VIDEO
Barbell Front Squat
- Core
- Abs
- Triceps
- Upper Back
- Gluteus
- Quads
- Hamstrings
- Chest
Level:Intermediate
Trainer:Nick Taylor
Equipment:Barbell
Barbell Front Squat
- Core
- Abs
- Triceps
- Upper Back
- Gluteus
- Quads
- Hamstrings
- Chest
Level:Intermediate
Trainer:Nick Taylor
Equipment:Barbell
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, keeping your hands outside of shoulders with loose fingertip grip. Descend your hips back and down. Squat slowly, making sure that your back straight, elbows high, knees are in line with toes. Complete the exercise at full hip and knee extension.
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To work out the perfect buttocks, you need to know what functions they have. In this article, you may read everything about the structure and functions of the gluteus muscles. So, let’s start examining the glutes right now!
First things first, you need to know that glutes consist of three separate parts: large, medium, and small. Accordingly, the functions of the glutes reflect a combination of the functions of these three muscles, and if any of the muscles are not used, then we lack some of them, and, as a result, we do not get the desired look of the buttocks. Probably, it is time to have a closer look at every glute muscle.
The gluteus maximus is the largest of this group of muscles and can reach the thickness of 2-3 cm. It has a rhomboidal shape and almost completely o covers the middle and small gluteus maximus, being on top. In fact, it is this muscle that we usually associate with the considered area of the body that creates the main visible volume.
Here are the main functions of the gluteus maximus:
maintains the position of the torso when the person is standing
assists in extension of the torso after bending over
rotates the hip outward
acts in hip extension.
This muscle is very active during stair climbing and different types of stepping on an elevated surface. It is involved as soon as you change from stepping to running. It is active during upward jumps and various pushing movements of the legs. Besides, the gluteus maximus works together with other muscles in squats and all exercises involving the extension of the thigh and torso.
The middle gluteal muscle (lat. musculus gluteus medius) has a triangle-like shape. It is located under the gluteus maximus but is visible from behind and the side.
The main functions of the middle gluteus muscle are:
extends the hip to the side
participates in the inward and outward rotation of the hip
participates in the torso straightening
And the last, but no less important is the gluteus minimus. This muscle is not visible from the outside because it is the deepest of all three muscles and is completely overlapped by the gluteus medius and gluteus maximus. The shape of the small gluteus maximus resembles the middle gluteus maximus, but it is thinner.
In fact, the functions of this muscle are almost similar to that of the gluteus medius, and they usually work in tandem to create a beautiful shape of your buttocks.
If you are working out your entire body in one workout, do it at least three times a week. Choose one exercise for your gluteus and incorporate it into your program. To avoid stagnation, change exercises after 1-2 workouts.
If you prefer splits, choose 1-2 movements and do it on your leg workout day. Keep in mind that most glute exercises also load the muscles of the posterior surface of the thigh. So if you want to do a heavy deadlift or leg press in a machine, it is better to start with them. Otherwise, the muscles will get tired and you will not be able to work out fully.
We hope that you know more about your glutes right now and your workout will be more effective! Have a nice shape, dear friend.
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This time we suggest paying special attention to the chest muscles. It is this zone that many athletes want to pump, but it is not so easy to do and one classic chest press is not enough.
Chest muscles are one of the most complex and largest muscle groups.
Therefore, competent training must be a combination of basic and isolation exercises. Only in this way, it will be possible to load the muscles at different angles. Exercises with barbells are suitable for increasing muscle mass, and with dumbbells, on blocks and training machines - for improving the form and detailed elaboration. These exercises also activate the stabilizing muscles.
Imagine that the chest muscle is a rubber band that connects the shoulder, collarbone, and sternum. If you lift your arm to the side and then pull the elastic band, it will move your shoulder forward. You do this movement all the time in your normal life like when you close a door, push something away with force, or elbow your jaw.
Most pectoral muscle exercises repeat this movement. The only difference is that they also use a barbell, dumbbells, or crossover slings to create extra resistance.
The chest muscle has two heads: an upper head (clavicle) and a lower head. Their functions are slightly different, and this is important. In order to have a symmetrical chest, you need to pump both heads.
The fibers of the clavicular head are directed upward, so you need to move the shoulder forward from the bottom to the top for additional exercise.
Many people believe that the more they pump their chest, the faster their muscle mass will increase. In fact, this has a negative effect on muscle growth. The muscle gets bigger during rest when the tissues are recovering from an active workout. There are a few tips on how to properly pump your pecs and not overtrain:
Exercise no more than 2 times in 7 days. In between do physical exercises on other parts of the body;
Do not exercise for more than 45 minutes, as this may cause muscle size and strong growth to regress.
Exercises that help you to pump the chest muscles include:
push-ups.
bench presses.
triceps push-ups.
To pump your muscles evenly, alternate your exercises. The bench press is great, but you don't have to do it in every workout, because there are other good options.
Choose the weight so that the last reps in an attempt are difficult. If you find it easy and your muscles don't tire, they won't grow.
Avoid flying in the clouds during the workout: concentrate on the muscle work. It really helps you to pump it better.
Perform 3-5 sets of 8-12 reps. Do not use weights that are too heavy. Especially at the beginning if you do not have a good command of technique.
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Since ancient times, developed muscles have been one of the hallmarks of a harmoniously developed, athletic body. There is no such thing as 'abs' in anatomy. This is a conditional abdominal muscle. There are four of them:
rectus;
internal oblique;
external oblique and transversus.
The rectus abdominis muscle is the largest in area. It’s a popular fallacy that there is a 'lower' and 'upper' press, but the rectus muscle does not have such a division. The notorious 'six-pack' stands out because of the tendon bridges on the rectus abdominis muscle. The muscle bundles of the external abdominal muscle begin from the lower eight ribs and extend radially downward. The transverse muscle is located deeper than the other abdominal muscles. In this case, the tendon extension in the upper two-thirds passes behind the rectus muscle, and in the lower third - in front. Partly because of this, the lower abs are less workable than the upper ones. The abdominal muscles are referred to as the core muscles, the muscle complex responsible for stabilizing the spine, pelvis, and hips. Each of the abdominal muscles is responsible for its own functions. One of the most common fallacies in abdominal training is that the more reps we do in a set, the stronger and bigger the abs will be. In fact, the muscles of the abs are no different in terms of training from the biceps. To increase the biceps, you will do one hundred reps per set. However, you will reduce the number of sets and reps, but increase the load. By increasing the number of repetitions in the set, you will develop strength endurance, but the muscle will not get thicker from this. It is much more effective to increase the load, do sets with weights and reduce the number of repetitions in the set. Three factors affect the appearance of your abs: posture, body fat percentage, and muscle development.
Posture.If a person pumps muscles but slouches, and he has excess fat, then the abs will not be visible. If a person does not pump the abs, but he has a good posture and a small percentage of body fat, then his belly will look flatter. That is why it makes no sense to start with the question of how to properly pump the abs. You need to start by working on your posture. The good news is that your core muscles are also responsible for correct posture. And they are usually used in workouts with an emphasis on the abs.
Fat percentage.Measuring body composition on an analyzer scale will show the percentage of body fat, which explains why the abs are invisible. If the fat is more than 15-20%, then it’s hard to see your six-pack. At 15% or less, the abs begin to be seen. 8% is abs athletes have. But do not try to completely get rid of fat for beautiful abs. Fat is necessary for the proper functioning of the endocrine system and other processes in the body. To achieve tangible results, it is important to monitor the factors that affect the percentage of body fat like food, sleep, stress levels, and the amount of daily physical activity.
Muscle development.You mustn’t focus only on abs exercises, you need to develop the body complexly and do a variety of activities. Strength training will strengthen your muscles, burn calories and build endurance with interval training. Recovery activities help with posture, flexibility, and muscle balance. The optimal training program can be selected after fitness testing, which takes into account how a person moves, what restrictions he has.
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The core is a series of muscles that start under the pectoral and extend to the pelvis. It also includes several groups in the back and other groups throughout the torso. A 'strong back' means a good physique and a healthy body. If you want to learn how to do this, learn to exercise at home or at the gym. Once you have achieved this strength, you can also learn to maintain it.
The midsection is the area of the body often referred to as the core and it involves everything in that area including the front, back and sides. It includes:
lower back.
the traverse abdominis (TVA);
erector spinae;
obliques;
If they are week it could cause lower back and waist pain. However, taking care of them can keep your posture healthy and make you stronger in other exercises like running and walking.
Training. One of the best core exercises is a plank. It provides minimal movement but maximal effort, demanding you to support your body on your hands and toes during holding your body in a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. Also, you can rest on your knees If you need it or make it more difficult by extending your arms so you’re supported by your hands.
Bridge. Lie down on the floor. Put your arms straight down on the floor near your hips. Bend your knees. Lift your hips up and down.
Superman. Do a little push-up. Lie with your face down and stretch and arms forward and your legs backward.
V-Jumps. Sit on a bench or chair, lift your legs, tilt the core slightly forward so that your body forms a 45-degree angle. From this position jump up extending your hands above your head.
Pushup Variation. Put your hands and toes on the mat. Keep your arms straight, but don't lock your elbows. Align your feet making the straight line with your arms. Inhaling, lower your chest to the ground slowly. Straighten your arms to lift your core up, exhaling.
Inchworm Variation. Put your hands on the ground and your feet - on the elevated surface (a bench). Start walking your hands out, as far as you can keeping your legs straight throughout the movement. Make a pause. Walk your hands back up to the starting position.
Reverse Crunches Variation. Bend your legs at the knees and brace your abs to slowly raise your legs so that your knees are directly over your hips. Brace abs and hold the neutral spine position with a slight neutral curve in the lower back. Exhale as you contract the abs Your head should be kept straight and relaxed on the mat. Inhale and slowly return to the starting position.
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The muscle on the back of your shoulder is called the triceps. Triceps originate from the scapula and humerus and attach to the ulna using the triceps tendon. The triceps muscle does the function of extension in the elbow and acts as an auxiliary in the implementation of other movements in the shoulder. During triceps contraction, the vector of movement is transmitted using the tendon.
The mass fraction of the triceps is approximately 2/3 of the muscles of the shoulder, so its size plays a critical role in the formation of beautiful arms. By focusing on the biceps, and forgetting about the triceps muscle, athletes contribute to getting inharmoniously developed arms.
You shouldn't train your triceps more often than 1-2 times a week. Do not forget that many exercises for the pectoral muscles load the triceps, so make up the training program so that the triceps and pectoral muscles are trained on different and distant days, thus some periodization of the load is achieved.
But in some cases, the triceps can be trained on the same day as the pectorals, since all basic chest exercises involve the triceps and vice versa. This means that if you swing your chest, then the triceps already swing by themselves. To increase efficiency, do triceps workouts of different intensities: light-medium-hard, and so on. Rest for at least 1 week after a hard workout.
In classic splits, the triceps are usually the most overloaded muscle, due to the very specifics of training in split programs. To increase the volume of the triceps muscle, do 8-15 repetitions. The total number of triceps sets (the sum of the sets of all triceps exercises) is 3-6.
The basic exercises for pumping triceps are reverse push-ups on the bench and narrow grip barbell press. In addition, an important exercise is a pull of the upper block with a rope - one of the few that uses the lateral head in the work. Since the mechanics of movements are in many ways similar, it is recommended not to combine the presented exercises, but to alternate.
Training.
Reverse push-ups from the bench. Starting position - heels touch the floor, hands on the bench behind your back. Slowly lower your torso down, linger at the bottom point, then with an explosive force push your body weight up over the bench. The elbows are directed backward. To complicate things, use an extra load by putting the weight on your hips.
Bench press with a narrow grip. It’s the exercise to work out the medial head of the triceps. Lie on a bench (keeping your feet firmly on the floor), grab a barbell or dumbbell with a narrow grip, then lift the weight up. During execution, the elbows should be pressed as close to the body as possible.
Bent over triceps extension. It’s for pumping the long and lateral heads of the triceps. When pulling the arm back, make sure that the elbow does not change position (that is, do not swing the arm back and forth or left and right). Also, watch out for the arch of the back - to do this, keep the abs slightly tense.
Top pulldown with rope. A key exercise for pumping the lateral head of the triceps. The movement should be in the lower plane - that is, do not raise your arms higher than chest level. When doing it, make sure that the elbows do not change position, and the body does not swing.
Remember that when building the triceps, you need to correctly feel the amplitude of the exercises - achieving maximum involvement of the muscles without dangerous impact on the shoulder joint. For this, it is better to use an average working weight.
Furthermore, watch your shoulders and head - in particular, don't round your shoulders or lean forward. When doing triceps exercises, the chest should be open, the press should be tense. Otherwise, the load is transferred to the shoulder joints.
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