leg day

Another Leg Day Workout!

December 3, 2015

Yesterday was leg day for Kendra and I, and this was our last time using this routine in order to keep the gains coming!

So if you are looking for something to target that booty, those quads, and hamstrings, try this workout!

SQUATS

Here we did multiple types of squats with different amounts of weight. For starters, make sure you have proper form as shown below.

Your resting stance, as you see above, will have feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward, and a straight back.

When you squat, create a right angle with your legs and make sure your safety bars are a few inches below your barbell’s lowest point. Be sure to keep your chin up and continue breathing.

Our squat rack routine consisted of:

Squats with an empty bar for 1 set- 15 reps (our goal here was to squat low and move slowly)

Pulsing squats with an empty bar: 1 set- 15 reps (lower slowly to the right angle position, pulse to the half squat position, lower back down to the right angle position, then explode upwards using your heels to get you back to the standing upright position. That is 1 pulsing squat.)

Pulsing squats with 10 pounds added: 3 sets- 15 reps

Next we added more weight and shot for as many well controlled deep squats as possible. We used about 105 pounds and shot for 15 reps. The most important part is not achieving 15 reps, but doing as many up to 15 that are low and well controlled. Four sets were done.

On to the next exercise!

The walking lunge is the booty buster! We love rotating these into our leg days every few months.

You want to take your step forward and as wide of a stride as possible while keeping your balance. Lower your knee right above the floor. Anytime you step onto your front foot, drive with your heel and you will feel that booty doing work!

We shoot for about 12-14 lunges down the walkway at our gym and then back to our start point. That is considered one set.

We did that for 4 sets with a 60 pound barbell. If we haven’t started sweating yet, this REALLY gets the heart rate going. Especially with the barbell on your shoulders.

If you’ve never used a barbell during walking lunges, start with a low weight barbell around 20 pounds. Gradually build yourself up over time.

Next we’ve got sumo squats!

A sumo squat is the same as a regular squat, the only difference is that your toes point outwards making a V shape. This helps you target those inner thighs in addition to quads and hamstrings.

When you lower, still work to achieve that right angle, keep your chin up and keep your back arched.

We used a 45 pound dumbbell, but you can also use a kettle bell. We did 4 sets of 15 reps.

If you want to work those muscles a little harder, you can also grab two platforms (one for each foot) and do your squats on those. That will allow you to drop your dumbbell lower and perform a deeper squat which will work those areas a little more.

And lastly… The trusty ole straight leg deadlift.

This is a great hamstring exercise. Make sure you start by grabbing your bar about shoulder width apart. The goal is not to go as low as you can because your form will start to go.

Your goal is to bend over as far as your body will allow without knees bending and your back rounding out. You want to keep your back flat or even arch it. You will feel that hamstring stretch.

Squeeze those hamstrings as you start to come up.

We did 4 sets of 15 reps. We did not add any weight and used this as sort of a cool down/stretch.

This routine has kept us sore three different times so we’ve really enjoyed doing it. Happy lifting and enjoy this booty busting routine!

Please feel free to share using the social media icons below!

Things to Know When Planning Your First Century (100 mile) Bike Ride

September 30, 2015

This weekend was our first attempt at a century ride with our road bikes. My boyfriend and I have been riding a few years now and we love going the distance. We have both gone as far as 50 miles on our bikes and hoped to achieve a century one day. So this past weekend, we decided to check this off of our bucket list!

So we loaded up early in the morning, picked up my boyfriend’s brother (who also rides), and the three of us set off to Anniston, AL to start our ride on the Chief Ladiga trail. This trail is about 33 miles long and will come to the AL/GA state line. It will then change into the Silver Comet trail, ending in Smyrna, GA, which is right outside of Atlanta. Totaling right around 100 miles.

So during our ride, there were many things we learned traveling this amount of distance. Here are 10 things you should know when preparing to do a century ride.

PRACTICE

This is definitely something you need to train for. You have got to prepare your leg muscles and cardiovascular system. There are lots of questions to consider and you just won’t know the answer until you ride for a while.

How do you do on hills? Can your legs push you through? Can your knees hold out?

You also need to get a feel for what it is like to sit on a bike for long periods of time. The pedaling position is not like a comfort bike. It takes some time to build up the appropriate muscle to be able to sustain this position comfortably for hours on end. Our ride lasted from 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM (of course this allotted for breaks, lunch, and tire changes). This gives you an idea of how long you’ll be on that saddle.

Practicing on your bike also allows you to move through gears repetitively which will let you know if your bike needs any tune-up or maintenance.

WEATHER

Check the forecast! And even then, you will be moving a distance of 100 miles so the forecast may change. So it is best to have a plan for all types of weather.

During our ride it rained/sprinkled about 70-80% of the time. We definitely got filthy from each other’s spray flying up in the air which is something you just have to expect. But one thing about rain, is once you stop for a break, you lose your warmth if you stay stopped too long. We had shell jackets which helped cut the wind and prevent us from being too cold until we began pedaling again.

Also, if you are carrying a book bag or pack of any kind, make sure you have a pack cover for it. I forgot mine so some of the things inside that pack did get wet.

Food/Water Breaks

We really only stopped for quick stretch breaks and snacks about every 15-20 miles. And sometimes we ate while pedaling.

I would highly recommend eating something carbohydrate loaded every 15 miles. The snacks we packed were things like high protein granola bars, mini bagels to dip in pre-portioned cups of peanut butter, chocolate Belvita cookies, dried apricots/mangoes for the potassium content, and Gu packs.

While riding, I could definitely tell if I had gone too long without a snack because I would feel weak and sometimes a little dizzy. And sure enough I would check our current mileage and we would have passed the 15 mile mark since my last snack.

When it comes to water, it is very important to make sure you have two bottles and two cages on your bike. Check out your course map and make sure you have pit stops along the way for water refills every 20-30 miles.

CLOTHING AND SEAT

Bike clothing is extremely important when doing a distance ride. The bike shirts are great because of the pockets they have in the back. This is where we kept phones for photos and of course snacks. This way we could reach around and grab a granola bar without actually having to stop.

The bike shorts… THEY ARE A MUST! Definitely make sure you wear bike shorts because you need the padding under your tail bone. They also need to fit you properly by making sure the padding is protecting the right area. Not too far back and not too far forward. You can always go by your local bike shop to try shorts on and then sit on a seat to make sure they fit properly.

The seat will also be a big key. My boyfriend and I just swapped out our factory seats to Terry seats before this century. A 30 mile test ride confirmed that these seats were way better than our factory seats in regards to cushion.

One thing we did not realize regarding the seats until speaking with a bike shop employee was that the seat location can really affect your ride… Whether its too far forwards, backwards, or tilted. If you find yourself moving from your tail bone to soft tissue, you may need a seat adjustment. Local bike shops usually offer a fitting session if you have trouble finding a comfortable spot.

When it comes to clip in shoes, I can’t really say how important they are for a ride. I’ve never had them and I was still able to bike this amount of distance fine. It may be worth it to have them, but you definitely do need them to do it.

Gloves are extremely helpful if your handle bars are not very padded. I would highly recommend gloves for any distance ride to prevent any blisters from occurring.

SORE BUTT

I always get the question… doesn’t your butt hurt riding distances like that? And my answer is yes. You really want to make sure you have the appropriate shorts and a good seat to avoid this. But during a century ride, you are seated on this bike for 8-9 hours. So no matter how you sit or what you wear, you’re going to feel it. The best advice is going to be practice which we have discussed above. The more time in the saddle, the more used to it your body becomes. But there is also a product called Bordeaux’s Butt Paste. It is a product for babies that helps prevent rash and irritation. People who run or bike long distances usually keep this product around. Try experimenting with it to see what may work for you.

MEDICATIONS/FIRST AID

During a distance like this, you really want to make sure you have a small first aid kit in case of a crash and Ibuprofen for inflammation or pain.

Once we stopped around mile 45 for lunch, I noticed my knees were aching. Knowing how much further we had to go, I took some Ibuprofen to pull through.

Luckily none of us crashed, but we did have a few close calls. With consistent sprinkles throughout the ride, it sure did make things slick. In case anyone does go down, you want to have an appropriate stock of medical supplies in a saddle bag or backpack.

FLAT TIRES

Prepare to have a flat tire. If you don’t experience this, you’re lucky! Between the three of us, we went through 4 tire tubes. Three being flats and 1 tube malfunction. No matter how careful you are, there may be things on the trail/road that you cannot avoid. You can never have too many tubes. For any long distance like this, I will always have about 2-3 tubes on me.

SUNSCREEN/EYE PROTECTION

Even if your forecast is cloudy with a chance of rain, those clouds may part for an hour and you don’t want to burn. Like I previously mentioned above, weather is unpredictable especially over a 100 mile distance.

Eye protection can help protect from the sun, rain drops, or even bugs. We carried contact solution with us because we’ve had rides where we’ve gotten bugs or dirt in our eyes. Luckily during this ride we didn’t need it, but during previous rides, we have.

BACKPACK

This can be a great idea, but also a horrible idea. It was a learning experience for us. Our thought process was to have a pack and carry first aid, snacks, and our shells (jackets) in it. Little did we realize, the extra weight would put more pressure on your tail bone and shoulders.

Luckily as we kept eating, the pack continued to get lighter which was great. But overall, I would’ve loved to use saddle bags hanging off the bike instead of the pack.

Between the three of us, we passed off the pack about every 30 miles. So rotating the extra weight really helped.

MAP

Always map out your ride and know where your food/water/rest stations are going to be. If you are hydrating well, you will still need to use the restroom. Look for a location about halfway through your ride to stop and eat lunch, and you will still want to make sure there are places to get off the bike and stretch.

The trail we rode from AL to GA was well marked with mile markers and had portable restrooms at each trail head. We also traveled through towns that allowed you to stop for a bite to eat.

SUMMARY

I hope this post has been helpful if you are getting ready to experience your first century ride. We had such a blast challenging ourselves in a way we never have. Hopefully all the information discussed above will help your ride go smoothly so you can enjoy the scenery!

It’s Leg Day Y’all!

August 19, 2015

Everyone wants stronger legs and a tighter booty! But sometimes the equipment at the gym can be a little intimidating… So here is a step by step of a great leg routine that can help you on your journey to get-it-right and get-it-tight!

First, we start with squats!

You want to make sure your rack siding is high enough to catch your barbell in case you can’t make the final push back up to the standing position. I always recommend doing a body squat to get a good idea of where your barbell will hit. You want your barbell to be about 1-6″ above your rack sides at your lowest squat point. If you need help adjusting your rack sides, grab a gym staff member or nearby trainer.

You want to use a low weight when you do a warm up set. If you are looking to burn more body fat, push light weight for a set of about 15 reps. If you are looking to build up those quads and that booty, push the heaviest weight you can handle with good form for about 8-10 reps. Always do 4 sets.

In regards to form, make sure your feet are shoulder width apart. Try and keep your back as straight as you can (never round it). As you lower yourself into the squat position, make sure your chest is up, and you continue to breathe. A right angle is what you are looking for just like you’re sitting in an imaginary chair. Dig into the floor hard with your heels as you push back up to the standing position. Never roll up on your toes. Flat shoes are always recommended.

Next, we’ll look at one of my new favorite lunge discoveries… and boy you feel it the next day!

The key to this lunge is having two 45# plates stacked on each other and planting your front foot on top of the plates. This helps you achieve a deeper lunge and puts those glutes to work!

I would recommend a warm up set first with no barbell or only the barbell. You really want to move slowly to make sure you keep your balance.

As you come back up, drive with your front heel. This is where the booty action takes place! Warm up with a set of 8-10 reps. Then add weight appropriately. For more fat burning, 15 reps on each leg with lower weight. For lean muscle and booty building, use the heaviest weight you can push (with good form) for 8-10 reps. Always do 4 sets.

Here is a rear view:

Resting at the top.

Dropped into the lunge position.

Our third exercise is going to be the standing kick back!

This really gets the hamstrings and glutes.

I would recommend doing the movement first without weight just to get adjusted to the movement.

Brace yourself on the cable machine and lift one leg as shown in the mirror above. Then follow through with your reverse kick as high as your leg will kick back. You want to make sure you feel this in your glute/hamstring. If you don’t, you may want to increase your weight.

Continue this for 15 reps if you are looking to increase heart rate and promote fat burning, or increase your weight to build that booty and shoot for 8-10 reps with good form.

And lastly, the adductor machine! This is the machine everyone feels so awkward on, but it does such great work for inner/outer thighs! Today we are actually going to use it for booty building. So here is how!

In the photo above, I am leaned forward and my booty is hovering over the seat. The goal here is to stay low when you push out with your thighs. You want to stay hovering over the seat and push slowly to keep control. Keep everything tight and that will also help with your control.

Then push outwards while continuing to stay low and hovering over the seat. Shoot for 15 reps with the heaviest weight you can handle. Today, Kendra and I actually maxed out the machine at 210#!! Whooo hoo!!

This is a great leg day routine we had a blast with today! I hope you enjoy the burn as much as we did!