Exercises Archives Page 12 of 49 | Redefining Strength

The Most Underrated Back Exercise

by Cori Lefkowith | Feb 5, 2023 | Blog, Exercises

If you’re looking for an amazing exercise to strengthen your back while helping you avoid neck, shoulder and even lower back aches and pains, then you’re going to love this video!

In this video, I’ll go over how to do this amazing exercise, how it can help you avoid overloading your lower back if you feel it often during bent over rows and even some variations you can try to target your back in different ways and make use of any tools that you have!

Hey guys it’s Cori from Redefining Strength where we help you feel, look and move your best at any and every age.

Having a strong back not only looks amazing but it can help us avoid neck, shoulder and upper back aches and pains as we get older. It can help us maintain amazing posture as well.

But often when we do back exercises, we feel our lower back becoming achy during bent over rows or we simply feel our biceps fatiguing over our back being worked.

Our back is not getting the full benefit.

That’s why I wanted to share this amazing move, the chest supported row, to help you really isolate and focus on building a stronger back!

First, I’m going to go over how to do this move and how it can help you really target your back before I go over how to adjust it to hit the muscles of your back to different extents even using the tools you may have available.

And at the end I’ll share two bonus tips to help you make sure you’re using this move to build muscle!

To do the Chest Supported Row, set an incline bench up at a 45-60 degree angle.

I love using an EZ bar for this move to target the upper back and rear delts and also slightly restrict the range of motion so we don’t end up rowing back further than we are truly engaging our back.

Grab the EZ bar in both hands with an overhand grip, pushing through your feet to drive your entire upper body really firmly into the bench. This will support your lower back.

Making sure to keep your chest pressed into the bench, row the weight up toward the bench. Feel your shoulder blades move together toward your spine to pull the weight up.

Do not let yourself arch away from the bench or start to curl the weight.

Focus on that scapular movement without shrugging.

Row the weight up then fully lower back down. Do not stop short of full extension.

Now why is this variation so amazing for targeting your back while helping you avoid compensating or overusing your biceps or lower back?

Because the EZ bar will be stopped at the bench, this is a great way to make sure you stop the row before you start to extend the range of motion through only shoulder movement.

Too often when we row we will see our shoulders only rounding forward at the end as we try to make the row movement bigger pulling the weight past our side.

The bench also helps reduce any “cheating” during the row.

The bench supports your upper body, this variation forces you to really isolate your back over bouncing the weight or getting to cheat in any way.

It also can help you avoid arching your lower back, which is often when we feel our lower back becoming achy during the bent over row.

Just be conscious to really push into the bench over trying to pull back off of it as you row.

And off of this basic variation, you can play around with different variations, not only based on the tools you have available but also the muscles you want to activate or focus on more.

Not only can you simply use an underhand grip on the EZ bar to engage your biceps and lats more over your upper back and rear delts, but you can also mix things up using dumbbells.

With dumbbells, you can even include a narrow grip variation, great for really getting those lats working!

And if you do have any imbalances, you can do a unilateral variation as well.

It’s key we recognize the opportunity in small adjustments to moves to make them ideal for what we personally need and then even see the other variations as progression through the same but different.

Bonus Tips:

And two bonus tips…

This move is a great exercise to build muscle when included in your routine for about 8-12 reps. Especially starting out so that you focus on really isolating your upper back, this allows you to go heavy enough without starting to max out and find ways to cheat.

The second tip is if you don’t have an incline bench, you can create space to row off a flat bench by stacking a few plate weights underneath.

For more tips to help you strengthen your back, and an amazing exercise to work on that scapular retraction, check out THIS BACK VIDEO next.

Can’t Lose Fat? Try These 7 Tips

by Cori Lefkowith | Jan 29, 2023 | Blog, Diet, Exercises, Functional Fitness

Struggling to see the weight loss results you want and feel like your only option is to overhaul your entire lifestyle?

Well you don’t have to!

In this video I’m going to share the 7 common lifestyle habits we think we need to implement to lose weight that actually hold us back and then explain the secret to increasing your metabolic rate to becoming a fat burning machine!

Hey guys it’s Cori from Redefining Strength where we help you create the healthiest version of your PERSONAL lifestyle to see results. Because one size doesn’t fit all!

Losing weight means making a change to our daily habits.

But sometimes we make changes that actually hold us back.

That’s why, in this video, I want to highlight the 7 habit changes to AVOID and what to do instead to see results while improving your metabolic health!

Mistake #1: Cutting out the foods you love.

What’s the first thing we think we need to do to lose weight?

RESTRICT.

For many of us, dieting means cutting things out.

Often the first foods we eliminate are the ones we love most, but also know aren’t the healthiest for us.

Our dessert. Or salty snack.

But by cutting these things out, we create a feeling of restriction that is also what derails us.

At some point we feel like our willpower runs out.

Because we aren’t meeting ourselves where we are at to make sustainable changes based on our personal lifestyle balance.

So instead of cutting out your favorite food first, make an ingredient swap or portion adjustment first so you can work AROUND the foods you love.

Even focus on what you can add in over cutting out.

Shrink your portion of rice at dinner from 1 cup to ¾.

Do half a sandwich with a side salad to adjust your portion, lower your carbs and add in vegetables.

Sprinkle nutritional yeast on your popcorn to bump your protein and add a cheesy flavor!

Help yourself create lasting changes by avoiding the restriction mindset!

Mistake #2 : Making yourself eat specific things.

Do NOT force yourself to consume foods you dislike just because someone mentioned a potential health or fat burning benefit.

That is a surefire recipe for disaster because you’ll run out of self control eventually and default back to old habits sabotaging any results you’ve built.

We can’t do one thing to achieve results then go back to old habits and expect to maintain those results.

The changes have to stick.

So, if for instance, you don’t like coffee, don’t force yourself to drink it just because someone else says it can help you lose fat faster!

Any fat burning benefits of coffee are small and you adjust to the caffeine intake over time which means that the benefits become less with time unless you keep consuming more.

Caffeine can have a negative impact on mood and sleep.

This is a 1% change that will make no difference if your overall nutrition and workout routine aren’t dialed in BUT may have a huge impact on whether or not you stick with your plan long term!

Just like forcing yourself to eat a ton of vegetables or bland boring dishes because you feel guilty and want to meet someone else’s arbitrary standard of “clean eating,” will ultimately prevent you from making lasting changes.

We get good at what we consistently do and we do more of the habits we ENJOY.

So if you don’t like broccoli, don’t force it. Try other vegetables to find something you enjoy!

Mistake #3: Design hour long workouts or 2 a day sessions.

How many times have you thought… I just don’t have time to workout?

You aren’t alone.

It’s because we see all these people losing weight training for hours a day or doing 2 a day sessions.

But this focus on doing more often leads to a lot of wasted time and effort but holds us back from building a consistent routine and habit.

Quality not quantity.

The best results come from designing for the time you have because then you can be consistent with them.

If you have 3 days a week and 30 minutes, design full body workouts to get in everything you need with those sessions.

That will be far better than ending up missing body part split workouts because you just don’t have the time to stay consistent!

And as you get consistent with that routine, you may find you can work in more workouts later OR that you can maintain these habits even when life does its best to sabotage you and throw you out of your groove!

Mistake #4: Try to burn as many calories or get as many MEPs as possible in your training sessions.

When many of us start training harder to lose weight, we get a calorie tracker or start focusing on those heart rate monitors that measure things like MEPs.

We feel this need to hit a certain calorie intake, get a certain number of meps or have our heart rate hit a certain level for our workout to be “good enough.”

But your workouts shouldn’t be about calories burned.

Workouts can help us create that calorie deficit, especially to start, but over time our body adapts.

And there also is no magic fat burning zone where we need to keep our heart rate only at this level to magically burn a ton more fat.

If our diet isn’t dialed in, we won’t be able to out exercise our nutrition for long.

Trying to out exercise your diet, may be why your metabolism has slowed and you’re now blaming your age for your weight gain.

Stop focusing on burning more calories in your workouts.

Instead turn your focus to building muscle, whether you challenge yourself with bodyweight moves or weights.

This will improve your metabolic rate to burn more calories at rest, but more on this after habit number 7.

Here’s a LINK with training tips to design workouts to help you lose fat faster!

Mistake #5: Forcing a meal frequency.

Eat 6 small meals a day! No!

Do Intermittent Fasting, it’s the secret!

No!

There are so many different meal timings and frequencies out there that people tout as the best.

But one size doesn’t fit all.

How you schedule your meals may depend on your schedule, when you train, and even whether you prefer big meals or more snacking throughout the day.

Many different schedules can work!

While you can for sure adjust meal timing strategically based on your progress toward your goals, and tweaks may pay off the longer you’ve had everything dialed in

don’t stress meal timing or freak out if you didn’t have your post workout protein shake within 30 minutes of training.

Your muscles won’t just melt off.

The key is dialing in our daily portions and routines.

And then we can experiment with meal timings to see what makes us feel most energized while helping us make dietary changes sustainable.

You may find you enjoy less frequent and bigger meals to feel fuller after eating and have to prep fewer dishes.

Or you may enjoy more frequent snacks as you are a grazer and on the go it is easier than stopping for a meal.

The key is designing for YOUR lifestyle!

Mistake #6: Focus on being “good all week.”

Consistency is key.

And while it can feel like you’re being consistent by being “good” all week, that weekend eating or drinking can add up more than we realize.

While it may seem like you’re being consistent for 5 or 6 days and only off on 1 or 2, we can really throw off our weekly averages just because of those couple of days.

Especially eating out, those foods can be more calorically dense, not to mention fancy lattes and cocktails can really add up!

We can often end up even drinking more calories than we realize!

If you’re just starting to make changes, be conscious of how much more you’re eating on weekends as those calories could be throwing you out of the small deficit you’ve created during the week.

Even tracking what you’re currently doing when eating out or over the weekly can really show you how even just one meal can impact your weekly averages.

While focusing on consistent during each day is key, we need that consistency over weeks and even months to add up!

If you do find that being “good all week,” leads to overeating on the weekend, consider whether you’re trying to restrict too much during the week and creating unsustainable habits.

Also take a look at what leads to the change in habits over the weekends to start making some small adjustments or plan ahead.

Maybe you try some new restaurants with healthier options for a Friday night date night or adjust your earlier meals that day to account for a dinner out and strike a balance!

Mistake #7: We do all the habits we “should” be doing.

Honestly, often we try to do MORE. We go 0-60 and search out all of the things we “should” be doing.

Then we implement them all at once because we want results yesterday.

But we never consider if they are realistic for us or if they truly match our lifestyle, needs and goals.

In this effort to get results as fast as possible we do all of these new things, we overwhelm ourselves with change, and then we wonder why we don’t have the willpower or self control to keep going when things come up in our life.

We need to realize that each of us will have a different lifestyle balance. And trying to force someone else’s version of healthy will sabotage us.

So focus on small changes meeting yourself where you are at.

Before even making changes, consider tracking what you’re currently doing, from your diet to your sleep to your workouts, to make small changes that will add up!

Now what’s the secret to increasing your metabolic rate to burn more calories even at rest?

Focus less on losing weight and more on building muscle.

Muscle is the secret to losing fat faster. And no, I’m not telling you that you have to bulk up.

But by emphasizing gaining and retaining lean muscle in your workouts, you will actually slim down faster and get the lean, toned look you want.

Because muscles is key to a healthy metabolism and gaining muscle can even increase your metabolic rate if you’ve dieted in the past causing metabolic adaptations.

Muscle means you burn more calories.

And you can build muscle at ANY age.

So don’t slash your calories super low or turn all your workouts into cardio sessions.

Focus on building muscle and you’ll see that fat loss start to happen!

For more tips to help you boost your metabolism if you’re struggling to lose weight, check out my Can’t Lose Fat? 4 Tips To Boost Your METABOLISM video next.

–> WATCH NOW

5 Things Nobody Tells You About Push Ups

by Cori Lefkowith | Jan 22, 2023 | Blog, Bodyweight, Core, Exercises, Push Ups

Want to improve your push ups, but feeling like all of the push up training you’re doing isn’t adding up?

Do you feel like no matter what you try your push ups end up looking like you’re doing the worm?

Or like you’re just getting better at modified push ups?

If you’re struggling to achieve that first full push up and then build up to double digit reps, this video is for you!

In this video, I’ll go over 5 things no one tells you about improving your push ups so you can start busting out those picture perfect reps from your toes!

Hey guys it’s Cori from Redefining Strength where we help you build functional strength at any and every age!

Push ups are an amazing bodyweight exercise, but one that often doesn’t get the credit for being the challenging move that it truly is.

Just because you can “do” a push up, doesn’t mean you’re using the correct muscles or actually replicating the move with picture perfect form.

Sometimes you have to regress to progress.

And that’s why in this video I want to go over 5 things no one tells you about improving your push ups so you can adjust your training routines to help you actually move forward.

And in the final tip, I’m going to go over why you may find all of your modified push up work feels like it is NEVER actually helping you progress but just only helping you get stronger at doing more modified push ups!

#1: It all starts with your hands.

Do you have annoying wrist pain or elbow pain during push ups?

Feel like you’re ok on the lower down but for the life of you just can’t seem to maintain proper form during the press back up?

Focus more on your hands and then tension into the ground!

Creating tension from the ground up in your push ups will lead to better muscle activation and engagement, creating a stronger press.

When you set up for a push up, don’t just put your hands outside your chest.

Think about spreading your fingers and pushing your hands down into the ground.

Create that pressure and tension through ALL of your fingers. You may notice when you do this, you even want to rock out on your hands.

This rock out could be leading to the overload that causes wrist and elbow issues.

So focus even on pressing that thumb down into the ground.

Then as you press down, pretend to pull the ground apart slightly like you’re ripping a piece of paper.

This pull apart will help you even feel your chest muscles engage.

Then keep this tension through the entire push up, even focusing most on pushing the ground away as you transition from the bottom of the push up to pushing back up!

#2: Stick with incline push ups.

The next tip is to stick with incline push ups

There will definitely be times we simply don’t have an appropriate incline to use so turn to knee push ups; however, the more we can use the incline, the better.

The incline is so key because it allows us to learn to engage everything in the exact way we will need to as we move to that full push up off the ground.

It allows us to train creating tension through our lower leg and quads by driving back through our heels.

Because the push up is basically a moving plank.

If you only ever train that knee push up position, you never learn this full engagement which could be holding you back.

It is part of why you can feel like you’re getting stronger, BUT you’re never actually able to achieve that full push up from your toes.

Simply put – that knee push up may be holding you back!

And using an incline allows you to create a clear progression you can track. Over time you can slowly lower the incline you use inch by inch.

A smith machine or rack is a great way to create an incline you can incrementally lower.

And if the incline is too low, you can even start with just slowing down the eccentric only to reset at the top.

#3: You’re stronger in the eccentric phase of the push up.

To learn to do a more challenging variation of a move, we need to actually DO the harder movement.

The question is – how can you do the more advanced movement pattern though if you haven’t yet earned it?

Using an incline is one answer.

But so is focusing on the eccentric portion of the push up.

We are stronger in the eccentric phase of the push up or the lowering down portion.

By slowing down the eccentric, we can help ourselves build strength and muscle, spending more time under tension.

And by even doing an eccentric ONLY movement, we can help ourselves start to train a more challenging variation than we are fully yet able to do.

So if you’re feeling stuck at the incline you’re at currently, try a lower incline, performing only the eccentric or lowering down portion of the push up.

Really slow down and control that full lower down.

When your chest touches the incline, you can drop to your knees and push back up or even simply step a foot up and reset at the top.

But that time under tension just lowering down in the push up, using a harder version of the movement, can help you break through that stick point and advance to the next level!

#4: Strengthening your back is key.

Another often neglected area when we’re trying to improve our push ups is our back.

Yes, the push up is a press and targets our chest, shoulders and triceps while working our entire core.

But for a more powerful press, whether it is a push up or bench press, we need to have proper scapular control and be able to effectively engage our backs to support our shoulders.

A lack of scapular mobility and stability and back strength can lead to neck, shoulder and even elbow aches and pains as we compensate during the movement.

The more pressing you include in your routine, the more you will want to balance out your workouts with pulling exercises to also increase your back strength.

And not only that, you’ll also want to make sure that your warm up routine on days you do work on push ups includes scapular mobility and back activation work as well.

This helps you make sure you’re able to properly retract your shoulder blades (draw them together toward your spine) as you lower down in the push up and then protract them (pull them apart away from your spine) as you press back up.

It’s key we establish that mind-body connection to prep muscles to work correctly as we go into challenging compound movements.

For two amazing moves to help you strengthen your back and improve your scapular control, check out the link at the bottom of this post.

#5: Stop doing more reps of a modified variation.

Last but not least stop doing more reps of a modified variation.

Adding reps shows we’re progressing and building strength.

However, adding reps to each round of a more modified variation of the push up may be holding you back from progressing.

It may only be making you stronger at that more modified variation.

Instead of adding another rep or trying to do more reps each set, consider designing your push up work to have even 1-2 reps per round while creating volume through performing more rounds.

So if you want to do 10 reps of push ups and have been doing 2 rounds of 5 reps off a higher incline, instead do 10 rounds of even a single push up off a far lower incline, even using the eccentric only variation if needed.

We need to push the progression of the movement if we want to advance. We can’t just do more reps of the easier variation.

So think fewer reps of a hader movement, even if you have to modify over the rounds over doing an easier variation you can do more reps of!

Bonus Tip: Include your focused push up work first

One bonus tip is to include your focused push up work at the start of your workout.

When focusing on improving any lift or movement you want to improve, it is always best to include targeted work for it when you’re FRESHEST.

This makes it easier to focus on what you feel working and on maintaining proper form.

You can include the push up work at the start of your workout on more than one day. Push ups

Include more rounds of lower rep push up work, testing out the most advanced variation you can do.

You can even mix in slow eccentric push ups to help you advance.

And for some amazing accessory moves to improve your push ups and specifically work on your scapular control, check out my Can’t Do Push ups? Try These 2 Tips video next!

Can’t Do Push ups? Try These 2 Tips: https://youtu.be/rsf4xmIG4FI

Other push up resources:

FIX Wrist Pain During PUSH UPS | 4 Easy Ways To Increase Your Wrist Strength & Flexibility: https://youtu.be/t1d-KIwWgDw

Push-Ups For Beginners – 5 Simple Tips To Perfect Your Push Up: https://youtu.be/hosxWuzlGDg

I Quit

by Cori Lefkowith | Jan 15, 2023 | Blog, Diet, Exercises, Workouts

I freaking quit.

Do you know the #1 reason why we don’t see the fat loss or muscle gains we want.

We simply, STOP doing the habits we need to.

Honestly we’ve all been guilty of giving up right before results truly have time to snowball.

Because it’s hard to trust the process when we feel like we’re working super hard, giving our plan our all, and results aren’t building as quick as we’d like.

But here’s the cold hard truth you’ve got to accept if you want to succeed…

Results NEVER happen as fast as you’d like.

There will always be ups and downs. There will always be setbacks.

Struggles are a part of success.

But that’s why I wanted to share some tips to help you get BETTER results FASTER.

While we can’t out exercise or out diet time, and there is no magic pill, that doesn’t mean we can’t do things to help ourselves see those wins to avoid wanting to give up.

And one of the first secrets to success is actually to slow down.

So let me share the tale of the two woodcutters to highlight the importance of slowing down….

Two woodcutters were in a competition to see who could cut down more trees by the end of the day. The first was an experienced woodcutter older in years and the second was a younger, stronger man eager to prove his ability.

Both men set out to chopping. After about an hour or so the more experienced man paused, sat down to take a break and invited the other to join him.

The younger, stronger woodcutter replied, “No way! I’m going to keep chopping and I’m going to beat you.”

“Suit yourself,” said the experienced man.

This pattern repeated itself several times throughout the day.

Every so often the experienced man would pause his chopping to rest,

while the younger stronger woodcutter kept chopping away.

At the end of the day when the two woodcutters compared to see who had chopped more wood, the younger & stronger woodcutter was astonished to find that the older woodcutter who kept taking breaks had chopped a significantly greater amount of wood.

He said, “How is that even possible?

You spent far less time chopping than I did. I’m stronger and never once stopped cutting down trees. What is your secret?”

The experienced man said, “every time I sat down, I was sharpening my axe.”

Hard work is key to results.

But hard work without direction, without focus, without intention, is often energy wasted.

Too often we just seek to do more in the gym.

Restrict foods while searching for magic fat burning option…

When really it’s about learning and dialing in those basics.

It’s even about doing the MINIMUM at times.

It’s not about effort it’s about efficiency.

Trust me if it was about EFFORT, I’d have lots of people in far better shape than me…people that train twice a day for hours a day and eat only “clean foods.”

While I sometimes do progressions that are 3 days a week and 30-40 minutes while enjoying my cocktails and desserts.

But sometimes we need to scale back on how frequently we train, the length of our sessions or even how much we do in terms of adjusting our nutrition simply so we can stay consistent.

Because that consistency often adds up more quickly than trying to do more in less time while burning ourselves out.

So don’t be afraid to PAUSE, assess and learn. Don’t be afraid to take time to plan.

Often by even THINKING about what we can do to consider the outcomes can save us a ton of time going in the wrong direction.

And then this even comes down to EMBRACING THE HARD.

I see it when it comes to our desire to avoid tracking.

And trust me…I get it…

I legit tried so much to avoid tracking because it seemed hard and overwhelming and tedious and boring. I even tried the potato diet.

I didn’t understand it so it felt complicated and like it wasn’t worth the effort.

But ultimately in my attempt to avoid the hard, I wasted a ton of time and effort.

I held myself back for so long avoiding the challenge of learning…and even struggling through it.

But there truly is no way around the hard.

All we can do is start by breaking things down.

What’s one small change you can make today?

Can you simply list out what you ate?

Can you start to measure out portions to see how much you’re actually consuming?

The more we can break things down, the more we are able to make changes that don’t feel as hard, but that let us build up to fully embracing the new habits.

But just realize there is no way around that learning process if we actually want to create new habits.

And then remember, you didn’t create your current habits, lifestyles, physical conditioning overnight and you won’t get changes overnight either.

Our body and brain doesn’t like change.

It wants to maintain what it feels is normal – what it’s been TRAINED to see as instinctual and natural.

And yes I do mean TRAINED.

We get good at what we consistently do!

Our body wants to maintain your current weight and will fight the weight loss process.

Your brain likes your current habits because they are easy.

So as much as 3 or 4 months is a long time if you have been working to see results, consider how long you’ve actually not been at your goal.

How long you’ve been implementing other habits…

Because often when we take this step back, we realize we’re expecting basically overnight changes in comparison to how long it took us to get away from our goal.

So as tempting as it is to say “I QUIT” when results aren’t adding up as fast as we’d like, recognizing how long you’ve actually been making changes for in comparison.

And realize that this cycle, quitting right at this point is what you’ve ALWAYS done.

Results take time to snowball

Maybe you’ve only lost 1 lbs. But 1 pound will become 2, will become 4, will become, 15 will become 50…

And the more you lose and the longer you keep it off the leaner you look.

But every time you quit, you doom yourself to keep losing and gaining the same few pounds.

Sure you’ll fluctuate as life ebbs and flows over the year and years, BUT I see my results when I focus in get better and better, not only because I’ve LEARNED as I’ve gone and focused on efficiency not effort…I’ve embraced the HARD, but also because I’ve simply stayed consistent and let time do it’s thing.

That’s why you haven’t seen the results you want.

If you’re about to say I QUIT, double down and keep going.
make changes.

Don’t do more, just keep at those habits, learning and tweaking.

But don’t give up!

And to help you avoid making 8 of the most common weight loss mistakes I see clients making, I’m sharing those tips HERE!

How to Force Muscle Growth (4 Tips)

by Cori Lefkowith | Jan 8, 2023 | Blog, Exercises, muscle-featured

Are you ready to improve your workouts and dial in your muscle gains?

Then you’ll love these 4 tips to help you design your workouts to build muscle faster.

In this video I’m going to share 4 training tips to help you design more efficient workouts for better muscle gains. Be open to the opportunity in these options over writing off what doesn’t fit what you’ve always done.

Change requires change.

And because many of us realize that the best results happen when our diet and workouts work together, I’m going to share a bonus nutritional tip that will make some of you very mad…

Hey guys it’s Cori from Redefining Strength where we help you feel, look and move your best at any and every age.

Gaining muscle can be a slow process. And the more advanced a trainee you are, the slower the process will be.

That’s why it is key we dial in our training, progressing it with these 4 key training tips. And not only do we need to adjust our diet, but making sure to fuel to create that anabolic environment is key.

Tip #1: Use Two Types Of Resistances.

Which are better….bands, dumbbells, cables, barbells or kettlebells?

The answer is all of them. And it depends.

But so often we get caught up in finding a single BEST tool over realizing that we can create progression by even combining them.

Each of these types of resistances have different benefits. And when we combine them, we can utilize their unique benefits to our advantage.

Especially because we need to really push that progression each workout to build muscle and get better results faster. BUT it can be mentally taxing to constantly be pushing.

And ego can start to get in the way, pushing us to do more weight than maybe we can truly control optimal just to do “more” this week and progress.

That’s why varying up how you apply resistance can help from not only a physical standpoint, but also a mental one.

Consider combining tools like the barbell and bands.

When you combine these two tools, you can not only more easily add loads with the barbell, but you can also benefit from the different resistance arc of the bands.

Bands can help apply more tension where the muscle is strongest and can help you apply more resistance not just dependent on the pull of gravity like free weights.

And the two tools combined can allow you to use lighter barbell loads while making the move more challenging in a new way.

A great example of a way to combine two types of resistances is the Landmine Band Deadlift.

You can not only get the benefit of the loaded barbell in the landmine, but the band will also apply more resistance as you lift and really make you fight to control the eccentric or lower down.

This is a great way to focus even more on that eccentric portion of the lift, or when those hamstrings are stretched, to create better muscle hypertrophy. Studies have shown that by emphasizing the eccentric portion of a move, you may be able to get more efficient muscle gains.

Tip #2: Use Training Density To Move More Weight.

What leads to more strength and muscle growth? Lifting heavier weight more times.

But the heavier the weight, the fewer the reps you can do in a row.

The lighter the weight, the more reps in a row you can complete.

You need to find that sweet spot to move more weight over the course of your individual sessions but also over time.

That is why advanced training techniques like density sets can be so key to include, especially if you are a hard gainer, have been training for longer or even just want to build muscle while being really conscious to avoid gaining unwanted fat.

A great density training design is 3 10 minute supersets, using heavy compound lifts, especially in the first two series.

To use this design, you’ll pick two moves working different areas and repeat them for 10 minutes, pausing only briefly to rest as needed.

You will use one move as a chance to rest the muscles worked in the other exercise.

You will also pick a load you can do about 8-10 reps with at max and then perform about 5-6 reps per set on it.

This allows you to actually use heavier loads and build up volume over the time through completing multiple rounds.

It also often allows for higher quality reps with heavier weights.

You’ll be amazed at how much more weight you can actually move over the course of each workout with this design!

It is killer though so be prepared to cycle out of this design every 3-4 weeks.

Tip #3: Use Partial Reps.

Now before you get mad about this tip, let me break down the opportunity in changing up the range of motion at times, specifically for movements meant to isolate those stubborn areas.

I’m all for strengthening through the fullest range of motion possible as often as possible. This helps us maintain amazing mobility and stability even as we get older and see great muscle growth.

BUT more time under tension for a muscle has also been shown to truly lead to better results faster.

This is why including some partial reps for those stubborn areas, reducing the range of motion can be helpful.

And it can help in 2 ways….

1. It can allow more time under tension to emphasize the eccentric, like on Pulse RDLs where you are spending more time under tension when the muscle is stretched.

2. It can allow you to create more metabolic stress to also drive muscle growth by keeping the muscle in a consistently shortened state and apply more resistance at the end range of motion when the muscle is contracted. With this you’ll often feel that pump or burn building up, like top range of motion bicep curls.

Another benefit is that it can help you overcome stick points in lifts, which can ultimately help you lift more weight, leading to better muscle gains as well.

Tip #4: Putting it all together. Create your progression.

I’ve heard people say they get “bored” by repeating workouts.

But your desire to be “entertained” and constantly do something new may be holding you back from seeing the results you want.

If you want to build muscle, you need clear progression and the ability to recover between sessions.

Randomly stringing workouts and new moves together all of the time may make you super sore, feel hard and ultimately get you nowhere.

Create that clear progression based on those “boring” fundamentals.

And realize that by creating this clear progression, implementing the 3 prior training techniques here, you’re going to see better muscle gains faster.

This allows you to move, feel and look your best…which isn’t boring at all.

Sometimes we have to remember that we are training to do more of what we love even outside the gym.

Plus, find ways to enjoy the challenge of small weekly progressions and include a diversity of movements over the weeks to keep things interesting.

Then every 3-4 weeks assess where you’re at to then make some swaps and keep things from getting too stale!

Now…DUN DUN DUN…the tip some of you will hate….

Don’t Fear Carbs!

What you did to lose weight is NOT what you’ll need to do to build muscle.

If you loved low carb to trim down, you need to let go of any “carbphobia” if you want the best muscle building results.

Carbs create that anabolic environment optimal for muscle growth, not only helping create the hormonal environment for growth but also by being that readily available energy to help muscles rebuild and grow.

If you don’t have enough fuel to allow your muscles to grow, you’re going to spend a lot of hard work and time lifting to not see the results you want.

The more advanced and experienced an exerciser you are, the more you can’t ignore your diet and the importance of not only protein but CARBS.

Muscles need extra energy to grow!

If you are just starting out with your muscle gaining journey, consider even just bumping up your carb intake right post workout to refuel and replenish those depleted glycogen stores.

And if you’re looking for even more nutrition and workout tips to help you build muscle faster, check out my 9 Tips For Faster Muscle Growth video to help you continue making those gains…

–> Watch The Video

And if you’re looking for someone to put together the full system you need to see results, adjusting your diet and your workouts to work together, click HERE to learn more about my fabulous 1:1 Online Coaching!

5 Things Nobody Tells You About Cardio

by Cori Lefkowith | Jan 1, 2023 | Blog, Exercises, Workouts

How does cardio actually impact your fat loss or muscle gains?

In this video I’ll go over 5 things no one tells you about cardio and the impact it has on your results.

Because cardio can sabotage your results based on how you include it!

And, at the end of the video, I’ll not only share the most underutilized but essential form of cardio to include to achieve body recomp results but show you how to adjust your workouts to see better results faster!

Hey guys it’s Cori from Redefining Strength where we help you feel, look and move your best at any and every age.

If you’re working to lose fat, or even gain muscle, there are 5 key things you need to know about cardio so you don’t end up working super hard to not achieve the results you deserve.

And while yes, diet is of course essential, especially if you want to lose fat, at the end of the video.

I’ll go over how to adjust your workouts to see better results FASTER as well as share the most underrated and underutilized form of cardio to see amazing body recomp results!

But also I do want to note, this isn’t telling you to avoid steady-state cardio especially if you love your endurance sport.

However, it is key we do understand the ups and downs of including specific workouts in our routines especially when we have other goals we want to achieve!

Often, when we want to lose weight, we turn to cardio to burn more calories. And while often those cardio sessions do burn more calories in the single session than strength workouts do, what you don’t know is that….

#1: Cardio can actually cause you to burn FEWER calories over the course of the day.

We have to remember that our workouts are only a small portion of the calories we actually burn over the course of the day.

And while, if you’re just starting out with training after not training at all, working out can help create a calorie deficit through extra movement without even changing your diet, your body adjusts over time.

It’s why you get stronger or faster and can run further without feeling tired.

But it also means you’re burning fewer calories with each session.

It’s why dietary adjustments are key, but I’ll go over more on this later.

If you keep pushing the intensity of your cardio training, and are in a calorie deficit, you may find you become so fatigued you move less during the rest of the day.

This lack of non-exercise energy expenditure can actually really DECREASE the overall calories you burn each and every day even while continuing to try to push your training sessions.

Basically our body can try to “compensate” for the extra calories burned by conserving energy as much as possible at other points in the day.

Not to mention, steady-state cardio can be catabolic to muscle mass.

More muscle means more calories burned at rest.

By performing steady-state cardio while in a calorie deficit to lose weight, we can end up losing more muscle which means, again, fewer calories burned at rest.

So just note, that while you may think you need more cardio to burn more calories, this attitude toward training may actually slow your weight loss results.

Not to mention negatively impact your attempts to gain muscle and build strength!

While it is possible to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, you do want a primary focus.

And if your main focus is to achieve body recomposition by gaining muscle while staying lean, trying to include more cardio may be negatively impacting your results.

Simply put – #2: Cardio can impact your strength gains.

What we prioritize in our workout routine, gets the best of our focus and our intensity.

If you put cardio first in your training, you are going to go into your strength work more depleted. You won’t be able to push as hard as you’ll be tired. And you won’t recover as well between sets.

Our ability to push hard with those lifting sessions to create progressive overload is key if we want the best muscle hypertrophy results.

Put strength work first, when you are freshest, and you’ll see the best muscle building results.

And then as I mentioned earlier, dietary adjustments are key.

Studies have actually shown that #3: Cardio doesn’t actually improve weight loss over dietary changes alone.

While training in general can help with long-term maintenance, you don’t need to train at all to lose weight.

We need to stop trying to out exercise our diet – We need to stop seeing our workouts as a chance to burn calories.

Instead we need to be strategic in how we fuel, while being conscious of our daily energy expenditure.

If we actually want to burn more calories each and every day, we should shift our focus to building muscle.

This means we’re burning more calories during training, and building the lean muscle mass.

More muscle means a higher resting metabolic rate and more calories burned at rest

So if you want better, lasting weight loss results, you want to focus even more on strength work.

And then don’t ignore this often overlooked form of cardio….WALKING!

I’ve mentioned you need to include more strength work and that cardio can fight against your muscle and strength gains.

However not all forms of cardio are created equal and by including more WALKING, you can avoid detracting from your other training sessions while increasing your daily energy expenditure to aid in better fat loss results!

Because walking doesn’t make us feel destroyed or worn out, we often overlook the value of this extra NONSTRESSFUL activity in our day.

But it can actually help us recover faster from hard training sessions and give our body, and mind, a chance to rest and rebuild as we are staying even more active during the day.

So consider even just a 15 minute extra walk in your day.

And if you are super close to your desired leanness level, even consider including the walk right after the strength session that targeted those stubborn areas you’re struggling to lose from!

We also have to remember that, not only are there different forms of cardio, but our #5: workouts don’t have to be just cardio or strength!

Ever get out of breath doing heavy lunges or higher rep squats?

Workouts don’t have to be just cardio OR strength.

There truly is a spectrum we can build our training sessions off of with steady state long distance endurance cardio workout on one side and 1 rep max lifting on the other.

All of these workout designs along this spectrum are working our cardiovascular system in different ways!

And, in that middle, there are so many different workouts designs we can use that are both cardio and strength.

Workouts that improve our conditioning while also helping us build lean muscle.

Try including a single heavy lift first to start your workout with longer rest periods to focus on those strength gains followed by a circuit with accessory lifts and shorter rest periods to elevate your heart rate more!

Doing things like this can improve your conditioning and even your recovery.

You will also find that workouts that are more metabolic strength focused may really benefit you if you are an endurance athlete!

Cori Hack:

There are so many ways to design those strength workouts to match your specific needs and goals. And you can design for the time you REALISTICALLY have over just trying to find some ideal training schedule.

3 days a week? You can make that work!

Just focus more on full-body workouts over body part splits!

And because there are really 5 key things you can do to adjust your strength workouts for better fat loss results, I want you to check out my Weight Training For Fat Loss video next. I’ve linked to the video below:

–> Weight Training For Fat Loss

Just remember, everything you include in your workout routine should be used strategically based on your needs and goals, not just to try to burn more calories or make you more fatigued.

Whether your goal is weight loss or building muscle, make sure you’re dialing in your workouts and your diet to work together!

STUDIES:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982221011209
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34453886/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34816627/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34334719/

Beneficial videos to watch next…

Weight Training For Fat Loss (5 Tips)
Benefits Of Walking
Meal Plan To Lose Fat Faster