Before getting into exercise band program design… In the previous article and video on resistance tubing/band/cable exercises I discussed some of the benefits of cable training and showed a number of different exercises that can be done with various cables. However, I did not address one of their greatest aspects, which is that elastic tubing exercises can be used for many different training purposes, depending on how they are performed and organized within the workout.

Also see accompanying video on Advanced exercise band, cable and resistance tubing exercises.

Three types of workouts are a very natural fit for cables: circuit training, power training, and recovery workouts. Each of these workouts has a different purpose and depending on your goals you probably want to use at least one and possibly all three in your overall exercise band program design. Cables can also be used with other equipment (exercise ball, bosu, etc.) for even more exercise diversity and workout options.

Of these different workouts, the one that can benefit practically everyone is cable recovery workouts. As the name implies, recovery workouts help your body recover from previous challenging training sessions. Difficult workouts are effective, but too many in a short amount of time will wear down your body and eventually lead to overtraining. This means that workouts are no longer productive and actually cause your body to regress.

In addition, many people experience high levels of stiffness or soreness during periods of intense training, which can lead to short and long-term problems. In order to prevent these negative consequences of training, you can include occasional workouts that are significantly easier than your regular workouts and cables are ideal for this type of workout.

A good recovery workout should include exercises for each major muscle group and have sets with a higher number of reps (15 or more). The movements themselves should be done at a slow speed, with a focus on moving your muscles through their full range of motion. This helps loosen stiff muscles and increases blood flow, which helps speed up recovery without adding significant stress (as with challenging workouts) that can delay the healing process.

Since exercise bands, cables or resistance tubing are naturally easy on your joints and allow a full range of motion, these workouts create beneficial movement with virtually no additional stress to your body. This makes them a great fit for recovery workouts. Interestingly, just making a couple small changes to this workout will turn a recovery workout into an effective circuit training workout.

Circuit training is essentially a combination of traditional cardio (jogging, cycling, swimming, etc.) and resistance training (lifting weights, etc.), at least in terms of their benefits. This type of workout provides benefits in cardiovascular function, strength, and endurance, but the benefits are smaller than when a single attribute is the focus of the workout or training program.

For instance, circuit training does not increase cardiovascular function as much as an endurance running program or strength as much as a high weight and low repetition resistance training program. However, it does combine multiple benefits into a single program, so it is an effective and efficient workout for people looking to improve their general health and fitness.

The circuit training program should still include exercises for every major muscle group and the most effective workouts involve switching between upper and lower body exercises. For example, a sample exercise order could be standing press, squat, standing row, leg curl, pulldown, calf raise, etc.

By alternating muscle groups it allows one muscle group to recover while you work a different one. This is a great way to minimize your rest between sets, which is an important part of circuit training, because less rest means more cardiovascular challenge. The traditional approach of performing one set of an exercise, resting, and then performing another set of the same exercise does not work with circuit training.

Resistance bands are great for this type of training, because many of the exercises are the right intensity (moderate, not maximal) and you can quickly and easily move from one exercise to another. Resistance tubing also allows exercises to be performed at faster speeds, which can make circuit training workouts even more effective, because faster speed creates an increased cardiovascular demand.

When people try to perform exercises with similar resistance and speed using weights or machines, it puts unwanted stress on the joints, which is almost completely avoided when using cable resistance. However, if an exercise is done with poor technique, using faster speeds does put additional unwanted stress on the body (compared to slower speeds), so it is important to develop good form before performing exercises at high speeds.

The ability to perform cable exercises at fast speeds is also one of the reasons they are a natural fit for power training. Power is the combination of strength and speed and power production has a significant impact on athletic performance. That said, power training is not just for athletes and it is actually beneficial to everyone, because power is a key factor for maintaining functional ability throughout your lifetime.

Many power exercises use light to moderate resistance to allow the weight (resistance) to be moved quickly. The faster a weight is moved, the more power is generated. Cables allow resistance to move quickly without creating a lot of unwanted stress on the body. This is why traditional weights (barbells, dumbbells, most machines) are not good for power training.

For example, when doing a bench press, the weight is pushed straight up from your chest until your arms are almost straight. If this movement is done quickly with a bar, the momentum and speed of the motion is forced to slow down quickly after the exercise begins or stop abruptly at the end of the motion, which puts a lot of stress on your joints. The only way to prevent this is to let go of the weight at the top of the press, which is naturally very dangerous.

This is why traditional weights are rarely used with power exercises and equipment such as medicine balls (which are made to be thrown) and cables are used instead. Since the tension on cables increase as they are lengthened, the resistance is highest at the point where you generate the most speed and momentum. This means the cable almost works as a natural brake to slow down the resistance at the end of the motion.

Since this happens without a jarring stop or change of direction, there is only a small fraction of the joint stress that occurs with traditional weights. Another benefit is that you don’t have to let go of the resistance at the end of the motion, so you can complete multiple reps quickly to further enhance power development.

When it comes to the actual power training workout, there are some important rules to follow. Most importantly, proper form is essential, because the fast speeds magnify any issues associated with poor form. Also, one of the main aspects of power training is developing efficient and repeatable movements, particularly if you are training for a sport, so it is best to end each set before there is a significant decrease in form or performance.

Even though the resistance may not be that high, the speed and focus required to perform each exercise correctly makes these exercises challenging. As a result, it is important to rest enough between sets so your form on the following set is just as good as it was on the previous one. Finally, this type of training should only be done after you develop correct technique and are very comfortable performing the exercises at slower speeds.

Resistance tubing/cables/bands have many other uses beyond what is covered in this article, but these are the ones that are most popular. Many people use exercise bands, cables, resistance tubing simply to add more variety to their general and exercise band program design. It is really up to you to figure out how they will be most useful to you, depending on your specific goals.

By Ross Harrison
VFT Fitness Expert
© Virtual Fitness Trainer.com

Resistance exercise bands, cables or exercise tubing have become incredibly popular pieces of exercise equipment, especially during the last 10 years. This is likely because they are relatively inexpensive, can be used almost anywhere, and there are many effective exercises for everyone from beginners to advanced athletes.

Another thing that makes exercise bands appealing is that resistance tubing workouts put less strain on the body (especially your joints) than traditional weight workouts. People typically experience much less stiffness and soreness following a cable workout than a workout with barbells, dumbbells, or weight machines.

Exercise bands also have the benefit of allowing your muscles and joints to move through their full range of motion without any restrictions. Many machine and barbell exercises force your body to follow a set path, which may not allow natural joint movement throughout the motion. This can put unnecessary wear and tear on your body, especially when using heavy weights.

I do not want to imply that exercise bands are always better than weights, because you can accomplish some things better with weights, such as increasing strength and muscle mass. Exercise bands are a different type of resistance and cable exercises have their own strengths and weaknesses.

A primary difference is that cable resistance changes throughout an exercise, where as a bar or other weight remains constant. When a cable increases in length, the resistance increases as well, so cable exercises start off easier and become more challenging as the cable is stretched. Having the tension increase may sound like a bad thing, but it is actually useful during a number of exercises.

For instance, during a squat, moving the weight from the bottom position requires a lot more effort than moving the weight the last few inches at the top. When squatting with exercise bands, the cable resistance is lowest during the toughest portion of the squat and the resistance increases as you rise up. Therefore, the cable resistance more appropriately matches the difficulty of the exercise throughout the movement.

Other exercises, such as rowing movements have a different pattern of difficulty and the cable resistance is lowest when the exercise is easiest and most difficult during the toughest range of motion. In these cases, the toughest range of the exercise gets worked very well and the easier range of the motion may get very little benefit.

Fortunately, many exercises have an increase in difficulty similar to that of a cable. However, even when the exercise difficulty does not match the linear increase of the cable, it does not mean the exercise is necessarily bad. It just means that you need to perform a different exercise to work the range of motion that did not feel challenging during the cable exercise.

Many people have biases against either exercise bands or traditional weights, but the reality is they are great compliments to each other. While exercise bands may not offer the same strength building stimulus as weights, especially for trained athletes, they allow you to perform exercises in ways that are difficult to do with traditional weights.

Take the bench press exercise as an example. A traditional bench press involves laying on a bench and pushing weights away from your body. This exercise does a good job of working your chest, shoulders, and triceps, but many other muscles are not used much.

When using exercise bands, bench presses are usually performed in a standing position, which makes the exercise significantly different. Most notably, the core muscles (abs, back, etc.) have to work to stabilize your body or else you will not be able to press effectively. This is useful for strengthening and toning your core muscles, as well as teaching them to work in a functional way.

The downside to cable bench presses is you have to use significantly less weight than you would with a traditional bench press, since you do not have the bench for support. If increasing muscle strength is your goal, then a traditional bench press is more effective, but if you want an exercise that works your chest, shoulders, core, and other stabilizer muscles, then the cable press is a great exercise that can easily be worked into any routine.

Another benefit to exercise bands is they are available in a wide variety of shapes and difficulty levels, so you can choose the products that work best with the type of workouts you like to perform. For example, if you frequently use an exercise ball, bosu, or step, you can find exercise bands made for those pieces of equipment. However, even if you have just a basic cable, you can still use it with most equipment. Look at the accompanying video for demonstrations using various types of resistance tubing.

If you have not used resistance tubing/exercise bands before it is important to know that even though most resistance bands look alike, they are often not the same. Naturally, some exercise bands are thicker and harder to stretch (provide more resistance) than others, but exercise bands vary in quality as well. It may not seem like the quality of tubing/bands would vary much, but there is a noticeable difference between some brands.

Poor quality bands do not stretch evenly and you will feel inconsistent increases in tension when they are lengthened. These bands also tear more easily and definitely do not last as long as better quality exercise bands. There are so many different brands available that it is not possible to discuss the quality of each brand, but there are some general recommendations to help you out.

It is a good idea to purchase resistance tubing/exercise bands from stores that specialize in fitness products whenever possible. This does not guarantee great quality, but products from fitness stores are generally better than those sold in large chain stores. Fitness stores and websites also have a larger selection of products. Interestingly, a lot of good quality exercise bands only cost a little more than poor quality exercise bands and they are a better deal in the long run due to their increased durability.

Finally, it is also important to consider some of the other differences between bands, such as the length and type of handle/grip. In general, shorter bands exercise bands are not as versatile as longer exercise bands, because longer exercise bands can be used for one arm exercises or two arm exercises (holding one end of the cable in each hand). On the other hand, if you exercise in a small space, then a short cable may be a better fit for your needs.

When it comes to the handle or grip of a cable, there are many varieties from plastic handles to leg attachments, or even no grip at all. Different handles allow you to perform different exercises, but do not forget to think about comfort. Some exercise bands have padded handles while others are just exposed plastic. Some people are fine with plastic handles, but most people think it is definitely worth it to pay an extra couple dollars for padded handles and the extra comfort they provide.

Resistance tubing/exercise bands are among the most basic pieces of exercise equipment, but there is still a lot to consider when buying and using them. However, regardless of your health and fitness goals, exercise bands can be an inexpensive and effective addition to your training program.

By Ross Harrison

VFT Fitness Expert

© Virtual Fitness Trainer.com

A home workout is a great option for many people, but there are some downsides to it as well. Some benefits are that you have privacy, can exercise whenever you want, and do not have to travel so it is convenient, but these same benefits can cause problems.

A big issue is there are usually many things you can do at home instead of exercising, such as watching TV, working, doing chores, or just relaxing. It can be difficult to make yourself workout when there are other options available and people often end up skipping workouts to do these other things.

People often say that the toughest thing about working out in a gym is getting there. However, once you get to the gym, you know that you are going to exercise. Traveling to a gym mentally prepares you to begin exercising, but this often doesn’t occur when your working out at home.

Therefore, it is important to have some things you can do to prepare yourself for a home workout in order to keep yourself from skipping workouts and sabotaging your success.

A great place to start is by treating your workouts just like any other important part of your schedule.

If you use an organizer or calendar, write your home workouts down as appointments you need to keep. That way you can prevent yourself from scheduling other things during those times and ensure that you have the time to do your workouts. If you don’t keep track of your schedule, you can write small notes reminding you to exercise. Just be sure to put the notes in places where you will see them frequently.

It is also a good idea to keep a workout log or journal. If nothing else, at least keep track of the days, times, length, type of exercise, and overall difficulty of your workouts. This will not only help you track your progression over time, but it also serves as one more thing to keep you thinking about your exercise routine.

I also recommend keeping track of each day that you don’t do any exercise.

Most people do not like having to write down many days in a row where they do not exercise, so if you start missing workouts, this serves as a motivator to get back on track.

Another issue people have is they think of their living space as a place for relaxing or possibly working, but usually not exercising, so they sometimes just forget to exercise. The above suggestions help with this, but you can also benefit from having a dedicated home workout space.

You do not need an entire room or even a large space, but if you have at least a part of a room that you only use for exercising, it will help you think about working out. This is especially true if you have equipment (a cardio machine, weights, etc.) that is left out and easily visible. As the old saying goes, “out of sight, out of mind” and this is true when it comes to exercise equipment and working out.

If it is not possible to have a dedicated workout space, you can also stay on track with your home workouts by having a training buddy or partner.

Some people do not like exercising by themselves and if this is the case for you, having a workout partner will increase your motivation and make exercising more enjoyable as well. Plus, it is a lot harder to skip a training sessions if you know someone else is expecting you to show up.

Even if you do not want to exercise with another person, you can still benefit from having a workout partner. However, instead of exercising together, you will basically be a support system for each other and hold each other accountable for sticking to your nutrition and exercise program. Naturally, this works best if the other person is someone you see regularly, such as a family member or coworker.

When it comes to your actual home workouts, one thing that causes people to falter more than almost anything else is a lack of variety in their training.

One of the most common problems is when people perform the same workouts week after week. This could involve doing the same aerobic activity, following the same exercise videos, or doing the same exercises in a resistance training program.

In many cases the workouts are initially beneficial, but over time progress stops and motivation declines. One of the main reasons this happens is because the body needs change to stimulate further improvement and repeating the same workouts decreases their effectiveness over time.

In order to keep your workouts effective you should frequently change up your exercises and/or the types of workouts you perform. This can be somewhat difficult if you are exercising at home and do not have any exercise equipment… but you probably have more options than you realize.

Chances are there are many things you already own that can be used as weights or other exercise equipment. For light weights, you can use things easily found in most kitchens, such as cans of food or a gallon of mink. For heavier weights, you can use a backpack or suitcase and add books or other items until they are an appropriate weight.

Some exercises are difficult to perform when using these types of unconventional weights, but they will greatly increase the number of exercises you can do without having to buy additional weights. Plus, these exercises can challenge your muscles in different ways than traditional weights. You can also use pieces of furniture or other things you already own to perform exercises. Various examples are shown in the accompanying video.

If you prefer more traditional exercises or want even more variety to keep your workouts interesting, there are many inexpensive and effective pieces of exercise equipment, such as exercise bands, balls, and light dumbbells. You can probably get an exercise ball, band, and a pair of light dumbbells for around $50. Each piece of equipment allows you to perform dozens of other exercises and having more resistance and training options definitely helps people stay on track with their home workouts.

If all else fails, there is the option of hiring a personal trainer. Some personal trainers will come to your location and they may even bring their own. This is more expensive than training by yourself, but it can add a real boost to your training and your results. It is also very helpful if you are new to exercising and need to learn correct exercise technique.

Some trainers will even work with clients on an infrequent basis, such as once every couple of weeks. In that case you could have the trainer design your workout routine (possibly for an extra fee) and stay in touch to hold you accountable, while keeping the overall cost down. During the sessions, the trainer can teach you new exercises and make sure you are doing them correctly to get the most out of your workouts.

It can be a challenge to have a successful home training program, but it can certainly be done if you have a plan. By using the tips in this article and possibly coming up with some of your own, you can develop an effective home workout routine that you can stick with in order to achieve long-term success.

By Ross Harrison
VFT Fitness Expert
© Virtual Fitness Trainer.com

If you are just beginning an exercise program, or don’t like gyms, and want to workout at home, you can still have very productive workouts, even if you have little or no equipment using bodyweight exercises.

Much of the fancy equipment at gyms is really not necessary and mainly there to add variety or look attractive to potential new gym members.

That’s right! You can get just as good of a workout without having any large pieces of equipment, but you generally have to get a little creative with your exercises and training, especially if you do not have any equipment. That said, just adding some inexpensive equipment like dumbbells, cables/bands, or an exercise ball drastically increases the amount you can do at home.

However, this article assumes you do not have any equipment at all, which means a lot of the exercises you perform will be bodyweight exercises.

A bodyweight exercise is any exercise that uses your body as resist

FitYummyMummy.com

A1: KB 2 Hand High Pull

Perform 10-12 Repetitions

Pull the Kettlebell up the middle of your body, elbows high as you extend your hips and contract your glutes to stand. Continue to raise Kettlebell to chest height, pause and lower Kettlebell with control to repeat.

A2: Kettlebell Push Ups

Perform 8-10 repetitions

Holding the handle of the Kettlebell adds even more challenge for you have to engage every part of your arms, chest, shoulders and core to keep your body steady as you move. You can modify this move by performing on your knees or if you do not have a kettlebell, regular push ups are also effective for sculpting your arms.

How To Use Kettlebell Upper Body Fat Burn Exercises

Perform these 2 moves in a row with little to no rest, three times.

Your Upper Body Fat Burning Super Set will look like this:
A1
A2
A1
A2
A1
A2
REST

For a complete Fat Burning workout follow with 2 more super sets that challenge your upper body and core.

So there is no misunderstanding….no amount of bicep curls, shoulder presses or triceps kickbacks will burn the fat off your arms. This thinking is tied to the myth of spot reduction.

Holly Rigsby is a nationally recognized women’s fitness coach, certified personal trainer (CPT) and the author of the internationally popular e-book – Fit Yummy Mummy – Burn Your Baby Fat & Get Your Body Back. Go to fityummymummy.com to get your FREE copy of her special report: “The Five Ways To Boost Your Metabolism.”

Often we spend a lot of time arguing over the perfect rep and set scheme, or should we use a slightly pronated or semi-supinated grip to optimize effectiveness. While some of these factors definitely prove to be necessary, one cannot discount the benefit of enjoying what training can do for performance. Training will make someone work harder, be more consistent, and as long as the program has rhyme and reason, it will lead to some outstanding gains.

One type of training that sometimes gets forgotten is sandbag training. Sandbags are easy to learn, challenge the whole body, and have more versatility than almost any other form of equipment.

Why Use Sandbags?
The most obvious seems to be the simplicity of their use. One does not need to invest hundreds of dollars into coaching (although I am available for those who are interested) or have to read any complicated books. Grasp, rip, and lift. You definitely want to pay attention to your lifting posture, but outside of that most of the fun is trying to figure out how to lift the bag.

Sandbag lifting shares a lot in common with kettlebells with regard to their ability to challenge not only strength, but endurance as well. A good bag will force the lifter to manoeuvre and adjust to the awkward weight. This definitely causes the body to use more muscles and expend greater energy as it is hard to get into one consistent groove.

Increasing grip strength is another great reason to use sandbags. There is no piece of equipment that frustrates people as much as sandbags. Why? When using sandbags there is no convenient place to grab. You have to constantly search for an open spot and then crush grip. However, unlike most pieces of equipment, I find that not only is your crushing grip challenged, but your pinching grip is as well. For those who are into grip training, you will appreciate the distinct difference between the two.

Versatility is important when choosing any form of equipment. With common concerns about money and time it is often silly to invest a great amount of money into something that has limited use. Not only are sandbags cheap, but they can be used for any movement that you can think of from common gym exercises like squats, clean & jerks, to jogging, climbing, dragging, and throwing. With such variety it is hard to get bored. Along with the various exercises come the many holding positions one can use with sandbags. If squatting is getting too easy with the bag on both shoulders go to one shoulder, hold it overhead, hold it in your arms like a Zercher, bear hug, etc. You are really only limited by your imagination.

Sandbags easily lend themselves to team or group training. Because of their cost and transportability, they are easy to set up for small or large groups. This is great for those who wish to combine strength and field work and are concerned about time issues. Coaches can concentrate on full-body lifts and challenge various motor qualities such as maximal strength, endurance, and power development.

Finally, the immense amount of trunk training that occurs with sandbag training alone is almost a good enough reason to use them. Try to squat, run, lunge, jump, or any other movement while holding the sandbag/s in various positions. Doing so challenges all of the trunk muscles. Many of my clients will comment how sore they are deep in their rib area after initially using sandbags. Don’t believe me? Try a few sets of sandbag Turkish get-ups and then e-mail me how you are feeling!

How to Implement Sandbags
As with any other form of training, sandbags training really comes down to one’s goals. If maximal strength, endurance, or speed are your specific goals, then the program has to be designed according to good training principles. However, one can try to improve several components if the program is designed appropriately.

* Circuits: Since fatigue can be somewhat specific, creating a program that emphasizes strength on a lift such as a squat can be followed with relatively short rest by an exercise like an overhead press, and so on.
* Density Training: Several great coaches like Ethan Reeve and Charles Staley have written extensively about the benefits of density work. There are several variants such as Charles Staley’s EDT program. Using Coach Staley’s program, we can set up a sandbag routine using a squat with the bag over both shoulders and power clean and jerk. Use a weight you can hit ten repetitions with, but you are only going to be performing sets of five. Set a time frame, approximately fifteen minutes, and alternate between these two exercises using only as much rest as needed.

You don’t have to use only sandbags. In fact, I highly encourage that you use a variety of implements in your training hopefully including sandbags. A tool such as a sandbag can be used instead of a standard barbell or dumbbell lift such as squats, deadlifts, clean & jerks, presses, rows, etc. By changing the implement some new neural stimulus can often lead to new gains when you go back to the standard lift.

Another option is to use sandbags as a form of active recovery. You can easily change the load to enhance a motor skill and keep mobility without excessively taxing the body. Using a lighter load for your squat will allow you to enhance the groove of the lift and maintaining flexibility without draining the body from the core routines. Odd lifts such as squatting with the bag on one shoulder can increase core strength that may compliment your squatting routine.

Some lifts are just a great overall new challenge such as the Turkish get-up bear hugging a bag. While as sick as this may sound, it can definitely stimulate the fun factor that may help training once again.

With so many options sandbags are a simple and easy method and tool to implement. It isn’t a miracle technique but will challenge you in new ways and again don’t underestimate the fact fun while training can bring a world of new progress!

By Josh Henkin

Josh Henkin is a graduate of Arizona State University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science/Physical Education and was a member of the Men’s Basketball Team. Coach Henkin is the owner of Innovative Fitness Solutions, a premier strength and conditioning company in Scottsdale, Arizona.  He is a prominent member of the fitness and sports performance arena.

Coach Henkin often makes guest appearances on television and radio programs where he presents cutting edge fitness concepts. In 2005 Coach Henkin released Sandbag Fundamentals. The book was a smash hit and created a high demand for additional products. Coach Henkin has answered the call with the creation of The Ultimate Sandbag and High Octane Sandbag Training and the Meltdown Kettlebell Fat Loss Training DVD.

Q: Is kettlebell training the ultimate way to train?

A: No one system is the ultimate way to train. Do not kid yourself as training is not a black and white world. Is kettlebell training effective for fat loss, strength training, and building muscle? Yes and it is a super fun way to train. In order to keep training interesting, you have to keep it fun and kettlebells are a great fit. You can benefit from kettlebell focused programs or you can incorporate kettlebell training into your current regimen. There is something for everyone.

Q: Are kettlebell exercises dangerous?

A: Only when done with poor form. However, any exercise is dangerous even pushups and lame machine exercises when poor form is used. People die every year from bench pressing. Thus far, there have been no deaths related to KB training yet. Of course, I am sure some idiot will change that statistic some day. Bottom line is most people will require in person instruction to maximize the benefits of kettlebell training safely. Kettlebell DVD’s while useful are not a replacement for in person instruction. That said, top strength trainer Bud Jeffries stated if you cannot learn how to use kettlbells from Mike Mahler’s Kettlebell Solution for Size and Strength DVD then you are in big trouble and should not bother weight training period!

Q: Is kettlebell training effective for fat loss?

A: Yes however pushing yourself away from the table more often and cutting krispy creme out of your diet is even more effective. Fat loss is 70% diet and 30% training. Unless you are a professional athlete where training is your job. Do not kid yourself into thinking that you train like a professional athlete unless you are one. Kettlebell training can be a very effective way to ramp up your metabolism. However, anyone that tells you that you can lose fat with kettlebell training and a crappy diet is doing you a disservice. For a kettlebell Fat Loss System

Q: Is Kettlebell training effective for building muscle?

A: What do barbells, dumbbells, and kettlebells all have in common? All three are forms of weight training. Thus, just as barbells and dumbbells are effective for building muscle, kettlebells are effective as well. That said, nothing takes the place of progressive weight training with barbells. Barbell squats, barbell deadlifts, Barbell Military Presses, and weighted dips are among the kings of muscle building. If your main goal is to build muscle then you are better off with barbells. If your have been training with barbells and dumbbells for a while and want a new stimulus then kettlebell training is a great fit. Also, kettlebells are great for building the shoulders, hamstrings, and arms. Kettlebells are not the best fit for quad development and of course calf development. A combination approach utilizing kettlebells and barbells is a very effective way to go. For a more info on KB Training for size and strength, go to: Kettlebell Solution for Size and Strength DVD. Finally if your testosterone and growth hormone levels are low then forget about putting on muscle. It is just not going to happen. Get some blood work done with your Doctor and see where you are at.

Q: I want to get stronger without getting bigger. Is kettlebell training for me?

A: Yes, this is one of the most popular benefits of kettlebell training. Women for example love kettlebell training as it helps them tone up and lose fat without over developing muscles. Truth be told, building muscle is not easy for men and especially women so that should be the least of your worries. Worrying about getting too big is like worrying about making too much money. That said, kettlebell training is very popular with members of the armed services, secret service, law enforcement community, and anyone else that wants functional strength that carries over to real world activities such as sitting on the coach and using the remote control Just kidding.

Q: Do women use kettlebells?

A: Only the smart ones Yes I work with women all of the time at my workshops and they love kettlebell training. Especially exercises such as swings, one-legged deadlifts, and The Windmill. Swings and One-legged deadlifts tighten up the glutes and hamstrings and the Windmill is great for the midsection. Women tend to believe the illusion that they will turn into “Arnold” just be looking at weights. Fortunately, top kettlebell instructors such as Lisa Shaffer of www.nofearfitness.com and Lauren Brooks of www.socaltrainer.com are perfect examples of the benefits of kettlebell training for women. Check out their sites today and get over the irrational fear once and for all that you will turn into “The Hulk” with weight training.

Q: Are kettlebells popular with athletes?

A: Many athletes are enjoying the benefits of kettlebell training. Some examples are MMA fighters Frank Shamrock, Frank Trigg, Bob Sapp, and Tait Fletcher. Many celebrities such as Chris Pontius (Movie Jackass) the band “Korn” and Harley Flannagen of “The Cro-mags” are also enjoying the benefits of kettebell training. Kettlebells are a natural fit for athletes and this trend will continue. For a great KB DVD for athletes, go to: Kettlebell Solutions for Speed and Explosive Strength

Q: Is kettlebell training a fit for martial artists?

A: It sure is and two of the top martial arts strength coaches Steve Cotter and Steve Maxwell are big fans of kettlebell training. No doubt their stamps of approval carry a lot of weight as both are highly respected members of the martial arts community. Make sure you check out Steve Cotter’s website at fullkontact.com for more info.

Q: Is kettlebell training great for lazy people?

A: Nope but watching TV and eating junk food is. When you are ready to take charge of your health think about getting some kettlebells and actually using them.

Q: If kettlebell training is so great how come they are not in every gym in the country?

A: Having worked for a major fitness club chain in the past, I can tell you first hand that the main goal of a fitness club is to make money and keep liability costs low. Thus the trend in most clubs is to have more machines and less free weights. While machines are not as effective as free weights, they are much easier to use and require minimal instruction. Thus, less of a need for highly skilled trainers. If a gym adds kettlebells they also have to pay to have their trainers educated in proper kettlebell instruction. They much rather spend money on their sales staff as most of the income health clubs generate are from membership sales. The potential client that has not signed up yet is often more important than the client that has already joined. Thus many gyms spend the majority of their income on attracting new members not getting results for existing members. Now there is nothing wrong with making money as that is an important goal for every business. Regardless, few gyms realize that they could make more money by providing exceptional offerings to their clients. Unfortunately, the clients that gyms prefer are the ones that sign up for a year and never show up. The ones that actually use the gym regularly are costly. No doubt a more progressive gyms could make a lot of money with kettlebell classes. Especially kettlebell classes targeted towards women. Finally, the last think a fitness club wants you to know is that you can get in great shape at home with a few kettlebells. You only need one or two kettlebells to get in great shape. Just about anyone can afford this and has room for a few bells that can easily go in a closet. However, very few people could afford to have expensive machines at home. Thus it s better to convince the client that he she needs expensive equipment to achieve his or her goals. Personally, you are better off in smaller gyms which focus more time on their clients.

Mike Mahler
mikemahler.com
Mike is well known as one of the leading experts on effective kettlebell training for size, strength, fat loss and conditioning. In addition to his highly in-demand workshops, Mike is the author of three best-selling kettlebell training DVD’s: The Kettlebell Solution for Fat Loss and Mental Toughness, The Kettlebell Solution For Size And Strength and Kettlebell Solutions For Speed And Explosive Strength, as well as two best-selling kettlebell training e-books: The Aggressive Strength Kettlebell Training Manual, The Aggressive Strength Solution for Incredible Kettlebell Training and The Aggressive Strength Solution for Size and Strength.

The following article is courtesy of Mike Mahler and gives you the low down on kettlebell weight training.

Kettlebell Training: Concepts And Benefits

Are you interested in burning fat, building muscle, or increasing strength and stamina? Then kettlebell training is a fit for you. If not, then stay on the couch and keep watching four hours of TV everyday while life passes you by.

“Stuck in a rut? Bust out of it in a big way with a kettlebell workout. This old-school piece of equipment is a throwback to the dawn of strength training; many of you may not be familiar with it. After a brief introduction to its physique -building values, we feel confident you’ll soon give kettlebells-style training a try.”
- Joe Weider, Editor of Muscle & Fitness Magazine

It is time to train like a man again (especially if you are a woman) and get back in touch with visceral impulse that has been locked away for years. No need to purchase a gym membership or spend $1000s on expensive equipment.  Two kettlebells are all that you need to increase muscular endurance, lose fat, and build size and strength. Kettlebells do not take up much space so you can train in your apartment, backyard, garage, or go outside and get some fresh air. Kettlebell training is a form of training that will not only improve the appearance of your physique, it will give you strength and mental toughness that you did not know was even possible. Is kettlebell training the be all end all of working out? No, it is simply a very effective way to train and enhance whatever program you are on.

What is a kettlebell? Glad that you asked. Imagine a black bowling ball with a suitcase handle on it and you have an idea of what a kettlebell looks like. A kettlebell is a big hunk of iron that comes in several sizes: 8lbs, 12lbs, 18lbs, 26lbs, 35lbs,44lbs, 53lbs, 70lbs, 80lbs, 88lbs, 97lbs and for super strong men and women 105lbs! You can do standard weight training exercises with kettlebells such as: bench presses, curls, and rows. However, the unique value of kettlebells is derived from ballistic (fast exercise) work such as: snatches, swings, cleans, and jerks. In addition, to giving your incredible muscular endurance when done in high repetitions, with a proper nutrition plan any excess fat that you have will melt off rapidly. Ballistic exercises are not the only exercises that you can benefit from, kettlebell exercises such as: the Turkish get-up, Bent Press, and Windmill will develop a rock-hard midsection and increase shoulder flexibility and stability. As a result many chiropractors are using kettlebells with their patients for rehab. If you are a man that wants to increase size and strength, try doing some of my favorite kettlebell exercises: Double Clean and Press, Double Front Squat, Renegade Row, Double Swing, and the Double Clean (Scroll down for more info). If you are a woman that wants to lose weight and tighten up your glutes, quads, abs, and arms, apply a steady diet of kettlebell training ballistic work with some low rep kettlebell training strength work and you are all set.

You may be thinking that you could do all of the above exercises with dumbbells. While this is true, anyone that has used both will tell you that kettlebells are much harder to handle and yes in this case, harder is much better. Kettlebell handles are much thicker than dumbbells and will give you a vice grip in no time. Also, the off centered weight of a kettlebell will force you to use more stabilizer muscles and work the targeted muscles through a longer range of motion. For combat athletes and anyone else that likes it tough, the ballistic shock of kettlebells teaches you how to absorb shock efficiently which is critical for combat sports such as: wrestling, MMA, football, and Hockey. The above reasons are why MMA fighters such as Frank Shamrock, BJ Penn, and Fedor enhance their workouts with kettlebells. Also, it is why top strength coaches such as Ethan Reeve and Louie Simmons recommend kettlebell training to their athletes. Athletes are not the only ones that are hooked on kettlebell training. Members of the entertainment world such as Chris Pontius of MTV’s JackAss and WildBoyz and Harley Flannagan, founder of the legendary NYC hardcore band “The Cro-Mags” have attended my kettlebell workshops and are ecstatic about Kettlebell training. Both Chris and Harley talk to everyone they know about the benefits of kettlebell training and you will as well after you attend one of my seminars.

Still skeptical? try the following experiment with a dumbbell. Take a dumbbell and try doing three sets of twenty one-arm swings (see description on next page). After you have done twenty swings with one arm, switch hands and do another twenty reps. Continue to go back and forth until you have done three sets of twenty reps. Now if you thought that was hard, imagine making that exercise several times harder with a kettlebell. Imagine how much fat your will burn and how your muscular endurance will go through the roof. No doubt about it, high rep kettlebell training is an aerobic workout and great alternative to stepping classes, spinning classes, and anything else that strips you of our manhood and makes you feel like a jack ass. If you feel like a jack ass when you do something, then it is probably something that you should avoid unless you are getting paid well Personally, I actually like to get results from my training and I am sure you do to. A balanced kettlebell training program combined with a solid worth ethic and healthy nutrition plan is a sure-fire recipe for success.

I have been training with kettlebells for over four years and I have never been in better shape. In addition to being lean and strong, my body has learned how to work as one unit. My muscular endurance and mental toughness have improved tremendously. Best of all, I do not have to go to the gym to get an incredible workout. Give kettlebells a shot for three months and I sincerely doubt that you will ever want to go back to barbell curls and leg raises. Once you have been infected with the power of kettlebell weight training, there is no going back. Take a look at the exercises below for more information.

Live Life Aggressively!

Mike Mahler
mikemahler.com
Mike is well known as one of the leading experts on effective kettlebell training for size, strength, fat loss and conditioning. In addition to his highly in-demand workshops, Mike is the author of three best-selling kettlebell training DVD’s: The Kettlebell Solution for Fat Loss and Mental Toughness, The Kettlebell Solution For Size And Strength and Kettlebell Solutions For Speed And Explosive Strength, as well as two best-selling kettlebell training e-books: The Aggressive Strength Kettlebell Training Manual, The Aggressive Strength Solution for Incredible Kettlebell Training and The Aggressive Strength Solution for Size and Strength.

Exercises For Shoulders Video by No Nonsense Muscle Building

Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raises

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and knees slightly bent. Keep your chest out, midsection firm, back straight. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, by your sides, with your palms facing your body and your elbows slightly bent raise the dumbbells up and outwards so the dumbbells are just above shoulder height, ensuring your palms are facing downwards. Now lower down slowly and repeat.

Standing Barbell Upright Rows

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Keep your back straight, chest out and midsection firm. Hold the bar in front of your thighs, with an overhand grip (palms facing your body) and your hands about 5-6 inches apart. Pull the bar up, keeping it close to your body, until it reaches your upper chest. Keep your elbows up (past shoulder height) and outwards. Lower the bar down slowly and repeat the exercise to complete your set.

Standing Barbell Military Press

Beginners: Perform this exercise without placing any weight plates on the bar.

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and knees slightly bent. Keep your chest out and midsection firm, good posture is vital. Have your hands on the barbell using an overhand grip, with your palms facing upwards and hands just past shoulder width apart. Start with the barbell at your upper chest / across the front of your shoulders. Push the bar up until your arms are fully extended then lower down slowly to starting position then repeat. You don’t need a lot of resistance or weight on your barbell – as you will see when performing the Military Press yourself. Lighter weights and good form is essential when learning this exercise. As you become more advanced with your weight training, and your strength increases, you can gradually increase the resistance of the weight plates.

Do not perform this exercise if you suffer from lower back problems.

Seated Barbell Military Press

Beginners: Perform this exercise without placing any weight plates on the bar.

Sit on the bench with the back pad raised high on an incline to support your back. Keep your chest out and midsection firm and have your lower back firmly placed into the raised back pad on the bench. Have your feet on the floor or on the foot pads on the bench. Have your hands on the barbell using an overhand grip, with your palms facing upwards and hands just past shoulder width apart. Start with the barbell at your upper chest / across the front of your shoulders. Push the bar up until your arms are fully extended then lower down slowly to starting position then repeat.

Standing Barbell Shrugs

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and knees slightly bent. Have your hands on the barbell using an overhand grip (palms facing your body) wider than shoulder width apart. The bar should be in front of your thighs, at arms length. Shrug or raise your shoulders up to the sides of your head. Then lower down and repeat. Keep the movement controlled throughout the exercise. Do not raise the bar then let it drop to starting position.

Dumbbell Upright Rows

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and knees slightly bent. Keep your chest out, midsection firm and back straight. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, with an overhand grip (your palms facing your body), and your dumbbells about 3 inches apart pull the dumbbells upwards, keeping them close to your body, until they nearly reach your upper chest. Keep your elbows up (past shoulder height) and outwards at the top of the movement. Now lower the dumbbells down slowly and repeat the exercise according to your workout.

Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and knees slightly bent. Keep your chest out, midsection firm and your back straight. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your palms facing forward and the dumbbells just above shoulder height. Your elbows should be bent and facing outwards. Now push up, in a slight arc type motion, so that your dumbbells are at arms length above your head with your elbows only slightly bent. Now lower down slowly and repeat.

Arnold Dumbbell Press

This exercise can be performed either standing up or seated. Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the floor. Keep your chest out and midsection firm. With a dumbbell in each hand have your arms bent with the palms of your hands facing towards you – dumbbells should start at upper chest / shoulder height. Push the dumbbells upwards, twisting your wrists so the dumbbells and your palms are facing front wards, until your arms are fully extended above your head. Lower the dumbbells down again rotating your wrists to starting position.

Machine Shoulder Press or Machine Military Press

Sit in the machine facing frontward. Place your feet firmly on the floor or on the foot pads so your back is pushed firmly into the back bench of the machine. Place your hands on the handles with your palms facing forwards. Push the handles up so that your arms are extended above your head. The handles should be at arms length. (Don’t jar your elbows by bouncing the handles at the top of the movement.) Lower the handles back down to starting position, don’t “clunk” the plates or weights on the machine. Keep the exercise smooth pushing the handles back up again before the weights touch. Repeat for required amount of reps

Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Sit on a bench or chair with your feet flat on the floor. Keep your chest out and midsection firm, do not arch your back. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your palms facing forward and the dumbbells just above shoulder height. Your elbows should be bent and facing outwards. Now push up, in a slight arc type motion, so that your dumbbells are at arms length above your head with your elbows only slightly bent. Now lower down slowly and repeat.

Standing Dumbbell Front Shoulder Raises

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and knees slightly bent. Keep your chest out and midsection firm, back straight. Have a dumbbell, in each hand, at arms length with your palms facing your thighs and elbows slightly bent. Raise the dumbbells just past shoulder height then lower down slowly to starting position then repeat for the required amount of reps.

Seated Rear Lateral Raises

Sit on a bench or chair with your feet flat on the floor. Keep your chest out and midsection firm. Lean forward so your chest is nearly touching your lower thighs. Have a dumbbell in each hand and your arms extended in an arc position with your dumbbells behind your calves or ankles. Raise your arms up so your hands are in line with your shoulders. Squeeze, then lower your dumbbells back down to starting position. Repeat for required amount of reps.

Cable Upright Rows

Stand facing the cable machine. Have your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Keep your chest out and midsection firm, back straight. Place a bar attachment on the bottom pulley. Using an overhand grip (palms facing your body) and your hands about 5-6 inches apart pull the bar up, keeping it close to your body, until it reaches your upper chest. Keep your elbows up (past shoulder height) and out. Lower down slowly and repeat the exercise until you have completed your reps.

© Mandy Gibbons
Virtual Fitness Trainer

Persons who are of good health, suspect of their health or are aware of any conditions, physical deficiencies or diseases should always consult a physician before undertaking any eating or exercise program. Mandy Gibbons, Virtual Fitness Trainer, www.virtualfitnesstrainer.com.au and www.virtualfitnesstrainer.com disclaims any liability or loss in connection with the above program or advice given in this article.

Important Points – please read before performing the following exercises:

* If you have knee injuries, weak ankles, hip or lower back problems check with your doctor before performing your leg exercises.
* Beginners, keep your weights very light or use no weights at all.
* Please follow your doctors or physio’s recommendations if they have advised you to wear strapping.
* Some workouts call for “alternating lunges”. Lunge – left leg, Lunge – right leg, Lunge – left leg, Lunge – right leg back and forth to complete a set… however… When starting out with Lunges (if you find it hard to balance or it puts too much pressure on your knee), rather than alternating between the left to the right leg within the one set, keep your lunge stride stance and lower yourself into the lunge and up again until you’ve completed your set. Then return to standing position and repeat the same on the other leg. Example: Complete 12 lunges – left leg then complete 12 lunges – right leg
* When lunging your front heal should remain on the floor and your back heel raises as you bend your back leg.

Lunges – without weights

This is great for beginners who are new to performing Lunges. Once you are comfortable with lunging you can increase your intensity by using dumbbells or a barbell.

Place your hands on your hips or by your sides. Stand with your feet together. Keep your chest out and midsection firm, do not arch your back. Step forward with a large stride – but not too far. Bend both your knees as you lower your body downwards. Your front leg should be at a 90 degree angle eg… ankle, shin and knee should remain in line with each other and your upper thigh parallel with the floor. Your back knee should be nearly touching the floor. Hold for a pause then raise yourself back up controlling the movement and ensuring that your upper body isn’t learning forward. Repeat the exercise to complete the required amount of reps as per your program. Swap and perform your lunges on the opposite leg.

Lunges

Stand with your feet together. Keep your chest out and midsection firm, do not arch your back. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, by your sides, palms facing inwards towards your outer thighs, step forward with a large stride – not too far. Bend both your knees as you lower your body downwards. Your front leg should be at a 90 degree angle eg… ankle, shin and knee should remain in line with each other and your upper thigh parallel with the floor. Your back knee should be nearly touching the floor. Hold for a pause then raise yourself back up controlling the movement and ensuring that your upper body isn’t learning forward. Do not swing your dumbbells around, keep them down by your sides, at arms length. After you have performed the required amount of reps on that leg, swap to the other leg.

Walking Lunges – without weights

The best way to perform this exercise is by performing Walking Lunges from one end of a large room to the other – so you can fit at least 10 -12 in at a time. I do them in my driveway or down in the hallway of my home if I am not at the gym. Expect to have sore leg and butt muscles when you have completed these! They are very effective.

Do not perform this exercise unless you are experienced in lunging. Walking lunges are high in intensity and need some practice to achieve good form. They are a great exercise for shaping your butt and thighs.

Stand with your feet together. Keep your chest out and your midsection firm, do not arch your back. Place your hands on your hips or by your sides. Step forward with a large stride. Bend both your knees as you lower your body downwards. Your front leg should be at a 90 degree angle eg… ankle, shin and knee should remain in line with each other and your upper thigh parallel with the floor. Your back knee should be nearly touching the floor. As you are pushing up and virtually at the top of your lunge step forward with the other leg repeating the lunge movement with the opposite leg. Continue with this sequence, alternating from one leg to the other until you have finished the required amount of reps. Keep yourself steady throughout the exercise. DO NOT allow your knees to go beyond your toes. I can’t tell you how important good technique with this exercise. If you can only perform 8 quality lunges then just do that to start with. Gradually build up the reps as your balance improves and you become accustomed to this exercise.

Walking Lunges

Stand with your feet together. Keep your chest out and your midsection firm, do not arch your back. Place your hands on your hips or by your sides. Step forward with a large stride. Bend both your knees as you lower your body downwards. Your front leg should be at a 90 degree angle eg… ankle, shin and knee should remain in line with each other and your upper thigh parallel with the floor. Your back knee should be nearly touching the floor. As you are pushing up and virtually at the top of your lunge step forward with the other leg repeating the lunge movement with the opposite leg. Continue with this sequence, alternating from one leg to the other until you have finished the required amount of reps. Keep yourself steady throughout the exercise. DO NOT allow your knees to go beyond your toes.

Lunges with Smith Machine

If you have a look at the sides of the smith machine you will see large hooks either side which latch onto the frame work / rack. To unlatch the bar you slightly lift the bar and either roll it either forward or backward (depending on how the machine is set up) until the hook is free from the frame. These bars are normally quite heavy so be careful. Adjust the bar to shoulder height making sure there is no weight on the bar, what so ever, when adjusting it. When the bar is in the correct position, and you have re-latched it stand underneath the bar so it is resting across your shoulders.

Stand with your feet together, keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing front wards. Have the bar behind your neck resting across your shoulders. Your hands should be wider than shoulder width apart so that you can control the weight of the bar. Step forward with a large stride – not too far. Bend both your knees as you lower your body downwards. Your front leg should be at a 90 degree angle eg… ankle, shin and knee should remain in line with each other and your upper thigh parallel with the floor. Your back knee should be nearly touching the floor. Hold for a pause then raise yourself back up controlling the movement. Repeat this until you have completed your reps. At the end of your set latch the bar back onto the frame. Then swap legs.

Reverse Lunges

Reverse lunges can be performed with barbells or dumbbells but I would recommend you not using any of these until you are well practised at performing this exercise with no weights at all. Don’t worry, you will still feel it working.

Stand with your feet together. Keep your chest out and your midsection firm, do not arch your back. Place your hands on your hips or by your sides. Here’s where it changes………..

Step backward with a large stride with your left leg. Bend both your knees as you lower your body downwards. Your right leg (or front leg) should be at a 90 degree angle eg… ankle, shin and knee should remain in line with each other and your upper thigh parallel with the floor. Your back knee should be nearly touching the floor. Hold for a pause then raise yourself back up controlling the movement and ensuring that your upper body isn’t learning forward. After you have performed the required amount of reps on that leg, swap to the other leg performing the exericise again stepping back with your right leg. Take your time and keep yourself sturdy.

Note: If you have knee problems don’t do this exercise.

Continuous Lunges with Barbell

Stand with your feet together, keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing front wards. Have the barbell behind your neck resting across your shoulders. Your hands should be wider than shoulder width apart so that you can keep the barbell steady. Step forward with a large stride – not too far. Bend both your knees as you lower your body downwards. Your front leg should be at a 90 degree angle eg… ankle, shin and knee should remain in line with each other and your upper thigh parallel with the floor. Your back knee should be nearly touching the floor. Hold for a pause then raise yourself back up controlling the movement and ensuring that your upper body isn’t learning forward. Repeat the exercise to complete the required amount of reps as per your program. Swap and perform your lunges on the opposite leg.

Alternating Leg Lunges from Step

Lunges from Step – without weights for beginners
Stand with your feet together. Keep your chest out and your midsection firm, do not arch your back. Place your hands on your hips or by your sides.

Step forward with a large stride – not too far – with your front foot onto the step (eg. an aerobics step). Bend both your knees as you lower your body downwards. Your front leg should be at a 90 degree angle eg… ankle, shin and knee should remain in line with each other and your upper thigh parallel with the floor. Your back knee should be bent. Hold for a pause then raise yourself back up controlling the movement and ensuring that your upper body isn’t learning forward back to standing position – with your legs together. Repeat exercise stepping forward with the opposite leg. Keep yourself steady throughout the exercise. Continue to alternate from one leg to the other for the required amount of reps.

Option: See the “important points” in regards to “alternating”.

Alternating Leg Lunges

Stand with your feet together. Keep your chest out and midsection firm, do not arch your back. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, by your sides, palms facing inwards towards your outer thighs, step forward with a large stride – not too far. Bend both your knees as you lower your body downwards. Your front leg should be at a 90 degree angle eg… ankle, shin and knee should remain in line with each other and your upper thigh parallel with the floor. Your back knee should be nearly touching the floor. Hold for a pause then raise yourself back up controlling the movement and ensuring that your upper body isn’t learning forward. Do not swing your dumbbells around, keep them down by your sides, at arms length. After you have performed the required amount of reps on that leg, swap to the other leg. Continue to alternate from one leg to the other for required amount of reps.

Option: See the “important points” in regards to “alternating”.

Important Points – please read before performing the following exercises:

* If you have knee injuries, weak ankles, hip or lower back problems check with your doctor before performing your leg exercises.
* Beginners, keep your weights very light or use no weights at all.
* Please follow your doctors or physio’s recommendations if they have advised you to wear strapping.
* When lowering yourself down into the squat position lean into your heals.
* Squeeze your butt and thighs to bring you back up to standing position and NEVER lock your knees out.

Squats – without weights Beginners

Perform your squats with no weights until you are used to squatting correctly.

Stand with your legs shoulder width apart. Have your arms outstretched in front of you or folded across your chest. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing frontwards. Now squat as if you were going to sit down, leaning into your heels, until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Make sure your knees remain behind your toes. (eg. if you imagine a straight line from your toes up to head height, your knees should not go beyond this line). Then using your thighs and butt muscles “squeeze” pushing yourself back up again.

You may like to put a chair behind you so when you squat your backside can touch the chair slightly. Make sure you don’t lift your toes too high up off the floor when leaning back into your squat as you will fall backwards. You can also put some small flat weight plates or a plank of wood 3/4′s inch thick (from an old shelf) under your heels for support, so you don’t feel like you are going to fall backwards. Just take it slow and steady. Return back to starting position and repeat the exercise until you have completed your required repetitions.

Half Squats

These squats are also great for beginners – especially if you’re not able to squat as deep as the above instructions.

Stand with your legs shoulder width apart. Have your arms outstretched in front of you or folded across your chest. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing front wards. Rather than lowering yourself for the full movement stop half way down, pause, then using your butt squeeze yourself back up.
Make sure you lean into your heels so you don’t hurt your knees. Repeat the exercise until you have completed your set.

Wide Stance Squats

Stand with your legs wide apart. Have your toes pointed outwards. Have your arms outstretched in front of you or folded across your chest. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing front wards. Now bending your knees squat leaning into your heels. Squat as low as you can, depending on your flexibility. Push yourself back up again squeezing your butt and inner thighs. Make sure you don’t lift your toes up off the floor. Just take it slow and steady. Return back to starting position and repeat the exercise until you have completed your reps.

Wide Stance Squats with Barbell

Stand with your legs and feet wide apart. Have your toes pointed outwards. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing front wards. Place the barbell behind your neck, across your shoulders. Your hands should be wider than shoulder width apart so that you can keep the barbell steady. Now bending your knees squat leaning into your heels until your thighs are parallel to the floor, depending on your flexibility. Push yourself back up again squeezing your butt and inner thighs. Make sure you don’t lift your toes up off the floor. Just take it slow and steady. Return back to starting position and repeat exercise. You may also want to use an old towel to pad the back of your neck when squatting with a barbell. Fold the towel up so it looks a thick strip then place it accross your shoulders where the barbell rests.

If you perform barbell squats regulalry you may want to invest in a barbell pad. It’s foam padding that fits around the barbell that fastens with velcro.

Squats with Barbell

Stand with your legs shoulder width apart. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing front wards. Have the barbell across your shoulders, behind your neck. Your hands should be wider than shoulder width apart so that you can keep the barbell steady. Now squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Then using your thighs and butt push yourself back up again. Return to starting position and repeat the exercise. Good form is very important with squats.

Squats with Dumbbells

Stand with your legs shoulder width apart. Place a dumbbell in each hand at arms length by your sides with your palms facing inwards towards your outer thighs. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing frontwards. Now squat leaning into your heels, until your upper thighs are parallel to the floor (or before – depending on your flexbility). Then using your thighs and butt push yourself back up again. Make sure you don’t lift your toes up off the floor.

Narrow Stance Squats with Dumbbells

Stand with your legs narrower than shoulder width apart with your toes pointed front wards. Place a dumbbell in each hand at arms length by your sides with your palms facing inwards towards your outer thighs. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing front wards. Depending on your flexibility you can lower yourself to just beyond a half squat. Then using your thighs and butt push yourself back up to starting position. Make sure you don’t lift your toes up off the floor and don’t allow your knees to move beyond your toes.

Narrow stance squats, due to your knees pushing forward, are not for everyone. So strict form is vital. I would recommend checking with your doctor, physio, or experienced and appropriately qualified trainer before performing them.

Wide Stance Squats (Plie Squats) with a Dumbbell

Stand with your legs and feet wide apart. Have your toes pointed outwards. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing front wards. Holding one end of a dumbbell with both hands allow your arms to dangle down in front of you (in a controlled manner, don’t let your arms just hang). Make sure your back is straight and don’t lean too far forward. Now bending your knees squat leaning into your heels as low as you can, depending on your flexibility. Push yourself back up again squeezing your butt and inner thighs. Make sure you don’t lift your toes up off the floor.

Squat using the Smith Machine

First off, make sure there is no weight on the bar. If you have a look at the sides of the machine you will see large hooks either side which latch onto the frame work / rack. To unlatch the bar you slightly lift the bar and either roll it either forward or backward (depending on how the machine is set up) until the hook is free from the frame. These bars are normally quite heavy so be careful. Adjust the bar to shoulder height. When the bar is in the correct position, and you have re-latched it stand underneath the bar so it is behind your neck and resting across your shoulders. Have your feet about shoulder width apart. Keep your chest out and midsection firm. Now unlatch the bar lowering your body so that your thighs are parallel with the floor, and you are leaning into your heels. Squeezing your butt and thighs raise yourself back up to standing position. Repeat this until you have completed your reps. At the end of your set latch the bar back onto the frame. Once you have become accustomed to using the Smith Machine for squats you may start gradually adding weight plates. Because the bar is heavy it’s always safe to start without any weight when you’re a “Smith Machine” beginner.

You can vary your squat using wide and narrow stance using the Smith Machine.

Explosive Squats – Advanced Squats

Starting Out – New to this exercise : Have your arms outstretched in front of you.
Medium to Advanced only!: Place a dumbbell in each hand at arms length by your sides with your palms facing inwards towards your outer thighs. Or have the barbell across your shoulders, behind your neck. Your hands should be wider than shoulder width apart so that you can keep the barbell steady.

Stand with your legs about shoulder width apart. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing front wards. Now squat leaning into your heels, until your thighs are just slightly lower than parallel to the floor. Using your thighs and butt push yourself back up again, increasing the speed of this movement as you raise yourself back up to starting position. In other words you squat down slowly but raise your self up slightly faster. Make sure you don’t lift your toes up off the floor. Concentrate on controlling your movement throughout the exercises as good technique is essential for this exercise.

© Mandy Gibbons
Virtual Fitness Trainer

Persons who are of good health, suspect of their health or are aware of any conditions, physical deficiencies or diseases should always consult a physician before undertaking any eating or exercise program. Mandy Gibbons, Virtual Fitness Trainer, www.virtualfitnesstrainer.com.au and www.virtualfitnesstrainer.com disclaims any liability or loss in connection with the above program or advice given in this article.