Friday Fitness Challenge

Happy Friday everyone!  It's time for another Friday Fitness Challenge.  Feel free to share this with your friends and family so they can get in on the fun as well.  :)  I'll also be sharing the workouts I do on a daily basis on both Twitter and Instagram, which you can follow my by just clicking on the icons to the right on my site, if you're just looking for new exercises or ideas to add to your routines. Have a great rest of your Friday and an even better workout! :)

- Mike

- 25 jumping jacks
- 10 overhead dumbbell split squats (10 each leg) If you don't have dumbbells, a stack of books held over your head will work.
- 1 min. plank
- 10 bird dogs (each side)
- 10 pushups
- 20 Russian twists (left, then right = 1 rep)
- 10 chair dips
- 20 chair step ups w/knee raise (alternate legs each time you step up)
- 15 burpees
- 45 sec. side plank (each side)
Rest. Repeat 2-3 more times.

Tuesday Training Tip - Bent-over Barbell Rows

Today's Tuesday Training Tip will cover the bent-over barbell row.  This is a great lat exercise and is a good partner to go along with pullups and lat pulldowns.  If you're looking to build a wider back and expand those lats, this is a great exercise to do.  Here's how to perform them.

Step up to the bar with your feet shoulder width apart and grab the bar about shoulder width or a little outside shoulder width. You can grab the bar two different ways, over grip or under grip.  I choose to do over grip because it's very easy to start using your biceps while performing this movement, but this exercise is meant to focus on your lats.  Bend over at the waist.  I like to keep the bar close to my legs, the starting position the bar is actually touching my knees.  When you pull the bar up, you want to pull towards your waist, not straight up to your chest.  Pulling straight up will engage your biceps and again, not what you're looking to do, this is an exercise for your lats.  When you get the bar up to your waist, pause and give a good squeeze.  If you can't pause at the top of the movement, your weight is too heavy, drop to a lighter weight.

- Mike

We All Can Make It

Hello everyone! There's nothing wrong with having someone you look up to or someone that drives you to be better. But, feeling you always need to one up someone or doing something that isn't who you are as a person simply to compete with someone...well that's where we might just be steering ourselves down the wrong path.

For those of you that know me, personal training isn't my full-time job. It's a passion I have along with fitness. I love helping people with fitness questions or helping them with getting started on their workout plans. I do a lot of fitness consultations and even though they don't decide to work with me, if they leave that consultation having gained more knowledge and courage to begin a healthier path, than I feel I did what I have always promised myself I would and that is to help as many people as I can so that everyone can succeed.
 

Have a great Monday everyone and if you can, help out anyone you can! :)

- Mike

Training Tip - Biceps

Hello everyone! A little Tuesday training tip for you guys. When training biceps you have to keep in mind there are two heads. The short head, located on the inside part of your bicep, is what gives your arm width when viewing it from the front. The long head, the more outer head of the bicep, is the peak when viewing it from the side.

Here I'm doing a dumbbell spider curl. This movement focuses more in the short head, adding that width to my biceps when viewing it from the front. Hang off the end of an inclined bench with your arms hanging straight down. Hold the dumbbells so the ends are touching. Curl straight up, hinging at your elbows, while keeping the dumbbells pressed together throughout the movement. Pause at the top of the contraction for a squeeze. If you can't pause at the top, the weight is too heavy. Drop to a lighter weight to ensure you get that squeeze at the top.

- Mike

Monday Motivation

At times we can be our own worst enemy or we can be the one standing in our own way of progress. Break out of that shell and overcome something you never thought you could do!

- Mike

Friday Fitness Challenge

Hello everyone! If you're unable to make it to the gym today, but still want to get a workout in at home, give this a try. If you're looking for more home workouts like this one please feel free to check out my other Friday Fitness Challenges on this site or check out my Facebook page by clicking on the Facebook icon. Have a great Friday and an even better workout! :)

- 25 jumping jacks
- 10 backward lunges (each leg)
- 1 minute plank
- 15 push ups
- 15 chair dips
- Side plank (30 sec. each side)
- 15 glute bridges
- wall sit (hold for 30 sec.)
- 1 min. plank
Rest. Repeat 2 more times

- Mike