Train Smarter!

Train Smarter!

When trying to balance your training with work and family obligations, you may find yourself short on time.  But you figure, "something is better than nothing." So you need to train smart.  Knowing what you are training will help you to train efficiently.  So you should choose exercises wisely.  One example is the kettlebell lunge.

The 1 Arm Racked Kettlebell Lunge:

This exercise is obviously a leg exercise.  But that is not all!  You must hold the kettlebell in the racked position using one arm.  This places an asymmetric downward force on the kettlebell side of your trunk/body.  To prevent laterally "giving in" to the added weight, the opposite side of your trunk must contract to stabilize in order to maintain a neutral spine.  You must maintain grip on the kettlebell handle and not allow the shoulder blade on the side of the kettlebell to drop or protract due to the added weight either.  In all, you are training the legs, the trunk, grip and scapula stability.

Double Kettlebell Lunge:

Although you are lunging with added weight compared to the single kettlebell lunge, you do not have the asymmetric weight applied to the trunk.  So lateral stability will not be as much of an issue.  However, you must still maintain grip of each handle, prevent both scapula from protracting, and the added weight to your chest/trunk will actually make it slightly more difficult to deeply inhale during the set

To increase the challenge further, perform the Bottoms Up Kettlebell Lunge.  Here, you are working even harder to maintain control of the kettlebell handle using hand, wrist and forearm strength.  This also challenges scapula and shoulder stability on the kettlebell side, and the asymmetric weight will again require lateral trunk stability.  

So, if you want to get more bang for your buck, making slight adjustments to a traditional exercise will train more than you initially thought.  You end up training multiple regions of the body using one technique.  This is efficient training!

Summer Time is Perfect to Learn Core Engagement

Summer Time is Perfect to Learn Core Engagement

 

 

 

Just this past weekend I was visiting family in Rhode Island.  My 4 year old wanted to go swimming and so I began to blow up the many pool toys my father-in-law had purchased for the kids.  We did not have an air compressor available so I had to do it the old fashioned way.  After blowing up the third toy, I realized that as I pursed my lips tightly around the air nozzle in order to open the safety valve, and began to blow into the tube, my core engaged quickly and firmly.  It was not a "drawing in" or "hollowing," nor was it flexing of my abs.  It felt like my entire core stabilized my spine 360 degrees.  If you are having a difficult time teaching your clients (or youself) what true core recruitment and engagement should feel like, go to the dollar store and pick up an inflatable pool toy.  Try it for yourself.  Upon inflating the toy, keep one hand on your abs/obliques and you will feel it immediately.  Then try to incorporate this recruitment with your lifts.