crunch is the best exercise for your abs.

Once you have completed a certain amount of reps of the reverse crunch, your abdominal muscles will feel the strain. This is a good indication that the exercises are working quite effectively. Both men and women can benefit from this exercise regimen. If you want to make this exercise harder, you can use ankle weights. All in all, this is the best exercise for your abs.

Benefits of Ab Crunch Machines

September 10, 2015 by Strongains

Trying to get those flawless washboard abs, but unsure about the right exercises to achieve such a look? It is difficult to get that six pack without having the right approach to working out the muscle. This is where quality ab crunch machines can assist in getting the job done. This machine is designed to streamline the movement of crunching and ensuring the muscle is targeted with greater effect. Let’s take a glance at the benefits associated with the equipment and why it is adored by many.

Full Range of Motion

The user is provided with a full range of motion that otherwise might not have been possible. This is essential for those who want to see quality results that will last for a long time.

Getting a full range of motion makes sure each crunch that is being done is maximized for its true potential. Most individuals without the machine will not be able to achieve those desired results because their form is bad.

This machine helps streamline the movement to ensure the ab crunch is being done properly every single time. For those who want to see results, this is essential.

Appropriate Stress

Another reason why most individuals are not able to see gains with their abs has to do with the stress being placed on the muscle.

If the movement is not stressing the muscle and causing it to fatigue (in a good way), the muscle will never grow.

The muscle needs to be put to the test in order for it to recover and grow bigger. This is where the six pack lies because without placing stress on the muscle, the chances of seeing the abs grow are slim to none both in the short and long-run.

Comfort

This benefit is often overlooked, but it does play a role for most users. The intrinsic comfort associated with this machine is imperative for those who do not want to feel pain in their neck and back after the workout.

The machine is designed to alleviate these concerns and ensure the movement is being done only for the abs and not hurting other parts.

Comfort comes through the form of the movement being done properly every single time. This makes sure the abs are the only thing being worked out and not the neck and/or back.

Easy to Use

The final benefit associated with the ab crunch machine comes through its ability as being an easy to use option.

Doing crunches is difficult because the toes start lifting up or the neck starts pinching in. The crunch has to be done properly to see results that are meaningful.

The machine is easy to use and one will not have difficulty setting it up and begining working away towards that six pack.

The six pack does not have to be elusive any more because it is designed to get the job done in a manner that is effective. The user immediately knows how the machine functions and that’s the beauty of the entire exercise.

Tips For Performing Perfect Dumbbell Squats

September 10, 2015 by Strongains

Dumbbell squats are an excellent alternative to barbell squats. They are perfect for all bodybuilding beginners who want to build mass the safe way. Squats are essential for building the quads and glutes, but they also stimulate growth in other muscle groups, therefore they should be part of any bodybuilding routine.

The problem of barbell squatting is that it can be dangerous when done without the supervision of a personal trainer. If you get very tired, you may encounter troubles in reracking the bar or you may even injure yourself. That’s why the presence of a training partner is important and that’s also why you should consider switching to these type of squats for getting the same results in a much safer way.

Here are a few tips for performing the dumbbell squats in the most effective and safe way:

1. Distribute the load evenly

After you find the most comfortable foot angle, you need to pay attention to maintain that angle for both feet. If you don’t, the load will be unevenly distributed, thus putting more strain on one of your knees. In time, this may lead to injuries.

2. Do lifts the correct way

The proper way to do the lifts is by pushing your legs down into the floor rather than attempting to lift the dumbbells. By doing this the right way, you protect your back and avoid severe injuries.

3. Maintain a good posture throughout the exercise

It is important that your back forms a constant angle with the floor for the entire duration of the squat. This is not only a good way to avoid back injuries, but also a method of forcing the quads and the hip flexors to do the job.

4. Keep your feet in the right position

The right position for the feet is either ahead or slightly outwards. Avoid positioning the feet inwards, because that would put additional stress on your knees.

5. Never arch backwards

One of the most frequent mistakes beginners do when they perform squats, with or without dumbbells, is arching backwards. This is a totally wrong posture which should be avoided at all costs because it puts a lot of stress on your lower back. You may see it done in lifting competitions, but those people are well-trained power lifters, so they know how to do it without injuring themselves.

Always remember that your main objective, apart from building muscular mass, is to protect yourself against injuries. Therefore this should be your main priority. If you train with other people or with a personal trainer, you can protect yourself better. However, if you are a lone trainer, it is much wiser to go for safe alternatives to various workouts instead of risking to harm yourself. Weight lifting is one of the most serious training routines in body building. Beginners especially tend to overlook how easy it is to get injured, so this article aims at presenting them this safe way to perform squats at home.