Can’t Do Pull Ups? Just Do This!

by Cori Lefkowith | Jan 28, 2021 | Blog, Pull Ups

The pull up is an amazing, and challenging, bodyweight back exercise.

And too often we simply throw up our hands and say “I can’t do a pull up” then completely avoid the movement.

Or we say we’re too old, too heavy, our arms are too long…pick an excuse….we make it!

But there is an amazing way to modify this move to practice that vertical pull and build up your grip, arm and back strength while working on your scapular mobility.

And NO it’s not the band pull up.

So what variation of the pull up do I love to use and why do I avoid the band pull up if possible?

And what are three key moves to help you build up to that first full one?

Avoiding the Band Pull Up:

So often we turn to bands for assistance. But band assisted pull ups have one major drawback…

They give you assistance in a way that you don’t have to learn that initial scapular movement and engagement of your back.

They put you ABOVE that dead hang so that you don’t learn how to initiate scapular depression to go from that dead hang to engaged.

It can also be hard to really adjust the tension fully to exactly what you need, especially as you fatigue.

That’s why I prefer the Foot Assisted variation.

Why I Love The Foot Assisted Pull Up:

Using just your feet, you can provide only as much assistance as you need to feel your back working. And as you fatigue, you can adjust.

While you don’t want to turn this into a lower body move, using your toes to assist can allow you to reduce the resistance on your upper body to focus on your back pulling.

AND you can work through that full range of motion, applying more or less resistance at stick points in the exercise.

It can also allow you to slow down the tempo or use just the foot assistance on the way up before performing a slow eccentric lower, even without using your feet!

Focusing on the eccentric can allow you to use a more advanced variation to build up than you may be able to control for the full movement because we are generally stronger during the eccentric portion of a lift!

And when you slow down the tempo, you can spend more time under tension to improve your strength and control!

Three Key Accessory Moves:

As you work on your pull ups, these are 3 key accessory moves that can help you target imbalances, improve your scapular control and strengthen your grip and abs! They are perfect moves to include in your circuits or sets after your intial pull up skill work.

1: Mini Pull Ups

If you’ve ever thought, “If I could just jump over that initial part, I could do one.” You need to include mini pull ups in your routine.

This is the perfect way to learn how to depress your shoulder blades and engage your back so you power the pull with your back.

Do not rush this move and really focus on leading with your chest.

Do not bend your arms to try to make the movement bigger. Often we want to use our biceps to power the pull, but this move helps us avoid doing that.

Focus on engaging your back and drawing your shoulder blades down toward your back pockets. Think about slightly opening your chest up toward the bar as you think about unshrugging your shoulders.

And if you need to modify to control the move, try a foot-assisted variation!

2: Single Arm Lat Pulldown

Strengthen your back and improve your scapular control with this unilateral move that will also help you correct any imbalances.

Especially if you’ve ever had a shoulder injury, this is a key move to help you avoid injury as you work on your pull ups.

I love using a band for this move as it will apply more resistance where your lats are strongest. It applies more resistance at the end range of motion.

Just make sure you don’t push down on the band as you perform the move and turn this into a tricep exercise. Think about driving your elbows back and toward your hip. Feel your shoulder blade move down as you pull.

Then fully extend out as you reach back overhead to take your shoulder blade through a full range of motion.

You want to make sure too that you’re mimicking a vertical pull. Don’t turn this into a row. Focus on that hinge and thoracic extension so your arm moves in line with your spine.

3: Hanging Abs

Often we don’t recognize how core intensive the pull up is.

But if we want to improve our pull ups, we need to build up our core strength.

Hanging abs are a great way to do just that. They can improve your grip and core strength at the same time. They even can help you work on that initial back engagement.

Make sure to engage your back as you perform these hanging ab exercises. It will also help you prevent yourself from swinging a ton.

If you need to start by modifying because you can’t control the move, you can do a variation lying on the ground, holding on to a pole behind you. This will allow you to still engage your back and better activate your abs as you raise your legs or tuck your knees in.

Using these three moves, and the foot assisted pull up variation, you can improve your pull ups and start working toward that first full one!

Ready to rock those pull ups? Take my 30-Day Pull Up Challenge!

How To Awaken Your Glutes – 3 Keys

by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 14, 2020 | Blog, Butt, Pain Relief

You may be thinking, “Awaken my glutes?!” But if they weren’t awake, how could I stand up!?

While our glutes are working, otherwise we wouldn’t be able to stand up, that doesn’t mean they’re functioning well let alone optimally.

And the fact that you aren’t able to utilize that oh so powerful muscle group efficiently or effectively may be why you have lower back, hip, knee, groin, hamstring…even ankle aches and pains.

It’s also why terms like “dead butt,” “sleepy butt” and “gluteal amnesia” have become more and more popular.

So then why may we be struggling to awaken our glutes?

Unfortunately, our daily desk job, or work posture, may be partly to blame.

We often spend far too much time seated, which keeps our hips in constant flexion. This consistent hip flexion leads to overactive and tight hip flexors and underactive glutes.

You may be thinking, “Well I squat and deadlift if my workouts so shouldn’t that then activate my glutes?”

The simple answer is…

No.

And the whole “squat for a better butt thing” may actually be why you AREN’T seeing the glute results you want!

While squats and deadlifts are AMAZING and ESSENTIAL compound moves, we can often use improper recruitment patterns to try and mimic proper movement patterns when performing these moves.

Say whaaat?!

Basically, we’re using the wrong muscles to try and make the move look correct.

It’s why you may feel your lower back during deadlifts over your glutes. Or feel only your quads during squats. Or maybe even your hamstrings during glute bridges.

All of these muscles are becoming overworked trying to take on extra because your glutes aren’t pulling their weight.

And this compensation is what leads to overload of muscles that shouldn’t be made to carry the load of work they’re being asked to perform.

And that overload is what leads to injury.

That’s why I wanted to share 3 key tips to help you awaken your glutes BEFORE you lift, run or ride!

How To AWAKEN YOUR GLUTES – 3 Keys:

These 3 key tips will help you establish a more efficient mind-body connection to engage those glutes properly during exercises.

They focus on a key, but often missing component. of our warm up and prehab process – ACTIVATION EXERCISES.

Whether due to our modern desk job posture or even previous injury, all too often we have imbalances and compensations we need to correct.

These tips will help you do that to get those glutes firing!

1. Isolate To Activate

So you may be thinking, “What even are activation exercises?”

Activation exercises are very isolated movements that help you focus on only the muscle you actually want to work working.

These very isolated movements are the perfect way to make sure you’re actually engaging, or activating, the muscle you want to work.

In this case, your GLUTES!

Activation moves are isolation exercises done with bodyweight or very light loads. They aren’t the moves you focus on adding heavy loads to.

They generally have smaller ranges of motion and create peak tension on the glutes when the muscles are shortened.

These activation moves are often the “silly-looking” moves we dismiss because we think only women wearing leg warmers do them to get a bigger butt.

But these very targeted moves help us focus on what we feel working.

You want to think about these moves as a chance to use your MIND to engage the muscles harder not on trying to progress the weight you can lift.

You want to be thinking, “What do I actually feel working?” And actually KNOW what you feel working.

When you use these moves in your warm up, you’ll perform higher reps for fewer sets.

You want to create a “burn” or “pump” with these moves. This pump makes it easier for you to then know your glutes are working when you go into compound lifts or hit the trails.

But you don’t want to go to fatigue with these moves. You just want to feel your glutes working, feel that burn build, then stop and move into your training!

You also need to remember, you are NEVER above these basics. And the better your mind-body connection?

The easier it should be to feel those glutes working even with a very basic, simple moves such as the bodyweight glute bridge!

2. Activate And Stretch

Often when our hips feel tight, or we know we’ve spent far too much time seated, we turn to stretching.

But so often when we stretch, we’re only focused on relaxing the overactive muscle. We aren’t focused on then getting the correct muscles working.

It’s why it can feel like we spend all of this time stretching to just constantly end up tight again!

So while stretching is an important component of your mobility routine, it’s key we realize that by focusing on activation exercises we are also stretching out those tight and shortened hip flexors.

Through a process called reciprocal inhibition you are stretching out your hips by activating your glutes.

Reciprocal inhibition is a neurologic process where muscles on one side of a joint relax to accommodate the contraction of muscles on the other side of that joint.

Your glutes contract, which means your hip flexors then have to relax to allow the extension.

It’s why it’s so key we include those isolation activation exercises.

They allow us to focus on actually engaging our glutes to correctly perform hip extension and therefore relax and stretch those tight hip flexors.

Too often when we ask our body to perform hip extension if we haven’t first “awakened” our glutes, we end up arching our lower back to compensate or even end up creating other pelvic alignment issues in an attempt to mimic the movement pattern we can’t correctly control.

That’s why we want to include these activation moves to not only stretch but also engage those underactive muscles!

These activation moves allow us to improve our hip mobility AND our hip stability to prevent aches and pains so we can run faster, cycle further and lift more.

3. Use Different Postures And MultiPlanar Movements

When we think about our glutes, we have to consider all of the joint actions this muscle group performs – hip extension, hyperextension, abduction, external rotation.

That’s why it is key we address all 3 glute muscles and include activation moves that move our hips through multiple planes of motion.

You want to include things like lateral raises but also bridges and reverse hypers. You want to think about moves that are straight lateral raises to the side but that also include rotation.

And then you also want to consider different POSTURES.

While it may seem like a small tweak to a move, slightly different body positions can impact how easily we are able to establish that mind-body connection to engage those glutes. And different postures can even impact what aspect of each glute muscle we activate.

Based on our builds, and even previous injuries and mobility restrictions, we may find some positions harder than others to properly activate our glutes in.

This doesn’t mean we avoid these movements. It just means we need to build up to them or even include other moves FIRST to help establish that mind-body connection BEFORE we implement those moves we struggle with.

It’s why doing a seated clam type movement may be easier for you than a side lying variation.

While both are needed, as you want to be able to engage your glute medius through different degrees of hip flexion and hip extension, you also want to make sure to start with the move you can control and build up to the movement you struggle with.

If you just implement the other movement while NOT feeling the correct muscles working? You may end up making your aches and pains worse by PERPETUATING those improper recruitment patterns.

Basically, you’ll keep overloading the muscles that are overworked even while doing the supposedly “right” moves.

Being able to engage the correct muscles is key if we want to avoid injury and truly build functional strength.

It’s why we want to include a diversity of activation moves that work our glutes in multiple planes of motion using different postures!

READY TO AWAKEN YOUR GLUTES?

If you want results, you can’t just randomly string moves together “hoping” they’ll work.

You need to create a clear plan and progression.

And it’s not just enough to find the supposedly “best” activation moves and then just use those.

You need to actually be conscious of what you FEEL working during those exercise.

The “right” moves don’t get results if the correct muscles aren’t working.

Sometimes slight tweaks to form make all the difference…like turning down your toe and internally rotating that lower leg on lateral raises so your TFL doesn’t compensate for your glute medius!

Or like driving your knees toward your toes when you bridge up so you don’t feel your hamstrings or lower back taking over for your glutes.

That’s why I created my Booty Burner program.

I wanted to help clients activate their glutes with quick series they could even ultimately use as part of their warm up routine before their lifting sessions, runs or rides.

I wanted to help them establish that mind-body connection to improve their hip stability and mobility to avoid lower back, hip and even knee pain.

I wanted to show them how they could isolate to activate, activation and stretch and use different postures and multiplanar movements to get the amazing results they wanted.

I wanted to take all of the guesswork out of awakening those glutes to create those more efficient and effective recruitment patterns.

So if you’re ready to have a clear plan laid out for you with FOLLOW ALONG WORKOUT VIDEOS so I can coach you through the moves and help you modify as you need to actually get your glutes working?

Then it’s time to start my Booty Burner series!

These series, ranging from 3 minutes to 15 minutes are a great way to establish that mind-body connection and truly build strong glutes with a clear plan laid out for you!

Get the workouts and awaken those glutes TODAY!

–> The Booty Burner Workouts

Lower Ab Exercises (YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG)

by Cori Lefkowith | Jun 14, 2020 | Blog, Uncategorized

Too often I see people doing lower ab exercises that end up simply over working their lower back.

Things like leg lowers, lower ab planks, flutter kicks and knees to elbows.

And I know right now some of you are about to click back and thinking, “Well this is silly. You don’t have lower abs…”

That is true to an extent.

While we don’t have lower abs, we can target that lower region of our abdominal muscles more with certain movements.

And one of those movements is the posterior pelvic tilt.

However, this is also the exercise that we of advance before we are ready and instead end up feeling our lower back during the movement.

That’s why I want to talk about how to EARN those advanced leg lower movements so you are properly working your abs to protect your lower back.

But before I go into the posterior pelvic tilt progression to build up, I want to remind you NOT to put your hands behind your lower back.

This is a bandaid. It doesn’t teach you to actually engage your abs correctly.

And while I understand why someone may use it in a class to keep up, if we truly want to build up stronger and become more efficient in our movements we have to take ego out of it and REGRESS TO PROGRESS.

This means we have to modify the movement so we can feel our abs engaging properly.

Before you use any leg lower movement, you want to focus on pressing that lower back down into the ground.

This will engage your abs to protect your lower back.

The posterior pelvic tilt also engages your glute max.

And yes, you will be working your hip flexors and quads. There is hip flexion involved in this movement but you do want your abs working to STABILIZE everything.

It’s the same thing when you do hanging abs.

HANGING ABS:

All too often you see people simply flexing at their hips to tuck their knees, instead of tucking their pelvic and rounding through their back.

And when they don’t actually do the pelvic tilt and spinal flexion, they don’t benefit from this other amazing lower ab movement!

If you struggle to truly use your abs during the hanging leg raises or knees to elbows, first regress this move to the hanging pelvic tilt and learn to correctly control that tilting of your pelvis or rounding of your lower back.

From here you can actually set in that prior to doing single knee tucks or knees to elbows or eventually even leg raises and toes to bar.

You may even find starting out for knees to elbows, thinking of tilting then almost more of a horizontal pull in helps you really engage your abs.

But the key is building up so you can really engage your abs for the movement.

Same thing goes for leg raises off the ground.

PELVIC TILT PROGRESSION:

For the floor pelvic tilt progression, you then want to focus on bracing those abs as you lift and lower your legs. Only lower down as far as you can control.

If you can’t control the full range of motion, REGRESS.

Start with just working to set up in the pelvic tilt. Then holding longer.

Then start to march one knee in at a time.

Then advance to both and do a double knee tuck. Even add in a little curl at the top you control with your abs and don’t use momentum during.

Then go to a single straight leg lower and finally the double leg lowers.

Once you’ve earned those, try those other fun variations.

But stop trying to push through the pain or your lower back taking over.

If you want your lower abs to actually benefit, you’ve got to FEEL them actually working!

5 Bodyweight Exercises For A Full-Body Workout – Try these 2 Home Workouts!

by Cori Lefkowith | Apr 10, 2020 | Blog, Bodyweight, Exercises, Workouts

I love giving clients no excuse to skip their workouts. Even if you have very little space and just your own bodyweight, you can get in an amazing full body routine.

Below are 5 moves that can be combined for a killer full-body workout and I’ll share a few ways to modify each to meet your current fitness level.

So even if you’re working out in your living room, you can build strength and muscle!

The key to challenging yourself with just your own bodyweight is using unilateral moves, a combination of both rotational and ANTI-rotational exercise, increasing the range of motion of basic exercises, creating hybrid exercises and even moving in every plane of motion.

And with these 5 moves, I’ll show you how to use all of those forms of progression!

5 Bodyweight Exercises To Use At Home:

Exercise #1: Airborne Lunge

Want a more glute-focused variation of the pistol squat? Or maybe something just a bit more accessible to use in your routine?

Then you’ll love the Airborne Lunge.

If you find the single leg deadlift easy and want to work your quads and hamstrings while targeting your glutes a bit more, this unilateral move is an amazing way to do just that.

It’s also a great way to work through a full range of motion and, because it is a unilateral move, it adds in that balance challenge. Also, you now have to support all of your weight on one side, which increases the “load” you have to carry on both legs.

To do this move, you’ll stand on one leg with your other knee bent to pull your heel up toward your butt. Start by hinging at the hips. This isn’t a squat it is a hip hinge movement, so you will lean forward as you sit your butt back.

Then sink down dropping that other knee down toward the ground. Keep your heel pulled up toward your butt so you can’t push off that other foot as you touch your knee down.

Also, avoid reaching that other knee back too far. Focus on loading that standing glute and sinking to touch the knee down then driving back up through your standing heel. Squeeze your glute at the top and only touch the foot down if you need to balance.

To modify, you do not have to sink as low or you can hold on to a doorway or counter or stair rail.

You could also take a cushion or pillow to give yourself something to lower down to and even do an eccentric only variation. Lowering down using this move, then touching your foot down to stand back up and reset.

And the single leg deadlift is always an option, with a slower tempo, if you do have knee pain with flexion.

To advance the Airborne Lunge, you can also use a slower tempo and even a pause at the bottom.

Exercise #2: Row Push Ups

If you want a push up variation that works not only your chest, shoulders and triceps but also your back, you need to try this hybrid push up variation – the Row Push Up.

This is also a great anti-rotational core move, which will target your obliques and improve your shoulder stability. You’ll even feel your GLUTES working to help you fight the urge to rotate as you row.

While tempting, it is key with this move that you don’t rush the row because you start to lose balance. And unlike the standard push up, where your feet will be together, you want to place your feet about hip-width to shoulder-width apart so you can really focus on fighting rotation.

When you do this push up, fight to keep your body from rotating as you row your hand up toward your chest. And don’t just simply lift your hand, focus on feeling your back pull your hand up. This is a great way to work on that scapular movement as you stabilize in that plank position.

It will improve your shoulder and scapular stability.

For the full, advanced, variation, you’ll perform a push up in between each row. A great way to modify the movement to start is to first do a row on each side then a push up instead of a push up after each row.

If you can’t yet do a full push up, I recommend modifying off an incline or, if you don’t have an incline, you can do the move completely from your knees.

It’s even possible to do a hybrid of knees and feet, performing the push up on your knees then moving to your toes for the plank row.

To advance the move, play around with tempos, full hand release at the bottom or even do the same but different as a decline variation.

But do not rush through the row thinking it is a simple hand lift.

Exercise #3: Side Lunge to Curtsy Lunge

Improve your hip mobility and build leg strength through multiple planes of motion by combining the side lunge and curtsy lunge into a series.

A great way to progress moves, and create a new challenge for your body, is to slightly alter the plane of motion you are working in and even combine moves so that you are working the same muscle groups but in different ways.

This lunge series is a great way to target not only your entire leg but specifically your glutes and adductors.

If you’re just starting out with this move, you may tap your foot down between reps as you come center or not sink as deep in the lunge.

As you work to advance the lunge series, perform a bigger range of motion, lunging deeper, and avoid touching your foot down between lunges. This forces you to perform a more powerful push out of each lunge to work your legs while also forcing your core to work to keep you balanced.

If you find you have to do a stutter step to push back up and center, you’ve performed too big a range of motion for your current fitness level.

To advance the move, you could slow down the tempo or add in a pulse to each lunge. You can even combine other lunges into the series or find ways to increase the range of motion even using a stair!

If you struggle to properly load your glutes during these moves, touching your hand back toward your heel in the side lunge or using a slight hip hinge, leaning forward to sit your butt back, can help.

Also watch that you don’t rotate open with the curtsy lunge but instead really focus on crossing your leg behind.

If you have knee pain you can reduce the active knee flexion even doing taps from more of a skater squat position.

Exercise #4: Mountain Climber Turkish Bridge

This is a killer rotational core move that will work everything down your frontside AND your backside while improving your shoulder stability!

Glutes, abs, obliques, quads, arms, back…it’s all working! This move does require more shoulder stability though to start so please implement it slowly if you’ve had previous shoulder injuries!

To do this move, start in the plank position and pull one knee across toward the opposite elbow. Really think about pulling that knee in with your abs and not just flexing at your hips. Think about rotating your entire torso to engage your core.

Then, as you extend your leg back out, rotate open toward the ceiling to actually kick that leg behind you so you will place that foot flat on the ground. You will keep that knee bent, almost as if doing a donkey kick as you rotate open.

As you rotate, you’ll place the foot of the bent knee down on the ground and really engage your glutes to move into a Turkish Bridge position. Squeeze your glutes to drive your hips up. Make sure to engage your back to support your shoulder as you reach your other hand up toward the ceiling. Focus on keeping that shoulder over your hand.

If you let your hand sneak out beyond your shoulder, it can place more strain on your shoulder and neck.

Pause for a second, squeezing your glutes, then bring that leg back across as your rotate closed to drive your knee back in toward your elbow.

To modify, you can do this off an incline or you can perform it from more of a bulldog, tabletop bridge position.

Exercise #5: Leg Lowers Plus

This is an advanced core move that works your abs in a stabilizing fashion (as you lift and lower your legs), but also through spinal flexion because of that bonus lift at the top.

It is a very advanced variation of the pelvic tilt progression so if you can’t perform the basic straight leg lowers without your hands behind your lower back, you haven’t YET earned this move.

You will want to start with bent knees and perform a bent knee curl at the top.

The key with this exercise is to engage your core to brace and protect your lower back as you lower your legs down. You will do this by posteriorly tilting your pelvic and pressing your lower back into the ground

When you lower your legs toward the ground, flex your glutes even at the bottom.

Lift your legs back up toward the ceiling and then, as if they are attached by a string, press them straight up toward the ceiling flexing your spine to lift your butt up.

Do not swing or use moment to lift as much as you can avoid it. I know it’s tempting to get a bigger range of motion since the lift can feel really small.

You can have your hands on the ground beside you and even push down into the ground to help you better engage your abs for that little plus lift at the top.

Or you can have your hands behind your head and even lift your head up to work your core more.

If you feel your lower back with basic leg lowers, keep your knees bent as you lower and curl in. And think about curling your knees in toward your head for the plus. Move slowly so that you aren’t using momentum!

2 Full-Body Bodyweight Home Workouts:

Not only can we slightly tweak moves to match our needs and goals, but we can also adjust our IMPLEMENTATION of the same basic moves.

Below are two different ways to use these moves to build full-body strength. One is interval based while the other is a rep ladder. Both will help you increase your training density to build strength using just your own bodyweight!

WORKOUT #1: The Bodyweight Strength Ladder

Start with 10 reps of each move (or per side) on the first round through the circuit. The next round through, perform 9 reps. Then 8,7,6…until you perform one rep on the final round. Rest only as needed. As the reps go down, progress movements as needed so they are still challenging. Time how long it takes you to beat that time next time through!

CIRCUIT:
10-1 rep per side Airborne Lunges
10-1 rep per side Row Push Ups
10-1 rep per side Side to Curtsy Lunge
10-1 rep per side Mountain Climber Turkish Bridge
10-1 rep Leg Lowers Plus

WORKOUT #2: The One-Minute Max Out

Set a timer for 1 minute intervals of work and complete each move back to back without resting. Perform as many reps of each move as you can in that time and record how many you do each round to try and beat it. Rest for 1 minute between rounds. Complete 3-5 rounds through. Beginners can start with just 30 seconds per move.

CIRCUIT:
1 minute Airborne Lunges
1 minute Row Push Ups
1 minute Side to Curtsy Lunge
1 minute Mountain Climber Turkish Bridge
1 minute Leg Lowers Plus
1 minute Rest

Want more amazing workouts you can do anywhere? Check out my Dynamic Strength Program!

The Surprising Cause Of IT Band Issues, Back, Hip And Knee Pain!

by Cori Lefkowith | Mar 24, 2020 | Blog, Butt, Exercises, Foam Rolling, Pain Relief

The psoas has become the sexy hip flexor muscle to talk about and work on.

But what if I told you that all too often the TRUE culprit of our back, hip, IT BAND, knee pain and even ANKLE pain had to do with ANOTHER hip flexor muscle?!

What if I told you that you should actually be paying attention to your TFL or your Tensor Fasciae Latae.

The TFL can be a nasty little sucker, compensating for a week glute medius, perpetuating IT Band tightness and impacting everything down to our feet and ankles.

It contributes to internal hip rotation AND external tibial rotation.

Because of its far reaching impact it is a muscle we can’t ignore.

However, the hard part about addressing TFL tightness and overactivity is that many of the moves we need to do to CORRECT the issue, can often PERPETUATE IT!

For instance, to help prevent the TFL from continuing to compensate, we need to include glute medius strengthening.

But ever notice how you’ll do Monster Walks and feel the front side of your hip working?

Ever push through thinking “Oh yea! Feel that burn!?”

Or maybe you don’t even think about what is working. You’re doing the “right moves” so you just believe you SHOULD get results, right?

WRONG!

If you’re doing the right moves but still allowing muscles to compensate, not only are you NOT correcting the problem, but you may be making it worse.

So when you feel that front outside of your hip working during those mini band walks? Guess what is not working as it should and what is also COMPENSATING for that underactive muscle!?

Well your glute medius is not getting the benefit of the exercise it should be getting and instead you’re perpetuating the overuse of your TFL!

So all of that rehab? It isn’t going to pay off.

While you need to strengthen your glute medius, you need to realize that all too often our TFL can compensate for a weak glute medius.

Because this muscle then becomes even further overworked and even shortened, it can lead to lower back hip and knee pain, not to mention even IT Band issues and foot and ankle problems!

Yup! Through our IT Band the TFL can create movement compensations down our entire leg!

And when we then see changes to our ANKLE mobility guess what happens? Those changes only further perpetuate those compensations back UP our kinetic chain.

It’s why you can’t just IGNORE aches and pains. The longer you ignore them and keep pushing through, the more you then just allow compensations and imbalances to build up so there is more to have to sort through later.

If you don’t address TFL issues, you’ll end up having to address issues from your feet up!

So how can we prevent our TFL from leading to all of these aches and pains when it wants to work during the exercises we NEED to be doing to correct it?

Here are three tips to help you quiet down that TFL and get your glutes activated! And to then implement these tips, check out the quick series I’ve included at the end of this post!

As you go through implementing these tips, be CONSCIOUS of what you feel working. Don’t just rush through the moves! Be intentional with your prehab moves!

3 Tips To Strengthen Your Glutes And Prevent Your TFL From Compensating!

#1: Treat the TFL like a toddler. Keep it distracted so you can get work done!

Basically, you want to adjust movements to help make it EASIER to establish that mind-body connection.

One way to do that is to “keep the TFL busy” by internally rotate your foot during lateral raise, or abduction, movements.

Because the TFL performs hip internal rotation, you can almost “distract” it with that movement AS you use the glute medius to perform the lateral raise.

So if during lateral raises you notice you often feel the front of your hip, turn your toe down toward the ground.

You may even notice often that your toe is turned out toward the ceiling.

The TFL contributes to tibial external rotation.

So internally rotate your foot is the OPPOSITE action, which can help “shut off” the TFL. Not to mention when you internally rotate your tibia, you often then even internally rotate our hip by extension.

Maintaining this internal rotation, you can then perform your lateral raise movement.

If you still are struggling to feel your glute medius, you can even kick slightly back as you raise up OR put your hip into extension, driving back into a slider or wall AS you perform that lateral raise movement.

This hip extension and slight kick back will engage your glute max, which will also hinder the TFL from taking over and allow you to potentially better activate your glute medius. This works because the TFL is a hip flexor so by putting your hip into extension, you can inhibit it from working!

#2: Change the hip flexion during those abduction moves.

When you’re first starting to “rehab” an issue, you need to use the moves you feel the most and build off of those.

Basically you want to take the path of least resistance to establish that mind-body connection.

If you feel a move working those glutes, use that first THEN even dive into other moves because you’ve already established that mind-body connection.

To find that move that helps you establish that mind-body connection, you may need to adjust the exact POSTURE you use during basic abduction moves.

By adjusting the amount of hip flexion or extension you perform the move in, you can find a way to maximize your glute medius engagement and minimize your TFL compensation.

It isn’t a clear cut and dry rule of what posture is best so you may want to play around to see what matches your personal recruitment patterns.

For some more flexion may “distract” the TFL because it is a hip flexor.

However, for some, more hip flexion may perpetuate it being overactive during those abduction moves.

In this case, putting the hip into more extension may be key to inhibit the muscle.

While you of course want the glute medius to be strong in both a slightly more hip-flexed or hip-extended state, you do want to start with the move you feel working correctly to make sure you establish that mind-body connection.

The fact that hip flexion can play a role in how much you’re able to engage the TFL is why that oh so “basic” clam exercise can so often backfire too!

The clam is a traditional glute activation movement. But this seemingly simple move is so often butchered. First off, you may find you need to use that internal rotation of the tibia I mentioned in the first tip to help.

Secondly, you may adjust how much you pull your knees forward or straighten your legs out.

The key is being conscious of what you feel working to then ADJUST your exact amount of hip flexion.

A great way to play around with different amount of hip flexion during even a bilateral abduction move is even seated on a bench.

You can lean back, sit up tall or even lean forward to different degrees to not only strengthen your glute medius in a variety of postures BUT also find the exact position that works best for you.

We have to remember to focus on what we feel working so we can work around our own biomechanics.

#3: Foam roll and stretch BEFORE you activate.

If you struggle to activate a muscle, you may find that foam rolling and stretching the muscle prior to doing activation moves is oh so key!

While people debate the benefit of both techniques, with one of the main arguments against them being that the benefits are short-lived, that doesn’t mean you can’t use these “short-lived” benefits to your advantage.

By rolling your TFL and then stretching to improve your hip mobility, you can inhibit this overactive muscle, even if just temporarily.

If you interrupt that mind-body connection between your TFL and brain, and restore muscles to their proper length-tension relationships, you can then help yourself better establish the mind-body connection to the muscle you DO want to work – your glute medius!

So if you find your TFL is being a pesky little sucker and compensating for your glute medius no matter what posture or tweaks you do, try relaxing and inhibiting it IMMEDIATELY PRIOR to doing the glute activation moves.

Interrupt that communication so you can establish a new connection to those glutes!

A lacrosse ball is a great way to relax that TFL and even a simple half kneeling hip stretch with reach can improve your hip extension.

BONUS: If you have an imbalance do imbalanced prehab!

The one other key thing to note is if you have an imbalance, you need to do imbalanced rehab.

So if one side is constantly tight, you need to address that one side specifically.

You also want to assess if it is glute weakness on that SAME side or if there is even weakness on the OTHER side perpetuating the issues and leading to the TFL becomign overworked!

Of course seeing someone to asses you is key but KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. So now you can be aware of what you’re doing in your workouts and therefore why you are, or aren’t, seeing the results you want to seek out the help you need.

Using these tweaks you can help yourself strengthen your glutes and prevent your TFL from constantly compensating!

Now try implementing them in this amazing series below!

Quick Hip Mobility Series To Prevent IT Band Issues, Back, Hip And Knee Pain!

This Avoid IT Band Issues Series uses foam rolling and stretching to address your TFL tightness and overactivity. It even works to relax your peroneal (the outside of your lower leg) to make sure you’re working on any issues from the ground up.

It then uses two great abduction moves to activate your glute medius!

The Avoid IT Band Issues Series

Complete 1 round through the circuit below, spending a minute per move on each side.

CIRCUIT:
1 minute per side Peroneal Foam Rolling
1 minute per side TFL Foam Rolling
1 minute Standing TFL Stretch
1 minute per side Lying QL Stretch
1 minute Bridge Abductions
1 minute per side Lying Side Raises

Need more amazing series to improve your hip mobility and prevent lower back, hip and knee pain?

Join my 28-Day Booty Burner program!

At-Home Bodyweight Workout: The 20s Chest And Legs Trisets

by Cori Lefkowith | Mar 15, 2020 | Blog, Bodyweight, Core, Exercises

Just because you can’t make it to the gym doesn’t mean you have an excuse to skip your workout!

When you don’t have access to equipment, you can still get amazing results using just your own bodyweight.

By shortening rest, increasing volume slightly and by using different tempos and hybrid movements, you can challenge yourself without any tools in a very small space.

So if you can’t hit the gym, you can stay on track with this 20s Triset Blast to torch your chest, shoulders, triceps, abs and legs!

The 20s Chest And Legs Trisets

QUICK WARM UP OPTION:
Complete 1 round through the quick stretching flow below as well as 1-2 rounds of the activation.
STRETCHING:
5-10 reps per side Inchworm Flow
ACTIVATION:
10-15 reps Tabletop Bridge
10-15 reps Downward Dog Scapular Presses
8-12 reps per side Bulldog Shoulder Taps

WORKOUT:
Complete 3 rounds of each triset, resting only as needed. After you complete all 3 rounds on a triset, quickly move to the next series. Time how long it takes you to complete everything and try to beat that time next week! For any unilateral or one-sided move like the Lunges or Tricep Push Ups, you can complete 10 reps per side if you’re a beginner to intermediate exerciser. If you’re more advanced and have been working out consistently, you can work up to 20 per side!

TRISET #1:
20 reps Squat with Pulse
20 reps Forward to Backward Lunge
20 reps Bulldog Ins and Outs
TRISET #2:
20 reps Wide Grip Push Ups
20 reps Tricep Push Ups
20 reps Plank Hip Dips
TRISET #3:
20 reps Sumo Squat to Calf Raise
20 reps Push Up Toe Touch
20 reps Tabletop Dip Toe Touch

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

Squat with Pulse:

To do the Squat with Pulse, start standing tall with your feet between hip-width and shoulder-width apart. Sit your butt back and down, squatting through a full range of motion. Keep your chest up and don’t round over.

Sink down to about parallel while keeping your heels down. You may go slightly below parallel but don’t make this the deepest squat you’ve ever done. From the bottom of your squat, pulse up a few inches then sink quickly back down.

While you don’t want to bounce, this is a very quickly little pulse a few inches up and then back down.

Then drive back up to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top before repeating the squat with a pulse at the bottom.

Forward to Backward Lunge:

To do the Forward to Backward Lunge, start standing tall with your feet together. Then lunge forward on one side. Bend your knees as you sink down as if lowering to half kneel on the ground. Try to get your front knee bent to about 90 degrees, sitting back in your heel. Drop your back knee down toward the ground as you keep your chest up.

Then drive back through your front heel to come back up to standing. You can tap your toe down center if needed or move right into the backward lunge.

Step back with the same leg you lunged forward with and sink into a backward lunge. Keep your chest up as you sit back in your front heel and drop your back knee down toward the ground. Then drive back up to standing, driving through your front heel.

Repeat, moving right back into the forward lunge on the same side.

Bulldog Ins and Outs:

To do Bulldog Ins and Outs, set up on your hands and knees with your knees under your hips and hands under your shoulders. Flex your feet and lift up onto your hands and the balls of your feet.

Holding this bulldog position, jump your feet out wider so that your legs move open while your knees still stay about under your hips. Don’t let your legs straighten out as you jump out wide.

Then jump your feet back in and even closer together than where you started. You can jump them all the way together even and then jump back out.

Keep jumping your feet in and out as you keep your butt down and stay in that bulldog position.

To modify the move, step one foot out wide and then the other before stepping both back in and together.

Wide Grip Push Ups:

To do the Wide Grip Push Up, set up in the high plank position with your hands out wider at chest height. A great way to figure out a width to start with is to make your hands into fists and place your knuckles together. Lean forward and lay your arms on the ground with your knuckles together. Your elbows will be pointing out and, right at the end of each elbow, you will place your hands. Make sure your hands are at chest height and not way up by your head.

Then in the high plank position with your feet close together and your body in a nice straight line from your head to your heels, lower your chest down to the ground. Do not let your hips sag or your butt go up in the air. Make sure your entire body moves as one unit.

Lower all the way down then press back up with your body moving as one unit. Full straighten your arms out at the top and repeat, lowering back down. Try to keep your entire palm firmly on the ground as you press and lower.

Beginners can do the Wide Grip Push Up from their knees or off an incline.

Tricep Push Ups:

To do Tricep Push Ups, lie on your side with your legs out straight or bottom knee bent. If you bend both legs it will make it harder. Wrap your bottom arm up and place your hand on your opposite shoulder or around your ribs. Place your top hand down on the ground at about shoulder height or right below. The more you place the hand down toward your belly button, the harder the move will be.

Then press the ground away with that hand on the ground, feeling your tricep work to push your upper body up. Press up until your arm is extended and lower back down to the ground. Keep yourself on your side as you press and lower. Your chest may slightly rotate toward the ground as you press, but make sure you really focus on the back of your arm working.

Repeat, pressing up again until your arm is fully extended. Adjust your hand placement or your legs so you can press and stay under control. Also, engage your abs so your legs aren’t flopping around as you lift. You want to keep your legs down or regress the move to make sure that you can.

Plank Hip Dips:

To do the Plank Hip Dips, set up on your forearms and either your knees (beginner) or toes (advanced). Your elbows should be under your shoulders and your body should be in a nice straight line from your head to your heels or knees. Squeeze your glutes and keep your core tight with your belly button drawn in toward your spine. Do not let your hips sag or your butt go up toward the ceiling.

Then rotate, dropping your hips toward one side. Try to touch the ground as you rotate without your hips sagging or butt going up in the air. Also, do not let your elbows come up off the ground.

Come back center then drop your hip to the other side. Alternate hip touches until all reps are complete.

You will feel everything twisting even down to your feet or knees. Do not let yourself go all the way over. Make sure to control the twists and just touch the hip down before twisting to the other side.

Sumo Squat to Calf Raise:

To do the Sumo Squat to Calf Raise, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. Turn your toes out slightly. Keeping your chest up, sink down in a squat. Sit your butt back and keep your chest up. Make sure your knees stay in line with your hips and ankles. Do not let your knees cave in.

If your knees cave in, adjust your stance, bringing your feet closer together. Then drive back up to standing and squeeze your butt.

As you fully stand, push off the balls of your feet to raise your heels off the ground and perform the calf raise. Keep your toes slightly pointed out and make sure to push off the entire ball of your foot.

Lower your heels back down to the ground and repeat the sumo squat.

Push Up Toe Touch:

To do the Push Up Toe Touch, set up in the plank position on your feet and hands with your hands under your shoulders and your feet about shoulder-width apart. Putting your feet closer together can make it harder to balance and force your core to work harder. Your body should be in a nice straight line.

Then from this plank position, reach one hand back toward the opposite ankle. As you reach back, push your butt up in the air. Reach back toward the opposite ankle and then move back into the plank position, placing your hand back down on the ground.

Perform a push up, dropping your chest toward the ground with your body moving as one unit. Press back up and then reach the other hand back toward the opposite ankle.

Push your butt up into the air every time you reach back, but make sure to come back forward into the plank position before performing the push up.

Tabletop Dip Toe Touch:

To do the Tabletop Dip to Toe Touch, start with your butt on the ground and then place your hands behind you as you bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground.

Then lift your butt up off the ground. Perform a little dip, bending your elbows as you touch your butt back down to the ground.

Then lift up, bridging your hips up a bit, as you kick your leg up and reach your opposite hand to touch your toe. Place your hand and foot back down, then repeat the dip and then kick the other leg up and reach your other hand to touch your toe.

Move quickly without rushing so much that you don’t stay balanced. Also, make sure to perform a little dip after each toe touch, bending your elbows slightly to touch your butt down.

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