Lunges are viewed as a fantastic and functional lower body exercise. And the fact that lunges activate many of the core muscles too means that you wouldn’t expect to experience lower back pain. In fact, lunges should strengthen many of the muscles responsible for supporting the spine. So, clearly something’s not quite right. The most … Read more
Are you looking to take your leg day workouts to the next level? More specifically, would you like to produce muscular and sculpted quads without a barbell back squat in sight? If so, check out the following 5 quad-focused lunge variations. Lunges will primarily target the quads, glutes, and hamstrings. However, if you want your … Read more
When it comes to lower body strength training you’d have to say that squats and deadlifts are the most popular exercises. However, lunges aren’t that far behind, plus lunges also happen to be a basic human movement pattern. Therefore, it makes sense to lunge on a regular basis. That being said, I want to look … Read more
Most of us typically lunge either forward or backward. However, lateral movement is essential for your overall strength and mobility. Side lunges definitely provide this lateral stimulus, but where exactly should your toes be pointed? The vast majority of trainers state that you should do side lunges with your toes pointed straight ahead. That being … Read more
Lunges are difficult enough at the best of times. But, there are those of us who seem to perform lunges perfectly on one side, but really struggle doing lunges on the other side. If you’re unable to do lunges on one side, or find it much harder, this typically comes down to muscle weakness, tightness, … Read more
To squeeze or not to squeeze, that is the deadlift question. And here is exactly what you need to know. Yes, you should squeeze your glutes at the top of a deadlift. However, this should involve an isometric contraction of the glutes while maintaining a neutral lower back position. Unfortunately, many trainees tend to overextend … Read more
The vast majority of people in the gym have different training goals from each other. Some people want to get as strong as they possibly can, whereas others want to look great and have an awesomely symmetrical physique. So, is it better to train for strength or to train for aesthetics? Whether you train for … Read more
It’s one of those hotly-debated topics, should I lean or should I not lean? And if I lean, how far back should I lean? I am of course talking about the lat pulldown. You should have a slight lean on lat pulldowns of 10-30 degrees. How much will depend on your body type and what … Read more
Firstly, I have to admit that I seem to always have dark patches on my elbows, and even my knees. However, my elbows are definitely worse, especially since I’ve made planks a regular part of my workout routines. Here’s why this happens and what you can do about it. Dark elbows from planking are caused … Read more
Do you find yourself holding your breath whenever you plank? Or do you eventually give up on a plank because you’re struggling to control your breathing? As it turns out, this is an extremely common planking issue. Here’s why this occurs and how to fix it. If you can’t breathe during planks it’s usually because … Read more