This is a weekly series on exercise that will give you the biggest bang for your exercise buck in and out of the gym. Today’s exercise is the suitcase carry.
You should do this because– we often have strength imbalances between our left and right sides. And lifting or carrying with one hand at a time will help iron out some of these imbalances.
Makes your everyday life easier because- you will be making less trips carrying the groceries from the car to the house. A definite time saver. No jar will be too difficult to open with your new found grip strength.
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Form tips – Hinge or squat down to pick up the weight. Look in a mirror to see if your shoulders are even . Do 20-40 yards in each hand. Thanks to Kevin Carr for the video.
It’s easy to get discouraged by your lack of results.
You’ve been training consistently, eating right and yet the scale mocks you. You may resort to desperate measures such as cutting even more calories and exercising like a madman. Maybe you’ve even dreamed of smashing the scale into a million pieces.
Doesn’t that sound like fun?
Sometimes small changes are all that are needed. Next time you’re in the gym, stop being frustrated by your lack of progress and start making these exercise swaps in your current routine.
1. Out – Straight sets. In – Supersets
Gym-goers often do one set of an exercise, rest, do it again and then repeat this sequence for their entire training. Straight sets are great for building strength with exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench presses and rows.
However, when you’re looking at building muscle or burning fat (or both), supersets are perfect.
Supersets are two exercise done back to back with little or no rest in-between. An exercise pairing of a leg exercise with an upper body move will allow you to:
Increase your workout intensity
Cause your heart to work harder to push blood from your lower body back up to your upper body, increasing your overall calorie burn
Doing three supersets per training session, two-three times per week will have you well on the way to breaking your funk.
2. Out – Leg press. In – Goblet squats
First, let’s get this out of the way – there is nothing wrong with the leg press machine. You’re able to move massive amounts of weight will little or no risk. That’s because the machine supports your body and there’s little or no core engagement.
Enter the Goblet squat. Holding the weight at the front of your body acts as a counter balance that prevents poor squatting form and also provides resistance for your muscles.
You’ll be moving less weight, but you will be working more total muscle, which is win-win for your fat loss efforts.
3. Out – Sitting down. In – Standing up
There’s nothing wrong with sitting down and exercising.
However, we spend the majority of our day sitting down at work and sitting down watching our television, smartphone and laptop computers. Sitting for prolonged periods of time is one of the biggest culprits inhibiting your body’s natural calorie-churning engine.
Undo some of this by doing your whole exercise routine standing up. You’ll burn more calories and improve your core strength and balance.
Do this following routine for 4 weeks and notice the difference
Instructions
This is 3 a day a week program. Rest 48 hours between trainings. For example Monday- Wednesday- Friday.
Complete the following routine has a circuit and rest when needed between exercises. Rest 90- 120 seconds at the end of each circuit.
For single arm/leg exercises do the prescribed repetitions on each side.
Use a weight that allow you to complete all the repetitions with good form.
Day 1- 4 circuits – 5 repetitions for each exercise. Heavy weight. Farmers carry 40 yards
Day 2 – 3 circuits – 10 repetitions for each exercise. Heavy- moderate weight. Farmers carry 40 yards.
Day 3- 2 circuits- 15 repetitions for each exercise. Moderate- Light weight. Farmers carry 40 yards.
Click on each exercise for a video demonstration.
STAND UP ROUTINE
1A. Goblet squat– Keep chest high and drive your heels into the ground.
1B. Single arm row– Keep chest open and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Do both arms
This is a weekly series on exercise that will give you the biggest bang for your exercise buck in and out of the gym. Today’s exercise is the golfers lift.
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You should do this because– this exercise will help with balance and is a life saver for your lower back.
Makes your everyday life easier because- If you’re clumsy like me and you’re constantly dropping stuff on the floor, this will save your lower back from unnecessary discomfort.
Form tip – Do this when picking something light up off the ground or a couple of reps daily on each leg to help with your balance.
You’ve been eating right and been putting in time at the gym. However the scale is not budging. Quick question. When’s the last time you had a good night’s sleep?
Sleep and the scale can go hand in hand. Not getting enough sleep also messes with our hormones, in particular Cortisol. Cortisol, which is produced in your adrenal glands, is naturally high in the morning to help you wake and low in the evening to help you sleep.
Lack of sleep and stress will keep cortisol levels elevated thought the day and night. This can cause
Muscle breakdown– Cortisol’s main function is breaking down substances for energy. That includes your hard earned muscle.
Weight gain– A study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that lack of sleep impacts your brain in such a way that it pushes you towards the pantry, not away from it. Only one night of fewer than six hours sleep triggers areas of your brain that is involved in your need to eat.
But don’t despair; you only need to make a few small changes to help you get that good night’s sleep you have been craving:
Timing your food intake– Eating the majority of your protein in the morning/afternoon and have your dinner with some carbohydrates (fruit/vegetables, not sugar) which should aid in maintaining a proper Circadian rhythm.
Manipulate light exposure- Manipulating light exposure for brighter white/blue/green lights in the morning and dimmer red/pink lights (or just darkness) at night definitely does helps in maintaining a proper sleep cycle
Supplement with Melatonin– This is a naturally occurring substance in the body, but supplementing melatonin can help to reduce the time it takes to fall asleep. I take this every night with no side effects, and it works for me. (Since the FDA does not regulate supplements, there may be inconsistencies in brands, so if one doesn’t seem to help, you might try another brand.)
Wrapping up
So, help your waistline and your mood by using the three methods above to get more shut eye. If you still need more assistance, schedule an appointment with your doctor or with the Clinical Center for Sleep and Breathing Disorders at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
Your family and friends will thank you since a rested person is less irritable person. Right?
This is a weekly series on exercise that will give you the biggest bang for your exercise buck in and out of the gym. Today’s exercise is the deadbug.
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You should do this because– I said so 🙂 Core stability is just that important in and out of the gym.
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Makes your everyday life easier because– Not only does this exercise emphasize breathing correctly it also reinforces our natural contralateral ( opposite arm/leg) movement pattern.
Form tip – Thanks to Eric Cressey for the video Breath out as you extend your opposite arm /leg and breath in on the way back. Do 6-8 reps on each side daily.
Note- This article first appeared on Bach Performance here . This is the my version.
At first glance, the farmer’s carry seems simple. You pick up a heavy weight and walk. However, when you’re performing this (You do, right?) you come to the quick realization that it’s hard. Very, very hard.
Your shoulders ache, your grip starts to fail and it becomes a mental battle against one’s self. You may feel like letting out a few choice words and dropping the weights like a hot potato, but you quickly realize there are other people around including a grandma who is warming up with your max.
You’re better off not drawing any unnecessary attention to yourself. The gym is already full of those people anyway. Yes, that means you excessive gym grunter guy.
Carries have been around since the dawn of time but have enjoyed a recent surge in popularity thanks to Strength Yoda Dan John. He says that in three weeks, carries will change your life.
But why do the average gym goers avoid carries? My guess is because they are thinking
They’re hard
There’s no pump
What muscle does it work again?
Where’s the mirror?
Whether you’re trying to get stronger, build muscle, lose fat or rehabbing certain injuries, the farmer’s carry has your back.
Your grip gives out during the deadlift? Do more carries. You have puny forearms? Do more carries. Have a couple of banged up shoulders? Do more carries.
Farmer’s carries will also improve your
Posture- Trying to carry heavy weights with rounded shoulders is almost impossible. Strengthening the upper back should always be a priority.
Breathing patterns- It’s pretty hard to be a chest breather when you’re carrying heavy weights around.
Shoulder stability– Your rotator cuffs are working like crazy to keep your arms in their sockets.
Core and hip stabilizers- Every step of the farmer’s walk is a single leg stance.
It’s probably the biggest bang for your buck exercise in the gym that you’re not doing. Let’s look at the basic farmer’s carry and then how you can plug the carry (plus all the variations) into your routine.
DUMBBELL FARMER’S CARRY
If you’re just starting out or it’s been a while since you’ve carried heavy, start with this variation. The cues that work here are shoulders down and chest up, but if you want to think sexy, just walk like a supermodel.
Pairing this with any press variation works well because it doesn’t tax your grip beforehand. For example
1A. Overhead/bench press or push up
1B. Farmer’s carry 40 yards
Or pair it with a Pallof press to give your core a double whammy.
The standard dumbbell carry can and will give you all you need to improve in and out the gym. Think of it as vanilla ice cream of carries. However, if you like a little more flavor, keep on reading.
CARRIES FOR FAT LOSS
1. 10 minute carry
Most people who train do so to look better naked. Adding this 10 minute carry at the end of your training will fry you and your body fat.
Instructions– Depending on your strength level, start with one 20, 25 or 30 pound kettlebell. Hold the bell overhead (bottoms up) and walk, keeping your biceps by or behind your ears. After you lose your grip, stop and reset. When you lose your grip for the second time, bring the bell into the rack position and keep on walking.
Once you lose neutral wrist position or your upper back is screaming at you, hold the bell suitcase style by your side and keep walking. Do this for a total of five minutes on each side.
2. Carry and swing
If you’re proficient with the RKC kettlebell swing, then give this combo at the end of your training. For example
1A. Two-handed kettlebell swings – 10 reps
1B. Suitcase carry 40 yards.
Instructions- Alternate hands on the suitcase carry. Do one round (one carry is equal to one round) every minute on the minute. If one round takes you 40 seconds, rest 20 seconds before you start your next round. Do six to ten rounds or until your grip gives out.
CARRIES FOR MUSCLE
A stronger grip has a huge carryover to most of your major lifts and at times can be your limiting factor. The longer you can hang on to the bar while you’re lifting, the better chance you have of building some muscle. Have you ever seen a skinny strongman/powerlifter?
1. Try this for bigger arms
Save this circuit for the end of your training, when you’re looking for some bicep work. Do this tri-set two to three times per week for guns of steel.
1C. Dumbbell farmer’s carry 40 yards (at least 25% of your bodyweight in each hand)
Repeat this circuit three times with minimal rest in between exercises.
2. 30 second finisher
Nothing fancy about this one. Use any two handed carry variation (dumbbell, kettlebell or a trap bar), walk for 40 steps and place the weight down. Rest for 30 seconds and repeat. Stop when you can no longer walk for 40 steps without letting go. Record the number of rounds and try to beat it next time.
Note– start with carrying half your bodyweight.
CARRIES FOR STRENGTH
Everything I’ve mentioned up to this point will build your overall strength and change your life in three weeks. However, in my experience the overhead barbell carry is the cherry on top in the world of carries. Every single step is a challenge for the whole body. One false step you, the barbell and the floor become one.
Sometimes a little fear in your training can be a motivating experience.
This is a taxing movement, so program these near the beginning of your training, just after your big strength movement for the day. Pairing the overhead walk in a superset with an upper body movement works best. For example:
1A. Bent over barbell row, chin up or bench press variations.
1B. Overhead barbell carry- 20 steps forward, then 20 steps back
Wrapping up
No matter what your training goal, there is a carry to fit your need. Now is the time to embrace the carry so you can crush your personal bests in and out of the gym. Throw in a smile and you’ve got it made.
This is a weekly series on exercise that will give you the biggest bang for your exercise buck in and out of the gym. Today’s exercise is the proper hip flexor stretch.
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You should do this because– We often get ‘tight’ hip flexors and lazy glutes from sitting to much and not moving enough. This exercise helps both.
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Makes your everyday life easier because– Hips that have a good range of motion allow you to squat, deadlift and lunge like a champ. Having proper movement in the hips lowers your risk of low back pain.
Form tip – Watch the video (thanks Tony Gentilcore) and hold for 30- 60 sec per side daily.
