Refueling your muscles after an intense workout is important. In fact, it’s vital to your determination to master your body’s natural desire to slow down and take it easy after the hard work is done. Professional bodybuilders and athletes know that aches and pains and muscle spasms are the price to be paid for peak maximum performance; and it doesn’t come simply by wishing for it.
Nutrition is key to your post workout recovery. Researchers have been delving into this problem for many years, and although final conclusions are still not set in stone, there is mounting evidence that protein intake is an essential part of it. And not just the ingesting of protein, but the speed at which the body assimilates protein. When your muscles are crying out for protein to convert into glycogens, waiting several hours for that steak you just snarfed down to reach your muscles as protein is not the best solution. So how can protein get to your muscular infrastructure the quickest?
First, let it be said that you don’t stop eating well -- that a diet rich in organic meats, whole grain carbs, organic legumes, and deep green veggies such as kale and spinach, is not essential to your continued success; it IS essential, but it should be supplemented.
Supplements that immediately go to work to increase protein levels, and thus raise insulin levels as well (which are essential in muscle tone recovery) should be consumed immediately after a workout, with continuing doses for the next six hours when possible.
Endurance athletes need at least 1.5 ounces of protein right after a workout, depending on body weight. Those who weigh in over 200 pounds should increase that intake to at least 2 ounces. It’s important to also realize that female endurance athletes absorb protein faster than male athletes, due to the different set of hormones their body naturally produces. But in either case, quick protein conversion in the muscles is necessary to prevent micro-tears in the muscles and ligaments.
Poor dietary planning frustrates fitness goals for many endurance and strength athletes. As stated earlier, a good protein powder supplement, taken immediately after a workout, will reach the muscles in a matter of minutes rather than hours.
But that’s not all there is to it. Both vitamins C and D act as transmitters in the body, shuttling the needed protein to all of the body on a molecular level. Low levels of these vitamins will frustrate the transportation of protein to where it is most needed after a workout. This means that vitamin tablets or vitamin supplements should be included in every athlete’s diet.
The body tolerates liquids much better than solids after a workout. So if you plan on getting some carbs and protein from your food, you should have a light meal before your workout, and then immediately afterwards start drinking a liquid nutritional supplement for maximum effect.
Research now vindicates what most strength and endurance trainers have advised for years: Eat several light meals each day, instead of gorging on a huge plate of carbs and proteins at one sitting. Too much content in the stomach diverts the blood to the gastrointestinal region, causing drowsiness and disorientation. It also slows down the travel of protein to muscles, thus slowing their absorption. Athletes who still feel hungry after a quick browse should increase their consumption of liquid protein and amino acids to combat those cravings for more solid food.
In sum, to quickly recover after a workout you should eat a light meal just before exercising and then start drinking a liquid nutritional supplement as soon as you finish your workout.
Original article and pictures take cdn.shopify.com site
This workout is travel-friendly as well since the entire workout is do-able from a hotel room or your living room and the band is so small and easy to pack and take on the go.
Now you can stay beach-booty ready at all times with this workout as your secret weapon.
To complete this workout all you will need is one elastic loop resistance band. No shoes are required, but wear them if you like. You may also want an exercise mat if you’re working out on a hard surface.
We’ll do 8 different exercises as two different circuits. The first 4 exercises are standing, the following 4 are seated.
Here’s how to do the workout:
Complete the 4 standing exercises as a circuit for 3 rounds, before moving on to the next 4 exercises.
Complete the 5 seated exercises as a circuit for 3 rounds.
Two options for Reps:
Option 1: Follow the number of reps given for each exercise, rest about 15 second between exercises
Option 2: use a timer and set it for intervals of 45 seconds work on each exercise, 15 seconds rest between exercises
Either way take about 30 seconds between rounds, and 1-2 minutes between circuits. Here are the 4 standing exercises for the first circuit:
Resisted Stiff Leg Deadlifts
Deadlifts are excellent for strengthening your lower back, hamstrings and glutes. They will noticeably lift, firm and elevate your butt.
Begin by stepping your feet onto one side of the resistance band and grabbing the other side with both hands. Make sure your back is straight (not rounded) and your shoulders are in line with your hips. Look straight down at the ground so that you don’t over extend your neck.
Keep a slight bend in your knees. Your feet should be placed about hip width apart. Keep a tight hold on the band with your hands and by initiating movement from your hips, stand all the way upright, flexing your butt and legs.
Do not bend your elbows or shrug your shoulders. Keep your upper body relaxed and unstressed.
Keeping a tight core, slowly hinge at your hip joint to return down to the starting position. Do not go so low that you lose tension on the stretch band. Stop lowering once you feel a stretch sensation in your hamstrings and you’re as low as you can get without rounding your lower back.
Exhale each time you stand and flex your butt and inhale each time you lower back to the starting position.
Instructions: Do 15 reps – or perform as many as you can in 45 seconds.
Squat Side Kicks
Squats are amazing for toning your butt, but add this side kick and you’ll feel the benefit in your inner and outer thighs as well!
Start with the resistance band around your knees, just below the knee caps and assume a squat position. Make sure your weight is heavy on your heels, not on the toes, this alignment is important to make sure you work your butt instead of your thigh muscles.
Next, as you stand up, lean all your weight to one side, allowing your other foot to lift off the ground and kick up to parallel with the ground.
Aim to use your strength instead of swinging the leg up, and pause for just a moment at the top, before slowly lowering your leg back down with control.
When you are in the squat position, ensure that your knees are pointing straight ahead over your toes and not caving in towards each other. Alternate sides, going all the way down into your squat between each one.
Instructions: Do 20 reps alternating OR as many as you can in 45 seconds.
Squat Hold Butterfly’s
Butterfly’s are a great hip abduction exercise. The muscles that are responsible for abduction are the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus – basically all your butt muscles! Which makes this exercise amazing for booty isolation training.
Keeping the band in the same position as before: just below the knee caps. Assume the same squat position with your weight shifted back so that the pressure is on your heels. Hold your hands just in front of your chest with your elbows lightly touching your knees.
Now stretch the band as wide as you can, opening your knees out to the sides, away from your elbows.
Flex all of the muscles in your butt, then return your knees back towards your elbows with control. Do not lose tension on the band, it should feel tight throughout the exercise.
Don’t worry if the range of motion feels small – your knees should only move about 4-6 inches farther apart and back. It is a small movement, but a powerful one.
Instructions: Do 25 reps OR as many as you can do in 45 seconds.
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Split Squat Kickbacks
I call this one a “split squat” instead of a lunge because the movement is only up and down, rather than forward and back. We’ll add a kickback to increase the booty training even more!
Start with the resistance band just below your knee caps. Step one foot back behind you into a lunge position, with both knees bent at a 90 degree angle. Make sure your back is straight and your core is tight. Keep your hands on your hips for balance and stability.
Place the majority of your weight onto your front foot. As you lift up out of the split squat, lean forward and kick the back leg back behind you.
Do not straighten your standing leg all the way or the stretch band may roll up on you. Keep a slight bend in the knee to ensure you resistance band stays put. Lower back down into the split squat position and repeat.
Instructions: Do 10 reps per side OR 20 seconds on the right and 20 seconds on the left, with 5 seconds to switch sides.
After you finish all 3 rounds of the 4 exercise standing circuit, move on to the seated exercise circuit below:
Resisted Glute Bridge
Glute Bridges are a classic butt toner. Without any resistance though, these can be to easy & a bit boring. Add a stretch band to take them to a whole new level of burn!
Start by stepping into the stretch band with both feet and working it all the way up to your hips, like a belt.
Lay down on the floor, on your back and place your feet about 6 inches from your butt. Hold onto the stretch band on either side of your hips and firmly hold it in place pressing your fists down towards the ground.
Lift your hips up to the top of the bridge position. Keep your core tight and be careful not to overextend your back.
Ideally your body will form a straight line from knees to chest. Slowly lower your hips back towards the ground to touch the ground but not rest on it. Continue reps focusing on flexing your butt at the top each time.
Instructions: Do 20 reps OR as many as you can in 45 seconds.
2. All Fours Kickbacks
Kickbacks are one of my favorite butt exercises. Do these often if you want to see a well-rounded bum.
Start by looping the stretch band around one thigh.
Get down to the ground in an all fours position and place your foot of the free leg into the stretch band. Make sure the band is straight and not twisted.
Once your foot is in, line up your knees and check that your hands are directly under your shoulders and your spine is straight with a slight natural curve in your lower back.
Kick the stretch band back until your leg is fully straight and the band is stretched to maximum capacity. Lift your straight leg just a few inches above hip level to ensure that you flex your butt muscles.
Slowly lower that leg back down to the starting position and repeat.
Instructions: Do 15 reps on each side OR 20 seconds on the right and 20 seconds on the left, with 5 seconds to switch sides.
3. Crab Butterfly’s
The crab is one of the best core training positions, since it’s essentially an upside down plank. But add this butterfly move and you’ll be feeling the ultimate booty burn.
Place the resistance band around your knees, just on top of or below the knee caps. Get into a crab position, meaning place your hands just under your shoulders, your feet just under your knees and lift your hips up so that your body forms a table-like position.
Keep your neck strong and look either straight up at the ceiling or forward towards your knees. Your feet should be about hip width apart to ensure you have some tension on the band at all times.
Open your knees apart and stretch the band as much as possible, flexing your butt and legs. Slowly return to the starting position, but without allowing your knees to touch. Keep that tension.
Keep watching your crab position to make sure your hips stay elevated as much as possible throughout the movement. Breath and exhale each time you stretch the band apart.
Instructions: Do 20 reps OR as many as you can in 45 seconds.
4. Side Lying Kickbacks
This is another great way to do kickbacks from a different position, which helps you hit a different angle of your booty. Plus towards the end of the workout you’ll love getting the chance to lay down & keep working!
Place the band around one thigh, just above your knee. Lay down on your side, supporting your upper body with one arm and placing your other hand on your hip.
Bend your bottom leg to a 90 degree angle to create a base of support.
Place your foot through the band and lift it up until you feel tension on the band. Kick back and behind you flexing your butt but keeping your core as tight and stable as possible. Slowly return to the starting position, keeping that separation between your knees and never allowing the band to lose tension.
Repeat and exhale with each kick back.
Instructions: Do 12 reps on each side OR 20 seconds on the right and 20 seconds on the left, with 5 seconds to switch sides.
Complete these 4 seated exercises as a circuit and repeat 3 times.
Congratulations on working your booty with resistance bands. I hope you will save this workout and come back to it any time you need a lift…
Original article and pictures take trustworthyfitness.com site
