Tag: gym
Joey Swoll Uses Video Of Ego Lifter To Show Example Of Toxic Gym Culture
Joey Swoll has been speaking out against toxic gym culture and shared another example of it here.
Joey Swoll has continued to discuss toxic gym culture on social media in many ways. This is something that he feels strongly about and has made it a point to call out gym-goers who either make fun of or show up someone else trying to better themself. In his recent video, Swoll speaks on a video of an ego lifter taking over a lift.
In Swoll’s TikTok video, a gym-goer is seen attempting a new PR and struggling with the weight. Another lifter goes over and begins working with the weight in different ways. Rather than helping and encouraging, the ego lifter feels the need to show up the person who was initially working with the bar.
This is something that Swoll does not condone and explains that it is just another example of toxic gym culture.
““One of the things that upsets me most in the gym is people thinking they’re better than others simply because they’re bigger or stronger, you’re not. Just because you can lift more, doesn’t give you the right to treat people poorly.
You saw an opportunity to shame him and embarrass him for likes and attention on social media. This is toxic gym culture. You could have done two things, you could have gone over, helped him, encouraged him, and helped him with form or, you could have simply minded your own business. Be better than that.”
This is an instance where Joey Swoll believes help should have been offered. There are many examples of toxic gym culture and TikTok has turned into a platform where users call some out.
Primarily, there have been call-to-actions on the social media platform urging males to behave better in the gym and not make females uncomfortable. This was a word to gym-goers and even in some cases employees. Swoll’s account is a bit different as he explains the correct techniques of lifts if they are being made fun of.
In previous videos, Joey Swoll has shown gym-goers being called out for performing unorthodox lifts, such as drag curls and partial reps of lateral raises. Swoll quickly explains the lift and how it is not wrong just because it looks strange.
This has been extremely popular as Joey Swoll is calling for behavior in the gym to be better. This can happen in all ways beginning with all lifters focusing on themselves and not the interest of others.
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Ronnie Coleman Watches And Reacts To Funny Gym Fails
Ronnie Coleman recently took some time to check out some crazy/funny gym fails.
If there is one person who knows his way around the gym, it is Ronnie Coleman. The eight-time Olympia champion is considered one of the best bodybuilders of all-time and is still a huge voice in the sport. Coleman has provided some entertaining and informative content on his YouTube channel over time. Recently, he took the entertainment route.
Coleman took some time to watch some hilarious gym fails by gym-goers who look like they forgot they were in public. As you can imagine, an elite lifter like Coleman has plenty to say and there was one phrase that used used quite often:
“What the hell is going on here?”
Some of the videos show lifters performing the exercise in a strange way and some include people doing unorthodox activities. For example, one woman is seen knitting on the leg extension machine. Coleman points out that it looks like she is doing more knitting than working out. There is another gym-goer dressed like Michael Jackson perfecting their moon walk.
“Aw dawn, what the hell? Michael Jackson? That’s a fake ass Michael Jackson right there,” Coleman said.
These are different videos that have made their way around the internet and in the view of Coleman. He has remained in tremendous shape himself in retirement. Coleman has struggled with some health issues and surgeries but continues to work hard in the gym and stay in shape. Coleman has gone through 13 surgeries on different areas of his body. He has worked hard to recover and get back in the gym doing what he loves.
This is why Ronnie Coleman has started to provide wisdom on YouTube. He put together one of the all-time great careers in bodybuilding and he feels like he has plenty to offer. There are different segments where he comments on certain aspects of the sport and even takes questions from fans. Here, Coleman decided to take on more of a light-hearted segment and comment on some funny videos.
Adding humor into content is something that is necessary across any business or angle. That is exactly what Coleman did here and viewers took to it right away. It will be interesting to see if this is worked into the rotation a bit more.
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5 Best Supersets To Crush Biceps
Here are some supersets to hit biceps hard!
Spending a training day focused solely on the biceps seems like an exercise in vanity. Why not incorporate the “guns” into a typical chest-and-arms routine?
But there’s nothing wrong with spending a full workout training for the gun show. Plus, there’s no reason to feel guilty about it. For all the talk in recent years about training for functional movement and core strength – not just like a bodybuilder for aesthetics – there’s been little appreciation of the functional role of the biceps.
Try lifting a couch or kid without the biceps – or pushing or pulling just about anything. Sure, movement starts from the core but your arms aren’t just levers along for the ride. The biceps are fully engaged, guns locked and loaded. Studies show that the biceps support many movements across the elbow and shoulder joints.
Even if you’re a dedicated athlete training for a specific sport, there’s nothing wrong with taking an occasional workout to focus on your biceps. If nothing else, it’s a welcome diversion and the best workout is, of course, the one you haven’t done before, or at least not in some time.
In this biceps superset workout, we’ll pair a push and a pull movement. This way we both activate and challenge the biceps in an efficient manner that enables us to keep moving through the workout with no rest.
Pete Williams is a NASM certified personal trainer and the author or co-author of several books on performance and training.
FIRST SUPERSET: DIVE BOMBER PUSHUPS AND PRONE GRIP PULLUPS
Dive Bomber Pushups
What it does: This pushup variation requires more use of the biceps and shoulders.
How to do it: Start with hips in the air and feet shoulder-width apart. Lower head and shoulders down as if going under a bar. As you push your head and shoulders into position, arch your back. Reverse process to return to starting position.
How many? 10 reps.
Prone Grip Pullups
What it does: Though best known as a back movement, you’re also hitting the biceps, along with the shoulders and chest.
How to do it: Grab the bar with an overhand 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? 10 reps
SECOND SUPERSET: FARMER’S CARRY/RACKED POSITION AND INVERTED BAR ROWS
Farmer’s Carry, Racked Position
What it does: The traditional farmer’s carry is an effective full-body move that also challenges endurance as you increase the distance carried. By carrying the dumbbells in a racked position (heads of dumbbells at shoulder level) we isolate the biceps.
How to do it: Carrying the dumbbells in a racked position, walk for 30 seconds, carefully avoiding the oblivious earbud zombies not paying attention in your gym.
How long? 30 seconds.
Inverted Bar Rows
What it does: This provides many of the benefits of a pullup while better isolating the biceps.
How to do it: Lie underneath a bar that’s several feet above you, such as in a squat rack. Hang underneath the bar with heels on the ground and arms fully extended. Pull your chest toward the bar. Pause at the top and return to starting position.
How many? 10 reps.
THIRD SUPERSET: DYNAMIC PUSHUPS AND CHIN-UPS
Dynamic Pushup
What it does: By exploding on the upward movement, you hit the biceps harder.
How to do it: Slowly lower yourself down then explode up as hard as you can. The upward movement should take no longer than 1 second.
How many? 10 reps.
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 biceps.
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? 10 reps
FOURTH SUPERSET: SUSPENSION TRAINER PUSHUPS AND SUSPENSION TRAINER CURLS
Suspension Trainer Pushups
What it does: The instability of the trainer forces you to recruit more muscles and the biceps play a prominent role. Plus, by pairing it with suspension trainer curls, we can keep things moving.
How to do it: Feet on the ground, assume pushup position and grab the handles. Lower and push up.
How many? 10 reps.
Suspension Trainer Curls
What it does: With your body weight as resistance, this move hits the biceps hard.
How to do it: Grab the suspension trainer handles with both hands. Lean back to fully extend your arms. With feet shoulder-width apart and back straight, use your arms to pull yourself up (toward the trainer) by performing a curl. Bend the elbows and curl the handles as close to your shoulders; use the biceps instead of your upper arms.
How many? 10 reps.
FIFTH SUPERSET: FOUR-IN-ONE AND PLANK
Four-In-One
What it does: This challenging four-in-one exercise hits your biceps from all angles.
How to do it: Start with light weight on a barbell and curl 8 times. Next curl halfway, pausing for a second just above your navel at each of 8 reps. After that, take the bar up and descend just below your pecs, again pausing for a second before returning for 8 reps. Finally, do 8 more full reps.
How many? 1 set
Plank
What it does: This promotes overall core stability, but your biceps are keeping you in a proper position. Plus, after doing the Four-in-One, this will seem like a break.
How to do it: Lie in a prone pushup position with hands on the floor, elbows under shoulders, and bent 90 degrees. Push up off the elbows, tucking your chin so your head is in line with your body. Keep head in line with spine and belly button drawn in. Hold for one minute.
How long? 60 seconds.
10 Myths Most Fitness Beginners Believe
The Most Common Gym and Fitness Myths
Many people never start working out because of some obnoxious training myths. Some of these training myths are as old and stupid as “the earth is flat” theory. The false folklores live on because no one took out the time to bust them – until now.
We’re taking the responsibility of debunking these myths on ourselves. After reading this article, you might still choose to be a couch potato but you’ll not have the option of taking cover behind any of these myths.
All You Need Is – Eat Less Exercise More
Most people keep postponing starting working out because they assume that they can craft the physique of their dreams anytime they want by doing these two things. These people get the shock of their lives the first day they finally step into the fit lifestyle.
A Good Workout Burns a Lot of Calories
For many fitness noobs, all that matters is how many calories they burn. If they don’t close all the rings on their Apple watch, they don’t consider it a good workout. Learning the basics and the correct training form should be the priority when starting training. The other things will fall in place with time.
You Can’t Build Muscles Without Supplements
One of the most common bodybuilding myths is that you can’t build muscle without protein supplements. Remember – nothing beats real food and the powders are called ‘supplements’ for a reason.
Protein Damages Kidneys
Since we’re on the topic of protein, let’s debunk another myth. Many people believe the broscientists who demonize the protein powder for alleged kidney damage. There have been no studies that prove that systematic protein intake can harm your organs.
Lifting Weights Makes You Bulky
We wish building muscle mass was as easy as hitting the gym a couple of days a week. You shouldn’t expect to magically build muscle by accidentally lifting a couple of dumbbells in the weight room. Your results will depend on your training program.
Compound Movements Are Bad For Your Joints
Some gym rookies think that compound (multi-joint) lifts like the squats, deadlifts and bench presses are bad for them as they can put too much stress on the joints. On the contrary, the squat and hip hinge movement patterns are vital for health and performance. The best training programs include a balance of compound and isolation lifts.
It’s Not A Good Workout If You Didn’t Get a Pump
Many people judge the quality of their workouts by the pump at the end of the workouts. This measure can be faulty as muscle pumps depend on multiple factors like your diet, recovery and mind-muscle connection. A change in any factor can impact the muscle pumps.
You Can’t Lose Weight Without Cardio
We’re sure you’ve seen people who get a gym membership just so they can use the treadmill. While cardio equipment can be effective in weight loss, you can burn the same amount of calories in a well-designed HIIT weight-lifting session that focuses on excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or EPOC.
Lift Big To Get Big
We can understand that watching Ronnie Coleman training videos can discourage you but you don’t have to take that path. You can achieve your dream physique through many different paths and you’re free to choose the one that suits you.
Hitting Failure In Every Workout Can Lead To Overtraining
Many people leave gains on the table because they don’t train to failure in fear of overtraining. Overtraining is easier said than done. You can train to your heart’s delight because most people can’t achieve overtraining even if they wanted.
What is your favorite cheat meal? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*Header image courtesy of Envato Elements.
Joey Swoll Continues To Educate On Unorthodox Lifts, Addresses ‘Toxic Gym Culture’
Joey Swoll has used TikTok to call out those who criticize others for their workout routines.
TikTok is a social media platform that can be used in many ways. Joey Swoll has been using his platform to callout and educate others who might be critical of lifters in the gym performing unorthodox exercises. Recently, he shared a video after a woman claimed a man was “ego lifting” in front of her.
Swoll does not take to the platform in a disrespectful way. He takes the time to explain what lift is being performed and the benefit of the movement. He also has taken the time to speak against “toxic gym culture.”
In this particular video, a man is seen with heavy dumbbells in front of the rack performing partial reps of lateral raises. The female in the video describes them as “half-ass reps” but Swoll explains that this is the purpose and it is extremely effective.
“The key to this workout is to only do about one-third the range of motion of a side lateral raise and to also go heavy and high rep. A lot of great bodybuilders love this movement, it’s great for size. The late great John Meadows, one of the best to ever do it, rest in peace to him, he loved this exercise.”
This is not the first time that Joey Swoll has done this. In January, another female was criticizing a man performing drag curls with dumbbells because of the strange-looking nature of the lift. Also, Swoll has been calling for gym culture to improve as a whole.
On Saturday, Joey Swoll shared a video where a woman was recording a man on a machine next to her. The point of the video was to try and prove that the man was staring at her while she was working out. Swoll provided his opinion on the video.
“This man did nothing wrong. He’s at a public gym, minding his own business getting a great workout in and you decided to film him and make him look like a creep to get likes and attention on social media. You’re literally on a piece of equipment that’s only a few feet away in his peripheral and you made some noise and he looked at you for a millisecond.”
The overall culture of public gyms has been in question after some recent viral videos, especially on TikTok. Joey Swoll believes that it must be fixed and all gym-goers have the right to exercise anyway they want.
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Frightening Video Shows Woman Crushed To Death By 397-Pound Barbell In Mexico City Gym
A woman was attempting a huge lift at a Gym Fitness Sport centre in Mexico City.
A woman was killed after attempting a 397-pound lift at Gym Fitness Sport centre in Mexico City last week. The barbell appeared to be too heavy and ended up falling onto her neck, crushing it between the bar and bench.
There was footage of the incident that happened at the gym in Peralvillo, Cuauhtemoc in Mexico City. The horrifying accident happened in front of the woman’s daughter and other gym goers. Many rushed to her aid after the near 400-pound weight fell on her neck, according to The Mirror.
The woman’s daughter and another man who was present during the lift attempt tried to free her by lifting the barbell. This is when two other gym goers attempted to get the weight off. This did not help in time as the woman died on the spot.
The woman has yet to be named. Her daughter received psychological support after witnessing the incident. Also, an investigation has been launched by the state’s prosector’s office. The owner of the gym, who also remains nameless, was arrested for a brief amount of time so the woman’s identity could be confirmed.
The investigation remains ongoing and more details will be released moving forward.
There are many incidents in the gym where injuries occur due to weight on a barbell. In one recent instance, an injury was avoided when Larry Wheels spotted Mike Edwards when his hand slipped during a bench press. The weight slammed on the chest of Edwards but Wheels quickly helped lift to avoid further injury.
This is an unfortunate event and more details will be released as the investigation proceeds. Generation Iron sends condolences to family and friends of the woman, especially her daughter who was present during the accident.
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TikTok Fitness Influencer Shares Strange Voicemail Left By Gym Employee
TikTok influencer @kenyastephh claims a gym employee stole her phone information to leave the voicemail.
Unfortunately, there have been recent stories coming out about female gym goers being approached or harassed by other gym goers or employees. This is something that has come to light again on TikTok. Fitness influencer with the username @kenyastephh shared posts to her TikTok account showing a strange voicemail left by a gym employee on her cell phone.
In December, two news stories went viral where a gym member actually followed a woman home after her workout. Another instance came to light about a creepy gym goer approaching a woman while working out and spotting her without consent. This is not appropriate behavior for the gym and this is why women are beginning to share their stories.
The most recent came from @kenyastephh where she shared another instance to her 17,000 followers on the platform. She claims that her phone information was taken from the database at the gym and used to make a call.
““Hello, this is EOS Fitness… I saw you doing glute spreads,” a man can be heard saying in the video before cutting out.
The fitness influencer continued to explain the incident in her caption and got plenty of positive responses from commenters.
“Friendly reminder to men to please not do things like this. This is very scary, too many weird things happen. I’m sorry for the women and wish this wouldn’t happen. I wasn’t in the room for more than five minutes and I got the call. I always wear a jacket around my waist to avoid this stuff. I was just trying to take some pics before my workout.”
The user @kenyastephh reported the incident to the gym manager asking her name and information to be removed from the database. She shared her location while performing the exercise and expressed how this can be a scary thing for females at the gym.
No one was hurt in this incident but it seems to be something that is happening more frequently. Gym goers are beginning to share their stories and put others on notice. The gym should be a safe place where people go to better themselves, both physically and mentally. It is a good thing for stories to be shared so the proper punishment be handed down.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
6 Common Mistakes Women Make in the Gym
These are the six most common mistakes women make in the gym.
Some time ago, fitness was a men’s thing but it’s changing as more women are joining the fitness scene. The female presence is now notable in gyms around the world. Although many women get a gym membership, only a few of them advance with their goals.
Most women who quit training shortly after joining a gym do so for more or less the same reasons. Avoiding these common mistakes will not only keep you on the fit lifestyle but will also speed up your progress.
Avoiding Resistance Training
Most women don’t like going near the weights in the gym. The most they do is lift the cute pink rubber dumbbells. The assumption that lifting weights can make them look masculine is what keeps them on the cardio equipment.
Working out with weights can help your muscles get in shape and firm up. Women don’t naturally produce enough testosterone which is the male hormone responsible for building muscle mass and size. So, if your goal is to build a toned and tight physique, make sure you hit the weight room.
Too Much Cardio
Women spend most of their time on the cardio equipment. Many girls do the cardio hoping it’ll help them tone up their bodies. Cardiovascular activities can result in weight and fat loss.
Although it might break your heart to hear this, there is nothing like spot-reduction when it comes to working out. If you perform high-intensity cardiovascular activities, it’ll result in fat and muscle tissue loss.
So ultimately it depends on what the goal is when going into the gym. If you’d like to retain some level of lean muscle – it’s important to balance out the cardio activities with weight training as well. If you overwhelmingly focus on cardio only – you’ll become thin like a twig and lose any muscle tone you were hoping to achieve as well.
Low-Intensity Training
Most girls opt for low-intensity workouts. Some girls focus on the number of sets and reps and completely ignore the intensity. Doing 15 sets in a workout isn’t going to make a difference if you don’t break a sweat.
Focus on making the most of your time in the gym. You can do shorter workouts but make sure they are high intensity. You should step out of the gym feeling you accomplished something.
Expecting Results Too Soon
As a newbie, you can’t expect to see results too soon. Before you see any muscular gains, your body undergoes structural changes which can take some time. You should focus on working out, and the gains will take care of themselves.
If you’re a beginner, you should expect to see changes in your physique in 5-6 months if you’re following a well-designed training program. Don’t get disheartened if the results take longer than you had anticipated. The wait will be well worth it.
Sticking To a Single Training Program
Monogamy is for relationships and not for training programs. Most women stick to the same training program. The typical girl’s training routine will have 10-20 minute on the treadmill, a couple of sets of squats and whatever other machines there is in the gym.
At the same time, changing training programs too often isn’t the best practice either. Follow a training program for 3-4 weeks before switching things up. Doing so gives your muscles ample time to get the best of the exercises and doesn’t let them get used to the workouts.
There’s two reasons for bringing variety into your workout. One is psychological – if you’re workouts become a grind they will be less enticing to continue doing. If you’re having a particularly bad day, a boring monotonous workout might be enough to make you want to skip. Changing up your routine makes working out more fun and more inviting to keep pushing through.
Variety also helps on a physical level. Your body adapts to what you are doing and eventually becomes more resistant to it. So mixing up the variety of your workouts and, of course, increasing the intensity or weight of your exercises as you improve is essential to keep evolving your physique.
Not Sticking to the Nutrition
Most girls think their fitness routine is over as soon as they leave the gym. Fitness is a lifestyle and it goes with you everywhere. You need to place the same importance on your nutrition and recovery as you put on your training.
Many women make the mistake of avoiding protein supplements thinking they are only for men. Following a balanced diet and taking proper rest can speed up your progress in the gym.
Do you make any of these mistakes? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Gym Crush – Krissy Cela
Krissy Cela – The Fitness Star
Krissy Cela is arguably one of the prettiest fitness celebrities. Look at her Instagram profile and you’ll be adoring her cuteness, be awe-struck by her charm and blown-away by her perfectly chiseled and carved physique.
We believe every athlete has a unique story that can motivate people to go after their dreams. It’s with the same reason that we bring you these articles showing the struggles, hardships and unwavering grit of these individuals.
The 24-year old Brit wasn’t always into fitness. Krissy was completing her legal training while working 30-hours a week as a waitress to stay afloat when she turned to fitness and working out.
‘It was a challenging time for me. Fitness found me when I needed something the most,’ she said, thinking back about when she starting training. It has been a steep upward curve in terms of fame and success since then for Cela.
Talking about why she started she said: “I was going through a really hard time in my life. I felt like I was so alone and afraid that I wouldn’t be able to shift my focus onto anything positive.”
The Dream Girl Next Door
Krissy thinks fitness helped her believe that she could do this for herself and that there is light at the end of the tunnel regardless of how unhappy she was at the time when she initially started training.
As she got better with time, Krissy started posting videos of her workouts on Instagram. Her initial reason for posting videos on social media was to keep herself accountable. It turned into something bigger when she started seeing traction.
Cela’s stunning physique got her a huge Instagram following – 1.8 million loyal fans. Though Krissy is humble about her mega success on the internet, we believe her drop-dead gorgeous looks, incredible physique, and humble personality are the biggest contributing factors.
A True People’s Star
With the response she got, Krissy realized that many women around the world felt the same way she did. Cela connected with her audience on a personal level and produced content that resonated with her fans.
Krissy isn’t just about crafting a peach-shaped butt. She focuses on developing her mind along with her body. She has several videos on mental health on her Instagram page and her captions are often enriched with mental jewels.
Krissy Cela is a successful entrepreneur and has launched an app called Tone and Sculpt. The app helps an individual tone their body and sculpt their mind. The app has over 500,000 downloads and has made Krissy over £1M since it’s launch.
On being asked about her goals, Krissy says, “My goal is to encourage even more women to feel confident, strong and part of a supportive online community.” We wish Krissy Cela the best for her future endeavors and hope that she achieves her noble goal.
Who is your gym crush? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Leg Bangers To Try During Your Next Leg Day
Here are some great exercises to try on leg day!
So the legs, it is an intriguing muscle, some people love leg days, some hate them.
But I think we can all agree that if you struggle to walk up the stairs, or even drive home after a leg day, then did you even have a real leg day? And we all love leg once leg day is over (until the next week at least).
But today I wanted to highlight some exercises that aren’t necessarily conventional but are just as useful to have in your leg day armoury.
Below is a list of exercises you may want to add to your next leg day.
Abductor Muscle
The abductor muscle sits around the hip, and this muscle helps move the leg out and away from the body.
One study concluded that ‘Hip abductor strengthening appeared to be beneficial in the treatment of iliotibial band friction syndrome (ITBFS)’
This is where the IT band becomes too tight and gets irritated or swollen from rubbing against the hip or even knee bones.
Abductor exercises can also help with those who have knee pain as another study for those suffering with patellofemoral pain syndrome, (which is pain to the front of the knee, or kneecap), found that ‘a 3 week hip abductor muscle strengthening protocol was effective in increasing muscle strength and decreasing pain.’
Exercise 1
Lying down plated hip abduction
Lie down on the floor, on your side
Rest your head on your bottom arm
Bend your bottom leg under your top leg and ensure the top leg stays straight
Then have someone place a plate onto your outer thigh
Use the outside hand to stabilise the plate
Then slowly raise the outside leg up and gently back down
Repeat on both sides for desired amount of reps
Tip: Instead of a plate to add resistance a band can also be utilised.
Exercise 2
Standing plate abduction
Similar to the lying down version, here you will be standing instead so it may allow you to increase the weight used
Ensure your back is straight
Then place a plate onto the thigh that is due to be abducted
Slowly raise the leg up and out
Then return back to the centre slowly
Repeat for desired reps accordingly
Tip: In order to help, use the opposite hand which has no weight to hold onto a rack or stand, and use this to stabilise your balance.
The stabilisation may allow you to increase the weight and allow the abductors to have an even more intense workout.
Adductor muscle
The adductor muscle is located around the hip and helps bring the thighs together.
Exercise 1
Side lying adduction
Lie on your side with both legs straight, and ensure your back is straight
Keep your bottom arm bent under your head, and other hand should be in contact with the floor
Then bend the top leg and cross it over your bottom leg, and ensure the lower leg stays straight. (The top leg is now in a bent position)
Then raise the bottom leg off the ground in a controlled motion, it should be 6-7 inches away from the floor, this movement should contract the adductors.
Raise and lower accordingly
Tip: To make it more difficult and add intensity, either wear an ankle weight or try to place a small plate onto the open part of your foot which would be facing upwards.
Quad muscle
The quadriceps is the meaty front part of our legs and consists of four heads, you have the rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and vastus intermedius.
Exercise 1
Standing sissy squat
Take a shoulder-width stance with your toes pointed slightly out.
With both hands, grab bars on a power rack or squat stand around hip level or slightly higher.
These will only be used to keep you balanced.
Keeping your hips and waist straight, and keeping your core and back tight, bend your knees, pushing your knees down and forward and your body falls backward on the descent.
Your heels will come up off the floor as your knees come down, but the front of your feet will remain on the ground.
Continue lowering knees until they are flexed or nearly touching the floor.
Your lower legs will be parallel to the floor at this point and you will be looking up as well.
Pause for a split-second and then return to the starting position in a controlled manner, pushing through the floor as your legs straighten and your heels return to the floor.
You will be standing up straight and looking forward at this point.
Take a breath between reps, exhaling only when reps are completed.
Repeat until the desired reps are reached.
Tip: To add intensity, while holding onto the bar, free up the other hand and place a weight plate and place that onto your chest. The added weight will make the movement more difficult
Also some of you may be lucky enough to have a sissy squat machine at your gym, if you are one of those people then be sure to use it. Adding a plate becomes a whole lot easier
Exercise 2
Kneeling sissy squat or kneeling leg extension
Similar to its standing counterpart, this version consists of you being on the floor
Simply kneel in the ground
Ensure your butt is on your heels
Then lean back as far as you can until you feel tension in the quad muscles
Then slowly return back to the upright position
So there you have it, some potentially new exercises you can utilise. I will keep you hanging and will delve into hamstrings on a different day.
So until next time, keep pumping!
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20145781/
https://meridian.allenpress.com/jat/article/46/2/142/191237/Changes-in-Knee-Biomechanics-After-a-Hip-Abductor
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7872466/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534842/