Completing dynamic stretches before a workout will decrease risk of injury and increase athletic performance. Static stretching after will increase range of motion.
Extended leg stretch: sit down and straighten your right leg in front of you. Bend your left leg so your foot is against you upper thigh. Bend forward and hold for at least 30 seconds without bouncing Bum Stretch: Sit on the floor and bend the right and place the right foot on the outside of the left leg. Rotate your torso and use the left arm to push against your right leg. Hold for 30 seconds. Original article and pictures take d1alt1wkdk73qo.cloudfront.net site
No, we're not talking about adding unwanted layers of fat on your thighs.
But instead, sexy lean thick thighs that are not bulky. You know, the type that you're proud to show strolling on the beach.
This 10-minute bigger thigh workout will definitely stimulate the thigh muscles to grow.
And the good thing is that it won't take long for you to see results.
When it comes down to thigh muscles it's easy to see small changes in a short amount of time.
As long as you stick to the workout plan below along with proper nutrition.
THE 10 MINUTE BIGGER THIGHS WORKOUT OVERVIEW
You'll be doing four separate workouts all hitting the quad muscles consistently.
In particular you will be hitting the major muscle groups of the thigh like the quadriceps femoris[1] which is the four-headed muscle located right in front of the thigh.
The hamstring will get its share of work also to contribute to the overall aesthetic look of your thighs.
Now bear in mind, we are talking about growing muscles therefore, you will need resistance.
The workout plan below can start off with your body weight.
However, after a while you're going to hit a plateau because your muscles will become stronger and accustomed to your own bodyweight.
So you're going to need extra weight to challenge them more to grow.
For this bigger thigh workout you're going to need a pair of dumbbells.
Ideally, the dumbbells should range from 25 to 35 pounds.
Let's go ahead and breakdown each workout, so you know how to perform them properly.
1. DEEP SQUAT PULSES
Just a slight twist on the most popular lower body workout the squat.
Deep Squats have the ability to activate all of your lower body muscles simultaneously.
But most of all your thigh muscles are going to be challenged more, which is what we want.
How to do it
Start with a wide stance as shown in position A. Your thighs should be slightly bent at an angle but not too low.
Now you're going to slowly lower your glutes all the way down as if to touch the ground then pause for one second.
Return to the original position and repeat for the specified time frame.
2. LUNGE TO KICK
Note: You can start with either your left or right foot for this workout.
How to do it
Start by standing with both hands on your waistline.
Now you're going to perform a reverse lunge as shown in the image above.
Hold the position for one second then raise your foot to kick in front of you, then return to position B and repeat.
Do the required amount of sets for each leg.
3. SHOULDER DUMBBELL SQUATS
For this workout you will definitely need a pair of dumbbells.
Remember that your body weight alone isn't sufficient to stimulate the type of muscle growth you want in your thighs.
Therefore, adding weights to this routine is an absolute necessity.
How to do it
Stand shoulder-width apart as shown in position A holding both dumbbells close to your shoulders.
You're going to slowly lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
After 1 second pause then slowly return to the starting position and repeat.
4. SQUAT THROWS
This workout might be unfamiliar to you.
It's based on the same squat movement with a slight twist.
Instead, you'll be engaging your upper body in movement to enhance the amount of work on your quads.
The more stress and tension the muscles encounter, the more they will grow.
For this workout you can add a 20-pound dumbbell, for even more resistance.
How to do it
Get into the squat stance as shown in position A with both fingers touching the ground.
Slowly raise your body upwards while swinging both hands forward as if you're throwing something backwards.
If you're doing this move with a dumbbell make sure to hold it tight and keep your arm straight throughout the movement.
THE 10 MINUTE THICKER THIGH WORKOUT CHART
GETTING THE BEST OUT OF THIS WORKOUT
If you have more than 10 minutes then you can do the whole routine at least 2 to 3 times.
This will give you maximum muscle hypertrophy[2] for better results.
When you complete the workout session your thighs should be on fire.
THE WORKOUT FREQUENCY
Remember that your thighs have some of the largest muscles on your body.
Therefore, you should give it time to rest. Because you want to get the most muscle stimulation 2 to 3 times a week is ideal.
That being said, if you think your muscles need more time to recover, 2 times should be good for you.
SEE THE WORKOUTS IN ACTION
THE THICKER THIGH DIET PLAN
Here's the thing, none of this will work unless you have the nutrition to back it up.
For your thigh muscles to grow, you have to be in a calorie surplus – meaning eating more calories than you burn daily.
This is where a lot of people fail.
You don't want to be giving 100% to your workouts but giving 50% to your diet.
That approach only gives you the turtle-paced results.
If you want to get the fastest results possible you have to pay attention to your diet.
Now this doesn't mean you have to eat clean all the time but at least 90% of the time.
But don't worry, to make your life much easier we've created a full week meal plan that will support any type of muscle development.
Some gyms have foam rollers, but it might be worth investing in your own. (They’re still way cheaper than a professional massage!) Rollers vary in size, firmness, and shape. Long rollers provide more area for stability and support, while shorter options are more versatile and convenient for travel. A soft foam provides a gentler massage than a high-density version. Some options include a grid-like design or a ridged surface, which helps target tough-to-relieve knots and trigger points.
When you get rolling, spend about 60 seconds on each tight area. Use as much or as little pressure as feels comfortable for you. If you find a knot or sensitive spot, linger on it for a little while, rolling back and forth until the tenderness eases. Ten to 15 minutes per day is all it takes the reap the benefits. Trust us, your body will thank you.
Ready to roll? Here’s how:
Original article and pictures take greatist.com site
Sometimes the hardest part of the work out is taking the extra twenty minutes to cool down and stretch! Sometimes after a really hard work out (or even a not so hard work out) all we want to do is escape the gym, take a cold shower, and go on with our day. But STOP! Stretching and post-work out care is just as important as the actual exercises, and it benefits your joints, muscles and reduces soreness.
Stretching
Obviously, we all need to dedicate more time to stretching. After strength training or cardio, your muscles are warmed so they’re elastic and pliable. Stretching relaxes the tension exerted from the work out, and while it may not correlate to decreased injuries, it has been shown to decrease next-day soreness in hamstrings, quads and calves. Stretching also induces circulation which accelerates the healing process. Be sure to dedicate at least ten minutes to stretching and hit all major muscle groups that you just previously worked.
Hydration
Drinking lots of water also helps decrease muscle soreness and increase strength and flexibility. If you weigh yourself before and after a workout, this is the water weight you lost and should be a minimum of water you need to drink to replenish. I follow a more simple method, which is just trying to drink my body weight in ounces of water. Keeping hydrated also curves your appetite, because sometimes your stomach tricks you into think it’s hungry when really you’re only thirsty. Check out Health’s 15 Benefits of Drinking Water.
Rollers and Massages
Ever see those big foam rollers lying around at the gym? There’s actually a use for them. Rolling your muscles out after intense work outs reduce swelling and muscle damage, as well as break up knots. Also, foam rolling helps reduce cellulite, which is just fibrous connective bands pulling fat up to the surface. By creating friction and pressure, the foam roller loosens the bands temporarily and helps stimulate circulation and excess fluids, making the skin appear smoother. If you’re conserving money and do not want to spend upwards of $100 on a massage, investing in a foam roller is definitely the price efficient option. GW HellWell has them near the blue mats, or you can purchase your own for as low as $15 on Amazon.
Once you’re done taking that extra 15-20 minutes to take care of your body, you’re free to go on with your day feeling even better than if you had skipped that cool down!
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How to Build the Perfect Pre- or Post-Workout Smoothie bbostjan/getty images
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There's no shortage of delicious, healthy, OMG-I-need-to-make-that-right-now smoothie recipes on the internet (this site included). But when you're rushing off to the gym at 6 a.m. or recovering from an insane workout and barely have enough energy to press the "pulse" button on your blender, sometimes it's just easier to freestyle. You know—nix the measuring cups, open the fridge and freezer, and toss whatever's there into that plastic pitcher. But apparently there is an art to healthy haphazardry. This handy chart from activewear aficionado Lorna Jane Clarkson's new book Inspired (get it July 9 at LornaJane.com) shows you how to build a pre- or post-workout smoothie from the ground (er, blades) up.
smoothie chart
And now for a delicious example…
Salted Caramel Post-Workout Smoothie
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salted carmel smoothie
Prep time: 15 minutes
Makes 2 (about 5 cups)
2 c almond milk
1½ medium bananas
2 Tbsp cashew spread (or small handful of raw cashews)
1 scoop natural whey or pea protein powder (optional)
4 pitted Medjool dates
2 tsp honey
½ tsp Himalayan rock salt
2 c ice
2 Tbsp honey, extra
2 Tbsp crushed ice, extra
1 Tbsp cacao nibs
Directions:
Combine all ingredients except extra honey and extra ice in a blender. Drizzle the extra honey around each glass. Pour smoothie in glasses, top with extra ice and cacao nibs to serve.
Original article and pictures take www.prevention.com site
hooded jogger jumpsuit IVY PARK hooded jogger jumpsuit
A luxe stretch-knit cotton jumpsuit with ergonomic seaming and a generous hood is just the thing for slipping on post-workout or pre-binge watch. Style Name: Ivy Park Hooded Jogger Jumpsuit. Style Number: 5516924. Available in stores.
Original article and pictures take www.nudevotion.com site
