Tag: Exercise Guides
Wide Legged Forward Bend Prasarita Padottanasana – Muscles Worked, Benefits, Common Mistakes, and Variations
One of yoga’s many fold poses, the sangskrit name prasarita padottanasana describes five elements of the wide legged forward bend:
“Prasarita” – Spread
“Pada” – Foot/leg
“Ut” – Intense
“Tan” – To stretch
“Asana” – Pose
Putting the sequence into action, the yogi takes a wide, straddle stance which requires foot and thigh strength, hip flexibility, and core strength. Moving up the chain, the hips hinge the upper body forward, until the torso is inverted or folded over, and the head is upside down.
Wide legged forward fold is a common yoga pose, and it benefits everything from the feet (strengthening), to the head (increased blood flow to the brain which may yield some benefits).
In this guide, we detail how to perform this pose, with a short video demonstration, tips, common mistakes to avoid, and some arm variations.
Muscles Worked During Wide Legged Forward Bend
While wide legged forward bend isn’t working muscles to increase their strength and size (primarily although you may get a little of that), you can expect a phenomenal stretch, and to recruit muscles in a way they’re not usually.
Hamstrings
The most obvious muscles stretched during a forward bend are the hamstrings. On the back part of your upper leg strung between the hips and thighs, most ham stretches involve hinging the hips forward, to really lengthen the three sections of fibers that make up this muscle group.
Your hamstrings are athletic muscles, that can help us to perform explosive movements, acting as a rubber band being stretched, and released. They’re also key to the gait or walking cycle.
Glutes
Butt muscles that form a large portion of the hips, you have a large maximus, smaller medius, and smallest minimus muscle in your backside. Maximus is the largest, strongest, and most notable, creating most of what is your hips size and shape. Consequently, the role of maximus is controlling movements at the hip such as extension, and external rotation of the thigh.
Abdominal core muscles
You may not realize it, but when you hinge forward at the hips, and stand back up after the wide legged forward bend, your core muscles have to step into decelerate the descent, and extend the spine, respectively. It’s your deeper core muscles, transverse abdominis that stabilize the spine, while the erector spinae muscles by the spine, stand you up from a bent over position.
How To Do Wide Legged Forward Bend
Considered a beginner yoga pose, for many who attempt it for the first time, there’s nothing beginner about it. But the key is having the right setup, being patient, listening to your body, and keeping at it.
Before you thrust yourself into the wide legged forward bend, we recommend checking out the short video demonstration below, and using the written instructions below for reference and tips.
Steps
Note: The first four steps are to prepare your body for the full movement.
Choose a surface where your feet will not slide.
From a standing position, spread your feet apart into a wide stance, creating roughly 4-5 feet of space in between. You want a wide stance but not so wide that you lose stability and balance.
Point your toes forward or slightly inward to activate the inner thighs and glutes, keep your legs straight and engaged, and focus your weight on your outer feet. Place your hands on your hips.
Now hinge forward at the hips, and lower your torso until your upper body is roughly parallel to the floor. Make sure to keep your back straight. Then, slowly stand up straight.
Repeat step 4, but now stretch your arms down to the floor and touch it with your fingertips.
Walk your hands back until your fingers and toes are in line, and press your palms flat on the floor.
Lift your head up and gently stretch toward the sky.
Then drop your head and body down toward the floor, while bending your elbows. Try to relax your upper body.
Gently rest the crown of your head on the floor. Hold this position for a few seconds, trying not to exceed 10 seconds at first.
Now come up onto your fingers, walk your hands forward, and bring your hands on your hips, one at time, then slowly stand up in the starting position.
Tips
Make sure to perform this pose on an appropriate, non-slip surface, such as a yoga mat. Do not try it using socks on a slick floor, as it’s very difficult, and is not good for the groin, and knees.
If you’re not ready to rest your head on the floor in the full wide legged forward bend pose, then simply use your arms to keep your head up, and practice being in this position.
If your head touches the floor too easily, narrow your stance a little.
You can bend your knees slightly if you have tight hamstrings.
Do not try to rush the process. The body usually takes time to open up so that you can move into deeper positions.
You can also use yoga blocks under your hands to help decrease the range of motion, if you can’t reach the floor just yet, or if its uncomfortable.
This Exercise
Target Muscle Group: Hamstrings, glutes, core
Type: Yoga
Mechanics: Isolation
Equipment: Yoga mat
Difficulty: Intermediate
Benefits of Wide Legged Forward Bend
There are the most obvious and then there are some of the not so obvious benefits of folding yoga poses. Let’s see what they are…
Target your thigh and adductor muscles
One of the poses that involves a forward hip hinge, wide legged forward bend favors a hamstrings and adductors stretch. If you play sports or are regularly involved in resistance training or other activities, it’ll benefit you to keep these muscles loose and active. You’ll also help prevent injuries, and the hamstrings are so important for mobility.
Stretch the neck, back and shoulders too!
We hold lots of tension in our necks, shoulders, and backs, especially being slumped over in front of our devices for most hours of the day. Stretching is helping to reduce the long term negative effects of muscle tightness from prolonged inactivity.
Potential benefits of inverted position
It’s important to note that evidence for the potential benefits of inversion training are not conclusive.
However, hanging upside down does create changes in blood flow which may enhance circulation to the brain. Many believe this can enhance cognitive performance. Inversion type training does decompress the spine though, which is said to create more space between the vertebra, allowing better disk hydration and hence greater spine mobility and reduced risk of injury.
The advantages may extend further though, reaching as deep as the lymphatic system, possibly helping to drain the body of toxins. This process is said to only be able to occur via the movement of muscles, and breathing.
Build patience and mental fortitude
One of the most valuable tools in life is patience. The rewarding things require patience, and mental grit. Wide legged forward bend isn’t just picking up a dumbbell and doing a barbell curl, or sitting down in a squat or performing a push-up.
It requires a bit of many things to be able to maintain a wide stance, bend forward, and set your head on the floor. And for many, it won’t be possible the first few attempts.
Common Mistakes During Wide Legged Forward Bend
Here are some common mistakes that may make for a frustrating or painful experience attempting the wide legged forward bend.
Not spreading your feet wide enough
While it is called the forward fold, most people are not contortionists and will need to spread their feet wide enough to reach their head to the ground. Two to three and even four foot of distance between your feet won’t cut it for most. It’s perfectly normal to have a very wide stance, that way you can decrease the distance your head needs to travel.
But… if you’re just starting out, you could assume a narrower stance, and it’s fine if the head cannot yet touch the floor. Give your hips time to open up and then you can get lower and lower.
Forcing yourself into the pose
Forcing the body to do something is hardly ever recommended. In this case, you can pull tight muscles, or increase risk of injuries in the future.
A common and wise piece of yoga advice is to take it slow, and allow your body to open up when it’s ready. That’s why you’ll typically see professionals perform warmup steps before attempting the full pose. With that said, this pose requires decent flexibility.
Variations of Wide Legged Forward Bend
While the basic wide legged forward bend is a phenomenal practice to get into, here are some fun variations to try and challenge yourself while getting additional benefits.
Wide legged forward bend with hands behind your back
It’ll require more balance, and core control, but it’s just one progression that’ll prove you’re ready for something more challenging. Most people should be able to easily reach behind their body and interlock their fingers. It’ll give you a sweet stretch in the delts too!
Steps
Get into a wide stance as explained in the original instructions.
Bring your arms behind your body and interlock your fingers with the palms facing each other.
Slowly drop your torso under control, and then gently rest your head on the floor. If you cannot yet, place an object such as a yoga block between your feet to rest your head on and reduce the range of motion.
Grabbing your toes
For this variation, you’ll grab your big toes with your pointer fingers on each side as you’re dropping into the folded position resting on your head.
Steps
In your straddle stance, hinge forward at the hips, and hook your pointer fingers over and around your big toes.
Keep your elbows bent, pointed up, and try to squeeze your shoulders blades together. Hold this position for the desired time.
With rotation
Like wringing out a wet rag, including a twist in the forward bend will stretch out your oblique muscles that help us to rotate, and bend laterally. It’s also a good technique to help maintain coordination and mobility in the upper body.
Steps
From a bent over position, extend one arm toward the floor and place your palm flat directly in the center between your feet.
Now rotate your torso in the opposite direction of your arm, and reach the free arm straight up toward the sky with the fingers straight.
Now bring the top arm down and switch positions with the other arm, placing your arm in the exact same spot. Then reach up in the opposite direction with the free arm. Repeat for 3-5 repetitions.
Holding the opposite leg
Challenge flexible endurance and stretch your torso by gripping the opposite leg and holding for a static count.
Steps
From the forward fold position, grab your right ankle with your left hand, and bend the right arm behind your lower back. Breathe in, and then breath out as you release and change sides.
Now grab the left ankle with the right hand, and place your left arm behind your back. Hold, and repeat by alternating sides.
Seated forward bend pose
Otherwise called Paschimottanasana, the seated forward fold pose trains a similar technique but with the inversion.
Steps
Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you. Sit up tall, and pull your toes in toward you.
Inhale, and reach both arms overhead, then exhale and bend forward at the hips.
Reach toward your toes. Stop where you’re able too. If you’re flexible enough, grab one wrist with the other hand and your arms in front of the bottom of your feet.
If you’re flexibility allows, lie face down on your your shins.
Unlock your grip, and with both arms extended past your feet, inhale and sit up to the original position.
Exhale and lower the arms.
That’s the seated forward bend yoga pose.
Here’s a progression technique that you can do if you cannot perform the full pose yet. Use a strap of some type to wrap around the balls of your feet, and slowly try to stretch forward, grabbing the straps closer to your feet as you reach forward.
Wrapping Up
While yoga should incorporate various elements of mental and physical fitness, the wide legged forward bend is a swift and much needed change up from your usual exercises. Combining inversion, stretch, and strength, it’s a pose you should hang-up for the next day and bring it out because of the range of benefits it offers.
Toes to Bar Exercise Guide: How To, Benefits, Muscles Worked, and Variations
A shredded midsection is the symbol of peak fitness. Although many people aspire to develop a well-defined six-pack that could rival the sculpted Greek statues, it usually remains that — an aspiration.
The benefits of a strong core extend beyond aesthetics. A strong core can improve your balance and functionality, which can boost your performance in compound exercises and daily tasks. Plus, it can improve your posture and reduce the risk of lower back pain and injury.
Most people avoid training their abs because they find the orthodox ab exercises, such as crunches and leg raises, boring and redundant. You have come to the right place if you’re looking for a challenging exercise that requires skill, strength, and endurance. Toes to bar is a compound exercise that primarily works your abs and also engages your arms, shoulders, lats, glutes, and hip flexors.
Toes to bar (TTB) is a gymnastics exercise and a mainstay in many CrossFit workouts. It is an extended and advanced version of the hanging leg raise. That said, performing the TTB requires significantly more core strength and practice.
In this article, we go over the basics of TTB, its benefits, muscles worked, correct exercise form, most common mistakes, and the best variations and alternatives to add to your training regimen.
What is a Toes to Bar?
Toes to bar involve lifting your feet to an overhead bar. Simple, right? Wrong. TTBs are more challenging than hanging leg raises, and depending on your experience level, it might take a long time to drill the movement.
Since the TTB is a compound movement, it helps improve your overall anterior chain strength. Plus, TTBs performed with a flawless form look dope. It is also an excellent way to show off your core strength.
There are two main toes to bar variations:
Strict Toes to Bar
The strict TTB is one of the most difficult abdominal exercises. It is generally included in a workout to test an exerciser’s midline strength. Save this TTB variation for after you’ve mastered the kipping TTB. Besides core strength, the strict TTB demands decent hip flexor, gluteal, and hamstring mobility.
Kipping Toes to Bar
The kipping TTB is a popular ab exercise in gymnastics and CrossFit workouts. As the name suggests, it involves using a kipping motion that makes touching your toes to the bar a little easier. On the other hand, the strict TTB involves touching the overhead bar with your toes while keeping your torso parallel to the floor.
Muscles Worked During Toes to Bar
Toes to bar works the following muscles:
Abs
The TTB primarily targets your abs. It engages the rectus and transverse abdominis and will leave you with a sick ab pump. The rectus abdominis runs along the front of your abdomen and is commonly known as the “six-pack.” Conversely, the transverse abdominis wraps around your trunk from front to back.
Hip Flexors
Hip flexors are located on the front of your upper thighs. These muscles are involved in flexing the hips and bringing the knee closer to the chest. Weak hip flexors can make it more challenging to complete a TTB.
Arms
Your grip and forearm strength are crucial factors that can dictate your performance in toes to bar. Plus, you might experience biceps recruitment during more extended TTB sets, which involve holding on to the bar for longer.
Lats
Your lats kick in as soon as you hang on to the pull-up bar. Furthermore, the kipping TTB variation can lead to greater lat engagement as you cycle between the hollow and arch positions.
Glutes and Hamstrings
You need good glutes and hamstring mobility to perform the TTB with optimal form. The glutes and hamstrings also help control the movement during the exercise’s eccentric (lowering) part.
Notably, the kipping toes to bar variation increases the demand on the grip, shoulder, and back.
Benefits of Toes to Bar
Adding the TTB to your training regimen entails the following advantages:
Build a Strong and Shredded Core
TTB is a challenging abdominal exercise that will help build a stronger and chiseled core. To avoid swinging between reps, you must keep your core contracted throughout the exercise. TTB will also strengthen your stabilizers, improving your overall balance and boosting your performance in compound exercises and everyday functioning.
Boosts Muscle Coordination
A TTB involves several moving parts. You must hang onto a pull-up bar, generate momentum by kipping, raise your toes to the bar, return to the start position, and repeat this process for the recommended reps. Adding TTB to your workouts will improve your muscle coordination, which will carry over to other exercises.
Improves Posture
Toes to bar strengthen your abdominal muscles and lower back, which can contribute to a better posture. Core exercises are a must for folks who spend most of their day sitting or hunched over their phones or computer screens.
Read also: Toes To Bar Workout Progression Routine
How To Do Toes to Bar
The TTB is a complex exercise, and you must master several steps to perform this movement correctly. Below I’ll take you over the kipping toes to bar step-by-step instructions that require a cyclical, ballistic motion.
Step 1: Grab an Overhead Bar
Jump and grab onto a pull-up bar with a slightly wider than shoulder-width overhand grip. You can use a hook (fingers over the thumb) or reverse hook grip (thumb over the index fingernail) on the bar.
Pro Tip: Avoid using a false grip on the bar. A thumbless grip will make it harder to hold onto the bar during the kipping motion.
Step 2: Generate a Kip
Kipping involves alternating between an arch and a hollow position to generate momentum. Initiate the kip by driving your head and chest forward and extending your legs behind you. Immediately kick your legs in front of your body as you push on the bar and bring your body behind it to get into a “hollow” position.
Pro Tip: Beginners can perform two to three kips to generate enough momentum before raising their legs.
Step 3: Raise Your Legs in the Hollow Position and Flick the Bar
After generating momentum and getting into a hollow position, contract your abs, lats, shoulder blades, glutes, and quads, and raise your legs toward the ceiling. Your toes should hit the bar at the top of the movement. Keep your head neutral throughout the range of motion, and look at the bar during the concentric (upward) phase of the lift. Looking ahead during the upward motion will make lifting your legs more difficult.
Pro Tip: Instead of locking out your knees and keeping your legs straight during the concentric motion, you could break it into two parts. First, bend your knees and bring your quads to your chest. Finish the movement by extending your knees and touching the bar with your toes. This technique is also known as the tuck-and-flick method.
Step 4: Return to the Extended Arch Position
After flicking the bar, lower your legs by extending your spine. Push your legs behind you and your torso forward to immediately enter the arched position. Use the momentum to get into the hollow position. Repeat for recommended reps.
Pro Tip: The eccentric motion of the tuck-and-flick method involves returning your legs to your chest and extending your knees as your legs move below your waist. Many exercisers find the tuck-and-flick method more convenient while stringing bigger sets.
Toes to Bar Tips:
It is common for beginners to experience ab cramps while performing TTBs. Stop your set and stretch out your abs if you experience the same.
Master the kipping TTB before trying the strict TTB.
Before attempting the kipping TTB, drill your kipping form. Perform three sets of 10 kips in alternate workouts until you have command over the exercise.
Use CrossFit grips to avoid ripping your hands on the pull-up bar. Remember, you are as strong as your grip on this exercise.
Advanced trainers can perform this exercise on gymnastic rings. The unstable rings lead to greater core and stabilizer recruitment.
In This Exercise:
Target Muscle Group: Abs
Type: Strength
Mechanics: Compound
Equipment: Bodyweight
Difficulty: Intermediate
Best Rep Range: 10-15
Common Mistakes While Performing Toes to Bar
Avoid the following toes to bar mistakes to get the best bang for your buck and limit your risk of injury:
Incorrect Hand Position
Most people fail to kip consistently and complete a TTB because of incorrect hand placement. Grabbing the bar too close will make touching your toes to the bar more difficult, whereas taking a snatch grip on the bar will lead to uncontrollable swinging. Grab the bar just outside shoulder-width for optimal range of motion.
Keeping Your Shoulders Under The Bar
Many rookies try to do a TTB while keeping their shoulders under the bar. Although you might be able to complete one TTB, you’ll likely not be able to control the eccentric motion, which will lead to uncontrollable swinging.
Not Using a Kip
In continuation with the previous point, strict TTB is significantly more difficult than the kipping variation. You must master kipping before attempting toes to bar. Begin the kip by pretending to perform a straight-arm pushdown and pull your torso behind the pull-up bar.
Banging Your Toes Into The Pull-Up Bar
Avoid banging your toes into the bar at the top of the motion. Many exercisers end up with bruised toes due to kicking the bar too hard. Bring your toes over the bar, or touch it lightly; this will get easier as you gain more experience.
Slowing the Eccentric Motion
Many trainers make the mistake of controlling the descent, which can break their momentum. You want to use the momentum from the eccentric motion to power your kip and the next rep. That said, you must control the eccentric motion on the strict TTB.
Variations and Alternatives of Toes to Bar
The following TTB variations and alternatives will help add variety to your training regimen:
Hanging Leg Raise
The hanging leg raise is an excellent progression exercise for the TTB.
Steps:
Hang onto a pull-up bar with a shoulder-wide overhand grip.
Brace your core and glutes, and lift your legs toward the ceiling until they are at least parallel to the floor. Keep your knees locked out throughout the range of motion.
Pause and contract your abs at the top.
Slowly return to the start position.
Repeat for recommended reps.
Pro Tip: Incorporating kipping into this exercise can help drill the TTB movement. Get into the arched position during the eccentric motion and a hollow position during the concentric lift.
Check out our complete hanging leg raise guide here!
Lying Leg Raise
Perform the lying leg raise on an elevated platform like a flat bench to mimic the arched position of the TTB.
Steps:
Lie supine with your hips on the edge of a flat bench. Your leg should be extended and parallel to the floor.
Hold the bench at your ear level for stability.
Keeping your legs straight, raise your lower body toward the ceiling until it is at a 90-degree angle with your torso.
Lower your legs toward the floor until your feet are a few inches off the floor.
Rinse and repeat.
Pro Tip: As you gain more experience, touch your knees to your head at the top of the movement. Progressing to this stage can take a long time as it requires significant core strength and flexibility.
Check out our complete lying leg raise guide here!
Knees To Elbow
Knees to elbow is the middle ground between the hanging leg raise and the toes to bar. This exercise involves touching your elbows with your knees.
Steps:
Grab onto a pull-up bar with a shoulder-wide grip.
Contract your abs, glutes, and quads.
Raise your quads to your chest by flexing your hips.
Bend your knees and touch your elbows at the top of the motion.
Return to the starting position.
Pro Tip: Kipping can make the exercise easier and help cycle through reps faster.
Hanging L-Sit
The hanging L-sit might look easy, but it requires a strong core. This exercise will improve your core and grip strength, which will translate to a better performance on the toes to bar.
Steps:
Hang onto a pull-up bar with a shoulder-wide pronated grip.
Keeping your elbows and knees locked, raise your legs until they are parallel to the floor.
Hold the position for as long as possible.
Pro Tip: Experienced exercisers can perform L-sit pull-ups. This variation will help build a stronger core, resulting in better lower body control during TTB.
Check out our complete L-sit guide here!
Controlled GHD Sit-Up
GHD sit-ups will help you build a robust midline. However, we will limit the extension on this exercise since we are using it as a TTB progression.
Steps:
Sit at the edge of the GHD pads and place your ankles between the foot pads.
Your torso should be perpendicular to the floor at the start position.
Hold your hands in front of your chest.
Contract your abs and slowly lean backward.
Your torso should at least break parallel to the floor at the bottom of the movement.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat for recommended reps.
Pro Tip: More experienced athletes can use the full range of motion and touch the floor with their fingers at the bottom.
Related: 9 Toes-to-Bar (TTB) Alternatives To Revamp Your Core
Wrapping Up
Toes to bar is a compound exercise that requires decent core strength and kipping practice. Mastering this exercise will help build a stronger core, boost your endurance, and bless you with sculpted abs.
So swing, reach, and touch your toes to the bar with fierce determination, knowing that every rep brings you closer to an extraordinary transformation. Each TTB will hurt, but it will all be worth it in the end.
Best of luck!
L-Sit Exercise Guide: How To, Benefits, Muscles Worked, and Variations
Some exercises look super easy, but when you try them, you fail to get even in the correct position; the L-sit is one of them.
The L-sit is a classic gymnastic movement that will set your core on fire. On the outside, the L-sit looks very easy. You sit on the floor, plant your hands next to your hips, and lift your hips and legs off the ground. However, this is easier said than done.
Beginners that do not have a gymnastics background will most likely find themselves grinding their teeth while they fail to lift themselves off the floor. I have had newbie exercisers tell me they are anatomically unfit to do the L-sit because they have a long torso and short arms. You might experience the same thing.
However, most people falter at doing the L-sit not because of their body mechanics but because of an incorrect form or a lack of core strength.
Since the L-sit is a bodyweight exercise, most people think that they should be able to do it from the get-go. This, however, is not the case. Like most gymnastic exercises, you will be better off starting with an L-sit progression plan.
In this article, we dive deep into the L-sit and cover its fundamentals, an effective progression plan; the muscles worked during an L-sit, its benefits, proper form, the most common mistakes, and the best variations and alternatives.
What is a L-Sit?
L Sit With Kettlebells
The L-sit is an isometric exercise that improves your core strength and balance. Isometric exercises involve static muscle contraction without visible movement in the joint’s angle. The L-sit is a fundamental gymnastic exercise that grew popular thanks to CrossFit. This exercise is also very popular in the calisthenics circuit.
Besides the conventional L-sit, CrossFit WODs (workout of the day) include several variations of this exercise, including L-sit bar pull-ups and L-sit ring pull-ups. The conventional L-sit demands decent core and hip flexor strength. On the other hand, the pull-up variations also engage most of your upper body, including the biceps, lats, traps, rhomboids, and teres major and minor.
Beginners should start practicing this exercise by placing their hands on an elevated object, such as yoga blocks, or perform this exercise on parallettes or parallel bars. If you still cannot perform this exercise, use the progression exercises listed in this article to build the required core strength.
Muscles Worked During L-Sit
The L-sit works the following muscles:
Abs: The core is the primary target muscle of the L-sit. This exercise requires you to keep your core contracted, resulting in a rectus and transverse abdominal recruitment.
Hip Flexors: These muscles run along the front of your upper thigh. You must engage your hip flexors to keep your legs parallel to the floor throughout the exercise.
Glutes and Quads: This exercise involves keeping your glutes and quads contracted to maintain a stable position.
Triceps: You’ll experience triceps stimulation as soon as you lock out your elbows and lift yourself off the floor. Furthermore, pointing your fingers behind you will engage your biceps.
Shoulders: The L-sit involves actively pushing into the floor, which will result in a sick deltoid pump. You will also experience trapezius muscle stimulation as this exercise requires pushing your shoulders back and down.
Benefits of L-Sit
Adding the L-sit to your training regimen entails the following benefits:
Build a Solid Core and Six-Pack
L-sits can help you build abs of steel. Holding your legs parallel to the floor while extended in the air will work muscles in your core that you didn’t know existed. A strong core can also improve your performance in compound exercise and daily functioning.
Enhance Stability and Balance
A strong core translates to robust stabilizer muscles, which can significantly improve your stability. The L-sit also improves your balance and performance in handstands, push-ups, toes-to-bar, deadlifts, and barbell squats.
Improve Posture
The L-sit strengthens the muscles responsible for maintaining an upright and stable spine, which can help improve your posture. This is an excellent exercise for people that spend most of their day sitting.
Boost Hip Flexor Strength
The hip flexors help bring the knee closer to the chest, meaning they are used in activities such as walking, running, jumping, and kicking. Since the L-sit involves holding your legs parallel to the floor, it engages and strengthens your hip flexors.
How To Do L-Sit
This is how to perform the L-sit with the correct form:
Steps:
Sit upright on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.
Place your hands on the floor next to your hips. Spread your hands and curl your fingers slightly so that your fingertips are pushing into the floor.
Straighten your arms and lock out your elbows. Simultaneously engage your lats and push your shoulders back and down.
Push your palms into the floor, engage your core, and lift your hips and legs off the floor. Your legs should be parallel to the floor throughout the exercise.
Your body should resemble an “L” at the top of the exercise.
Hold the position for as long as possible or a specific time.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat for the desired number of sets.
L-Sit Tips:
Keep your quads and glutes contracted and your toes pointed throughout the exercise.
Place your hands on yoga blocks if you have trouble pushing yourself off the floor.
Spreading your hands and pushing your fingertips and palms into the floor will help you maintain your balance.
Maintain an upright torso while pushing yourself off the floor. Bending forward will make lifting your legs off the floor more difficult.
Advanced exercises can wear a weighted vest to make this exercise harder.
In This Exercise:
Target Muscle Group: Abs
Type: Strength
Mechanics: Isometric
Equipment: Bodyweight
Difficulty: Intermediate
Best Rep Range: 30-60 seconds
L-Sit Progression Exercises
Use the following L-Sit progression exercises if you lack the strength to perform the conventional variation of the exercise:
Step 1: Boat Hold
The boat hold is an excellent core exercise that is suitable for trainers of all experience levels. It will help you build the foundational strength for L-sits.
Steps:
Sit upright on the floor and extend your legs in front of you.
Cross your arms in front of your chest.
Engage your core and tilt your torso backward. Anything between 1 to 2 o’clock will work.
Lift your legs off the floor while keeping your knees locked out.
Hold this position for as long as possible.
Pro Tip: If you have trouble maintaining your torso in position, place your hands next to your hips on the floor.
Step 2: Elevation
This L-sit progression exercise involves using an elevated platform, such as yoga blocks or parallettes. Furthermore, you will focus on lifting your hips off the floor while keeping your heels grounded.
Steps:
Sit on the floor with your legs extended and place parallettes on each side of your hips.
Grab the bars with an overhand grip. Your elbows will be bent at this position.
Extend your elbows while pushing your shoulders back and down. You must lock out your elbows at the top, and your hips should be off the floor.
Your heels should be the only point of contact with the floor.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat for 15-20 reps.
Pro Tip: Avoid using your legs to push yourself into a lockout position. Conversely, beginners can bend their knees slightly and push their heels into the floor to generate force.
Step 3: Alternating Leg Lift
In this L-sit progression exercise, you’ll focus on the lockout and lifting one leg at a time.
Steps:
Sit upright on the floor and extend your legs in front of you.
Place your hands on your hip side.
Push your shoulders down and back, and extend your elbows. Your hips should be off the floor at this point. Your heels should be the only point of contact with the floor.
Contract your abs and lift your left leg off the floor until it is parallel to the floor.
Return your left leg to the floor and repeat with the right leg.
Alternate between sides for the recommended reps.
Pro Tip: As you get better at this exercise, lift your legs as high as possible without bending your knees. Hold for a five-second count before lowering your legs to the floor.
Step 4: Tuck Sits (on an elevated platform)
Tuck sits can be incredibly effective in building the required core strength and confidence to perform the L-sit. This is also the first exercise where we bring together most of what we’ve learned up to this point.
Steps:
Sit upright on the floor and extend your legs in front of you.
Bend your knees and plant your heels on the floor as close to your hips as possible.
Place your hands on the sides of your hips.
Push your shoulders back and down and extend your elbows to lift your hips off the floor.
Pull your quads to your chest as you lift your hips off the floor.
Hold for as long as possible.
Pro Tip: Holding your legs close to your chest is easier than maintaining straight legs. You can also use an elevated platform for this exercise if you have difficulty doing it on the ground.
Step 5: Tuck-Sit to L-Sit (on an elevated platform)
We push into the next gear with this L-sit progression exercise. This exercise begins in the tuck sit position and requires you to work into a full L-sit.
Steps:
Follow the steps mentioned above to get into a tuck-sit position.
While keeping your back straight, extend your legs until they are parallel to the floor.
You might lose balance as you extend your legs. In this case, pull your legs back to your chest.
Hold the L-sit position for as long as possible.
Pro Tip: Use elevated platforms for this exercise if you cannot do it on the floor. Performing this exercise on an elevated platform will ensure you have enough space to pull your legs into your chest without having your feet touch the floor.
Step 6: L-Sit
After you have spent enough time practicing the tuck-sit (step four) and tuck-sit to L-sit (step five), the conventional L-sit will be the natural next step. Use the steps mentioned in the “How To Do L-Sit” section to perform the L-sit.
Common Mistakes While Performing L-Sit
Avoid making the following mistakes while performing the L-sit to get the best bang for your buck:
Rounding Back
This is one of the most common mistakes exercisers commit while performing the L-sit. You must avoid hunching your back as you extend your elbows to lift your hips off the floor. Rounding your back makes it harder to lift your legs off the floor.
Skipping Warm-Up
Since the L-sit is a bodyweight exercise, many people skip warming up their bodies, which can hamper their performance. Before doing this exercise, you must spend 5-10 minutes warming up your wrists, arms, shoulders, abs, glutes, hamstrings, and legs to ensure you’re primed to hold this position for as long as possible.
Not Locking Out Your Elbows and Pushing Your Shoulder Back and Down
Maintaining soft elbows while performing the L-sit is a rookie mistake. You must lock out your elbows to ensure optimal stability and balance. Soft elbows usually lead to the rounding of the back. Also, you must push your shoulders back and down to gain an optimal height to lift your legs off the floor comfortably.
Variations and Alternatives of L-Sit
Add the following L-sit variations and alternatives to your training regimen to build a shredded midsection:
L-Sit Pull-Up
After mastering the L-sit, you can progress to the L-sit pull-up for an additional challenge. Most people tend to use their legs to perform a pull-up; however, since you’ll be holding your legs in front of you in this variation, this exercise is much more difficult than the conventional pull-up.
Steps:
Stand under a pull-up bar.
Grab the pull-up bar with a shoulder-wide grip.
Lift your legs until they are parallel to the floor.
Perform a pull-up while holding this position until your chin is over the bar.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat for recommended reps.
Pro Tip: Beginners can perform hanging L-sit until they develop the core strength to perform a pull-up.
L-Sit Pull-Up on Rings
Since you can pull your head between the rings, this exercise is a little easier than the L-sit pull-up on a pull-up bar, where you must pull your body at an angle. However, performing it on the rings requires more core stability.
Steps:
Jump and grab the gymnastic rings with a neutral (palms facing each other) grip.
Lift your legs until they are parallel to the floor.
While keeping your core contracted, perform a pull-up.
Return to the start position.
Repeat for reps.
Pro Tip: Keep your shoulders pulled back and down while performing pull-ups.
Plank
You need a strong core to perform the L-sit. Planks are an incredibly effective beginner-friendly exercise to build the requisite core strength.
Steps:
Get on all fours on the floor.
Place your elbows under your shoulders and plant your forearms on the floor. Your forearms should be parallel to each other.
Extend your legs behind you.
Your body should be in a straight line from head to toe.
Hold this position for as long as possible.
Pro Tip: As you get more experienced, make this exercise more difficult by wearing a weighted vest or placing a weight plate on your back.
Check out our complete plank guide!
Hollow Body Hold
Hollow body hold is an excellent exercise to build core strength. It is used widely in CrossFit gyms to improve your kipping pull-up mechanics.
Steps:
Lie supine on the floor. Extend your arms over your head.
Contract your abs and lift your legs off the floor. Simultaneously lift your shoulders and arms toward the ceiling.
Your hips and lower body should be the only point of contact with the floor.
Hold the position for as long as possible.
Pro Tip: Focus on actively pushing your arms and legs toward the ceiling throughout the exercise.
Check out our complete hollow hold guide!
Toes-To-Bar
Performing toes-to-bar requires significant core strength. You must keep your core engaged throughout the exercise to avoid swinging between reps.
Steps:
Grab a pull-up bar with an overhand shoulder-wide grip.
Lock out your elbows.
Press on the bar using your lats; this will pull your torso behind the bar.
Simultaneously lean back slightly and raise your legs toward the pull-up bar.
Touch your toes to the bar.
Lower your legs to the starting position.
Repeat for recommended reps.
Pro Tip: Perform a kip to stabilize your body and generate momentum to raise your toes to the bar.
Wrapping Up
The L-sit is an isometric exercise that will help you build a strong core, strengthen your stabilizers, improve your balance and posture, and boost hip flexor strength. Mastering this exercise is a must if you are into gymnastics or CrossFit.
The five beginner-friendly progression exercises listed in this article are excellent movements to work toward an L-sit. Perform the variations thrice weekly, and you should be able to perform a picture-perfect L-sit by the end of six weeks. Best of luck!
Sit-Up Exercise Guide: How To, Benefits, Muscles Worked, and Variations
The sit-up is one of the most popular exercises. It is taught in school PT classes, done at home, and is a part of the most complex metabolic conditioning workouts. This versatile exercise works your midsection and can help build a shredded six-pack. Sit-ups can also improve your posture, core strength, and balance.
Most people have a love-hate relationship with sit-ups. They love the results but hate doing the exercise. Although sit-ups look easy, they will have you begging for mercy halfway through a set. They are especially difficult for beginners that lack abdominal strength and endurance. Furthermore, many exercisers find sit-ups boring.
That said, thanks to their effectiveness and results, sit-ups are a part of most training regimens, and this doesn’t appear to be changing any time soon.
Notably, sit-ups are often confused with their cousin — crunches. Both these exercises look similar to an untrained eye, and ‘sit-ups’ and ‘crunches’ are often used interchangeably. However, these exercises have significant differences.
The biggest difference between the two exercises is their range of motion. The crunch is roughly a quarter of the sit-up’s range of motion (ROM). While performing the crunch, your lower back is always in contact with the floor; in fact, your upper back, too, barely leaves the floor. However, as the name implies, the sit-up involves sitting upright at the top of the range of motion.
The sizeable difference in the ROM leads to the isolation of your abdominal muscles while performing the crunch. On the other hand, sit-ups stimulate multiple muscle groups, including the abs, hip flexors, hips, and lower back.
In this article, I take you over the fundamentals of the sit-up, the muscles worked during this exercise, its benefits, proper form, the most common mistakes, and the best variations and alternatives.
What is a Sit-Up?
A shredded midriff and a six-pack are considered the epitome of fitness, and the sit-ups help you achieve just this. This exercise involves contracting your abs with every rep, which helps you develop a chiseled midsection. The sit-up is an isolation exercise that trains your abdominal muscles.
To perform a sit-up, lie supine and place your feet flat on the floor. While holding your hands at the side of your head, lift your torso off the floor by contracting your abs. Your upper body should be almost parallel to the floor at the top of the motion — anything between 12 and 1 ‘o clock is acceptable.
Since performing the sit-up requires no equipment, you can do it anywhere. As you gain more experience, you can make the exercise more challenging by incorporating additional resistance using a weighted vest or holding a dumbbell, weight plate, or kettlebell in front of your chest.
The sit-up primarily works the upper and middle abs. However, you can achieve better lower ab stimulation by performing this exercise on a decline bench. Conversely, beginners can perform this exercise on a stability ball, as it provides a little assistance at the bottom of the movement.
Muscles Worked During a Sit-Up
The sit-up works the following muscles:
Abs
Sit-ups work the rectus and transverse abdominis. The rectus abdominis is the long vertical muscle that runs down the front of your abdomen. It is also known as the six-pack. On the other hand, the transverse abdominis muscle wraps around the abdomen and provides stability and support to the spine and internal organs. The transverse abdominis plays a crucial role in core stability while performing sit-ups and other exercises.
Obliques
Sit-ups work the internal and external obliques. The external obliques are the fish-gill-like muscles at the side of the rectus abdominis and help with trunk rotation and bending movements. The internal obliques lie under the external obliques and also assist with trunk rotation and bending.
Hip Flexors
Hip flexors run along the front of your upper thigh. They are responsible for flexing the hip joint. Hip flexors engage during the sit-up’s concentric (upward) motion to lift the torso toward your thighs.
Hips
Your hips provide stability during the sit-ups. The hip joint flexion also allows you to move from a lying to a seated position. Strong hips will also help prevent lower back strain while performing the exercise.
Lower Back
Your lower back, especially the erector spinae, plays a crucial role by providing stability and maintaining proper spinal alignment while performing sit-ups. It helps you avoid rounding your lower back during the concentric motion.
Benefits of Sit-Ups
Here are the advantages of adding sit-ups to your training regimen:
Improved Core Strength
Performing sit-ups helps you build a stronger core, the benefits of which carry over to compound exercises. Furthermore, it improves your performance in daily activities, which helps you get done more quickly and effectively.
Boost in Athletic Performance
A strong core can help improve your athletic performance. Irrespective of your sport, sit-ups can improve your posture, stability, and form, which can boost your overall performance and results. It will also significantly delay the onset of fatigue.
Increase in Muscle Mass
Sit-ups can help build muscle mass and strength in the abdominal and hip muscles. This exercise can also be a valuable indicator of muscle loss. A 2016 study found that older women who could perform sit-ups were less likely to lose muscle mass with age. [1]
Improved Balance and Stability
Sit-ups help build a strong core, which improves your balance and stability. It can improve your performance in daily activities and other exercises. A stronger core can also help prevent falls in older adults.
Better Posture
Building a strong core helps keep your hips, spine, and shoulders in alignment, which helps promotes a better posture. Folks that have a desk job or spend the majority of their days sitting should make sit-ups a constant in their training regimen.
No Equipment
Sit-ups are a bodyweight exercise that you can do anywhere at your convenience. Plus, you can program this versatile exercise into most training regimens and use additional resistance for better results.
How To Do Sit-Up
This is how to perform the sit-up with the correct form:
Steps:
Lie supine on the floor. Bend your knees and plant your feet on the ground.
Hold your hands next to your ear.
Raise your torso off the floor by contracting your abs. Exhale sharply during the concentric movement.
Your torso should be perpendicular to the floor at the top of the movement.
Contract your abs as hard as possible.
Inhale as you slowly lower your torso to the floor.
Repeat for recommended reps.
Sit-Up Tips:
Your head should remain neutral throughout the range of motion. Bending your head during the concentric movement puts unnecessary strain on your neck.
Avoid interlacing your fingers behind your head as it increases your odds of bending your neck during the upward motion. Crossing your arms in front of your chest is a better alternative if you don’t prefer holding your hands next to your ears.
Exhale and contract your abs during the upward motion.
Keep your back straight throughout the range of motion. Rounding your back can strain your lower back.
Use an elevated surface to anchor your feet. This will help keep your feet planted on the floor and allow you to establish a better mind-muscle connection.
It is common for beginners to experience ab cramps while doing sit-ups. Stop the exercise if you experience cramps and stretch out your abs.
In This Exercise:
Target Muscle Group: Abs
Type: Strength
Mechanics: Isolation
Equipment: Bodyweight
Difficulty: Beginner
Best Rep Range: 8-12
Common Mistakes While Performing Sit-Up
These are some of the most common sit-up mistakes that you must avoid to maximize results and lower the risk of injury:
Using a Limited Range of Motion
Many people leave gains on the table by following an incorrect form and a restricted range of motion. Your back should be on the floor at the bottom, and it should be perpendicular to the floor at the top.
Using Momentum
Exercisers try to make this exercise easier by using momentum. Avoid throwing your arms toward your legs to lift your torso off the floor. Driving through your neck during the concentric motion can cause neck sprains.
Neck Strain
Sit-ups are a demanding exercise. You must keep your head, neck, and torso in a straight line throughout the exercise for optimal ab stimulation. Folks that interlace their fingers behind their necks or throw their heads forward during the concentric motion increase their odds of injury during the exercise.
Rounding Your Back at the Top
Think of your torso as a hardboard while doing sit-ups; it should move in a straight line. Rounding your back at the top of the motion causes unnecessary lower back strain. It will also hamper your form during the eccentric (lowering) motion.
Improper Breathing
Many people make the mistake of holding their breath while performing crunches. Breathing correctly while performing crunches can help amplify your results. Exhale sharply during the concentric motion and inhale during the eccentric motion.
Not Adding Variety To Your Training Regimen
Although crunches are a great exercise to build a shredded midriff, your training program must include exercises that train your torso from different angles for overall development. It will ensure you build a bulletproof midsection. This point is a perfect segue into…
Variations and Alternatives of Sit-Ups
Add the following sit-up variations and alternatives to your training regimen to build a shredded midsection:
Weighted Sit-Up
Weighted sit-ups are for advanced athletes. It involves holding additional resistance, such as a dumbbell, kettlebell, or weight plate, in front of your chest. The exercise form for this variation will remain the same as the conventional sit-up.
Pro Tip: Use an appropriate weight that allows you to keep your head and torso in a straight line throughout the range of motion. Using a weight that is too heavy can cause you to bend your head forward.
Stability Ball Sit-Up
Stability ball sit-ups are an excellent exercise for beginners as the exercise ball acts as a support at the bottom of the movement and delivers a pop that pushes you into the next rep.
Steps:
Sit upright on an exercise ball and plant your feet flat on the floor.
Hold your hands at your ear level and slide forward so your lower and middle back are on the exercise ball. Your shoulders should be hanging off the ball.
Exhale and contract your abs to lift your torso toward the ceiling.
Your torso should be perpendicular to the floor at the top.
Slowly return to the start position.
Rinse and repeat.
Pro Tip: Some trainers go down too fast during the eccentric motion to use the bounce from the ball to complete the next rep. However, this reduces the effectiveness of the exercise and increases your risk of lower back injury.
Reverse Crunch
Sit-ups and crunches work the upper and middle abs. On the other hand, reverse crunches focus on your lower abs. During a sit-up, your lower body remains steady while your upper body moves. The reverse is true for the reverse crunch.
Steps:
Lie with your back on the floor. Your body should be in a straight line at the starting position.
Place your hands under your hips for leverage.
Lift your feet off the floor so your heels are a few inches off the ground.
Pull your quads to your chest while bending your knees.
Your hips should be off the floor at the top.
Slowly return to the start position.
Repeat for recommended reps.
Pro Tip: Make this exercise more challenging by performing this exercise on an elevated platform, such as a flat bench. Let your feet touch the floor at the bottom of the movement for better abdominal stimulation.
Check out our complete reverse crunch guide!
V-Up
The V-up is a great exercise to build core strength, balance, stability, and coordination. This exercise targets your entire midsection, including your upper, middle, and lower abs.
Steps:
Lie flat on your back on the floor.
Extend your arms toward the ceiling so they are perpendicular to the floor. Simultaneously, raise your legs off the floor.
In a single motion, lift your legs toward the ceiling and bring your hands toward your feet.
Your body should resemble a “V” at the static contraction point at the top.
Slowly lower to the starting position.
Repeat for recommended reps.
Pro Tip: Experienced lifters can make this exercise more challenging by wearing ankle weights and holding a pair of dumbbells.
Check out our complete V-up guide!
Crunch
The crunch is the easier version of the sit-up and roughly involves a quarter of the sit-up’s range of motion. This exercise is a better option for people trying to maintain constant tension in their upper abs or undergoing rehabilitation.
Steps:
Lie supine on the floor. Bend your knees and plant your feet flat on the ground.
Hold your hands next to your ears.
Contract your core, and exhale as you lift only your head and shoulder blades off the ground.
Slowly lower to the starting position.
Repeat for reps.
Pro Tip: Like with sit-ups, you can perform crunches while holding onto weights or on a decline for greater abdominal stimulation.
Check out our complete crunch guide!
Bicycle Crunch
The bicycle crunch is one of the few ab exercises that simultaneously work your lower and upper body. This ab exercise is incredibly effective at working your lower and upper abs and obliques.
Steps:
Lie flat on the floor while facing the ceiling.
Hold your hands next to your ears and lift your legs off the floor.
Exhale as you bring your right knee to your chest while driving your left elbow to the knee.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat on the other side.
Alternate between sides for the recommended reps.
Pro Tip: Focus on your breathing to make the most of this exercise. Breathe out during the concentric motion and breathe in during the eccentric motion.
Check out our complete bicycle crunch guide!
Wrapping Up
The sit-up is a versatile beginner-friendly exercise that will help improve your core strength, balance, stability, and posture, boost your athletic performance and muscle mass, and can be done anywhere at your convenience.
Although sit-ups are a great exercise to work your midsection, your ab training routine should include a variety of movements to ensure overall development. Remember, building a six-pack requires patience, dedication, commitment, and a low body fat percentage. Nail each aspect of your training, diet, and recovery regimen, and your abs will rival those of Greek statues. Best of luck!
Related: Crunch and Sit-Up Alternatives
References
Abe T, Yaginuma Y, Fujita E, Thiebaud RS, Kawanishi M, Akamine T. Associations of sit-up ability with sarcopenia classification measures in Japanese older women. Interv Med Appl Sci. 2016 Dec;8(4):152-157. doi: 10.1556/1646.8.2016.4.7. PMID: 28180004; PMCID: PMC5283773.
Yoga Push-Up Guide: Muscles Worked, How-To, Benefits, and Alternatives
The classic push-up is one of the best exercises you can do for your upper body. Requiring nothing more than the space to lie down, you can pump out push-ups anywhere and anytime, which is why they’re such a favorite of the military, martial artists, prisoners, and home exercisers alike.
Standard push-ups are almost unbeatable, and training to do more push-ups will increase chest, shoulder, and triceps muscle size and endurance.
However, as potent as push-ups are, you can have too much of a good thing. Do enough push-ups, and they can lose some effectiveness and even become boring.
That’s why most push-up aficionados include different push-up variations in their workouts, including decline, diamond, paused, deficit, and explosive push-ups. While each of these push-up exercises uses many of the same muscles, they hit them in a slightly different way.
And now you can add a new exercise to your push-up arsenal – yoga push-ups.
In this article, we reveal why and how to do this fantastic exercise and some of the best variations and alternatives.
Yoga Push-Ups – Muscles Worked
Yoga push-ups are a compound upper-body exercise. This means they work multiple joints and muscles working together. The main muscles involved in yoga push-ups are:
Pectoralis major
Known as the pecs for short, these muscles make up the bulk of your chest. There are three sets of pec fibers, called heads: clavicular (upper), sternal (mid), and coastal/abdominal (lower). The pecs are the agonist or main muscle trained during yoga push-ups. All three pec heads are involved in this exercise.
Deltoids
The deltoids, or delts, are your primary shoulder muscles. Like the pecs, there are three sets of deltoid fibers or heads: anterior (front), medial (middle), and posterior (rear). All three deltoid heads are involved in yoga push-ups, but the anterior head is the most active. The medial and posterior delts work mostly as stabilizers.
Triceps brachii
Better known simply as the triceps, this three-headed muscle is located on the back of your upper arm and is mainly responsible for elbow extension. Because of its relatively small size, the triceps are usually the first muscle to fail during yoga push-ups.
Serratus anterior
Also known as the boxer’s muscle, the serratus anterior is located on the side of your chest and is responsible for keeping your scapulae or shoulder blades flat against your ribs. This muscle is so-called because, when well-developed and you are lean enough to see it, it looks like the blade of a serrated knife.
Trapezius
The unusual shoulder movement during yoga push-ups means your trapezius is more active than with regular push-ups. The trapezius is the large, flat, kite-shaped muscle of your upper back. It comprises three sets of fibers: upper, middle, and lower. All three groups of fibers work during yoga push-ups, but the upper fibers are the most active.
Core
Core is the collective name for the muscles that encircle your waist, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, transverse abdominis, and erector spinae. These muscles contract inward to increase intra-abdominal pressure, which helps support your lumbar spine and prevent unwanted movement. Yoga push-ups are more core-centric than regular push-ups.
While yoga push-ups are most definitely an upper-body exercise, your legs are also involved. You’ll need to use your glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings to keep your lower body straight and rigid. However, the load on these muscles is pretty low, so you’ll still need to train your legs separately if you want to make them stronger or more muscular.
How to Do Yoga Push-Ups
Get more from yoga push-ups while keeping your risk of injury to a minimum by following these guidelines:
Squat down and place your hands flat on the floor, roughly shoulder-width apart, and fingers pointing forward. Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back.
Walk your feet out and back so your body is straight. Engage your legs to stabilize your lower body.
Bend your arms and lower your chest down to within an inch of the floor.
Next, push up and back, lifting your hips up toward the ceiling. Gently push your head between your arms to extend your shoulders, open your chest, and stretch your lats.
Keep your legs as straight as possible, and press your heels down toward the floor. Your body should now resemble an inverted V.
Return to the starting position, bend your arms, and repeat.
Pro Tips:
Inhale as you lower your chest to the floor, and exhale as you push yourself back and up.
Experiment with the width of your hands to see what feels the most comfortable.
Pause at the midpoint of each rep to maximize the stretching and mobilizing effect of this exercise.
Do yoga push-ups as part of your warm-up or morning routine or during your chest or shoulder workout.
Use push-up handles to increase your range of motion and take stress off your wrists.
Yoga Push-Up Benefits and Drawbacks
Not sure if yoga push-ups deserve a place in your workouts? Consider these benefits and then decide!
Anywhere, anytime
Like most push-up variations, you can do this exercise almost anywhere and anytime. As such, yoga push-ups are perfect for home exercisers and anyone who wants an excuse-free upper body workout.
An effective mobilizer
While yoga push-ups are a great upper-body muscular endurance exercise, they’re also an effective full-body mobilizer. A few reps of yoga push-ups will stretch your shoulders, chest, upper back, lower back, hips, hamstrings, and calves. This means yoga push-ups aren’t just a conditioning exercise but are also suitable for warm-ups.
Increased shoulder engagement
All push-ups involve your deltoids, but yoga push-ups work them more than most. The semi-inverted position at the mid-point of each rep is similar to that of an overhead press or handstand push-up, both of which are great deltoid exercises.
While yoga push-ups are a mostly beneficial exercise, there are also a few drawbacks to consider:
No regressions
There is no obvious way to make yoga push-ups easier. With regular push-ups, you can always bend your legs and rest on your knees to do three-quarter push-ups. Unfortunately, there is no such regression for yoga push-ups.
Potentially more shoulder stress than regular push-ups
Some exercisers struggle with overhead movements and find they cause shoulder discomfort and pain. Yoga push-ups place your arms overhead, so they may cause more shoulder joint stress than other types of push-ups. If yoga push-ups bother your shoulders, you should drop them from your program.
7 Yoga Push-Up Variations and Alternatives
Yoga push-ups are a highly effective upper-body exercise, but that doesn’t mean you need to do them all the time. There are several variations and alternatives you can use to keep your workouts productive and interesting:
1. Feet-elevated yoga push-up
While there is nothing wrong with doing a few yoga push-ups to mobilize and warm up your upper body, some people prefer to do them as a main workout exercise. If you want to overload more than stretch your muscles, feet-elevated yoga push-ups are the answer.
Steps:
Adopt the push-up position with your feet on a knee-high box or step. Brace your core, set your shoulders down and back, and engage your legs.
Bend your arms and lower your chest to about an inch above the floor.
Push back and up and lift your hips into the air so your body resembles an inverted V.
Return to the push-up position, bend your arms, and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Pectoralis major, deltoids, triceps.
Secondary: Core.
Benefits:
A more demanding variation of yoga push-ups.
A great movement for more experienced exercisers.
Even better for mobilizing the shoulders and hips.
Tips:
Make sure your bench/step is stable and won’t tip over.
Warm up your hamstrings before attempting this exercise.
Take care not to hyperextend your lower back.
2. Single-leg yoga push-ups
Yoga push-ups provide a welcome core workout. However, the core is not working all that hard. This single-leg variation is much more core-centric and provides an excellent flexion/anti-rotation core workout.
Steps:
Adopt the push-up position with straight arms, core braced, and shoulders back and down. Lift one foot off the floor.
Bend your arms and lower your chest to about an inch above the floor.
Push back and up and lift your hips into the air so your body resembles an inverted V.
Return to the push-up position, bend your arms, and repeat.
Switch legs set by set.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Pectoralis major, deltoids, triceps.
Secondary: Core.
Benefits:
An intense core and upper body exercise.
More leg and glute engagement than regular yoga push-ups.
Requires and develops greater coordination and positional awareness.
Tips:
Wear non-slip shoes or do this exercise barefoot.
Lift your non-weight-bearing leg higher to engage your glutes more.
You can also do this exercise with your foot on a step or box, i.e., single-leg foot elevated yoga push-ups.
3. Toe-tap yoga push-ups
Toe-tap yoga push-ups increase shoulder and core engagement while adding a rotational element for greater spinal mobility. If regular yoga push-ups are not challenging enough, and you don’t have a step to put your feet on, this is the next logical progression.
Steps:
Adopt the push-up position with straight arms, core braced, and shoulders back and down.
Bend your arms and lower your chest to about an inch above the floor.
Push back and up and lift your hips into the air so your body resembles an inverted V.
Reach back with one hand and touch your opposite foot.
Return to the push-up position and repeat.
Alternate sides rep by rep.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Pectoralis major, deltoids, triceps.
Secondary: Core.
Benefits:
More challenging than regular yoga push-ups.
Increased core engagement.
Greater mobility, balance, and coordination demands.
Tips:
Touch your shin and not your toes if you lack flexibility.
Try to hinge from your hips rather than round your lower back.
You can also do this exercise with your feet on a step or box, i.e., feet elevated toe-tap yoga push-ups.
4. Y-reach yoga push-up
This yoga push-up variation works your upper back as well as your chest, shoulders, and triceps. As such, it’s both time-efficient and a great way to prepare your major muscles and joints for upcoming workouts.
Steps:
Adopt the push-up position with straight arms, core braced, and shoulders back and down.
Bend your arms and lower your chest to the floor.
Lift your hands off the floor and extend your arms forward to form a Y-shape. Point your thumbs up to the ceiling.
Bring your hands back in and under your shoulders.
Push back and up and lift your hips into the air so your body resembles an inverted V.
Return to the push-up position, bend your arms, and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Pectoralis major, deltoids, triceps.
Secondary: Core.
Benefits:
An excellent postural exercise.
Trains your pushing and pulling muscles simultaneously for a time-efficient upper body workout.
A great way to prepare your upper body for your upcoming workout.
Tips:
Place a folded exercise mat under your hips for comfort.
Keep your upper back engaged and shoulders pulled down and back throughout.
Take care not to lift your head and hyperextend your neck when lying on the floor. Tuck your chin in and look down.
5. Dive bomber push-ups
Dive bomber push-ups are very similar to yoga push-ups. However, they involve some additional movements designed to increase spinal mobility. Dive bomber push-ups are great for loosening up your entire back after a long day sitting at your desk.
Steps:
Adopt the push-up position and then lift your hips into the air. Brace your core and pull your shoulders back and down.
Bend your arms and lower your head toward the floor.
Imagining you are ducking under a low bar, lower your chest to the floor, and then, keeping your hips low, extend your arms and push your upper body away from the ground.
Reverse the motion, again ducking under that imaginary bar, and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Pectoralis major, deltoids, triceps.
Secondary: Core.
Benefits:
An excellent mobilizer for the entire spine.
A challenging alternative to regular push-ups.
More lat engagement than with regular push-ups.
Tips:
Adopt a wide stance to take tension off your hamstrings.
Use push-up handles for less wrist strain and a bigger range of motion.
Take care not to hyperextend your spine.
6. Pike push-ups
Yoga push-ups work your chest and deltoids pretty equally. But, if you want to focus more on your shoulders and avoid working your chest, pike push-ups are the exercise for you. They also involve less coordination than yoga push-ups, so they may be a better option for some beginners.
Steps:
Adopt the push-up position with your arms straight and hands roughly shoulder-width apart.
Lift your hips and push your butt back so your body resembles an inverted V. Brace your abs.
Bend your arms and lower your head to the floor, taking care not to bump it.
Extend your arms and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Deltoids, triceps.
Secondary: Core.
Benefits:
An excellent bodyweight deltoid exercise.
More weight on your arms than conventional push-ups.
Simpler to learn than yoga push-ups.
Tips:
Experiment with the width of your hands to see what works best and feels most comfortable.
Use parallettes, push-up handles, or yoga blocks to increase your range of motion.
You can also do this exercise with your feet elevated, like this:
7. Mike Tyson push-ups
While boxer Mike Tyson probably didn’t invent this exercise, his use of it means it now bears his name! Yoga push-ups require good hamstring flexibility to perform them correctly. Mike Tyson push-ups work the same muscles but without needing such supple hammies.
Steps:
Adopt the push-up position with your feet pressed against the bottom of a wall to stop them from slipping.
Bend your arms and lower your chest to the floor.
Extend your arms, bend your legs, and push your hips backward so you’re in a semi-crouched potation.
Extend your legs and descend into another rep.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Pectoralis major, deltoids, triceps.
Secondary: Core.
Benefits:
A more accessible exercise for people with tight hamstrings.
A challenging chest and deltoid exercise.
It was Iron Mike Tyson’s favorite exercise!
Tips:
Keep your feet pressed against the wall throughout.
Experiment with the position of your hands to see what’s comfortable and works best.
Take care to flex from your hips and not round your back as you move into the semi-crouched position.
Yoga Push-Up FAQs
Do you have a question about yoga push-ups or push-up training in general? Don’t worry because we’ve got the answers!
1. How many reps and sets of yoga push-ups should I do?
Because yoga push-ups are a bodyweight exercise, it’s hard to say how many reps you should do. Depending on your body weight and fitness, you might be able to do 10, 30, or even 50 reps, so telling you how many to do would be a mistake.
So, you’ll have to determine how many reps to do. Start your set and continue until you cannot do any more reps in good form. Then, as the weeks pass, do your best to crank out more reps. However, never sacrifice good (and safe) technique for more reps. The trade-off isn’t worth it.
In terms of sets, 3-5 should be enough for most people. If you can do more than this, you probably aren’t pushing your sets close enough to failure, or you are resting too long between efforts.
2. Can I do yoga push-ups every day?
You can do yoga push-ups daily provided you don’t train them too hard each time you work out. For example, you could do 3-4 hard sets close to failure one day and a couple of easy sets for mobility and warming up the next. This will give your muscles the time they need to rest, recover, and adapt to your more intense workouts.
Related: 12 Reasons to Do Push-Ups Every Day
3. Will yoga push-ups build muscle?
Provided you take your sets close to failure, yoga sets could help you build bigger pecs, delts, and triceps. However, this may entail doing high-rep sets, which is not the best use of your training time.
So, if you want to build muscle with yoga push-ups, choose a variation that takes you close to muscular failure in 20 reps or less. This will save you from doing long, inefficient workouts.
4. Are yoga push-ups safe?
Yoga push-ups should be safe for most exercisers. After all, with no barbell to come crashing down on your chest, they’re obviously much less risky than bench presses. That said, the overhead aspect of yoga push-ups means that they put some stress on your shoulders. So, if overhead presses bother your shoulders, yoga push-ups probably will, too.
If you have a history of shoulder pain, introduce yoga push-ups gradually and be prepared to drop them from your workouts if they bother your joints. However, people with healthy shoulders should have no problems with this exercise.
5. Are yoga push-ups better than regular push-ups?
While yoga push-ups differ from regular push-ups, that doesn’t mean they’re better. Yoga push-ups involve more shoulder and core engagement and also mobilize your hips and spine. Regular push-ups do not do this. However, if those benefits don’t interest you, it would be wrong to say that yoga push-ups are better.
In almost every instance, the best exercise is the one that delivers the results you want, is the safest, and that you enjoy. For some, this will be yoga push-ups; for others, regular push-ups will be the best.
Therefore, it’s up to you to determine which is the correct push-up for you.
Yoga Push-Ups – Wrapping Up
With so many types of push-ups to choose from, it can be hard to know which one to do. After all, they’re all excellent, and you can do most of them anywhere and anytime. Regular push-ups are most people’s first choice, but they have their limitations.
Yoga push-ups are an excellent exercise for working your chest, shoulders, and triceps while simultaneously mobilizing your hips and lower back. They’re also a little more core-centric than regular push-ups.
So, whether you’re bored of regular push-ups or just want a new challenge, why not give yoga push-ups a go? Try ‘em; we think you’re going to love ‘em!
The Best Anti-Core Exercises for Increased Lumbar Stability
When most people talk about core training or working out in general, they tend to mean exercises that involve movement. For the core, that means things like crunches, sit-ups, hanging leg raises, Russian twists, side bends, etc.
These exercises usually feature a concentric or shortening phase followed by an eccentric or lengthening phase. After all, what goes up, must come down, right?
However, in many instances, the core muscles work isometrically, generating force without changing length. They contract to prevent unwanted movement, which is what the term core stability means.
Training to prevent movement might seem kinda odd. Still, it’s actually critical for various sports and activities in and out of the gym. For example, squats and deadlifts require incredible levels of static core stability, as do overhead barbell presses, push-ups, and barbell curls.
Fitness experts call these static core strengtheners anti-core exercises. The anti refers to how the core muscles work to prevent movement rather than cause it.
Whether you are training for improved aesthetics, better performance, weight loss, or health, anti-core exercises deserve a place in your workouts. If nothing else, preventing unwanted movement of your lumbar spine could help stop lower back injuries.
In this article, we reveal the best anti-core exercises.
Core Anatomy Basics
Core is the collective term for the muscles that encircle your midsection. Some fitness folk also like to include other muscles in the core, such as the glutes and lats, but that just confuses matters. So, for the purposes of this article, the core is the muscles in and around the abdominal region.
The primary muscles that make up the core are:
Rectus abdominis
Located on the front of your abdomen, the rectus abdominis is the large, flat muscle that, when you are lean, has that unique six-pack appearance. The rectus abdominis is responsible for the flexion of your spine and also contributes to lateral flexion.
In anti-core terms, the rectus abdominus prevents extension and lateral flexion of the spine.
Obliques
The obliques are essentially your waist muscles. There are two sets of obliques on each side of your abdomen – internal and external. They work together to rotate and laterally flex your spine.
In anti-core terms, the obliques prevent rotation as well as initiating it.
Transverse abdominis
Known as the TVA for short, this muscle surrounds your abdominal contents like a corset or weightlifting belt. It contracts inward to increase intra-abdominal pressure, stabilizing your spine from within.
If prizes were being given for the most critical anti-core muscle, the TVA would be a shoo-in for the gold medal!
Erector spinae
Erector spinae is a group of muscles that run up either side of your spine, including the
iliocostalis, longissimus, and spinalis, each of which can be subdivided into three further sections. The erector spinae are responsible for extending your spine as well as lateral flexion.
In anti-core terms, the erector spinae prevents flexion and lateral flexion.
Movements of the spine
The spine is a column of 33 individual bones called vertebrae. It’s divided into five sections:
Cervical spine – your neck – made up of 7 vertebrae
Thoracic spine – your upper back – made up of 12 vertebrae
Lumbar spine – your lower back – made up of 5 vertebrae
Sacrum – part of your pelvis – made up of 5 immovable/fused vertebrae
Coccyx – your “tailbone” – made up of 4 immovable/fused vertebrae
The cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae are separated by intervertebral discs, which are sections of tough fibrous cartilage. These discs absorb shock and compress to allow movement.
Speaking of which, the spine is capable of four main movements:
Flexion, i.e., bending forward
Extension, i.e., bending backward
Lateral flexion, i.e., bending sideways
Rotation, i.e., twisting
Movements can also be combined, e.g., flexion with rotation during a twisting crunch.
As such, there are four groups of anti-core exercises, each one designed to prevent one (or more) of these movements. For example, anti-extension exercises emphasize the rectus abdominis, while anti-rotation exercises emphasize the obliques. However, all anti-core exercises involve the transverse abdominis.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Anti-Core Exercises
Not sure if you need to include anti-core exercises in your workouts? Consider these benefits and then decide!
Very functional
Functional training is a very misused term. Many people confuse functional training with technically demanding exercises involving a lot of balance, e.g., squats on a stability ball or curls while slacklining. While these are impressive feats, they’re not examples of real functional training.
In contrast, functional training means doing exercises that have a carry-over to your life outside of the gym, i.e., they improve how you function.
Anti-core exercises train your midsection in a very functional way. People often have to use their core muscles this way during their daily lives, in the gym, or on the sports field. Anti-core exercises will have a significant carry-over to your everyday life.
Spine-friendly
Like any joint, the spine is prone to wear and tear. If you do a lot of crunches, sit-ups, Russian twists, etc., you can cause stress to both the vertebrae and intervertebral discs, and these structures can become worn and damaged.
By their very nature, anti-core exercises involve no movement, so there will much less stress on your vertebrae, spinous ligaments, or discs. In fact, anti-core exercises should not cause lower back stress or pain of any sort – done correctly, of course!
Easy to learn
With no movements to think about, most anti-core exercises are very straightforward and easy to learn. You just have to keep still and prevent movement. That’s not to say these exercises are easy – far from it. However, from a technical performance perspective, the learning curve for most anti-core exercises is pretty short.
While anti-core exercises are mostly beneficial and safe, there are also a few drawbacks to consider:
Usually done for time instead of reps
Many anti-core exercises are held for a predetermined time, e.g., 30 seconds. This means you’ll need to use a timer or be able to see a clock with a second hand. Also, some people prefer to pump out reps, and keeping still may be less appealing.
Elevated blood pressure
Isometric anti-core exercises can cause a short-term increase in blood pressure (1). This is because the muscles are contracted, which reduces blood flow. This should be no issue for people with healthy blood pressure but could be problematic for anyone with hypertension.
This problem can be reduced by never holding your breath during anti-core exercises. Breath-holding can have a significant effect on blood pressure.
Speak to your doctor if you have high blood pressure before doing any of the exercises in this article.
Five Best Anti-Flexion Core Exercises
Anti-flexion exercises emphasize your erector spinae muscles. These exercises are good for improving your posture and protecting your lower back from pain and injuries.
1. Back extension hold
Anti-flexion exercises don’t come much simpler than the back extension hold. Done for time, this exercise teaches you to use your back muscles to resist the pull of gravity. Back extension holds are an excellent stepping stone onto more demanding exercises and is ideal for beginners.
Steps:
Mount your back extension machine (45-degree or horizontal) and get into the mid-point of the exercise so your body is straight. Brace your core and engage your glutes and hamstrings.
Without holding your breath, maintain your position for as long as possible.
Yes, all that shaking is perfectly normal.
Relax, rest a moment, and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Erector spinae, core, gluteus maximus, hamstrings.
Benefits:
Very easy to learn.
Very accessible as most gyms have a back-extension machine.
Easy to progress/regress by altering the time of each hold.
Tips:
Work up to holding for 2-3 minutes per rep.
Make this exercise harder by holding a weight to your chest or using resistance bands.
Keep your knees slightly bent throughout for comfort and safety.
2. Cobra Superman hold
No back-extension machine? No problem! You can work on your anti-flexion strength with this straightforward floor exercise. On the downside, it can be a little uncomfortable, so make sure you use a mat to avoid any unnecessary pain.
Steps:
Lie on the floor on your front and place your hands on your temples.
Lift your head, chest, arms, legs, and feet a few inches off the floor so you’re balancing on your abdomen and hips only.
Hold this position for as long as possible.
Muscles targeted:
Erector spinae, gluteus maximus, hamstrings, core, trapezius, rhomboids, deltoids.
Benefits:
An ideal exercise for home workouts.
No equipment required.
Good for improving spine mobility.
Tips:
Place a folded mat under your hips for comfort.
Take care not to hyperextend your spine.
Do not hold your breath.
3. Dual kettlebell front rack carry
While stationary exercises like back extension and Superman/cobra holds are effective, they don’t teach you to stabilize your spine during movement. As such, they’re good preparatory exercises but also need to be progressed. Dual kettlebell front rack carries train you to resist flexion while moving your legs, so they’re much more functional.
Steps:
Rack and hold two kettlebells on your shoulders. Pull your shoulders down and back, and brace your core. Look straight ahead.
Keeping your torso upright, walk around your training area until you start to tire.
Lower the weights to the floor, rest, and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Erector spinae, gluteus maximus, hamstrings, core, trapezius, rhomboids, deltoids.
Benefits:
A highly functional exercise.
Good for integrating your core with your upper and lower body.
An excellent general strength and conditioning exercise.
Tips:
Use dumbbells instead of kettlebells if preferred.
Use gym chalk to stop your hands from slipping.
Use one weight only to add anti-lateral flexion to this exercise.
4. Romanian deadlift
While most people do RDLs to strengthen their glutes and hamstrings, it’s actually a very effective anti-flexion exercise. However, you need to be able to resist flexion in isolation first, e.g., with back extension holds, before attempting this exercise.
Steps:
Hold a barbell with an overhand, shoulder-width grip. Stand with your feet between shoulder and hip-width apart, knees slightly bent.
Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back.
Hinging from your hips, lean forward and lower the bar down the fronts of your legs. Do NOT round your lower back.
Drive your hips forward, stand up straight, and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Erector spinae, gluteus maximus, hamstrings, core, trapezius, rhomboids, deltoids, forearms.
Benefits:
An excellent exercise for your entire posterior chain.
Easy to scale by adding or subtracting weight.
A proven way to learn how to hip hinge, which is a prerequisite for many more demanding exercises, such as kettlebell swings and power cleans.
Tips:
Remove your shoes to keep your heels on the floor and your weight toward the back of your feet.
Use chalk or lifting straps to reinforce your grip.
Keep your chest up and your lower back slightly but tightly arched throughout.
Related: Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs) Guide
5. Deadlift
The barbell deadlift is one of the best bang-for-your-buck exercises you can do. Working a large percentage of the muscles in your body, deadlifts have the potential to build muscle size and strength like no other. However, the key to a good deadlift is keeping your spine extended, which is what also makes them an excellent anti-flexion exercise.
Steps:
Place a loaded barbell on the floor. Ideally, the bar should be about mid-shin height.
Stand with your toes under the bar, feet between shoulder and hip-width apart.
Bend down and hold the barbell with an overhand or mixed shoulder-width grip.
Straighten your arms, drop your hips, and lift your chest. Brace your core and pull your shoulders back and down.
Drive your feet into the floor and stand up, ensuring your hips don’t rise faster than the bar.
Push your hips back, bend your legs, and lower the weight back to the floor.
Allow it to settle for a couple of seconds, reset your core and grip, and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Erector spinae, gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quadriceps, core, trapezius, rhomboids, deltoids, forearms.
Benefits:
One of the most productive barbell exercises you can do.
Teaches you how to lift heavy objects off the floor safely.
A very time-efficient exercise that trains multiple muscle groups at the same time.
Tips:
Place your barbell on blocks or in a power rack if you tend to round your back when deadlifting from the floor.
Do NOT bounce the bar off the floor. Instead, allow the weight to “go dead” between reps for safety and best results.
Experiment with an overhand and mixed grip to see which you prefer.
Related: 9 Weeks to a Bigger Deadlift Program
Five Best Anti-Extension Core Exercises
Anti-extension exercises target your rectus abdominis. Working on your anti-extension strength will lessen the likelihood of hyperextending your spine during athletic and everyday activities.
1. Plank
The plank is the original anti-extension core exercise. With roots in yoga and Pilates, this exercise has been around for centuries. However, despite being so common, many people do this exercise incorrectly. Don’t be one of them!
Steps:
Kneel down and rest your forearms on the floor. Your elbows should be under your shoulders, lower arms parallel. Brace your core and pull your shoulders back and down.
Walk your feet out and back to form a straight line with your shoulders and hips.
Hold this position for the required duration. However, do not hold your breath.
Muscles targeted:
Rectus abdominus, core, hip flexors.
Benefits:
No equipment required.
An excellent preparatory exercise for more advanced movements.
An easy exercise to progress or regress.
Tips:
Try to increase muscle tension instead of holding for excessively long durations.
Bend your legs and rest on your knees to make this exercise easier.
Rest your forearms on a stability ball to make this exercise more challenging.
Related: Plank Progressions and Variations for Stronger Abs
2. Dead bug
Dead bugs teach you to resist extension while moving your arms and legs, which is how your core muscles often have to work in nature. This is a highly functional anti-core move that’s suitable for all levels of exerciser.
Steps:
Lie on your back with your legs bent and arms extended up toward the ceiling. Brace your core and press your lower back into the floor.
Extend your left arm and right leg and lower them to the floor. Keep your lower back pressed down.
Return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.
Continue alternating arms/legs for the duration of your set.
Muscles targeted:
Rectus abdominus, core, hip flexors.
Benefits:
A very lower back-friendly exercise.
A very functional anti-extension core exercise.
No equipment required, so ideal for home workouts.
Tips:
Make this exercise easier by only lowering your arms OR legs.
Make it more challenging by lowering both arms and legs together.
Increase the intensity of this exercise by holding dumbbells or a medicine ball.
3. Overhead Pallof press
The Pallof press was invented by Bostonian physical therapist John Pallof. Unlike many anti-core exercises, this one uses weights to overload your muscles. As such, it can be progressed just like any other strength-training exercise, i.e., by increasing the load. Unlike the traditional anti-rotation Pallof press, this is an anti-extension exercise.
Steps:
Attach a rope handle to a high pulley. Grab the handle and then turn your back to the cable machine. Hold your hands at shoulder height. Brace your core and adopt a split stance for balance.
Without leaning forward or backward, raise your arms above your head. Note how the tension on your core increases as you extend your arms.
Lower your hands back to your shoulders and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Rectus abdominis, core, pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, deltoids.
Benefits:
Can be made as easy or as challenging as required by adjusting the weight.
Teaches you how to integrate your upper and lower body with your core.
A good exercise for improving shoulder mobility and stability.
Tips:
The narrower/closer your feet are, the more challenging this exercise becomes.
You can also do this exercise with a resistance band.
Experiment with different height cables to see what works best for you.
4. Rollout
Rollouts are like a moving plank. As you extend your arms, the tension on your core increases dramatically, and you’ll have to work harder to prevent lumbar spine extension. Rollouts also provide an intense lat workout. An ab roller is an excellent investment!
Steps:
Kneel down and hold your roller with an overhand grip. Place the roller on the floor in front of your knees. Brace your core and pull your shoulders back and down.
Push the roller out in front of you and lower your chest and abdomen down to the floor. Do not allow your lower back to extend.
Using your abs and lats, pull the roller back up to your legs.
That’s one rep – keep going!
Muscles targeted:
Rectus abdominus, core, latissimus dorsi, triceps.
Benefits:
A low-tech exercise that’s ideal for home workouts.
Can be modified to suit most levels of exerciser.
A challenging, effective anti-extension core exercise.
Tips:
Do this exercise from standing for a more intense workout.
Don’t extend your arms so far to make this exercise less challenging.
No ab roller? No problem! You can also do this exercise with a barbell.
Related: Rollouts: Benefits, Technique, And Alternatives
5. Extended plank
Planks are an excellent exercise. However, if you can do them for over a minute or two, they probably aren’t challenging enough to increase core strength. This variation takes your hands and feet further apart to make them much more demanding.
Steps:
Firstly, lie on your back with your arms stretched out to the side. Make marks on the floor with your fingertips to determine your “wingspan.”
Next, place your feet on one mark and your hands on the other. This is your extended plank position.
Brace your core and hold the extended plank position for as long as possible, taking care not to hyperextend your lumber spine or hold your breath.
Muscles targeted:
Rectus abdominus, core, hip flexors.
Benefits:
No equipment required.
A much more challenging way to do planks.
An excellent anti-extension move for advanced exercisers.
Tips:
Shorten the distance between markers if you cannot do this exercise correctly, or you can feel it in your lower back.
Ensure your hands are dry and won’t slip to avoid accidentally face-planting the floor.
This is a very challenging core exercise, so proceed with caution.
Five Best Anti-Lateral Flexion Core Exercises
Anti-lateral flexion exercises strengthen your obliques, rectus abdominis, and erector spinae muscles, albeit one side at a time. Improving your ability to resist lateral flexion will ensure you can keep your torso upright when dealing with unilateral or unbalanced loads.
1. Side plank
The side plank is an excellent introduction to anti-lateral flexion exercises. It’s a little harder than front planks but just as simple to learn. This exercise is popular in group workout classes for a reason!
Steps:
Lie on your side and rest on your forearm. Your body and legs should be straight. Brace your core.
Lift your hips off the floor and hold them up for the required duration.
Lower your hips back to the floor, roll over, and repeat on the opposite side.
Muscles targeted:
Obliques, rectus abdominus, erector spinae, deltoids.
Benefits:
No equipment required, so ideal for home workouts.
Easy to learn and master, so perfect for novice exercisers.
An excellent preparatory exercise for more demanding anti-lateral flexion movements.
Tips:
Rest your elbow on a folded exercise mat or foam pad for comfort.
Bend your legs to make this exercise easier.
You can also do this exercise with your supporting arm extended:
2. Single-arm farmer’s walk
Exercises don’t come much more functional than the single-arm farmer’s walk. However, despite its simplicity, this exercise can be extremely challenging. All you need is a single dumbbell, kettlebell, or heavy bag, so this exercise is ideal for home workouts.
Steps:
Hold a heavy weight in one hand, arm by your side. Brace your core and make sure your hips and shoulders are level.
Without leaning sideways, go for a walk around your training area.
On completion, lower the weight to the floor, swap hands, and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Obliques, rectus abdominus, erector spinae, forearms.
Benefits:
A highly functional core.
Can be modified for all levels of strength by increasing or reducing the weight.
An excellent way to develop a stronger, more enduring grip.
Tips:
Chalk your hands or use lifting straps to reinforce your grip if necessary.
Walk in zigzags to destabilize the weight and make this exercise more demanding.
Take care not to lean sideways or shrug your shoulders during this exercise.
3. Single-arm waiter’s walk
The single-arm waiter’s walk is similar to the farmer’s walk, but the weight is held overhead and not down by your side. This increases the stability demand of this exercise. Take care not to go too heavy too soon with this exercise; it’s harder than it looks!
Steps:
Lift and hold a single dumbbell or kettlebell overhead. Brace your core and engage your shoulders and upper back to stabilize the load.
Without leaning sideways, go for a walk around your training area.
On completion, lower the weight to the floor, swap sides, and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Obliques, rectus abdominus, erector spinae, deltoids.
Benefits:
A challenging and effective anti-lateral flexion exercise.
Builds stronger, more stable shoulders.
Can be modified for all levels of strength by increasing or reducing the weight.
Tips:
Chalk your hands or use lifting straps to reinforce your grip if necessary.
Walk in zigzags to destabilize the weight and make this exercise more demanding.
Take care not to lean sideways or shrug your shoulders during this exercise.
4. Single-arm overhead press
Overhead presses are great for building bigger shoulders and triceps. However, when you switch from using both arms to just one, they become an excellent ant-lateral flexion exercise. Requiring just one weight, this anti-core move is ideal for home workouts.
Steps:
Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in one hand at shoulder height. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and brace your core. Make sure your hips and shoulders are level.
Without leaning sideways, press your weight up and overhead to arm’s length.
Lower the weight back to your shoulder and repeat.
Switch hands and do the same number of reps with your other arm.
Muscles targeted:
Obliques, rectus abdominus, erector spinae, deltoids.
Benefits:
A very functional upper-body and core exercise.
An excellent way to identify and fix left-to-right strength imbalances.
A very accessible, practical exercise.
Tips:
Do this exercise in front of a mirror to ensure you’re keeping your shoulders level.
Use less weight than you would for a two-handed overhead press.
You can also do this exercise with a barbell, which is an exercise called the javelin press:
5. Suitcase deadlift
The suitcase deadlift is so-called because it’s the same technique you’d use to pick up a single bag at the airport. This awesome exercise teaches you how to maintain a neutral and stable spine while generating force with your legs.
Steps:
Place a kettlebell or dumbbell on the floor and then stand sideways on to it. The handle should run parallel to your feet.
Squat down and grab the handle with a neutral or palms-in grip.
Pull your shoulders down and back, brace your core, and look straight ahead.
Drive your feet into the floor and stand up straight, taking care not to lean sideways.
Lower the weight back to the flood and repeat.
Turn around and do the same number of reps on the opposite side.
Muscles targeted:
Obliques, rectus abdominus, erector spinae, gluteus maximus, hamstrings, forearms.
Benefits:
A high degree of crossover with activities outside of the gym.
An effective and functional anti-lateral flexion exercise.
An excellent deadlift assistance exercise.
Tips:
Use gym chalk or lifting straps to stop your hands from slipping.
Do this exercise in front of a mirror to ensure your torso, hips, and shoulders are straight.
Experiment with your stance width to see what works best for you.
Five Best Anti-Rotation Core Exercises
Anti-rotation exercises target your obliques. Having stronger obliques will help you prevent unwanted twisting during activities like running, kicking, and throwing. Anti-rotation is especially important during contralateral activities where you use one arm and the opposite leg, e.g., running.
1. Bird-dogs
Bird-dogs are one of the most basic anti-rotation exercises around. Ideal for beginners, this exercise teaches you how to stabilize your core as you move your arms and legs. Bird-dogs are also an excellent muscle activation exercise and are perfect for warm-ups.
Steps:
Kneel on all fours with your shoulders over your hands and your hips over your knees.
Brace your core and set your shoulders down and back.
Keeping your hips and shoulders level, extend your right arm and left leg.
Lower them back to the floor and repeat.
On completion of your set, swap sides and do the same number of reps with the opposite arm and leg. Or, if preferred, you can use an alternating arm and leg action.
Muscles targeted:
Obliques, rectus abdominis, gluteus maximus, hamstrings, deltoids, erector spinae.
Benefits:
An excellent exercise for lower back pain sufferers.
A great movement for beginners.
No equipment required, so ideal for home workouts.
Tips:
Kneel on a folded exercise mat for comfort.
Use ankle/wrist weights to make this exercise more challenging.
You can also do this exercise in a high plank position like this:
2. Pallof press
The Pallof press is one of the most widely-performed anti-rotation core exercises. Popular with almost every type of exerciser, it’s safe to say that this move delivers. If you’ve never done Pallof presses before, you are in for a treat, but if you’re already doing them, you should definitely continue!
Steps:
Attach a D-shaped handle to a cable machine set to mid-chest height.
Stand side-on to the pulley and hold the handle on both hands. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart, with your knees slightly bent. Brace your core.
Pull your hands into your chest and step away from the machine to load the cable.
Without moving your hips or shoulders, extend your arms out in front of you. Feel how the tension on your muscles increases as you straighten your arms.
Bend your arms and return your hands to your chest.
Repeat for the required number of reps and then switch sides.
Muscles targeted:
Obliques, rectus abdominis, erector spinae, pectoralis major, deltoids, triceps,
Benefits:
An ideal exercise for beginners.
A very spine-friendly anti-core exercise.
Very scalable – just adjust the load to reflect your current strength.
Tips:
You can also do this exercise with a resistance band.
Vary the height of your arms to work your core from different angles.
Try doing Pallof presses in a half-kneeling position for variety, like this:
3. Single-leg Romanian deadlift
While regular Romanian deadlifts are an excellent anti-flexion exercise, switching to one leg/one arm means you’ll also have to work hard to prevent twisting. This exercise is also great for improving balance and stability and is ideal for runners and other athletes.
Steps:
Stand with your feet together and a dumbbell or kettlebell in your left hand. Shift your weight over onto your right foot. Brace your core and pull your shoulders back and down.
Hinge forward from your hips and lower the weight down the front of your leg. Extend your left leg out behind you for balance.
Stand back up and repeat.
Rest a moment and then do the same number of reps on the opposite leg, remembering to switch hands, too.
Muscles targeted:
Obliques, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, rectus abdominis, erector spinae.
Benefits:
A time-efficient way to train your core and lower body simultaneously.
An excellent exercise for better balance and coordination.
Easier on your lower back than two-legged Romanian deadlifts.
Tips:
Rest your non-working foot lightly on the floor for balance if needed, i.e., B-stance or kickstand RDLs.
Try holding the weight in the same hand rather than the opposite hand. This is considerably more demanding.
Do this exercise next to a wall or handrail for balance if required.
Related: Why the Single Leg Romanian Deadlift Deserves to Be the Hero of Your Workout
4. Renegade row
Renegade rows are among the most challenging anti-rotation exercises, even with light to moderate weights. However, if you’ve mastered Pallof presses and can do bird-dogs in your sleep, this is the exercise you’ve been waiting for!
Steps:
With a dumbbell in each hand, squat down, and place them on the floor.
Walk your feet out into the push-up position. Brace your core and tense your legs.
Bend one arm and row your dumbbell up and into your lower ribs.
Lower the weight back to the floor, switch arms, and repeat.
Alternate arms for the required number of reps.
Muscles targeted:
Obliques, rectus abdominus, latissimus dorsi, biceps, triceps, deltoids, erector spinae.
Benefits:
A total core exercise that teaches you to stabilize your core as you move your arms and legs.
A time-efficient conditioning exercise that burns lots of calories.
A challenging movement that’s ideal for intermediate and advanced exercisers.
Tips:
Wear a weighted vest to make this exercise even harder.
Use hexagonal dumbbells for increased stability and safety.
Combine renegade rows with push-ups for a complete upper-body and core workout:
Related: Renegade Rows Guide
5. Single-arm cable chest press
While the single-arm chest press is not an especially good exercise for your pecs, it is an excellent anti-rotation core exercise. It teaches you how to integrate your core with your upper and lower body.
Steps:
Attach a D-shaped handle to a chest-high cable machine. Hold the handle and turn your back on the machine so the cable runs outside your arm. Adopt a split stance for balance. Brace your core.
Keeping your hips and shoulders stationary, push your arm forward and out to full extension.
Bend your arm, bring the handle back to your chest, and repeat.
Switch sides and do the same number of reps with the other arm.
Muscles targeted:
Obliques, rectus abdominus, pectoralis major, deltoids, triceps, erector spinae.
Benefits:
A very lower back-friendly anti-rotation exercise.
Infinitely scalable by increasing or reducing the weight.
Suitable for beginner, intermediate, and advanced exercisers.
Tips:
Press up at an incline to change the feel of this exercise.
Do this exercise with your feet together to challenge your core and balance more.
Do this exercise with a resistance band or in a half-kneeling position:
Anti-Core Exercises – FAQs
Do you have a question about anti-core exercises? No problem, because we’ve got the answers!
1. How many reps and sets should I do?
There is no magic number of reps you should use to train your core. You will make progress whether you do 10 or 30 reps per set. That said, lower reps are generally more time-efficient, so it’s worth choosing exercises that are demanding enough to fatigue your muscles relatively quickly, e.g., between 12-20. Wherever possible, avoid very high-rep sets, e.g., 50.
In terms of sets, 3-5 should be sufficient for most people. If you can do more, the chances are that you a) aren’t getting close enough to failure or b) are resting too long between efforts.
2. How often should I do anti-core exercises?
It’s generally accepted that it takes 48-72 hours for a muscle or muscle group to recover from a workout. As such, you should aim to do anti-core exercises 2-3 times per week on non-consecutive days, e.g., Monday and Thursday, or Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This provides a good balance between work and recovery.
Training your core more often, i.e., daily, won’t necessarily produce better results, and could even lead to overtraining.
3. Will anti-core exercises give me a six-pack?
While doing anti-core exercises will develop your six-pack muscle (the rectus abdominis) and other critical core muscles, you won’t be able to see them until your body fat percentage is low enough. This usually means under ten percent for men and 15 percent for women.
It’s true what they say – six-pack abs are made in the kitchen, and your diet will determine if your abs and core muscles are visible.
4. Are anti-core exercises safe?
Because they involve minimal movement, most anti-core exercises are very safe. As long as you brace and stabilize your spine correctly, there should be very little stress on your intervertebral discs or spinous ligaments, so many are even okay for folk who suffer from back pain.
That said, exercises that involve additional movements, e.g., suitcase deadlifts and single-arm overhead presses, are somewhat riskier than static exercises like planks and side planks.
However, if performed correctly and with appropriate loads, there is a very low risk of injury with most anti-core exercises.
5. Do I have to do anti-core exercises – aren’t regular core exercises enough?
While all core exercises are beneficial, anti-core exercises are often more functional. That’s because you often need to use these muscles to prevent unwanted movement of your lumbar spine, e.g., during deadlifts, push-ups, and overhead presses.
If your core is strong, you may not need to do a lot of anti-core training. However, if your lumbar spine lacks the stability it needs, then anti-core exercises are a must.
Wrapping Up
Whether you’re training for performance, aesthetics, or health, your workouts should include anti-core exercises. Anti-core exercises teach you how to stabilize your lumbar spine, which will protect you from lower back injury.
A more stable spine will also let you do more reps with heavier loads, making the rest of your workout more effective.
With 20 anti-core exercises to choose from, you have more than enough options to keep you busy and progressing for years to come. Include anti-core exercises in all your midsection workouts for best results.
References:
Hanson P, Nagle F. Isometric Exercise: Cardiovascular Responses in Normal and Cardiac Populations. Cardiol Clin. 1987 May;5(2):157-70. PMID: 2884033. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2884033
How to Do Fish Pose (Matsyasana): Muscles Worked, How-To, Benefits, and Variations
One of the fun parts about learning yoga poses is that you can imagine how the name correlates to what the movement looks like. Fish pose is a rear bending, counterasana (to the shoulder stand) technique, where you prop up on the elbows, lift the heart toward the sky, draw the head back, and gently settle the crown of the head on the floor.
The term matsyasana, its sangskrit name, is also used to identify this pose, matsya or “fish”, and asana, “posture”.
The benefits of this pose extend (pun intended) from the head down to the hips, relieving tension in the neck and throat, lengthening the back and spine, strengthening the arms and delts, and refreshing the abdomen and midsection.
Fish pose is a good counter to keyboard neck, while targeting the throat energy center, chest, and abdomen where we hold lots of anxious tension from stressful habits.
In this guide, you’ll find the best fish pose techniques, while learning about the benefits, beginner variations, and how to make Matsyasana more challenging and advanced.
Muscles Worked During Fish Pose Matsyasana
The fish pose is an opportunity to stretch and strengthen your upper body muscles. The following section is for those who’d like to better understand how these muscles work, their location, and benefits.
Back
The fish pose is a type of backbend pose where the elbows help support the upper body. It’s similar to a bodyweight variation that works the back muscles. However, in a yoga pose, you’ll strengthen the back via an isometric hold, rather than performing actual repetitions with a positive and negative component.
Having several muscles in the back, each has a special role, moving the shoulder blades and arms.
Arms
The arms have an important role in supporting your bodyweight as you tilt your head back onto the floor. Without them it’s not happening. Try the pose and notice that it requires strong arms and shoulders. The tree heads on the ear upper arm, aka triceps are great for stabilizing the arm while the back delts keep the arms behind you.
Deltoids
Fish pose also creates resistance for the shoulders to support, stabilize and decelerate the body when dropping the head back. The anterior delt stretches out when reclining on the elbows, while the back delts decelerate the drop, and keep you up.
Core muscles
No one every thinks about stretching the core muscles and midsection. Yoga techniques like fish pose give us an excuse to do so. Made of the abdominal muscles both deep and superificial, obliques, and spinal column muscles, the torso has many muscles that stabilize our trunk and help us bend in various directions.
How To Do Fish Pose Matsyasana
Not too difficult, most reasonable fit people have the ability to get into a fish pose. Use the following step by step instructions and video demonstration to guide your technique. Then, once you’ve mastered it, or if you need a regression, scroll down for some awesome variations.
Steps
Come onto your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. You also want to keep your lower back flat on the ground so there’s no space underneath.
Slide your hands under your butt, tucking your elbows under your back as close to together as possible, then straighten your legs.
Inhale deeply, then sit up halfway, look down at your feet, and place your elbows and forearms under your back in a reverse plank to hold yourself up.
Now lift your chest, roll your shoulders back, and slowly drop the top of your head onto the floor. Balance gently on your elbows and head. Hold this position for 10-15 seconds.
Slowly undo the pose by lying flat on your back, bending your knees, and moving your arms out from underneath your back.
Spread your legs a few feet apart, and move your arms slightly out away from your body in what’s called a corpse or Shavasana pose. Stretch your neck by moving it to the left and right. Remember to breathe in and out.
Now bring your feet together, reach your arms back overhead, and inhale. Then bring your arms back to a resting position next to your body and exhale.
Then slowly sit up.
Here’s a beautifully done tutorial on the fish pose Matsvasana.
Tips
Ideally, you should not be an absolute beginner before performing this exercise. Fish pose places the neck in extension and loads the spine, therefore, you should be somewhat fit, and aware of your body before attempting this technique.
We highly recommend using a yoga mat or soft surface for this pose for comfort, support, and to avoid hitting your head hard on the floor.
If you’re an absolute beginner, we recommend having something to support your back like a junior bolster, or some yoga blankets to prop you up roughly five to six inches high.
It’s important to not place too much weight on the head, the hips and shoulders be supporting most of your weight.
It’s crucial that your head is aligned with an even spine, not allowing your head to just fall back at a sharp angle.
This Exercise
Target Muscle Group: Back, abdomen, neck
Type: Yoga
Mechanics: Isolation
Equipment: Cushioned surface, exercise mat, junior bolster (Optional), yoga blankets (Optional), yoga blocks (Optional)
Difficulty: Intermediate
Benefits of Fish Pose Matsyasana
Fish pose incorporated a backbend which has many benefits in itself. Here are the highlights of this yoga technique.
Stretch your neck, chest, shoulders, back and throat muscles
Stretching is a healthy habit for healthy, flexible, mobile, and strong muscles. Functional joints that bend and move can only do so when a muscle contracts and expands. If they’re tight, you’ll have limited range of motion, and open yourself up for injuries.
The fish pose is a type of backbend technique that places the body in a position to lengthen the abdominal muscles in the core, the spine, back, neck, and even the front deltoids. It’s so useful that you could do it everyday.
Interrupts negative affects of declining posture
Let’s face it, our postural muscles take lots of abuse especially nowadays, due to being so immersed in the dopamine that comes out of our electronic devices. Forward head posture is a pose itself, although not a good one.
Fish pose does the opposite, helping to improve and reverse this common modern problem. Your chest, spine, shoulders, and neck are all affected from bad stance, and doing the opposite is part of the solution.
Counter stretch tech neck
Forward head posture, turtle neck, or whatever you’d like to call it… a common modern body posture where the neck is far in front of the head. This can cause pressure, sore muscles, a weak neck, more stress, and it’s bad news. The fish pose counters this posture by pulling the head back and stretching the muscles in the neck.
Target the stress centers
Fish pose is a triple whammy for relaxing and shedding off some stress. It targets the throat chakras (associated with expression, and confidence), the stomach muscles, and opens up the chest which are key areas we feel noticeable discomfort when anxious and stressed.
Opening up the chest is also good because we lean forward so much looking at our phones. This can cause thoracic outlet syndrome where the nerves, veins, and arteries become compressed in the neck and chest, causing numbness and the tingles in the arms, shoulders, and neck.
Common Mistakes While Performing Fish Pose
In a pose like this one, you want to be sure to avoid mistakes that could place you in a dangerous position.
Too much weight on the head
What you don’t want to do is focus on leaning your weight back on your head. Although it’s tempting! Instead, use your legs, core, back, arms and shoulders to control the movement, then gently tip the crown of your head on the floor into the fish pose.
A helpful trick is to try and distribute 80 percent of your weight through the legs, core and back, while only allowing 20 percent of your weight to shift onto the head.
Steep drop off at the head
If you’re in the correct position from toe to head, then you should be in the proper alignment to safely tilt your head back and rest it on the floor. The mistake is letting your head snap back, steeply bending at the neck. Think of arcing your torso in a semi rainbow shape, actively engaging your back muscles and shoulders to help you get in an accurate and safe pose.
Too much uneven (Lower) back arch
There does need to be some lower back arch to effectively complete the fish pose. But you don’t want to overdo it. You see, the lower back is more mobile compared to the upper back. And if you don’t have a proper hold on your positional abilities it’s easy to overcompensate and overarch your lower back. While that’s not reciprocated for the upper back.
This can cause issues in the disc fluids in your spine and hence, result in pain while making you more susceptible injuries.
The solution: Focus on lengthening your spine, lifting the chest toward the sky, and pulling the shoulders back to create more arch in the upper back, and torso as a whole.
Variations of Fish Pose Matsyasana
These variations can make the fish pose easier, more challenging, or touch an area that the basic fish pose doesn’t. See some common variations below.
Fish block with yoga block under the back
If the basic fish pose is too hard, yoga blocks are much appreciated. It’ll support your back so that you can rest in the arched position, and focus on your breathing with less muscular effort.
Steps
Place the block on the mat standing on its long end.
Lie back on the block so it’s across both shoulder blades, then straight your legs, and relax your arms by your sides after you’ve found a comfortable position.
Drop your head back until its resting on the floor. You may need to adjust the block under your back, then continue the technique. Bring our feet together and relax your body.
When you’re ready, lift up on your elbows, remove the block, and then lie flat on your back in the corpse pose. Rest here, then slowly get up.
For more support, use a block or junior bolster under your head and neck too.
Fish pose in lotus or with legs crossed
You can do a more basic or advanced version of fish pose with legs crossed. You can cross your legs under your bottom, or if you have good flexibility, you can cross them over your your upper thighs. The former is good for beginners, while the former will take more time.
Both will stretch the hips and groin, supporting healthy movement in the hip flexors and lower body.
Steps
While lying on your back with your arms under your body, cross your legs under your butt.
Proceed to lift up onto your forearms, and pull your head back to the floor.
Camel pose
More of a preparatory technique, the camel pose is a modified exercise that includes a backbend while sitting upright. It still carries all the same benefits, but is just performed a little differently to the fish pose.
Steps
The following instructions and video tutorial demonstrate two phases of the camel pose. One to prepare you for the backbend, and then the actual technique.
Begin in a vajrasana position sitting on the floor with your knees bent and calves under your bottom.
Stand on your knees, so that your shins and the top of your feet are in contact with the mat, and your torso is tall and upright. Widen your legs into a comfortably balanced position.
Now place your hands on your lower back, with the fingers pointed down.
Inhale, then slowly push your hips forward, while slowly arcing your upper body, leaning back, exhaling, and shifting your gaze up.
Repeat this a few more times.
Inhale, slowly push your hips forward while exhaling, slowly lean back and bring your arms down to your ankles. Arch your torso and drop your head back toward the floor, so the crown of the head is pointing straight down.
Inhale, then transition to the child’s pose where you lean forward into the floor while outstretching your arms forward.
Flying fish pose
You’ll engage more core, hips, and anterior deltoids, while the flying fish pose includes muscle strengthening components involving the legs and arms. Consequently, it’s more advanced but also more risky because now there’s more weight on the head and neck. So you need to be proficient in the regular fish pose, and you need to understand how to safely focus your weight through your body.
Steps
Note: For the flying fish variation, start with your arms by your sides, not underneath your back and butt.
From the fish pose position with your head back and resting on the floor, lift your legs until they’re roughly 45 degrees to the floor.
Now extend your arms in the same direction as your legs, so they’re roughly parallel.
Hold for about 10 seconds.
To undo the pose, bring your elbows to the supporting position, then slowly drop your legs down to the floor.
Reverse plank
While it’s not technically a type of fish pose, you’re already in a similar position. The reverse plank is arguably more challenging than basic plank where you’re facing the floor, and it will help to strengthen the muscles that we use in a fish pose.
FAQs
Who should not do the fish pose?The people who should avoid fish pose are those suffer from blood pressure issues, migraines, vertigo or injuries in the neck, back, and spine.
How long should I hold the fish pose position? Try to maintain the fish pose for 10-15 seconds which is approximately 3-5 breaths.
We recommend using props like yoga blocks or blankets if you want to hold the pose for longer and up to a minute or more.
Wrapping Up
Fish pose is a technique that’ll get you excited to get down on the mat, because it tackles elements that we’re not typically used too. Stimulating the throat chakras, expanding the pecs, stretching the abdominals, and unraveling bottled up tension and stress is an easy sell.
This guide has everything you need to simulate matsyasana, and if you’re not ready or a novice, there are beginner techniques, as well as a bigger challenge in more advanced versions. We strongly recommend checking out the fish pose tips section and don’t skimp over the common mistakes as this meditation includes neck and spine extension. But it can be performed perfectly safe with attention to proper technique!
How to Do a Tree Pose (Vrksasana): Muscles Worked, Benefits, and Variations
Tree pose, also known as Vrksasana is a body posture reminiscent of a healthy, tall, and resilient tree. Rooted down by the feet, and supported by the pelvis and core muscles, this yoga technique combines balance, coordination, flexibility, pelvic stability, core strength, and upper body mobility. But you’re also reaping the rewards of increased focus, and concentration while opening the hips, lengthening the spine, and strengthening the legs and feet.
For such a simple pose, Vrksasana sure carries along lots of advantages, and there are lots of reasons to do it daily. In this guide, we want to walk you through a proper tree pose while discussing the advantages, drawbacks, commonly performed mistakes and more.
Muscles Worked
While the tree pose is NOT a “muscle-building exercise”, it is a body and mind-building pose that will help keep your muscles loose, flexible, and functional as they move the joints. Learn about the muscles targeted with this technique.
Legs
Powerful and resilient, the legs represent the trunk while the feet are the roots that ground you in the tree pose. The weight bearing leg takes on more of the load than normal, while the glutes, hips and pelvis help to stabilize the trunk and act as support for the remaining steps.
Core
Strong core muscles support an upright posture and open diaphragm, which translates to healthier breathing, and hence better focus, and energy.
Shoulders
Lifted shoulders also help open the chest and back area to release tension, and promote posing stamina.
How To Do The Tree Pose (Vrksasana)
If you have the flexibility, and experience, the tree pose may be easy for you. But for everyone else, it will take some practice. While this technique appears to be simple and easy, well, try it and see if that’s true. You may be very surprised at how difficult it can be.
That’s why we created this step by step guide with video demonstrations, tips, and how to fix common mistakes. The key is to be patient, don’t rush, and make sure your body is aligned, tall, and balanced, while engaging the necessary muscles.
Steps
Stand tall with your feet together.
Slowly lift one knee up to roughly belly button height, then grab the front of the knee with both hands to keep the leg up.
From here, root down through all four corners of your standing foot, and align your pelvis and core to find your balance. Keep your pelvis straight and in line with your body, and low back lengthened.
Then grab the ankle of your lifted leg with the same-side hand, and rotate your thigh outward to open the hips.
Now flex your foot by lifting the toes up, then bring the sole of your foot as high as you can on the standing-leg inner thigh with your toes facing down.
Press your foot into the squishy part of your thigh and pull your thigh into the foot to keep it in place and avoid it sliding down the leg.
Here you can bring your hands together by your heart, or extend your arms overhead. Hold for 30-60 seconds.
Take your foot off the inner thigh, bring the knee to waist height, then place it back on the floor.
You can then switch legs, pulling the opposite foot to your inner thigh, and repeat the movement.
Check the short tree pose video demonstration below.
If you have 12 minutes for a more in-depth tutorial that shows all the technique tips and tricks, we highly recommend watching the following video.
Tips
Before you start the pose, spread your toes and bring awareness to your feet. After all, the feet are the roots and you want to feel a strong base before beginning.
Before you lift the leg and foot into position on your inner thigh, ease yourself into it by first lifting one heel off the ground with the toes still on the ground.
Remember to keep the pelvis tucked in and aligned with your torso. Do not let your buck curl up and arch the lower back.
Gently push yourself into the correct position if the pelvis shifts back or to the side when the foot is pressed into the inner thigh.
Use a wall or place your foot on the lower leg, rather than the top of the inner thigh for support, if you have trouble balancing.
It’s important to root your feet and stand tall in maintaining good balance.
Keep in mind, everyone may not have the same exact form during the tree pose.
If you want more of a challenge, try closing your eyes or looking up at the ceiling to train your balance.
Benefits of Tree Pose Vrksasana
There may not appear to be so many benefits of the tree pose, but we can assure you that there are many worthwhile. Here are the unique benefits of this exercise.
A functional test of balance, coordination and concentration
Challenging indeed, but consequently beneficial, tree pose tests and grows your balance, positional awareness, and concentration. Seldom do basic exercises have you stand on one leg to complete an exercise. Tree pose involved various elements, making you more functional and coordinated.
It’s so beneficial for the aging population who incur injuries from balance issues, in addition to the sports crowd.
One sided
The tree pose is asymmetrical in nature, with the left and right sides performing a different function. This develops proprioception (physical awareness of the body and coordination), unilateral function (training one side at a time), and trains us to perform as humans.
Tree Pose
Posture pose
The tree pose can challenge you to maintain good posture, by standing upright, and consciously focusing on being a tall tree! Today we slouch more than ever, looking down at our devices, and this technique gently helps to reinforce and focus on good body position.
Stretches the full body
We don’t do stretches like this often enough. Lifting the foot and placing it against the inner thigh opens the hips and stretches the groin area, while you’ll also feel it in the quads, and hamstrings via knee and hip flexion. Move up the torso, raise the arms overhead, and the upper chest and latissimus dorsi fibers lengthen, as well as the shoulders and arms.
Keeps you flexible
It takes practice to stretch the groin area if you lack the flexibility to pull your heel into the upper inner thigh region. As school kids, the butterfly stretch hit this area but most of us never did it again. Tree pose is a great way to bring it back into your routine!
Activates the core muscles
Balancing on one leg will naturally recruit your core muscles to do more to stabilize your body. It’s a nice routine for anyone, and especially elderly individuals who need a light, functional activity to help maintain their coordination and stability.
A pelvis exercise
Your pelvis is bones that connect the trunk and legs near the hips. When you stand on one leg, the pelvis is called upon for extra duty where it supports the weight of the upper body, and maintains stability there to keep you in proper posture. From there, you can comfortably perform the moving parts of the pose such as raising the arms overhead.
Builds patience
We live in a very instant world where we can get an immediate dopamine rush without having to wait like we did in the old days. This has caused us to become less patient, more anxious, irritated and yeah you get the point. The tree pose, and yoga, in general, is a form of meditative exercise that can help calm our nerves, reduce anxiety, and teach us that patience creates worthwhile rewards.
Drawbacks of Tree Pose
Take a look at this pose in motion, and it’s easy to see the potential drawbacks. But don’t mistake drawbacks with negatives as practice will change them into positives.
You’ll need some darn good balance!
There’s no way around it, you must have exceptional balance to the do the tree pose. However, we’d assume most people practicing this pose are capable of standing on one leg. But if you’re doing it for the first time and hardly test your balance, it will be difficult.
The good news is that a wall or chair can be used as a progression to a non-supported variation of tree pose.
But you should also take your time with the tree pose, and practice easing yourself onto one leg, and establishing your balance.
Can be frustrating to learn
For beginners especially, it can sometimes be frustrating when you can’t quite nail a pose. Balance, groin flexibility, and are the big annoyances during tree pose.
Common Mistakes While Performing The Tree Pose
While there’s no cookie cutter technique, there are general form cues and recommendations to ensure you stay injury free, maximize the muscles involved, and enjoy the process. Here are some things to avoid.
You can actually place your foot on the lower leg below the knee, if above the knee is too difficult yet. However, we do not recommend placing your foot directly on your knee, which will put unnecessary pressure on this joint. The knee is to meant to bend to the side, but rather back.
Not using the weight bearing/standing leg
If you’re doing nothing with the standing leg, you’re doing the tree pose wrong. You need the counter pressure from the standing weight bearing leg not only to keep the foot from sliding down, but to keep your body straight, which will allow you to have a tall posture and maintain your balance.
Clenching your toes
It’s normal to want to dig your toes into the mat to maintain your balance. But it’s more accurate to relax the toes, so that you can tense the quads and pull them up, to lift the hips in the proper position. Then you’ll have a more efficient tree pose.
Rotating the knees and hips to the side
When the foot is pressed into the upper thigh, there may be a tendency for some people to swing the bent leg and rotate the body. Focus on keeping your body facing one direction and don’t deviate or turn your body. The only thing that should be moving is your arms, whatever you decide to do with them during the pose.
Wandering eyes
Your eyes are also important for maintaining your balance during the tree pose. If you’re looking around, you’ll probably have a difficult time standing on one leg, much less doing anything else. Try to fix your gaze on a spot on the wall and keep it there.
Variations of Tree Pose Vrksasana
A base to other variations, tree pose is a fundamental pose that opens up the door to these similar, but individually unique exercises.
Tree pose with a block
Some people need to ease themselves into a pose, and using a block is a great idea. You can use it to inch your way higher up the leg, while having something to hold your foot up and in position. It will also allow you to focus on engaging the leg muscles and working that flexibility before you go full on tree pose. When you can move beyond this beginner technique, place your foot on the lower leg below the knee.
Steps
Stand tall with your feet roughly hip width apart.
Place a block long ways between your feet.
Find your balance on one leg by rooting down into the four points of your foot.
Bend the other foot and lift your knee up, then place the ball and toes of that foot on the top of the block. Keep your heel close to the ankle bone of the weight bearing leg.
Now focus on keeping your body squared up, with the hips straight, and body nice and tall.
Lift the foot off the block for a few seconds and try to find how you’ll gain balance on the standing leg. Do it a few more times.
Now, switch your legs and repeat.
Windy tree
As the name implies, a windy tree blows the branches from side to side. This can actually challenge your core muscles, stretch your midsection, improve total body stability, balance, focus, and your mind.
Steps
Find your tree pose stance, then raise your arms in the air in the form of a V.
Wave your arms from side to side while rotating your body from left to right.
If you thought tree pose was challenging, bring your feet a little higher on your hips, and try to do the same thing. You’ll also stretch out your abductor muscles on the outer thigh if performed correctly.
Steps
From a standing position, bend your left leg, pull the left foot up, and hold it across the top of your right thigh in the hip crease. Flare your toes and flex your foot. You can hold your foot in place, or let go and try to keep it there.
Stay in this position and try to feel out the movement, and get accustomed to holding your feet there, or bring your arms to a prayer position or raise them overhead.
Arms reaching to sky
There’s nothing like leaning forward and reaching your arms toward the sky to throw off your balance, or rather, force you to maintain it. Try the tree pose with this additional step.
Steps
Get into tree pose stance with one foot pressed into the opposite thigh.
Hinge forward at the hips, rotate your torso toward the bent leg, and lean forward.
Extend the top arm toward the sky, and use the bottom arm to stabilize yourself.
Toe stand pose
You need to be a vrksasana master to get deep down in this sitting pose, and support your entire weight on your toes, while crossing one foot over the opposite thigh. It requires an extreme degree of focus or you can easily be thrown off course.
Steps
Start from a full tree pose with one foot pressed into the opposite inner thigh.
Next grab your foot and pull it into your hip crease. Flare your toes and flex your foot.
Now hinge at the hips, bend your upper body down, extend your arms toward the floor, and slowly drop down on your hands.
Then walk your hands forward, rise up onto the toes of the standing leg, then bend the standing leg and slowly drop your butt down to within a few inches from the floor.
Keep your hands on the floor for support, and instead of sitting all your weight on your calf muscle, focus on pushing into the ground with your toes and lifting yourself up.
Wrapping Up
Balance, coordination, positional awareness, and every functional foundation are vital abilities that we need, yet often fail to maintain. Planting yourself in the tree pose on a weekly basis will help counteract aging’s effects on our balance, while keeping our groins and hips healthier, reinforcing good posture, and easing our minds from the stressful modern culture. Then when you’re ready for something more advanced, you can step into more complex variations that will challenge your body, mind, and spirit on higher levels.
How to Do Garland Pose (Malasana) in Yoga: Muscles Involved, How-To, Benefits, and Variations
A squatting asana, garland pose malasana is a true test of lower body strength, flexibility, joint mobility, and mental grit. You probably sat this way as a toddler, and you’ll see this sitting variation a lot in less developed countries. But most, unless squats are a part of your workout routine, never get down that low to test your joints and isometric leg strength and stamina. There are loads of benefits in this position, from stretching the groin to loosening the hips, building isometric leg strength, and keying in on some meditation.
The garland pose malasana is one we recommend doing daily because of its widespread advantages for the human body. Check out our full guide to a basic yoga pose and see which variations we like too!
Muscles Worked During Garland Pose Malasana
Garland pose is a decent lower body and core strengthening activity that also engages the back, and scapular region. Let’s talk about the muscles involved and what they contribute to our movement.
Quadriceps
If you want big quadriceps or quads muscles, you typically squat, right? Well, you’re squatting down in the garland pose and holding this position which activates the quads isometrically.
A five-headed muscle with the discovery of an additional head more recently in the anterior thigh area, your quadriceps cross the hip bone and extend down through the knee. Hence, these muscles assist in straightening the leg at the knee, and bending the hips when you drop down into a squat.
Hamstrings
The rear-facing thigh muscles opposite the quads, your hamstrings do just the opposite which is to bend the knee and straighten the hips (like when you stand up from a squat).
Calves
The calves are postural support muscles that point the toes down. In the squat, they also help support the weight load, also stretching out in the process. The calf muscles – gastrocnemius and soleus – also form the achilles tendon at the back of the leg, connecting the calf to the heelbone.
Rectus abdominis and obliques
Every squat will call upon your abdominal core muscles that when tensed, help stiffen the spine, so that you have a solid bridge to direct energy and force production efficiently.
How To Do The Garland Pose – Malasana
While anyone could plop down into what looks like a Garland pose without much thought, you’d be missing the most beneficial components. This section will detail the proper malasana technique with step by step instructions, tips, and a video demonstration.
This Exercise:
Target Muscle Group: Quads, glutes, hips, calves, rectus abdominis
Type: Yoga
Mechanics: Compound
Equipment: Yoga blocks (Optional)
Difficulty: Intermediate
Steps
Stand with your feet slightly wider than the shoulders, and point your toes slightly outward.
Bring your hands together in front of your chest like you’re saying a prayer (anjali mudra), then bend your hips and knees and descend into a deep squat, dropping your butt down lower than your knees.
Tuck your elbows on the insides of your inner thighs near the knees. Try to keep your posture upright, head up, and back neutral. Fix your gaze on one spot in front of you, to help maintain your balance.
Simultaneously push your elbows out against your inner thighs, and pull your thighs into your elbows. Keep your shoulders relaxed.
Hold this position for at least ten seconds if possible.
Tips
If you cannot yet get into a garland pose, sit on stacked foam blocks or something that’s easily measurable, and as you progress, take one block out from under you until you don’t need them for assistance.
If your heels cannot touch the floor, don’t force them. Instead, place a mat or blankets under your heels if it’s more comfortable.
Try to relax the scapula and avoid letting the head sinking into the shoulders.
Pretend to pull your glutes and neck in opposite directions to keep a tall and lengthened spine.
Wait several hours after eating a mean and feeling satiety before attempting the garland pose.
Benefits of Garland Pose Malasana
Compared to the average stretching routine, Garland pose malasana goes much deeper and encourages a longer duration to reap the benefits. Here’s why you need this pose and similar variations to improve your quality of life, and move as you should.
Stretches out uncommon areas
For many, a light chest, shoulder and standing thigh stretch is about the extent of their stretching routine. Yoga based techniques such as garland pose malasana and so many others give us a reason to reach those less stretched areas, which we really need.
Watch the garland pose, or try it out and try to determine where’s being stretched. If you do it properly, you should feel lengthening in the achilles tendon, groin, lower back, and spine.
These days we tend to sit a lot, and work from our desks which tightens the muscles we use during a squat. It’s good to keep these muscles loose, healthy, and functional especially as we get older.
Challenge your balance, stability and mobility
It’s not just the core, but to sit in this pose you need to activate the feet and legs to assist in stabilizing yourself in this seated stance. Most people are not used to ever sitting in a deep squat, which requires lower body strength, flexibility, and joint mobility. Garland root chakra, feeling a sense of safety and security.
Strengthen the pelvic floor
The pelvis floor can include the glutes, and sexual muscles. These are the muscles that control the flow of urine. Performing exercises like Garland pose helps strengthen this area which could support incontinence issues. It could also make intimacy better.
May support healthy digestion and improve constipation
It’s believed that this pose can improve the digestion system and even improve constipation issues. Posture and breath can have a big impact on your digestive system, if you’ve ever experienced the different between sitting and lying after eating.
Common Mistakes While Performing Garland Pose
Dropping down into a deep squat and holding is not easy for beginners. Common mistakes are forcing yourself all the way down and compromising good technique and your achilles tendon. Instead use some blocks to sit on or something low enough like a blanket. Don’t force it if you can’t do it. Take it in steps and try to progress over weeks. You don’t want the hips to be above the knee, lifting the heel up.
Another common mistake is only focusing on the squat component. Even during a squat, you don’t just dump your weight on your legs. It’s a combined effort from the legs, core, and upper body. With the Garland pose, you also want to focus on pulling the crown of the head up, lengthening the spine.
Lastly, two other form mishaps are rounding the spine, or hunching over, and tucking the tailbone. Maintain a neutral torso, as you would during a normal squat. In this technique, you want to focus on good posture.
Variations of Garland Pose Malasana
You can spin the garland (no pun intended) pose many different ways, and we’ve included some of the best versions of this sitting pose below.
Seated on a block
Blocks are an excellent progression tool for many yoga poses, and akin to training wheels on a bicycle. Assisted movements are very useful because they can help ease you into a technique by reinforcing proper form, strengthening the involved muscles, and helping with balance.
Grab a yoga block, stand it on the tall end, and slowly sit on the top end.
Garland pose with heels lifted
You’ll get off to a wobbly start for sure, but we like this heels raised version that loads the calf muscles, and will knock you off your toes, forcing you to concentrate on your balance.
Here’s a raw demonstration of this pose.
Malasana seated on your heels (Inner thigh stretch)
While similar to the previous variation, the one main difference is that you’re actually sitting on your heels and calves. It looks painful, and unless you’re fit enough to do it, you probably won’t be able to. But you’ll get a massive quad stretch, build your feet muscles, and benefit from everything mentioned in that section in this guide.
Steps
From the garland pose posture, stand up on your toes and move your feet close together under your butt, so that you’re sitting on your heels and calves with the toes pointed out. Spread your knees wide apart so they’re facing the same direction as your toes. Sit up nice and tall, and hold for ten seconds.
Malasana seated knees pointed forward
From the previous variation, simply bring your legs in toward each other so they’re pointing straight forward. The thighs should be parallel. Keep standing on your toes and perform a ten count.
Garland pose with forward lean
To target feet flexibility, from the standard Garland pose with your feet flat on the floor, lean your body forward, with your arms supporting you, and count from one to ten.
Garland pose hands up
Rely totally on your legs and core without the comfort of holding your arms in front of your chest for balance. Get down in the Garland pose and reach your arms overhead to see how this variation differentiates from the others.
Garland pose with a twist
You can add a basic twist, or go a lot further with more involved variations.
Half squat
One way to enhance the garland pose is to use similar isometric movements. You’ll toughen up your quads, hamstrings, and glutes, and condition them to support you in the deep seated position. But it’s also a squat variation, that helps reinforce proper squat mechanics, which is needed to get down in the yoga pose.
You can do it assisted by standing back against a wall, sliding down it until your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. Or you can hold onto a counter, stall bars, power rack or any stable object.
Wrapping Up
Christmas season or not (Although we don’t quite know the correlation), the garland pose is a wakeup favorite that fires up the body on all cylinders. Appearing simple, this yogi squat isn’t easy for beginners, but can be easily progressed with assisted variations and other leg strengthening exercises. We need a lot more of these exercises through the various life stages, as these simple yet effective yoga poses train us to handle life’s challenges.
A resilient mind, powerful legs, a beastly core, and healthier hips, are just some of the many benefits you can explore in the garland pose, and you should introduce more advanced variations for more.
Standing Dumbbell Fly Exercise Guide: How To, Benefits, Muscles Worked, and Variations
Close your eyes and think about an ideal free-weight chest workout. Chances are the training session includes the bench press, dumbbell press, dumbbell fly, and some variation of the incline or decline fly. All these exercises share something in common — they require a bench.
Busy folks that train during rush hours might not have the luxury of waiting for a bench. On the other hand, people that work in their minimal garage gyms might not have access to a bench.
Contrary to what most lifters think, you can train your pecs effectively without a bench with free weights; one of the best exercises to do this is the standing dumbbell fly.
Whether you don’t want to wait for your turn on the bench, don’t have a bench in your home gym, or want to try a new exercise to spark chest growth, the standing dumbbell fly has you covered.
The standing dumbbell fly is a versatile exercise that can be included in your chest, push, upper body, or full-body workouts. This movement demands decent core stability to perform correctly. Furthermore, going too heavy on the standing dumbbell fly can render the exercise ineffective.
You must follow a slow and controlled range of motion while using moderate weights to make the most of the standing dumbbell fly, making it an excellent exercise for beginners. It will also help improve your mind-muscle connection, which will carry over to other lifts.
In this article, we cover everything you need to learn about the standing dumbbell fly to make the most of this lift, including its benefits, the common mistakes, the muscles worked, how to perform correctly, and the best variations and alternatives.
What is a Standing Dumbbell Fly?
Developed pectoral muscles take your physique aesthetics to the next level. They add to your V-taper, draw eyes to your midsection, and improve your overall functionality. However, most lifters leave gains on the table during their chest workout as they chase weights and forget about using a full range of motion and contracting their muscles with each rep. The unique setup of the standing dumbbell fly fixes this. This exercise also improves your stability and balance. Furthermore, the range of motion of the standing dumbbell fly will make you strong enough to lift the love of your life in your arms.
The standing dumbbell fly is a standing low to high cable fly variation. To perform a standing dumbbell fly, assume a hip-width stance while holding a dumbbell in each hand. Maintain an upright torso, push your chest out, and raise your hands to shoulder level while maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.
You could also turn this exercise into a unilateral movement by working one side of your body at a time. Unilateral exercises are incredibly effective at fixing muscle and strength imbalances. While doing the single-arm variation of this lift, keep your other hand on your hip or hold onto a dumbbell for better balance.
Muscles Worked During Standing Dumbbell Fly
The standing dumbbell fly works the following muscles:
Chest
The pectoralis muscle consists of two muscles, the pectoralis major and the pectoralis minor. The pectoralis major is a fan-shaped superficial muscle in the front of your chest wall. On the other hand, the pectoralis minor is triangular and located under the pectoralis major.
The standing dumbbell flys mainly target the pectoralis major, which helps with the adduction, or depression, of the arm and arm rotation forward about the axis of the body.
Shoulders
The standing dumbbell fly is an isolation exercise that restricts movement to the shoulder joint. Since this exercise involves movement in the sagittal plane, it results in anterior deltoid recruitment.
Biceps
This dumbbell fly variation involves maintaining a slight bend in your elbows throughout the range of motion. You might experience a slight biceps engagement during the movement’s concentric (upward) part while performing this exercise, especially while lifting heavy.
Benefits of Standing Dumbbell Fly
Adding the standing dumbbell fly to your exercise arsenal entails the following advantages:
Helps Build Muscle Mass
The standing dumbbell fly is an isolation exercise that can help build muscle mass and improve your conditioning. Perform 3-5 sets and 8-12 reps of this exercise once weekly using appropriate weight to induce hypertrophy. [1]
Beginner-Friendly
This dumbbell fly variation involves lifting light to moderate weights while focusing on your form, making it an excellent exercise for beginners. You must readjust your form if you don’t feel your chest muscles contracting with each rep. Use this exercise as an opportunity to polish your mind-muscle connection.
Variety
Most free-weight chest exercises require lying on a bench. The unique stimulus of the standing dumbbell flies can shock your muscles, sparking new muscle tissue growth. Plus, it is a versatile exercise that can be added as an accessory lift in most training programs. Since it requires only dumbbells, the standing dumbbell fly is incredibly convenient.
How To Do Standing Dumbbell Fly
This is how to perform the standing dumbbell fly with the correct form:
Steps:
Stand upright with a shoulder-wide stance.
Grab a dumbbell in each hand with a supinated (palms facing forward) grip.
Tuck your chin slightly, pull your shoulders back and down, and push out your chest.
Maintain a slight bend in your elbows and lift your arms toward the ceiling until your hands are at shoulder level.
Your hands should move toward the center line of your body during the upward motion and should be next to each other at the top.
Focus on contracting your pecs throughout the range of motion.
Pause and squeeze the life out of your chest at the top.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat for recommended reps.
Standing Dumbbell Fly Tips:
Avoid touching the dumbbells at the top, as it will remove the tension from your chest and put it on your shoulders.
Keep your core and glutes braced throughout the range of motion for optimal stability and balance.
Many lifters make the mistake of extending their elbows at the bottom. Your elbows should be slightly bent throughout the ROM.
Breathe in during the concentric (upward) motion and exhale during the eccentric (downward) motion.
To prevent trapezius muscle activation, refrain from shrugging your shoulders as you lift your arms.
In This Exercise:
Target Muscle Group: Chest
Secondary Muscle Groups: Shoulders and Biceps
Type: Strength
Mechanics: Isolation
Equipment: Dumbbells
Difficulty: Beginner
Best Rep Range: 8-12
Common Mistakes While Performing Standing Dumbbell Fly
Avoid these lapses to make the most of the standing dumbbell fly:
Going Too Heavy
The standing dumbbell fly is an isolation exercise. Using heavier dumbbells than you can handle comfortably can remove tension from your pecs and put it on your shoulders and biceps. For optimal results on this lift, use a moderate weight and focus on contracting your pecs with every rep.
Leaning Forward
Many lifters tend to lean forward while performing this exercise. However, it can result in greater deltoid engagement and remove tension from your chest. You must maintain an upright torso and push your chest out to work your pecs.
Holding the Dumbbells Too Tight
Squeezing the dumbbell handles too hard can fire up your forearms and biceps. Additionally, since you’ll maintain a slight bend in your elbows, it can result in a biceps pump. Use a false (thumbless) grip if you feel excessive forearm engagement while performing this exercise.
Variations and Alternatives of Standing Dumbbell Fly
Add the following standing dumbbell fly variations and alternatives to your training regimen to build a full and round chest:
Standing Low To High Cable Fly
This chest movement is the closest alternative to the standing dumbbell fly exercise. The cables help keep constant tension on your muscles throughout the range of motion.
Steps:
Set the cable pulleys at the lowest setting and hook up a D-handle attachment.
Grab a handle in each hand, walk to the pulley machine’s center, and then take a step forward. The cable should be taut at the starting position.
Your hands should be at the sides of your thighs at the starting position.
While maintaining a slight bend in your elbows, lift your arms until your hands are at shoulder level.
Pause and contract your pecs throughout the range of motion.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Rinse and repeat.
Pro Tip: Slow down the exercise’s eccentric (lowering) motion for optimal pectoral engagement.
Pec Deck Fly
Since the pec deck fly machine follow a fixed movement path, it is a beginner-friendly chest exercise. The fixed movement trajectory allows you to focus on establishing a mind-muscle connection with your pectoral muscles and contracting them throughout the ROM.
Steps:
Set the seat of the pec deck machine at a height so that the machine handles are at shoulder level.
Grab the handles with a neutral (palms facing inward) grip.
Push out your chest slightly.
While maintaining a slight bend in your elbows, bring your hands together.
Pause and contract your pecs at the top.
Slowly return to the start position.
Pro Tip: Keep your shoulder blades pinched throughout the exercise. Rounded shoulders take tension off your pecs.
Check out our complete pec deck fly guide here!
Barbell Fly
Although this exercise requires barbells, it is a bodyweight movement. Besides annihilating your pecs, the barbell fly will engage your core and help improve your balance and stability.
Steps:
Place two barbells together on the floor.
Add a weight plate on the same end of both barbells.
Get into a push position while holding the barbells a few inches below their necks on the weighted sides.
The non-weighted ends of the bars should be between your feet.
Slowly roll out the bars and lower your chest as close to the floor as possible.
Pause at the bottom.
Bring the bars back to the starting position. Pause and contract your pecs at the top.
Repeat for reps.
Pro Tip: Place a weight plate on each side to keep the bars from rolling too far out. The weight plates on the floor will act as guard rails.
Check out our complete barbell fly guide here!
Flat Bench Dumbbell Fly
This is a staple exercise in most chest training routines. It helps develop your inner chest, giving it a fuller appearance.
Steps:
Lie supine on a flat bench while holding a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip.
Extend your arms so they are perpendicular to the floor.
While maintaining a slight bend in your elbows, lower your arms to your sides.
Pause at the bottom.
Explode back to the starting position. Contract your pecs at the top.
Rinse and repeat.
Pro Tip: Keep your rhomboids pinched together as if holding a pencil between them. This will improve your chest stimulation.
Check out our complete flat bench dumbbell fly guide here!
Incline Dumbbell Fly
The upper pecs are a lagging muscle group for most lifters. Not only does the incline dumbbell fly improve your upper shelves, but it also enhances your muscle separation.
Steps:
Set the back of an incline bench at a 45-degree angle with the floor.
Lie on the bench holding a dumbbell in each hand using a neutral grip.
Extend your arms so they are perpendicular to the floor.
While maintaining a slight bend in your elbows, slowly lower the bar toward the floor.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat for reps.
Pro Tip: Many lifters make the mistake of holding the dumbbells at an angle, which removes tension from their chest and puts in on their anterior deltoids. Your arms should be at a 90-degree with the floor for optimal chest engagement.
Check out our complete incline dumbbell fly guide here!
Wrapping Up
The standing dumbbell fly is an unorthodox exercise that can spark new growth in your chest. Perform 3-5 sets of 8-12 reps of this exercise with moderate weights to put you in the sweet spot for gaining muscle mass and conditioning.
You must follow a full range of motion to get optimal results. Furthermore, switch this exercise with the alternatives and variations mentioned in this article to target your pectoral muscles from different angles and fast-track your pectoral growth.
References
Krzysztofik M, Wilk M, Wojdała G, Gołaś A. Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 4;16(24):4897. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244897. PMID: 31817252; PMCID: PMC6950543.