Set your cable handle just above the shoulder height. Grab the handle and step forward with the opposite leg. Bring the chest up and tuck the tailbone. Begin to push the handle forward to complete the press.
* Do not rotate the torso
* Keep the chest up and core tight
Set your cable handle just above the shoulder height. Grab the handle and step forward with the opposite leg. Bring the chest up and tuck the tailbone. Begin to push the handle forward to complete the press.
Begin this exercise with an incline bench. Be sure that the angle of the bench is between a 30 and 45-degree angle, any higher than a 45 and your chest press will turn into a shoulder press. Press the tailbone firmly into the bench and squeeze the shoulder blades together. Start to fly your arms out and down toward the floor keeping your elbows slightly bent.
* Slight bend in the elbows
* Do not bend and extend the arms
* Keep the dumbbells over the chest and not the face
Begin this exercise with an incline bench. Be sure that the angle of the bench is between a 30-45 degree angle, any higher than a 45 and your chest press will turn into a shoulder press. Press the tailbone firmly into the bench and squeeze the shoulder blades together.
It's important to note that on most chest exercises, to target the pecs fully, you must press the tailbone into the bench and squeeze the shoulder blades together before starting the pressing movement. If you do not have shoulder issues, you can go past 90 degrees with the elbows to get a deeper stretch and lengthier contraction of the muscle.
* Squeeze shoulder blades together
* Tuck tailbone
* Keep the weight over the chest, not over the face
It's important to note that on most chest exercises, to target the pecs fully, you must press the tailbone into the bench and squeeze the shoulder blades together before starting the pressing movement. If you do not have shoulder issues, you can go past 90 degrees with the elbows to get a deeper stretch and lengthier contraction of the muscle.
The Drop Squat can be another one of your plyometric exercises. Start with feet together, simultaneously jump your feet out to land in a full squat position, then jump them back together to your starting position.
* Keep back in a neutral position
* Track knees behind the toes
* Keep feet pointing forward
The Drop Squat can be another one of your plyometric exercises. Start with feet together, simultaneously jump your feet out to land in a full squat position, then jump them back together to your starting position.
Want a chest exercise that isolates the pec major? Here it is....the Cable Chest Fly is an isolated movement becuase it utilized only one joint at a time.
Begin this exercises by grabbing your handles and stepping forward slightly.
You may use a split stance for balance.
Keep your chest up and elbows straight with a soft bend.
Bring your hands backward and then forward, bringing your hands together in the front and squeeze the pecks.
* No bending and extending the elbows during this movement
* Keep chest up
Begin this exercises by grabbing your handles and stepping forward slightly. You may use a split stance for balance. Keep your chest up and elbows straight with a soft bend. Bring your hands backward and then forward, bringing your hands together in the front and squeeze the pecks.
The Lunge Pulse is a sure way to fire up your quads. Apply the basic principals of a lunge to start this movement: One knee is bent at ninety degrees in front of your body and the other is bent at ninety degrees underneath you, knee resting directly under the head. From this position, you simply lift the knee on the ground to about 6-12" off the ground and return it to the ground over and over for any given duration of time. You perform one leg entirely, and then the other.
The Squat Jump can be one of the best plyometric exercises to help you build massive quads and a powerful vertical thrust. It can also wreck havoc on your knees if you're not careful. Be sure to keep your feet shoulder's width apart or farther, and drop your hips right as your feet are returning to the ground. It is crucial that you absorb the weight of your body into your quads. Do not allow your knee caps to lock out.
Begin this exercise with a weight in an athletic stance. Hold the weight away from your body and parallel to your chest.
As you squat keep your knees behind the toes and arms out straight.
Complete the repetition by squatting down to a 90 degree angle and then back up to a standing position.
* Keep knees behind toes
* Chest up
* Arms and weight out parallel to chest
Begin this exercise with a weight in an athletic stance. Hold the weight away from your body and parallel to your chest. As you squat keep your knees behind the toes and arms out straight. Complete the repetition by squatting down to a 90 degree angle and then back up to a standing position.
Begin this exercise with a barbell standing with your feet shoulder width apart. Place your hands (palms down) just outside of shoulder width.Tuck your tail bone creating a flat back, suck the core in tight. Start the movement with the bar just under the chin and begin to press upward over the head toward the ceiling and then back down to starting position. * DO NOT lean back during this movement
Begin this exercise with a barbell standing with your feet shoulder width apart. Place your hands (palms down) just outside of shoulder width.Tuck your tail bone creating a flat back, suck the core in tight. Start the movement with the bar just under the chin and begin to press upward over the head toward the ceiling and then back down to starting position.
Let's be real we've all tried those YoYo diets. Some worked, short term, and well others we know were just a fad and more about the money. There is not a one size fits all plan! There is no magic pill to get you to your goal and keep you there indefinitely. Food is science, from the ground to the table, to digestion, it all happens with science! So lets talk science for a second...all food breaks down into glucose (sugar). Yes even protein breaks down into small amounts of glucose. Our body uses that glucose as energy. However, not all foods are created equal. For example, a pear will break down very differently than a Snickers candy bar. This is where making informed decisions will make or break your nutrition goals.
In this blog I have separated food items in "do's" and "don'ts." Before we get into that, lets briefly talk about whole foods. The term "whole food" means that it doesn't come from a fast food restaurant, box, or a can. Even if it's a grilled chicken sandwich from Chic Fil A. Whole food means not processed. It's not packaged or frozen using preservatives, and goes bad fairly fast. Most whole foods are okay in moderation, but if you are looking to lose weight, control your diabetes, lower your triglycerides or just be a better overall athlete, consider using these tips and apply them to your daily routine.
Pasta
Breads
Popcorn
Crackers
Tortillas
Cereals
Rice
Chips
Couscous, quinoa, spaghetti squash, pasta zero noodles
Ezekiel bread, some gluten free breads, romaine lettuce leaves, cauliflower
Other snack items: nuts, fruit, protein bars, jerky, carrots, celery
Cassava and Chia grain free tortilla
Oatmeal, steel cut oats, fruit
Brown rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, broccoli rice, couscous or Freekeh
Corn
Carrots
Potatoes
Plantains
Water Chestnuts
Green bananas
Lima beans
Peas
Black Beans (in moderation), Green Beans
Celery
Sweet Potato or Yam
Pears
Zucchini
Pear, Apple, Grapefruit
Cucumbers, Zucchini
Green beans, Broccoli
Instead of a list of what to eat vs not, I've listed a handful of legumes by glycemic number. Why list it by glycemic index? Legumes are a great source of protein and energy, but best eaten in moderation. Think of it this way, an item of food is given a value, based on how it digests and breaks down into sugar. The higher the number, the quicker it's digested and pumped into the blood stream. The lower the number, the slower the food is digested and released for energy. Keep in mind, any glucose not used, the body stores away. Those that are diabetic or looking for weight loss should stick to a lower glycemic diet. Whereas high impact athletes who regularly endure long intense workouts should choose a handful of the higher glycemic numbered food items.
All foods have a glycemic number and you should check to see where it falls on the glycemic index to better equip yourself for a more impactful nutrition plan. Here's a great link with 100 common foods and their glycemic values.
Black eyed peas 50
Chick peas, canned 42
Baked beans 40
Navy beans 39
Kidney beans 34
Lentils 28
Cashews 22
Soy beans 15
Peanuts 13
Chickpeas 10
*DISCLAIMER: Encore Fitness professionals are not registered dietitians, you should consult your doctor before any nutritional changes are made.
