Summer is the season for backless sundresses, halter tops and bikinis. Unfortunately, back fat can creep up on you when you least expect it, and can be a stubborn beast to banish. Exercise Houston breaks down ways you can keep your back sexy this summer.
Spot sculpting works – focus on a particular muscle group and practice exercises that will firm up that area. Perform back exercises at least three days per week, always allowing a day of rest in between for recovery.
1) Lunge Rows: Using a 10- or 15-pound hand-weight in one hand, get into a lunge position and hinge forward from your hips, not your spine. Pull the weight up to torso-level in a rowing or sawing motion and slowly lower back to the starting position. Your back is typically one of the stronger upper body muscles so don’t be shy about increasing your weight.
2) Lat Pull-downs: Using a wide bar on the Lat Pull-down Machine, hold it with a wide comfortable grip and secure your knees underneath the pad. Pull the bar down to chest level. Extend your arms back to the top, and repeat. Try three sets of 12 lat pull-downs.
3) Reverse Flys: This is the perfect muscle group to target for reducing “bra bulge.” Choose five- to 10-pound weights and begin in a seated position with feet flat, and arms hanging down at your sides. Keep your abs tight, lift both arms horizontally outward and squeeze the shoulder blades together, slowly returning back to the start position. Try three sets of eight to 10 reverse flies.
Don't forget... The trick to spot sculpting is being realistic – if you have overall body fat to lose, your back fat is not going to magically disappear. Get serious about your cardio routine and diet, and remember that it takes 3,500 calories to gain a pound, and 3,500 less calories to burn it. Even 10 minutes of exercise can make a difference!
Fit Tips are provided by Exercise Houston, the leader in high-quality exercise equipment for homes in the Greater Houston Area. For more information on Fit Tips and other fitness advice and expertise visit www.exercisehouston.com or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/exercisehouston.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Circuit Train Your Way to Better Glutes!
Our glute muscles have the potential to be the strongest muscle in our body, giving us the power to lift boxes, carry heavy bags up stairs, run, jump and play. The more we use these muscles, the more powerful they become.
It’s important to burn the fat that covers glute muscles to shed the extra padding, so cardio exercise should be incorporated into butt-busting workouts. The experts at Exercise Houston share the following circuit routines that start with strength and ends with bursts of cardio.
Begin the circuit workout with:
- 15 alternating lunges per leg, completed while holding five- to 10-pound hand weights.
- Without rest, transition from lunges to wide squats, and complete 15 in a row.
Finish the circuit with:
- One minute of plyometric split jumps to give your heart rate a big boost.
- Repeat this circuit one more time and you’ll be on your way to a toned backside!
Next, try:
- 10 to 15 cross chop squats, alternating the squats in each direction.
- Without rest, transition to a side leg lift and perform10 to 15 on each leg, and
Finish off the circuit with:
- One minute of squat thrusts or jumping jacks.
- Complete two rounds of this circuit and you’ll definitely be feeling the backside burn.
For more experienced exercisers... Try performing single leg squats – research shows that this exercise recruits more glute muscles than many other exercises. It also helps you improve balance and stability.
There are many ways to firm your buns with circuits! By following a circuit workout that involves both strength and cardio, you’ll develop a tighter, firmer backside by burning off that extra layer of fat. As always, eating a clean diet of lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, and drinking plenty of water will help you stay trim and melt the fat.
Fit Tips are provided by Exercise Houston, the leader in high-quality exercise equipment for homes in the Greater Houston Area. For more information on Fit Tips and other fitness advice and expertise visit www.exercisehouston.com or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/exercisehouston.
It’s important to burn the fat that covers glute muscles to shed the extra padding, so cardio exercise should be incorporated into butt-busting workouts. The experts at Exercise Houston share the following circuit routines that start with strength and ends with bursts of cardio.
Begin the circuit workout with:
- 15 alternating lunges per leg, completed while holding five- to 10-pound hand weights.
- Without rest, transition from lunges to wide squats, and complete 15 in a row.
Finish the circuit with:
- One minute of plyometric split jumps to give your heart rate a big boost.
- Repeat this circuit one more time and you’ll be on your way to a toned backside!
Next, try:
- 10 to 15 cross chop squats, alternating the squats in each direction.
- Without rest, transition to a side leg lift and perform10 to 15 on each leg, and
Finish off the circuit with:
- One minute of squat thrusts or jumping jacks.
- Complete two rounds of this circuit and you’ll definitely be feeling the backside burn.
For more experienced exercisers... Try performing single leg squats – research shows that this exercise recruits more glute muscles than many other exercises. It also helps you improve balance and stability.
There are many ways to firm your buns with circuits! By following a circuit workout that involves both strength and cardio, you’ll develop a tighter, firmer backside by burning off that extra layer of fat. As always, eating a clean diet of lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, and drinking plenty of water will help you stay trim and melt the fat.
Fit Tips are provided by Exercise Houston, the leader in high-quality exercise equipment for homes in the Greater Houston Area. For more information on Fit Tips and other fitness advice and expertise visit www.exercisehouston.com or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/exercisehouston.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Men’s Health Magazine Proves Vibration Training Builds More Muscle
While the likes of Mark Wahlberg and footballer David James praise the effects of Power Plate as part of their fitness regime, there are still many men out there who don’t believe in the power of vibration training. So imagine Exercise Houston’s excitement when Men’s Health published a study showing that using a Power Plate machine WILL actually help to build muscle!
A team at the University of Oklahoma used gym volunteers to test the stress on their muscles using a vibrating platform, before traditional exercise. Researchers found that “stressing your muscles for a few seconds on a vibrating platform, such as a Power Plate, before lifting a weight can temporarily increase your strength, upping your lifting capacity and leading to more muscle gain in a shorter time.”
For all of the guys out there who are still puffing and panting away on a home gym while trying to increase your lifting capacity the traditional way, why not try out the Power Plate machine to warm up your muscle for an accelerated workout?!
A team at the University of Oklahoma used gym volunteers to test the stress on their muscles using a vibrating platform, before traditional exercise. Researchers found that “stressing your muscles for a few seconds on a vibrating platform, such as a Power Plate, before lifting a weight can temporarily increase your strength, upping your lifting capacity and leading to more muscle gain in a shorter time.”
For all of the guys out there who are still puffing and panting away on a home gym while trying to increase your lifting capacity the traditional way, why not try out the Power Plate machine to warm up your muscle for an accelerated workout?!
Fit Tips are provided by Exercise Houston, the leader in high-quality exercise equipment for homes in the Greater Houston Area. For more information on Fit Tips and other fitness advice and expertise visit www.exercisehouston.com or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/exercisehouston.
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