30 Minute Workout Program

30 Minute Workout Program

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I have a great workout program for you. You can scroll down if you aren’t interested in why I made this program. But it you are let’s have a quick chat.

Why is it easier to skip a workout than to actually do the workout?

In my opinion it has a lot to do with how you frame the workout. More specifically, what your expectations and perceptions are.

EXPECTATIONS AND PERCEPTIONS FOR YOUR WORKOUT

  1. Stop watching other people and comparing yourself. Instead of getting caught up listening to what everyone else is telling you to do, listen to yourself. Have a conversation with yourself about what you want (expectations) and how you can get there (perception).
  2. Keep it simple. I found that what worked for me and my clients was simple. Literally, simple workouts without all the pizzaz that has become popular. No hype. No one-upping. Just consistently showing up and putting in the work.
  3. Keep your focus on the long-term and work with consistency. Make a realistic plan. Focus on small steps towards the big goal and be realistic about your time frame.

THE EASY WORKOUT PROGRAM

The solution I created were three easy and simple workouts that I knew my clients could do. Truly, an answer for those seeking guidance on their own. I also wanted them to be scalable, meaning a variety of fitness experiences and levels could use it.

They can be used at home or at the gym. And are each 30 minutes long.

I have is almost 15 yeas of industry experience as a trainer and gym owner. And a passion to share what I have learned with you. Take a look below.

 

 

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Creating Brand Loyalty as Trainer

Creating Brand Loyalty as Trainer

Standing out in the market is important. And offering a competitive service and price are effective at capturing customer’s attention. But taking that attention and turning it into repeat clients with brand loyalty is critical to your long-term success. So let's...

read more
30 Minute Workout Program

30 Minute Workout Program

I have a great workout program for you. You can scroll down if you aren't interested in why I made this program. But it you are let's have a quick chat. Why is it easier to skip a workout than to actually do the workout? In my opinion it has a lot to do with how you...

read more
3 Ways to Gauge Success As A Trainer

3 Ways to Gauge Success As A Trainer

Whether you work at a gym or you’re an owner reflecting and evaluating your performance as a personal trainer is a necessary component to growth and long-term success. Here are 3 ways to gauge your business success as a personal trainer: Client Retention Client...

read more

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One Month of Gym Workouts

One Month of Gym Workouts

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One month of gym workouts with us three 🙂 . We love sharing our workouts and hearing how much you love them. Click each image to go to the workout video and workout with us!

Cheers,

Chellie

Creating Brand Loyalty as Trainer

Creating Brand Loyalty as Trainer

Standing out in the market is important. And offering a competitive service and price are effective at capturing customer’s attention. But taking that attention and turning it into repeat clients with brand loyalty is critical to your long-term success. So let's...

read more
30 Minute Workout Program

30 Minute Workout Program

I have a great workout program for you. You can scroll down if you aren't interested in why I made this program. But it you are let's have a quick chat. Why is it easier to skip a workout than to actually do the workout? In my opinion it has a lot to do with how you...

read more
3 Ways to Gauge Success As A Trainer

3 Ways to Gauge Success As A Trainer

Whether you work at a gym or you’re an owner reflecting and evaluating your performance as a personal trainer is a necessary component to growth and long-term success. Here are 3 ways to gauge your business success as a personal trainer: Client Retention Client...

read more

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6 Exercises To Create A Stronger You Today

6 Exercises To Create A Stronger You Today

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We use on a regular basis with our clients and that we think are very valuable. These 6 exercises to create a stronger you today when worked routinely will have a measurable impact on your fitness. Read how to do each movement safely and check out the downloadable workouts at the end for a place to get started.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. Ab Wheel
  2. Bent Over Row
  3. Wall Sit
  4. High to Low Core Rotator
  5. Tricep Dip
  6. Band Walks
  7. Downloadable Workouts

AB WHEEL

The ab wheel is almost a standard in our gym. Not that everyone “should” be able to do it, but that it is an example of core strength and stability. Performing the ab wheel correctly, pain free is a benchmark that we can measure core strength by. Again, we do NOT use it with everyone, but healthy individuals, especially look for improve athletic performance you better bet your bottom dollar we do.

If those individuals can give 15-20 exceptional ab wheel reps then we hit them with some progressions. Like putting a weight on your back or performing the reps from your toes. Both show a high level of core & shoulder strength & stability.

HOW TO PERFORM AN AB WHEEL

First off you are going to need to have an ab wheel. If you don’t skip over to your nearest store or order one up off of amazon (affiliate link). Next up is something for your knees. We have the stability pads (affiliate link) that we use at the gym, but if you don’t have one on hand you can use a towel or pillow. I would 10 for 10 recommend the stability pad, we use it for so many exercises from core to balance. But I am against having a bunch of stuff laying around – so make sure you have a place for it. Otherwise grab the pillow of your couch and get going.

STEPS FOR AN AB WHEEL

  1. Start on your knees with the ab wheel on the ground under your shoulders.
  2. Brace your core and push from your knees and hands to move the ab wheel forward.
  3. Once you have reached YOUR maximal range of motion pull the wheel back to the starting position by equally pulling in from your arms and hips.

WHAT TO AVOID WHEN DOING THE AB WHEEL

In no way is this an “entry level” core exercise. Most common mistake we see is continuing to perform this exercise incorrectly. The exerciser either creates an issue (pain) or exacerbates one. Make sure you are strong enough by doing plenty of core exercises with great form, to failure.

  1. Arching low back or sagging butt – this is an ab exercise, brace your core!
  2. Only moving your arms – your torso should come forward with your arms.
  3. Only moving your hips/torso – your arms should extend forward at the same time.

TIPS FOR THE AB WHEEL

  • Control your pelvis. Arching in the low back is the number one cause of pain or discomfort with this exercise. It indicates that your abdominals are not staying engaged. Keeping your hips tucked can help you engage your low abdominals and prevent the low back from arching. But the more neutral spine you can stay the better.
  • Equal Movement. We want to see your hips and shoulders extending simultaneously in both directions. The movement should be smooth and equal.
  • Range of Motion. The end goal of this exercise is a full extension. However, that isn’t where you start. Most people will have to shorten their range of motion in order to keep their pelvis tucked/ back neutral and equal movement from the hips and shoulders.

CORE REGRESSION & PROGRESSION EXERCISES

With the ab wheel being an advanced core exercise you may need some other exercises to supplement. Try planks with upper body movements like shoulder taps and plank step-ups to work on strength in the end range of motion of an ab wheel. Sit-up variations on the decline bench or v-sit variations to work on hip flexor strength and low abdominals.

If you want to make the exercise hard you can work on angles out to the side, add a weight to your back or try from your toes. BUT we caution these moves unless you are truly doing 15-20 really high quality, full range of motion reps.

BENT OVER ROW

It may be a basic, simple, old exercise, but everyone should be familiar with a bent over row. And if you already know the bent over row, how many other back exercises can you think of? Hopefully 2 or 3 times as many chest exercises.

Training your back muscles should 100% be a priority during your workouts. We live in a forward dominant world – meaning life we do most of our activities in the front of our body. Exercise should work to maintain balance in our bodies, which means we need to do more back work to manage the impact of our lifestyle habits.

HOW TO PERFORM A BENT OVER ROW

Let’s start by recognizing the posture of a bent over row. It is important to understand that this bent over posture puts a large load on the core – back and abdominals. Maintaining core engagement while in this posture will help maximize your results and keep your back pain free.

Second piece about posture is that the more parallel to the ground you are able to get your chest the better. That is from the perspective that we want to load more of the mid back and less of the upper back. Of course, there will be times you want to load the upper back, but that’s not right now.

An added bonus for the bent over row is that it requires your lower body to work isometrically to hold the hip hinge posture.

Finally, because I can’t say the word posture enough … the bent over row will help improve your posture. Any back exercise, done properly, will help your posture. You will notice you stand up straighter, walk taller and have a more elongated appearance in the mirror. But, that will only happen by putting in the work and following a regular, consistent program.

STEPS FOR A BENT OVER ROW

  1. Holding weights at your hips, set your feet in a comfortable stance. Try to go no wider than shoulder width.
  2. Brace your core and slightly bend your knees.
  3. Hinge at your hips, keeping your core tight and your spine neutral as you lower your chest to parallel with the ground.
  4. Once in position the weights should hang directly below your shoulders (see picture).
  5. Pinch your shoulder blades together and “row” or pull the weights toward your chest.
  6. Control the weights back down to the starting position and repeat.

WHAT TO AVOID WHEN DOING A BENT OVER ROW

  • Arching & rounding of the spine/back.
  • Curling of the wrists.
  • Lifting chest out of parallel posture.

TIPS FOR A BENT OVER ROW

  • Focus on your shoulder blades, not the distance your weight travel. Retracting or pinching your shoulder blades as the first motion in a row is critical to recruiting your back muscles over your biceps. Try to “grab a pencil” between your shoulder blades to help visualize your shoulder blades retracting/pinching.
  • In a bent over, or hip hinged, posture you are increasing the demand on your trunk. Keeping a neutral spine and core engaged the entire time will keep your low back from becoming over worked. Work to keep your back parallel to the ground the entire time.
  • Keep your core braced and spine neutral through the entire movement. Tendency is to allow your back to arch as you pull the weight to your chest and round as you lower it towards the ground. Fight that tendency!
  • Far too often we see extension or arching in the mid-to-low back upon movement. This will cause irritation of the low back and decrease the use of your abdominals. Squeeze your core!
  • Change your grip and arm positioning to target your back differently. I like wide bent over rows with a palm down position and an underhand grip bent over row the best.

OTHER BACK EXERCISES AND BENT OVER ROW VARIATIONS

There are a significant amount of variations to a bent over row. Too many to name, but you can add a stability component and stand on single leg, you can make it unilateral and perform it single arm. You can do it from a plank position to increase the challenge on your core. Make your choice based on your ability to perform quality reps and the end goal (or adaptation) you are trying to achieve.

A few of the common exercises I use to train my back are pull-ups because there is no better exercise for your back. You may need to start with a modification (heavy seated row or lat pull down) or assistance, but being able to do pull-ups is an excellent measurement of back strength and overall fitness.

I also love reverse fly and bent over Ys because they effectively target the smaller posterior muscles of the shoulder that keep your shoulders back. Which translates to the appearance of walking tall or walking with confidence as you consistently hold your shoulders back, keeping your chest upright and open.

WALL SIT

The wall sit is an isometric exercise. If you are wondering what in the heck isometric is, or if it is even English, let me explain. Isometric is essentially a muscle contraction that produces no movement. In fact, you are likely doing isometric work in the form of a plank or a v-sit hold.

The biggest reason you should be doing isometric exercises is for the stability benefits. Whether you are a teenage athlete, avid runner or in the aging population stability is your friend. It should be your best friend.

You will also experience an improvement in muscle endurance by regularly incorporating isometric exercises. This is once again great for athletes, injury prevention and the aging body.

How to Perform A Wall Sit isometric exercise

  1. Find yourself a wall.
  2. Sit against it.

It really is that simple. However, we have some guidelines to follow or work towards.

  1. Try to get 90 degrees of flexion at your hips and knees. This depth mirrors a squat depth and has a direction translation to muscle fiber recruitment for proper muscle firing within the movement.
  2. Keeping your feet around hip width and knees over your ankles. We want to avoid excessive internal rotation, letting our knees knock in, and rolling onto the side of our foot, picking up our big toe, and lifting our heels off the ground. Focus on a consistent foot contact with the ground.
  3. Maintain contact with the wall at your head, shoulders, back and butt by bracing your upper body into the wall. This will make your wall sit more of a total body exercise and help the neurological connection between your lower and upper body in the squatting pattern.

What to Avoid when doing a Wall Sit

  • Lifting your heels off the ground (for a standard variation)
  • Letting your knees cave in
  • Rolling on to the outside of your foot
  • Leaning forward and rest your elbows on your thighs

Other Isometric Exercises and wall sit variations

A plank is a great upper body isometric exercise, but the sky is the limit. You can take any muscle contraction and make it isometric. Just think of an exercise you like. Here is a common one – a bicep curl. Simply hold the weight with your elbow(s) at 90 degrees. You can time the exercise, or do it while holding a lunge for an isometric lower body burn too. Alternately you could be doing a full reverse lunge and working the concentric and eccentric phase.

Here are a few of my favorite isometric exercises:

  1. Plank Variations: movement in the lower body like knee drives, pikes, scissors, kick throughs, or change the surface of the plank to be on a Bosu Ball, medicine ball, stability ball.
  2. Wall Sit Variations: add movement in your upper body with resistance bands or free weights, hold a medicine ball between your knees, march or wear a band and use your glutes to drive into the band.
  3. Upper Body Variations: chin up hold, flexed arm hold, single arm hold and perform reps with the other arm (ex – bench press with one arm locked out at the top).
  4. Lower Body Variations: split squat position, hold the bottom position of a RDL, glute bridge hold (optional single leg), calf raise hold, single leg squat with alternating toe tap.

HIGH TO LOW CORE ROTATOR

The high to low core rotator is functional rotational exercise targeting your core, including shoulders and hips. We consider it one of the best rotational exercises because of how effective it is at targeting specific phases of muscle contraction and focused movement patterns. The variations you can take from plane of movement, stance, unilateral vs. bilateral … they feel limitless. This really allows us to follow the principal of variability to increase stability throughout the core.

It is important to note that your core as we refer to it includes abdominals, posterior muscles of the trunk, glutes and shoulders. Additionally, if you focus on the abdominal muscles you will find that rotation requires multiple muscles, not just one like some ab exercises. The high to low core rotator is trunk rotation with flexion meaning we are getting obliques, transverse abdominis and rectus abdominis to name a few.

HOW TO PERFORM A HIGH TO LOW CORE ROTATOR

We love to use core rotator variations in our programming because they scale easily to meet the individual where they are, they are highly functional and the amount of variations make them applicable to everything from sports performance to injury prevention/rehabilitation.

The high to low core rotator we would consider a starting point. A basic, entry level movement that can provide us with feedback on client abilities and challenge a client’s strength, proprioception and range of motion.

STEPS FOR A HIGH TO LOW CORE ROTATOR

  1. Set your cable attachment at the top of the pulley machine so that it is above your head.
  2. Start perpendicular to and offset from the cable machine so that the machine is slightly in front of you. You can start on facing either side, as long as the cable machine is slightly in front of you.
  3. Hold on to a single handle with the inside hand, or the hand closest to the cable machine. Wrap the opposite hand around the top of that hand. And take a few steps away, from the cable so the weights are not resting.
  4. Set your feet shoulder width apart and bend your knees, pushing your weight into the midfoot – heel, to load your hips and glutes.
  5. Brace your core by squeezing your abdominals, rotate from your hips and shoulders bringing the handle across your body to the opposite hip.
  6. Control the cable and your arms as your rotate back to the starting position, following the exact same path.
  7. Perform 10 reps on one side and then switch sides.

WHAT TO AVOID WHEN DOING A HIGH TO LOW CORE ROTATOR

The cable should follow an angled path from high to low (hence the name). If you do not bring your arms down on an angle as you come across your body line the cable will hit you in the face or throat.

Your back should remain neutral as you rotate through this movement. Any extending or arching in your back will cause discomfort. This exercise is designed to use flexion and rotation, flex and squeeze your abs!

Keep your weight even between your left and right foot. Allowing your weight to shift or leaning to the side can cause you to loose balance.

HOW TO PROGRESS A HIGH TO LOW CORE ROTATOR

We have mentioned that there are almost limitless possibilities for a high to low core rotator, right? Well that makes it hard to tell you how to progress it. Here is our best advice:

  • Change the height – as you bring the cable pulley attachment down towards your chest, hips and then knees the exercise becomes increasingly more difficult. You should not be doing the same weight the entire time. Gravity isn’t helping you as you lower the cable. Which means you are now fighting gravity. Of course we don’t call these high to low core rotators anymore, but they are certainly harder variations.
  • Change your stance – you can move your feet around to work on different angles and in various stability situations like kneeling, half kneeling, single leg and more.
  • Change the grip – switching what hand is on the bottom and single arm versus double arm will change the difficulty and the demand of the exercise.

TRICEP DIP

Your triceps, or the muscle located on the back of your arms, are used more than you might think. The triceps muscle is responsible for straightening your elbow, which we do all day long. Like pushing yourself out of bed in the morning or off the ground, closing doors or cabinets or simply reaching for an item by straightening your arm.

We also use them in a lot of activities like push-ups, shoulder presses, chest presses, planks, swimming, volleyball, baseball and more. Just think of anytime you straighten your elbow to keep it straightened.

It is important to note that the triceps muscle has three heads. (An easy easy way to remember that is tri means three.) Training your triceps in a variety of movement patterns is needed to effectively target all three.

HOW TO PERFORM A TRICEP DIP

  1. Sit on the edge of a elevated flat surface with your hands resting, palms down on the surface.
    • You can use any stable surface that allows your feet to touch the ground. Think bench, box, chair, stair, coffee table, etc.
  2. Push through your hands and lift your butt off the surface while you walk your feet slightly away from you.
    • The hardest position is with your legs extended straight in front of you.
    • Keep in mind your hips should stay close to the surface you are using.
  3. Bend at your elbows and lower your hips towards the ground while keeping your chest upright and open.
    • Aim for a depth of 90 degrees at the elbows IF there is no shoulder discomfort and you can maintain good form.
  4. Drive through your hands and straighten your elbows to bring you back up to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for reps.

WHAT TO AVOID WHEN PERFORMING A TRICEP DIP

  • Minimal elbow bend – your triceps are responsible for extension at your elbow (straightening). The more intention you can put into bending your elbows to achieve the needed range of motion the more work you can put into your triceps.
  • Hips too far from surface – the further you allow your hips to drift away from the surface (box, bench, etc.) the more form challenges you will encounter. It will be harder to focus your intentions on bending at the elbow, there will likely be some shoulder discomfort, and your range of motion will change dramatically. 
  • Chest rounding forward – the round of your shoulders will change the range of motion, which will change the muscles used and the load you feel in your triceps. Focus on keeping your chest upright and open. 

Luckily all there of these pieces of advice work synergistically. If you focus on bending at the elbows you will have to keep your hips closer to the surface you are using and keep your chest upright. If you keep your hips closer to the surface you will be more inclined to bend at the elbows and more capable of keeping your chest upright. And, finally, if you keep your chest upright you will be able to keep your hips closer to the surface and bend at the elbows!

HOW TO PROGRESS A TRICEP DIP

Make sure you have mastered the straight leg tricep dip before moving on to a harder version. If you have been doing knees bent, straighten your legs for a bigger tricep load. This is because the force arm (your legs) is longer as you straighten your leg. Putting more load into your triceps.

If you can check straight leg tricep dip off the list check out these options:

  • Add a weight to the top of your thighs.
  • Elevate your feet onto another box, bench or chair.
  • Incorporate instability at your feet or hands by using a BOSU ball or TRX

OTHER TRICEP EXERCISES

  • Tricep Push-Up
  • Skull Crusher
  • Laying OH Extension
  • Standing Tricep Extension
  • Sklz Single Arm Extension
  • Narrow Floor Chest Press

BAND WALKS

Our training philosophy starts with establishing range of motion (ROM), building stability within ROM and then building strength and power. We follow this philosophy with all of our clients and for all joints. We use band walks to build and maintain stability at the hips.

HOW TO DO BAND WALKS

Band walks are done with a small circular band placed anywhere from the upper thighs to the ankles. This placement helps activate the muscles of your hip, building stability. The lower on the leg you place your band the hard the exercise will be. You can also get various levels of resistance which may change where you place the band.

I love to use the hip circle for myself and my clients It is a pretty great investment for $20. Shop here in this affiliate link.

Other factors like injury, orthopedic limitations or difficulty engaging the right muscles will dictate where you should place the band.

Two most common band walks are lateral and forward/backward, sometimes called monster walks.

  1. Select the location of your band and get it into place.
  2. For lateral band walks you will step sideways and for Monster walks you will step forwards. In both situations you are trying to maintain tension on the band every time your trail leg steps in. This means you are not allowing the band to pull your leg in, rather you are resisting that force.
  3. You continue to taking steps until you reach a desired location or rep count. I usually work my clients in sets of 20 in one direction. For monster walks my clients would walk forward 20 steps the backward 20 steps to the same starting position.

WHAT TO AVOID WHEN DOING BAND WALKS

One of the most common is an inward rotation or caving of the knees. The intention is for us to drive against the band activating our hip muscles. If we allow our knees to inwardly rotate or cave in we are being controlled by the band. Which is, generally speaking, a no-no in the training world.

You also want to avoid any back pain while doing band walks. Back pain can occur when you are straining against the band and moving into poor form to achieve movement. For example, if you are doing a glute bridge with the band on and experiencing back discomfort you are likely over extending (or arching) in your low back. Keeping a neutral spine and tight core while using the hip circle is necessary to get the most out of the exercise.

FAVORITE BANDED EXERCISES

Banded exercises are great for improving hip stability and good hip stability is impacted by more than external rotation and the glute muscles. There are a lot of supporting, stabilizing muscles of the hip including muscles of the inner thigh like adductors. While we use the hip circle to build hip stability we also incorporate other exercises designed to strengthen the muscles of internal rotation to keep the hip balanced.

  • Band Walk Variations
  • Squat Variations
  • Plank Variations
  • Glute Bridge Variations
  • Pulsing Wall Sit

WORKOUTS

There are many workouts for you to download and save. Scroll through them all to find which ones you want to try. 

back workout advanced
back workout beginner
banded glute workout
ab wheel core workout
glute workout
advanced isometric workout
beginner isometric workout
rotational workout
tricep workout
Creating Brand Loyalty as Trainer

Creating Brand Loyalty as Trainer

Standing out in the market is important. And offering a competitive service and price are effective at capturing customer’s attention. But taking that attention and turning it into repeat clients with brand loyalty is critical to your long-term success. So let's...

read more
30 Minute Workout Program

30 Minute Workout Program

I have a great workout program for you. You can scroll down if you aren't interested in why I made this program. But it you are let's have a quick chat. Why is it easier to skip a workout than to actually do the workout? In my opinion it has a lot to do with how you...

read more
3 Ways to Gauge Success As A Trainer

3 Ways to Gauge Success As A Trainer

Whether you work at a gym or you’re an owner reflecting and evaluating your performance as a personal trainer is a necessary component to growth and long-term success. Here are 3 ways to gauge your business success as a personal trainer: Client Retention Client...

read more
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GLUTE AND HAMSTRING DAY STAPLES – EXERCISES I ALWAYS DO

GLUTE AND HAMSTRING DAY STAPLES – EXERCISES I ALWAYS DO

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Everyone has a favorite muscle group to train. For me it is my glutes and hamstrings. I think thats pretty normal because I feel it is one of my strengths and what I feel most comfortable training. And honestly, who really likes to work on their weaknesses when they can focus on their strengths. *kidding* 

Jokes aside, it’s very important to train your weaknesses, in the gym and in everyday life. Otherwise how would you ever grow or improve? So whether you love or hate to train your glutes and hamstrings there is something here for you. I am going to explain to you how they work together, what they do for your body as a whole and my favorite exercises. Of course there is a great workout at the bottom for you to use at your next gym session. I hope you love it!

Some of the links in my blog are commissionable links, which means I may make an income if you use them. There is no impact to you and your support of our blog and me is greatly appreciated.

GLUTES AND HAMSTRINGS

fitness blogger mequon wisconsin

Let’s talk about what your glutes and hamstring do for you. Your glutes are made up of three muscles (maximus, medius, minimus) and act as extensors and external rotators at the hip. You should also note that the glutes and involved in abduction and adduction at the hip (think laterally raising your leg or squeezing your legs together) and the deeper muscles, not mentioned above, are heavily involved in hip stability. For the sake of this article I am really talking about the three larger, closer to the surface muscles.

glute and hamstring anatomyI run into a lot of clients who have difficulty activating their glutes which can lead to muscular imbalances (due to compensation) and tightness. Establishing a program that focuses on proper glute engagement, stability and then strength will allow you to achieve more. From allowing you to lift more weight, to running faster or longer, to daily tasks like cleaning and gardening.

In the picture above I am holding one of my favorite tools for glute activation, the hip circle. It is great because no matter how often you do band walks, they will always be hard! It’s a great piece of equipment to have at home for quick and simple workouts, and it makes for a great warm up before a workout! I have my outfit linked below too!

Now, what about your hamstrings are also made up of three muscles (semitendinosus, semimembranosus, biceps femoris) on the posterior of your thigh. They control hip extension and knee flexion. You hamstrings are the most important stabilizer of your knee and play a significant role in walking, running and jumping.

Including exercises that specifically focus on your hamstrings is key to injury prevention. Many people have tight and weak hamstrings from sitting in a desk all day, which leads to people being quad dominance, knee pain and injury.

You can read more about the glutes and hamstrings in our Discover Series where we broke down different muscle groups.

THE IMPORTANCE OF CORE

PERSONAL TRAINER

Your abdominal muscles are extremely important in life. But did you know that they are also connected to the function of your glutes and hamstrings. Your core is in the center of your kinetic chain and connects your upper and lower body. So when you think about having a strong lower body, specifically glutes and hamstrings, you have to consider your core as part of the equation. 

Another bonus is that a strong core will help you in everything. It can help to decrease back pain and increase strength and stability in everyday movements. There is also a benefit in athletic performance to having a stronger core. In golf for example, the more power you can transfer from the lower body to the upper body the more distance you can put your swing. Read more about that in our article here. 

You will see below, that I sprinkled in a little core work into each set. I did this because as I just explained, core is important, but also it is active rest for your legs in this situation. But a strong core is the main goal. So when doing the core exercise below make sure to keep constant core tension. This will help to keep you spine in a neutral spine position and decrease the chances of arching you back which commonly leads to low back pain.

MY GO TO GLUTE + HAMSTRING WORKOUT

If you are unsure of any of the exercises, there is a section at the bottom of the article where I explain the things to remember when doing the exercise and the muscles used.

PERSONALIZING YOUR WORKOUT

fitness expert

I prefer simple workouts that I don’t have to think about. So doing 3 rounds of the two circuits above is perfect for me!

As a personal trainer I am constantly adjusting exercises to meet my clients specific needs. This could be based on an orthopedic limitation, a personal goal, or to make the workout enjoyable for the client. I do this by changing the equipment used, changing the reps, or adding an additional set of core or cardio to the workout. And when I say cardio I do not mean running for miles at a time. I prefer to incorporate sprints, incline walking, or other heart rate based exercises. For more ideas check out my blog about how I like to do cardio!

Because this is a glute and hamstring work out, I would incorporate incline walking. Incline walking activates the calves, hamstrings and glutes so this will be a great way to increase the difficulty and fatigue of the workout!

I would do an interval pyramid workout  or 1 min, 2 min, 3 min, 2 min, 1 min sections. Start by doing one set of the first group of exercises above. After those 5 exercises, hop on the treadmill at about 3 mph at an incline around 10% for 1 minute. Then do another set of the resistance exercises and after get on the treadmill again. Keep the speed and incline the same but walk for 2 minutes. After your third set of the first 5 exercises, you are doing three minutes on the treadmill. Then switch to the second set of exercises and walk 2 minutes between the first and second set, and 1 minute between the second and third set. Finish out the workout with stretching and/or foam rolling!

MY OUTFIT

RECOVERY

personal trainer

No matter what workout you do, make sure to take some time and stretch or foam roll after your workout! Taking five minutes after your workout to stretch will help improve recovery time, decreasing soreness and fatigue after your workouts. 

If you have low back pain, tension in your shoulders, or tight hips you do not have to live with that pain. By stretching for 3 to 4 minutes a day, you can counter-act some of that wear and tear on your body. Which will help you to move better, feel better and sleep better.

Also make sure to properly fuel your body by hydrating and eating properly post workouts. And don’t forget that sleep is also impacting you and your workouts more that you probably realize. Sleep quality is connected to emotional stability and physical stability. Which means weight management and recovery. These both are connected to feeling better and reaching your goals.

Lastly, it is also important to talk about the relationship between stress and exercise. Exercising increases endorphins in the body, a natural pain killer, and decreases stress hormones. The change in these hormone levels will leave you happier and better equipped for your day post workout. Along with that exercise can give you a sense of control, a break from work or day to day stressors and can decrease risk of conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS

personal trainer mequon wisconsin

As I mentioned before I have descriptions of the exercises below. Take a minute to read them, you will pick up something new to apply. And read Chellie’s article on 5 technique tips to get more out of your workout!

Lateral band walks & Backward band walks

Band walks are a must have in every glute workout. Place the hip circle above your knee and sit back into your glutes. You should mainly feel your glutes firing and that make extend into your quads or hamstrings slightly. Personally, I am very quad dominant so I prefer to do all backwards band walks, rather than forwards and backwards, to only fire my glutes. So thats why I have programed that for you today.

Banded glute bridges

Glute bridges are hip extension, which is preformed by the glutes, and the band increases the load on the glutes. Keep that hip circle right above your knees and place your feet on the ground near your butt. Keep tension on the band and you drive your hips into the air, and keep your core engaged so you don’t extend through your back as you get fatigued.

Swiss Ball hamstring curls

The instability provided by the swiss ball requires the muscles to activate in the extension and flexion of the movement. Again, it is very important to keep core tension during this exercise to avoid any low back pain.

SL RDL on BOSU

The BOSU Ball makes this movement an open chain movement and increases muscle recruitment. If you do not have access to a BOSU Ball, don’t worry, you can still do this exercise from the ground. The the RDL focuses on glute and hamstring ROM and strength.

Plank Reach backs

Core work is always important to include, and it gives your legs a little rest. I chose to include plank reach backs because of the core activation, but also you will likely feel a hamstring stretch as you reach back to touch your toe.

Curtsy lunge with SA row

A curtsy lunge is great for strength and stability and you can never go wrong with a cable row, shoulder retraction is great for counter-acting bad posture.

Toe-out RDL

RDL’s work the whole posterior chain, but it especially targets your hamstrings. The addition of the toe out stance increase adductor muscle activation.

Bulgarian Split squat

Bulgarian Split squats are primarily a glute and quad exercise. As you sit back into the lunge your glute muscles will fire and engage to push you out of the lunge and extend your hip.

Barbell Hip Thrusts

Barbell hip thrusts are a lot like glute bridges, but I prefer to do them in an up right position, leaning against a bench. Start by position the barbell across your pelvic bones, lean back into the bench and engage your core. Propel your hips up by engaging and driving with your glutes.

Flat back SL hold and SL tuck to kick out

Another surprise core exercise, that again evolves some hamstring stretching. Start flat on your back, you can tuck you hands under your butt to tilt your pelvis and help keep your back flat on the ground. Extend one leg out and hold it about 6 inches off the ground. Tuck your other knee towards your chest, kick your leg up straight, and then keeping your leg straight, slowly lower that leg to the ground.

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WHAT DOES TONING YOUR BODY MEAN

WHAT DOES TONING YOUR BODY MEAN

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The word toning is constantly in the media, but what does it actually mean? It could mean muscle definition, or lean muscle, a low body fat percentage, or slim hips and shoulders, or even long legs. The thing is that it comes down to perspective. 

If you asked 100 people what toning means there would be a wide variety of answers. I am here to tell you that toning is the result of increased muscle definition and decreased body fat. Period. Based on your build this will appear differently.

You cannot beat genetics. Your height, the width of you shoulders, hip size cannot be changed through exercise and diet. But you can control your body fat and lean muscle mass. Although, you may not love the lifestyle that is required. You can read more about the relationship between fitness + weight loss in a recent blog post. The role of genetics and the media are clearly discussed. 

Let’s talk more about how the media, nutrition and resistance training can impact you goals of toning your physique. 

And I share my outfit details at the bottom 🙂

tricep extension for tonig

IN THE MEDIA

Every where you look there is a friend, trainer, influencer telling us the secret to a toning. Promising that all we have to do is 5 specific body weight exercises for the best results. 

In reality, there is no scientific proof that there are 5 specific best toning exercises. It is just their opinion. And some opinions might be based on a significant amount of experience and others on just fluff. 

Let’s also remember that achieving a toned appearance is the result of your perspective. And that very perspective has been cultivated over years of experience and exposure. Both in real life and the media. 

It is very easy for a person who carries low body fat and high muscle tone, due to their genetics, to put together a video of their favorite exercises. And for you to fall victim to believing it really is that easy. 

lat pull down for toning

BODY WEIGHT EXERCISES ONLY

There is a misconception that lifting weights for women will cause a bulky appearance and that only body weight exercises should be used for a toned appearance. Here is the fact, you are limiting your potential by only doing body weight exercises. 

As I said above, toning is the result of increased muscle definition and decreased body fat. Increased muscle definition comes from muscle hypertrophy. And muscle hypertrophy comes from a load being applied to the muscle. A load like weights + resistance. 

And just a little PSA – if you are doing core exercises in hopes of burning body fat in you abdominal region, stop. I am sorry to tell you, but you cannot spot reduce fat. 

Don’t stop doing core exercises, but stop thinking that it is the way to reduce your abdominal fat. You will end up frustrated because of poor results. 

As long as you are doing the core exercises correctly, you are strengthening and defining you abdominal muscles. But the decrease in body fat will need to come from a well rounded approach that includes nutrition, full body resistance training and cardio training. 

bicep curl

NUTRITION

It is important that I make one thing clear. As a personal trainer, I cannot give advice about nutrition. My training in undergraduate school was limited. However, I can share some basic principals rooted in science to get you started. 

Before we get to those two principals I want to address nutritions role in a toned physique. Nutrition is a key component to lowering your body fat percentage and having the lean appearance that allows muscle definition to be apparent. 

Because each of our bodies are different the right diet to achieve a toned appearance can be different. It will also be different based on what your perspective of a toned physique is. The more muscle definition you want (think body builder) the more precise your nutrition will have to become. And that might not be the lifestyle you actually enjoy. 

WATER

Water intake is more important than we can really understand. I can personally feel a huge difference when I drink over 100 ounces of water in a day. I have more energy, I avoid awful headaches and my productivity is always better. 

That is because water is essential to so many functions of our bodies. Drinking enough water can help to maximize physical performance, increase brain function, and boost skin health. 

QUALITY

Counting calories can be effective tool for weight loss, toning and sports performance. It can also cause a load of negative side effects that can be counter productive. 

Instead of tracking quantity, I focus on the quality of the food I am consuming. I am looking to eat more whole foods and limit processed foods. I try to strike a daily balance between protein, fruits, veggies and starch. 

This is because the nutrients in good quality food will help improve your body’s performance. Allowing for better sleep, better workouts, better brain function

I highly recommend you find a qualified (licensed and/or certified) dietician or nutritionist that has experience working with the goals you have. An educated, experienced professional THAT YOU LIKE will be a game changer. If you don’t like them, or don’t have that “this is the one” feeling you should consider looking around a bit more.

And if you love to track your workouts, food and daily actions you should check out our fitness + lifestyle journal. I love using it to keep myself accountable for my fitness goals, but also my personal and professional goals.

single leg rdl for toning

RESISTANCE TRAINING

On to my favorite topic, resistance training. Toning, or increased muscle definition and decreased body fat, is a direct result of consistent resistance training. 

So, to all of those people who are pledging 5 exercises for toned arms in 2 weeks, I am calling BS. A toned appearance is the result of hard work over time. I encourage you to shift your focus from where can I be next week to, where can I be this time next year. The possibilities get bigger with time. 

And just touch back on this idea that women should lift weights because it makes them bulky… women do not produce enough of the hormone testosterone to bulk up like men do. It would require intense nutritional efforts and/or steroids to get to the physique of a man.

But this ties back to perspective. For some toning is long, skinny limbs. For others it is defined shoulders and muscular thighs. 

You can download 5 of our favorite core exercises or our best glute exercises by clicking the appropriate links. 

THE BENEFITS OF RESISTANCE TRAINING

Outside of the toned appearance you might desire, there are many other benefits to resistance training. And these are reasons alone to start a program.

  • Improve bone density
  • Reduce risk of chronic disease
  • Benefit mental health
  • Improve flexibility and mobility
  • Increase strength

For me the increased confidence, and feeling of empowerment I got from lifting weights is what made me make it a habit. There is something to be said for emotional strength you get with physical strength.

A great piece of equipment for anyone working out at home is a TRX. We recently did a month long cover on how to train with the TRX. Take a look and find the fitness inspiration you need!

shoulder press for toning

RESISTANCE TRAINING FOR TONING

Moderate weight and high reps will aid in increasing muscle mass and decreasing body fat. Remember, toning is a combination of resistance training, nutrition and cardio. You will want to consider all three as part of the same program. 

TONING WORKOUT

Repeat this 5 times using 10 lb dumbbells for every exercise.

  • Deadbugs 20 (one weight in each hand)
  • Glute bridge 20 (weight on hips)
  • Skull crusher and toe touch 20
  • Cursty lunge and SA shoulder press (front squat hold) 15/15
  • Toes out RDL to sumo squat 15
  • Bent over row and tricep kick back 20
  • Reverse lunge with forward press and rotation over knee 10/10
  • Flat back double extension and single extensions 10 (holding 1 DB)

muscle toning split squat

WHAT ABOUT CARDIO?

There is always a debate on whether cardio and resistance training can be done in the same session. And the answer is inevitably, it depends on the goal you are working towards. When it comes to toning, they can absolutely be combined. 

By combining cardio and resistance training you can increase calories burned with in a workout by manipulating your heart rate. It is also an effective way to improve your endurance. 

One key point I like to mention is quality of work. Don’t ever sacrifice form and range of motion just to get the work done. 

The good news is that cardio doesn’t mean you need to run 5 miles a day. Check out my blog all about “ How I get my Cardio Training Every Week”. It’s all about cardio training with out long runs or workouts.

You can read more about how to get your heart healthy cardio training done without running in this article. 

renegade row for toning

WHERE TO START

I covered a lot in this article, but please take away this one point. Toning is the combination of increased muscle definition and decreased body fat. Definition will come from resistance training for muscle mass and lowering your body fat. Lowering your body fat will come from nutrition, resistance training and cardio. 

If you are looking to tone up your physique this year then follow a program that covers nutrition, resistance training and cardio.

OUTFIT DETAILS

Some of the links below are commission links, where I get paid. The price does not change for you ordering through these links and your support is greatly appreciated!

PERSONAL TRAINER

Creating Brand Loyalty as Trainer

Creating Brand Loyalty as Trainer

Standing out in the market is important. And offering a competitive service and price are effective at capturing customer’s attention. But taking that attention and turning it into repeat clients with brand loyalty is critical to your long-term success. So let's...

read more
30 Minute Workout Program

30 Minute Workout Program

I have a great workout program for you. You can scroll down if you aren't interested in why I made this program. But it you are let's have a quick chat. Why is it easier to skip a workout than to actually do the workout? In my opinion it has a lot to do with how you...

read more
3 Ways to Gauge Success As A Trainer

3 Ways to Gauge Success As A Trainer

Whether you work at a gym or you’re an owner reflecting and evaluating your performance as a personal trainer is a necessary component to growth and long-term success. Here are 3 ways to gauge your business success as a personal trainer: Client Retention Client...

read more
fitness articles
lifestyle articles
nutrition articles
golf articles

SUBSCRIBE

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DISCLOSURE

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.