Projects Archive Page 22 of 35 | Redefining Strength

The Full-Body Resistance Band Workout

by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 30, 2014

WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats

WORKOUT

Complete 3-5 rounds of each circuit. Rest between rounds as needed. And rest up to 2 minutes between circuits. Try to not rest between exercises.

CIRCUIT #1:
10-15 reps Squat To Press
10-15 reps Band Rows
8-12 reps per side High To Low Woodchoppers

CIRCUIT #2:
15-20 reps Band Hip Hinge
10-15 reps Chest Flyes
10-15 reps per side Stability Press

COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats

NOTES:

Pick a resistance band that challenges you for each move. You may need to use different bands for different exercises. Also, make sure you do not rush through the movements and that you focus on the correct muscles working. Do not just go through the motions. Actually think about the muscles working to make sure they are!

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

For all the exercises in this workout (and other Resistance Band Moves), check out this post – Stay in Shape While Traveling!

The Eccentric Pull Up Workout

by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 18, 2014

WARM UP

Stretch and Roll Out:
Forearms and Arms
Upper Back
Shoulders
Chest

ACTIVATION

Complete 2 rounds of the circuit below.

CIRCUIT:
30 second Scapular Wall Hold
30 second Towel Pulldown
30 second Pull Up and Hold

WORKOUT

Complete 4-5 rounds of the first exercise. Rest up to 2 minute between rounds of the first exercise. Then rest 1-2 minutes before moving on to the supplemental circuit. Complete 4-5 rounds of the circuit resting up to 1 minute between rounds.

EXERCISE:
5-8 reps Eccentric-Focused Pull Ups

CIRCUIT:
8-15 reps Band Lat Pulldown (tempo 1/2/1)
8-15 reps Suspension Trainer Back Flyes
8-15 reps Hanging Abs

NOTES:

For the Eccentric, your goal is to go as slowly as possible even if it means doing fewer reps. Do not rush them. And rest enough between rounds that you can complete as many quality reps each round as you did the first round.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

Scapular Wall Hold – For the Scapular Wall Hold, you can do the traditional move shown below or pick a variation from this post if you want to mix it up.

Towel Pulldown – Grab a towel with both hands about shoulder-width apart and pull your hands away from each other so there is tension on the towel. Then press the towel overhead, keeping the towel taunt between your hands. Press your chest out and pull the towel down toward your chest, pinching your shoulder blades down and back as if you were doing a pull up to the bar. Drive your elbows down to the ground as you pull the towel down keeping it tight between your hands. You can either hold at the bottom of the pull or complete repetitions. If you do repetitions, move slowly and make sure to maintain tension on the towel the entire time. If you don’t have a towel, you can do this with just your bodyweight. Without a towel, you will have to focus on pressing your chest out and driving your elbows down toward the ground to create tension between your shoulder blades.

Pull Up and Hold – Start hanging from the bar in a dead hang (aka with the muscles engaged). Then pull your chest up to the bar, or at least your chin over the bar, and hold. Keep your core tight and do not tuck your knees into your chest. Make your back and core really work with this move. Do not let your shoulders start to shrug as you hold. If you start to lose the hold, lower yourself down as slowly as you can and then perform a dead hang for a few extra seconds. If you can’t pull up to the top to hold, jump up or use a box to step up at the top of the movement.

Eccentric-Focused Pull Ups – If you can do full Pull Ups, focusing on the Eccentric portion can help you be able to do more. For this move, you will pull yourself up to the top and then just focus on really slowing down the lower down to a 5 or even 6 count. The point is to focus on the lowering down and slow it down as much as possible no matter how you get to the top of the Pull Up. To get to the top of the Pull Up, you can also do a Jumping Pull Up or even a Foot-Assisted variation if you can’t pull yourself up. This will still help you work a little on the Concentric portion instead of just setting up at the top of the Pull Up, which is also an option, but makes the movement an Eccentric ONLY move. Once at the top of the Pull Up, you will lower yourself down as slowly as possible. If you are doing the Foot-Assisted variation, you can keep your feet on the ground; however, this is also a great way to start taking on your full body weight. If you can, use your feet to lift to the top of the Pull Up and then lift your feet off the ground as you lower down as slowly as possible. If you can no longer control the tempo down, you may want to again use your feet. You want more time under tension when focusing on the Eccentric. If you do a Jumping Pull Up, you will have assistance up to the top of the move, but will take on your full weight as you lower down. The slower you can lower down, the more you will get out of this move!

Band Lat Pulldown (tempo 1/2/1) – Anchor the band up high. Then grab the band in both hands with your palms facing away. (Just like with the Pull Up, you can use a variety of grips.) Step back and sink into a deep lunge with the back leg straight. Lean forward over the front leg, keeping your back flat and reach your hands up overhead holding the band. You want to create a nice straight line from your hands to your tailbone so that you can mimic the vertical pull. Then pull the band down to your shoulders, driving your elbows down toward your hips. Feel your shoulder blades retracting and the sides of your back working to pull the band down. Keep your chest pressed out and your core tight as you pull the band down. Do not let your back round just to pull the band lower. Hold for a two count. Then extend your arms back overhead and repeat. Make sure to keep your back flat and draw your shoulder blades down and back as you pull the band down to you. Step further away from the anchor point to increase the tension and make the move harder. Make sure to pull the band down to your chest in a controlled fashion, hold for a two count then extend your arms back out in a controlled fashion.

Suspension Trainer Back Flyes – Hold a strap in each hand, facing the anchor point of the trainer. Walk your feet forward toward the anchor point. You will not want to walk them in as far as you do with the Inverted Row. Keeping your body in a nice straight line from your head to your heels, open your arms out to the side. You may open them slightly out and down to make sure you don’t shrug your shoulders. Keep your elbows soft, but do not bend your arms as you open to the side. Do not turn this into a row. Pull yourself up so your arms are even with your body and then lower back down, bringing your hands back together. Keep your body in a nice straight line as you row. Do not arch your back to help yourself get all the way up. If you can’t fly your arms all the way open, walk your feet back so you are more vertical instead of horizontal. Do not let your hips sag or arch as you perform the fly. Squeeze your glutes and keep your abs engaged. Make sure you don’t shrug your shoulders as you open. Keep your chest pressed out as you perform the fly. Move slowly and don’t bounce off the bottom. Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades down and together as you perform the Back Fly. If you feel this too much in your neck and upper traps, you may want to try the Scapular Band Fly first to learn how to engage your lower traps.

Hanging Abs – For a variety of Hanging Ab Moves to choose from based on your ability level, check out this post – 10 Hanging Core Exercises.

The 30-Minute Bodyweight Blast

by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 12, 2014

WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats

WORKOUT

Set a timer for 30 minutes and complete as many rounds of the circuit below as possible in that time. Rest only as needed.

CIRCUIT:
8-12 reps Backward Rotational Lunge to Forward Cross Lunge
10-15 reps Scapular Wall Row or Corner Row
5-10 reps per side Side Arm Balance Burpees
5-10 reps per side Sit Thru

COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads
Groin
Hips/Glutes
Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Back/Lats

NOTES:

Complete as many reps as possible in the 30 minutes. Do not go to failure on any exercise so that you can keep moving. Make sure to challenge yourself though and do the hardest variation of each move as possible.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

Backward Rotational Lunge to Forward Cross Lunge – These two lunges make up one rep. Starting on the left side you will lunge back toward “7″ on the clock with your left foot. Your left foot, when you step back, will be perpendicular to your right foot, which is pointing toward “12.” Push your butt back and sink into a lunge, bending the left knee while keeping the right leg straight. Do not let the left heel come up. Keep your chest up and sit your butt backward. Driving off your left heel, push back to standing. Make sure that your right toe doesn’t rotate but continues to point toward “12.” Also make sure your right leg does not bend. Then come back up to standing and with the left foot, lunge forward and across toward about “2″ on the clock with your left foot. Pivot your left foot so that your feet are perpendicular. Sink down into a lunge, bending both knees. Make sure your left heel stays down as you lunge. Then drive off your left heel to come back to standing.

Scapular Wall Row/Corner Row – Stand in a corner with your back relaxing against the walls and your feet about six inches from the corner. (You can also do this just off the wall like demonstrated above if you don’t have a useable corner.) Place an elbow against each wall with your elbows bent. With your body in a nice straight line, drive off the wall with your elbows, pressing your chest out and pinching your shoulder blades down and back. Relax back into the corner, keeping your body in a nice straight line from your head to your heels. Do not arch your low back as you press out. Also, make sure not to shrug your shoulders.The further from the corner that you walk your feet out, the harder the Corner Row will be.

Side Arm Balance Burpees – To do the Side Arm Balance Burpee, start standing. Then bend over and place your hands on the ground as you jump your feet back into a high plank position. Perform a push up. Once at the top of the push up, lift one hand up toward the ceiling and rotate into a side plank. Open completely and then place the hand back down on the ground and perform another push up, dropping your chest to the ground. At the top of the push up, rotate into a side plank on the other side. Then perform another push up. Once you’ve completed the push up, jump your feet in toward your hands and come to standing, jumping at the top. Beginners can always step back instead of jumping. They can also do the push ups from their knees or even remove a push up or two if needed. Beginners may simply jump back and do a side arm balance to each side. Or they may just need to remove one push up and do a two push up variation (push up, side arm balance, push up, side arm balance then jump up). Or they can even do a single push up variation (push up, side arm balance, side arm balance, jump up). All are acceptable variations as long as the focus is on a quality movement. Do fewer push ups if it means QUALITY push ups. Check out this post for a video of the move and other Burpee Movements.

Sit Thru – To do the Sit Thru, start on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Flex your feet and press up onto your hands and toes. Then rotate open toward the right and bring your left leg under and through toward where your right hand is. As you bring your left leg forward and through, lift your right hand. You want to rotate all the way through with your left leg out straight so that you are almost sitting with your left hand down to support you. Then bring the left leg back through so you are back in the starting position. Next rotate to the left and kick your right leg through and forward as you lift your left hand. Move as quickly as you can back and forth. Beginners may need to move slowly or even start in a more spread out position with their legs out straight instead of their knees under their hips.

The Bridge Butt Workout

by Cori Lefkowith | Dec 5, 2014

WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Feet
Shins
Calves
IT Bands
Hips/Glutes
Groin
Quads
Hamstrings

ACTIVATION

Complete 1 round of the circuit below.

CIRCUIT:
15 reps Glute Bridges
15 reps Table Top Bridge
5 reps per side Sit Thru to Thoracic Bridge

WORKOUT

Complete all 50 reps before moving on to the next exercise. However, pick a weight or variation that doesn’t allow you to do 50 straight through. If you can do more than 25 reps in a row, the weight is too light. Pick something ideally that challenges you between 10-15 reps. Do not rest though more than 15-30 seconds while working on an exercise. Try to rest as little as possible between exercises as well. Complete one round of the circuit below.

CIRCUIT:
50 reps Weighted Glute Bridges
50 reps each side Lateral Step Ups
50 reps Glute Bridge to Sit Up
50 reps Band Pull Throughs
50 reps Glute Cherry Bomb
50 reps each side Alternating Side Lunges

COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Feet
Shins
Calves
IT Bands
Hips/Glutes
Groin
Quads
Hamstrings

NOTES:

This workout is about getting the glutes activated and working. Focus on squeezing your glutes as you do the moves. Do not rush the movements. Slow down the tempo as necessary to really feel the glutes engage.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

Glute Bridges – Bend your knees and put your feet flat on the ground just close enough that you can graze your heels with your fingertips when you stretch your arms down by your side. Your feet should be about hip-width apart. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees so that only your upper arm is on the ground. Then drive up through your heels and upper back to lift your glutes off the ground. Drive your hips up as high as possible, squeezing the glutes hard. Keep your belly button drawn in so you don’t hyperextend your back. Do not push backward off your heels. Make sure you are driving straight up and that your knees aren’t caving in. Squeeze your glutes for second or two at the top and lower all the way back down to the ground before repeating. You should feel this move in your glutes and hamstrings and not in your low back. Do not rush through glute bridges. Take time to hold at the top and feel the glutes activate.

Table Top Bridge – Start seated on the ground with your feet flat on the ground in front of you and your hands on the ground behind you. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips up as high as you can. Lean your head back and press your chest out as you bridge up. Keep your core tight as you bridge up. Try to create a “table” with your body. Drive your hips up as high as you can without hyperextending your low back. Hold at the top then lower back down and repeat.

Sit Thru to Thoracic Bridge – Set up on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Flex your feet and lift up onto your hands and toes. Then lift your right hand and bring your left leg through and place your left foot flat on the ground. Rotate your hips up toward the ceiling, squeezing your glutes to lift them up as high as you can. While your lift your hips, reach your right hand down toward the ground, rotating your chest toward the floor. Feel your glutes working to keep BOTH hips up, while you reach your hand down. We have a tendency when we rotate to drop that hip down. Make sure both stay up. You should feel a nice rotation and stretch through your spine. You are twisting almost like someone wringing out a towel. Then drop your hips and step your foot back through while placing your hand back down on the ground. Rotate to the other side, bridging your hips up as high as you can.

Weighted Glute Bridges – Sit on the ground and roll or place the barbell over your hips. Then lie back and bend your knees with your heels close to your butt. Holding on to the barbell, drive your hips up and squeeze your glutes. Make sure you drive through your heels and upper back to lift straight up. Do not let your knees fall open and do not hyperextend your low back as you squeeze your glutes at the top. Hold for a second or two and lower back down. As you lift, you may find you want to press the barbell down and away onto your thighs to help you squeeze your glutes at the top and keep your core engaged.

Lateral Step Ups – The higher the bench or box you use, the harder this move will be. Do not use a box that is too high. If you have to push off the foot on the ground or if you really lean forward to propel yourself up, the box is too high. Stand with the box next to your right side. Place your right foot on top of it without rotating toward the box. Drive up through the heel of the foot on the box until you are standing on the box. Drive the left knee up as you lift up onto the box. Then step back down and repeat. Keep your chest up as you drive up. Do not lean forward or let your heel on top of the box come up. Complete all reps on one side before switching. Challenge yourself first with a higher box and then with weight. If one box is too high and the other is too low, you can add weight and use the lower box to make the step ups harder.

Glute Bridge to Sit Up – Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground about hip-width apart. Bridge up, lifting your hips as high as possible while driving through your heels. Lower your hips back down and let your feet move a little away from your butt. Then sit up, keeping your torso up nice and tall and your feet on the ground. Once you sit all the way up, lie back down, bring your feet back in and then bridge back up.

Band Pull Throughs – Anchor the band around furniture or in a doorway. Step over the band and reach down between your legs to grab the handles. Walk away from the anchor point with your back to it, holding the handles between your legs. Then hinge over, keeping your knees soft. Push your butt back toward the anchor point as you lean forward and reach your hands with the bands back between your legs. Then squeeze your glutes and push your hips forward to come back up to standing. Keep your arms relaxed and straight down, holding the handles between your legs. Stand up nice and tall, fully extending your hips and squeezing your glutes. Then hinge back over, pushing your butt back toward the anchor point. Keep your core tight so that you don’t feel this move in your low back. Also, do not pull the bands with your arms. Your glutes should do all the work. And make sure to keep your back flat. Do not round over as you hinge over and stand up tall at the top of the move. To make the move harder, use a heavier band or walk further from the anchor point. Also, to make the move more challenging you can either slow it down or make it more explosive. You can even make the movement to standing more explosive and then hinge back over slower to really challenge the glutes.

Glute Cherry Bomb – Place your heels in the suspension trainer straps and lie on your back on the ground. With your legs out straight and your feet close together, bridge up, squeezing your glutes and driving through your heels. Keep your core engaged so you don’t hyperextend your low back. Then curl your heels in toward your butt while maintaining the nice high bridge. Keep your glute engaged. Straighten your legs back out then and, keeping the nice straight bridge, move both feet out laterally, opening your legs up. Keep your hips up high as you spread your legs. Feel the outside of your butt work to open your legs up. Then bring your feet back together and repeat, curling your heels in toward your butt. This is an advanced movement. Beginners may not want to include the curl or may only want to do a single leg curl instead of the double leg curl. Click here for the modification.

Alternating Side Lunges – You will step one foot out to one side and bend that outside knee, sinking your butt back and down. Make sure you step the foot straight out to the side and have both feet pointing straight ahead. Also make sure to keep your heels down as you sit back. The other leg should stay straight as you lunge to one side. Then driving through your heel, push back up to standing. In one movement, bring that foot you stepped out with back in. Make sure that you don’t lunge out too far so that you can’t come back in with one strong push off. Also make sure you lunge out far enough that you can sit back and keep both heels down. And as you sit back into the lunge, keep your chest up. You may hinge forward a bit, but your back shouldn’t round. Alternate side lunges. Once you step back in from the lunge, step out into a side lunge on the other side. To make the move harder, hold a kettlebell, sandbag or dumbbell up at your chest.

The Desk Job Rehab Workout

by Cori Lefkowith | Nov 29, 2014

WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Feet
Shins
Calves
IT Bands
Hips/Glutes
Groin
Upper Back and Traps

WORKOUT

Set a timer for 30 seconds-1 minute. Perform each exercise for 30 seconds to 1 minute then switch quickly to the next move. Rest 1 minute between rounds of the circuit. Perform 4-6 rounds.

CIRCUIT:
30 sec-1min each side Warrior III
30 sec-1min each side Side Plank with Rotational Reach
30 sec-1min each side Crescent Pose
30 sec-1min Sit Thru to Thoracic Bridge
30 sec-1min Scapular Wall Hold
30 sec-1min each side Plank With Reach Out and Back
1 minute Rest

COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Feet
Shins
Calves
IT Bands
Hips/Glutes
Groin
Upper Back and Traps

NOTES:
Start with shorter work intervals and lengthen the amount of time you work to challenge yourself more as you master the moves. Make sure to maintain proper form and do the hardest variation you can of each movement. With unilateral moves (one-sided moves), do one side then the other before moving on to the next exercise. All Plank movements can be regressed to isometric holds as needed. For more Plank Variations, check out this post.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:
Warrior III – Balance on one foot with the knee slightly bent. Hinge over lifting your back leg toward the wall behind you. Pretend you are driving the foot straight back into the wall behind you. Lean your torso over, keeping your back flat and your core tight. Reach your hands overhead in front of you. Hold in this position. Do not let your back round or your other foot touch down. Keep your arms in line with your body. You want a nice straight line from the bottom of your lifted heel to the end of your finger tips. Make sure you do not lock the standing leg out as you hold. Also make sure your hips don’t open up as you hold. Squeeze your glutes to keep your hips level. Beginners may need to reach back toward their foot instead of out in front of them. Using a wall can also help beginners. Stand with a wall behind you and when you hinge over have the lifted foot lightly touch the wall behind you to help you balance.

Side Plank with Rotational Reach – Set up in a Side Plank from your forearms and toes (advanced) or forearms and knees (beginner). Reach your top hand under your armpit as if reaching for the wall behind you. Rotate your chest toward the ground as you keep your hips up. Then rotate back open, reaching your hand up toward the ceiling. Do not let your butt go way up in the air as you rotate or your hips drop toward the ground. Repeat, reaching back under and through then up toward the ceiling.

Crescent Pose – Step one foot forward into a wide stance and bend the front knee while keeping the back leg out straight. Your front heel should stay down while your back heel will be up. Make sure you are really sitting back into your front heel. Lift your hands up and reach them back and overhead as you stay low in the lunge. Keep your front heel down as you sit back into the lunge. If your front heel is coming up, you may want to step your front foot forward a bit more. As you hold the lunge, your back heel will stay up and the back leg will stay straight. Make sure though to drive back through your back heel instead of coming up onto your toe. Feel a nice stretch down the front of the hip and quad of the back leg. Hold then switch to the other side.

Sit Thru to Thoracic Bridge – Set up on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Flex your feet and lift up onto your hands and toes. Then lift your right hand and bring your left leg through and place your left foot flat on the ground. Rotate your hips up toward the ceiling, squeezing your glutes to lift them up as high as you can. While your lift your hips, reach your right hand down toward the ground, rotating your chest toward the floor. Feel your glutes working to keep BOTH hips up, while you reach your hand down. We have a tendency when we rotate to drop that hip down. Make sure both stay up. You should feel a nice rotation and stretch through your spine. You are twisting almost like someone wringing out a towel. Then drop your hips and step your foot back through while placing your hand back down on the ground. Rotate to the other side, bridging your hips up as high as you can. For a video of this move, click here.

Scapular Wall Hold – Stand about six inches from a wall. With your back to the wall and your elbows bent in by your side, drive your chest out and lean back against the wall. Only your elbows should touch as you lean back. Do not shrug your shoulders and keep your body in a nice straight line as if holding a plank. Keep your head in line with your spine and do not tuck your chin. Walk your feet back toward the wall to make the move easier or walk them away to make the move harder. Make sure to drive the chest out and draw your shoulder blades down and together as you hold.

Plank With Reach Out and Back – Set up in a Front Plank from your hands and toes with your hands under your shoulders and your feet about hip-width to shoulder-width apart. For this move, you will want your feet wider to create a more stable base. Beginners can do this move from their knees. Then from the Plank position, reach one hand back and across toward the opposite ankle, pushing your butt back and up toward the ceiling as you reach. Then reach back forward and out toward the wall in front of you, dropping your hips back into a nice plank position. Do not drop your hips too low and feel your low back engage. Keep your core tight to protect your low back as you come back into that nice plank position. Reach back and across with the same hand until all reps are complete on that side.