Tag Archive | "squats"

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WOW – Mondays Workout 18/7/2011


Todays workout is a leg blast that’ll have your knees trembling and your quads quivering…!

Perform a 3 set pyramid of the following exercise increasing the weights set by set. Ideally, your last weight on the first exercise should be your first weight on the second exercise and so on…(Don’t worry, I’ll provide you with an example)

  1. Overhead barbell squats (e.g. 15 reps 20 kg, 12 reps 25kg, 10 reps 30kg)
  2. Front Squats (e.g. 15 reps 30kg, 12 reps 35 kg, 10 reps 40kg)
  3. Back squats (e.g. 15 reps 40kg, 12 reps 45kg, 10 reps 50kg)
  4. Tabata body weight squats*

* Tabata squats 8-10 sets of bodyweight squats 20 seconds of work, 10 seconds recovery. Rest 1 minute between sets and 2 minutes between exercises.

Overhead squats

Overhead Squats

 
Front Squats

Front Squats

Back Squats

Back Squats

Bodyweight Tabata Squats

Bodyweight Tabata Squats

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Popularity: 4% [?]

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WOW – Mondays Workout 16/05/2011


The Doubler is a simple but effective self-regulating workout…

Duration: 15 minutes approximately
Equipment: Stopwatch
Method: Perform a maximum set of press ups and then rest 15 seconds. Next, perform double that amount of squats and then rest 15 seconds. Perform a 2nd set of max rep press ups, rest 15 seconds and then perform double that amount of squats. Continue for 5 sets. (See example below)

Set 1
24 press ups/48 squats
Set 2
19 press ups/38 squats
Set 3
16 press ups/32 squats
Set 4
12 press ups/24 squats
Set 5
9 press ups/18 squats

Totals 80 press ups/160 squats

squats man

Popularity: 5% [?]

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WOW – Thursdays workout 14/04/2011


Press-ups-clap-300x225Push ups and squats – two classic exercises that can be performed just about anywhere. Todays workout combines these two Ultra-Fit favourites into a quick and powerful workout.

Set up a step box to just below knee height and grab your stopwatch.

 

 

 

 

Box squat jumps
Stand astride your box with your feet flat on the floor
Squat down and lightly touch your butt to the box top
Dynamically jump up onto the box
step or jump down
Repeat for 10 reps

Incline press ups
With your feet on the same box, adopt the press up position
Bend your arms and lower your chest to the floor
Extend your arms and push back up
Repeat for 10 reps

At the top of each minute, perform a set of 10 box jumps alternated with a set of 10 inline press ups to total 20 minutes. For an extra tough workout, you can skip (jump rope) during your rest intervals.

Minute 1 – 10 box squat jumps
Minute 2 – 10 incline press ups
Minute 3 – 10 box squat jumps
Minute 4 – 10 incline press ups
etc etc
Minute 19 – 10 box squat jumps
Minute 20 – 10 incline press ups

Popularity: 6% [?]

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WOW – Mondays Workout 14/02/2011


Lucy’s Leg Challenge

This workout is named after one of our personal training clients, Javelin thrower Lucy Rann. We hope you enjoy it as much as she did!

As a non-stop circuit perform:

5 squat jumps
5 speed squats*
10 seconds wall squat

* Squat jumps – squat to 90 degree knee flexion and then jump as high as you can. On landing, immediately transition into another repetition.

** Speed squats – perform body weight squats to 90 degrees of knee flexion as fast as possible.

*** Wall squats – squat down with your back against a wall and hold for prescribed duration.

Rest for 30 to 60 seconds

10 squat jumps
10 speed squats
20 seconds wall squat

Rest for 30 to 60 seconds

15 squat jumps
15 speed squats
30 seconds wall squat

Rest for 30 to 60 seconds

20 squat jumps
20 speed squats
40 seconds wall squat

Rest for 30 to 60 seconds

15 squat jumps
15 speed squats
30 seconds wall squat

Rest for 30 to 60 seconds

10 squat jumps
10 speed squats
20 seconds wall squat

Rest for 30 to 60 seconds

5 squat jumps
5 speed squats
10 seconds wall squat

Simple but leg shakingly effective!

jump squat

Popularity: 6% [?]

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How to Squat


In today’s “how to” we are going to take a looking at the barbell squat. The squat is regarded as one of the best exercise for shaping your entire lower body. This powerhouse movement can aid in great improvements in lower back, core and thigh strength but only practiced correctly! The squat is commonly performed with a loaded barbell braced on the fleshy part of the upper back (trapezius muscle) for the duration of the exercise, but it also has a plenty of variations’ to suit first time squatters and those with limited equipment access. The main muscles involved in the squat are the quadriceps (front of the legs), gluteals (buttocks), erector spinae (lower back), abs, and the hamstrings (back of the legs).

Back squat girl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How To squat

  • Using a squat rack or Smith machine adjust an unloaded barbell to your shoulder height position.
  • Stand under the bar and rest it on the trapezius muscle/upper back – a bit higher than the posterior deltoid (rear head of the shoulder muscle). Take a firm grasp on the bar.
  • Take a deep breath, contract the abdominal muscles (core), slightly arch the lower back and lift your chest.
  • Look straight ahead and proceed to lift the barbell from the squat stand/Smith machine.
  • If using a rack take one or two steps back, and position your feet shoulder width and parallel to each other. Push your butt back, bend your knees and lower down avoiding rounding your lower back.
  • If using a Smith machine position your feet under the barbell shoulder width with feet parallel to each other. Push your butt back, bend your knees and lower down avoiding rounding the low back.
  • When thighs are horizontal to the floor, proceed to straighten your legs and return to the start position at this point breath out. Make sure you keep your feet flat at all times.

Troubleshooting the Squat

The most common problem that occurs with the barbell squat when first learning this exercise is rounding at the lower back, which is responsible for most lumbar spine injuries during this exercise. Using different variations of the squat movement can aid in the development of good practice.

The basic learning squat I use is the stability ball squat variation up against the wall.

swiss ball squat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How To Do Stability Ball Squats

  • Position the stability ball within the natural arch of your lower back and place your feet shoulder width and parallel to each other.
  • Take a deep breath, contract the abdominal muscles (core), slightly arch the lower back and lift your chest.
  • Keeping the chest lifted, shoulders open and using the stability ball as a guide slowing slide down the ball reaching backwards with the bottom.
  • When thighs are horizontal to the floor, proceed to straighten the legs and return to the start position at this point breath out.

Using this variation of squat provides options to progress.

  1. Simply holding dumbbells adds to the intensity and physical demands on the body especially the quads and core muscles.
  2. Using a broomstick as you would a barbell simulates the barbell version while keeping the good learning form set by the stability ball.  

Most Common Squat Variants

  • Bodyweight squat – no equipment? No problem! This option suits the endurance, home exerciser and circuit.
  • Box squat – this form of squat is performed by sitting on a bench for one or two seconds before standing and helps develop explosive strength.
  • Front squat – resting a barbell on the upper part of the chest with an overhand grip…a common athletic exercise for the legs.
  • Power squats – like the barbell squat expect that the legs are farther apart and toes pointed out.
  • Leg press – a resistance machine form of squat. Not as good as you don’t need to use your core muscles but better than leg extensions!

As you can see there are many different types of squat and I’ve only listed a handful. Why don’t you give this super exercise a try for an lower body hit. Start slowly with higher reps and lighter load until you get established, use mirrors and seek local advice from a trainer if you feel you need a little more guidance.

Enjoy!

Andreas Michael

For more from Andreas, please visit…

http://www.metrohealthandfitness.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/user/metrofitness
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Metro-Fitness/111807072215098

 

Popularity: 6% [?]

Posted in Fitness, Resistance training, Understanding FitnessComments (1)

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