VIDEO
Kettlebell Windmills
- Core
- Abs
- Biceps
- Triceps
- Lower Back
- Shoulders
- Quads
- Hamstrings
- Chest
Level:Advanced
Trainer:Nick Taylor
Equipment:Kettlebell
Kettlebell Windmills
- Core
- Abs
- Biceps
- Triceps
- Lower Back
- Shoulders
- Quads
- Hamstrings
- Chest
Level:Advanced
Trainer:Nick Taylor
Equipment:Kettlebell
Sand straigth with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, holding the kettlebell in left head straight overhead. Make sure that your right foot is pointed out and the left foot is pointed straight. Keeping your right leg straight, try to touch the toes with your right hand. If you feel that the left hand is shaking and you can not keep it straight, get the kettlebell a little bit lower.
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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 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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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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Your lower back includes the 5 vertebral bones that are placed on top of each other with intervertebral discs. The bones are connected there using unique joints. The lumbar spine is matched with the thoracic region above and the thighs below.
Individual anatomical structures include :
Vertebrae. It protects important nerve tissues such as the spinal cord and cauda equina.
Disks. The discs usually provide cushioning and cushioning to protect the vertebrae during spinal movements.
Facet joints give a little stability and allow the spine to move in various directions. The facets of the upper lumbar vertebrae are almost the same as the facet joints of the chest and, as it was already written, the main aim is controlling the movement of the spine.
The facets of the lumbar are more flexible and facilitate side-to-side movement.
The large muscles and complex network of ligaments support serve to stabilize it and enhance your twisting and bending movements.
The lumbar supports most of the body. A lot of people feel this kind of pain at some point sometimes. Sedentary muscle atrophy is common, especially if you work in an office and lead a relatively sedentary lifestyle. If you want to make your lower back stronger, start with a regular training program that consists of strength training, stretching, and aerobics or cardiovascular exercise.
Training
Child's pose. Get on all fours and stretch your arms out in front of you. Gently lower your buttocks to your heels. Lower your head to the floor and push your palms forward until your arms are fully extended. Stay in this position for 30 seconds.
Lunges. Lunge with your right foot forward, rest on your hands. Please note that the right hand should be to the left of the leg. Step your right foot about the width of your right hand. Next, without moving your arms, swing your hips forward to stretch the front of the thighs, and hold in this position for 30 seconds. Do the same with the other leg.
Seated crunches. Sit with your legs straight, then bend your knees and bring your left leg over your right, placing it on the outside of your right thigh. Pull your right foot closer to your right buttock. Next, bend your right arm at the elbow and put it behind your left knee, as if keeping yourself twisted. Hold this position for 30 seconds. and repeat the same for the other leg.
Happy child. Lie on the floor, as you exhale, pull your knees to your stomach. As you inhale, grab the outer sides of your feet with your hands. Slightly spread the knees to the sides slightly wider than the body, pull the knees to the armpits. Make sure your shins are perpendicular to the floor. Hold this pose for 30 seconds.
Twisting. Lie on the floor and bend your knees, take your legs to the side, for example to the right. In this case, the left leg should lie on the floor, and the right ankle should be above the left knee. Place your hands next to your head, with your right knee strive downward (to the floor). Stay in this position for 30 seconds. alternately for each side.
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The oblique abdominal muscles are several groups of abdominal muscles on the sides of the core. The external oblique muscle lies on top and the internal oblique muscle - below it. Functional exercises for training them are bending, turning to the sides, and other rotating movements.
However, in order to work your obliques properly, you must remember that most exercises for the oblique muscles involve the other abdominal muscles, the inner transverse muscles, in particular. That's why you need to be able to consciously engage certain areas of the abs during the workout.
The oblique muscles represent the lateral part of the abdominal area. They act as the main rotators of the body. They are represented by two separate muscles, depending on depth and layer:
The outer oblique abdominal muscle forms the superficial layer. It is usually the target of training. It anatomically begins from ribs 5-12.
The internal muscle originates from the lumbosacral fascia, iliac crest, and inguinal ligament. It is attached to the area of the white line, cartilages of ribs 9-12, and pubic crest.
The main task of the oblique abs is to rotate the torso. Although, in addition to the main one, the muscle performs a number of functions:
Tilting of the torso.
Flexion.
Lowering the ribs.
The tension of the anterior abdominal chest wall.
Bilateral contraction.
In general, in order to work your abs properly, it is necessary to follow simple recommendations:
Eat lightly 2-2.5 hours before the exercise. If you train with an empty stomach, you will not work out to your full potential, which means that the workout will be ineffective. An overfilled stomach can also leave negative consequences, such as nausea and severe dizziness.
Warm up your muscles by doing light exercises. Jump, run on the spot or on a machine, do simple tricks like turns, twists, and turns.
Do not overdo it! You don't need to exhaust yourself every day. Try 2-4 times a week - that will be enough for a nice and shapely belly.
Each exercise should stretch your muscles. You should feel how they are tensed. If this is not there, then you are doing something wrong.
Do not eat immediately after the workout. If you feel very hungry, snack on an apple or drink a glass of water. Do not eat after one hour at the earliest.
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