Personal Training Tip: Split Squat Variation – Bodies By Design
September 12, 2011 by Alek Gazdic
Filed under Fitness Tips
Bodies by Design Fitness Tips
Aaron demonstrates an elevated split squat variation, which targets the leg muscles and also increases flexibility of the hip.
For this front-foot elevated split squat variation, you’ll need to be in front of a cable station. Use a step platform or weight plate to elevate your front foot, then grab a handle while holding a stationary lunge position. If your left foot is forward, you should be holding the weight in your right hand, then place your left hand on your hip. With a nice, tall posture (chest up), do a forward lunge, then step back slowly making sure you’re bending your back knee. If you’re doing this right you should feel it working your quadriceps while also stretching the muscles of your opposing hip, which will improve hip mobility.
Personal Training Tip: Kettlebell Circuit – Bodies By Design
September 7, 2011 by Alek Gazdic
Filed under Fitness Tips
Bodies by Design Fitness Tips
Mark performs a kettlebell circuit, which targets many muscles, boosts your heart rate and challenges your muscles in a new way.
This 1-arm kettlebell circuit consists of three moves: the swing, the clean and the snatch. For all of the exercises, it’s very important to keep your back straight. For the swing, start by holding the kettlebell between your legs, then thrust your hips to generate power and let the kettlebell swing out in front of you and up to about your shoulders. Let the weight fall back between your legs and repeat the motion without stopping. To complete the clean, it’s a similar motion but here you pause and let the kettlebell come to a stop in front of your shoulder, holding it in place using your forearm. Finally, the snatch requires you to start with a swing but then with a quick retraction of the arm and small movement in the wrist this turns into a shoulder press, finishing the move with the kettlebell over your head and your arm straight. Complete all your repetitions with one arm, then repeat with your other arm. The benefits of kettlebell training are that it requires you to use many muscles throughout your body, which boosts your heart rate and challenges your muscles in a different way.
