Tag: FITNESS
Best CBD For Muscle & Joint Recovery After A Workout
How the best CBD supplements can promote muscle and joint recovery.
We all suffer from aches and pains after a tough workout, but with the right CBD supplement, those pain needs may be a thing of the past. We work hard, grind in the gym, lift big weights, put them down, but too often do we neglect the fact that recovery can equally improve our gains for the better while working towards pain relief. CBD topicals are a go to option for you can apply directly on the effected area to target pain relief and muscle pain.
Stretching and using other forms of recovery are great, however, the right supplement has the ability to transform your gains for the better. The best CBD for your muscles and joints, especially after a workout, will improve your physical health and performance for better chronic pain management.
CBD is a growing industry and these products have grown in popularity ten-fold. With so many supplements companies now working to produce high-quality supplements, what you will find are so many options to choose from. This is helpful, for you have tons of options to choose from, but also daunting because finding the right one takes diligence. We’re here to help you explore the best CBD for muscle pain and joint recovery so those post-workout needs are taken care of.
Let’s get right into this piece then. Knowing the ins and out of CBD is important and can elevate your gains for the better. Especially when it comes to those muscle pain and joint relief needs, this supplement can be an easy fix no problem.
What Is CBD?
CBD is short for cannabidiol and it is a phytocannabinoid derived from the cannabis plant. This is not to be mistaken for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which induces the “high” effect associated with marijuana and the cannabis plant. CBD has the potential to aid in a number of benefits and hemp derived CBD products can help with pain relief, reduced inflammation, relieving muscle and joint soreness, and promoting better sleep, among others (1).
That Unwanted Muscle & Joint Soreness
Through our workouts, muscle aches and joint soreness can be debilitating and will limit just how hard we push ourselves in the gym. Getting out of bed can be hard, lifting weights can be a challenge, and just our overall feeling of energy is severely reduced. How many times have you tried to hit the gym only to find your muscles just don’t want to be there? It’s the constant challenge and struggle of the mind versus the body. However, with the best CBD topicals for muscle and joint recovery, you will handle that post-workout recovery, so you have better recovery and faster bounce back.
Why Recovery Matters
Recovery matters because this is an important part of the process of muscle growth. Not only does recovery reduce inflammation and soreness, but it is the perfect time for those muscles to heal and repair themselves as you look to see the best gains. Also working to improve mobility, this allows for better overall performance as you will feel more supported and loose, more flexible, and see better range of motion to get the most out of your lifts (2).
Either through passive recovery, resting and giving your body time to heal, or active recovery, accelerating the process through keeping your body moving, you can enhance your recovery goals easily and alleviate pain. Plus, with the best CBD for muscle and joint pain, you can treat joint pain, arthritis pain, and provide pain relief with the best CBD cream.
How CBD Works For Better Muscle & Joint Recovery
CBD works for muscle and joint recovery by affecting the immune and nervous systems. Since both are tied to exercise performance and the subsequent recovery to relieve pain, CBD will interact with these system to enhance normal function and allow for proper recovery while reducing chronic pain.
Muscle Pain Relief
Acting through the endocannabinoid system, which regulates both physical and cognitive functions, CBD will work to reduce overall pain, fight inflammation, and work to alleviate muscle tissue pain. With anti-inflammatory properties, this will allow for rapid recovery to give your muscles a faster chance at growth (3). With constant tension after workouts, your muscles need help relaxing, and by doing this, you give them a fighting chance at healing while avoiding muscle spasms.
Joint Pain Assistance
When it comes to your joint health, the constant wear and tear of working out can affect our joints and leave them feeling equally as sore. But our joints are necessary to feel supported yet limber as they are the pivotal points of movement for all exercises. And everything else for that matter. By targeting certain brain chemicals, CBD will regulate tension and promote better joint relief, so you can tackle those big lifts with no problem (4).
The best CBD supplement for muscle and joint recovery will do this and much more and is an important element to include on your supplements shelf. You already prioritize those workouts supplements, so put your recovery on an equal playing field to maximize gains and stay pain free.
Best CBD For Muscle And Joint Recovery
The best CBD supplement will provide that post-workout care to relieve muscle and joint pain for the better while taking care of overall chronic pain. With high quality ingredients and a great formula, knowing which products out there can enhance those gains will better prepare you for any workout needs you wish to handle so you only see huge gains. A fantastic CBD pain cream, this is an affordable CBD cream with the purest CBD to relieve minor aches and reduce pain.
Level Select CBD Level 2 Sports CBD Cream For Pain
Level Select CBD Level 2 Sports Cream is a fast-absorbing formula to relieve pain and improve performance.
Level Select CBD Level 2 Sports Cream is a great CBD topical designed to deliver fast-absorbing support to relieve muscle soreness and is a top joint relief CBD cream on the market for targeted pain relief. With 600mg of CBD, this will target the affected area while also soothing and softening your skin. Level Select is a great company only seeking to produce the highest quality CBD supplements and is the best CBD pain cream for muscle and joint recovery.
Price: $59.99
CBD Oil & How CBD Oils Work For Benefit
While this sports cream is a great option for chronic pain, looking to those CBD oils, and other forms like CBD gummies, are also helpful. For those looking to go more the tincture route and ingest CBD, these CBD oils are a good choice. When it comes to relieving those muscles and joints, however, working to apply CBD topicals directly to the spot can make all the difference.
Check out our list of the Best CBD Supplements to relieve sore muscles and joint pain today!
Wrap Up
The best CBD cream for muscle and joint recovery can enhance those post-workout needs to optimize recovery and keep you feeling fresh and energized. No more waking up with pain and feeling too lethargic to go to the gym. With the right approach to those after workout needs, CBD supplements, like pain cream, are perfect for helping you see the best gains and keeping you clear of soreness and pain.
Generation Iron may receive commissions on purchases made through our links. See our disclosure page for more information.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
MD, Peter Grinspoon (2018). “Cannabidiol (CBD) — what we know and what we don’t.” (source)
Sands, W.; et al. (2013). “Stretching and Its Effects on Recovery: A Review”. (source)
Rojas-Valverde, D. (2021). “Potential Role of Cannabidiol on Sports Recovery: A Narrative Review. (source)
Miller, R.; et al. (2017). “Is cannabis an effective treatment for joint pain?”. (source)
Supercharge Muscle Growth and Recovery with Full Body Workouts
Is it possible to grow muscle with only a couple of days in the gym? It sure is! That is if you do full body workouts.
Split routines have their time and place but can often lead to overtraining, muscular imbalances, or burnout. If you’re short on time or skipping days in the gym, you’ll be better off incorporating full body workouts into your training.
Full body workouts tend to get a bad rep in the bodybuilding world, but funny enough, full body workouts is where bodybuilding started.
Find out below all the benefits full body workouts bring to the table.
Old School Bodybuilding
In the golden era of bodybuilding (1950’s and ‘60’s), you would find most of these old-timers all on full body workouts, including Leroy Colbert and Vince Gironda — even Arnold Schwarzenegger was doing full body workouts at one point. This was before the revolution of drugs in the sport became mainstream though. Since these bodybuilders were all-natural, they knew the importance of rest and recovery for muscle growth. Therefore, they did full body workouts to allow their bodies more days off.
Since drugs allow your body to lift and produce more than what it’s capable of alone, it’s common for many bodybuilders to do more volume, which would otherwise be too much for the natural bodybuilder. Therefore, many bodybuilders nowadays are on split routines since you’ll be able to overload each muscle group with more volume. (That’s not to say all bodybuilders doing split routines are on drugs though.)
Full Body Workouts vs. Split Workouts
When you’re lifting weights in the gym, you can either opt for full body workouts or a split workout routine; both have their pros and cons.
Split Workouts
Split workout routines are designed to separate muscle groups into different days. There are a variety of ways to do this. Below is an example of a 5-day split routine.
5 Day Split Routine
Typically, there are 3, 4, and 5 day split routines. The benefit of a split routine is that you can dedicate an entire day to one muscle group, which targets the muscle more and gives them more fatigue and volume. With a full body workout, you’re limited to only 1-2 exercises per muscle group.
Since you’re targeting different muscle groups on different days, you can reduce the number of rest days that you take.
If you’re a competitive bodybuilder, this is recommended because you’ll be able to maximize muscle growth since you can give your muscles more volume each workout. Also, you’ll be able to isolate muscle groups, such as your triceps and biceps more efficiently, which are important for bodybuilding.
One issue with this design is that you have to stay on schedule with your workouts and you can’t miss any days, or you risk overdeveloping or underdeveloping muscles, which can lead to muscular imbalances and less muscle growth. If you’re on a 5 or 6-day split routine, it will be much easier to miss a day or two, which means you would have skipped a muscle group or two for that week.
Full Body Workouts
Full body workouts are working out your entire body each workout. They’re more efficient than split routines and save you a ton of time. That’s because you can work out your entire body in just one workout versus three, four, five, or six workouts. And although you can’t do as much volume each workout for each muscle group (without overtraining in one workout), you can make up for that volume missed by doing more full body workouts throughout the week.
It’s recommended that you do 2-4 full body workouts each week. If you happen to miss a workout, it’s no big deal! That’s because you don’t have a schedule you need to follow to make sure you’re working out your entire body — you already are each workout! This allows you a lot of flexibility in your workouts and schedule.
If you love other exercises besides lifting weights, then this is perfect! Now, you can play basketball, go for a hike, etc. on the days you aren’t in the gym.
Benefits of Full Body Workouts
Don’t confuse full body workouts for being for “beginners” or “run-of-the-mill” workout routines. Aside from having more time outside of the gym and not having to rigidly stick to a workout routine, full body workouts have a plethora of benefits.
Muscle Growth
Full body workouts allow you to focus on the muscles and exercises that give you the bulk of your muscle growth. Isolation exercises such as bicep curls and tricep extensions are good bonuses to add to your workout, but they shouldn’t be what you focus on. Full body workouts get rid of a lot of exercise fluff and let you hone in on what matters most —exercises that target large muscle groups, including squats, bench press, and rows.
This 2017 article proves that multi-joint exercises produce more strength than single-joint exercises (1). (Bye-bye arm day!)
If you’re prone to overtraining and don’t allow your body enough days off to recover, then you could be surprised just how much your muscles grow if you switch over to full body workouts and take more days off.
Research shows that high-volume and low-volume training produce equal amounts of strength and lean muscle mass (2).
Recovery
Full body workouts allow your body more time to recover. When you workout, both your CNS and muscles take a toll and they need time to recuperate. Since you’re only working out 2-4 days a week with full body workouts, your body will have much more time to recover than its 4, 5, and even 6 split routine counterparts. Recovery is important to muscle growth. Muscle grows while you’re resting, now while you’re lifting, so the additional rest days will yield more muscle (3).
Also, since you’ll be well-rested, you’ll be able to fully push yourself each time in the gym. Whereas with split routines, you’ll be tired or sore a lot of gym days, which means you’ll be working out a submaximal intensity, leading to less muscle growth.
Full body workouts also allow you flexibility. You can do strength workouts or HIIT routines, with no certain days you have to do them. You can play basketball one day, do a strength training full body workout another, and do a HITT workout on the third day. This gives you the freedom to never get bored of exercise and makes exercising more fun. Plus, you’ll build a more well-rounded body that has strength, endurance, and is athletic.
When doing full body workouts, I recommend you don’t work out any more than 3-4 days a week because of delayed-onset muscle soreness (4). However, research supports that you can train consecutive days in a row and still have similar improvements in strength and body composition than having days off in between lifts (5). (No wonder Rich Froning can do multiple full body workouts every day). Therefore, as long as you aren’t overtraining and keeping the volume low, it’ll be safe for you to do back-to-back full body workouts.
Benefits
Flexible schedule
Better recovery
More endurance
Focus on large muscle groups
More time outside of the gym
Conclusion
You can get amazing results in the gym only lifting weights 2-3 times a week. You’ll recover faster, be replenished each day back in the gym, and have more time outside the gym.
Do you prefer full body workouts or split routines? If you found this article valuable, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for daily content.
References
1 – Paoli A, Gentil P, Moro T, Marcolin G and Bianco A (2017) Resistance Training with Single vs. Multi-joint Exercises at Equal Total Load Volume: Effects on Body Composition, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Muscle Strength. Front. Physiol. 8:1105. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2017.01105
2 – Thomas, M. H., & Burns, S. P. (2016). Increasing Lean Mass and Strength: A Comparison of High Frequency Strength Training to Lower Frequency Strength Training. International journal of exercise science, 9(2), 159–167.
3 – MacDougall, J. D., Gibala, M. J., Tarnopolsky, M. A., MacDonald, J. R., Interisano, S. A., & Yarasheski, K. E. (1995). The time course for elevated muscle protein synthesis following heavy resistance exercise. Canadian journal of applied physiology = Revue canadienne de physiologie appliquee, 20(4), 480–486. https://doi.org/10.1139/h95-038
4 – Hotfiel, T., Freiwald, J., Hoppe, M. W., Lutter, C., Forst, R., Grim, C., Bloch, W., Hüttel, M., & Heiss, R. (2018). Advances in Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS): Part I: Pathogenesis and Diagnostics. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness – Teil I: Pathogenese und Diagnostik. Sportverletzung Sportschaden : Organ der Gesellschaft fur Orthopadisch-Traumatologische Sportmedizin, 32(4), 243–250. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-0753-1884
5 – Yang, Y., Bay, P. B., Wang, Y. R., Huang, J., Teo, H., & Goh, J. (2018). Effects of Consecutive Versus Non-consecutive Days of Resistance Training on Strength, Body Composition, and Red Blood Cells. Frontiers in physiology, 9, 725. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.00725
Bradford Press: What It Is, Muscles Worked, Benefits Of It & More
Work your shoulders, and even triceps, with the Bradford press.
Working our shoulders can be challenging, but with a unique exercise like the Bradford press, you never have to worry about wasting your time again. Named after a well-known American weightlifter, this exercise is one to help with overall shoulder gains, while also seeing those triceps get work done. A cross between two popular exercises you know, by combining into one exercise, you double up on the gains. A movement designed for intensity and results, this is one to consider in your routine.
As vital connecting points to our arms and trunks, our shoulders are incredibly important to keep strong and stable. With the right exercises, we can build better development overall while also affecting strength, size, and shape. The right approach will improve gains and having something like the Bradford press in your routine is a no brainer, especially once we tell you the benefits.
Let’s take a look at the Bradford press and see what makes this exercise so great. From what it is, to those muscles worked, the benefits of it, and how best to perform it, you will walk away from here with a complete guide into just how to see gains with the Bradford press.
What Is The Bradford Press?
The Bradford press is named after an American weightlifter by the name of James Bradford. A world champion, and Olympic champion, Bradford earned the respect of those around him and this exercise was named after him in his honor.
What makes this exercise so interesting is that it is a continuous movement of two common exercises: the military press and behind the neck press. By watching someone perform this exercise, you realize that it is a killer for those delts and is perfect for anyone looking to build those boulder shoulders. A bit of a compound movement, you will find this exercise to be highly effective in helping you see those gains you want most, especially those upper body muscles (1).
Muscles Worked
This exercise is predominantly a shoulder exercise, really working on overall delt development and improving strength, size, and shape. Given that the Bradford press is essentially two shoulder exercises into one, there is no excuse for not seeing real gains to those shoulder muscles. Your triceps also see work done and what you will find is that all three heads may be engaged given the nature of this movement.
Benefits Of The Bradford Press
The benefits of the Bradford are hard to ignore and can benefit you greatly when it comes to muscle growth, but also to other areas you seek to improve as well. Once you hear what this exercise can do, there’s no turning back and it will become a real staple in your routine.
Benefits of the Bradford press include:
Greater shoulder development: With better activation of your delt muscles, you will see an increase to strength and size, while also better overall delt development from movement and range of motion.
Triceps work: Since your triceps are targeted during this exercise, you start to see some growth as well. While it may not be as much as a triceps isolation exercise, it’s still something!
Better stability: By increasing your shoulder development, you start to feel more stable. Stronger, more stable shoulders are exactly what you need to see the best gains (2).
Plenty of variations: What you will find with this exercise is that there are plenty of variations to help you which can lead to even more growth.
How To Perform It
Here the steps for performing the Bradford press. By knowing the proper technique, you better set yourself up to see those gains you want most while doing so safely and effectively.
Set your desired amount of weight onto the barbell. Hold the bar at about shoulder level height, but with your grip slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
When ready, engage your core and lift the barbell overhead.
Now comes the second portion of this exercise. Lower the bar but this time it will be behind your head.
Lift the bar back overhead and switch to repeat from the beginning, bringing the bar back down but in front of you.
Repeat for your desired number of sets and reps.
Best Bradford Press Variations
Bradford press variations are great for they will offer a variety of exercises to diversify your workouts while also keeping them fun and engaging. The nice part about these is that you can still see growth through muscle confusion thus optimizing the effectiveness of all your workouts.
Bradford press variations include:
Barbell Shoulder Press
Dumbbell Thrusters
Arnold Press
Landmine Press
Military Press
Behind-The-Neck Shoulder Press
Best Exercises To Pair With
As an effective exercise, knowing which exercises pair well with the Bradford press can help you see only the best gains especially when it comes to your shoulder development and triceps growth. Looking to exercises like the front raise or lateral side raise offer the chance to perform simple yet effective exercises. Something like the Viking press will be more unique but can be a game changer as well.
Those triceps deserve some love and your classic triceps kickbacks or triceps pulldowns are awesome for seeing those gains you want most so that horseshoe-shape really starts to take shape. By combining with your shoulders, you get a great workout for those pushing muscles to amplify sport specific or more functional movements for the better.
Wrap Up
The Bradford press is a great exercise to see gains to your shoulder development and triceps growth and is a unique way to challenge your muscles during the workout. With tons of benefits, plenty of variations, and being rather simple to perform, you will find this exercise can be very useful in your routine. Give the Bradford press a try and see what this can do for all your muscle building goals today.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Waller, M.; et al. (2009). “Overhead Pressing Power/Strength Movements”. (source)
Williams, M.; et al. (2020). “Activity of Shoulder Stabilizers and Prime Movers During an Unstable Overhead Press”. (source)
The Best Workout Tips For Your Body Type
You can’t control your body type, but you can control what to do about it.
Everyone’s body is different. Some of us have a larger frame and a more challenging time losing weight or gaining muscle, while others of us may struggle to gain weight with a more slender, “skinny” frame. We also all know people who can eat pretty much whatever they want and burn through calories while also looking jacked, or that may even be you. Whatever your body type is, that is your body type. Your lifestyle, genetics, history, training routine, and diet all play into how you look.
There are three basic body types for humans that we may fall into: the ectomorph, the mesomorph, and the endomorph. Of course, there are people who fall in between but using these three as benchmarks is important to know when starting a new diet and training regimen. Based on your body type, there may be certain foods to avoid or certain types of exercises to incorporate to really add to your overall health and fitness benefits.
The challenges we face when it comes to our bodies are unique and there is no one same approach for everyone. Whether the difficult lies with losing or gaining weight, packing on muscle, toning physique, or dealing with unwanted stereotypes that plague the notion of body types (1), there are ways to correct this.
Through a proper diet and a great exercise routine, you can change your appearance into one you will love. Supplements can also help with this like a fat burner for shedding unwanted fat, or a protein supplement to add bulk, but knowing what works for you is key in making this change.
Three Body Types
Ectomorph
The ectomorph body type tends to be more thin and lanky in appearance due to a fast metabolism which can lead to trouble gaining weight. If your body is straight with your shoulders and hips roughly the same width, you are most likely an ectomorph. With a naturally low body fat percentage and smaller joints and bone structures, putting on muscle can also be a challenge for the ectomorph. Even if an ectomorph manages to put on weight, their appearance may still be that of someone leaner.
Nutrition
Ectomorphs are more lenient when it comes to what they eat since their metabolisms work so quickly. Although thin, it is important to stay properly fueled and eating well to have the energy needed for daily function and the ability to put on more muscle. High-quality fats and whole-food carbs are important to consume for an ectopmorph, but protein is the key for that muscle growth (2). Consider a whey protein concentrate or isolate as a great supplement to pump you full of protein to keep you full and seeing great gains.
Exercise
While isolated exercises are always good to have in your workout, compound exercises are the way to go. Working multiple muscle groups at once will really work to enhance your overall muscle growth to see great gains in strength and width. Focusing on power and resistance training is also key to not only build strength and improve athletic performance, but to also protect your muscle tissue and bones from injury.
Mesomorph
Mesomorphs tend to lose and gain weight quickly and can also build muscle efficiently. If you have a long torso and shorter limbs while also having a naturally athletic build with your shoulders slightly wider than your hips, then you are most likely a mesomorph. With the tendency to be naturally fit and muscular, it is important to stay on top of your nutrition and exercise because although it may be easier to bounce back from weight gain than the other two body types, it is not worth putting yourself in that position if you don’t need to.
Nutrition
Balancing your macronutrients as a mesomorph is key and making sure you get a balanced amount of fats, carbs, and protein will keep you building muscle and keeping off weight. With the luxury of controlling your intake, modifying your diet based on your training days will ensure you have the proper energy and fuel for muscle growth and athletic performance. A good protein supplement or post-workout product can really enhance this as well.
Exercise
Training can vary based off your desired needs, but moderate endurance training and plyometric exercises are great choices for a mesomorph. Lifting will also offer great muscle growth and high-intensity interval training will save you time doing cardio while also promoting strength, power, and helping to tone your physique (3).
Endomorph
The endomorph body type tends to have the hardest time when it comes to weight gain because they tend to keep on the weight while struggling to lose it. If you have wider hips, shorter limbs, and a thicker ribcage and have an easy time gaining muscle and fat, then you are most likely an endomorph. With a more stocky and curvy build, it may seem impossible to really get that toned physique, but it is possible. It just might take some extra work compared our slender ectomorph or naturally built mesomorph friends.
Nutrition
A lower carb diet is definitely recommended because it will rely on your body to use stored fat for energy. Other diets that may work well for an endomorph are the keto diet and intermittent fasting (4). Getting a healthy dose of high-quality fats and proteins will power your workouts and help you lose weight. Considering a fat burner may also be a good option for those with this body type.
Exercise
Since gaining muscle and fat easily is a key piece of the endomorph body type, the challenge lies with putting on or maintaining muscle while also losing fat at the same time. A good cardio routine mixed with strength training is advised, but also CrossFit or a cycling class can put you in an environment to really succeed. High-intensity interval training will give your metabolism a great boost and also work to promote strength and save you time doing cardio.
Wrap Up
Whatever your body type is, know that some of the factors involved are out of your control. What you can do is really work towards the benefits of your body type to see results. While the ectomorph may need different tips than the mesomorph who differs from the endomorph, at the core of all three is a healthy diet and consistent exercise. Proper supplementation is also key and the discipline to make your goals a reality will squash any preconceived ideas that you can’t do something based simply on your body type.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Kirkpatrick, Sue W.; Sanders, Diane M. (2012). “Body Image Stereotypes: A Developmental Comparison”. (source)
Pasiakos, Stefan M.; McLellan, Tom M.; Lieberman, Harris R. (2015). “The effects of protein supplements on muscle mass, strength, and aerobic and anaerobic power in healthy adults: a systematic review”. (source)
Laursen, Paul B.; Jenkins, David G. (2002). “The scientific basis for high-intensity interval training: optimising training programmes and maximsing performance in highly trained endurance athletes”. (source)
National Institute on Aging (2020). “Research on intermittent fasting shows health benefits”. (source)
The Best 6 Exercises To Use Elbow Sleeves For Pain-Free Support
Work for pain-free support with elbow sleeves and these top exercises.
You may have seen elbow sleeves before but haven’t used them. There are certain exercises where elbow sleeves can be of great help and offer pain free support so you can lift big, plow through any workout and see gains. With a snug, comfortable fit, yet still versatile for all of those lifting wants and needs, elbow sleeves are the perfect fitness accessory to have in your gym bag.
Able to provide nice compression, elbow sleeves work to improve blood flow and enhance recovery, all while supporting the elbow to distribute tension evenly. With better blood flow and circulation, you bring comfort to the muscle and thus only enhance your ability to see great gains. Using these with certain exercises will only help you in the long run.
We’ve pulled together some of the top exercises to use an elbow sleeve so you can see better gains and overall pain free support.
Best Exercises For Elbow Sleeves
Bench Press
Pull-Ups
Lat Pulldown
Squats
Farmer’s Walks
Shoulder Press
Bench Press
[embedded content]
The bench press is something we all love to do and putting up big numbers is something to easily show your dominance over others in the gym. Great for working your chest, what you’ll find is the enhancement of many pushing movements (1).
An elbow sleeve will help you here as you hold heavy weight and need to bend your elbow to complete the movement. That strain can be a lot, but with the right support, you won’t feel as tight in the elbow.
Bench Press Benefits
Bigger chest: By working to push that weight, this targets your chest the most and you can really beef up your chest strength that way.
Enhance pushing power: Since this lift is all about the push to get the weight up, your power output will be enhanced for better performance.
How To Do The Bench Press
Lie on the bench with your feet planted on the floor. Grab the bar with your hands a little more than shoulder-width apart. Lift the bar off the rack and gently lower to your chest as you breathe in. Your forearms should be about 90 degrees from the ground as you touch your chest and with your feet planted on the ground, initiate the upward movement to return to the starting position.
Pull-Ups
Pullups | GI Exercise Guide – YouTube
The pull-up is an upper body strength exercise performed with the pull-up bar and most likely your bodyweight. The added bonus is the ability to add weight if need be to really beef up those gains (2).
Since this exercise requires you hanging and taking the load in your arms, elbow sleeves will offer that compression needed so you can lift yourself up with no problem.
Pull-Ups Benefits
Strengthen arms and back: This is a great muscle builder for your arms and back, while also working to develop that V-shape taper.
Functional exercise: Able to build muscle and allow for those gains to be made for sport specific movements, this also works well for functional ones and everyday activities.
How To Do Pull-Ups
Grab the pull-up bar with your palms down and hang from the bar. With an engaged core, pull yourself by the elbows up to the bar until your chin passes it. Lower yourself down and repeat for your desired number of reps.
Lat Pulldown
[embedded content]
The lat pulldown is a serious lat builder and one that works other upper body muscles well. Used with the pulldown machine, this allows you to get a great exercise while also enhancing spine stabilization and enhancing shoulder health (3).
Elbow sleeves are great here for the fact that this movement requires serious load on those elbows. As the point of movement, although your lat muscles do get work, your elbows will feel supported as you lift big weight.
Lat Pulldown Benefits
Effective lat builder: This exercise will build lat strength and allow you to maximize those pulling movements, since your lats are pivotal.
Enhance spine stabilization: By strengthening those back muscles, you work to stabilize the spine and provide for better support.
How To Do The Lat Pulldown
Position yourself on the machine and grab the handles with your desired grip. As you pull down towards your chest, squeeze your shoulder blades, keep your core engaged and feet planted on the ground. Slowly return to the starting position for the pulldown and repeat for your desired number of reps.
Squats
[embedded content]
The squat is a staple exercise for many since it will enhance lower body growth, so you only see the best gains. This is certainly one of those exercises that you will see promote muscle while also working to improve power and explosivity (4).
Given the position of your elbows, an elbow sleeve can alleviate some of the pressure of supporting the barbell so you can get low into that squat pain free.
Squats Benefits
Increase lower body strength: Working your quads, glutes, and hamstrings, this is a great lower body exercise to boost strength, stability, and certain sport specific and functional movements.
Better power: The nature of this movement requires the best for power and explosivity and will promote both as you look to optimize performance.
How To Do Squats
Place the barbell on your traps and shoulders with your feet shoulder width apart. With a tight core, bend your knees while keeping your spine neutral, squatting down to your optimal range of motion. Once at the bottom, drive through your feet to return back to your starting standing position.
Farmer’s Walks
Farmer’s walks are perfect for those looking to maximize their upper body routine. Great for building muscle and enhancing stability, what you will find is improved core strength and better grip (5).
With such a load given the amount of weight, you will find that elbow sleeves will relieve pressure and tension felt in the elbows, while also improving blood flow since your arms stay in one position.
Farmer’s Walks Benefits
Improve core strength: Since your core is engaged to keep your body neutral, you will see great work done for improving core strength.
Promote grip strength: Grip strength is important and can greatly help with both sport specific and functional movements.
How To Do Farmer’s Walks
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and grab the weights, whether they be dumbbells, kettlebells, or a barbell. With a tight core and neutral spine, walk for a set distance, keeping your body tight and engaged.
Shoulder Press
[embedded content]
Building up our shoulders can be a challenge, but the shoulder press is one of those exercises to do just that. Building those boulder shoulders, this exercise also works to boost core strength and allow for better overhead pressing movements (6).
Since this requires load on the elbows, and that load going overhead, elbow sleeves offer great support as you push that weight to see great gains.
Shoulder Press Benefits
Increase shoulder strength: This exercise will really work those shoulders and allow for the best by optimizing your range of motion and overhead mobility.
Core work: Since this exercise requires quite a load overhead, keeping your core tight is important and will prove to pay off in the long run.
How To Do The Shoulder Press
Choose your desired amount of weight and stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Grab either dumbbells, kettlebells, or a barbell so it is at about your upper chest and engage your core for stability. When ready, lift the weight overhead, extending your arms and locking them out at the top. Continue this overhead press movement for your desired number of reps.
Benefits Of Elbow Sleeves
Elbow sleeves can benefit you in a number of ways and it is important to put a focus on support and your physical health in order to lift big weight. Benefits of elbow sleeves include:
Offer compression: A snug fit will work well as you look to warm the elbow and provide for better blood flow (7).
Support your elbow: This helps distribute tension differently so other smaller muscles also feel supported, better assisting the elbow.
Increase stability: Provide that increased stability for big lifts so you see increased strength.
Promote better recovery: Improved blood flow and circulation will enhance recovery to optimize your physical health and see better gains.
What To Look For In Elbow Sleeves
When choosing your elbow sleeve, it is important to look for fit. You want the sleeve to offer support and compression, but also allow for optimal movement, for this will affect the exercise as a whole. The kind of material used is important as well, for you want the sleeve to physically feel comfortable and not too scratchy, itchy, or any of those uncomfortable feelings. Since you will use these for plenty of lifts, it is also important to note the durability of the product. A product worth your time and money will last you a while no matter how much you use it.
Check out our list of the Best Elbow Sleeves for more great products to maximize pain-free support!
Wrap Up
These top exercises for elbow sleeves are great to put into your routine and can really enhance all areas of your gains. With the right elbow sleeve, you can work to promote support and better compression to allow for only the best in terms of blood flow, recovery, and growth. Check out some top elbow sleeves and see how they can improve your performance today.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Tungate, P. (2019). “The Bench Press: A Comparison Between Flat-Back and Arched-Back Techniques”. (source)
Ronai, P.; et al. (2014). “The Pull-up”. (source)
Newton, H.; et al. (1998). “The Lat Pulldown”. (source)
Kubo, K.; et al. (2019). “Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes”. (source)
Winwood, P.; et al. (2015). “A Biomechanical Analysis of the Farmers Walk, and Comparison with the Deadlift and Unloaded Walk”. (source)
McKean, M.; et al. (2015). “Overhead shoulder press- In-front of the head or behind the head?”. (source)
Pereira, M.; et al. (2014). “The Effects of Graduated Compression Sleeves on Muscle Performance: A Randomised Controlled Trial”. (source)
How to Retain Muscle While Dieting
How to Retain Muscle While Dieting
Everybody talks about losing weight this and losing weight that, but what we all really mean without knowing it is we’re all trying to lose fat specifically.
Fat is inflammatory adipose tissue that increases your risk of disease and decreases your risk of landing a date. Hey, I’m just being honest.
But anyways, fat is the tissue you want to lose. Weight is simply an arbitrary word for mass. If you diet improperly, you may lose weight, but you may also lose muscle which is not ideal.
Muscle improves your health, strength, and makes you look good naked. You want more of it. So the goal of dieting isn’t simply to lose weight. The goal of dieting is to lose fat tissue while retaining as much muscle tissue as possible.
This isn’t always easy because to lose fat, you have to eat in a caloric deficit meaning your body is taking in fewer calories than it can burn off. It is in an inevitable state of breakdown which also increases the chances of muscle loss.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to protect your precious muscle mass and force fat tissue to exclusively come off your body instead.
Don’t Crash Diet
You know all those people who succumb to juice cleanses and overnight fasts? Yeah, don’t be one of them. Less food means faster weight loss, but people forget that food is fuel. You need it to construct muscle tissue, repair tissue damage, and fuel performance.
Extremely low-calorie diets are not favorable for muscle retention especially in lean individuals who have a lot of muscle to lose (1).
Calories and protein are building blocks to your muscles. Protein specifically does the work, but more calories spares muscle breakdown. This is why you have to keep protein high, but you can’t drop calories too low either. There’s a time and place for aggressive dieting, but more calories is generally favorable.
Protein should be set to at lest 0.8 grams per pound of bodyweight daily. Calories should be low enough to cause weight loss, but not so low that you lose more than 2% of bodyweight each week. In addition avoid any sort of calorie cycling that forces you to eat minimal food on specific days.
You want consistent calories especially if you’re training frequently. In addition, eating a diet rich in vitamins and minerals is ideal to maintain health, bodily functions, and muscle mass (2). Sure, you can lose weight by eating donuts in a deficit, but you’ll get better results eating mostly whole minimally processed foods.
Think foods that come from the ground or has a face. Foods like potatoes, grains, veggies, fruits, beef, chicken, and fish.
Strength Train
Your body adapts to the stresses placed upon it. These stresses are often called a stimulus or as I like to call it, a signal. Every signal will notify your body to adapt. A bear running towards you will signal for you run away as you pee your pants.
Someone opening their arms and approaching you will signal to you to hug them.
Similarly, your body needs a signal strong to warrant muscle retention. That’s where lifting comes in. Research finds that any form of exercise can help retain muscle in obese beginners, but most of you don’t fit that category (3).
For leaner, more advanced lifters, you have to keep lifting. Lifting has the strongest muscle building signal, more than cardio, pilates, yoga, or any odd fitness trend out there (4).
Lifting causes muscle turnover which is simply a fancy word meaning muscle breakdown and muscle construction. If muscle breakdown exceeds muscle construction, you lose muscle. So while the signal from strength training is critical, there’s a science to it. Let me elaborate.
Optimize Your Training
2 aspects of training will optimize your muscle retention. The first is volume.
Why is volume so important? Volume is the dose of stress you apply to your muscles. You need some volume, but more volume also means more muscle breakdown. Research finds that too much volume for a muscle group within a session can be pointless or be counterproductive (5). You start accumulating too much fatigue and muscle breakdown.
In addition, too much overall volume can hinder your recovery. This is why how much work you do during a diet is clearly different than how much work you do during a bulk. Starting your diet may require you to drop your volume down or redistribute it so you’re not doing so much for one muscle within a session.
The other aspect to optimize your training is progressive overload. Because your food intake is lower during a diet, your recovery is compromised. This simply means you’ll make slower performance progress, but it doesn’t mean you should be plateaued.
In fact, your volume might be setup appropriately, but to guarantee muscle retention, you need overload. Simply put, you need to find ways to beat your performance over time whether that’s increasing weight every week, every 2 weeks, or eating a bit more food to fuel your performance.
By increasing your performance, you’re increasing the strength of the signal your muscles experience which forces adaptations. This adaptation occurs after your muscles have constructed more muscle proteins than it breaks down which we already established is a good thing.
Keep in mind, you can’t get complacent. As your muscles adapt, the stress that once force that adaptation may not be strong enough anymore. This is why adding weight, reps, or improving your performance becomes a never ending quest.
It’s okay though. Your physique will thank you in the long run.
Sleep Like Sloth
Sleeping is seen as a lazy thing, but in the world of fitness, sleeping is a game changer. Sleeping where you recover while your body produces anabolic hormones. So we already talked about sending the necessary signal for adaptation. That signal is a stressor and you must recover from that stress.
If you can’t recover for your next workout, you can’t keep adding overload or worse you have piss poor workouts.
Research finds that the muscle to fat ratio loss during diets are dramatically different between people who sleep sufficiently compared to those who are sleep deprived (6).
This may be the least sexy and obvious thing on this list, but it’s importance is paramount. If you struggle with sleep, try one of these tips:
Sleep and wake at a consistent time.
Keep your room dark. Use black electrical tape to cover any lights or invest in an eye mask.
Keep your room sound proof. Use ear plugs if you have to.
Shut off all electronics and dim your lights an hour or two before bed.
Do something relaxing before bed like reading, journaling, stretching, or foam rolling.
Supplement with 3mg of melatonin and 400 mg of magnesium citrate if you need to.
Feed the Muscle, Starve the Fat
Anytime you embark on weight loss, keep in mind, what you lose is deeply important. Lose muscle and your physique gets worse. Lose fat and your physique gets better.
If you want to starve your fat away, you have to eat in a deficit, but don’t crash diet. Diet intelligently with whole foods, plenty of protein, and a reasonable amount of calories.
In addition, you need to signal to your body to retain or build more muscle with optimal strength train. Adjust your volume appropriately and keep setting PR’s. Sleep is the glue that hold it all together keeping hormones healthy and repairing your muscles.
References
Garthe . “Effect of Two Different Weight-Loss Rates on Body Composition and Strength and Power-Related Performance in Elite Athletes.” International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21558571/.
Biolo, SP. Maggi, et al. “The Muscle Protein Synthetic Response to Meal Ingestion Following Resistance-Type Exercise.” Sports Medicine, Springer International Publishing, 1 Jan. 1995, link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-019-01053-5.
Calbet, Jose A L, et al. “Exercise Preserves Lean Mass and Performance during Severe Energy Deficit: The Role of Exercise Volume and Dietary Protein Content.” Frontiers in Physiology, Frontiers Media S.A., 24 July 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5522839/.
Willis, Leslie H, et al. “Effects of Aerobic and/or Resistance Training on Body Mass and Fat Mass in Overweight or Obese Adults.” Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), American Physiological Society, 15 Dec. 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3544497/.
Rebaï. “Reducing Resistance Training Volume during Ramadan Improves Muscle Strength and Power in Football Players.” International Journal of Sports Medicine, U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24048913/.
Nedeltcheva, Arlet V, et al. “Insufficient Sleep Undermines Dietary Efforts to Reduce Adiposity.” Annals of Internal Medicine, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 5 Oct. 2010, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2951287/.
5 Ways To Integrate Powerlifting And Bodybuilding
5 Ways To Integrate Powerlifting And Bodybuilding.
The longstanding relationship between bodybuilding and powerlifting has generally been that of a healthy rivalry. But sometimes oppositional thinking can blind one camp to the benefits of the other.
Recently, powerlifting has become increasingly fashionable in the fitness community, and new athletes are rising who are skilled in both powerlifting and aesthetic training, among them are names like Stan Efferding, and Susan Salazar. The following are some of tips for incorporating powerlifting and bodybuilding.
1. Heavy weights, higher reps
Powerlifters prioritize neurological training, but hypertrophy work (6-15 reps) builds a foundation of actual muscle for that training, which is often neglected by powerlifters. Often the weakest link for powerlifter is not their ability to recruit muscular force, it’s the amount of muscle available for recruitment. Bodybuilders often forget that hard, dense muscle and serious thickness is built with heavy weight. He compares Ronnie Coleman and Phil Heath: one preferred lifting very heavy and the other didn’t. The difference is clear.
2. Exchange Movements
To the powerlifters, it’s important to to balance the body. A more complete muscular system will minimize injury, increase strength and mobility, and allow the body to optimally recruit firing patterns.
To the bodybuilders, include some compound movements. Low bar squats are one of the best hamstring and glute builders out there. Paused bench press gives your chest and triceps a completely different stimulation and leads to thickness and growth because you’re starting from a dead point in a different firing pattern. And things like sumo deadlifts can take a lot of pressure off the precious low back while being phenomenal lower body developers.
3. Exchange Rep Ranges
Most bodybuilders would benefit from occasionally lowering the rep range to 1-3. A more powerful neurological system will always be a driver of muscular gains.For powerlifters he recommends occasional sessions of over 15 reps. Increased blood flow pulls nutrition into the joints and stimulates growth in slow twitch fibers. It will also help powerlifters walk up long staircases without feeling out of breath.
4. Nutrition
For bodybuilders, we recommend increasing carbohydrate intake. Carbs help strength performance and can be added slowly and safely into any diet if monitored properly. If you care about strength performance, you need carbs. Powerlifters, by contrast, should have focus on proper macros. Just because strength is king doesn’t mean donuts don’t hurt. He recommends baseline of 1.2-1.5g of protein, 1.5-4.0g of carbs, and 0.3-0.6g of healthy fat per pound of body weight.
5. Strategic Periodization
If you want to compete in both sports, strategic programming must be employed year round. Obviously, one doesn’t want to be maxing out 4 weeks out from a show and you don’t want to be doing a ton of accessory volume 4 weeks out from a meet. Everything has it’s place in a strategic and balanced program.
What do you think of these 5 Ways To Integrate Powerlifting And Bodybuilding? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Forget Masturbation, These 6 Things Affect Your Workouts Even More
If you’ve been around the fitness scene long enough, chances are, at some point, you’ve been told by a gym bro that fapping can lead to weakness and muscle loss. On top of that, wanking before a workout is considered a sin by broscientists around the world.
Since this article is about things that affect your workout performance more than masturbation, we won’t go into if you should or shouldn’t have sex/masturbate before a workout. We have covered this topic in its entirety in a previous article. Check it out here.
Things Which Affect Your Workouts More than Sex & Masturbation
Work Stress
Do you know what’s worse than masturbating before a workout? Thinking about your boss before and during your workouts. Excessive stress is a known factor of decreased performance in every aspect – physical and mental.
While a small build-up of stress before an intense workout, a race, or a competitive event can improve your performance and focus, the problem begins when you begin to remain anxious constantly.
Stress is known to release cortisol in your body which increases your body fat storage levels and reduces your muscle mass. Cortisol also abrupts the protein synthesis and tissue growth by reducing the production of growth hormone.
The good news is, exercise is known to be a great stress-buster. No matter how tired or busy you might be, you should never miss a workout session. Creating a pre-workout ritual like listening to your favorite music or doing breathing exercises can be effective ways of getting you in your zone.
You’re Not Sleeping Well
If you’re not getting 6-8 hours of sleep every night, you’re just running on fumes. If you’re not rested well, no amounts of pre-workout supplements or caffeine can turn your workouts into productive sessions.
Sleep deprivation can impair your body’s fat-burning mechanisms, disrupt the insulin response, and can even affect your decision-making processes. Don’t be surprised if you can’t establish a mind-muscle connection in the gym if you haven’t slept well.
If you’ve trouble falling asleep, following a routine that includes things like not using your phone in the bed or switching off the lights after 11 pm can be of help. Waking up abruptly from deep sleep can also be a cause of exhaustion in some cases. Invest in gadgets/apps which help you wake up gradually.
Poor Diet
No matter how hard you train, you’re not going to get anywhere if you treat your body like a dumpster. Following a simple diet plan is one of the most effective ways of staying on track.
You should be eating anywhere between 6-8 meals every day spread-out evenly at two-hour intervals. Your diet should consist of lean proteins, unprocessed foods, and vegetables.
One of the most overlooked aspects of a diet plan is water. Dehydration can cause fatigue, headaches, muscle cramps, and prolonged muscle soreness. Drinking at least a gallon of water is necessary if you desire optimal performance.
Your diet plan should be designed keeping in mind your daily macronutrient requirements as per your goals. Reading labels and tracking calories should become second nature if you’re serious about your gains.
Your Muscle Recovery Lacks
Taking a day off of the gym can feel like a crime especially when you’re in your 20’s but you need to remember that you can’t give in your 100% in the gym if you’re not feeling your best.
If you’re constantly sore, you should consider taking an extra day off. Training too hard without proper recovery can lead to a state of overtraining. Overtraining can be counterproductive as it can lead to muscle catabolism.
You should give your muscles at least three days to recover before training them again. Rest days are a blessing-in-disguise. Recreational activities like yoga, swimming, biking can give your muscles enough stimulation to help with recovery.
If you’re a serious lifter and are having troubles with your muscle recovery, you should consider using supplements. A protein, BCAA, and glutamine supplement can be game-changers in helping your muscles recuperate from your grueling workouts.
Genetics
Although hearing this might break your heart, genetics play a massive role in how your muscles develop. You might do the same calf exercises and lift the same weights as your training partner but there are no guarantees that your lower legs won’t remain the twigs they are while your buddy’s turn into full-brown bulls.
The good news here is, while you could have a genetically weaker muscle group, you can make up for it elsewhere. Your workouts should be designed around your genetic predispositions.
If you are slow-twitch muscle dominant, you’ll excel in exercises that require bursts of speed and power but will probably fatigue quickly. Getting to know your body takes a lot of time, and understanding what works for you takes even longer, so be patient.
Your Mental Health Needs Attention
Being under immense work or personal life pressure can kill your mood and motivation of working out but deteriorating mental health can impact every aspect of your life – both psychological and physiological.
Prolonged muscle soreness, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, muscle, and joint pains, and decreased appetite are a few symptoms of deteriorating psychological health. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you shouldn’t wait for them to die down but should instead consult a professional at the earliest. Letting mental problems run for longer can worsen the situation.
Most of the therapists, in any case, will suggest some sort of exercise in your recovery program. Working out can release endorphins (happy hormones) which can help alleviate your mood and can induce a sense of well-being.
While broscientists confuse ejaculation with wasting testosterone, they hardly talk about the things which can actually hamper your growth inside and outside the gym. If you want to see gains, impress the bodybuilding gods by working on the things mentioned in the article.
How are your gains going? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
You’ll Be Surprised How Much These Instagram Fitness Models Earn
Check Out These Millionaire Instagram Fitness Celebrities
There are no arguments that Instagram is turning into one of the biggest social media platforms. Fitness junkies love following and double tapping their favorite athletes’ pictures on Instagram.
For these athletes, what started out as posting a few inspirational (or provocative) pictures of themselves online, turned into a lucrative business. Some of the female fitness athletes have built an empire backed by their loyal followers.
Once a fitness model earns a big enough following, she can earn anywhere between $5,000-$25,000 per sponsored post. This list is based on the number of followers of the models on the list, the number of sponsored posts they have done, their perceived brand value and the number of years they have been active on Instagram.
Paige Hathaway (Net Worth – $5.65 Million)
Paige Hathaway has been in the fitness industry for a very long time. Hathaway was one of the first “Instagram fitness chicks” and has endorsed brands like Shredz. Paige has 4 million followers on Instagram and is a hot target for brands looking to push their products on Insta.
Jen Selter (Net Worth – $3 Million)
Jen Selter has become incredibly famous thanks to her pear-shaped butt. Selter has 11.8 million followers on Instagram and makes frequent TV appearance to promote health and fitness. Jen, 24, is earning big bucks and is showing no signs of slowing down.
Ana Cheri (Net Worth – $4 Million)
Cheri started out as a Playboy playmate and has accomplished a lot since then. Ana has 11.1 million followers on Instagram. Cheri owns a gym with her husband and has her own swimwear line.
Michelle Lewin (Net Worth – $4 Million)
Michelle Lewin is one of the most recognized faces in the fitness industry. Lewin has 12.8 million Instagram followers and charges as much as $10,000 per sponsored Insta post. Michelle adds around 20,000 new followers on Insta every day.
Laci Kay Somers (Net Worth – $3 Million)
Laci Somers started out as an MMA ring girl and now has 9.2 million followers on Instagram. Somers’ fans followed her right from the MMA ring to Instagram. Laci had endorsement deals with Shredz, FitTea, and Flavor God seasonings.
Alexa Jean Brown (Net Worth – $2.5 Million)
Alexa Jean Brown is a blonde bombshell you should be following on Instagram. Brown is a mommy of two and has 1.9 million followers on Insta. Alexa is known for her pregnancy fitness guides.
Amanda Lee (Net Worth – $2.83 Million)
Amanda Lee has the perfect hourglass physique. Lee has also been called the blonde Jen Setler for her perfect rear. Scrolling through Amanda’s Instagram feed will become one of your favorite pastimes. Lee has 11.3 million followers on Instagram.
Abigail Ratchford (Net Worth – $3.42 Million)
Abigail’s Instagram feed is NSFW. Ratchford has 8.2 million followers on Instagram and she uses every inch of her 36DD-24-36 body to keep them entertained. Abigail’s role-play photos will leave you drooling.
Chantel Zales (Net Worth – $4.4 Million)
Chantel Zales is an A-list model and has 4.4 million followers on Instagram. Zantel has been featured in magazines like FHM and Maxim. Open this Latina’s Instagram Instagram feed and you’ll be hooked on for hours.
Kayla Itsines (Net Worth – $7.2 Million)
Kayla might be a surprise to most people on the list. Itsines has 8.7 million loyal followers on Instagram. Kayla has a “girl next door look” and she is cashing in on it by using her following to promote her bikini body guides.
*The actual net worth of these individuals may vary.
How much do you earn as compared to these athletes? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*header image courtesy of Instagram
The Glute Ham Raise Alternatives To Constantly Change Your Workouts
Put these glute ham raise alternatives into your workout for better gains.
Focusing on certain exercises we love can prove to pay off in the long run, but when it comes to the glute ham raise as a singular exercise, looking to those glute ham raise alternatives can diversify your workouts for the better. We all want the best when it comes to seeing gains and often times we stick to the same old exercises we know and love because it’s what comfortable.
But eventually our muscles get used to them and our growth plateaus, clearly something we all don’t want or need. By adding in alternative exercises we give ourselves the best benefit to seeing similar growth while also adding different workouts to the larger training program.
The glute ham raise is a solid exercise to work your posterior chain, mainly your hamstrings and glutes, but with the top glute ham raise alternatives in your routine, the gains you want to see most are right around the corner. Working the same muscles, in a different way, but sticking to the idea of supporting the posterior chain, what you will find is your workouts become more engaging and fun with only the best gains to show for it.
Let’s take a look at both the glute ham raise exercise and the best glute ham raise alternatives so you can see huge gains and mix up your workout. With the right exercises in your training program, all of those you want to see can be achieved in no time.
What Is The Glute Ham Raise?
The glute ham raise is a great exercise working mainly your hamstrings and glutes. It is highly effective in developing strength and muscular endurance perfect for seeing posterior chain gains.
By working to bend the knee and extend the hips, this targets your hamstrings so they will grow, but also see better range of motion and aid in functional movements. Great for adding to your leg day routine, this exercise is certainly not one to neglect (1).
Benefits Of It
The benefits of the glute ham raise are hard to ignore and will make you want to put this into your routine. As a highly effective workout, it would be a disservice not to give this exercise a go.
Benefits of the glute ham raise include:
Glute and hamstring development: By increasing strength and size in your hamstrings and glutes, you build better development for sport specific and functional movements.
Better posture: With this overall development, you work to strengthen muscles necessary for posture, so no more slouching and unfortunate pain caused by poor posture.
Back support: Strengthening those lower body muscles work to support your hips, and with stronger hips, comes a more supported back to increase gains in sport specific and functional workouts.
More power and speed: Both power and speed stem from your leg strength and by working on this overall development, you will see those performance goals take off.
Plenty of alternative exercises: The nice part about alternative exercises (which we will get into) are that you can target the same muscles and get the same benefits, all while changing up your workout.
Best Glute Ham Raise Alternatives
Let’s take a look at some of these glute ham raise alternatives in order to set you and your training plan up for success. With the right exercises, you can tackle all of those goals and really give yourself the best benefits possible, all while targeting the exact same muscles. Give these glute ham raise alternatives a try and really see what these can do for all your muscle building goals today.
1. Good Mornings
Good mornings follow the idea of hinging at the hips and allowing for better movement in the waist. You can make these harder by adding resistance bands, dumbbells, or a barbell to the lift for that added time under tension and resistance (2).
2. Single Leg RDL
Great for focusing on your glutes and hammies, the single leg RDL is a nice alternative to work on muscle imbalances and improve single leg stability. Able to increase lower body strength and size, this is a real challenge to put into your workouts (3).
3. Stability Ball Leg Curls
Great for those hamstrings, this is also relies heavily on your core and forces you to really focus on form. Great for working on stability and enforcing mind-muscle connection, this will give your hamstrings a wild ride to growth.
4. Glute Bridge Walkouts
This workout is a real challenge and really works those core and hip stabilizers. As a result of the stretching that occurs, you not only give your glutes a great workout, but also those hamstrings, both vital for the completion of the exercise.
5. Kettlebell Swings
Kettlebell swings are a great exercise and one totally worth doing, for they not only work your glutes and hamstrings, but many other muscles as well. A real full body exercise, this is most certainly one to build muscle and increase your heart rate for a really nice alternative (4).
Why These Alternatives Are Great
These glute ham raise alternatives listed above are great for a number of reasons, most notably being the fact they work the same muscles and will target them in unique ways. By allowing your muscles to become confused, you will trick them into growing so they can’t get used to the same old exercises. For your posterior chain, having exercises that allow for similar development as the glute ham raise keep the benefits like posture and injury prevention intact.
Wrap Up
These top glute ham raise alternatives can help you see much better gains so you only continue to sculpt and shred. By sticking to the same exercises, we don’t allow ourselves the opportunity to truly thrive, thus inhibiting our ability to see the best growth possible. These glute ham raise alternatives are exactly what you need to see success and will only produce the best physique for you, and one others will definitely envy.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
McAllister, M.; et al. (2014). “Muscle activation during various hamstring exercises”. (source)
Vigotsky, A.; et al. (2015). “Effects of load on good morning kinematics and EMG activity”. (source)
Martin-Fuentes, I.; et al. (2020). “Electromyographic activity in deadlift exercise and its variants. A systematic review”. (source)
Lake, J.; et al. (2012). “Kettlebell swing training improves maximal and explosive strength”. (source)