Fitness

5 Best Lat Exercises to Build a Stronger, Broader Back

On the quest for a V-shaped torso? You’re probably already focusing on building your chest and shoulders. Makes sense — they’re the muscles you see in the mirror every day. But don’t ignore the chiseled rear view that lat exercises can build. Your latissimus dorsi (aka “the lats”) are the broadest back muscles (you have one on either side of your spine), and targeting them can help give you a broad-shouldered, slim-waisted, fitness model physique. Even if bodybuilder aesthetics aren’t your priority, it’s still worth your time to incorporate lat exercises into your workouts. “Strong lats are essential to having a strong core, which is critical to maintaining good posture, lowering your risk of back pain, enhancing athletic performance, and increasing total-body strength, power, and stability,” explains Trevor Thieme, CSCS. The following moves are some of the best lat exercises you can perform. While they aren’t your only options for targeting your lats and sculpting a V-shaped upper body, none do it more effectively. Secure a bar in a Smith machine or power rack at waist height, and lie on the floor underneath it. Grab the bar...

February 12, 2024Exercise & Fitness, , 0 Comments
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Get the Results You Need When it Comes to Calf Training

This story has been told a few thousand times, but we’ll go again. In his bodybuilding heyday, Arnold Schwarzenegger was so embarrassed by the size of his calves that he cut off all his training pants at the knees (or maybe he just wore shorts) to shame himself into calf training. History tells us he was successful. And his calves were pretty good, too. Calf training is one of the many things that get neglected in the weight room. Some are genetically blessed with muscular calves and don’t have to worry about it. Others have to prioritize adding any size and strength down there, and others always wear pants and forget about their puny calves. In an effort for full disclosure, that’s me.  Regardless of size, strength training for calves has many benefits. Here, with the help of Tasha “Iron Wolf” Whelan, we’ll go into benefits and answer the question, is all calf training the same, no matter the sport?

Anatomy of the Calf Muscle

The calf muscles point your toe towards your shin (dorsiflexion) and pull your heel up (plantar flexion), allowing you to walk, run, jump, and assist with all things to do with the lower body. ...

February 6, 2024Exercise & Fitness, , , 0 Comments
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How to Do Locust Pose

Locust poses, or salabhasana, is a belly-down, or prone, yoga posture that stretches your chest, shoulders, and spine. It’s also a backbend that’s suitable for beginners. “Locust pose improves strength and flexibility, and it is thought to reduce the effects of physical stress because it reverses slouching,” says ACE-certified personal trainer Jennifer Fuller, RYT 500. There is so much happening in this relatively simple pose, which strengthens the entire back side of the body. Whether you’re learning the basic yoga poses or you’ve been practicing with Yoga52 for some time, energize your body and counter fatigue with locust pose.

Locust Pose: Step-by-Step Instructions

Lie on your belly in a prone position with your arms extended overhead. Squeeze your legs together. Place your chin at the center of your mat, and look straight down at the floor to create length through the cervical spine. Relax your shoulders down your back. Rotate your palms down to open your chest. Take a deep breath in, then exhale and lift your head, shoulders, arms, and legs away from the floor. Hover your limbs a few inches off the mat. Arch your back, and...

January 27, 2024Exercise & Fitness, Yoga, , , , 0 Comments
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7 Pilates Leg Exercises For Beautiful Legs

No doubt about it: Pilates exercises offer incredible benefits for the core. But when it comes to the best leg exercises, Pilates can also provide a major boost, according to Andrea Rogers, founder of Xtend Barre and XB Pilates. Best of all, the practice uses compound moves, so you’ll feel those Pilates “leg” exercises working other areas of your body, too. Pilates can help improve posture, lift your rear, and build strength from head to toe, she says. “Even when you’re doing moves that are focused on the lower body, you’re building strength, mobility, and functionality in the body as a whole.” Here are seven of her favorite Pilates leg exercises. At home, work your way through these moves if you’re considering giving the XB Pilates program a try.  Engage your core on this one, and it will make your legs fire up more, Rogers says. Lie on your left side with your shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles in one straight line. Rest your left forearm on the floor and use the strength of your arm to keep your torso lifted off the floor. (If you feel unstable, bend the knee of...

January 24, 2024Exercise & Fitness, , , 0 Comments
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Overcoming Fitness Plateaus: Making the Gym Fun Again

Do you spend time in the gym every week, working on your personal fitness goals and trying to improve your overall health? If you’ve been working out for a while, there comes a time when you might start to notice your progress in the gym slowing down or halting altogether. You may find yourself losing motivation and feel like you are stuck in a boring routine. This is known as a fitness plateau, but don’t worry, we will tell you how to make your workouts interesting again! What is a Fitness Plateau? Fitness plateaus happen when your training has become stagnant, and you are no longer seeing gains like when you started. Some of the reasons we hit a fitness plateau might be: Lack of variety in your workouts/redundant routine Overtraining and not getting proper recovery time between workouts Poor nutrition Lack of sleep Lack of motivation Instead of throwing in the towel, try using your fitness plateau as an opportunity to take your workouts to the next level. -20%

January 19, 2024Exercise & Fitness, , , , 0 Comments
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