Straight- Legged Deadlifts...

...or Stiff-Legged Deadlifts, are Great for back of Leg Cellulite smoothing!

Cellulite ::
Trapped fat that develops subcutaneously (right under the skin) and creates a lumpy or dimpled appearance. If you suffer from this (non life-threatening disorder) you need to focus on weight loss and weight lifting exercises. Beyond cardio & smart (clean) eating, Building muscle can help increase your metabolism and give your body, and yes your legs, better definition.

Deadlifts ::
To do stiff legged deadlifts, hold a barbell in front of your thighs, & standing with your feet shoulder width apart and grab the bar with a hip or shoulder-width, overhand grip. (*You can use a mixed over/under-handed grip, if you're lifting Very Heavy, to maximize the time you can maintain your grip)
Bend at the hips and Lower the bar - your arms and Torso - towards the ground, keeping the arms parallel to the thighs. Feel the contraction through your hamstrings & glutes, stand back up contracting the core as you exhale.
In order to avoid strain of the lower back, ensure that you are keeping the abs contracted, and choose a challenging but manageable weight, in order to hold proper form.

#workoutwednesday - Me Going HEAVY (for ME) last week!

While you don't need to go for a MAXIMUM lift everytime, you DO however need to pick a weight that will challenge your leg muscles through the ENTIRE range of the Deadlift movement.
Try it!!
Mia - xo

WORKOUT WINSDAY !!!

Just a little someting I did today...

My warmUp exercise for the chest & back burner from this morning :)

Full Burpee to Wall Grip PullUps

Enjoy the vid, and if you're feeling *springy* Try em!!

Mia - xo

Put your BEST foot FORWARD...

...AND LUNGE!!

  

Other than Squats, LUNGES are probably my favorite (and the most effective) Leg & Butt strengthening, building & all-around (re)shapting exercise you can do.

 

While, we ALL know that this may be for different ends (different goals esthetically as well as where strength/power are concerned) BOTH  Men & Women benefit from working the Quadriceps, Hamstrings & Gluteal groups.

According to the Dictionary, a LUNGE (*the noun) is defined as "Any sudden, or purposeful, forceful, Forward movement."  I'm going to take it a few steps further.

Where fitness/exercise is concerned:

A Lunge is "any purposeful, forceful movement, in ANY direction" since, as you know, lunges can be done forward, backwards, laterally (*side to side) or Stationary Up & Down. The exercise stance, takes it name from the body position used in the Lunge or Thrust position in Swordplay.

 

One foot is in front bent at or above a 90degree angle and the other is behind, either bent, also at or above 90degrees. Or it can be behind, but kept straight in an extended line (*as in the case of the crescent & warrior 1&2 stances, in yoga)

 

The load bearing angle on the front leg, is the reason a stationary lunge is sometimes also called "a split squat".  Although, according to the University of Michigan, while the joint angles are extremely similar, the torque (*the force about an axis) is where the difference lies, and this is how we get a difference in effect apart from the two-legged ("regular") squat.

Ok all science aside...

Here are some Benefits to Lunges for BOTH Males & Females ::

According to the American Council on Exercise, this single exercise works the abs, glutes, hips and both the quadriceps & hamstrings groups, fairly equally, all at once. In this way, the lunge is unique. Squats, Presses & Curls typically work one more than the other, and don't always allow you to achieve the needed ranges for total muscle group activation. Also, Lunges have more options for variation than these other exercises.

 

Apart from the Strength gains & size growth, the flexibility gained from performing the Lunge will improve not only your daily functional movement, but also your athletic performance. For example: The increased flexibility enables you to develop a more efficient running motion because you can increase the time your feet spend on the ground. This in turn allowing you to achieve more power from the push off. In addition to this, the lunge will help you with balance & stability and with any of the basic functional movements for any sporting activity requiring fast reaching/lunging movements, or quick changes in direction. (*Dance, Tennis, Hockey, Football - yes, BOTH kinds). This improvement in functional movement makes lunges benficial for everyday living & movement.

Beyond this, they just downright make the legs (*and butt) look GOOOOOOD!

Some Tips ::

• Maintaining neutral spinal alignment throughout the range of motion is important.
• During movement, the plane of the shoulders should remain parallel to the floor and the back should be straight. Keeping the chest up ensures the back remains straight and keep the core girdle tight.
• Tilting to either side in the descent or ascent can lead to injury
• Keep your lead knee at a 90-degree angle or higher. The knee should be in line with the toes from start to finish.
• Do not go too far forward or downward, stop at a depth where you can keep the knee over the lead foot's toes
• Lunge as deep as you want, as long as you can maintain the 90degree flexion at the knee; the deeper you go, the more challenging it is to get back to the start position.

Here are the Basics ::

Forward Lunge - To perform the perfect lunge, start with both feet together, stepping one leg forward and keeping the other back.  You must step far enough forward that you are able tolower your body until both knees are at 90-degree angles. In perfect alignment,  your front thigh becomes parallel with the floor. Pause for a moment before slowly pushing your back leg forward. You can either do all the repetitions with the same foot & THEN switch, OR you can alternate sides for the total number of reps.

Stationary Lunge - Start with one leg forward, one leg back, ensuring the lead foot is an adequate distance ahead of the body so that as you lower, you can maintain proper form (*same as the end position of the forward lunge)

 

Variations

Lateral (side) Lunge - Step out sideways from centre, the anchor foot stays sideways (*like Yoga Warrior), & butt drops as you sit BACK, not over the outside leg. Lower yourself until you get your Knee at or above 90degrees, & the anchor leg stays straight. To return to start position, push from the outside foot; This move also enlists the adductors and abductors (*leg's close & open muscles)
 
Rotational Lateral Lunge - Similar to the lateral lunge, except the hips & toes turn out (*like in fencing); Rear leg stays straight.

Reverse - The effects on the muscle are the same, but the reverse Lunge places less stress on the knees because the knees cannot extend beyond the toes; After reaching the most comfortable bottom position, shift your balance forward and then push off with your rear foot while straitening your forward leg.

After you can master impeccable form with only body weight - Step it up >> weighted (Barbell on top of shoulders, Dumbbell carrying), walking lunges/ weighted walking lunges, jumping (single-sided or switching feet), balanced (bench/swiss ball), incline (lead foot on an elevation), decline (rear foot on an elevation), Lunge with Core twist (at end position rotate the body over the lead thigh)

 

*WHEW* Long-Winded, but I really do recommend LUNGES!! I love them! And they WORK!

Cheers,
Mia

Alis Volat Propriis

Translation :: SHE FLIES ON HER OWN WINGS...
It's My Mantra & the inspiration behind this Scorching Arm workout!

Hands Up if  >>>
Ladies: You planning to rock that Strapless number for New Year's Eve?
Fellas: Want to bring the cannons to the Christmas GUN SHOW?

3 Quick Tips to remember
1. There is NO such thing as SPOT toning or SPOT weight-loss.
To tone a muscle you need to lose fat! This is the biggie to keep in mind. Arm toning is not possible without losing fat. And, sadly, it is not possible to lose fat off of ONLY your arms. This means that if you want to tone your ARMS you need to start with CLEAN FOOD INTAKE & CARDIO, in order to lose fat from the WHOLE BODY.

2. You WILL need to lift Weights! < LADIES, YOU TOO!
Gasp! Sputter! "Oh no, I thought this was only TONING, I dont want to BULK UP"
For this mindstate you deserve a *BIG STINGING SLAP*
2 things you MUST commit to memeory
>>> MUSCLE BURNS FAT BETTER THAN FAT! Floopy ropey un-muscles are no contest to actual muscle in keeping the body metabolizing its own fat as a fuel source!
>>> Girls do NOT have enough testosterone to readily stack muscle fibers and add mass.
TRUST ME! It's VERY hard to add even 1" of mass on your arms (it took me 9 GRUELLING months!)

3. To EFFECTIVELY Recruit new muscle fiber cells, you must CHALLENGE your muscles.
i.e you need to go HAM (Heavy As aMutha) well... as HAM as you can! LOL! Also, By recruiting new muscle fibers, you avoid Bat-wing & arm cellulite (*eeeewwwww)

ALLATHAT being said...

>>> YOU NEED WEIGHTS - It's all Free-Weight based.
Ladies you CAN & should pick a challenging weight (*your purse is 10pounds, don't tell me you can only curl 4 lbs) you're aiming for 15-20 reps; Gents choose a weight where you can get 10-15 SOLID reps (*Form is KING) shoot for 10-15 reps.
NB - with men having T+ hormone, they don't need to hit as many reps to feel the deep burn in the muscle bellies, and they will in most cases, lift heavier. Therefore, to keep proper form, stick to the lower rep range.
(*My IRON MAIDENS, don't hate me! I know WE stay out-Beastin' most of these dudes out there, but I'm talking Gen-Pop, genetic stats - No disrespect, to anyone!)

Here's a Quick and Effective 30min INTENSE Arms Circuit to burn calories & make those muscles WORK! You CAN do the Circuit 3x!! YES.YOU.CAN !!
*It should take between 8-10mins per round depending on the rest you take (*30-60sec b/w each move)

1. Barbell Curl
- Feet shoulder width apart
- Hold barbell about shoulder width apart.
- Keep elbows in a neutral, but fixed, position by your side
- Using your biceps, lift the weight up to the top of your chest.
- Lower it slowly & without moving your elbows

2. Close Grip Barbell Bench Press (Laying on a bench)
- Use a manageable, but challenging, weight.
- Grasp barbell a bit narrower than shoulder width, unrack the bar and with a tight core, bring it down to your mid-torso (around the diaphragm region).
- Push the weight up using your triceps and lower it to the same position.
- Just before it reaches your chest fire it up in the pushing direction again before it gets a chance to rest on your body. (This prevents your chest from taking over with the weight lifting.)

3. Facing Palms Chin-Up (*yes, you can put ONE foot on a chair)
- Grasp the Pull-up bar at shoulder width.
- Allow the arms to be at full extension
- Pull the body upward, contracting the Biceps, as well as the latissimus dorsi (*those wings behind your armpits)

4. Dumbell Reverse Grip Bicep curl to Shoulder Press
- Holding two dumb bells resting on your thighs, standing feet shoulder width apart.
- Start with palms facing your thighs.
- Using the Biceps, curl the weight upward to the chest, palms are facing out.
- Push the dumb bells from the chest over your head, Pressing with the shoulders, until arms are extended
- Lower slowly until the elbows are back to 90degrees, and then back down to thighs.

5. Wide Position Push-Ups (*yes, if you MUST, you can do them on your knees)
- Start with your body in Plank position, move your hands outside of shoulder width, in-line with your armpits.
- Hold the core, and lower the body down slowly & controlled, making sure to keep the shoulders/hips/heels in a strong, straight line.
- When your elbows reach 90degrees Push upward through the palms to return to plank position
(*you can lower your chest to the floor, if you're able to)

6. Tricep Supination Kick backs
- Take a manageable dumb bell in one hand. Place the other hand and knee on a low flat bench.
- Keeping your back straight lift your elbow so that your upper arm is in line with your torso, and your thumb is facing forward.
- Slowly contract the triceps, extending the arm & lift the dumb bell until the arm is almost straight.
- As you extend rotate the thumb so its facing your hip, or upward (*will depend on the weight & your flexibility)
- Rotate back while lowering, controlled

7. 2-angle Flyes (Upright & Bent Over)
- Holding 2 dumb bells at your sides, palms in; feet shoulder width apart.
- Keeping the core tight, lift the arms outward & upward until the back of the palms reach the height of your shoulder caps (*deltoids)
- Lower slowly. As the dumb bells reach your sides, bend the knees slightly.
- Hingeing at the hips, keeping the back straight & the core tight, lift the arms out & upward again, until you reach level with your shoulder blades (*scapulae)
- Lower slowly & Stand upright

8. Forward Supination V-Raises
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet shoulder width apart, arms at your sides.
- Starting with the palms facing in.
- With arms straight but not locked, raise the weights diagonally in front of you, so that your arms form a V shape
- Lift until your arms are parallel to the floor, supinating (*rotating) the forearms, until the thumbs face in, palms face downward.
- Rotate back until palms face in again, and lower slowly back to thighs.


Now on the count of THREE, everyone front-double-bi flex, ready? 1...2...3... FLEXIN'
Mia - xo

(ps - If you absolutely don't have gym or equipment access, you can email me for at-home alternatives bodymorphology@gmail.com)