Tag: FITNESS
Best Ways To Get Huge Traps And Why You Need Them
Increase power and strength for your body with huge traps. Oh, and look good too.
When we exercise for that toned physique, we focus on so many muscle groups and various exercises to boost our confidence and athletic performance. Maintaining a well-defined body requires diligence and hard work and while we tend to focus on our back, chest, abs, and arms for full muscle development, our traps are often neglected. But your trapezius muscle can do so much more than just add to a well-built appearance. With huge traps, your power and strength will improve for an overall full body experience.
The right exercises can really develop those traps to ultimately lead to a stellar physique, but proper training is required to avoid injury to not only these muscles, but those surrounding them like your neck and shoulders. Injury prevention is key in keeping us in the gym and working hard and strong traps will increase the load on your neck keeping you stable. For bodybuilders and powerlifters, huge traps will give you the leg up on the competition and improve your overall performance.
There are a host of different exercises to work your upper, middle, and lower traps and dedicating time to each section can add to that sculpted upper torso for attention and strength. For your physical development, trapezius exercises can recruit other muscles to generate overall growth and support (1), but the confidence you get from looking in the mirror will make you glad you focused on these often over-looked muscles.
These five exercises are great for working your traps, but the added benefit is the other muscles recruited to do these as well. Looking for challenging ways to improve your overall performance is the best way to see muscle growth and increase strength so your big gains and endurance become the forefront of your workouts.
Shrugs
Shrugs are a classic trap exercise to really work your upper trap muscles. You can use a barbell or dumbbells and either way they are a great exercise for muscle growth and muscular endurance. As a way to isolate the traps, these are a solid choice to do as a final exercise for your upper body (2).
How to: With your feet shoulder-width apart, hold the weight at thigh level. Your hand should be facing you and your body is straight with a tight core. Raise your shoulders as high as you can while keeping good form and pause slightly at the top. Gently lower down to the starting position and complete with your desired number of reps.
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Deadlift
This staple powerlifting exercise is one most notably recognized as a great workout for your back and legs, but your traps work hard to keep your back straight allowing for them to get a good burn. While your traps aren’t your main focus with a deadlift, all three sections of the trapezius are worked to give you a great pump.
How to: With your feet hip-width apart, place your hands on the grip just outside your legs. Make sure to keep a flat back and an engaged core. As you hinge at the hips to raise the weight, keep the bar in contact or as close to your legs as you can. Lift to your thighs and gently lower back to the starting position.
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Bent-Over Lateral Raise
The bent-over lateral raise is a great exercise for your back, shoulders, and traps and require you to move the weight outward. With benefits for strength, power, and overall fitness, this is a solid choice to increase shoulder strength and support (3).
How to: Bend over from the waist with your chest parallel to the floor. Holding the weights in front of you, raise both arms to shoulder height, or close to parallel to the floor. Flex the rear delts as you pause at the top and lower to the starting position.
Face Pulls
This exercise is often neglected but is great for your upper body and traps. Not only do face pulls work to promote muscle growth, but also support overall shoulder health and improve posture. They can be a great additional workout to work on the internal rotation of the shoulder joint while also providing a good burn for your traps.
How to: Using a cable machine with a rope attached, grab the rope and pull towards your face. Your arms should be parallel to the ground with your elbows higher than your wrists. Get a good squeeze and slowly return to the starting position.
Upright Rows
Upright rows are something to consider adding to your workouts because they add a challenge for your delts while also providing for mass gains in your traps (4). As an important movement for powerlifters who do a clean and press, it is important to start light to get proper form and gradually increase in weight for bigger, more effective lifts.
How to: With your feet shoulder-width apart, your grip should be slightly closer than shoulder-width apart on the bar. With a slight bend in your legs and a tight core, raise the bar up towards your head keeping it close to your body. After a slight pause, reverse the movement back to the starting position.
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Why You Need Strong Traps
Strong traps provide for stability and increased strength in the areas surrounding your upper body including your neck and shoulders (5). Providing for great ways to prevent injury, strong traps allow for better absorption for those in contact sports, but also strengthen smaller muscles around the area for increase balance and support. Your shoulders are fairly weak joints and it is important to keep them stable for they are important for almost every exercise. Increasing flexibility and range of motion can give your athletic performance that much needed boost and traps provide a solid foundation for the shoulder girdle. On top of the physical benefits, traps will really make your physique pop which is something we all want. That toned aesthetic requires all parts of our body to be strong and balanced and huge traps can really make a statement.
Wrap Up
Although they are often times overlooked, your traps should have as much attention as any other muscle group. Strong, stable traps provide for solid benefits in injury prevention and shoulder support, but the look will give you confidence and keep you standing tall. These exercises are great ways to build muscle and muscular endurance to improve your overall performance and outlook on fitness. Push yourself with these trapezius exercises to look and feel great about your progress in the gym.
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
Petersen, Shannon M.; Wyatt, Sarah N. (2011). “Lower Trapezius Muscle Strength in Individuals With Unilateral Neck Pain”. (source)
Armitage-Johnson, Stephanie (1990). “The Power Shrug”. (source)
Pierce, Kyle C. (1998). “Bent-Over Lateral Raise and Jerk From Rack”. (source)
McAllister, Matthew J.; Schilling, Brian K.; Hammond, Kelley G.; Weiss, Lawrence W.; Farney, Tyler M. (2013). “Effect of Grip Width on Electromyographic Activity During the Upright Row”. (source)
Petersen, Shannon M.; Wyatt, Sarah N. (2011). “Lower Trapezius Muscle Strength in Individuals With Unilateral Neck Pain”. (source)
The Pendlay Row vs The Barbell Row
Develop Back Strength and Size With These Two Rowing Exercises
For working the muscles of the back, there is no exercise that compares to the row. There are a number of variations that can be used to develop the lats, rhomboids, and traps.
Two commonly used rowing variations are the pendlay row and the conventional barbell row.
Although similar in movement and muscle activation, there are small differences between the two that change the dynamic of the exercise.
This article will explain how to perform both the pendlay and conventional barbell row and will detail the three of the biggest benefits associated with both rowing variations.
The Pendlay Row
Glenn Pendlay is the strength and conditioning coach who is attributed with creating the pendlay row.
Pendlay believes that this variation of the row is how the row should be performed and will lead to optimal back development.
The pendlay row involves starting with the bar on the floor, pulling it tight to the body before returning it to the floor.
Because the bar starts from the floor, it requires you to significantly hinge the hips so that the back is approximately parallel with the floor.
Glenn Pendlay was a huge advocate of this variation as returning the bar to the floor with each rep requires strict form and negates the use of momentum that is sometimes seen in other rowing exercises.
Be aware that because of the trunk position, it may be necessary to use a lighter weight than you normally would with a conventional barbell row. To perform the pendlay row, use the following five steps:
Step One: Start by placing a loaded barbell directly in front of you on the floor. Place your feet directly under the bar at approximately hip-width.
Step Two: To assume the correct position, focus on driving the hips back while keeping the knees slightly bent so that the trunk of the body tips forwards and the back stays flat.
Reach down and grip the bar using an overhand grip with the hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Step Three: Before lifting the weight from the floor, pull your shoulders back and down and squeeze your core muscles.
Step Four: Powerfully lift the weight from the floor by squeezing the shoulder blades together and hinging the elbows. Pull the bar into the abdomen keeping the elbows as tight to the body as possible.
Step Five: Lower the bar back to the floor by extending at the elbows. Keep the core braced throughout to stabilize the movement and prevent the back from moving or rounding.
The Barbell Row
The barbell row may refer to a range of barbell rowing exercises – for example, wide grip, narrow grip, underhand, and overhand row.
The biggest difference between the pendlay row and the conventional bent barbell row is the back angle.
As the pendlay row takes place from the floor, the back is parallel to the floor. With the bent row, the angle may vary – however, typically, the back angle is typically 45-degrees.
Unlike the pendlay row where the bar returns to the floor with each rep, with the conventional row, the bar is suspended just in front, in-line or above the knees depending on the back angle.
To perform the conventional barbell row, work through the following steps:
Step One: Start with the feet under the hips, grip the bar with an overhand grip that is slightly wider than shoulder-width. Pick the bar up and stand up tall with the bar in hand.
Step Two: Push the chest high, pull the shoulders back and down, and engage the core muscles.
Step Three: While keeping the knees soft, drive the hips back so that the trunk begins to tip forward. Keep the bar tight to the legs and continue pushing the hips back until the back is at a 45-degree angle.
Step Four: Pull the shoulder blades together and hinge the elbows to bring the bar into the trunk while preventing the elbows from excessively flaring out.
Step Five: Maintain a core brace and lower the bar in a controlled fashion back to the starting position.
The Benefits of Both Rowing Exercises
This section will highlight the benefits of regularly performing these two rowing variations.
Because the movements are similar there are some benefits that apply to both the pendlay and barbell row. However, the slight variation between the two exercises does means that there are also some unique benefits.
1) Building Muscle Size
For those who wish to improve their aesthetics or performance, it may be necessary to increase muscle size.
Rows have the potential to build a significant amount of muscle. This is because rows are compound movements that recruit many muscles across a number of joints.
Compound exercises have been shown to be highly effective for building muscle size. This is primarily because a relatively large amount of weight can be lifted with compound exercises.
Lifting heavy weight will apply mechanical tension, increase metabolic stress, and cause a substantial amount of muscle damage – these three are all critical components of muscle growth (1).
Rowing exercises have been found to activate the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, traps, and biceps (2). Therefore, regularly performing these exercises can lead to muscle growth in these areas.
Studies have suggested that targetting muscles from multiple angles may enhance the rate of muscle growth (3).
Consequently, it may be beneficial to incorporate a number of rowing variations, such as the pendlay row, in order to hit the back muscles from different angles to maximize muscle growth.
2) Strength Development
In a similar vein to muscle growth, heavy compound exercises are excellent for increasing strength capacity (4).
Therefore, the barbell row and its variations can be considered effective for strength development.
If you are unsure which variation would be best for optimizing strength, consider your goals, needs, and limitations.
If you are having issues with positional strength, it may be an idea to use the pendlay row as this places a greater demand on mobility and static strength.
For example, many individuals find that they cannot keep the back flat during the deadlift. Therefore, by incorporating the pendlay row into their training, they can develop this ability.
However, if your goal is to maximally build muscular strength, focus on heavy barbell rows.
While a substantial amount of weight can still be lifted with the pendlay row, the barbell row will typically allow you to lift a heavier amount of weight and may, therefore, be superior for gaining strength.
3) Specific to Powerlifting and Weightlifting
It is clear that both rowing variations are highly beneficial for building general strength and size.
Some may argue that barbell rows are superior to the pendlay row in terms of raw strength development, however, there are specific strength benefits associated with the pendlay row.
For any lifter who struggles with back, core, and hamstring strength, it may be wise to select the pendlay row over the conventional barbell row.
For powerlifters and weightlifters, the pendlay row may also serve a greater purpose than the barbell row.
As mentioned, the pendlay row is particularly useful for developing static as well as concentric strength.
Therefore, for weightlifters, developing strength in this fashion can help to enhance snatch and clean performance while also allowing you to move beyond any sticking points.
For powerlifters, enhancing full-body static and concentric strength can facilitate a better squat and deadlift performance.
Therefore, although it is likely that a heavier weight can be lifted during the barbell row, the weight on the bar is not always the most important factor worth considering.
Row Programming Considerations
The row has significant potential to build muscle strength and size and, therefore, some form of rowing variation should be included in your training program.
However, be aware that the training volume that you use will have a substantial impact on the rate of development.
For maximizing strength improvements, heavy weight should be prioritized. It is recommended to exceed no more than five reps per set.
Although the traditional understanding dictates that six to twelve reps is best for maximizing hypertrophy, more recent research has shown that hypertrophy occurs throughout a range of reps (5).
Therefore, if your goal is to improve muscular size, your focus must be on increasing total training volume.
Final Word
While there are minor differences between the setup of the pendlay and conventional barbell row, the movement patterns are relatively similar and therefore, both can significantly build full-body strength and size.
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:
1 – Schoenfeld, Brad J. (2010-10). “The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training”. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 24 (10): 2857–2872. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181e840f3. ISSN 1533-4287. PMID 20847704.
2 – Lehman, Gregory J; Buchan, Day Deans; Lundy, Angela; Myers, Nicole; Nalborczyk, Andrea (June 30, 2004). “Variations in muscle activation levels during traditional latissimus dorsi weight training exercises: An experimental study”. Dynamic medicine : DM. 3: 4. doi:10.1186/1476-5918-3-4. ISSN 1476-5918. PMID 15228624.
3 – Barakat, Christopher; Barroso, Renato; Alvarez, Michael; Rauch, Jacob; Miller, Nicholas; Bou-Sliman, Anton; De Souza, Eduardo O. (September 4, 2019). “The Effects of Varying Glenohumeral Joint Angle on Acute Volume Load, Muscle Activation, Swelling, and Echo-Intensity on the Biceps Brachii in Resistance-Trained Individuals”. Sports (Basel, Switzerland). 7 (9). doi:10.3390/sports7090204. ISSN 2075-4663. PMC 6783981. PMID 31487841.
4 – Paoli, Antonio; Gentil, Paulo; Moro, Tatiana; Marcolin, Giuseppe; Bianco, Antonino (December 22, 2017). “Resistance Training with Single vs. Multi-joint Exercises at Equal Total Load Volume: Effects on Body Composition, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Muscle Strength”. Frontiers in Physiology. 8. doi:10.3389/fphys.2017.01105. ISSN 1664-042X. PMC 5744434. PMID 29312007.
5 – Schoenfeld, Brad J.; Grgic, Jozo; Ogborn, Dan; Krieger, James W. (2017-12). “Strength and Hypertrophy Adaptations Between Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis”. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 31 (12): 3508–3523. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000002200. ISSN 1533-4287. PMID 28834797
How Donkey Calf Raises Greatly Influence Calf Growth
Maximize your calf training for those bulging calves with a great exercise in the donkey calf raise.
As a part of that sometimes dreaded leg day, it would be a huge disservice to neglect our calves. How silly would that look to have massive quads, tight hamstrings, and then underwhelming, tiny calves. Looking to those exercises that can increase strength and size can prove helpful, especially when it comes to building an often overlooked muscle like our calves. Donkey calf raises are a great way to make this happen and can really work for a number of benefits. As an effective exercise, this needs to be in your leg day routine.
Let’s take a look at donkey calf raises and see what this calf exercise is all about. From what it is, to muscles worked, and the many benefits of it, we’ll show you how to perform it to optimize growth so you see those bulging calves others will envy.
What Are Donkey Calf Raises
Donkey calf raises are a great bodyweight exercise designed to build strength and size in your calves to improve things like power, speed, explosiveness, ankle mobility, and overall calf size. The movement is relatively simple but requires care so as to not hurt yourself or put yourself in a vulnerable position. Not quite an isolation exercise, this comes close to working just your calves and is a great way to really feel a burn and promote the growth you want most (1).
Muscles Worked
The main muscles worked with donkey calf raises are your gastrocnemius and the soleus. These are the two muscles that make up your calf muscle as a whole and this exercise works to increase strength and size in both. These muscles are important for movements like running, walking, and a host of others. While not as strong, you do feel some work done in the hamstrings and also your abs. This results from the stretching motion and the stability needed to perform the exercise.
Benefits Of This Exercise
Donkey calf raises have great benefits to the development of your calves and can improve your overall physical health and performance. Benefits of this exercise include:
Increased size and strength: By working your calves, you develop strength and size with the increased muscle activation and resistance of this exercise. Building big calves can be challenging but this exercise is here to help (2).
Better jumping ability: With the increased strength, you can develop your jumping ability for those who need it for sports performance.
Enhanced speed and explosiveness: Along with better jumping ability, work to increase speed and explosiveness for whatever movements may require it.
Better ankle stability and movement: Building stronger calves can work to protect the ankles and increase stability and mobility for optimal performance (3).
Great exercise to almost isolate the calves: While this exercise does not solely isolate the calves, it is close and offers a unique way to increase that strength and size.
How To Perform It
Here are the steps for performing donkey calf raises:
Set-up a flat bench in front of a step or raised block. You will want this to be in a comfortable position to hold on to.
Position the balls of your feet onto the step or block and bend forward to take hold of the bench in front of you.
When ready, drop your heels as far as they can go and then initiate the upward movement. Really give a squeeze at the top and hold for a brief pause.
Lower back to the starting position making sure to readjust so you remain in a comfortable and stable position.
Repeat for your desired number of reps.
Additional tips: You can add weight if you choose for more resistance by using a belt and be sure to control the tempo to really get the most out of this workout.
Featured Supplement For Continued Gains
When it comes to your workouts, and especially this exercise in donkey calf raises, it is important to have a supplementation routine ready to go to tackle any and all of your gains. While many supplements do exist to work to boost those gains of yours, knowing which ones to take will prove most worthwhile. A pre-workout is great for tackling those energy boosts and muscle pumps while an intra-workout BCAA can help push past fatigue and offer continued energy. Something like a creatine supplement, mass gainer, and fat burner can also work for your gains, but one supplement is necessary for growth and recovery, being a protein powder (4).
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Wrap Up
Donkey calf raises have the ability to prove worthwhile for our calf building goals and greatly affect our overall look and performance. Able to increase strength and size, while also aiding in other areas like ankle mobility, explosiveness, power, and speed, this exercise is one to really challenge your ability to grow those calves to a size others will envy. With so many benefits, it would be a disservice to not include this exercise in your routine so give it a try and see what donkey calf raises can do for you.
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
Schaardenburgh, Michel V.; Wohlwen, Martin; Rognmo, Oivind; Mattson, Erney (2017). “Calf raise exercise increases walking performance in patients with intermittent claudication”. (source)
Cen, Xuan Z.; Liang, Zhi Q.; Gao, Zi X.; Lian, Wen L.; et al. (2019). “The Influence of the Improvement of Calf Strength on Barefoot Loading”. (source)
Hasselgren, L.; Olsson, L. L.; Nyberg, L. (2011). “Is leg muscle strength correlated with functional balance and mobility among inpatients in geriatric rehabilitation?”. (source)
Pasiakos, Stefan M.; Lieberman, Harris R.; McLellan, Tom M. (2014). “Effects of protein supplements on muscle damage, soreness and recovery of muscle function and physical performance: a systematic review”. (source)
6 Reasons Why You Are Not Getting Stronger
Most people join a gym to get over some kind of insecurity.
Lifting weights has this uncanny ability to make you feel powerful and in control. Hit the gym for a few years, and you will start feeling like you can beat a grizzly bear in a bare-knuckle fight.
But the question remains – If it is so good, why do some people quit training soon after they get a gym membership? One of the biggest reasons is that these people have no results to show for the hard work they put in the gym.
The adrenaline rush is one of the biggest hooks for weightlifting. Graduating from a 40lb dumbbell to a 45lb dumbbell is a thrilling moment for a lifter. On the other hand, being stuck on the same weight for too long can be discouraging.
Let’s be honest. Resistance training is hard. Not seeing the needle budge in the right direction even after performing thousands of reps day in and day out can be pretty disappointing. The day an individual begins questioning their results is the beginning of the end of their fitness journey.
Knowing what you are doing wrong can help you save time, effort, and frustration that comes with following an ineffective routine. While an inability to meet your daily macro goal, lack of discipline, and rest are potent causes for stalled progress, they are far from being the only reasons. In this article, we are going to dig deeper into why you are not getting stronger.
Reasons Why You Are Not Getting Stronger
1. You Do What You Love And Love What You Do
While ‘Do what you love and love what you do’ might be a great advertising campaign, it doesn’t work so well in the gym. Most people have an exercise that they love performing, like the bicep curl and leg extension, and then there are some exercises that don’t get the same love – like squats.
Sticking to the same exercises in every workout might make you feel great, but the strength void you are creating by avoiding the “hard” lifts gets bigger with every training session. Also, performing the same exercises in every workout is one of the fastest ways to hit a plateau.
In the gym (just like in life), the things that push you out of your comfort zone are the things that will help you grow and succeed. There is no place for comfort in the gym. The next time you find yourself heading towards the leg press machine, take a stop-over at the squat rack.
2. The Ego Is The Enemy
The iron paradise is a high-testosterone zone, and it is not the place to go looking for the world’s most humble men. Egos usually run high in places where people are trying to outdo each other, and the gym is no different.
There are two types of ego lifters:
Bros who put on more weight on the bar than they can handle. These folks let their form go for a toss as they struggle to lift the weight.
People who never push themselves to lift heavier than they usually do. They avoid attempting a PR on the squat or bench press to avoid the embarrassment of failing at the lift.
While the first scenario is more dangerous than the second, both are toxic for your gains and should be avoided if you want to get stronger. While entering the gym, drop your ego at the front door and practice lifting with a leveled head. Remember: don’t starve but also don’t bite off more than you can chew.
3. You Are Jumping Ships Too Often
Most people make the mistake of switching training programs too often. In today’s fast-paced world, people want quick fixes. Fast food, super glue, instant noodles, and quick money trading Dogecoin (thanks, Elon). They carry the same mindset to the gym as well.
These people start a training program, and if they don’t see results in a few weeks (which they usually don’t), they switch programs in hopes of getting stronger and turning around their physiques. And then they switch to a new program after a few more weeks.
While following the same program for a long period can cause you to hit a plateau, jumping ships too often do not give your muscles enough time to get the most out of your routine. You should stick with a training program for at least eight weeks before switching things up.
4. Everyone And Everything Has A Limit
It would be great if we could grow a little stronger every day. Some people say they focus on getting 1% better every day in whatever it is they are trying to improve. If you apply this to weight lifting, it won’t be long before you could star in the next Hulk movie.
Train long enough, and you will reach a point where your strength will plateau, and you won’t get any stronger. The genetic ceiling is for real, and even unsavory things like steroids will only get you so far before you hit the new overhead ceiling.
5. You Are Unaware About ‘Supramaximal Training’
Supramaximal training involves exposing the body to higher or greater than a corresponding maximal stimulus. This technique can shock your muscles into growing by exposing them to a higher set of demands than they are used to.
If you want to increase muscle strength and hypertrophy, you should focus on increasing your TuT (time under tension) during supramaximal training sets using eccentric loading.
The TuT component of eccentric loading can be incredibly effective in plateau-breaking and prove invaluable for pushing the muscles and the nervous system to a new level of performance.
6. Bad Mechanics
The human brain finds the most efficient way to move through space while facing the least amount of resistance. This feature of our mind has served us Homo sapiens and our evolution well, but the same cannot be said for resistance training.
While lifting, many people subconsciously get into positions that limit the load on the joints and, therefore, the muscles. If you are one of these people, you should take a step back and assess your form while lifting.
When you are in the gym, you should put the evolutionary brain to rest and focus on making your body work hard for the gains. There are no two ways about it.
What is your bench press PR?
Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The Eight Best Bodyweight Exercises for Forearms
The forearms often go overlooked in the gym, viewed as along for the ride on most lifts as opposed to the focal point. Unless you’re looking to produce Popeye-like forearms, the thinking goes, there’s little need to spend time on the forearms. Besides, Popeye’s legendary guns were the product of spinach rather than lifting, right?
The forearms get overshadowed by the chest, shoulders, quads, biceps, and triceps. That’s a shame since the forearms play a key role in every lift, along with the movements of everyday life. Training the forearms improves the power in a swim, golf, or paddle stroke. They give the arms a balanced, symmetrical look, especially when you roll up your sleeves. Plus, in an era when most people spend hours hunched over a computer, studies suggest a link to forearm pain.
That makes forearm training prehab as well as traditional strength training. Forearms respond quickly to training, especially bodyweight training. Here are eight of the best bodyweight exercises for legs. You can use these as part of a regular workout or as a standalone circuit. If you do a circuit, do two sets of 10.
1. Forearm Stretch
What it does: This stretches the forearms, something most athletes rarely do.
How to do it: From a standing position with your right arm raised straight in front of your body and palm up, grab your right fingers with the left hand and pull toward the right elbow until a mild stretch is felt. Hold for two seconds. Relax and repeat.
How many? 2 sets of 10 on each hand with 30 seconds rest between sets.
2. Forearm Plank
What it does: Traditional push-up planks are great, but these put more emphasis on the forearms.
How to do it: Start in a pushup position, with your forearms resting on the ground. Your elbows and shoulders are bent 90 degrees. Push up off your elbows supporting your weight on the forearms. Tuck your chin so your head is in line with your body. Pull your toes toward your shins. Keep shoulders, hips and ankles aligned; your body should form a straight line from ears to heels.
How many? 2 sets of 60 seconds with 60 seconds rest between sets.
3. Forearm Side Plank
What it does: Side planks usually are done with arms extended. Planking off your forearm is more challenging.
How to do it: Start on the ground on your left side with your left forearm and your elbow under your shoulder. Push up off your elbow, creating a straight line from ankle to shoulder. Your hips should be off the ground and only the side of your bottom foot and your elbow should be on the ground. Hold for 30 seconds or do 10 reps of 3 seconds each.
How many? 2 sets of either of the above options.
4. Lunge Elbow to Instep
What it does: This full-body stretch works your groin, hip flexors, glutes, and especially hamstrings, but it’s also the rare movement that requires you to stretch your forearms to the ground.
How to do it: Step forward into a lunge with your left foot. Place your right forearm to the ground and your left elbow to the inside of your left foot and hold the stretch for two seconds. Then place your left hand outside of your foot and push your hips up, pointing your front toes up. Return to standing position and repeat by stepping ou with your right foot. Continue alternating sides.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps with 30 seconds rest between sets.
5. Crab Walk
What it does: Grade schoolers struggle with crab soccer because they haven’t developed forearm strength. Adults can develop forearms, too, through crab walking.
How to do it: Start by sitting on the floor with feet hip–distance apart extended out. Your arms are behind your back with your fingers facing the hips. Lift your hips off the floor and begin “walking” by moving your left hand forward, then the right foot, then the right hand, and left foot. Take 10 “steps” with each limb and then 10 steps backward to reach the starting position.
How long? 2 sets of 60 seconds with 60 seconds rest between sets.
6. Chin Ups
What it does: Like the overhead pull-up, the chin up is a terrific shoulder and back exercise to build that V-shaped torso. But by doing the underhanded chin up, we place more emphasis on the forearms.
How to do it: Grab the bar with an underhand grip. Hanging from the bar, pull your shoulder blades back and down to lift your body and build momentum. Finish by pulling up with your arms.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps (or as many as possible) with 30 seconds rest between sets.
7. Dips
What it does: You use your forearms and chest to lift your entire body weight.
How to do it: Position yourself above and between the bars, grabbing them with an overhand grip. Cross your ankles behind you. Lower yourself slowly and push back up in a controlled manner.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps with 60 seconds rest between sets.
8. Burpees
What it does: It’s a full-body push-up-like exercise that gives you all the benefits of pushups while also challenging your cardiovascular system and ratcheting up the intensity of your workout. The constant up-and-down of the movement taxes the forearms.
How to do it: From a standing position, squat, place yourhands on the ground, and “jump” your feet out into a push-up position. Perform a pushup and then jump your feet to your hands. Then jump as high as you can, throwing your hands over your head.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps with 60 seconds rest between sets.
Pete Williams is a NASM-CPT and the author or co-author of several fitness books, including Core Performance and Every Day is Game Day. His work has appeared inpublications such as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, and USA Today.
How Collagen Works To Improve Bodybuilding Performance
A great supplement, collagen can work to improve your overall health and performance.
Maybe you’ve heard of collagen supplements. Most often it is referred to in the context of better skin, offering a nice glow, or better hair, offering growth and a nice look. But collagen is a protein and the benefits to your workouts and recovery are not something to overlook. While other supplements may do more in terms of helping you see results faster, what collagen can do may be more subtle but will definitely be of great assistance, even if its just to your overall health. And at the end of the day, better health overall drives our training to be better, our performance to be top notch, and the results we want to happen every time.
Let’s take a look at collagen supplements and see what they can do for your overall health and performance. While it is still being looked at for concrete evidence, what it can do may just help open doors to areas of your health and performance potentially lacking.
What Is Collagen?
Collagen is actually a protein and it is the most abundant in the body. As one of the major building blocks of bones, skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, collagen is vital for your overall physical health and performance, especially for athletes who constantly put their bodies through repeated wear and tear. There are 16 types of collagen in the body and each performs its own unique function, but on the whole, it makes up the structure of those bones, skin, and tendons, is found in cartilage to cushion joints, and supports the structure of muscles, organs, and arteries (1,2). As an essential protein in the body, it would be a huge disservice to neglect the importance of collagen.
Benefits Of Collagen
Taking collagen has many great benefits that can greatly influence your overall health and physical performance. Whether that be for performance and recovery, or simply aiding in bodily functions, collagen plays a role in a host of areas that are important for your overall development and growth as an athlete and a person.
Benefits of collagen include:
Relieve joint pain: Since collagen works to improve the integrity of cartilage, you work to strengthen the cushion that protects your joints (3).
Improve bone health: This can help strengthen bones to give them better structure and prevent breakdown to keep you strong and stable.
Increase muscle mass: Collagen can keep your muscles strong and working properly to increase muscle mass and improve overall strength for optimal performance.
Improve skin, hair, and nails: Since this is a major component of skin, it can work on elasticity and hydration for better skin health. It can also stimulate hair and nail growth (4).
Potential weight loss: Studies have yet to fully prove this, but collagen can potentially increase your metabolism to aid in weight loss (5).
Collagen For Workouts
For those wondering how collagen can affect their workouts, by building more solid and strong bones and working on relieving joint pain, you are able to push yourself hard and for longer without fear of injury. Since collagen does improve muscle function overall, you can put an increased focus on boosting muscle mass and working to increase overall performance in terms of both endurance and muscle strength. Of course, other supplements like a pre-workout or intra-workout BCAA can give you a great boost in terms of energy and fighting fatigue, but the effects of collagen should not be overstated when it comes to improving physical performance.
Collagen For Recovery
When it comes to recovery, the amino acid content in collagen can be helpful in terms of muscle repair and overall recovery while working to reduce inflammation and soreness. By strengthening the cartilage around your joints, you also give yourself a great chance to alleviate any joint pain that can cause discomfort and hurt your chances of seeing those gains you want most (6). With faster recovery time, you can bounce back faster and stronger to tackle any other workout that comes your way. Looking to other supplements for those post-workout gains like protein powders can greatly affect growth and recovery, but similar to collagen and your workouts, it should not be overlooked for the aid to recovery.
Featured Collagen Supplement
While many collagen supplements do exist, finding the right one can be a challenge and you certainly want only the best on your shelf and in your routine. A complete supplement stack will include only those supplements with top tier ingredients, high quality formulas, and reputable companies backing them. Whether it be a pre-workout, protein powder, intra-workout BCAA, or multivitamin, a collagen supplement can pair well with these to give you the best chance at seeing those desired gains you want most. This collagen supplement from Cira Nutrition is clean, effective, and can work wonders for all your needs.
Cira Nutrition Glow-Getter Collagen Peptides
Cira Nutrition Glow-Getter Collagen is the perfect collagen supplement for active women and female athletes. Packed with collagen and other great ingredients, this can help with hair, skin, and nail health while also improving gut health and strengthening joints.
Cira Nutrition Glow-Getter Collagen is a top tier collagen supplement designed to support healthier skin, hair, and nails, while also working on improving gut health and strengthening joints so you look and feel that much better. While taking collagen may not seem like a necessity, this product makes receiving all of the great benefits fun and easy with just one scoop packing 10,000mg of hydrolyzed collagen into your body, along with other great ingredients. With three fun flavors and real results, Glow-Getter Collagen is a supplement you need to try today.
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Wrap Up
Collagen is a great supplement to stack with all the others on your shelf for its ability to aid in your workouts and recovery, as well as your overall health. While this may not be the most popular supplement out there, give yourself the edge when it comes to seeing those gains you want most. With benefits to increasing recovery, boosting your workouts, strengthening bones, and promoting better skin, hair, and nail health, this well-rounded supplement can work wonders for your gains if you give it a try. Check out some great collagen supplements and see what they can do for your 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
Moskowitz, R. W. (2000). “Role of collagen hydrolysate in bone and joint disease”. (source)
Rodriguez, Maria I. A.; Barroso, Laura G. R.; Sanchez, Mirna L. (2018). “Collagen: A review on its sources and potential cosmetic applications”. (source)
Clark, Kristine L.; Sebastianelli, Wayne; Flechsenhar, Klaus R.; Aukermann, Douglas F.; et al. (2008). “24-Week study on the use of collagen hydrolysate as a dietary supplement in the athletes with activity-related joint pain”. (source)
Bolke, Liane; Schlippe, Gerrit; Gerb, Joachim; Voss, Werner (2019). “A Collagen Supplement Improves Skin Hydration, Elasticity, Roughness, and Density: Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Blind Study”. (source)
Hays, Nicholas P.; Kim, Helen; Wells, Amanda M.; Kajkenova, Oumitana; et al. (2009). “Effects of whey and fortified collagen hydrolysate protein supplements on nitrogen balance and body composition in older women”. (source)
Gavura, Scott (2011). “Collagen: An implausible supplement for joint pain”. (source)
How The Cambered Bar Works For Awesome Squat Benefits
This specialty bar can work your squats differently to target great growth and other benefits.
We typically always use a traditional barbell for our big lifts but specialty bars like the cambered bar exist for a reason and can greatly influence our gains. By working on better balance and stability, given the increased instability of this bar, we promote better form and strength when it comes to our squatting and our ability to lift big weight. The cambered bar may look strange but it is most certainly a great lifting tool to see gains.
Let’s take a look at the cambered bar and see what this can do for our gains. By offering great squat benefits, the cambered bar is something to consider when looking to maximize the effects of this exercise, as well as others.
What Is The Cambered Bar?
Definitely for more experienced lifters, the cambered bar is a strange looking bar that is highly effective at relieving stress off your shoulders. The downside to this bar is that it is unstable so a more experienced lifter who stays more tight and more controlled would benefit greatly (1). The way this bar is set up is that the plates hang lower than the normal barbell and your shoulders rest on the part of this bar that forms a bit of a square around your upper body. It is harder to balance but offers a nice variation to the squat and other exercises.
Benefits Of The Cambered Bar
When using the cambered bar, you do receive great benefits that may differ from the traditional barbell or even other specialty bars. You want these lifts to be as comfortable as possible and sometimes it can be a real challenge to feel comfortable under so much weight. With the cambered bar, some of those fears may subside as you seek the best out of this unique variation.
Benefits of the cambered bar during squats include:
Less shoulder pain: The way this bar is set up will require less mobility to feel comfortable when performing the exercise. This will keep your shoulders in a more comfortable position so you are able to handle any and all problems when it comes to shoulder pain.
Focus on technique: With less pain and a different position under the bar, you can focus on technique to better your overall form and stay physically healthier overall.
Offers a different challenge for your muscles: By using specialty bars, you offer your muscles a slightly different challenge to target growth in a different and unique way.
More versatility: Using the cambered bar on the whole allows for more versatility when it comes to other exercises. This can greatly influence your workouts to keep them different and engaging.
Difference Between Cambered Bar Vs. Traditional Barbell
We wanted to touch on some of the differences between the cambered bar and the traditional bar so you know what to look for. With the cambered bar, you will most likely use less weight. This is due to a bit more increased instability given the way the bar is designed and the way you move under it. While you still get good work done, it won’t be the bar used for a big PR. As a result of this instability, you will use other smaller muscles that may not be traditionally worked with a normal bar, so any slight soreness in unfamiliar places may be these stabilizer muscles finally getting work done. Overall, you may feel less tight as a result of reduced shoulder pain with the cambered bar. So while you may not pack on the weight as much, you will still get a great workout (2).
How To Use The Cambered Bar For Squats
When using the cambered bar for squats, you want your hands in a comfortable position and the upper part of the bar should be around the back of your shoulders. With a solid stance of feet about shoulder width apart, engage your core and be ready to keep a neutral spine. When ready, lower down into a squat, and drive back to the starting position. Repeat for your desired number of reps.
Cambered Bar Exercise Variations Aside From The Squat
Aside from the squat, the cambered bar can be used in a variety of ways to offer unique variations on some traditional exercises. For those looking to change up their workouts a bit and add in some unique exercises, definitely give some of these a try.
Cambered bar variations include:
Bench Press
Lunges
Other Squats (Front Squat, Zercher Squat)
Deadlifts
Featured Supplement To Pair With Cambered Squats For Gains
For those looking to maximize their gains with the cambered bar squats, it is important to give yourself the fuel to power growth and recovery. A protein powder that is high quality with great ingredients can give you everything you need when looking to maximize all your gains (3).
Kaged Muscle Micropure Whey Protein Isolate
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Wrap Up
The cambered bar and how its used for squats can greatly influence growth and provide for solid benefits with the exercise. An interesting specialty bar, the cambered bar also works well for a host of other exercises to add variety and a unique approach to your workouts. With less pain, more focus on technique, and a more versatile bar, the cambered bar can work wonders for you and all your squatting and weightlifting goals. Give this bar a try and see what it can do to make your workouts more engaging.
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
Corey, Stephen W. (1991). “The cambered bar”. (source)
Krysztofik, Michal; Golas, Artur; Wilk, Michal; Stastny, Petr; et al. (2020). “A Comparison of Muscle Activity Between the Cambered and Standard Bar During the Bench Press Exercise”. (source)
Pasiakos, Stefan M.; Lieberman, Harris R.; McLellan, Tom M. (2014). “Effects of protein supplements on muscle damage, soreness and recovery of muscle function and physical performance: a systematic review”. (source)
This Is How You Can Overcome A Cheat Meal
Ways To Overcome Your Cheat Meals
Whether it’s a planned cheat meal or accidental, the regret of eating junk food can linger in your head for days. While you can’t go back in time and undo what you did, you certainly can make some adjustments which can fix things and lower the cheat meal regret.
Almost all the diet plans have a planned cheat meal so you don’t have crazy cravings but these plans don’t take in consideration how much and when you sit down to eat. The saddest part about a cheat meal is the fact that most of what you’ll be eating is going to be empty calories.
Empty calories have no meaningful macronutrients in them. Since the empty calories have disproportionate proteins, fats, and carbs, they are useless for the body. The empty calories sit like useless fat in your body waiting to be burnt off.
Make Adjustments To The Next Day
If your cheat meal does go out of hand, you should do more than just regret it. Calculate the number of surplus calories you consumed in your junk meal. Apps like MyFitnessPal or a simple Google search will provide you with the nutritional values for most of the major fast-food restaurant items.
If you had 1000 extra calories in your cheat meal the previous day, you should take out around 50-60 grams of carbs and 10-20 grams of fats from your diet the next day to reduce the impact of the empty calories.
We won’t recommend reducing your protein intake especially if you’re on a muscle-building program. Making such small changes to your diet the next day can greatly reduce the feeling of regret and the negative impact of the food after having a big cheat meal.
Time Your Cheat Meals
You need to plan your cheat meals in such a way that you have time to burn them off later in the day. You should also consider switching your cheat day to a training day. Having a cheat meal on rest days can add to the negative effects.
You also need to avoid having your cheat meals near your bedtime. We recommend you have your craving food in the afternoon so your body has enough time to burn it off while you’re active and you can go for a HIIT cardio session later in the day.
While you plan your diet plan, you should also plan your cheat meals. You shouldn’t go to a fast-food joint and randomly order whatever you like. With a random approach, you’re more likely to eat more than you should.
Turn Your Cheat Meal Into Motivation
You shouldn’t let the memories of your cheat meal linger in your head. If it does happen, turn the feelings of having committed a sin into the source of motivation to go harder in the gym to achieve your dream physique.
In the end, whatever your cravings might be, you can always make healthier choices. With the growth in the F&B industry, you can always find a healthier and better-tasting alternative to your favorite hamburger or pizza.
Which is your favorite cheat meal? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Header image courtesy of Envato Elements
Best Shoulder Exercises To Boost Athletic Performance
The least stable joint in your body is certainly not the least important so don’t neglect your shoulders.
Our shoulders do so much to aid in our gym gains and everyday goals. Having strong, solid shoulders offer a host of benefits to your overall health and provides that sough-after definition around the arm.
While having pumped up shoulders are a huge benefit to your aesthetic, it is important that they function to your needs both in the gym and out if it. Your ability to perform, either in athletics, the gym, or daily life, is the foundation to success. Weak shoulders can ruin what could have been a great workout and increase your risk for unwanted and unnecessary injury to your shoulders or back.
The shoulder joint is very delicate and without proper training, can become very unstable. With weak shoulder muscles, your mobility becomes limited, instability creeps in, and injury may be just beyond the horizon.
To avoid this from happening, strengthening muscles like the rotator cuff, which supports and stabilizes the shoulder, as well as the deltoid muscle, which is the visible muscle around the shoulder, can aid in growth and boost your athletic performance without the fear of injury and these best shoulder exercises are great for helping get you there to lift big weight with your workouts.
Benefits Of Solid Shoulders For Physique
The benefits of solid, strong, and stable shoulders go far beyond aesthetic and these best shoulder exercises below will help enhance physique. While building up your shoulders can definitely add definition to your overall shape and let that toned V shape physique pop, there is so much more they offer than just to look good with a big upper arm or large back.
Enhance Posture For Efficiency & Confidence
By strengthening the shoulders, you can enhance your posture creating a more stable frame. Increased posture will promote athletic performance by allowing you to create the perfect form to maximize efficiency and gains and stay free from injury. Better posture also boosts confidence and can build that self-esteem (1) to have great benefits for your overall mental and physical health from these best shoulder exercises.
Greater Range Of Motion For Increased Flexibility
Strengthening the supporting muscles around the shoulder has great benefit for increasing your range of motion allowing for better flexibility and stabilization (2). With increased flexibility, you reduce stress around the joint which allows for better movement when it comes to workouts or daily functioning. Moving freely allows for more intense workouts and provides that much needed boost for your performance and these best shoulder workouts can help get you there along with other strong muscles like a big back.
Prevents Injuries For A Healthier Lifestyle
Injuries are one thing we all try and avoid and by strengthening all the muscles around the shoulder, you lower your risk of putting you out of the gym. Reducing added stress and strain will give you the ability to work harder and lift bigger for those hard-earned gains.
As a source of connection for all upper body workouts, even with a perfectly executed chest or back workouts, weak shoulders can take a beating. Exercise can reduce pain (3) and keep you feeling healthy and lifting big. A resistance band can assist with this too to help with the shoulder joint and other muscles for optimal position.
Shoulder Exercises To Boost Athletic Performance
Cable Reverse Fly
The cable reverse fly is a great shoulder exercise for muscle control and balance, similar to the shoulder press in the opposite direction. Focusing on the rear delts, which are often overlooked, this provides for good muscle balance with the front and middle delts. Adding in the cable as a tool for this exercise forces you to practice balance while also controlling your movements to not knock you off course for growth with your muscles.
How to: Attach the handles to the machine and stand in the center of the machine with one foot slightly in front of the other. With your arms elevated at shoulder level, pull each handle across the front of your chest and engage the rear delts with your palms facing up and a dumbbell in each hand. Your knees will be slightly bent. One hand will be over the other. When you reach your level, reverse the same motion and bring your hands back to the starting position to set yourself up again.
Bent-Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise
The bent-over dumbbell lateral raise is great for stabilization and the use of dumbbells require a more solid form. You can do this workout either standing or sitting and not only will this stabilize the muscles but will assist with your overall physique. Its enhanced muscle recruitment allows for more muscles to be worked for better results (4).
How to: Choose the desired dumbbell weight and gently bend over at the waist. With your chest up, tight core, and flat back, raise the dumbbells out to the side in an arcing motion. After a slight pause at the top, return to the starting position for a new set.
Cable Front Raise
Cable front raises are great for muscle building but play a role in mobility as well, similar to the lateral raise. The cable provides for less distraction and allows you to experiment with the ability to challenge just how far you can go. Another cable exercise is great to add in because the tension provided can be very beneficial for growth and performance in your shoulder muscles.
How to: With your feet shoulder width apart, slightly stagger your feet. A flat back is key to avoid added strain and your knees should be slightly bent. Your grip will be palms facing down. Raise the cable in front of you and go to about parallel with your shoulder. Return to the starting position and switch your hands for a new set. If it is difficult to get to parallel, lower down in weight and maximize the benefits of this exercise.
Push Press
The push press is a great exercise to incorporate a whole-body movement and focus on power and explosiveness like the shoulder press or Arnold press (5). This engages a great deal of muscle to keep your performance at a high level while also boosting muscle-building hormones for large muscles as you push straight overhead with your feet planted on the ground.
How to: Your grip on the barbell should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Drop down into a quarter-squat keeping your head, spine, and pelvis in one line. Once you’ve dipped, extend your hips and drive through the ground, lifting the weight straight overhead. A tight core will ensure a stable spine as you lift overhead with your arms straight. Gently lower the weight to your shoulders and then your hips to begin the next rep and get the full range as you slowly lower down.
Dumbbell Shrugs
Dumbbell shrugs are great for reducing strain in your shoulders and your neck with the added benefit of providing strength to your upper back as well. These can improve posture and can support athletic performance by working to rid your body of that unwanted stress and pain as you continue to work with your training.
How to: Hold the dumbbells in your hand and stand straight. With a tight core, relax your shoulders. Raise your shoulders to your ears and pause for a second at the top as you lift each dumbbell. Lower to the starting position and repeat for your desired number of reps.
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Wrap It All Up
Your shoulders are vital for not only gains in the gym but everyday movements in your life. As a fragile point of connection for so many movements, it is important to keep each deltoid strong and stable to lower your risk and avoid any unwanted injury and recover while resting as you take it slowly.
These best shoulder exercises can help get you there. Your athletic performance hinges on the ability of all your joints and muscles to work as efficiently as possible. Many shoulder exercises can increase strength and aid you and make your hard-earned physique pop, but the added benefits on athletic performance are too great to ignore.
Promoting stabilization and good posture, increasing mobility, and enhancing power and explosiveness are all reasons to make sure your shoulders get worked out to maximize performance. Don’t take these joints for granted and keep up muscle maintenance for great results both in the gym and out of it.
Check out our Shoulders Exercise Guide for other great shoulder exercises and instructions.
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
Grabmeier, Jeff (2009). “Study: Body Posture Affects Confidence In Your Own Thoughts”. (source)
Moezy, Azar; Sepehrifar, Saeed; Dodaran, Masoud S. (2014). “The effects of scapular stabilization based exercise therapy on pain, posture, flexibility and shoulder mobility in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome: a controlled randomized clinical trial”. (source)
Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy (2020). “Painful Shoulder: Exercise Can Reduce Pain and Improve Mobility and Function”. (source)
Coratella, Giuseppe; Tornatore, Gianpaolo; Longo, Stefano; Esposito, Fabio; Ce, Emiliano (2020). “An Electromyographic Analysis of Lateral Rasise Variations and Frontal Raise in Competitive Bodybuilders”. (source)
Lake, Jason P.; Mundy, Peter D.; Comfort, Paul (2014). “Power and Impulse Applied During Push Press Exercise”. (source)
How The Hand Release Push-Up Targets Chest Growth
A unique push-up variation, this exercise is great for chest growth and development.
When looking to increase strength and size in our chest, it is important to know that certain exercises exist to help get us there. The hand release push-up is an interesting variation of the traditional push-up that works for increased chest growth and development by working your chest in a slightly different way. For many of us, finding the right exercises can be challenging and with so many out there, too often do we stick to what we know. But our muscles get used to this and it starts to greatly hurt our gains. Changing up and focusing on a different exercise can be a game changer and the hand release push-up may be the one for you.
Having a strong chest works for us in terms of sport specific and more functional movements. It greatly affects our pushing power and offers added support and stability for our upper bodies, especially during those lifts that don’t require your chest as much (1). Plus, a strong chest offers a nice aesthetic that is awesome to see and one that others will certainly envy. The hand release push-up is one exercise to help get you there and really can provide for a nice addition to your chest day repertoire.
What Is The Hand Release Push-Up?
The hand release push-up is a unique push-up variation that uses your bodyweight to work muscle groups throughout your body, most notably the chest (2). This is performed similar to a traditional push-up at the start but involves you lifting your hands off the ground in between each rep for that added challenge. A great strength training exercise, this is a normal fitness level and is easy to learn for all to see valuable gains.
Muscles Worked
Hand release push-ups primarily target your chest, which is no surprise given this movement stems mainly from the chest in the first place. This ensures great growth and development in your pecs. Other muscles worked, although not nearly as much, are your shoulders, triceps, and mid-back, along with your traps. As part of the general movement, these muscles do see some action although not nearly as much as your chest.
Benefits Of The Hand Release Push-Up
When it comes to the hand release push-up, it is important to recognize the benefits around this exercise and what you can truly gain from doing it. It is important to know what you can get out of it before you begin to know what to look for as you look to maximize your gains.
Benefits of the hand release push-up include:
Build chest strength: As the primary muscle targeted, you can greatly develop your chest muscles to really grow in strength and size, either for sport specific or more functional movements.
Develop other muscles: Since other muscles do see some action, you can work to develop these as well to add to better support this exercise.
Must reset after each rep: By resetting after each rep, it allows you to focus a bit more on form so you are always thinking about it.
Better range of motion: With this exercise, as you lift your arms after each rep, you must stretch your core which allows for greater range of motion.
Nice variation: A unique variation of the traditional push-up, this can target your chest in a different way to ensure gains.
How To Perform It
Here are the step for performing the hand-release push-up.
Begin in a push-up position. Your wrist will be just under your shoulders and your core tight and engaged.
Lower down to the ground similar to the traditional push-up until you are fully touching the ground.
Once at the bottom, lift your hands off the ground.
Place your hands back down, brace your core, and push back up to the starting position.
Repeat for your desired number of reps.
Featured Supplement For Push-Up Gains
When it comes to these exercises and seeing the gains we want most, it is important to have a great supplementation routine to really push yourself to the next level. A pre-workout or protein supplement are perfect for those pre- and post-workout needs in terms of energy, growth, and recovery, and something like creatine or a fat burner can aid in that muscle growth and desired fat loss to change your body composition for that desired physique. But what about during the workout? This is where a great intra-workout BCAA supplement can come to your aid and help you push past fatigue and offer continued energy so there are no signs of slowing down (3).
Kaged Muscle In-Kaged
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Kaged Muscle In-Kaged is a solid intra-workout supplement to fuel even your toughest workouts. Formulated to maximize endurance, provide unstoppable energy, and provide for muscle pumps, this product will keep you going strong all the way through training. As a health forward brand, Kaged Muscle keeps performance in mind for both men and women who want results with a clean product. Award winning and third party tested, this supplement is accurate and comes from a reputable company. No artificial additives or fillers is matched with 9 ingredients each placed in one of three powerful matrix mixes to give you all the growth and strength gains you hope to see.
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Wrap Up
The hand release push-up is a great push-up variation to add to your chest day routine and can greatly affect your gains when it comes to chest growth and development. By working your chest, and other muscles differently, and offering things like more focus on form and better range of motion, you can certainly work to challenge yourself to see increased gains that you want most. Give the hand release push-up a try and see what this can do for your gains as you won’t be disappointed by the results.
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
Saeterbakken, Atle H.; van den Tillaar, Roland; Fimland, Marius S. (2011). “A comparison of muscle activity and 1-RM strength of three chest-press exercises with different stability requirements”. (source)
Cogley, Robert M.; Archambault, Teasha A.; Fibeger, Jon F.; Koverman, Mandy M.; et al. (2005). “Comparison of muscle activation using various hand positions during the push-up exercise”. (source)
Blomstrand, Eva (2006). “A role for branched-chain amino acids in reducing central fatigue”. (source)