Tag: Training Tips
Improve The Shape And Size Of Your Glutes With This Workout
It’s time to improve the shape and size of your glutes with this workout
Contrary to the common assumption, glute workouts aren’t just for women. If you have a muscular upper body and shredded legs, a flat rear can make you look awkward. Muscle symmetry and balance are important if you’re aiming for aesthetics.
When people talk about leg workouts, their primary focus is quads, hams, and calves. They completely overlook training their glutes. All pro athletes, male and female, work on their glutes in one way or the other.
1. Squats – 3 Sets 12 Reps
Squats are an overall leg builder. This is a compound exercise which can help in developing your glutes, hams, quads, and calves. Squats should be a staple in your leg workouts. This exercise has enough variations that you can try a new one every time you perform them.
For optimal results, you need to make sure you maintain a full range of motion while performing glute exercises. Going only parallel to the floor isn’t going to do anything for your butt. ‘Ass to the grass’ is the way forward.
2. Donkey Kicks – 3 Sets 12 Reps
Donkey kicks are an isolation exercise. All the tension is placed on your glutes during this exercise. There are two versions of this exercise which you can try. The first is the bodyweight version and the second is performing it on a leg extension machine.
You can start performing this exercise with body weight and as you get better you can switch to using weights on the leg extension machine. You need to have a strict form throughout the exercise otherwise you might recruit your hamstrings.
3. Barbell Hip Thrusts – 3 Sets 12 Reps
Glutes are the target muscle group for barbell hip thrusts. Lie down across a flat bench with only your shoulders on the bench and place a barbell on your thighs. Your feet should be placed flat on the floor so that your calves are perpendicular to the floor.
Try touching the floor with your butt at the bottom of the movement. Thrust your crotch upwards and try forming a bridge with your body. Hold and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement. Return to the starting position and repeat.
4. GHD Hyperextension – 3 Sets 15 Reps
GHD (glute ham developer) is brought into the mainstream by CrossFit. This is an incredibly effective exercise if you want to develop the back of your legs. Keep your glutes tight throughout the exercise and flex them at the top of the movement.
If you don’t have an access to a GHD at your gym, you can use a flat bench for this exercise. Place your knees at the edge of the bench and ask someone to sit on your ankles. Hold onto some weights to make this exercise harder.
5. Reverse Abductor Press – 3 Sets 12 Reps
Reverse abductor press focuses on the outer sides of your rear. This exercise can also improve your hip mobility. Stand while facing the seat and place your feet on the foot rests and your knees against the knee pads.
Hold onto the seat to improve your range of motion. You need to establish a mind-muscle connection to make the most of this exercise. Don’t just go through the motions while performing the abductor presses. Hold and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.
Which is your favourite glute exercise? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Drop Set Benefits For Muscle Growth
Look to maximize growth by putting drop sets into your next workout.
Given all your hard work in the gym, plus that strict nutrition plan you follow, you may be seeing very little movement when it comes to your gains. You may be hitting what is called a training plateau, an unfortunate stage in your training where you stop seeing results despite how hard you work inside and out of the gym. While this can be incredibly frustrating, not all hope is lost. There is one great way to break this plateau and start that upward incline of gains once again.
The solution is drop sets. As a great way to increase muscle mass by ensuring healthy muscle fatigue and increased blood flow, drop sets will promote hypertrophy and get you out of that unfortunate fitness funk. Drop sets work by performing an exercise at a desired weight and then reducing that weight once muscle failure has been achieved with each previous weight. Without heading to rest, you continue down until ultimate failure has been achieved and whatever muscle you chose to target is completely dead.
Drop sets are great because to start, you only recruit a certain amount of muscle fibers, but once you start declining in weight, you start to recruit other muscles which will help with ultimate muscle growth (1). Bodybuilders will also use drop sets as a way to create symmetry in their physique. Straight sets will only really hit the first layer of muscle fibers, which can build muscle initially, but eventually lead to that dreaded plateau. Drop sets work to get deep in the muscle fibers for massive gains of strength and power.
Why Drop Sets Are Effective
Drop sets are the ultimate plateau breaker because it forces your body to adapt to various loads. Your body can get used to one type of exercise where it reaches the point of zero to minimal growth. That is why it is so important to constantly change your workouts and add diversity to the exercises you implement. Drop sets will boost your intensity and volume and surprise your muscles forcing them to do one thing, which is grow (2). As the initial fatigue settles in, your larger muscles rely on those deeper in for help working the entire muscle, as well as the smaller ones around it to promote hypertrophy and overall strength.
Drop Set Cautions
While this seems like a fast way to see gains, it is important to not perform drop sets on every single exercise. Excessive fatigue can lead to overtraining which will not only put you out of the gym, but can have the opposite effects for muscle growth. Signs of overtraining include increased heart rate, fatigue, a decrease in appetite which can lead to weight loss, increased effort on workouts that used to be manageable, and poor sleep (3).
Drop sets can result in large muscle tears, which are great for muscle growth, but without the proper rest and recovery can lead to adverse effects. Focus on one muscle group with isolation exercises to increase your chances for growth without needing to take so much time off in between. Proper rest and supplementation are also key in recovery and muscle hypertrophy.
With all this said, drop sets are there for your benefit. Compared to traditional sets, your chances for growth increase exponentially when done the right way. They also allow for a better workout in less time since your output level is so high. Since your body does adapt to exercises, drop sets work the same way so placing them in your workout strategically and efficiently is key for continued growth.
Types Of Drop Set
Plate Stripping
Plate stripping is a drop set option when using a barbell. Starting with the desired amount of weight in plates, work to continue the exercise by taking plates off and decreasing weight as you go. Working with a partner for this is more beneficial than being alone to ensure you do not get a lot of rest in between by having to stop to take the plates off. This is very effective if you go until there is no weight left on the bar. Plate stripping works great for a number of exercises including squats, barbell lunges, or the bench press.
Run The Rack
Running the rack is a great drop set exercise and works exactly how it sounds. Start with a higher weight with the dumbbells and continue your exercise until failure. Start moving down the rack getting lighter each time and perform as many reps until failure with as much of the rack as you can. These are great for bicep curls, triceps kickbacks, dumbbell chest presses, lunges, and Bulgarian split squats. Keeping good form is key to avoid injury since the load will be increased.
Up The Stack
Up the stack is great for machine exercises and can be done solo, which is an added benefit. By performing the exercise at the starting weight, you don’t have to take too much time resting to pull the pin and change weights. A safe alternative to plate stripping since you have the assistance of the machine, up the stack is a solid choice for your drop set workouts. These are great for incline machine chest press, seated leg curls, or anything to do with cables, like triceps pulldowns or cable raises.
Wrap Up
If you have started to reach the unfortunate plateau and are looking to change up your workouts, drops sets are a great way to do so. By safely performing these exercises, you will enhance muscle hypertrophy and start seeing those gains flow again. By forcing your muscles into a state of fatigue, you work to get deep within to really promote growth and muscular endurance. Try out drop sets using the techniques of running the rack, plate stripping, or upping the stack to really get the benefits and enjoy the pain of knowing you are working hard for those gains to start showing again.
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
Bentes, Claudio M.; Simao, Roberto; Bunker, Travis; Rhea, Matthew R.; Miranda, Humberto; Gomes, Thiago M.; Da Silva Novaes, Jefferson (2012). “Acute Effects of Dropsets Among Different Resistance Training Methods in Upper Body Performance”. (source)
Schoenfeld, Brad; Grgic, Jozo (2018). “Can Drop Set Training Enhance Muscle Growth?”. (source)
Roy, Brad A. (2015). “Overreaching/Overtraining”. (source)
How The Reverse Grip Bench Press Improves Bodybuilding Strength
This variation of the traditional bench press will challenge grip and work your chest muscles differently to enhance your strength and physique.
The bench press. We all know and love it for what it does for our chest growth and addition to a stellar physique. As one of the big three powerlifting exercises, the bench press seems to be one those lifts to test sheer strength and mental will. When asked, how much you bench is a common question among those who lift, similar to what your mile is for running. Great for targeting the upper and lower chest, as well as your arms and shoulders, the traditional bench press is important for functional movements and enhancing grip strength, while giving you confidence in knowing you can lift big.
But variations of the traditional bench press are equally as important as sticking with a normal grip and continually adding weight. The reverse grip bench press is one such variation that can provide for great benefits to your overall strength and power that should not be overlooked. An exercise that can target your muscles differently and more efficiently, the reverse grip bench press is a unique alternative exercise to the popular bench press.
Let’s take a closer look at the reverse grip bench press. From what it is, to muscles worked, and the great benefits this exercise can provide, the reverse grip bench press is something you will want to add to your routine. On top of that, you won’t be disappointed with the results this has towards your bodybuilding strength and physique.
What Is The Reverse Grip Bench Press?
The reverse grip bench press is a bench press variation that will change your grip so your knuckles face downward. What this does is it will tuck your elbows more and work the muscle typically worked in the traditional bench press much more. Just like the bench press, you can change your grip to be more wide or narrow depending on your comfort level. This will also help take pressure off your shoulders to enhance your physical health and work those muscles you want worked most to a greater degree.
Muscle Worked During The Reverse Grip Bench Press
The muscles worked during the reverse grip bench press are largely the same as a traditional bench press. Your chest muscles will feel a serious burn, as will your front delts, triceps, biceps, and forearms, which will help enhance better grip. The strain on your shoulders is far less than the traditional bench press and will allow for better activation of these other muscles so worthwhile growth is achieved.
Benefits Of the Reverse Grip Bench Press
Build Upper Body Strength
Like any big lift, with proper form and diligence under big weight, you will see greater hypertrophy thus leading to serious gains. The reverse grip bench press is a great exercise to really work on building your chest, and by allowing more tuck in your elbows, they will not flare out and lose muscle engagement. Working your triceps, biceps, delts, and forearms, you get a well-rounded exercise that will really make those pecs pop while also adding definition and strength to your arms for increased stability and support.
Relieves Shoulder Stress To Avoid Injury
One great benefit of the reverse grip bench press is that it will relieve your shoulders of serious strain put on by the traditional barbell. We often times overlook the amount of stress put on our shoulders from big lifts, but this is a mistake. Unwanted shoulder pain and strain can lead to injury which will really affect the way we move with other exercises, as well as keep us out of the gym for longer. The reverse grip bench press will take this load off and allow us to thrive when it comes to lifting (1).
Add Diversity To Your Lifts
We all know that performing the same exercises over and over again will eventually lead to a training plateau, something we can’t afford to have when looking to increase our strength. Substituting in the reverse grip bench press will allow us to work those same muscles differently and to a greater degree, leading to increased growth and killing the monotony of the same old exercises.
Check out our list of the Best Barbells for great products that will work to enhance your gains!
How To Perform The Reverse Grip Bench Press
Here are the steps for performing the reverse grip bench press:
Lie on your back on a flat bench with your hands shoulder width apart on the bar. Your grip will be reverse, so your knuckles to the ground and hands in a supinated position. The rest is very similar to a traditional bench press. Lower the bar to your chest, making sure your elbows stay tucked in and feet grounded on the floor. Touch your chest softly and driving through your feet, push the bar back towards the top. Keep a slight bend in your elbow at the top keeping control and repeat for your desired number of reps.
Tips On How To Maximize Reverse Grip Bench Press Effectiveness
When performing the reverse grip bench press, making sure you stay solid and engaged is important. This will alleviate any issues with elbow flaring and too much arc in your back that can cause unwanted pain (2). Remember to keep a controlled motion as your form stays intact. The reverse grip bench press is a unique variation and will really enhance growth, but doing so safely is equally as important.
Wrap Up
The reverse grip bench press is a killer alternative to the traditional bench press as it will add variety to your workout and really target your muscles much more. This added engagement has great effects for growth and size, but also stability as you seek to always lift more. With those pecs popping and your arms really feeling great engagement, you won’t be disappointed with the results of the reverse grip bench press.
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
Barnett, Chris; Turner, Peter; Kippers, Vaughan (1995). “Effects of Variations of the Bench Press Exercise on the EMG Activity of Five Shoulder Muscles”. (source)
Tungate, Phil (2019). “The Bench Press: A Comparison Between Flat-Back and Arched-Back Techniques”. (source)
Get Popeye Forearms With These Simple Forearm Exercises
Get Popeye Forearms
Muscle symmetry is what separates the men from the boys. Bodybuilding is a game of illusions and having proportional muscle groups accentuates the size of your muscles. If competing is your goal, you need to train for symmetry and muscle balances.
Forearms are one of the most overlooked muscle groups. People usually train them as accessory muscles at the end of their arm workouts. It is no surprise these people have bulging biceps and skinny forearms.
If your goal is to have gigantic biceps and triceps, you can’t afford to skip training your forearms. While skinny forearms can make your arms look smaller, ripped forearms can add to the size of your bis and tris. Do these simple exercise to get Popeye forearms.
1. Farmer’s Walk
Farmer’s Walk is one of the most effective exercises to build muscle mass and strength in your forearms. Performing this exercise will make you stronger at other exercises where you need your grip strength. Farmer’s walk is a staple exercise in strongman training.
If you don’t have farmer’s walk black bars at your gym, you can use dumbbells for this exercise. Hold on to some heavy dumbbells and walk for as long as you can without dropping them. Challenge yourself to do more every other time you perform this exercise.
2. Barbell Finger Rolls
This is one of the most underutilized exercises for forearm development. Chances are, you would have never seen someone do this exercise, but you will be certain of its effectiveness once you do it yourself.
Hold a barbell with an overhand grip. Slowly roll down the barbell to the tip of your fingers. Return to the starting position, curl your wrist and squeeze at the top of the movement. You can also do a behind the back version of this exercise to isolate your forearms.
3. Cable Reverse Curls
Using a cable as opposed to free weights helps keep the tension on your target muscle group throughout the movement. While using dumbbells you have tension on your muscle on the concentric part of the motion but there is no tension on the eccentric part.
Cable reverse curls can help with building the top of the forearms and the outer biceps. Since this exercise can recruit your biceps, you need to make sure you’re performing it with complete control. Keep the reps slow and deliberate to exhaust your forearms.
4. Wrist Curls
Wrist curls are probably the most common forearms exercise performed in gyms around the world. If you have lagging forearms you should perform these exercises at the beginning of your workouts. This will help in recruiting your forearms in every exercise you do later in the workout.
Sit and the side of a bench and place your forearms on the bench with only your wrist hanging off. Hold a barbell or dumbells with an overhand grip with your thumbs over the barbell. You can also perform the underhand variation to target the inner forearms.
5. Cable Overhand Inward Wrist Curls
Cables can be incredibly useful at annihilating your forearms. Cable overhand inward wrist curls will isolate your forearms and will fill them with lactic acid by the end of the exercise. For this exercise, sit on a flat bench with your forearms parallel to each other placed on your thighs.
Attach a straight bar handle to the pulley and sit at a distance where the weights don’t rack at the bottom of the movement. Curl your wrists inwards towards your knees and squeeze at the top of the movement.
Which is your favorite forearm building exercise? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Six Lessons Learned from the Hip Thrust
Developing Glute Strength, Size and Function
Having weak or inactive glutes can cause a whole host of problems with muscle imbalances, movement mechanics and overall joint health.
Many who experience low back or knee pain may be entirely unaware that their issues may be caused or aggravated by weak glutes.
For many, the best course of action is to perform glute specific resistance exercises and focus on developing glute strength and function.
One of the most commonly used exercises for doing so is the barbell hip thrust which has been found to be a highly effective glute strengthening exercise.
The Gluteal Muscle Group
Before reviewing the hip thrust, let’s first have a look at the glutes and understand the role they play in generating movement.
The gluteals are a muscle group that consists of three individual muscles – the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus. These muscles work together to bring a range of movements around the hip joint.
The gluteus maximus is the biggest of the three muscles and is the most powerful muscle found in the human body.
It is the muscle that is most responsible for powerful, athletic exercises (1) such as deadlifts, squats, Olympic lifts, sprints, jumps, and swings.
As well as this, the iliotibial band extends from the gluteus maximus down to the knee joint in order to stabilize the joint.
Meanwhile, the gluteus medius and minimus, which are smaller muscles, cause hip abduction and rotation while also promoting pelvic stability.
Performing the Hip Thrust
There are a number of hip thrust variations and while the execution of the hip thrust is the same for every variation, the setup may differ.
The following step-by-step breakdown provides details of the setup and drive phase of a conventional barbell hip thrust.
1) Start by placing a bench or box behind the body and a loaded barbell in front of the object. Place a barbell pad around the middle of the bar.
2) Sit on the floor with the upper back in contact with the box or bench so that the trunk is approximately at a 45-degree angle from the floor.
3) Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width and place the pad on the crease of the hips. From there, bend the knees and place the feet flat on the floor just wider than hip-width with the toes pointed out.
4) Prior to initiating the upward drive with the hips, brace the core muscles and dig the heels into the floor.
5) From this position, power up through the hips until the shoulders, hips, and knees are aligned. Pause for a moment at the top of the rep and focus on squeezing the glutes as tightly as possible.
6) Maintaining a core brace, control the descent as the hips hinge to lower the bar back down the floor.
For those who are new to the hip thrust, start with a light weight and gradually build the weight up over time.
If you find that you are having problems with the hip thrust, consider regressing the exercise and load placed on the glutes.
The dumbbell and barbell glute bridge are two excellent exercises that are easier to master than the hip thrust.
The difference between the two is that the glute bridge involves lying flat on the floor rather than having the trunk at a 45-degree angle.
Once competent with the glute bridge, consider moving onto the dumbbell hip thrust first before finally moving onto the barbell hip thrust.
The Six Hip-Thrusting Lessons
By reviewing the research, it is clear that the hip thrust is an exercise that many should be performing on a regular basis due to its impact on glute strength and function.
This section will detail six lessons that have been learned by incorporating hip thrusts into a strength training program.
1) The Impact On Knee Pain
Knee pain can be debilitating to the point that it impacts simple movements and exercises such as walking or climbing stairs.
Because the glutes play an influential role in hip and knee stabilization, improving the function of the glutes will improve stabilization of both joints thus potentially reducing pain and injury risk.
If you are assessed and told that your glutes are weak then it would be worthwhile incorporating the hip thrust into your training.
While there are other exercises that can be of benefit, such as the squat and deadlift, the hip thrust targets the glutes most highly (2) and as a result, they may be of greatest benefit.
Finally, it must be stated that a number of factors can cause knee pain, however, the hip thrust can certainly help in a number of cases.
2) Low Back Health
In addition to painful knees, the low back is an area where pain and discomfort are commonly experienced.
As with knee pain, there can be many causes of low back pain but often the issue associated with weakness in the core or the glutes.
While core exercises may be beneficial and decrease low back pain for some, the hip thrusts will help to effectively develop the posterior chain which may have a greater impact on the lower back (3).
In addition, when you consider the role that the glutes play it should not come as a surprise that strengthening the glutes can reduce low back pain.
Strong hips, along with the legs and back, help to reduce the load on the lumbar spine by equally distributing stress associated with movement.
Furthermore, they work to prevent the lower spine from excessively rounding and promote efficient movement through the hips, trunk, and legs.
3) Improved Explosiveness
The glutes are the most powerful muscles in the body and therefore are responsible for driving explosive movements.
Therefore, by improving the strength and power output of the glutes through exercises like the hip thrust, it is possible to improve your performance with a number of explosive exercises.
A great demonstration of this can be found in a recent scientific study that investigated the impact of hip thrusts on sprinting. The results indicated that hip thrusts may improve one’s sprinting ability (4).
Further research has backed up these findings and has indicated that exercises that focus on hip extension can improve jump height and overall power output.
Keeping this in mind, hip thrusts will also have a positive impact on a range of exercises including squats, deadlifts, lunges, Olympic lifts, and plyometric exercises such as box jumps.
4) Glute Activation
Nowadays, so many have office jobs where they are sat for prolonged periods of the day; combine this with inactivity and the impact on the glutes is substantial.
It should not come as a surprise that many find that their glutes are inactive. This simply means that the glutes are not as strong as should be and do not function optimally as a result.
Using glute targeted exercises will help to improve the level of muscle activation or “wake” the muscle.
By regularly performing exercises like the hip thrust you will begin to feel the glutes working more and more in simple everyday activities like walking.
You will also become more aware of the impact that strong and healthy glutes have on the movement of the hips and stabilization of the body.
Finally, improving the activation of the glutes may help you to feel more confident and stable during heavy resistance exercises such as squats and deadlifts, thus improving performance.
5) Glute Aesthetics
When it comes to building the glutes, by searching the internet you will find that the majority of glute workouts are tailored for women.
When it comes to aesthetics, men do tend to prioritize the chest, shoulders, and arms over everything else. However, improving the aesthetics of the glutes doesn’t just have to be for women.
Often this intense focus upper body aesthetics means that the lower body is neglected. As a result, it is often appropriate that men place a greater emphasis on lower body aesthetics.
As reflected on, the hip thrust highly activates the glutes and places a great deal of stress on the muscle which makes it a great choice if you are looking to increase glute size.
Even if your priority is health-based, not aesthetics, you will still find that the hip thrusts force the glutes to respond and increase in size.
6) Hip Thrusts Aren’t Everything
While the hip thrust is clearly a superb developer of the glute muscles, for optimal development there are a number of accessory exercises that are worthwhile incorporating into your training.
With any muscle group, there tends to be one primary compound exercise that is used to build strength accompanied by an array of accessory exercises to accelerate progress.
The glutes are no different. The hip thrust, which is the primary strengthening exercise, should be used in conjunction with a number of accessory moves.
Some effective accessory glute exercises include hip abductions, adductions, glute bridges, frog walks, banded monster walks, and RKC planks.
Final Word
If the hip thrust is carefully and appropriately programmed into your training, you will experience a wide range of benefits including reduced pain, decreased injury risk and improved glute strength & 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 -Bartlett, Jamie L.; Sumner, Bonnie; Ellis, Richard G.; Kram, Rodger (2014-01). “Activity and functions of the human gluteal muscles in walking, running, sprinting, and climbing”. American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 153 (1): 124–131. doi:10.1002/ajpa.22419. ISSN 1096-8644. PMID 24218079.
2 – Contreras, Bret; Vigotsky, Andrew D.; Schoenfeld, Brad J.; Beardsley, Chris; Cronin, John (2015-12). “A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis Electromyographic Activity in the Back Squat and Barbell Hip Thrust Exercises”. Journal of Applied Biomechanics. 31 (6): 452–458. doi:10.1123/jab.2014-0301. ISSN 1543-2688. PMID 26214739.
3 – Ferber, Reed; Bolgla, Lori; Earl-Boehm, Jennifer E.; Emery, Carolyn; Hamstra-Wright, Karrie (2015-4). “Strengthening of the Hip and Core Versus Knee Muscles for the Treatment of Patellofemoral Pain: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial”. Journal of Athletic Training. 50 (4): 366–377. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-49.3.70. ISSN 1062-6050. PMC 4560005. PMID 25365133.
4 -Loturco, Irineu; Contreras, Bret; Kobal, Ronaldo; Fernandes, Victor; Moura, Neilton; Siqueira, Felipe; Winckler, Ciro; Suchomel, Timothy; Pereira, Lucas Adriano (July 26, 2018). “Vertically and horizontally directed muscle power exercises: Relationships with top-level sprint performance”. PLoS ONE. 13 (7). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0201475. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 6062113. PMID 30048538.
How The Kettlebell Clean & Jerk Can Enhance Gains
This exercise will develop strength, power, and endurance and is a killer full body workout.
When looking for a great full body workout, finding the right one can be challenging. We all know various exercises that are great for getting us strong and toned, but many are isolation exercises, or those that may work multiple muscle groups, yet just aren’t fulfilling all our needs. Now in a time when gyms still remain closed or at limited capacity, we all need those home gym essentials to really make sure our gains don’t wither away.
Kettlebells are the perfect at home exercise tool to really get you fit. With a host of exercises and benefits associated with kettlebells, they should not be overlooked as just another piece of equipment. The kettlebell clean and jerk is a great exercise to really enhance your gains and make sure you stay on top of your game. Whether it be for training and competition, or just staying fit overall, this kettlebell exercise is certainly one to kickstart those gains and give you a full body workout you’ll love.
Let’s dive into the kettlebell clean and jerk and see what makes this exercise so great. From what it is, to muscles worked, to the many benefits associated with it, the kettlebell clean and jerk may just become your new favorite exercise. When looking for a stellar full body workout, look no further than here.
What Is The Kettlebell Clean & Jerk?
The kettlebell clean and jerk is a demanding exercise based on power, strength, and mobility. Demanding high levels of concentration and focus, this exercise is one of three main lifts in kettlebell competitions and demands the utmost confidence as you start to really amp up the weight. Both the clean portion and jerk portion have specific movements to nail down, making this a convenient exercise to perform, but one where form is everything (1).
Muscle Worked In The Kettlebell Clean & Jerk
When looking at what muscles the kettlebell clean and jerk uses, you will notice it is a mix of upper and lower body, as well as your core. Mainly hitting the shoulders, traps, glutes, hamstrings, and quads, it can also target your calves and triceps putting the full in full body workout.
Benefits Of The Kettlebell Clean & Jerk
Build Up That Strength
Judging by all the muscles worked during the kettlebell clean and jerk, your capacity for strength is seriously increased. Great for progressive overload and adding tension, your muscular strength will improve and you will lift greater amounts of weight as you progress.
Boost Endurance & Cardio Health
With continuous movement on top of that added weight, your heart rate will remain elevated forcing you to control your breathing and really work on that endurance and cardiovascular health. Being short and intense, it relies on a different kind of endurance, being more power driven, so your cardio gains are more explosive.
Hit That Core
Core is essential for remaining grounded and stable during your big lifts, especially the kettlebell clean and jerk where big weight is moving freely. Performing the exercise from start to finish will cause greater stress on your core so your strength and physique increase.
Balance, Coordination & Motor Skills
With this exercise requiring more precise movements and sudden changes, you will need to ensure focus and concentration to properly execute such a lift. It is important to remain vigilant for injuries which can be common with poor form. But the kettlebell clean and jerk can help with your nervous system and really work to assist with balance and increased coordination.
How To Perform It
Begin by holding a kettlebell in either one hand or two, depending on your preference. Use an overhand grip with your feet around shoulder width apart. Perform a clean to your shoulder with your hips pushed backwards. As you extend through your legs, use that momentum to pull the kettlebell to your shoulder and rotate your wrist to a racked position.
Quickly drive your heels changing the energy to your favor as you use your arm to lift overhead, locking out your elbow. Use a squat position under the weight to get grounded and return to the standing position with the weight overhead. Gently lower back down the floor and repeat for desired number of reps (2).
Featured Kettlebells
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Onnit Kettlebells
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Prices vary depending on the weight of kettlebell but there 8 options to choose from ranging from 13 lbs. ($22.95) to 70 lbs. ($114.95).
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Wrap Up
The kettlebell clean and jerk is one of those exercises to really boost your full body growth by working many muscle groups with a host of benefits. A convenient and fun exercise, your chance for growth is great and that toned physique is just around the corner. Kettlebells are great fitness tools to really enhance your gains and should not be overlooked in your home gym or even at the gym. Put the kettlebell clean and jerk into your workout routine and really see what this can do for you 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
Jonen, Will; Netterville, John T. (2014). “Kettlebell Safety: A Periodized Program Using the Clean and Jerk and the Snatch”. (source)
Pierce, Kyle (1999). “Clean & Jerk”. (source)
Benefits of High-Intensity Interval Training For Bodybuilders
Get the most out of your cardio without losing that hard-earned muscle by trying this great form of cardio that is efficient and will really work to provide great benefits.
Cardio can be one of the more draining parts of your workout. After a big lift, the last thing you want to do is have to hop on the treadmill and stare at the same thing for an hour. But we suffer through it because we know our overall health is important to maintain and our desire to look lean can find ways of convincing us to power through. But there is another way to have those benefits of cardio work for you without putting in hours and hours into a forced routine. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is one way to look leaner, get fit faster, and save time in the gym.
Seen as a way to burn fat effectively, high-intensity interval training has been beneficial for those looking to improve aerobic and anaerobic endurance, so its reputation has drifted away from bodybuilders or those seeking to put on body muscle or those who enjoy a low intensity workout. But HIIT can be used for staying as lean as possible while also adding on muscle and the benefits of this form of training go far beyond simply endurance-focused athletes and those who want a HIIT workout at least once per week.
High-Intensity Interval Training Basics
The framework for HIIT is the same for whatever form of exercise you choose for training. Brief, but maximum effort periods of work, with small periods of rest just to give you a second to catch your breath. On paper, high-intensity interval training seems simple and easy. But the key is to give everything you have into those 20 or 30 seconds to get the most out of it. Not only will this promote great muscle growth, but will also work to give you a serious boost in aerobic performance and calorie burn for that desired body physique to really pop from a HIIT workout, the ultimate form of interval workouts.
What To Expect
Let us talk about high-intensity interval training and the great benefits it has for your overall health and wellness, like eliminating body fat. As a great form of cardio, this style of training can really work to enhance all aspects of your training and performance so you start to see great gains all around. We’ll tell you all about this style of training, what it is, how to do it, and the great benefits surrounding HIIT and after a HIIT workout, you will definitely add this into your training program.
What is High-Intensity Interval Training?
High-intensity interval training is a form of cardio workout where fast-paced intervals are alternated with recovery-style intervals to keep you working harder, but not longer. During the maximum effort portions, you should be working at 90% or over, but it’s important to not be under 90%. The recovery-type intervals should be at least 55-60% of your maximum effort to keep your body moving and to not allow the momentum of the workout to die out from a HIIT workout.
HIIT is appealing to many gym-goers because it allows you to work at maximum capacity and see big gains without struggling to stay afloat on an elliptical. The short duration of a high-intensity interval workouts is a big draw for those looking for a time-efficient exercise plan (1). Certain HIIT exercises include sprinting, biking, or jump roping and should involve short bursts to rapidly increase your heart and keep you working at a high level. While both HIIT and moderate continuous training can improve fitness and aid in your overall growth, HIIT has been shown to be not only time-efficient, but also more enjoyable (2).
HIIT Benefits For Bodybuilding Goals
Promotes Fat Loss & Change In Body Composition
For those of us looking to shed unwanted body fat but keep on our lean muscle, high-intensity interval training can seriously benefit our fat loss goals. While losing fat can be difficult, the key is calories. You need to consume less calories than you take in in order to start the process of losing that unwanted body fat. HIIT allows you to burn calories more quickly during the physical workout (3) allowing for more calories burned in a shorter amount of time as opposed to a low intensity workout and a low heart rate. For many, the amount of calories burned was the same, if not more, when compared to longer distance cardio or a low intensity workout with a lower heart rate multiple times per week.
A working metabolism can be key in fat loss and calories burned and HIIT can increase your metabolic rate for a substantial amount of time after the workout is completed (4), offering the ability for more burn even after you’ve stopped. What HIIT can really do for you is turn to your fat stores for energy instead of carbs, thus targeting that unwanted body fat to burn to keep you going strong.
HIIT is for those looking to see gains while bodybuilding can ensure less time in the gym with increased chance of fat loss while also sneaking fat from your fat stores for energy to keep you functioning and alert during the workout without the worry of running low on fuel or a low intensity workout or low heart rate for a number of times a week to burn fat and calories from a good routine or training program to help with weight loss.
While running, biking, swimming, or performing other forms for longer exercises for a period of time can be beneficial, consider HIIT if you are simply training to stay healthy or to lose weight fast. For those who are competitive runners, swimmers, cyclists, or other endurance sport athletes, of course performing your sport for longer intervals is beneficial in the long run for optimal training and performance.
But for those of us who simply enjoy working out and want to shed a few pounds, HIIT is where this can be very helpful. With so much happening in our busy lives, it is easy to get consumed in work, personal time, and relationships, often making our workouts suffer. With HIIT, you can perform a workout that is time efficient, convenient, and will really blast those gains of yours to promote fat loss and a solid physique from your routine or training program to help with weight loss and overall mass.
Avoid Catabolism & Muscle Degradation For Lean Support
For bodybuilders, the biggest fear is losing out on those gains you worked so hard for. While cardio is important to your health and performance, the fear of losing those hard-earned gains can be overwhelming. High-intensity interval training can help avoid catabolism so your body does not break down the muscle tissue (5). This is a result of the shorter amounts of time spent actually doing cardio.
For the short, high intensity intervals, the body seeks out a quick source of fuel, unlike longer more endurance-driven workouts which can break down muscle for small units of energy. For those looking to keep those gains but get the benefits of quick and efficient cardio, HIIT is the way to go for bodybuilders.
When working out for long periods of time, your body starts to eat that hard earned muscle in efforts to keep up with your grueling workouts. Without the proper diet and nutrition plan, as well as ample protein, your muscle will slowly degrade and those workouts you suffer through to build muscle will only be achieved by you eating away at that muscle for energy. This is obviously not ideal and HIIT can work wonders for this by being time efficient and convenient, allowing you to pack on muscle while also shedding fat from exercise.
Improve Oxygen Consumption & Endurance Capacity
Endurance training is used to improve your body’s ability to consume more and more oxygen to keep you training longer and more efficiently. HIIT can produce the same benefits as a longer cardio session (6). The benefit to this may be obvious, but with increased oxygen capabilities, your training can be more intense and those gains will be easier to achieve.
HIIT will challenge your ability to work hard for a short amount of time leaving you satisfied in your workout knowing you received the same benefit as you would have suffering through an hour long run. Really work to enhance your aerobic and anaerobic thresholds with HIIT to maximize oxygen consumption during bodybuilding exercise.
It is important to note that increased cardio and oxygen consumption will not only enhance your endurance and ability to perform cardio related activities, but also will come in handy when it comes to strength training and an overall sense of working out. With increased cardio, you will be able to lift more weight and lift that weight more effectively to really enhance those bodybuilding gains.
The increase in oxygen consumption will work to really provide support for those muscles so they lift more and can withstand increased loads as you get bigger and stronger. This is a great benefit of HIIT that should be considered when looking to update your training program.
Wrap It All Up
We all know cardio is important for our overall health and performance. But most of us do not have time to sit and struggle through a long-distance cardio workout to make sure we get the most out of cardio while also ensuring we do not lose our lean muscle. High-intensity interval training is the best solution to your cardio needs, especially as a bodybuilder.
The short interval bursts, matched with even amounts of recovery, allows you to feel satisfied in your workout knowing you did what you could to achieve maximum gains. By aiding in fat loss, increasing oxygen consumption, and avoiding catabolism, HIIT will allow you to keep on all that hard-earned muscle while getting all the benefits of cardio and those bodybuilding goals. Don’t be afraid to give 100% during this workout because you won’t lose what you work for and the gains will be enough to continue with high-intensity interval training.
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
Gillen, Jenna B.; Gibala, Martin J. (2014). “Is high-intensity interval training a time-efficient exercise strategy to improve health and fitness?”. (source)
Kong, Zhaowei; Fan, Xitao; Sun, Shengyan; Song, Lili; Shi Qingde; Nie, Jinlei (2016). “Comparison of High-Intensity Interval Training and Moderate-to-Vigorous Continuous Training for Cardiometabolic Health and Exercise Enjoyment in Obese Young Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial”. (source)
Falcone, Paul H.; Tai, Chih-Yin; Carson, Laura R.; Joy, Jordan M.; Mosman, Matt M.; McCann, Tyler R.; Crona, Kevin P.; Kim, Michael P.; Moon, Jordan R. (2015). “Caloric expenditure of aerobic, resistance, or combined high-intensity interval training using a hydraulic resistance system in healthy men”. (source)
Wingfield, Hailee L.; Smith-Ryan, Abbie E.; Melvin, Malia N.; Roelofs, Erica J.; Trexler, Eric T.; Hackney, Anthony C.; Weaver, Mark, A.; Ryan, Eric D. (2015). “The acute effect of exercise modality and nutrition manipulations on post-exercise resting energy expenditure and respiratory exchange ratio in women: a randomized trial”. (source)
Laursen, Paul B.; Jenkins, David G. (2002). “The scientific basis for high-intensity interval training: optimistic training programmes and maximising performance in highly trained endurance athletes”. (source)
Hwang, Chueh-Lung; Yoo, Jeung-Ki; Kim, Han-Kyul; Hwang, Moon-Hyon; Handberg, Eileen M; Petersen, John W.; Christou, Demetra D. (2016). “Novel all-extremity high-intensity interval training improves aerobic fitness, cardiac function and insulin resistance in healthy older adults”. (source)
Get Bigger Arms With This Simple Workout
Sleeve-Splitting Arm Workout
The idea of having big arms push many of us to get a gym membership. Huge arms have been associated with machoism for a long time. Ask a kid to flex his muscles, and he’ll most probably hit you with a front double bicep.
You need to pay equal attention to your biceps and triceps. You can’t go crazy with your bicep workouts while overlooking your triceps development. Muscle symmetry is important for strength and aesthetic purposes.
Some people hurt their gains by training their arms every single day. Training your arms every day won’t get you bigger arms. Doing this leads to overtraining since your muscles need time to recover and grow after a workout.
Many people train their biceps before their triceps on the arms day. This can lead to weak triceps since you might be exhausted by the time you start your triceps workout.
This can happen for any muscle you train second on a multi-muscle training day. To combat this in your arm workouts, you will be doing antagonistic supersets. In this advanced training technique, you superset different muscle groups in a single set. For, e.g., – you will be super-setting your biceps with your triceps. Follow this workout to get bigger arms.
Superset 1
Standing Cable Bicep Curls – 3 Sets 15 Reps
You would be starting with a cable exercise to pre-exhaust your muscles. This will help you get the same pump later in your workout while using relatively light weights. Use a straight bar attachment for this exercise.
Overhead Rope Cable Tricep Extension – 3 Sets 15 Reps
Your triceps consist of three heads; medial, long and lateral. You need to train all three to ensure an overall development. The overhead rope cable extensions target your long head. Using cables will help you maintain tensions on your triceps throughout the movement.
Superset 2
Dumbbell Curls – 3 Sets 15 Reps
Dumbbell curls is an incredibly effective exercise to target your biceps. In this exercise, rotate your hands outwards at the top of the movement. This will help in building the peak in your pythons.
Close Grip Bench Press – 3 Sets 15 Reps
Doing a compound exercise (multiple joints) can help build size and strength in your target muscle group. Close grip bench press helps with the overall development of your triceps. Make sure you have a complete range of motion while performing this exercise.
Superset 3
Concentration Curls – 3 Sets 15 Reps
It is always more effective to end your bicep workouts with an isolation exercise. Concentration curls were one of Arnold’s favorite exercise. This exercise helped him turn his biceps into mountain peaks. You need to maintain a mind-muscle connection throughout this exercise. Going through the motion won’t get you anywhere.
Tricep Dips – 3 Sets 15 Reps
Doing dips at the end of your workout can test what you’re made of. If body weight dips are too easy for you, feel free to add resistance bands or resistance using weights. Maintain a full range of motion and squeeze your triceps at the top of the movement to get the most of this exercise.
Which is your favorite triceps exercise? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Get Bigger Arms With This Simple Workout
Sleeve-Splitting Arm Workout
The idea of having big arms push many of us to get a gym membership. Huge arms have been associated with machoism for a long time. Ask a kid to flex his muscles, and he’ll most probably hit you with a front double bicep.
You need to pay equal attention to your biceps and triceps. You can’t go crazy with your bicep workouts while overlooking your triceps development. Muscle symmetry is important for strength and aesthetic purposes.
Some people hurt their gains by training their arms every single day. Training your arms every day won’t get you bigger arms. Doing this leads to overtraining since your muscles need time to recover and grow after a workout.
Many people train their biceps before their triceps on the arms day. This can lead to weak triceps since you might be exhausted by the time you start your triceps workout.
This can happen for any muscle you train second on a multi-muscle training day. To combat this in your arm workouts, you will be doing antagonistic supersets. In this advanced training technique, you superset different muscle groups in a single set. For, e.g., – you will be super-setting your biceps with your triceps. Follow this workout to get bigger arms.
Superset 1
Standing Cable Bicep Curls – 3 Sets 15 Reps
You would be starting with a cable exercise to pre-exhaust your muscles. This will help you get the same pump later in your workout while using relatively light weights. Use a straight bar attachment for this exercise.
Overhead Rope Cable Tricep Extension – 3 Sets 15 Reps
Your triceps consist of three heads; medial, long and lateral. You need to train all three to ensure an overall development. The overhead rope cable extensions target your long head. Using cables will help you maintain tensions on your triceps throughout the movement.
Superset 2
Dumbbell Curls – 3 Sets 15 Reps
Dumbbell curls is an incredibly effective exercise to target your biceps. In this exercise, rotate your hands outwards at the top of the movement. This will help in building the peak in your pythons.
Close Grip Bench Press – 3 Sets 15 Reps
Doing a compound exercise (multiple joints) can help build size and strength in your target muscle group. Close grip bench press helps with the overall development of your triceps. Make sure you have a complete range of motion while performing this exercise.
Superset 3
Concentration Curls – 3 Sets 15 Reps
It is always more effective to end your bicep workouts with an isolation exercise. Concentration curls were one of Arnold’s favorite exercise. This exercise helped him turn his biceps into mountain peaks. You need to maintain a mind-muscle connection throughout this exercise. Going through the motion won’t get you anywhere.
Tricep Dips – 3 Sets 15 Reps
Doing dips at the end of your workout can test what you’re made of. If body weight dips are too easy for you, feel free to add resistance bands or resistance using weights. Maintain a full range of motion and squeeze your triceps at the top of the movement to get the most of this exercise.
Which is your favorite triceps exercise? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
The 5 Best Machines For Getting Shredded
The 5 Best Machines For Getting Shredded
With the evolution of bodybuilding, researchers have come up with ways to speed up the process of gaining muscle mass with the help of better nutrition and advanced training techniques. Over the years machines used in the gyms have gotten better.
Using machines can help you achieve your desired results while preventing injuries. Many bodybuilders use machines while preparing for competitions to avoid injuries. Machines are great for beginners as they limit the range of motion and avoids recruiting muscle stabilizers.
These are the 5 Best Machines
1. Cable Crossover Machine
Cable crossover station is one of the most important equipment in a gym. You can do a variety of exercises targeting different muscle groups on this machine. If your gym doesn’t have a cable crossover machine, you should start looking for a new gym.
Using cables has a different effect on your muscles as compared to using free weights. You have constant tension on your muscles during the eccentric and concentric movement while using the cables.
2. Smith Machine
Smith machine is another gym essential. It is a great equipment for people who can’t perform exercises like the bench press or squats due to problems like joint pains. The smith machine avoids recruiting secondary muscle groups as your path of motion is fixed.
The smith machine is great at developing your lagging muscles as it limits your movement. Let us say you have a overdeveloped glutes and weak quads. You can eliminate your glute recruitment and focus entirely on your quads by placing your feet in front of you.
3. Pec Fly Machine
The pec deck machine is nearly as effective as the bench press in activating the pectoralis major. Using the pec fly machine will help you in maintaining constant tension on your inner chest. This machine is a must for people who want striations and separation in their chest.
You can also work your rear delts on the pec fly machine. Sit with your chest against the pad to target your rear deltoids. Rear delts are a weak muscle group for most people. They make it even worse by not training them often.
4. Leg Press
You will hardly see a gym without a leg press machine. The leg press machine can help you in building muscle mass and strength in your lower body. The leg press also happens to be one of the most abused machines in a gym.
Many people load the machine with more weight than they can handle. You will see the best results while using the leg press machine by following a full range of motion. Excessive weight puts stress on your lower back and can result in an injury if you fail a rep.
5. Hammer Strength
Hammer strength is one the best equipment for training your chest. The hammer strength is incredibly effective for people who can’t bench press for some reason. Pros use this machine while preparing for a contest or during muscle rehab.
You target the same muscles while using the hammer strength as you do during the bench press. As you are in a leveraged position, you can use heavier weights on the hammer strength as compared to the flat bench press.
Which is your favorite machine?
Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.