A barbell squat is a push-type, compound exercise which works primarily your quadriceps, but also trains your glutes, hamstrings, and calves, as well as muscles in your lower back. 

• Stand with feet shoulder width apart and toes facing in front of you. Place the barbell on your shoulders, below the trapezius muscles (NOT on your neck!).
• Keeping your back flat, slowly lower your body, bending at the knees and the hips. Stop when your legs form a 90 degree angle. Do not let your knees go forwards past your toes.
• Slowly push through your heels to return to the starting position, contracting the thigh muscles. You should aim to do 3-4 sets hitting around 10 or 12 reps.

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There is no doubt that ab exercises are effective and important for your health

However, the most popular ab workouts people do are sit-ups and crunches. These exercises can cause excessive flexing of the spine, especially if there are too many repetitions. Excessive flexing of the spine can cause compression of your spinal discs, causing them to bulge and press on nerves. This can lead to back pain or more serious medical conditions.  Switch up your routine by trying these 5 ab exercises below!

Things to keep in mind before getting started:

1. Never think you can crunch away a bad diet: Abs are made in the kitchen. What does this mean? Going to the gym and doing rounds of sit-ups won’t get rid of much stomach fat. You need to address the fat, by addressing what you eat first. Once you change your diet, you will then start seeing the results that you want with these exercises.
2. Don’t hold your breath: Correct breathing techniques when you’re doing ab exercises-or being physically active in general-can make a huge difference in the outcome of your workout. Breathing correctly means your workout can leave you feeling energized, while improper breathing can leave you feeling fatigued. It might even result in injury or other health problems, such as headaches, dizziness and pain in the neck and shoulders. Therefore, it’s important to bring mindfulness into your breathing when you’re doing stomach exercises. The golden rule for breathing when you’re working out is to exhale during the hard part and inhale during the easy part.

                     Example: For the Roman Chair leg raise, exhale when you’re lifting                               your legs and inhale when you’re lowering them.  

 Roman Chair Leg Raise

            Step 1: Position yourself in an upright roman chair. Be sure your back is upright and against the back of the chair. Also, be sure your elbows are directly under your shoulders when placing them on the pad.

            Step 2: Begin exercise by slowly raising your legs up until they are parallel to the ground, while keeping them as straight as possible.

            Step 3: Slowly lower legs back down to the starting position. Be sure you lower your legs all the way back down before raising them back up. Repeat for 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions.

Tuck Jump in and out to side oblique crunch

            Step 1: Grab a heavy dumbbell that will hold your weight without moving.

            Step 2: Start to get in a high plank position, hands holding the sides of the       dumbbell.

            Step 3: Bend your knees and jump your feet towards your hands, landing in a            crouch on the balls of your feet.

            Step 4: Jump up and extend your legs back out to your plank position.

            Step 5: Bend one leg and bring the knee toward your shoulder on the same side, crunching your oblique as you do so. Keep the upper body stationary throughout the movement. Pause and return the leg to your starting position.

            Step 6: Repeat on the opposite side. Do 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions on each side.

Bicycle

            Step 1: Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground and  knees bent. Your feet should be on the floor and your hands are behind your head.

            Step 2: Contract your core muscles, drawing in your abdomen to stabilize your spine.

            Step 3: With your hands gently holding your head, pull your shoulder blades back and slowly raise your knees to about a 90-degree angle, lifting your feet from the floor.

            Step 4: Exhale and slowly, at first, go through a bicycle pedal motion, bringing one knee up towards your armpit while straightening the other leg, keeping both elevated higher than your hips.

            Step 5: Rotate your torso so you can touch your elbow to the opposite knee as it comes up. Repeat for 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions on each side.

Ball Pass

            Step 1: Lie face up on the floor, holding a stability ball overhead with both hands, your legs together and extended straight on the floor.

            Step 2: In one motion, brace your core and lift your arms and legs off the ground, placing the ball between your feet.

            Step 3: Squeeze the ball with your legs and lower your arms and legs back to the floor.

            Step 4: Repeat, passing the ball back to your hands. That's one rep.  Do this for 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions.

Ball Roll outs

            Step 1: Get down on your knees and place your fists on top of an exercise ball. Elbows should be bent 90 degrees and your lower back should be naturally arched. This is the starting position.

            Step 2: Begin exercise by slowly rolling the ball forward with your fists as your arms and body straighten out. Extend your body as far as you can while keeping your hips in line with the rest of your body.

            Step 3: Hold this position for a brief moment, then slowly reverse movement back to starting position. Repeat for 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions.

Looking for more great ab exercises?  Check out the our full list of ab exercises. 

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For anyone seeking to improve their health and fitness, strength training should be a top priority, and no strength-training regimen would be complete without bicep exercises! Toned, muscular arms are highly sought after by both men and women. When your arms are strong and sleek, your functional strength and endurance are heightened as is your confidence when reaching for that sleeveless top.

Try to dedicate 1 or possibly 2 days, if you have good recovery ability, for training your biceps. Your goal for each exercise will be to complete 10 to 12 repetitions per set, while performing 3-4 sets per exercise. If you are lifting heavier weight than you are use to (with good form) then aim for 3-4 sets hitting around 4-8 repetitions per set.

Important things to remember before getting started:

1. Don’t swing your body: Swinging your body to curl that weight from point A to Point B will start to use both your lower back and your shoulders. By keeping your body still, you are forcing only your biceps to work. A good solution for this is to sit down on a bench or lean up against a wall.
2. Squeeze: a strong peak contraction at the top of your curl is vital to growing your muscles. Take a moment to flex and squeeze your biceps when you are at full contraction because this will force your body to fire off more muscle while also increasing the lactic acid burn.
3. Create a day just for arms: Isolating your focus on only your arms is extremely beneficial because you have the opportunity to work your biceps much harder as they aren’t becoming fatigued by your back workout. Spending more time on aspects such as sets, reps, and overall volume when working your biceps will force your muscles to grow more than what you might be seeing now.
4. Don’t be speedy with your reps: During exercise, your muscle growth state, which is called hypertrophy, occurs 40 seconds into your exercise. Thus, it is important to have slow controlled movements, if you are banging out 8 reps in 20 seconds, you won’t reach the muscle growth state, which you need in order to see results. The slower and more controlled your reps are, the more time your muscles are in the state of growth.
5. Focus on the right nutrition: You won’t see results strictly from doing these exercises below. You must eat to grow muscle. Having a protein shake after your workout, or a protein packed meal is a huge step in the right direction, because that protein will immediately enter your system to help repair your muscles- leading to growth. Your pre and post eating habits are really important to stimulate muscle growth. Your pre-workout meal/snack should be focused towards a healthy amount of carbs, to help energize you for your workout, so you can push yourself. The post workout meal should consist of protein and carbs. Also, something which a lot of people don’t realize is you should be having your post meal snack/meal as soon as you can after your workout. You should try not to wait longer than 45 minutes after a workout to eat. Furthermore, carbs are really important to have after a workout because they restore muscle glycogen, and without that, your body might start breaking down your muscle tissue rather than your fat.

One-arm dumbbell preacher curl

Step 1: With a dumbbell in hand, position yourself on a preacher bench so that you are sitting with your chest against the chest pad and your arm on top of the arm pad, elbow bent and the dumbbell toward your shoulder, palm facing in.

Step 2: Inhaling, completely lower the dumbbell until your elbow is nearly extended.

Step 3: Exhaling, slowly raise the dumbbell back toward your shoulder.

Step 4: Squeeze the bicep as you hold the position for a couple of counts.

Step 5: Repeat for a full set and then switch sides. Do 3-4 sets hitting around 10-12 reps. If you are using heavier weight do 3-4 sets hitting around 4-8 repetitions.

Barbell curls

Step 1: Stand up straight while holding a barbell in a shoulder-width grip.

Step 2: Contract your biceps to curl the weight forward. Your upper arms should remain stationary during this process.

Step 3: Continue moving the barbell until the biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder height. Hold this position for a second and then squeeze your biceps.

Step 4: Bring the barbell back to the starting position. Do 3-4 sets hitting around 10-12 reps. If you are using heavier weight do 3-4 sets hitting around 4-8 repetitions.

 Incline dumbbell curls

Step 1: Set your bench to a 45 degree angle

Step 2: Lie down on the bench gripping your dumbbells

Step 3: Keep your palms facing forward and your arms turned outward away from your body

Step 4: Start curling both arms up, squeeze at the top then slowly lower the weight. Do 3-4 sets hitting around 10-12 reps. If you are using heavier weight do 3-4 sets hitting around 4-8 repetitions.

Reverse barbell curl

Step 1: To begin, stand straight holding a barbell using a pronated grip (palms facing down). Your arms should be fully extended while your feet are shoulder width apart from each other. This is the starting position.

Step 2: While holding the upper arms stationary, curl the bar while contracting the biceps as you breathe out. Only the forearms should move. Continue the movement until your biceps are fully contracted and barbell is at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a second as you squeeze the muscle.

Step 3: Slowly begin to bring the barbell back to starting position as your breathe in.

Step 4: Do 3-4 sets hitting around 10-12 repetitions. If you are using heavier weight do 3-4 sets hitting around 4-8 repetitions.

Standing biceps cable curl

Step 1: Stand up with your torso upright while holding a cable curl bar that is attached to a low pulley. Grab the cable bar at shoulder width and keep the elbows close to the torso. The palm of your hands should be facing up (supinated grip). This will be your starting position.

Step 2: While holding the upper arms stationary, curl the weights while contracting the biceps as you breathe out. Only the forearms should move. Continue the movement until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a second as you squeeze the muscle.

Step 3: Slowly begin to bring the curl bar back to starting position as your breathe in.

Step 4: Repeat for 3-4 sets hitting around 10-12 repetitions. If you are using heavier weight do 3-4 sets with 4-8 repetitions.

 Looking for more great bicep exercises? 

Checkout out our exercise library for more great workouts.  Or go straight to our  bicep workouts page. 

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            Looking to get rid of the dreaded unwanted arm flab? The videos below show five examples of exercises that target the triceps, those crucial muscles on the backs of the arms that help you do everything from push open the door to pushing your body off the floor. With this targeted toning routine of tricep workouts, you’ll not only feel the burn in your arms, you’ll also strengthen your core and tighten up that waistline. Add these moves to your regular routine today and by the time your next event comes around, you’ll be eager to show off your toned arms!

How it works: Do 10-12 repetitions per set, while preforming 3-4 sets per exercise. Focus on using proper form, and don’t worry about completing the exercise at a quick pace.  

 1.Dumbbell triceps extension

Step 1: With a dumbbell in hand, stand or sit at a flat bench and plant your feet shoulder width apart.

Step 2: Use two hands to grasp the dumbbell in a perpendicular fashion with palms facing in and up underneath the top bell.

Step 3: Carefully raise the dumbbell straight overhead for your starting position.

Step 4: Inhale as you use your forearms to lower the dumbbell, keeping your arms close to your head and bending your elbows completely.

Step 5: Exhale as you use your triceps to raise the dumbbell back to the starting position.

Step 6: Complete 3-4 sets hitting around 10 or 12 reps

2. Push-ups 

Step 1: Begin in a plank position with your arms straight. Your shoulders should be over your wrists and your body should form a straight line from head to toe. Keep your core engaged and don’t let your hips sag.

Step 2: slowly bend your elbows and lower your chest towards the floor

Step 3: Press upwards back to plank position. You can start on your knees or try it against a wall or bench to modify this exercise.

Step 4: Complete 3-4 sets hitting around 10 or 12 reps

3. Triceps rope pushdown

Step 1: Attach a rope attachment to a high pulley. Grasp the ends of the rope so that your palms are facing inward and your elbows are by your waist. This is your starting position.

Step 2: Keeping your body stationary, exhale as you lower the rope by completely extending your arms until they are straight down by your sides.

Step 3: Hold for a moment and then inhale as you slowly return the rope to the starting position.

Step 4: Complete 3-4 sets hitting around 10 or 12 reps

 4. skull crushers 

Step 1: Grip a dumbbell in each hand, lay down on a flat bench and fully extend your arms.

Step 2: Without moving your upper arms proceed to lower the dumbbells by moving your forearms downward toward your head.

Step 3: Pause for 1 second as the dumbbells are almost touching your forehead.

Step 4: Extend your elbows to drive the dumbbells back up until your arms are fully extended, hold this contraction for 1 second.

Step 5: Complete 3-4 sets hitting around 10 or 12 reps

5. bench dips 

Step 1: Position your hands shoulder-width apart on a secured bench

Step 2: Slide your butt off the front of the bench with your legs extended out in front of you.

Step 3: Straighten your arms, keeping a little bend in your elbows to keep tension on your triceps and off your elbow joints.

Step 4: Slowly bend your elbows to lower your body toward the floor until your elbows are at about a 90-degree angle. Be sure to keep your back close to the bench.

Step 5: Once you reach the bottom of the movement, press down into the bench to straighten your elbows, returning to the starting position. This completes one rep.

Step 6: Keep your shoulders down as you lower and raise your body. You can bend your legs to modify this exercise.

Step 7: Complete 3-4 sets hitting around 10 or 12 reps

Looking for more tricep workouts?

Checkout out our exercise library for more great workouts.  Or go straight to our tricep workouts page. 

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Are you looking to tone your legs for spring break? Then you came to the right place! 

Strong legs help with everyday life, as you will have an easier time walking up and down stairs, lifting heavy loads (since you should be lifting with your legs), and just being mobile in general. Leg workouts such as squats, lunges and step-ups develop tone legs and give you the confidence to bare them in shorts!

In order to tone your legs, you will want to push your muscles to or almost to failure. You want to work them hard and then let them rest and grow.

It would be most appropriate for you to dedicate 1 or possibly 2 days, if you have good recovery ability, to your leg training. Your goal for each exercise will be to lift heavy enough weights so that you can successfully complete 10 to 12 repetitions per set, while performing 3-4 sets per exercise.

Your rest periods should last between 45 and 60 seconds. This length of rest gives your muscles enough time to recover so you can lift heavy again, but not enough time to allow them to rest too long as this will decrease the amount of anabolic hormones you release.

1. Barbell squats

A barbell squat is a push-type, compound exercise which works primarily your quadriceps, but also trains your glutes, hamstrings, and calves, as well as muscles in your lower back. 

• Stand with feet shoulder width apart and toes facing in front of you. Place the barbell on your shoulders, below the trapezius muscles (NOT on your neck!).
• Keeping your back flat, slowly lower your body, bending at the knees and the hips. Stop when your legs form a 90 degree angle. Do not let your knees go forwards past your toes.
• Slowly push through your heels to return to the starting position, contracting the thigh muscles. You should aim to do 3-4 sets hitting around 10 or 12 reps.

2. Romanian deadlift

The Romanian deadlift is a very effective and great muscle building exercise which works both on your lower back muscles, but more significantly and primary used muscles when it comes to this exercise, are your hamstrings.

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a barbell at thigh level. Your hands should be about shoulder-width apart.
• Keeping your back straight, bend at your waist and sit your hips back to lower the bar.
• Keep the bar close to your shins and lower as far as your flexibility allows.
• Forcefully contract your glutes to extend at your hips and stand up. You should aim to do 3-4 sets hitting around 10 or 12 reps.

3. Bulgarian split squat

Bulgarian split squats work the glute muscles as well as the upper leg muscles. The target muscle is the quadriceps with the gluteus maximus, soleus and adductor magnus working to assist.

• Position yourself into a staggered stance with the rear foot elevated and front foot forward
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand, letting them hang at the sides. This will be your starting position
• Begin by descending, flexing your knee and hip to lower your body down. Maintain good posture throughout the movement. Keep the front knee in line with the foot as you perform the exercise.
• At the bottom of the movement, drive through the heel to extend the knee and hip to return to the starting position. You should aim to do 3-4 sets hitting around 10 or 12 reps for each leg

4. Stationary lunges

The stationary lunge works several muscle groups at once. The targeted muscles include the glutes in your hips and butt along with the hamstrings and quadriceps in your thighs. The calf muscles in your lower legs, your abdominal muscles and your back muscles act as stabilizers during this exercise. Lunges also help your body burn calories for weight loss.

• While holding dumbells to your sides, stand tall with your feet hip distance apart then take a large step backward with one foot. This is your start position.
• Lower the back knee to a 90 degree angle so both knees are bent then press up to start position and repeat.  You should aim to do 3-4 sets hitting around 10 or 12 reps for each leg

5. Weighted step ups

Step-ups primarily work your quadriceps, the muscles in the front of your thighs, and involve both your knee and hip joints. However, other muscles involved include your glutes, calves and hamstrings, which assist in the movement.

• Grab a barbell and put it on your shoulders or a pair of dumbbells of the same weight and keep your palms facing inwards towards your legs. Don't go too heavy on the weight if it's your first time trying this exercise.
• Put your right foot up on a weight bench or platform. Then step up on it by extending your hip and right knee. Try and breathe out during this movement and remember to keep your back straight as you step up. 
• Go ahead and step back down with your left leg and then return to the initial starting position. That is one set complete, for the next one simply repeat the exercise but start with your left leg instead. 
• You should aim to do 3-4 sets hitting around 10 or 12 reps for each leg. Don't forget to take a little 45-60 second breather between each set as you'll probably need it.

 Looking for more great leg exercises?  Check out our full list of leg workouts.

Need help getting started?  Our highly trained and certified staff would love to help you reach your goals.  Click on the link below to request a trainer.  Don't wait, start today!