As we close the books on 2017, I’ve rounded up the most popular reads. The best from the past year, all in one place.
How I run an online business, blog regularly, keep learning and manage my life with Evernote
Weider´s training principles: The progressive overload principle
The deadlift is an excellent compound exercise that targets the quads, hamstrings, gluteal muscles, lower back, traps, and forearms. If it´s not done properly, you can seriously injure yourself (such as a herniated disc).
Place the barbell on the ground in front of you and add plates according to your strength and fitness level. Beginners usually start lifting just the barbell, since a typical barbell weighs between 25 and 45 pounds on its own.
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This exercise stretches our lower back and hamstrings. You may feel it stretches other parts of your body. That´s a clear sign you need to stretch more often.
Sit on the mat with your legs outstretched in front of you, toes pointed toward the ceiling and knees straight. Bend your left knee and place the sole of the left foot against the inside of your right thigh. Sit as tall and straight as possible keeping your head aligned with your spine. Place your hands on the top of your right thigh.
Engage your abs to stabilize your spine. Exhale and slowly bend forward from your hips, sliding your hands toward your ankle. The knee should remain straight with the toes pointed toward the ceiling. Hold this position as you take a few breaths.
Relax and return to your starting position. Repeat with the opposite leg.
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Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width, with your toes pointed forward or slightly outward and your feet so that the balls of your feet are lined up under the bar.
Squat down and firmly grasp the bar just outside of the knees using a closed, alternating grip. Thumbs should be wrapped around the bar with one hand facing up, the other hand facing down.
Keep your spine in neutral position. Your shoulders should pull down your back. Keep your chest lifted and your head in line with your spine or chin slightly lifted. Your heels are on the floor and your shoulders are over or slightly in front of the bar. Your gaze should be facing straight ahead or slightly upward.
Before lifting, engage your abs to protect your spine. Straighten your knees and hips at the same time, bringing the bar off the floor and coming to a full standing position. You are pushing your feet down into the floor as you return to a full standing position. The barbell will rest against the front of your thighs with your arms straight, and shoulders pulled down and back. Your goal is to keep the bar close to your body as it moves upward.
Your hips and knees bend simultaneously. As you lower your hips the knees bend and will start to shift forward slowly. Try to prevent your knees from traveling forward past the toes. Keep the abs engaged and keep your back flat.
Lower the hips and shoulders together. Do not allow the spine to round. Keep the back long and shoulder blades pulling down. Imagine holding a pencil between your shoulder blades throughout both phases of the movement.
The technique is very important in this lift. Two common mistakes are over arching the low back during the lifting and lowering phases and not raising and lowering the hips and shoulders together.
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Do you want to watch more exercise videos? Subscribe to my YouTube channel.
The stability ball hip crossover increases rotational strength of the midsection. The exercise targets the core, hips, and lower back while also improving balance and stability.
Lie flat on back with arms outstretched to your sides. Bend your knees to 90 degrees and prop your lower legs on the ball.
Exhale and gently roll your legs to one side in a controlled manner. Pause, and then slowly roll to the opposite side as you inhale. Repeat.
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This is an excellent exercise to massage and treat with care our lower back.
Pull the knees up towards the chest and stretch the hips and lower back. The lumbar spinal area is pressed into the floor. Roll up and down and from side to side upon the lower back. This loosens into the hip joint and massages and stimulates the lower back.
The hardness and firmness of the floor are important and should be used to press into stiff, tight areas. The back may crunch and snap 🙂
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Supermans Level 3 will burn our lower back. Again, no equipment is required.
Lay face down on a mat, with your arms extended.
Exhale and contract your lower back and glutes, lifting your chest and legs up off the ground. Keep your hands and arms straight throughout the exercise.
Hold a few seconds. Inhale, back to initial position and repeat.
There are some other variations and yoga poses but luckily they are not called “supermans”.
All of them are safe and effective when it comes to building strength in our lower back. There is life beyond deadlift!
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Supermans Level 2 is another easy exercise for our lower back. No equipment is required.
Lay face down on a mat, with your arms extended.
Exhale and lift your chest up off the ground using your back muscles. Keep your hands and arms straight throughout the exercise.
Hold this position a few seconds. Inhale and back to initial position. Repeat, chasing perfection 🙂
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There are several levels and variations of this exercise.
Supermans Level 1 is similar to Bird-Dog but sometimes, one simple change makes a huge difference. As the name suggests, this exercise puts you in a position that emulates Superman while he flies, which also explain why so many levels and variations 🙂 Doing this exercise correctly and safely is simple and requires nothing more than your body and the floor. Well, You may wish to lay down a mat or rug to avoid laying directly on the floor, this is not Sparta 🙂
This is a great exercise for strengthening your lower back and toning your glutes.
Lie face down on your stomach with the arms and the legs extended.
Slowly, lift your left leg and right arm. Hold 2-5 seconds and back to starting position and alternate sides. Exhale as you lift your arms and legs up off the ground. Inhale, as you lower your arms and legs back down.
Don´t pull. Focus on your back and glute muscles, gently rising as much as you can. Probably you feel easier one side than the other. Don´t worry, there is always a weak side 🙂
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Welcome to the zoo 🙂
After Cat-Cow exercise, Bird-Dog exercise is an excellent exercise to stabilize the low back during upper and lower extremity movement. The main target of the Bird Dog is the erector spinae. It’s not that difficult to do after a little practice to get the balance right. It is helpful to use a mirror to help you with form adjustments.
Come to a quadruped position: place your hands under your shoulders. Your fingers facing forward. Place your knees under your hips. keeping your spine and neck in a neutral position; you should be looking at the floor.
Slowly extend your left leg behind you while reaching your right arm forward. Slowly return to the starting position and do the move on the opposite side. Lift the leg off the floor until it is at or near parallel to the floor. Keep both shoulders parallel to the floor. Your head should remain aligned with the spine throughout the movement. Do not lift the head or let it sag downward.
Back to starting position, maintaining balance and stability in the shoulders, pelvis, and torso. Alternate sides.
It looks easy, but it´s not. Let´s see the usual mistakes or problems with the next pic.
I have to say this was not on purpose 🙂 Usually, my first set of 30 reps (15 each side) is for stabilizing. Flipped disks are that funny 🙂
You should not lift your leg above hip height. This will help to avoid upward rotation at the hip. Do not allow the shoulder to tilt upward. If you cross the “red line”, you should adjust instead keep counting wrong reps.
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The cat dog exercise is perfect for helping you stretch your back, torso, and neck. Also known as Marjariasana or Cat Pose, makes an ideal first exercise to warm-up.
WARNING: If you have a neck injury, consult your doctor. At least, keep the head in line with the torso.
Come to a hands and knees position. Make sure your knees are below your hips and your wrists, elbows, and shoulders are in line and perpendicular to the floor. Center your head in a neutral position, eyes looking at the floor.
As you inhale, raise your chin and tilt your head back, push your navel downwards and raise your tailbone.
As you exhale, drop your chin to your chest and make round your back as much as you can.
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