9 Exercises You're Doing Wrong

9 Exercises You're Doing Wrong

You might be such a faithful gym-goer that even the cleaning staff knows you by name; but no matter how many sets and reps you log, if your workout isn't giving you the results you want, poor form could be to blame. "Your body is engineered to move in precise ways," explains exercise physiologist Michele Olson, PhD, creator of the DVD Perfect Legs, Glutes and Abs. "The wrong alignment—or even the wrong exercise altogether—doesn't just stunt sculpting; it can also stress the body, leading to injuries that derail your progress."

Read on for 9 common workout blunders that Olson considers the sweaty equivalent of fingernails on a chalkboard—and how to fix 'em.

Overextended overhead presses

The mistake: Arching backward so your ribs pop up and jut out strains the back and puts you at risk for shoulder injury.

The fix: Keep your ribs down and knees slightly bent as you press the dumbbells up toward the ceiling.

More from Prevention: Toned Arms In 10 Minutes!

Wimpy lunges

The mistake: Taking baby steps when you lunge causes too much sheer stress on the front knee, putting you at risk for tendon strains and, over time, arthritis.

The fix: Take a big enough step so that your front heel is about 2 feet in front of your back knee as it bends toward the floor. If, as you lower, you find you haven’t given yourself enough space, scoot the front foot forward.

Obsessive crunching

The mistake: Thinking you can crunch your way to flat abs is flat-out wrong, says Olson, whose research has found that Pilates-style exercises that focus more on using the core muscles to stabilize are more effective at working the abs than spine-bending crunches. Plus, too much crunching can damage the back, she says.

The fix: There's no need to ban crunches altogether, but be sure to mix in core-stabilizing exercises like the Pilates hundred or yoga's boat pose. And when you do crunch, skip the gym class-style foot anchor, which allows your hips (rather than your abs) to take over and can pull your pelvis out of alignment, injuring your back.

600-pound gorilla hamstring stretches

The mistake: Bending over and letting your entire body weight dangle straight down while reaching for your toes in order to stretch your hamstrings (the back of your thighs) puts about 600 pounds of pressure on the spine for a 140-pound woman. That's because when your entire body weight hangs straight down in line with gravity, and the gravitational pull is zeroed in on the back, crushing the shock-absorbing discs in your spine. While you may move in and out of this position in yoga class, holding a stretch like this for 30 to 60 seconds leaves your spinal discs vulnerable to rupture, says Olson.

The fix: Sit down and take a load off while you reach for your toes. The exact same stretch done from a seated position is much safer.

Overzealous side raises

The mistake: Flapping your arms too high as you lift your dumbbells to the side "causes your upper arm bone to bang into the cartilage-filled space in the shoulder," says Olson. Translation: Ouch!

The fix: Here's your chance to cheat without penalty: Lifting just to the bust line is as effective as lifting all the way to shoulder level.

Chin-Up dumbbell rows

The mistake: Sticking your chin out can be a pain in the neck (and upper shoulders) in any exercise, but looking up while doing bent-over dumbbell rows can strain your neck.

The fix: Focus your eyes on a spot about a yard in front of your toes to keep your chin down while doing bent-over dumbbell rows.

Butt-popping planks

The mistake: Inching your hips skyward as you hold a plank position is quite simply cheating the exercise. The result: less-effective ab toning from this uber-effective move.

The fix: Focus on keeping your body in a straight line from your head to your hips to your heels (grabbing a friend to serve as drill sergeant can help keep you honest). Keep in mind that it's better to hold perfect form for 20 seconds than it is to do a full minute with incorrect form.

Giant grip push-ups

The mistake: Positioning your hands wider than your shoulders when you do push-ups puts strain on the front of the shoulders.

The fix: Get into push-up position with your wrists directly below your shoulders for a move that tones both your triceps and your chest without shoulder strain. (Check out this video on the proper way to do a push-up.)

Knee-twisting hurdler's stretches

The mistake: Whether or not you were a hurdler in high school, getting into a stretch position like one on the floor with your knee bent inward and the sole of your foot turned outward compresses the knee, leaving it vulnerable to injury.

The fix: For a safer stretch that compresses the knee less, rotate your bent knee outward instead so your sole presses into the inner thigh of the extended leg like a number 4. Then reach for your toes to feel the stretch.

More from Prevention: Get Long, Lean Muscles With This Yoga Workout

Original article and pictures take www.prevention.com site

8 Yoga Moves to Increase Your Flexibility like Miss America 2017

8 Yoga Moves to Increase Your Flexibility like Miss America 2017

Miss America 2017, Savvy Sheilds shows off some of her flexibility during her talent at Miss America 2017. Photo: Miss America Organization

If you dance for your talent, then flexibility is key to many dance steps you’ll need in your talent to wow the judges like Savvy Sheilds did during her talent at Miss America 2017. But, having flexibility isn’t just for dancers. Everyone can benefit from being more mobile and less stiff in every phase of competition.

When you’re modeling a gown or swimsuit, your body is the most important asset you have. Having stiff muscles and joints could prevent you from moving fluidly across the stage. If you’re a dancer, it’s even more crucial that you continue to work on your flexibility as your train for your next pageant. This routine uses the splits, so you’ll feel right at home! (Read: How Yoga Can Improve Your Pageant Walk)

According to LiveStrong.com, flexibility is a vital element of physical fitness that everyone should work on. It’s something that you can benefit from now as a pageant competitor and later on in life as your body starts to age. Stretching is also a great way for you to wind down after your workout and relax your tired muscles.

If you’re ready to start increasing your flexibility, then add these eight relaxing yoga moves into your post workout routine at least three times a week. You’ll start to notice a huge improvement the more you do these stretches.

8 Yoga Moves to Increase Your Flexibility like Miss America 2017

If you can’t fully sit in the splits, just keep your weight in your hands until you feel comfortable with more weight on your hands.

Winning the crown is going to take a lot more than just going to the gym. You’ll need to commit to a healthy lifestyle and spend lots of time preparing your body. Talk to one of our Personal Trainers about how they can help you reach your goals.

Original article and pictures take ygidei-2v0qo9ojrpb5.cloudmaestro.com site

8 Ways To Maximize Your Post-Workout Recovery

8 Ways To Maximize Your Post-Workout Recovery

You went to depth on every squat rep and pushed your reverse lunges to failure. Your quads are beat and your hamstrings burn. Your workout was tough, but it didn't build an ounce of muscle.

The opportunity for muscle growth begins the moment you stop lifting, and that growth can't happen without proper recovery protocol. Muscles don't grow in the gym; they grow after. When you lift heavy, muscles suffer microtears and are actually broken down via a process called catabolism. Immediately after you lift, your body begins repairs, but it needs your help.

If you want to get the most from each and every workout, you need to prioritize post-workout recovery. Heed these eight tips to maximize recovery, stay on top of your game, and ensure maximum gains.

1. Push The Barrier, Don't Annihilate It

"No pain, no gain!" has probably been spat in your face as you struggled to rack a one-rep max bench press. Pushing beyond your limits is a good thing, you tell yourself, but just how far should you push? BPI Sports co-founder James Grage believes in egging the muscle on just enough to create that needed stimulus for muscle growth, but not in completely destroying it to the point where your muscle hurts for days.

If you obliterate your body with every workout, your body will revert its energy to repairing the downstream effects of the damage rather than building muscle.

"The focus shouldn't be on how fast you recover, but instead on how productive your recovery is," says James. If you constantly obliterate your body to complete and utter exhaustion with every workout, this damage accumulates over time and your body will revert its energy to repairing the downstream effects of the damage rather than building new muscle.

According to James, the trick is to "work out hard enough to push yourself past your comfort zones—trying to do more than you did the workout before, for example. Just don't destroy yourself entirely." By following this sage advice, you'll make solid and steady progress rather than taking one step forward and two steps back.

2. Get Serious About Pre-Workout Nutrition

By now, most people understand that the foods they eat after their workout and throughout the day factor into the quality of their recovery. The foods you eat before a workout can also play an important role in pre-empting the tissue-rebuilding process once the workout is over.

Digestion is a lengthy process; proteins and carbs that you ingest prior to the workout will still be circulating in the body afterward. For this reason, choose your foods wisely. Make sure you get high-quality, lean protein along with some complex carbohydrates, especially if you plan on an intense workout. I recommend consuming your meals roughly two hours prior to your workout to avoid digestive issues or cramps.

In addition to eating near your workouts, there have been substantial reported benefits of taking BCAAs before and during a workout, as well. James recommends using BEST BCAAs, which have been designed to encourage efficient absorption by the muscle cells. Grage takes one serving during his workout and then another serving right before bed.

3. Don't Skip The Stretching

Stretching probably doesn't sound sexy (or even necessary) when all you want is size, but it might be the most underrated player in muscle growth. By not having the necessary flexibility and muscle pliability, you might short yourself on muscular gains in many compound lifts. For example, if your ankles are too tight, you can't go deep enough in a squat to reap maximum benefits.

Barbara Bolotte, IFBB pro, stresses, "Make sure you allot at least 20 minutes after a workout to cool down and stretch. If you don't plan for it, you are more likely to skip it."

Stretching is a great way to relieve muscular tension and potentially downplay the soreness you experience later. "Prolonged stretching with moderate exercise and diet control will reduce cholesterol and significantly reverse hardening of the arteries," notes Barbara. Knowing these things, more people should be taking stretching more seriously!

4. Perfect Your Post-Workout Protein

Go ahead and giggle at the burly types chugging their post-workout shake. While you chortle 'til you choke, they're feeding their muscles the necessary fuel to grow and improve. Post-workout protein is vital, especially if you haven't eaten anything for hours. Aim for 20-50 grams of protein after each workout depending on your bodyweight. Most women will do fine with 20 grams, while men should aim for the upper range.

Whey protein is the most popular protein supplements, and for good reason: It's convenient, easy to mix, and it offers a rapid absorption rate that's perfect after a tough training session. Don't merely go for taste or cost. Invest in quality whey isolate to see a difference.

One trick that James Grage uses to optimize his recovery is to drink about 30 grams of whey protein followed by 32 ounces of Gatorade 15 minutes later. "You need immediate, fast-acting carbohydrates during your post-workout window to replenish glycogen levels, restore energy, and bump up insulin levels," he explains. "Insulin can be extremely anabolic at the right time, helping the restoration of muscle proteins by inhibiting protein breakdown and stimulating protein synthesis."

If you want to follow James' post-workout ritual, just be sure to purchase the regular Gatorade and not the lower calorie version.

5. Eat Potassium-Rich Foods

While we're on the subject of post-workout nutrition, you should consider including a source of potassium in your post-workout cocktail. Your potassium reserves will inevitably be sapped from an intense workout session. Potassium, among other nutrients like sodium and calcium, is a key mineral which plays a role in muscular energy. Bananas or potatoes are good potassium sources. Bananas go with nearly everything, but mashed potatoes in your first meal following the workout are also winners.

6. Focus On Quality Sleep

Catching quality Zs seems like a no-brainer, but it's still all to common to hear how many people get less than six hours of sleep.

"Sleep is not just for relaxing. This is the necessary downtime that your body needs to restore itself. This is what it's for," explains James. Barbara also notes that sacrificing hours of sleep over a long period of time can even make you mentally weaker and negatively impact your drive in training sessions.

At least seven hours is the ideal target to hit, although many people, including athletes, may need up to nine hours. Find ways to make changes in your day that will allow you to get to bed earlier. For example, set a time limit on TV time or commit to a "technology blackout," during which you don't touch any sort of technology, after a certain time like 9 p.m.

7. Do Some Active Recovery

Rest days give your muscles a hard-earned break from a self-induced beating at the gym. If you feel up to it, some light movement like walking to the store, an easy bike ride, throwing a Frisbee around, or even doing mobility drills could confer recovery-promoting effects as well. This is known as "active" recovery.

"Bodyweight exercises or light cardio after a heavy strength training session will help relieve soreness by stimulating blood flow and improving circulation to the muscles," says Barbara. If you experience muscular tightness, she also points out that foam rolling can be an excellent way to combat this.

8. Reduce Your Stress

Acute stress—like the kind you create from exercise—is a good thing. Chronic stress from other sources like work deadlines and inadequate sleep can significantly influence how you feel on a day-to-day basis as well as how quickly you recover. Too much stress can drastically protract your recovery time between workouts.

When intense workouts are thrown into the volatile combination of high chronic stress and an already overworked body, you are asking your body to eventually break down in the form of lackluster results or, worse, severe injury. Any form of stress in your life is going to take a toll on your overall well-being and your body's capacity to take on anything further.

Take steps to reduce your stress level to ensure you can bounce back faster. Do something you really enjoy, make yourself laugh, and surround yourself with people you love.

As you now hopefully know, recovery is a crucial component of any fitness-related goal. Whether you want to get stronger, faster, or better, you'll need to weave each of these tips into your daily recovery plan to ensure that you get the results you want out of your hard work! Do you have any secret recovery tips you swear by? I'd love to hear them in the comments below!

Original article and pictures take www.bodybuilding.com site

8 Stretches Your Tight Hips Are Begging For

8 Stretches Your Tight Hips Are Begging For

Tight hips seem to be a common problem for almost everybody — from runners to cyclists, from deskbound bloggers to dancers. Give this area a little extra love with this sequence of eight hip-opening stretches to increase your flexibility, reduce discomfort, and prevent injury. Try the series in the order listed here, or pick your favorites to incorporate into your workout routine.

Original article and pictures take media1.popsugar-assets.com site

8 Stretches That Make You Stronger

8 Stretches That Make You Stronger

Stretches That Also Strengthen

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Resistance stretching is all the rage among elite Olympic athletes, but can something as simple as just a stretch make you stronger? Yes, says Michael Schiemer, B.S., CPT, and owner of Frugal Fitness. Plus, it "is an excellent way to increase strength while improving range of motion, reducing injury, and avoiding excess muscle mass gain." Even better, it needs no equipment! To try it for yourself, Schiemer recommends eight of his favorite moves.

Resisted Hip Flexion

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Lie on your back wiith knees bent and feet flat. Bring your right knee up to your chest, placing both hands on top of leg, just above the knee. As you push down on your leg, resist the downward force by contracting your hip flexor muscles. Once the heel of your foot taps the mat, bring that knee back up to your chest again, pushing against your hands' resistance. Do 10-15 slow repetitions and repeat on your left leg.

Tip: Make sure to keep your neck relaxed and your lower back flat against the mat throughout this movement.

Resisted Neck Twist

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Sit up straight with your core tight and shoulders relaxed. Place your right hand against your right cheek. Against the light resistance of your hand, rotate your head to the left about 90 degrees. Slowly return back to the starting position, still pushing against your hand. Repeat with the opposite arm and rotate to the opposite side. Start with 5 reps on each side using very light resistance.

Tip: Use this carefully, especially if you have a stiff neck. Don't do it if you have any concerns about your neck or spine.

Resisted Biceps Flexion

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Start with your right arm in a fully flexed position so that your elbow is at your side and your palm is close to your shoulder (palm facing up). Take your left hand and place it on your forearm to apply resistance. Push down with your left hand as you resist the downward force with your contracted biceps until your arm is fully extended and then slowly return back to the starting position, still pushing against resistance. Do 10-15 reps and then repeat with the opposite arm.

Tip: Keep the movement slow and smooth even if that means you need to do fewer reps.

Resisted Triceps Extension

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Stand with your right arm so that your elbow is at your side and your arm is straight out in front of you, palm facing up. Place your left hand on the back of your forearm to apply resistance. Slowly resist the elbow flexion with your triceps until your elbow is as flexed as possible and then slowly straighten the arm to starting position against resistance. Do 10-15 reps and repeat with the opposite arm.

Tip: Use your left arm instead of your hand if you need more resistance.

Partner-Resisted Hamstring

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Lie on your stomach. Bend one leg so that the heel of your foot is close to the back of your leg. Have your partner kneel beside you and put one hand under your calf and the other right above the ankle to apply resistance. Resist as your partner pushes back on your lower leg until your leg is completely straightened. Continue resisting against your partner until your leg is bent again and heel is against the back of your leg. Repeat with the opposite leg.

Tip: Make sure your partner isn't putting any pressure on your knee joint.

Partner-Resisted Quadriceps

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Start lying on your stomach on a mat. Start with both legs fully extended out and your partner's palm above the laces of your shoes or shin to apply resistance. Flex your quadriceps (thigh) muscle and resist against your partner until your knee is between a 90-degree bend and against your the back of your leg. Then, continue the resistance until your leg has straightened completely again and you have returned to the starting position. Do 10-15 reps and repeat with the opposite leg.

Tip: Make sure to keep your lower back flat the whole time.

Partner-Resisted Chest and Front Shoulder

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Stand with one arm relaxed at your side and one arm straight out in front of you and parallel to the floor. Your partner will be on the side of the extended arm and holding the inside of your forearm to apply the resistance. Contract your chest muscles to resist as your partner pulls your arm away from your body until your arm is completely out to the side. Keep resisting as you bring your arm straight out in front of you again. Do 10-15 reps and repeat with the opposite shoulder.

Tip: Keep your hips square to the front; don't let your body twist towards your partner.

Partner-Resisted Upper Back and Rear Shoulder

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Stand with one arm relaxed at your side and one arm straight out to the side and parallel to the floor. Have your partner stand on the same side as your extended arm and apply resistance against the back of your arm to push it back in towards the body. Resist as your partner pushes your arm back across your body until it is straight out in front of you and perpendicular to your torso. Continue pulling back against the resistance until your arm is back to the starting position straight out to the side. Do 10-15 reps and repeat with the opposite shoulder.

Tip: Make sure your partner isn't putting any pressure directly on your elbow joint.

Original article and pictures take www.shape.com site

8 Relaxing Total Body Stretches

8 Relaxing Total Body Stretches

Cardio and strength training, or some combination of the two, are the cornerstones of any solid workout program. But one of the most overlooked elements of a comprehensive program comes at the end of the workout—stretching.

Stretching is something you know you should be doing, but it's also the part of the workout that's very easy to skip. You may think you don't have time for it, don't need it, or don't want to waste your time, but this is probably one of the best ways to end any workout.

Stretching when your muscles are warm has a number of benefits including:

• Building greater flexibility overall
• Relaxation and stress relief
• Helping your body get back to its pre-exercise state
• Giving both your mind and body a chance to reflect and feel the impact of the workout you just did

The great thing about stretching is that you don't have to spend a lot of time on the exercises to get the benefits. This total body flexibility workout proves it with stretches so simple, you can do them anywhere—after a workout, at work, or even when you're watching TV.

These exercises promote flexibility, coordination, and relaxation. They feel good after a hard workout. This workout targets all the major muscles of the body, including those that are chronically tight like the chest, shoulders, back, arms, hips, and legs. Try these exercises to get rid of any extra tension you may be carrying around. See your doctor if you have any medical conditions, illnesses, or injuries that may affect your ability to stretch.

How to Do the Stretches

You will need a chair, exercise ball, or bench.

• Warm up with five to 10 minutes of light cardio or do this after a workout or a bath when your muscles are warm.
• Hold each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds and repeat one to three times.
• Try to stretch every day if you can for better results.
• Avoid any exercises that cause pain or discomfort and only stretch as deep as you can. The stretch should feel good and shouldn't hurt. If your muscles are shaking, you need to back off a bit and let your muscles relax more.

John Fedele/Blend Images/Getty Images

1. Stand and hold onto a wall for balance if needed.
2. Grab the top of the right foot and bend your knee, bringing the foot towards the glutes, knee pointing straight at the floor. You should feel a stretch right down the front of your leg.
3. Squeeze your hips forward for a deeper stretch.
4. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds and switch sides, repeating one to three times.

Standing hamstring stretch. Paige Waehner

1. Take your left foot forward and tip from the hips, keeping the back flat.
2. Lower down until you feel a stretch in the back of the leg.
3. Rest the hands on the upper thighs to give your back some support.
4. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds and switch sides, repeating one to three times.

If you feel shaky or your hamstrings are tight, try using a resistance band to give you more leverage.

Chest stretch. Paige Waehner

Upper back stretch. Paige Waehner

Original article and pictures take www.verywell.com site

8 Post-Workout Recovery Stretches for Runners

8 Post-Workout Recovery Stretches for Runners

This is a dynamic movement that stretches your hamstrings, shoulders and core.

Start in a standing position, keep your feet hip-width apart, and make sure your legs are straight.

Bend at the waist and touch the floor with your hands.

Using small steps, walk your feet toward your hands.

Once you've walked your feet as close as possible to your hands, you've completed one rep. Do 3 to 4 sets of 4 to 8 reps.

Begin in a standing position with your feet hip-width apart. Move your right foot slightly ahead of your left foot, but keep both feet pointed straight ahead. Bend at the waist and drop your hips as you touch the floor with your hands. (Think of a sprinter in the starting position in the blocks.)

Keep your hands on the floor as you raise your hips. Hold this position to feel the stretch before returning to the starting position.

You should feel this stretch in your hamstring and calf. Do 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.

Original article and pictures take www.active.com site