Alligator Walk with Push-Up:
Begin in a modified plank position with your feet on a glider. Lead with one arm and then follow with the other arm and perform a push-up. Make sure you alternate the leading arm. Keep your abdomen and glutes tight while performing this exercise!
NOTE: For a more intense workout, try doing this exercise with dumbbells in your hands.
Bird Dog Cable Lat Pull:
This week's exercise focuses on several muscle groups at once. You will be working lats, core, and glutes/hips primarily.
Begin by kneeling on the floor with your hands shoulder width apart and set the cable to shoulder height. Raise your opposite arm and leg and pull the cable straight back with your elbow raised up.
Make sure to keep the abs and glutes tight while performing this exercise!
Sandbag Slams:
Begin this exercise by standing with a sandbag at your feet. You will then quickly pick the bag up with both hands, raise it above your head and slam it on the ground as hard as you can. Repeat this as quickly as possible.
Many of you have heard that the best foods you can consume for breakfast are eggs and oatmeal. That can get rather tedious to eat every morning, so here is a simple recipe to change things up.
Oatmeal Pancake:
MALES use 6-8 eggs (only two of those whole eggs) and 1.5 - 2 cups of oatmeal.
FEMALES should use 4-6 egg whites and up to 1 cup of oatmeal.
Throw in some cinnamon and natural sweetener (such as Agave Nector or Nu-Stevia)
and batter it in a bowl until it is well mixed.
Spill the batter into a preheated skillet or pan on med/high heat until it is ready to flip.
The Oatmeal Pancake goes really good with fruit spreads and agave nector.
ENJOY!
Bench Leg Raise:
Begin by lying on your back on a bench. Grasp the sides of the bench with both hands and put your legs straight up in the air.
Tighten your abs as you move your hips off the bench. Make sure to get a good squeeze at the top and slowly return to the starting position.
This exercise will target the bottom abs as well as the top.
Arnold's Supinating Dumbbell Curl:
In the starting position you will hold the dumbbells with your palms facing behind you. This will activate the forearm muscles.
As you reach the mid-point you will have your thumbs facing straight up, much like a hammer curl.
Finish by turning the palms up and squeezing the curl before releasing.
Reverse Push-Up:
In this video we are using a smith-machine, but a standard squat rack will work as well. You will place your hands on the barbell further than shoulder width apart and your feet stretched out in front of you.
Pull your chest toward the barbell as high as you can and squeeze the traps good before slowly releasing. Perform this exercise to failure.
NOTE: For more advanced lifters, a stability-ball can be placed under the feet to make the exercise less stable and to put more stress on the back.
Bosu Kneeling Cross Lat Pulldown:
Begin this exercise kneeling on the Bosu ball. We're kneeling to activate the core (so keep the abs tight while performing this exercise), and we're on the Bosu ball to work the stability muscles.
Set the cables overhead at about 4-5 feet apart. Grab the handles with opposite arms so that they cross and your palms will be facing away from you in the starting position.
Keep your chest up and as you pull down, rotate your arms so that your palms are facing inward and get a tight squeeze in the lats before releasing.
Walking Lunge with Medicine Ball Twist:
Begin this exercise in a standing position holding a medicine ball out in front of you. Lunge forward and twist your torso over your front leg. For example, if you step forward with the left foot, you will twist your body to the left side.
Make sure to keep your chest up and core tight the entire time. This will help you keep good posture and ensure that you get the most abdomen activation from the twist.
Fish oil is beneficial for everyone and has numerous health advantages. It contains Omega-3 Fatty Acids which are essential fats. 'Essential' fats are the fats that our bodies don't produce on it's own so we must get it from our diet. The two most common of these essential fats are EPA and DHA. High amounts of these healthy fats are found in fish like Salmon, Herring, Sardines and Tuna, but it's good to take in additional fish oil. Research also shows that consuming these fats supports the normal development of the brain, eyes and nerves and may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
Omega-3's are also beneficial for those looking to put on muscle! They have been shown to support muscle protein synthesis and limit muscle protein degradation. Additionally, EPA and DHA supports insulin function and increases glucose and fatty acid uptake to the cells which sends the nutrients to the muscle providing it with more fuel!
With all of the health benefits that fish oils provide (plus the fact that a bottle is just about 7 bucks) this is a supplement that nobody should be without!
Sumo Squat:
Begin with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes can point out. Hands should be about 6 inches apart on the barbell. Keep your back straight and your chest up as you perform the squats.
NOTE: In this video we are using a barbell for the exercise but you can also use a dumbbell or kettlebell by holding one with two hands and performing the squat.
Stability-Ball Crunch with Feet Up:
Begin by laying on the ball (the peak of the ball should be at your mid/lower back), then place your feet up on the wall so that your legs are at 90 degree angles. Having the legs up helps target the lower abdomen.
Now perform crunches at a slow steady speed and with your core flexed the entire time.
Reverse Lunge to Upright Row:
Start in a standing position with dumbbells in your hands. Perform a reverse lunge by bringing on leg back in a stationary position. Return to the starting position and perform an upright row by bringing the dumbbells up to your chin and keeping your elbows up high.
In this video we are alternating the reverse lunges after each rep, but you can choose to do one side at a time.
Quinoa is a grain-like crop that is highly appreciated for having amazing nutritional value. Nutritional evaluations indicate that it is a source of complete protein, which contains all of the essential amino acids that the body requires from diet. Furthermore, it is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is also a source of calcium, and thus is useful for vegans and those who are lactose intolerant. It is gluten-free and considered easy to digest, so its great for even the most restricted eaters!
When preparing it in a recipe it's important to know that Quinoa has a light, fluffy texture when cooked, and its mild, slightly nutty flavor makes it an alternative to white rice or couscous.
Quit eating those simple carbs that won't do anything for your body and start eating one of the world's oldest and greatest super foods!!
Resistance-Band Torso Twist:
Stand with your chest upright, spine in a neutral position and feet planted on the ground with your knees slightly bent. Lock your arms out at shoulder height and with your abs tightened, rotate at the hip to both sides at a slow and even pace.
This exercise will target the obliques as well as the abdomen.
Burpee with Push-up:
Start in a standing position, drop down, kick your feet back and do a push-up. Bring your feet back in and jump as high as you can. Repeat.
NOTE: Burpees is a great exercise to mix in with your weight training to get your heart rate up.
Plate Toe Touches:
Begin by lying on your back and put your legs straight up in the air. With your arms fully extended above you, hold on to a plate, medicine ball or dumbbell, and reach for your feet.
Note: When performing ab exercises it's always beneficial to keep your abs flexed throughout the exercise for a better workout.
Kneeling Bosu Side Bend:
Begin by kneeling on a Bosu ball. Sit straight with your chest up and hold a cable with your arm at 90 degrees. Palm facing your face.
With a flexed core, pull down on the cable (using your side muscles, not your arm muscles!) and repeat for 12-20 reps on each side.
Bosu Burpee With Push-up:
Begin with the Bosu on the ground, perform a push-up, jump back in towards the Bosu and jump up with a shoulder press it at the end.
Perform this as fast as you can control it! This exercise is a great reactive exercise that improves speed and total body strength!
Split Squat to Shoulder Press:
Begin by putting one foot behind you on a bench or step. Most of your body weight should be on the heel of your front foot and squat. Hold dumbbells shoulder-width apart and shoulder press them when you come up from the squat.
Note: For an even more advanced workout, perform the shoulder press while at the bottom of the squat, then finish.
Plank with Rotation:
Begin this exercise in a regular 4-point plank position. Keeping the core tight, slowly start to pivot while reaching your arm to the sky, then reach back under and repeat. Note: Make sure to alternate sides!
Single-Leg Deadlift:
This is an advanced deadlift. It is a great exercise to target the hamstrings and glutes. It's also great to build balance and stabilization in the body.
Begin by holding a dumbbell in one or both hands. Standing on one foot, pivot at the hip bringing the dumbbells torward your foot. The other leg goes up in the air for balance.
Dumbbell Hack Squat:
Place two Olympic plates on the ground and stand shoulder-width apart with your heels on the plates.
This can be done while holding weights, but not necessary for novice lifters.
Keeping your chest up and shoulders back, lower your body into a seated position and return to standing position with your knees slightly bent.
In this video I perform a core superset, or back-to-back exercises that work the same muscle group.
On the first exercise, start in a plank position with a slider under your feet, slide your feet toward your hands to form a peak and return to the planking position, then repeat.
Next exercise is an ab crunch on a dyna disk. Start by sitting on the ground, lean forward and place the disk under your lower back, then begin crunching. Note: do not let your glutes or your back touch the ground!
OSTRIM is the first sports nutrition, low fat, high-protein meat stick made from a combination of Ostrich and the leanest beef available. The 42 gram (1.5 oz.) OSTRIM Meat Stick contains essential and non-essential amino acids, has high protein (14 grams), and is 96% fat free!
Ostrim Beef & Ostrich Meat Stick - Barbeque Serving Size: 1 Stick (42g)
Calories 80
Calories from Fat 15
Protein 14 grams
Total Fat 1.5 grams
Saturated Fat 0.5 grams
Cholesterol 25 mg
Potassium 540 mg
Sodium 360 mg
Carbohydrates 2 g
Sugars 1 g
Calcium (2%), Iron (10%).
OSTRIM Meat Sticks are delicious, healthy, and doesn't require any refrigeration. Check 'em out if your always on the go and need something more than protein powder or bars!
Working out legs is important to reach any fitness goal and it enhances daily life by promoting balance in the body. For those who want to lose weight, working out legs burns the most calories, especially when done in a circuit (back to back exercises with no rest in between). Hitting legs is also critical for someone wanting to gain mass. Going intense and heavy on leg day increases secretion of hormones like testosterone and growth hormone throughout the body, allowing one to gain more muscle mass in the upper body as well as the lower.
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