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A few key training cues can make exercise more effective.
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A personal trainer explained to Insider how tweaking your form can target the right muscles more effectively.
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One of my tips was to imagine my hands as hooks during pulling exercises to better utilize my back.
Small tweaks can make the difference between improving your fitness routine, stagnating it, and causing injury, according to personal trainer Stephanie Zengas.
Proper form is Zengas’ number one priority when working with clients. Certain cues can make sure a person has good form and tones their muscles effectively.
Everyone will need specific coaching based on their genetics, muscle imbalances, and fitness background, she said. You can use it as a guide.
Spread the floor when squatting
The squat is an exercise that clients are encouraged to master before adding barbell weights, Zengas said. Many people don’t know how to properly activate their glutes for exercise, which can make exercise less effective and cause injury.
If someone is new to the exercise, she said to always start with a box squat, with the box behind you so that it touches your buttocks. should be angled. This is essential for isolating the gluteal muscles.
Imagine spreading the floor and spreading your knees out to the sides as you stand up, Tzengas said. She has to drive mainly from the heel and the middle part of her foot, she said.
Tighten your pelvis with squats and Romanian deadlifts
In both squats and Romanian deadlifts (RDLs), Tzengas said it’s important to tuck your pelvis forward under your torso. To do this, imagine pulling your navel toward your spine, she said.
It can be hard to visualize this, she said, but it can be the difference between activating your glutes and hamstrings and overextending your hips. she said it was possible
Zengas also advises clients not to squeeze their glutes or lock their knees at the top of these movements.
Unlike squats, the RDL always keeps your knees gently bent and your hips moving back and forth, says Zengas. Keep your head in a neutral position and do not straighten your back.
Separate the thumb and index finger during the pulling exercise
Pull exercises like the lat pulldown are often aimed at targeting the back, but some people struggle to avoid using their arm muscles.
To remedy this, Tzengas said he recommends pulling your thumb and index finger away from the grip and imagining your hand as a hook. she will, she said.
“If you feel like your arms are doing more work than your actual back, you need to loosen your grip. “Because of that, I’m channeling all the energy into their forearms and biceps,” she said.
Imagine a pencil between your butt cheeks at the top of your hip thrust.
Hip thrusts are another exercise that Zengas said can actually improve with the right cues.
Here’s how Zengas recommends hip thrusts:
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Using a bench around knee height, lean the area just below your shoulder blades against the side of the bench.
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Keep your shins vertical and your knees at about a 90 degree angle.
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Tuck your chin in and push your head forward, then lower your hips and push up.
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This movement can be loaded with a barbell against your hips.
She said it’s important to squeeze the top of this move, unlike the squat or Romanian deadlift. Imagine a pencil between your butt cheeks.
With most exercises, especially hip thrusts, it’s important to “break momentum,” says Tsengas, and isolated muscles do all the work. Said it helps to make sure it’s been activated all along.
Read the original article on Insider
