☑️The Right Position: In order to perfect the plank position, think of it like a push up, except in the push up the weight does not fall onto the abs alone, it also falls onto the chest and the triceps. With the plank position, there is no involvement of the triceps or the chest and it is the abs bearing all the strain.

☑️The Right Arms: Make sure your arms are right beneath the shoulder, absolutely in line with the wrists. Make sure you do not hunch your shoulders pushing them forward to your ears. Keep them straight and erect so that the rest of the body pose is in line with the shoulders.

☑️The Right Line: It is very important to get the alignment right. Just like a plank, your alignment must be straight and solid. Keep your neck long and try keeping a distance of at least 6 inches between the chest and the chin. In order to align the spine with the head, just look a few inches further from where your wrists are resting and you will acquire the perfect alignment for your perfect plank.

☑️Keep Straight: If you are looking for flat abs with the help of the plank, make sure you keep your back flat, throughout. If you keep your back flat the whole time, the transverse abdominis, the deepest layer of the abdominal will be immersed in the exercise till the very end, holding the spine and holding your position stiff and solid, just like a perfect plank. If you end up lifting your hips or dropping them, the abdominals engagement will minimize and the plank will be far from perfection. Do not do that.

☑️The Right Hips: A drop or lift in the hips can put a lot of pressure on the back and lead to injury. the idea is to keep the spine in line at all times so that the body is as stiff as a plank gets for maximum effectiveness.

Read more: http://www.fitnessrepublic.com/fitness/how-to-master-the-plank-position.html#ixzz3Cp5Zi7iU

Sometimes a nap is definitely needed. But here’s how long and the benefits.

Transform that core

Single Leg RDL and Bulgarian Split Squat

The Bulgarian split squat can be used as a supplemental leg exercise to help balance weakness in one leg or hip, build better glute strength and hip stability, or as an exercise for hypertrophy at higher reps.

The Single Leg RDL should be performed heavily, as there aren’t many exercises that challenge balance and coordination while strengthening the hips to the degree that this exercise does.

All about the green!

How to Fix the 5 Most Common Planking Mistakes

The Mistake: Collapsing the lower back. The Fix: Instead of compromising the lower back by dipping the bum, engage the core by imagining your belly button pulling in toward the spine. This will help keep the torso flat, and in turn, the spine safe. If you want to get super technical, have a friend gently place a broomstick or yardstick on your back—the top of the stick should make contact with the head, and the bottom of the stick should rest between the buttocks. The stick should also make contact right between the shoulder blades for proper alignment.

The Mistake: Reaching the butt to the sky. The Fix: Planks aren’t supposed to look like a downward dog. To really get the core working the way it should in the plank position, keep your back flat enough so your abs feel engaged from top (right below the sternum) to bottom (directly below the belt). Just don’t dip the tush too far toward the ground.

The Mistake: Letting the Head Drop The Fix: While the focus may be on keeping the hips, butt, and back in the proper position, form isn’t only about the core and the lower body in this move. It’s important to think of the head and neck as an extension of your back. Keep your eyes on the floor, letting them rest about a foot in front of the hands, which will help keep the neck in a neutral position.

The Mistake: Forgetting to breathe. The Fix: It’s human nature to hold your breath when in a strenuous position for a period of time. But denying yourself oxygen can bring on dizziness or nausea, which are unpleasant at best and dangerous at worst.

The Mistake: Focusing too much on the stopwatch. The Fix: Quality trumps the quanity of seconds ticking away when it comes to the plank. When your form begins to suffer, it’s time to call it quits. If the back begins to bow or the shoulders start to sink in, take a break.

10 Tips for a Fit Summer

Weights before Cardio: Performing weight training first will ensure you’re strongest when you lift. Plus, it  depletes your glycogen storages, so when you do cardio your body will be more likely to burn body fat for energy, helping you get leaner faster than if you did cardio first.

More then Abs: The six-pack may be the centerpiece, but to really impress people, focus on working your entire body, including the chest, back, shoulders, arms, and yes, even your legs. Don’t be too obsessed with ONLY the muscles you see in the mirror, make sure you take the whole body approach. 

Fiber: Increases heart health along with aiding digestion. You will also fill fuller and more satisfied which helps to curb overeating.

Protein: Eating more protein will help the body regulate blood sugar and increase nitrogen for the brain. It will also allow muscles to take in a more constant flow of amino acids in order to properly recover from weight training.

Probiotics: These will help the digestive system breakdown your foods properly. They will help to insure nothing is wasted or stored as fat within the body.

Coconut Oil: Assists with brain health, increases overall energy levels and decreases appetite. 

Hydration: Being dehydrated can cause havoc within a body made up of mostly water. Aim for 8 glasses to a gallon a day depending on size, weight and training regimen. 

HIIT Training: High Intensity Interval Training has been proven to burn more calories during and after training than low intensity steady state cardio, aka jogging. It is also a time saver, thus making it more bang for your buck for those of you who are running on a tight schedule. A 20-minute HIIT session can replace a 30- to 35-minute low intensity session. 

Big Sets: The goal is to perform at least four different exercises in a row without resting. An example would be Squats followed by Leg Presses, Leg Curls and Calf Raises. These type of bigger sets make your workouts more intense, reduce the amount of time you train and aid as a cardiovascular workout as well. 

Shop Smart: When in the grocery store, the healthiest items are not in the isles, but actually on the outside surrounding them on the perimeter. Keep this in mind when you’re shopping, because shopping in these sections will be best for your health, development and even your wallet.

Burn Fat and Gain Muscle...in 1 Workout!

For most people, from the pro to novice ranks of training, burning fat and gaining muscle are the key goals in the weight room. However, it has been well known that there is quite a bit of difficulty in doing both simultaneously. As most know, gaining muscle requires a constant and progressive overload of weights. Dropping body fat requires an elevated high rate, lower rest time and higher reps. 

Bridging the gap between the two is key and can be done in an efficient manner. You can start with circuit training modified with a mix of strength and aerobic exercises. These circuits should usually consist of low to moderate intensity weight and/or machine movements with the primary focus aimed at elevated the heart rate. With this modified circuit workout, a greater emphasis is placed on strength training with an uptempo pace and heavier weights. 

A superset is a pair of exercises performed one after another with little to no rest. The focus on a superset is to perform exercises on opposing muscle groups. A perfect example would be, supersetting Pull-ups with flat Bench Press. In that case, bench press would work the chest and pull-ups the back. 

Dynamic Interrupts is another efficient option when it comes to gaining muscle and losing fat in the weight room. Sometimes a gym can be too crowded or might not be equipped to cater to a perfect superset. If that is the case, you can perform a filler exercise during you norma rest period. This makes the workout more aerobic than a traditional superset workout. You can pair one strength movement with a body weight exercise that will elevate your heart rate. A good example of this would be jumping rope in between sets of front squats. 

Stay Hydrated…

Medium underworks binder for sale

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As it is brand new, and did not fit me, I am selling it for £25. Plus postage to the people somewhere outside of the uk.

Hit me up if you want it supahzakk.tumblr.com

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All non binary people are valid.

Neurogender non binary people are valid.

Xenogender non binary people are valid.

Trauma-based non binary people are valid.

Ace and aro non binary people are valid.

Non binary people whose gender(s) is/are related to their kintype(s) are valid.

Non binary children, teenagers, adults and seniors are valid.

Non binary people who use she/her or he/him pronouns are valid.

Non binary people who keep their birth name are valid.

Non binary people who look “typically” male or female are valid.

Closeted non binary people are valid.

Non binary people who live in a place without the language to describe their gender are still valid.

Neurodivergent and disabled non binary people are valid.

Non binary people who still misgender themselves are still valid.

Non binary people who used to ID as binary trans are still valid.

Non binary people who have to pretend to be binary trans are still valid.

Non binary people who are questioning themselves are still valid.

Non binary people whose gender is fluid are still valid.

Non binary people whose gender sometimes encompasses binary genders are still valid.

Any non binary people who I’ve missed on this list are valid and I’m sorry if I’ve left you out.

All non binary people out there - you are valid. 

I hope you never let antagonistic gatekeepers convince you otherwise.

I can’t believe it’s August, I don’t want summer to end.

Any chance you can do a body swap with me? Lol? No? Oh OK! Well could you at least give me some of your top work out tips :@D they seem to be working! Have you done a gym blog entry? Peace n respect