Bodyweight training also focuses on movement before muscle isolation. Think about it – almost all bodyweight exercises are total body exercises. Squats, chin ups, push ups, and lunges are all movement-based exercises. They’re functional, essential, and utilized on a daily basis.

Yet there is one glaring issue with bodyweight exercise – it lacks an effective way to train the hinge movement.

The Hinge Is an Essential Movement

The hinge is an essential movement that must be trained. It consists of folding over from the hips while keeping the spine neutral and stacked. When performed correctly, hinge exercises train the glutes, hamstrings, and the entire posterior chain in a functional manner. Common hinge exercises include deadlifts, kettlebell swings, and stiff-legged deadlifts. But these need added equipment.

What if you love bodyweight training and aren’t a big fan of the weight room? What if you are training on the go and can’t bring kettlebells with you? Fear not! I’ll detail a few minimalist solutions to help you train the hinge with nothing more than your bodyweight and some resistance bands.

Enter the Hip Thrust

When it comes to bodyweight-based alternatives for the hip hinge, many people like to use exercises that focus on the muscles of the posterior chain. Common choices include bridges, back extensions, or locust pose, to name a few. While these are good ways to train the muscles of the posterior chain, they don’t work the hinge movement. When it comes to functional training, you must train the movement, not just the muscles.

There is one exercise that works the muscles of the posterior chain in a hinge-like manner, yet it’s not exactly a hinge. That exercise is the bodyweight hip thrust. I think of the hip thrust as a pseudo-hinge. It works many of the same muscles as other classic hinge exercises, but the movement isn’t quite a hinge.

Yes, the hips do hinge during the hip thrust. The hip thrust also focuses on the posterior chain and loads the glutes. And yes, you continuously move through hip flexion and extension during this movement. However, it’s still not technically a hinge because of your bent knees and prone position. This is why I refer to the hip thrust as a pseudo-hinge. It’s almost like the hinge’s cousin, and an attractive one at that.

Even though it might not be a classic hinge, the hip thrust is a valuable exercise. It loads the glutes in a unique way, helps develop forward hip drive, and is a great introductory exercise. It can also act as a substitute for the hinge when you find yourself without any equipment.

4 Minimalist Hinge Exercises

If you have a little equipment on hand, you open up a whole world of awesome hinge exercises. My go-to pieces of portable equipment are resistance bands. They are light and effective, and also great for mobility, stretching, adding resistance to bodyweight movements, or even reducing the load during bodyweight movements. And they allow you to effectively train the hinge without heavy equipment.

My favorite banded hinge exercises are demonstrated in the video, and include:

Band Dead Lifts: It’s a classic hinge exercise, it needs no real introduction, and it’s simple to replicate with resistance bands! Stand in the middle of the band, grab an end with each hand, and proceed to dead lift just as you would with a bar. Increase the resistance by choking down on the band with your hands, or use a heavier band. That’s about as easy as it gets.

The Banded Good Morning: Good mornings are often forgotten as a hinge exercise. The best thing about good mornings is that they’re effective with a lighter load at higher reps.They also train the hinge at a higher angle than the traditional deadlift.

Standing Hip Thrust: Earlier we discussed the classic hip thrust and how it’s not a real hinge. However, there is a hip thrust variation that works the hinge. The standing hip thrust is a rarely used exercise that places unusual stress on the glutes. Unlike deadlifts or good mornings, the standing hip thrust resists force in the horizontal plane, training your hinge in a new way.

Banded Good Morning/Standing Hip Thrust Combination: This is actually an exercise I invented (to the best of my knowledge). But whether I actually invented it or not, it’s one hell of a hinge exercise. The combination of vertical and horizontal force, the way it taxes the glutes, and the ease of set up are all fantastic qualities. I would suggest becoming comfortable with both exercises on their own before combining the two.

There’s no reason to be without a way to effectively train your hinge. With these minimalist approaches, you’ll never have that problem. All you need is a little creativity, some bodyweight training knowledge, and a few bands. Now, get training!

You’ll also enjoy:

• Establishing Your Drive Train: Screening and Correcting the Hip Hinge
• 4 Tips for Building Your Own Bodyweight Training Programs
• The Physics of Lifting: Don’t Forget to Hinge
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

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Photo courtesy of Strength Education.

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An exercise that gives a lot of people these sorts of troubles is the chin up. One of the most common complaints during chin up is elbow pain or discomfort. When your elbow is bothering you it can affect simple every day activities. Little things like opening up jars, walking the dog, or carrying your groceries can become real tasks. Not to mention the way this pain can affect the rest of your training. Just about every single upper-body exercise will be negatively affected by an injured elbow.

Elbow pain can quickly derail your progress with chin ups and other upper body exercises.

Luckily there are some simple adjustments you can make to stop your chin-up related elbow pain in its tracks! In this article, I’m going to outline five easy fixes to help you, and your elbow, fall in love with chin ups all over again.

1. Neutral Grip

Switching to a neutral grip can be a simple solution when it comes to elbow pain during chin ups. It’s not uncommon for many trainees to find that the traditional supinated grip (palms facing toward your body) places excess strain on the elbow. The same can be said for the pronated (palms facing away from the body) grip during traditional pull ups.

Chin-Up Tip: Using a neutral grip (palms facing each other) can help alleviate the stress placed on the elbow joint by reducing the amount of torque on the elbow.

2. Use Rings or a Suspension Trainer

When most people think of chin ups, they assume they need a pull up bar. However, performing your chin ups on a fixed bar can also lend a hand in elbow pain. We’re all built differently, with different bone lengths and slightly different fittings in our joints. Forcing your body to stay in one position by holding onto a fixed bar might not bother one trainee, yet for another, it might wreak havoc on his or her joints. A simple fix is to perform your chin ups with gymnastics rings or a suspension trainer.

Chin-Up Tip: Free-moving handles allow your shoulders and elbows to move in a much more natural way for your individual body.

Forcing your body to stay in one position by holding onto a fixed bar can wreak havoc on your joints.

3. Change Your Hand Spacing

If your hands are spaced too wide or too close, you may experience more stress on the elbow during chin ups. The rule of thumb I use with just about every one of my clients is to keep your palms just in front of your shoulders, with the thumbs just outside shoulder width, and keep that width throughout the chin up.

Chin-Up Tip: The right hand width will reduce the amount of stress on your elbows and shoulders during your chin ups.

Using proper hand width will go a long way in relieving pressure on the elbows.

4. Work on Your Extensors

Your training often involves a lot of grip work, wether you know it or not. Think about the amount of time you spend hanging from bars, picking up heavy weights, or swinging kettlebells. Your grip is being tested and trained during just about everything you’re doing in the gym. If you’re adding specific grip work on top of that, then you’re really upping the probability of elbow pain.

When the flexors in the forearms and hands are over worked without paying attention to the extensors, you create a muscle imbalance that can lead to pain. One simple, inexpensive, and portable method for balancing out these muscles is to use an elastic band to train the extensors. Seriously, a basic elastic band that can be found in every office just might be the savior of your elbows.

• Wrap the elastic band around the second knuckle of your fingers.
• Spread them outward against the resistance.
• Higher reps work best, but at first you might be surprised how few reps you can actually repeat.

Chin-Up Tip: Training with band exercises will build your endurance and help balance out those flexors and extensors.

Use this simple exercise to strengthen your extensor muscles.

5. Try an Easier Progression

There’s nothing that’s going to injure you faster than doing an exercise that’s too advanced or using more weight than you can handle. Using a bodyweight progression that’s too advanced is a great way to destroy your joints, and the chin up is no exception.

A lot of people get hung up on trying to achieve their goal. In this case, the goal is most likely a chin up or a set of chin ups. But when you get hung up on the outcome, then you’re more likely to skip steps and take risks during your training. When you do that, you’re allowing your ego to get the better of you.

Chin-Up Tip: If you’re using sloppy form, forcing reps, or feeling like the exercise is too difficult, then drop your ego and use an easier progression.

A great progression to start with is the feet-assisted chin up:

1. Use a bar at upper chest height or lower your suspension trainer to upper chest height.
2. Grip the bar or handles with palms facing toward you and your hands shoulder width apart.
3. Squat down with your feet ahead of your body, weight on your heels, and arms extended fully overhead.
4. Pull up with very little assistance from the legs, keep the chest out and chin up.
5. Once you’ve reached the top, pause for a second before slowly lowering back to the starting position

Note: The pressure and weight should always be carried by the upper body. The legs should only be used lightly as assistance. This is a pulling exercise, not a squatting exercise.

The feet-assisted chin up is a great way to progress your chin ups.

Take It Slow

Depending on your specific needs and body type, you may only need one of the fixes above to cure your elbow pain – or you might need to combine a few of them. Everyone is different. So, take it slow, experiment with the suggestions above, and find yourself a winning combination towards pain free chin ups. I know you can do it!

More Like This:

• Pull Up vs. Chin Up: A Comparison and Analysis
• Mastering the Chin Up: 7 Variations to Beat Gym Boredom
• Chin Up! 5 Pieces to Progress Your Pull Up
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

Photo 1 courtesy of CrossFit Impulse.

Photos 2-4 courtesy of Timothy Bell.

The post 5 Ways to End Elbow Pain During Chin Ups appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

So, that’s all great and you want to start working on your core strength – but you have no idea where to start and you’re not exactly sure what the “core” really means.

What Is the Core?

The “core” is a term used to describe just about everything on your body that isn’t your legs and arms. This means you can think of your glutes, hips, abdominal muscles, inner abdominal muscles, pelvic floor, and scapula as your core. Your core is where your power is generated in order to carry out any movement. While abdominal and inner abdominal muscles do play a large roll in core stability, they don’t make up the core all by themselves.

The core is made up of much more than the abdominal muscles. It includes the muscles of the glutes, hips, pelvic floor, and scapula.

A mistake many people make is to think of their core as only being their abs, and because of this they go about training their core in many ineffective ways. Traditional ab exercises like crunches and sit ups are often used in hopes of achieving a stronger core and more defined abdominals, but this is a terrible method. Not only does performing endless crunches and sit ups not strengthen your core or give you more defined abs, it can be hazardous to your spine.

“The crunching movement is a secondary function and one that’s not meant to be done at high volume due to the stress it puts on the discs of your spine.”

Furthermore, crunches don’t work your abs in the way these muscles were designed to perform. The main function of the abdominals is to support the spine and prevent it from spinning all the way around, breaking over backward, or flexing to the side. The crunching movement is a secondary function and one that’s not meant to be done at high volume due to the stress it puts on the discs of your spine.

In order to train the core effectively, we need to train all the muscles involved, starting slowly and building a foundation. These muscles need to work together as a team. Think of developing your core stability as pouring the concrete base for your home. This base provides structure and safety. It also cannot be rushed or overlooked. You wouldn’t build a home on soggy ground because your house would sink or fall apart. The same can be said for your body when it comes to developing your core.

5 Core and Abdominal Exercises for the Beginner

Most people are familiar with basic core exercises such as planks or side planks. While those are two excellent core exercises, I want to discuss a few under-used movements that go a long way in developing core strength and function. While they may seem gentle or simple, the importance of each of these exercises can’t be overstated for the beginner.

Watch the video for demonstrations of all five exercises listed below.

1. Tummy Vacuums

These are a simple, yet powerful core-conditioning exercise. They’re essential for anyone first starting out, especially for women who have had children, people who haven’t been active, or for those who sit for long periods of time.

“Regardless of which category you fall under, reestablishing TVA function is a must. For the beginner, tummy vacuums are one of the best ways to get it functioning again.”

Tummy vacuums help recondition the TVA (transverse abdominals) to brace the spine during movement. Basically, your TVA is an internal “weight belt” that needs to engage when you attempt to move or lift anything. When you’ve been inactive or pregnant, your TVA might not be functioning well or even be functioning at all. If you sit for long periods of time or don’t exercise, your TVA can become dormant and the body can forget how to engage it during activity.

Regardless of which category you fall under, reestablishing TVA function is a must. For the beginner, tummy vacuums are one of the best ways to get it functioning again.

2. Clam Shells

The strongest muscles on your body are your glutes – that’s your butt muscles. When they’re working they way they should, they’re a powerhouse team that help stabilize and put driving power into just about any athletic movement. When they’re not functioning well, it’s a recipe for weakness, back pain, and muscle imbalance.

Most beginning trainees have glutes that are not engaging to their fullest. For some people, the glutes might not be working well, for others their glutes might not be engaging at all. When this happens, your hip flexors take over, hamstrings become tight, and there’s a lot of pressure put onto the lower back. This makes just about any lower body exercise difficult, and it can further the problem of weak glutes rather than make it better.

This is where clam shells come into play. They’re a simple exercise that yield big results in getting the glutes activated again.

3. Dead Bugs

Another excellent core strength and trunk stabilizing exercise. Not only do they improve core conditioning, they also help build stability in the hips and trunk. Dead bugs can also help prepare people for crawling exercises. They build the coordination necessary for any cross crawling activity because they essentially mimics the hand and leg movement, only performed on your back rather than your hands and feet.

4. Band Anti-Rotation

Your abdominal muscles have three main functions: anti-rotation, anti-extension, and anti-lateral flexion. Most people include exercises that challenge anti-extension and anti-lateral flexion, like planks and side planks. What most people leave out is some kind of anti-rotation.

“Your abs need to be strong in all of their functions, and anti-rotation is no exception.”

That’s why I’m a big fan of resistance band anti-rotations. They’re simple, effective, and can be done at home or the gym. If you don’t have a resistance band, or want to up the difficulty, you could also use a cable machine. Your abs need to be strong in all of their functions, and anti-rotation is no exception.

5. Bird Dog

This is an excellent exercise for improving core stability because it hits multiple functions at once. The Bird Dog works both anti-extension and anti-rotation, improves coordination, and puts the glutes and shoulders to work. You can think of this exercise as a plank-superman hybrid. And much like the dead bug, it’s a great exercise to help prepare for cross-crawl exercises. If you’re looking for an exercise that delivers a lot of bang for your buck, this one just might be it.

Bird dog is an excellent exercise to improve stability and prepare for cross-crawling movements.

Putting It Together

Now that you have these great core exercises, where do you start? Well, I’ve put together a core-specific workout for you. You can use this at the end of your regular workout as a finisher, at the beginning as part of your warm up, or on its own as a separate gentle workout.

Perform each exercise back to back for the prescribed time and reps:

1. Bird Dog – 10-second holds, 8 reps per side
2. Band Anti Rotation – 10-second holds, 8 reps per side
3. Dead Bugs – 8 reps per side, alternating sides each rep
4. Clam Shell – 10-second holds, 10 reps per side
5. Tummy Vacuums – 5-second holds, 8 reps

If you’re performing this as a stand-alone workout, you can rest for one minute after you’ve worked through the list and then repeat the exercises two more times for a total of three circuits.

If you’re performing it as a warm up or at the end of your workout, then one circuit will do just fine, but feel free to do two or three circuits if you feel the need.

Lay a Strong Foundation

Training your core doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does have to be well rounded. Try adding these exercises or the workout above into your training routine and enjoy the rewards.

Remember, take it slow and you’ll lay the foundation for effective movement for life.

More Like This:

• 4 Out-of-the-Box Ways to Train Your Core
• No More Bicycle Crunches: 5 Smart Exercises to Work Your Core
• Training the Core: 4 Exercises That Take It to the Next Level
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post 5 Fundamental Core and Abdominal Exercises for Beginners appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

The past is flooded with a bunch of ridiculous contraptions, methods, and exercises that have died off for the better. However, there is also a wealth of fantastic exercises just waiting to be rediscovered and implemented in more modern methods.

Sure, there are uses for this equipment, but is this what exercise is meant to look like?

For those of you who don’t know, I’m a minimalist in just about every sense. My workouts are no different. I keep them simple, bodyweight based, and effective. But that doesn’t mean I don’t like to keep things interesting and fun.

Today, I’m going to shine some light on four exercises that have roots deep in the past. But each one has stood the test of time and is in desperate need of having the dust blown off them. Each one of these exercises is dynamic – they’ll improve your strength, flexibility, and mobility through wider ranges of motion than in typical exercises. On top of that, each exercise will challenge your mind to adapt to new movement patterns and improve your overall athleticism.

The Half Moon Push Up

Half moon push ups are popular among grapplers and jiu jitsu players. They help with preventing strains and injuries to the ribs, as well as developing strength through a greater range of motion.

“Remember: just because something’s old, doesn’t mean it can’t feel new.”

Start in a bear squat position with your arms fully outstretched, hands shoulder width apart, feet hip width apart, and your knees bent with your butt close to your heels.

Keeping your body low to the ground, pull yourself through your hands in a pull up motion. At the same time turn your knees and torso out toward the left. This should put more weight onto your right hand. Once your chest is in line with your shoulders and palms, begin to shift little more weight to the left hand and turn your knees and torso out to the right side.

Once you are fully facing the right side, begin to push yourself backward and turn your torso/knees back to the starting bear squat position. Alternate the side you turn toward while initiating the push up each time. For example, we turned to the left to start the rep described above, so we would perform the next rep by turning to the right.

This push up should be performed in one smooth and seamless motion as if your chest is tracing a semi circle across the floor. This is where this push up derives its name, “half moon.”

Hindu Squats

Hindu squats or bathaks, along with Hindu push ups, are a staple conditioning exercise used by Hindu wrestlers for centuries. In fact, the Great Gama, a legendary wrestler who was undefeated in over 5,000 matches, was said to have performed over 4,000 Hindu squats each day. Unlike regular squats, Hindu squats force the knee well over the toes. This technique is not recommended for anyone with knee injuries.

“The entire squat should be controlled and you should never drop down quickly.” 

Begin in a standing position with your feet hip width apart. Your stance should not be quite as wide as during a regular squat. Begin to squat down with your weight on the balls of your heels, allowing your knees to pass over your toes.

As you lower, keep your back straight and head up, and let your arms swing out behind you with your fingers extended. Continue to lower yourself all the way down until your butt almost touches your heels. At the bottom of the squat, your fingertips should brush the ground right beside your feet.

Keeping the weight on the balls of your feet, press through the ground, begin to extend from the knees and hips, use the momentum from your arms and swing them up and in front of you in coordination with the extension of your knees and hips. Stand up fully, and then repeat.

Remember to keep your torso, back, and chin up through the whole movement. The entire squat should be controlled and you should never drop down quickly. The swinging of your arms should be soft and natural. If at any time you feel pain in your knees or low back, stop performing the squat.

Dead Man’s Crawl

The dead man’s crawl is a unique vertical pulling exercise and core strengthening technique. Unlike most vertical pulls, it doesn’t require a pull up bar or rings. I first came across this movement during my childhood where it was used heavily during workouts in my martial arts classes.

Start laying face down on the floor with your arms stretched out fully overhead and shoulder width apart. Your legs should be straight, hip width apart, and toes pointed. Keep your spine flat and avoid pulling your head up and back.

Press your palms, forearms, and elbows deep into the floor. Flex from your abs, low back, glutes, and calves and keep your toes pointed hard. At the same time, keeping your fingers outstretched, pull yourself forward and keep your whole body on the ground.

Continue to pull yourself forward until your elbows are at the sides of your ribcage. Then, extend your arms over head, place the arms on the floor with your palms flat on the ground, and repeat for as many reps as prescribed.

The Archer Squat

This is a unique squat that improves your balance, coordination, and lower-body flexibility. It forces one leg to do the majority of the work in terms of lowering the body and maintaining balance, while at the same time the other leg is having its flexibility tested and improved dynamically.

“Start to bend the right knee, hinge at the hips, and lower yourself, keeping your weight resting right through the right heel and the left knee straight with your left foot pointing up into the air.”

Start with your feet spaced outside of shoulder width. Raise your left foot off the ground so your weight is resting on the heel and your toes are pointed up into the air. The right foot should be firmly planted on the floor with the weight distributed primarily through the heel.

Start to bend the right knee, hinge at the hips, and lower yourself, keeping your weight resting right through the right heel and the left knee straight with your left foot pointing up into the air. Keep a natural curve in the spine, don’t allow your bent knee to pass too far over the toes, and sit into the heel. Extend your left arm out to the side, pointing your fingers away from the body.

Only lower yourself down as far as possible without discomfort in the extended hamstring, and don’t allow your extended knee to bend. Once you have reached this point, press through the right heel, extend the right knee, and stand back up to the starting position. Then perform your next rep on the opposite leg. Keep alternating sides with each repetition.

The Workout

First, warm up with basic joint mobility and 3-5 minutes of jump rope.

Then, the workout will consist of running through the exercise circuit shown below for a total of four rounds. You’ll perform all four of the rounds back-to-back without any rest. Each exercise will be performed in the order shown, also back-to-back without any rest.

Exercise Circuit:

1. Half Moon Push Ups
2. Hindu Squats
3. Dead Man’s Crawl
4. Archer Squats

Round 1 – Each exercise will be performed for 1 min

Round 2 – Each exercise will be performed for 45 seconds

Round 3 – Each exercise will be performed for 30 seconds

Round 4 – Each exercise will be performed for 15 seconds

So, round one is one minute of non-stop half moon push ups, one minute of Hindu squats, one minute of dead man’s crawl, and one minute of archer squats. Then, without stopping, you move on to round two and do each exercise for 45 seconds.

Old Exercises for a New Challenge

There you have it, four of my favorite “ancient” exercises all rolled up into one little workout. Give these old exercises a try for a new challenge. Remember: just because something’s old, doesn’t mean it can’t feel new.

Check out these related articles:

• 4 Bodyweight Squat Variation
• 36 Weeks of Bodyweight Workouts
• No Equipment Needed – 9 Bodyweight Workout Programs and Training Articles
• What’s New On Breaking Muscle Today

Photo 1 courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post 4 Ancient Bodyweight Exercises for New Results appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

In fact, just looking at all the “hard-core” and “Do you even lift?” on your Facebook feed makes your body hurt. The thought of running marathons seems as fun as super gluing your face to the pavement. You might have a family and a high-pressure job, and you feel like there’s a million other things you would rather do than spend your “extra” time in the gym.

But you do want to feel better, look better, and move well. You just don’t know where to start, what to focus on, or how to get there in the most pain-free way possible. If this sounds like you, fear not. Creating a workout that fits your lifestyle doesn’t have to be complicated.

Today I’ll share with you some basic steps to getting started with at-home exercise and then show you a few of my favorite workouts.

1. Begin a Daily Joint Mobility Routine

Basic joint mobility makes a fantastic warm up and morning routine. I suggest using it daily to maintain joint health. Try the one that I demonstrate in this video:

2. Use the Basics and Focus on Movements

Focus on big movements like squats, push ups, pull ups or rows, lunging, twisting, extending, and bracing. These exercises and movement patterns are the ones you use in your everyday life. They also burn a ton of calories.

“Training three or four times per week using total-body movements and linking them together in various circuits will be more than enough to change your body for the better.”

Yes, handstands are fun and build strength, but if you’re looking to improve your functional day-to-day strength and take a no-BS approach, then your time is better spent on other exercises. The more complex a movement, the less carryover it has to everyday life.

3. No Need for Lots of Equipment

Worried that building a home gym will be too expensive and take up too much room? Fear not. The equipment I use fits into a bookbag and costs in the ballpark of £30-£150 (depending on your needs). Resistance bands for added weight or mobility work, lacrosse balls and/or foam rollers for massage, and a suspension trainer are all you need at first. Where you go from there is up to you.

4. No Time? No Problem

Your training doesn’t have to take up hours of your day. Training three or four times per week using total-body movements and linking them together in various circuits will be more than enough to change your body for the better. Workouts done in this fashion won’t take longer than ten to thirty minutes. See the examples below to get started.

The Workouts

30/30/30

As we age, a lot of us develop issues with our joints, and multiple reps of explosive movements can cause us problems. The beauty of the 30/30/30 workout is that it fatigues the muscles thoroughly without any undue stress on the joints.

It’s a simple workout, it’s absolutely crushing, and it takes up hardly any time. High tension, slow speeds, and isometric holds are all rolled into one beast of a session that will leave you smoked. In fact, this may be one of my favorite workouts.

1 set and 1 rep per exercise, 30 seconds rest between exercises:

1. Chin Up or Bodyweight Row
2. Push Up
3. Bodyweight or Weighted Squat
4. Bodyweight or Weighted Hip Thruster

Each exercise is performed with a 30-second eccentric phase, 30-second concentric phase, and a 30-second pause at the top or bottom of the movement (depending on the exercise). For example, with a chin up (or resistance band-assisted chin up) you would slowly pull yourself up to the bar for 30 seconds, pause with your chin over the bar for 30 seconds, and then lower for 30 seconds. This makes one rep take 90 seconds total.

Band assisted chin ups are one of the variations you can use during this workout.

The goal is to make one rep so difficult that it would be impossible to perform another. When you’re first starting this workout, it’s smart to work up to the 30/30/30 by performing a 20/20/20. Once that becomes possible, move onto a 25/25/25.

This workout can be comprised of three to five exercises. Added weight can be used, but most people find their bodyweight alone will be more than enough at first. Choose a push up variation, squat variation, and bodyweight row or chin up/pull up at minimum. Other exercises that can be added into the workout include (but aren’t limited to) glute bridges, hip thrusters, and suspension trainer curls or triceps extensions.

10- to 20-Minute Long Repetitive Circuits

This workout is a great option for not only improving your strength but also your conditioning. Think of it as a wonderful blend of resistance training and cardio. It’s another brutally simple style of training, but it provides endless possibilities and variations of exercises.

“By no means are these the only workouts that middle-aged or aging trainees should be using. They’re just some suggestions.”

You can use anywhere from three to ten exercises during this workout, but I like to use around five or six. Keep the reps from 8-10 per exercise. You may use any variation of an exercise you like, weighted or bodyweight – but don’t go too heavy. The goal is strength conditioning not raw strength.

You can use any time limit, from ten to twenty minutes, depending on fitness level. Ten minutes is great for starting out, fifteen minutes is a good intermediate, and twenty works well for more experienced trainees.

Move smooth through this circuit, in order, over and over, until the time limit is up:

1. 8 Reps Vertical or Horizontal Pull Variation
2. 8 Reps Squat Variation
3. 8 Reps Push Up Variation
4. 10 Reps Lunge Variation (10 per leg)
5. 10 Reps Extension Variation (Ex. Supermans, Bird Dogs)

Follow this progression pattern to achieve your first push up.

You’ll need a timer. You can use a stopwatch or your phone, no need for anything fancy. The idea is to move smoothly through the list, performing each exercise for it’s indicated reps before moving to the next exercise – without rest. Once you’ve finished the circuit, repeat it over and over again until your time is up.

The goal is to never stop moving, never rest, and perform every rep with perfect form and control. The goal is not to get as many rounds as possible. That’s competitive thinking and is more likely to lead to injury and sacrifice of form. Don’t worry, you’ll still be breathing hard and working hard.

Giant Circuit of Max Reps

Don’t let the description of this workout fool you, done correctly it will wipe you out and have your heart rate up. The workout is comprised of anywhere from eight to twenty exercises, performed back to back in a circuit format, each one being done for the maximum amount of reps as you can possibly do with perfect form.

You only go through the circuit one time, so it’s important you make sure you can’t complete another rep for any exercise. This workout takes up hardly any time, and the minimal rest between exercises will provide some conditioning, while the higher rep range will stimulate muscle growth and help maintain muscle mass.

“Your training doesn’t have to take up hours of your day.”

Perform each exercise to failure before moving onto the next exercise. No rest between exercises. Go through this whole circuit only once. Scale the variations of each exercise to your skill and strength level.

1. Vertical Pull Variation
2. Push Up Variation
3. Squat Variation
4. Lunge Variation
5. Horizontal Pull Variation
6. Push Up Variation
7. Squat Variation
8. Extension Variation (Super Mans, Bird Dogs, Back Extension)

Don’t worry if you don’t feel comfortable in the squat yet – try one of these variations instead.

A Goal of General Fitness

By no means are these the only workouts that middle-aged or aging trainees should be using. They’re just some suggestions. Not everyone is looking to be an athlete, and that’s totally cool. But if you’re looking to make fitness a part of your life, and not your whole life, these workouts and guidelines might be a great place to start. Now get your training in, get it done, and enjoy your day!

Check out these related articles:

• Fitness at 40 – How to Train Hard and Play Smart
• Simple and Effective Strength – the Perfect Beginner Workout
• Live Long and Prosper – Fitness for Middle-Aged Athletes
• What’s New On Breaking Muscle UK Today

Photo 1 courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post Feel, Look, and Move Better: Workouts for 40+ Athletes appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

You’re not in your twenties anymore, and haven’t been for a while. You’re busy, don’t really enjoy the gym setting, and you couldn’t care less about setting a new personal record in Olympic lifts or “Fran” times.

In fact, just looking at all the “hard-core” and “Do you even lift?” on your Facebook feed makes your body hurt. The thought of running marathons seems as fun as super gluing your face to the sidewalk. You might have a family and a high-pressure job, and you feel like there’s a million other things you would rather do than spend your “extra” time in the gym.

But you do want to feel better, look better, and move well. You just don’t know where to start, what to focus on, or how to get there in the most pain-free way possible. If this sounds like you, fear not. Creating a workout that fits your lifestyle doesn’t have to be complicated.

Today I’ll share with you some basic steps to getting started with at-home exercise and then show you a few of my favorite workouts.

1. Begin a Daily Joint Mobility Routine

Basic joint mobility makes a fantastic warm up and morning routine. I suggest using it daily to maintain joint health. Try the one that I demonstrate in this video:

2. Use the Basics and Focus on Movements

Focus on big movements like squats, push ups, pull ups or rows, lunging, twisting, extending, and bracing. These exercises and movement patterns are the ones you use in your everyday life. They also burn a ton of calories.

“Training three or four times per week using total-body movements and linking them together in various circuits will be more than enough to change your body for the better.”

Yes, handstands are fun and build strength, but if you’re looking to improve your functional day-to-day strength and take a no-BS approach, then your time is better spent on other exercises. The more complex a movement, the less carryover it has to everyday life.

3. No Need for Lots of Equipment

Worried that building a home gym will be too expensive and take up too much room? Fear not. The equipment I use fits into a bookbag and costs in the ballpark of $50-200 (depending on your needs). Resistance bands for added weight or mobility work, lacrosse balls and/or foam rollers for massage, and a suspension trainer are all you need at first. Where you go from there is up to you.

4. No Time? No Problem

Your training doesn’t have to take up hours of your day. Training three or four times per week using total-body movements and linking them together in various circuits will be more than enough to change your body for the better. Workouts done in this fashion won’t take longer than ten to thirty minutes. See the examples below to get started.

The Workouts: 30/30/30

As we age, a lot of us develop issues with our joints, and multiple reps of explosive movements can cause us problems. The beauty of the 30/30/30 workout is that it fatigues the muscles thoroughly without any undue stress on the joints.

It’s a simple workout, it’s absolutely crushing, and it takes up hardly any time. High tension, slow speeds, and isometric holds are all rolled into one beast of a session that will leave you smoked. In fact, this may be one of my favorite workouts.

1 set and 1 rep per exercise, 30 seconds rest between exercises:

1. Chin Up or Bodyweight Row
2. Push Up
3. Bodyweight or Weighted Squat
4. Bodyweight or Weighted Hip Thruster

Each exercise is performed with a 30-second eccentric phase, 30-second concentric phase, and a 30-second pause at the top or bottom of the movement (depending on the exercise). For example, with a chin up (or resistance band-assisted chin up) you would slowly pull yourself up to the bar for 30 seconds, pause with your chin over the bar for 30 seconds, and then lower for 30 seconds. This makes one rep take 90 seconds total.

Band assisted chin ups are one of the variations you can use during this workout.

The goal is to make one rep so difficult that it would be impossible to perform another. When you’re first starting this workout, it’s smart to work up to the 30/30/30 by performing a 20/20/20. Once that becomes possible, move onto a 25/25/25.

This workout can be comprised of three to five exercises. Added weight can be used, but most people find their bodyweight alone will be more than enough at first. Choose a push up variation, squat variation, and bodyweight row or chin up/pull up at minimum. Other exercises that can be added into the workout include (but aren’t limited to) glute bridges, hip thrusters, and suspension trainer curls or triceps extensions.

The Workouts: 10- to 20-Minute Long Repetitive Circuits

This workout is a great option for not only improving your strength but also your conditioning. Think of it as a wonderful blend of resistance training and cardio. It’s another brutally simple style of training, but it provides endless possibilities and variations of exercises.

“By no means are these the only workouts that middle-aged or aging trainees should be using. They’re just some suggestions.”

You can use anywhere from three to ten exercises during this workout, but I like to use around five or six. Keep the reps from 8-10 per exercise. You may use any variation of an exercise you like, weighted or bodyweight – but don’t go too heavy. The goal is strength conditioning not raw strength.

You can use any time limit, from ten to twenty minutes, depending on fitness level. Ten minutes is great for starting out, fifteen minutes is a good intermediate, and twenty works well for more experienced trainees.

Move smooth through this circuit, in order, over and over, until the time limit is up:

1. 8 Reps Vertical or Horizontal Pull Variation
2. 8 Reps Squat Variation
3. 8 Reps Push Up Variation
4. 10 Reps Lunge Variation (10 per leg)
5. 10 Reps Extension Variation (Ex. Supermans, Bird Dogs)

Follow this progression pattern to achieve your first push up.

You’ll need a timer. You can use a stopwatch or your phone, no need for anything fancy. The idea is to move smoothly through the list, performing each exercise for it’s indicated reps before moving to the next exercise – without rest. Once you’ve finished the circuit, repeat it over and over again until your time is up.

The goal is to never stop moving, never rest, and perform every rep with perfect form and control. The goal is not to get as many rounds as possible. That’s competitive thinking and is more likely to lead to injury and sacrifice of form. Don’t worry, you’ll still be breathing hard and working hard.

The Workouts: Giant Circuit of Max Reps

Don’t let the description of this workout fool you, done correctly it will wipe you out and have your heart rate up. The workout is comprised of anywhere from eight to twenty exercises, performed back to back in a circuit format, each one being done for the maximum amount of reps as you can possibly do with perfect form.

You only go through the circuit one time, so it’s important you make sure you can’t complete another rep for any exercise. This workout takes up hardly any time, and the minimal rest between exercises will provide some conditioning, while the higher rep range will stimulate muscle growth and help maintain muscle mass.

“Your training doesn’t have to take up hours of your day.”

Perform each exercise to failure before moving onto the next exercise. No rest between exercises. Go through this whole circuit only once. Scale the variations of each exercise to your skill and strength level.

1. Vertical Pull Variation
2. Push Up Variation
3. Squat Variation
4. Lunge Variation
5. Horizontal Pull Variation
6. Push Up Variation
7. Squat Variation
8. Extension Variation (Super Mans, Bird Dogs, Back Extension)

Don’t worry if you don’t feel comfortable in the squat yet – try one of these variations instead.

A Goal of General Fitness

By no means are these the only workouts that middle-aged or aging trainees should be using. They’re just some suggestions. Not everyone is looking to be an athlete, and that’s totally cool. But if you’re looking to make fitness a part of your life, and not your whole life, these workouts and guidelines might be a great place to start. Now get your training in, get it done, and enjoy your day!

Check out these related articles:

• Simple workouts and fun exercises to do when stuck at home of the office.
• Fitness at 40 – How to Train Hard and Play Smart
• Simple and Effective Strength – the Perfect Beginner Workout
• Live Long and Prosper – Fitness for Middle-Aged Athletes

Photo 1 courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post 4 Safe and Effective Minimalist Workouts for 40+ Athletes appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

“You kick up and ease into position, but try as hard as you might, you just can’t seem to hold the handstand for longer than a few seconds.”

You’ve mustered up the courage to move away from the safety of the wall and braved the challenge of a freestanding handstand. You kick up and ease into position, but try as hard as you might, you just can’t seem to hold the handstand for longer than a few seconds.

You have the strength, you have the mobility, and you have the stability. So what’s wrong?

From the Wall to a Freestanding Handstand

Don’t worry, there’s nothing wrong with the hard work you’ve put in over the past few months. The wall was great for improving strength, building endurance, and reinforcing your line. But you’re not actually “standing on your hands” when using the wall for support. Just as you held onto the couch while learning to stand as a baby, you’ve used the wall to help you become comfortable standing on your hands.

The wall was great for improving strength, building endurance, and reinforcing your line.

And like letting go of the couch to balance on your feet, moving from the wall to a freestanding handstand is a completely different animal. You’re literally learning how to stand on your hands. This takes technique, balance, and body awareness that you’ll build with practice.

But there are a few things you can do right now to instantly improve your freestanding handstand. Practice them diligently and your time spend balancing upside down will go up with each session.

1. Squeeze Your Thighs Together

Not squeezing your legs and thighs together is a common beginner mistake. When you’re upside down, make your body as rigid as possible. By squeezing your thighs together, you’ll create more tension through your trunk and core.

“The more tension you create, the sturdier your handstand will be and the less effort you’ll put into maintaining balance.”

Combine this with pointing toes and squeezing your glutes and you’ll generate a ton of tension. The more tension you create, the sturdier your handstand will be and the less effort you’ll put into maintaining balance.

2. Play the Piano and Treat Your Hands Like Feet

No, you don’t actually have to go out and lean how to play the piano. You also don’t have to learn how to play one with your feet. (Although, that would be impressive!) What I’m taking about is finger spacing and where the points of pressure should be on your hands.

Your fingers should be spread apart as if you were playing the piano. This creates a wider base and provides a little more stability. Think about your fingers like the toes on your feet. Healthy feet have toes that are spread apart, providing greater balance and sensitivity. When you stand on your feet the pressure is spread across the toes, ball of the foot, and heel.

“Your fingers should be spread apart as if you were playing the piano. This creates a wider base and provides a little more stability.”

During a handstand, the points of pressure on the hands will be similar to that of the foot. After all, we’re basically forcing your hands to act like your feet. The pressure should be placed on the tips of the fingers, underneath the first knuckles of the hands, and on the heel of the palms. The second knuckles should be raised and not touching the ground. We now have a wide base with sturdy points of contact.

The pressure should be placed on the tips of the fingers, underneath the first knuckles of the hands, and on the heel of the palms.

When your weight drifts too far forward, making you feel as though you’re about to fall on your back, you’ll push down into the fingertips pushing your body back into balance. When your weight drifts back, making you feel you’re about to land on your feet, you’ll push into the heels of the hands rebalancing your handstand.

To grasp the concept further, try it out while standing on your feet. Stand up tall, lock your knees, and assume a rigid posture. Now, lean forward only hinging from the ankles. Your toes will dig into the ground in an attempt to prevent your from toppling over and push you back into balance. Lean back and your heels will press down, pushing you back into your upright position. When balanced in a handstand, we’re attempting to make your hands do the same.

3. Reach for the Sky (or Through the Ground)

Another weak link in your handstand can come from inactive shoulders. Relaxing the shoulders during a handstand puts more pressure across the chest, makes you more likely to arch your back, and requires you to use more effort in order to hold the handstand. Combine those, and you have a recipe for one ugly and tiring handstand.

“In order to clean up your handstand, lock your shoulders into place and get them actively involved. This can be achieved by ‘reaching for the sky.'”

Remember, during a handstand a rigid form is your friend and your body should only hinge from the wrists. In order to clean up your handstand, lock your shoulders into place and get them actively involved. This can be achieved by “reaching for the sky.”

When you’re upside down, think of reaching your hands through the ground. When you do this correctly, your shoulders will shrug up and hug your ears and your scapula will be elevated. By doing this, you’ll create stability through the shoulder girdle and be able to balance in your handstand with greater ease.

When upside down, I think of reaching my hands through the ground.

4. Improve Your Focus

Selecting a focus point while you’re upside down will go a long way in helping you maintain your balance. I suggest looking through the top of your eyes at a point between your hands and inline with your wrists – but don’t crane your neck. The goal is to stare at the point without moving your eyes at all.

While focusing on this point, it might be handy to run through a mental checklist of the other techniques used to improve your handstand:

1. Squeeze your legs together
2. Point your toes
3. Squeeze your butt
4. Shrug your shoulders
5. Spread your fingers
6. Breathe naturally

An easy exercises to improve your focus can be done while standing. Choose an object in the room, something small, and stare at it for sixty seconds without looking away or becoming distracted. This will help improve your ability to focus without the added complication of balancing upside down.

“I suggest looking through the top of your eyes at a point between your hands and inline with your wrists – but don’t crane your neck.”

Summary

At first it can seem a little daunting to have so many things to remember, especially when you’re trying not to fall over. Don’t worry, in time you won’t have to think of these techniques and they’ll just happen naturally. With continued practice and attention to the little details, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a handstand ninja.

Check out these related articles and videos: 

• How to Hold a Freestanding Handstand
• Conquer the Art of the Freestanding Handstand (Video)
• Freestanding Handstand Therapy (Video)
• What’s New on Breaking Muscle

Photo 1 courtesy of CrossFit Empirical.

The post 4 Techniques To Instantly Improve Your Freestanding Handstand appeared first on Breaking Muscle.