Who says these aren't SEXY???

Every trainer has their favorite exercises and I’m no different. But my favorites are probably different than most. They’re not cool or sexy or ones that automatically will grab your attention. In fact, they might sound pretty boring. But trust me, they work. And they’re essential in improving your body’s overall function and, ultimately, its appearance. Many years ago, when my primary focus was to go hard and heavy all the time and to simply look better, I would’ve shunned these exercises. I probably would have even laughed at a guy doing these. I’ve listed only three here, but of course I have plenty more. Contact me if you have any questions – or if you want a few others. STABILITY BALL HAMSTRING BRIDGES How to do it: Lie on the floor with your feet up on a Stability Ball. Slowly thrust the hips all the way up, squeezing your hamstrings and glutes. Pause a half second at the top. Do not go too quickly, which will lead to you using momentum and substituting lumbar extension for hip extension. Go 15-20 reps, without resting at the bottom, for 2-3 sets. These also can be done with your feet on the floor or on a Bosu ball. To increase difficulty, progress to single leg. Why I do it: In my opinion, it’s simply one of the best exercises you can do. Why? Because it hits the all-important and frequently neglected posterior chain and does so in a way that is totally safe. And – unlike a hamstring curl machine – it’s an INTEGRATED move that simultaneously involves hammies, hips and glutes. What’s happening as you drive the hips in the air? Your hamstrings are contracting as they assist in extending (straightening) the hips. Every single one of my clients does these. They’re more beneficial than a leg curl machine which works the muscle but does so without any contribution from the hips, which stay in a fixed position. In everyday activity never will your hamstrings be called into play without hip flexion and hip extension. Bridges are a great primer or foundational move for squats and deadlifts, both of which require significant flexion and extension of the hip. So, too, do kettlebell swings, another favorite of mine. But if a client can demonstrate adequate hip flexion and extension on a hamstring bridge, why am I going to load him up with a weighted exercise and have him wrench his back? The great majority of people I see (I’d estimate up to 75%) are seriously lacking in that area and that can lead to a host of problems starting with faulty movement patterns and ending with serious low back issues and more. Hamstring curls have their place, but keep in perspective that they isolate the muscle. If I were training a bodybuilder, that machine – and many others – would be a staple of the routine because it will build the muscle. But you’re not a bodybuilder. So in most cases, you want to think integration before isolation. BAND WALKS - How to do it: It’s best to use a small loop band wrapped around your ankles but you can substitute the bands with handles that are available at most gyms. Stand on the band and make an X by grabbing the left handle with the right hand and vice versa and pulling up to your stomach. Make sure you have a good amount of tension on the band. Start with your feet shoulder width apart. Step out to the side with your right foot and then return the left foot back to no less than shoulder width distance between your feet. Continue walking sideways for at least 15 yards and then go back the other way leading with the left foot. Do not rock. Keep your upper body tall and tight. Turn your foot in slightly (pigeontoed) and step leading with your heel. Why I do it: This is an exercise that looks very simple, maybe even silly to the uninitiated. But I guarantee you, after about 30 seconds, anyone who tries it won’t be laughing. Typically done early in the workout, it’s a great exercise to activate the muscles of the hips and glutes, specifically the glute medius. As you stand, walk or run, your body gets a lot of support from the glute medius. If that thick band of muscle is not firing or weak, you’re losing out on a lot of potential power – and your chances of suffering a back or knee injury are far greater. As I always preach, the hips (and glutes) are your hub. Power is transferred from your lower body to your upper body through the hips. Improving stability and mobility of your hips will pay dividends throughout your entire body and it will take your athletic performance to another level. Function aside, ladies, you want to lift and tighten up your butt and tone the backs of your thighs? Start banging out some bridges and band walks! The exercises might not sound sexy, but the results can be!!! WOOD CHOPPERS How to do it: Grab a medicine ball (maybe between 6 and 10 lbs.). Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder width with a slight bend of the knees. Raise the ball as high as you can above and outside your right shoulder. Now chop wood. Swing the ball in a downward diagonal pattern, ending up outside of your left hip. You want speed and power here, but keep your core relatively tight and make the abs resist the force as you move across your body. Reverse wood choppers, starting outside of your hip, are very good, too. Also, mix it up by using a cable and/or a band. Why I do it: There are so many things going on with this exercise, multiple benefits. It’s a classic MULTI-JOINT, MULTI-PLANAR movement, the basis of “functional training.” It’s a movement pattern that is frequently done in everyday activity – and in sport. First, as we raise the arms across the body, we’re getting some LENGTHENING occurring on your lats and down to the obliques. Remember, think of your body and your muscles as a rubber band: the more it can stretch, the more power it can produce. As the arms come down across the body, we’re getting rotation occurring at the shoulder and thoracic spine. This forces your abs to engage as dynamic stabilizers, keeping your trunk upright. Toward the bottom of the movement, you’re extending the elbow, which engages your triceps. Also, as you lean forward, your glutes should – and note I say should – kick in, eccentrically lengthening, to decelerate flexion of the spine. Most people’s routine are far too linear. Almost everything is done straight up and down, what is called the sagittal plane. Think of the big, musclebound guy. He’s stiff with little rotation occurring through his body. He’s one dimensional. We’re three dimensional creatures. Train in that fashion. Robert Haddocks is a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He also is a certified strength and conditioning specialist (NSCA). Contact him at robhadd@hotmail.com if you have any questions.

Who says these aren't SEXY?

Every trainer has their favorite exercises and I’m no different. But my favorites are probably different than most. They’re not cool or sexy or ones that automatically will grab your attention. In fact, they sound pretty boring. But trust me, they work. And they’re essential in improving your body’s overall function and, ultimately, its appearance. Years ago, when my primary focus was to go hard and heavy all the time and to simply look better, I would’ve shunned these exercises. I probably would have even laughed at a guy doing these. I’ve listed only three here, but of course I have plenty more. Contact me if you have any questions – or if you want a few others. STABILITY BALL HAMSTRING BRIDGES How to do it: Lie on the floor with your feet up on a Stability Ball. Slowly thrust the hips all the way up, squeezing your hamstrings and glutes. Pause a half second at the top. Do not go too quickly, which will lead to you using momentum and substituting lumbar extension for hip extension. Go 15-20 reps, without resting at the bottom, for 2-3 sets. These also can be done with your feet on the floor or on a Bosu ball. To increase difficulty, progress to single leg. Why I do it: In my opinion, it’s simply one of the best exercises you can do. Why? Because it hits the all-important and frequently neglected posterior chain and does so in a way that is totally safe. And – unlike a hamstring curl machine – it’s an INTEGRATED move that simultaneously involves hammies, hips and glutes. What’s happening as you drive the hips in the air? Your hamstrings are contracting as they assist in extending (straightening) the hips. Every single one of my clients does these. They’re more beneficial than a leg curl machine which works the muscle but does so without any contribution from the hips, which stay in a fixed position. In everyday activity never will your hamstrings be called into play without hip flexion and hip extension. Bridges are a great primer or foundational move for squats and deadlifts, both of which require significant flexion and extension of the hip. So, too, do kettlebell swings, another favorite exercise of mine. But if a client can't demonstrate adequate hip flexion and extension on a hamstring bridge, why am I going to load him up with a weighted exercise and have him wrench his back? The great majority of people I see (I’d estimate up to 75%) are seriously lacking in that area and that can lead to a host of problems starting with faulty movement patterns and ending with serious back issues and more. Hamstring curls have their place, but keep in perspective that they isolate the muscle. If I were training a bodybuilder, that machine – and many others – would be a staple of their routine because it will build the muscle. But you’re not a bodybuilder. So don't train like one. In most cases, you want to think integration before isolation. BAND WALKS How to do it: It’s best to use a small loop band wrapped around your ankles but you can substitute the bands with handles that are available at most gyms. Stand on the band and make an X by grabbing the left handle with the right hand and vice versa and pulling up to your stomach. Make sure you have a good amount of tension on the band. Start with your feet shoulder width apart. Step out to the side with your right foot and then return the left foot back to no less than shoulder width distance between your feet. Continue walking sideways for at least 15 yards and then go back the other way leading with the left foot. Do not rock. Keep your upper body tall and tight. Turn your foot in slightly (pigeontoed) and step leading with your heel. Why I do it: This is an exercise that looks very simple, maybe even silly to the uninitiated. But I guarantee you, after about 30 seconds, anyone who tries it won’t be laughing. Typically done early in the workout, it’s a great exercise to activate the muscles of the hips and glutes, specifically the glute medius. As you stand, walk or run, your body gets a lot of support from the glute medius. If that thick band of muscle is not firing or weak, you’re losing out on a lot of potential power – and your chances of suffering a back or knee injury are far greater. As I always preach, the hips (and glutes) are your hub. Power is transferred from your lower body to your upper body through the hips. Improving stability and mobility of your hips will pay dividends throughout your entire body and it will take your athletic performance to another level. Function aside, ladies, you want to tighten up your butt and tone the backs of your thighs? Start banging out some bridges and band walks! The exercises might not sound sexy, but the results can be. WOOD CHOPPERS How to do it: Grab a medicine ball (maybe between 6 and 10 lbs.). Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder width with a slight bend of the knees. Raise the ball as high as you can above and outside your right shoulder. Now chop wood. Swing the ball in a downward diagonal pattern, ending up outside of your left hip. You want speed and power here, but keep your core relatively tight and make the abs resist the force as you move across your body. Reverse wood choppers, starting outside of your hip, are very good, too. Also, mix it up by using a cable and/or a band. Why I do it: There are so many things going on with this exercise, multiple benefits. It’s a classic MULTI-JOINT, MULTI-PLANAR movement, the basis of “functional training.” It’s a movement pattern that is frequently done in everyday activity – and in sport. First, as we raise the arms across the body, we’re getting some LENGTHENING occurring on your lats and down to the obliques. Remember, think of your body and your muscles as a rubber band: the more it can stretch, the more power it can produce. As the arms come down across the body, we’re getting rotation occurring at the shoulder and thoracic spine. This forces your abs to engage as dynamic stabilizers, keeping your trunk upright. Toward the bottom of the movement, you’re extending the elbow, which engages your triceps. Also, as you lean forward, your glutes should – and note I say should – kick in, eccentrically lengthening, to decelerate flexion of the spine. Most people’s routine are far too linear. Almost everything is done straight up and down, what is called the sagittal plane. Think of the big, musclebound guy. He’s stiff with little rotation occurring through his body. He’s one dimensional. We’re three dimensional creatures. Train in that fashion. Robert Haddocks is a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He also is a certified strength and conditioning specialist (NSCA). Contact him at robhadd@hotmail.com if you have any questions.