weights

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!

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!

Tighten That Core!

September 24, 2015

Yesterday Kendra and I designated our entire workout to core alone! This workout will give you 4 movements you can do at your gym to get a serious abdominal workout.

Let’s start with rope crunches on the cable machine.

Grab some knee pads and the rope attachment for the cable machine. For the first set, you may not want to add weight so you can get the proper movement down.

You’ll start with your head between the rope and fists by your ears. As you pull down into the curl position, you want your hands and arms to stay in the same spot (by your ears). Your core needs to be doing all the work, not your arms.

You want to pull with your core all the way to the floor. The more rounded your back is, the more you target your lower abs. If your back is arched, you may only hit the top part of your abs.

You’ll want to continue this motion for 15-20 reps and do 4 sets. If you don’t feel the burning in your abs past rep 10, you should up your weight.

Next we’ll do the cable side bends to target your obliques.

Make sure you are standing straight up with one arm behind your head or on your hip for balance. This is another movement you want to be very careful with so you DO NOT use your arms to pull. You want to use those obliques.

So stand up straight and begin to lean away from the cable machine.

Keep feet together and legs straight. Keep the core tight and the movements controlled. The slower you move, the more it will work the muscle.

Shoot for 15-20 reps and do 4 sets. If you don’t feel the burn after rep 10, up your weight.

On to decline weighted sit ups!

If a regular sit up is boring to you or you want more of a challenge, do that sit up on a decline bench. And if you’re feeling even more adventurous, grab a plate to keep on your chest! We used a 10 pound plate here.

Once you feel secure on your bench, begin your set.

Lift yourself all the way up while keeping that plate tight against your chest. The slower the movement, the more you work the muscle. Shoot for 15 reps and do 4 sets.

And last but not least… The trusty ole plank!

During a plank, you want to keep everything tight and squeeze. Feet should be together and your back should never be arched. Do it in front of a mirror if you need to check your form. You can feel this in your core, shoulders, and legs. What you want to do is hold this plank position tightly for 30 seconds and then relax. Do this 4 times.

These are just a few of my favorite core exercises you can do on your next day at the gym. They are movements that can continue to challenge you. Whether its adding more weight, or holding that plank for a longer period of time.

I hope this core workout has been helpful! Please share using the social media icons below!

It’s Chest Day Bro!

September 8, 2015

Today we do a step by step chest workout! It is extremely important to make sure form is correct when working chest. This will prevent injury and maximize your workout. So here are some routine exercises you can do for a chest day.

Lets start with inclined dumbbell press.

When resting at the bottom as shown above, make sure your arms are creating a right angle. Make sure your incline angle is only SLIGHT or the movements can target shoulders and possibly cause an injury.

As you push your dumbbells up, make sure your dumbbell ends are touching as shown below. That way your arms are fully extended upwards.

If you are looking to build muscle, lift the heaviest weight you can (with good form) for 8-10 reps. If you want to get some cardio in with your lifts, just lower your weight and up your reps to 15-20. Always do 4 sets.

Next we’ll look at the barbell bench press.

When starting, you want to make sure you are laying with the bar right over your forehead while it is racked. Grab the barbell a tiny bit wider than shoulder width apart and lower the barbell to your chest.

If you have never bench pressed before, make sure you have a spotter and use the bar without weights.

If you are trying to build muscle, bench press the heaviest weight you can with good form, 8-10 reps. If you would like to induce cardio, lower your weight and shoot for 15-20 reps. Always do 4 sets.

And lastly, we have the trusty ole push-up!

First we want to begin in the plank position.

Make sure your hands are about shoulder width apart, and be sure your back is straight. Not dipping or hunched. Then you want to lower yourself down slowly, and stop right before you touch the floor.

With the elbows pointing out, you are hitting more of the chest muscle. If you pull your elbows in while you lower, that will target more of the triceps. Always shoot for 15-20 push-ups, 4 sets.

*If you have trouble lowering yourself to this position, you can build up to it by doing your push-ups with your knees on the ground.

And this completes your chest workout!

I hope you enjoyed the workout. A big thanks to Robbie for showing us how to do proper movements! If you know someone that could benefit from this workout, please share using the social media icons below! Enjoy!

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!

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!