resistance exercise

Real Women Do Chest Day!

February 26, 2017

Real women work chest! Today we’ve got an awesome chest workout. And thanks to Mel, you can bring this workout with you to get the best workout at your gym!

More muscle means more calories burning! For 2 days your body will work to repair the muscle from all that lifting.

So let’s get started!

The traditional bench press:

You want to make sure you’ve got a spot if you are not going to use your safety rails.

Always shoot for 4 sets of 8-10 reps. Struggling for the last two reps will build that lean muscle.

Mel gives you a good look at how far the bar should come down. Start with lighter weight and gradually add more as your sets increase.

On to the decline chest press:

Now this really works that lower chest. It’s so hard to find movements that work the lower chest.

Again, you want to lift as heavy as you can for 8-10 reps. I can’t lift as much as I can when I chest press on a flat surface. Try a lower weight and gradually work up if you’ve never tried this movement before. Always do 4 sets.

The next movement is on the sitting chest press machine:

This has two different hand grips so you can do two sets with each grip.

Shoot for 8-10 reps and be sure it’s heavy enough to struggle pushing for the last two reps. Always do 4 sets.

Next we move on to the Pec-Deck Machine:

When you don’t grip the handles completely and try to touch your wrists together as shown below, you really feel it in those pectoral muscles!

Shoot for 8-10 reps and always do 4 sets.

Next we’ve got a fun movement. This machine is not meant for chest, but you can definitely get a good workout for your chest if you’re a little creative.

This machine is the assisted pull-up machine. But you can up the weight, and do standing diamond push-ups on it.

The first time I tried this I was so sore for a few days afterwards.

This can also work the lower part of the chest. I really do love these. Shoot for 8-10 reps and always do 4 sets.

And now, the best exercise for last. It literally turns on beast mode!

Standing cable flyes!

Make sure you lower the cable reels about halfway down the poles to make them shoulder high. Stand with one foot in front of the other to root yourself. Then begin those flyes!

Shoot for 8-10 reps and always do 4 sets.

This is an excellent chest day workout! We were able to do this workout from 5:30 AM to 6:15 AM. Literally, 45 minutes. All those movements in only 45 minutes. That is only 3% of your day!

Thanks to Melanie for being such a good sport and modeling all these chest moves!

Feel free to comment questions or share using the social media icons below!

Happy Chest Day!

Back and Biceps Day!

July 14, 2016

Today we focused on back and biceps at the gym. For quite some time Kendra and I have been lifting lighter weight and more reps in order to induce more cardio. Now we are back in HEAVY lifting mode to increase those muscle gains! Here was our workout.

First we started with bent over rows.

You want to start with your feet together and knees slightly bent. Then bend over in order to pull the bar up and pinch those shoulder blades together.

Keep those elbows in and bring the bar to your belly button. If you are looking to burn more fat, use lighter weight and shoot for 15-20 reps. If you are looking to build muscle, lean up, and add shape, lift heavy for 8-10 reps (4 sets).

One thing about lifting heavy is that every woman is scared of it. Will you get big and bulky? NO!! It is SO hard to become big and bulky. You have to fight with a strict diet and protein supplements to be big and bulky. So what does lifting heavy do for women? It helps build more lean muscle mass which in turn, boosts your metabolism! This means that you burn calories at a higher rate. Especially 2 days following a really good lift day. This is because the muscle is repairing itself over the course of 2 days and your body needs more calories to do this.

Next we moved on to the lat pull down machine.

Here you want your back straight and a wide grip. Make sure you leg cushions are adjusted to keep your legs stable in the seated position. You don’t want to push up on your tip-toes to meet it.

Pull directly down towards your chest and again try to pinch those shoulder blades together as shown below.

Always shoot for 4 sets and depending on your weight do minimum 8-10 reps or max 15-20 reps.

Our next exercise was the seated row machine.

Make sure your legs are slightly bent and your chest is pressed up against the padding as shown above.

You do not want your chest to leave that pad as you row. If you are leaning back away from that pad in order to row, that amount of weight is too heavy for you and your form is diminishing. Form is VERY important for a good workout and to avoid gym injuries.

Really try to pinch those shoulder blades as you row to get the full benefit of the exercise.

On to the bicep exercises!

Here we start with hammer curls. Your goal is to keep your elbows in and bring the dumbbell directly up to the front of your shoulder.

If you are swinging the weight to get into this position, it’s too heavy for you. Also, if your elbows are moving outwards away from your side, the weight is too heavy for you.

Tip for feeling the burn: stop your dumbbell at the bottom for a second or two before lifting it. This helps you to make sure you are not swinging the weight in order to get it back up.

Regular curls were next. You can do this exercise with dumbbells or a barbell. Again, you want to slow down the movement and keep your elbows tucked in to prevent swinging.

Keeping those arms tucked in all the way.

And ending it at the chest.

Now for our last bicep exercise, we did 21s. This is 7 reps of a full curl shown above…

Then we do 7 half reps from bottom to middle.

Then we do 7 reps from middle to top.

This totals up your set to equal 21 reps. Always do 4 sets.

This completes our back and bicep day! Hopefully this guide was helpful to you. If you have any questions or requests, please comment below! If you found this post helpful, please share using the social media icons below!

Baby Got Back! Back Workout for Beginners!

July 31, 2015

It is summer time!! And one thing we ladies want is to be able to wear those backless and strapless summer tops with confidence! But how do you get started forming those back muscles? Well here is a great step-by-step guide you can use to get started.

My gorgeous gym partner and fellow dietitian Kendra is going to be our fitness model and show us some basic back movements.

First we will start with the seated row machine. Notice how straight Kendra’s back is and how her legs are slightly bent. This is the form you want to continue through your set.

Now as she pulls the handles in, notice how she brings them as far in as she can while continuing to keep her back straight and knees slightly bent. You will want to continue this movement doing about 15-20 reps at a low weight until you are comfortable with the movements. Once you are comfortable, begin to increase your weight and drop your reps (10-12). Always shoot for 4 sets.

The next exercise we will look at is the one-arm dumbbell row. You may want to attempt the movement without weight first to ensure proper form. Notice again how Kendra is keeping her back straight and using one knee on the bench for support. She is looking forward to assure good oxygen flow as she begins her set.

Then she will bring the dumbbell up keeping her elbow pointing backwards (not outwards) while she continues to keep her back straight. Continue to do this movement for 15-20 reps with light weight until you are comfortable with the movement. Once comfortable, begin to increase your weight and drop your reps (10-12). Always shoot for 4 sets (each side).

Next we will look at the bent over barbell row. Again Kendra has excellent form keeping her chest up, feet together, and arms about shoulder width apart. Her chin is up to assure good oxygen flow.

As she begins her first rep, notice how she pulls the barbell into her bellybutton, continues to keep her chin up, her feet together, and her elbows facing backwards (not outwards). Continue to do this movement for 15-20 reps with light weight (or no weight) until you are comfortable with the movement. Once comfortable, begin to increase your weight and drop your reps (10-12). Always shoot for 4 sets.

And the final back exercise is the low back extension. This is definitely something that should be attempted without weight first as shown below.

Pay close attention to Kendra’s form here. She has her arms crossed, body at a diagonal, and chin up. You may need to adjust the equipment so the pads are comfortable right on the hip bones. If you are unsure how to do this, just ask a gym staff member or someone nearby.

Once you are ready to begin, bend over as far as you can and slowly come back up to the position above. If you squeeze your backside as you come back up, this can work those glute (gluteus maximus) muscles also.

If you are comfortable with the movements, you can add weight by holding a weighted plate. Make sure the plate is secure within your arms and tight against your chest.

Once you are ready to begin, just bend all the way forward as Kendra is doing below.

Continue to do this movement for 15-20 reps with light weight (or no weight) until you are comfortable with the movement. Once comfortable, begin to increase your weight and drop your reps (10-12). Always shoot for 4 sets.

This concludes the beginner back workout! Many thanks to Kendra for sharing her excellent form! If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below. If you know anyone that could benefit from this workout, please share it by using the social media icons below!

Arm-A-Gettin’ It!

July 29, 2015

A lot of women ask me regularly what they can do to improve their arm strength and tighten up those loose areas. So this post is for you ladies!

I wanted to provide a step by step guide and explain where these movements will target. And also help you get started so you can get stronger over time.

There are three main areas I focus on when I think of arms and that is shoulders, biceps, and triceps. There are TONS of exercises for these areas, but this post will be a starter post.

SHOULDERS

The shoulder press can be done sitting or standing. Sitting is better for those with poor balance or if you are attempting this for the first time.

Start without weights at first. Just do a practice set of 10 to make sure you are keeping proper form. When you press, keep your arms by your ears, and on your way down, make sure you stop at a 90 degree angle.

Now… you’ve done your practice set, and you’re ready to add weight, but how much and how many reps?

If you are looking to “tone”, then you really want to do a lower weight with higher reps. For example: use 5-10 pound weights and shoot for 15-20 reps. This motion repetitively will induce a higher heart rate which is excellent for fat burning. Always shoot for 3-4 sets.

If you are looking to “build”, then you want the heaviest weight you can handle (with proper form) for 8-12 reps. In this photo I am using 25 pound dumbbells. Sitting on a bench usually allows you to push heavier weight. For me, I can increase by 5 more pounds and use 30 pound dumbbells.

If you are new to the weight lifting scene and you would like to build, I would still start with high reps and low weight first until you feel that your first two sets are a breeze. Once you consider those first two sets easy, move up in weight. Attempt a 5 pound increase per dumbbell. And do not be afraid to ask for a spot from someone nearby or a staff member!

Another great shoulder exercise is the standing/upright barbell row. You will definitely feel the burn in those shoulders!

You want to place your hands a little further than shoulder width apart. You will see markers on the barbell itself. Keep your back straight and pull the barbell up to your chest and keep your elbows pointing out as shown above.

Again, start with extremely light weight or a plastic rod (or broom even) to make sure your form is appropriate to avoid injury.

BICEPS

The bicep curl is the most common exercise to improve your bicep strength. Above you will see the three step movement to ensure proper form while doing your curl. It is important not to throw your weight up to your chest. If you feel that you are struggling to the point of swinging your dumbbells/barbell, you need to lower your weight.

If you are attempting this for the first time, please do 10 reps without weight just to make sure you are comfortable with the movement.

Then as we discussed above in the SHOULDERS section, use light weight to get comfortable with your form and to tone the area. Gradually build your weight to improve strength. Doing 15-20 reps will keep your heart rate up. Doing 8-12 heavy reps will begin the building process. Always shoot for 3-4 sets.

TRICEPS

This exercise is what we call the Tricep Kick-back. Tricep movements will help tighten up the backsides of your arms. This is the number one area I am asked about regularly by my patients. So I wanted to be sure I added this into the post.

There are many tricep exercises, but we will focus just on the kick-back and rope pull down.

This machine being used is the cable machine. My gym (Anytime Fitness in Madison) actually has tons of attachments for this machine. One of my favorites is the rope attachment.

If you have never tried using the rope attachment or a cable machine at your gym, ask a staff member to assist you in hooking it up. This way you can learn how to use this equipment properly.

Once you are all hooked up, attempt 10 reps with no weight to achieve proper form. You want to pull the rope down to where your arms are creating a 90 degree angle. You do NOT want to break this angle and begin bringing your arms to your chest. Next, you want to fully extend your arms downward and twist your wrists to swing the ends of the rope outwards as shown above.

As discussed earlier in the SHOULDERS and BICEPS sections, begin with light weight and high reps until you are more comfortable with the movements. Once you gain comfort with this movement, you can begin to increase your weight.

I hope this post was helpful! If you have questions, please leave a comment in the section below. You may also share this post by clicking the social media icons below!