Tag: gym
Best Supersets – Glutes
Here are some of the best supersets to perform to build up your glutes!
Everyone needs to work the glutes more. But without properly activated glutes, many movements cannot be done properly, or at least effectively.
Since most of us spend our days sitting, hunched over computers and behind steering wheels, we shut off our glutes. That tightens our hips and shortens our hamstrings, leading to all manner of muscular dysfunction, most notably back problems. Not only are we setting ourselves up for ailments and injury, but we also end up with a flat butt that nobody finds attractive.
If you approach daily life as one big glute workout, you’ll be well on your way to muscular glutes and pain-free living. Squeeze your cheeks one at a time while stuck in traffic or an endless meeting. Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator. Walk instead of driving short distances.
One study suggested that some of the most common exercises produce significant improvements in the glutes. In this glute superset workout, we’ll pair a bodyweight glute activation move with one that works the glutes through lifting This way we both activate and challenge the glutes in an efficient manner that enables us to keep moving through the workout with no rest.
Pete Williams is a NASM certified personal trainer and the author or co-author of several books on performance and training.
FIRST SUPERSET: KNEE HUGS AND SPLIT SQUATS
Knee Hugs
What it does: This move stretches the hamstring and glute of your front leg as well as the hip flexor or your back leg.
How to do it: Lift your right knee to your chest and grab below the knee with your hands. Pull your right knee to your chest while squeezing your left glute. Return to the starting position and repeat on the left side. Continue alternating sides.
How many? 10 reps.
Split Squats
What it does: Squatting in the gym and daily life works the glutes, but the split version with dumbbells places them fully on stretch.
How to do it: Step out into a lunge with dumbbells at arm’s length at your sides. Lower your hips by squatting back and down. Without letting your back knee touch the floor, drive your weight back up with the front glute. Do 10 sets on one leg and then repeat with the other.
How many? 10 reps to each side.
SECOND SUPERSET: GLUTE BRIDGE AND ROMANIAN DEADLIFT
Glute Bridge
What it does: It’s one of the best moves to improve the activation patterns of the glutes.
How to do it: Lie face-up on the floor with knees bent 90 degrees and feet on the floor. Squeeze your glutes and bridge your hips to the ceiling. Only your shoulders and hips remain on the ground. Hold for two seconds and then lower your hips toward the ground without touching. Repeat for a set of 10.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps.
Romanian Deadlift
What it does: Perhaps the most recognizable hamstring move, and for good reason; it’s effective in building the proper activation patterns in your hamstrings and glutes while also strengthening your back.
How to do it: Start with a light set of dumbbells. The form is especially key to getting the full benefit from the RDL; don’t think of the exercise as bending forward but rather as sitting back with your torso moving forward instead of staying upright.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps.
THIRD SUPERSET: QUADRUPED ROCKING AND ONE-LEGGED SQUATS
Quadruped Rocking
What it does: This move is a combination of two familiar yoga poses: cow and child’s pose and provides a great stretch for the quads and hips.
How to do it: Get down on all fours and let the lower back sag. Push your hips back as far as you can, holding the lumbar arch. You should feel a stretch in and around the hips. Return to the starting position and repeat.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps.
One-Legged Squats
What it does: This not only challenges your glutes – one at a time – but your overall balance and core strength.
How to do it: Stand on one foot holding dumbbells on your shoulders with elbows pointed out. Squat on one leg until your thighs are parallel to the ground – or as parallel as possible. Return to a standing position using only the leg you’re balancing upon. Do 10 on one side and then the other.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps per side.
FOURTH SUPERSET: SQUAT JUMPS AND LATERAL LUNGES
Squat Jumps
What it does: This move works the hips, knees, and ankles but the key is using your glutes to generate power.
How to do it: Stand with feet just outside the shoulders and hands behind your head. Squat, keeping your knees behind your toes and squeezing your glutes. After holding this position for two seconds, jump vertically. Pull the toes to your shins in midair to prepare for landing. Land in the starting squat position, hold three seconds and repeat for 10 reps. Be sure to land softly, with the hips back and down.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps.
Lateral Lunges
What it does: Lateral movement is important to sports and the motions of everyday life, but too often we ignore it in the gym. The lateral lunge hits the quads and glutes, along with the hamstrings.
How to do it: Step out to the right, keeping toes pointed straight ahead and feet flat. Squat down only your right leg, keeping the left leg straight. Squat as low as possible, keeping the left leg straight and holding for two seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat for a set of 10. Switch sides.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps (per side).
FIFTH SUPERSET: INVERTED HAMSTRING AND FRONT SQUAT
Inverted Hamstring
What it does: This move forces you to fire (activate) your glutes. Practicing such movements becomes a habit while training and in everyday life.
How to do it: Balance on your right foot, keeping tummy tight, and shoulders back and down. Bend at the waist with both hands out to the sides and extend your left leg back as you fire the left glute. Your shoulder and heel should move together, forming a straight line. Return to starting position and switch legs, performing a set of 10 on each leg.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps per side.
Front Squat
What it does: Like the inverted hamstring, the front squat forces you to fire your glutes.
How to do it: Stand holding a barbell across the front of your shoulders, palms facing you and elbows in front of you. Squat until your thighs are as parallel to the ground as possible. Push from the hips and return to a standing position.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps.
A Beginners Guide To The Gym For Beginner Level Gains
Everything you need from this beginner’s guide to the gym.
So, you’re new to the gym and its time to check out a beginner’s guide to the gym. Or you’ve been before and just want a quick refresher course on all things to do in the gym. Walking into a gym for the first time ever, or first time in a long time, can be a daunting task. But you’ve already made the choice, so might as well stay.
Truth is, when you go to the gym no one is watching you. Maybe if you go to a gym bro, muscle head gym where the slogan is superficial at best, then you’ll get stares. But most gyms you’re going to find everyday fitness folks, some quite muscular and others not so much, working out to give themselves a healthier lifestyle and effective gains so they look great for all occasions.
Despite your hesitations, push them aside, you’ve made the choice to go to the gym and get a great workout already so why bother with the nonsense that keeps you away. This beginner’s guide to the gym will give you everything you need to get started so you only see the best gains possible.
Where To Begin
You’ve made the choice to want to work out again, but where to begin. Easy steps to follow for first getting started are:
Set Your Desired Goal
Setting your desired goal is important so you know what you are working towards. Without a goal, you are aimlessly walking around a gym with zero clue what to do. Plus, having a goal gives you something physical to look for so results don’t seem as elusive.
Find A Workout Plan For You
Finding the right workout plan for you can be incredibly daunting. We have many on our site alone that can get you started and continue to beef up those gains as you get more comfortable in the gym. Knowing your goal will help with this step because it will allow you to see what is necessary to see those desired changes take place. Mixing in compound and isolation exercises is important, as well as knowing the proper number of sets and reps. Your training split should reflect the goal you seek.
Find A Comfortable Gym
You want to find a great place to train so you are comfortable with working out. By comfortable we don’t mean lounge chairs and massages. We simply mean a place where you feel you can get a great workout, work hard and grind away, and see serious gains even as a beginner.
Best Tips When In The Weight Room
Once in the weight room, there are some important tips for you to learn as you progress further with your training and this beginner’s guide to the gym has it all.
Learn Proper Form
Proper form cannot be overstated. So many people injure themselves off the bat with too much weight and improper form that is something you absolutely do not want (1). Taking the time to learn the right form and give yourself the best in terms of physical health will only amplify your gains.
Build Mind-Muscle Connection
Building mind-muscle connection is important for this will help reinforce form as well as build muscle (2). When looking to capitalize on those gains, building muscle isn’t about lifting heavy weight. You want your muscles to grow. If your muscles don’t feel work done, it doesn’t matter how much weight you lift.
Use Machines & Free Weights
Machines and free weights are both in the gym for a reason. Use them. Machines will give you stability and weight assistance as you really get serious weight moving, while free weights challenge your balance and overall stability by allowing you to lift freely and work on imbalances as well.
Change Lifestyle
Just because you decided to workout, doesn’t mean you are home free for gains. This requires changing your lifestyle inside and out of the gym including things like diet and supplementation (more on this further down). That shredded aesthetic, for example, happens in the kitchen just as much as the gym and you need to reframe your mindset to allow yourself to thrive.
Move Slow & Be Patient
There is no need to rush anything. Building muscle and slimming down takes times, despite what we actually want. Moving slow and having patience will allow you to enjoy the process of working out as you give yourself time to step away from the stress of everyday life and do something beneficial for yourself.
Best Supplements For Beginners
Supplements are game changers for those who work out and knowing the right supplements to take as a beginner will be super important when it comes to your gains.
Protein Powder
Protein powder can pump you with vital amounts of protein and allow you see gains by maximizing your protein intake. Great for muscle building and recovery, it can also help with weight loss by keeping you more full (3).
BCAAs are a great intra-workout supplement designed to help you push through fatigue, kickstart recovery earlier, and build muscle (4). BCAAs are short for branched chain amino acids and the three of them are leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Plus, this gives you a tasty supplement to drink mid-workout.
Pre-Workout
Pre-workout is that supplement to give you energy and serious muscle pumps to get blood flowing for increased muscle growth and better workouts (5). It is important to look at the caffeine amount in these supplements for that can affect everyone differently and potentially cause some side effects. For beginners, however, don’t hesitate to look into a stim-free pre-workout for no stimulants with the same benefits.
Multivitamin
Everyone should take a multivitamin anyway but especially for those beginners who are new to lifting. Multivitamins will pump you with essential vitamins and minerals so you never suffer a deficiency and can get the most out of your overall health.
Wrap Up
This beginners guide to the gym will hopefully give you a better sense of what to look for when it comes to boosting all your gains. For those new to the gym, well done, you’ve made it. Following these steps can greatly help you get to where you need to be so you see those insane gains, even as a beginner.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Hsiang, S.; et al. (1997). “Low back pain (LBP) and lifting technique- A review”. (source)
Calatayud, J.; et al. (2016). “Importance of mind-muscle connection during progressive resistance training”. (source)
Pasiakos, S.; et al. (2015). “The effects of protein supplements on muscle mass, strength, and aerobic and anaerobic power in healthy adults: a systematic review”. (source)
Blomstrand, E.; et al. (2006). “Branched-chain amino acids activate key enzymes in protein synthesis after physical exercise”. (source)
Martinez, N.; et al. (2016). “The effect of acute pre-workout supplementation on power and strength performance”. (source)
Gym Problems Fixed 101
Here are some quick fixes to major gym problems that are faced!
So there are times in life when problems occur and you have to think on your feet, and the gym is a prime example of this.
Below are typical problems gym rats will potentially face, but fear not as I have a fix for each issue.
Follow my guide and you will always have a solution up your sleeve.
1. Problem: Wrong Footwear
If you find you have turned up at the gym with the wrong footer, i.e. sneakers with an air bubble or elevated sole, and planned to do deadlifts that day.
Fix 1
Kick off those shoes and deadlift or squat in your socks. An elevated heel will push the body forward more and going shoeless allows the body to be in the most neutral position.
Fix 2
Alway pack a pair of chucks into your bag just in case. As chucks are good for deadlifting as they have a flat sole.
2. Problem: No Pre Workout
You open your cupboard to find you have just run out of pre workout and forgot to order some more.
Fix 1
Drink a cup of coffee, all pre workouts contain caffeine. 1 cup of coffee contains 95mg of caffeine.
It may even be worth having some unflavoured beta alanine to hand, as you can even throw a smell scoop into your coffee, And the benefit of beta alanine is that it increases muscle carnosine levels, and carnosine in turn buffers the onset of fatigue.
3. Problem: Muscle Tweak
You feel a small tweak in one of your muscles during your workout.
Fix 1
Ideally, sacrifice that one session and stop working out, and live to fight another day. As continuing could put you out of action for a lot longer.
Fix 2
Always have some sort of muscle rub in your gym bag, and if the tweak is not that severe, then apply the muscle rub to the area in question and continue with caution. Also be sure to stretch and foam roll the area in question before continuing.
4. Problem: No Clips
So you want to bench or squat or deadlift and for the life of you, you cannot find any spare clips in the gym.
Fix 1
Convert your barbell exercise into a landmine one, this can be used for: landmine chest press, landmine squat, landmine lunges, landmine deadlift and single arm or T bar row.
Fix 2
If you really cannot continue without clips then change the workout plan for that day, and convert to a dumbbell day and supplement with machines accordingly.
5. Problem: Equipment Taken
So you walk into the gym mentally prepared to squat or bench press but find that piece of equipment is talen and doesn’t seem to be free anytime soon. Do you just wait…?
Fix 1
If it is available then use the smith machine, perfect for either squat or deadlift.
Fix 2
Like one of my previous suggestions, if the rack and bench are not free but an olympic bar is then why not utilise the landmine to either do a landmine chest press or landmine squat instead.
6. Problem: Forgot Headphones
So you walk into the gym and you realise you forgot your headphones. The only real fix here is that you suck it up and continue without them or you go back home and get them!
7. Forgot lifting belt
You put your hand into your gym bag and find that your lifting belt isn’t there, you took it out and left it on your kitchen counter. But today is a heavy deadlift day, what should you do?
Fix 1
Rethink today’s workout and either change to a body part where a belt isn’t required as much, so something smaller like shoulders or biceps and triceps.
Fix 2
Or, if you are dead set on deadlifting today, if you are using an olympic bar, brace your core more and reduce the weight to ensure the back really is kept tight. Alternatively utilise the smith machine where there will be less stress on the back.
8. No Squat bar pad
So you liek to use the squat bar pad to protect your neck, but it seems to have disappeared off of the gym floor.
Fix 1
Use a towel, or your hoodie around the bar to cushion your neck.
Fix 2
Use nothing and start acclimating yourself to using the bar, this will allow you to become more comfortable not using the pad and also increase your stability.
9. Problem: No Platform for elevation
So you want to do straight leg deadlifts, but there is no stepper or platform to elevate yourself on to allow really deep SLD’s.
Fix 1
Use olympic plates and stack accordingly, make sure they are stacked evenly and in line with each other so there is no wobble and that it is sturdy.
10. No Free Bench
So you want a bench but there are none free and the wait time for one seems endless.
Fix 1
If you wanted to do a dumbbell press then why not grab a mat and do it as a floor press, your elbows will hit the floor on the descent but it also allows the elbows to use the floor to bounce off of, so it is like having a spotter.
Fix 2
Change it up and utilise machines for that day or change up the plan or body part for that day.
In a busy gym environment it is good to stay fairly flexible and be able to think on your feet, especially if you train at peak times.
So there you have it guys, I have hopefully covered all those little gym problems you may encounter.
So until next time, keep pumping!
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
These are the Hardest Exercises You Can Do in the Gym
The Hardest Gym Exercises You Should Try
The results you get from working out are directly proportional to the effort you put in. Training your body is a constant battle where you push yourself to shock your muscles with harder exercises in every single workout.
Most people avoid the hard exercises and stick with the easier ones which is why only a few people are successful in transforming their bodies. To see a change in your physique, you need to make these exercises a part of your exercise arsenal.
Squats
Squats are the king of leg exercises. Compound movements are harder to perform as they use multiple muscle joints as compared to the single-joint isolation exercises. Very few people perform the squats with the full range of motion – ass to grass and a strict form.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts are another dreaded exercise and only a few people perform them in their workouts. All the exercises mentioned in the list are hard to perform as they require skill to perform and can take some time to perfect.
Bench Press
Bench press, squats, and deadlifts are the three big compound exercises and are some of the most fundamental exercises you can perform. Lifting heavy on the bench press takes some serious strength and a big heart.
Walking Lunges
Walking lunges add a new level of difficulty to leg training by adding the walking aspect to this exercise. Maintain a full range of motion while performing this exercise. The knee of your second leg should be an inch away from the ground at the bottom of the movement.
Military Presses
As the name suggests, performing the military presses require a military level discipline and a strict form. Most people use momentum to lift the bar above their shoulders or push the barbell forward as they complete the movement in place of pushing it over their heads.
Muscle-Ups
Muscle-ups aren’t for the faint-hearted. Chances are, you might have never even seen anyone perform the muscle-ups at your gym. Muscle-ups require brute upper body strength and a strong core.
Skullcrushers
Skullcrushers are arguably the hardest triceps exercise. To perform the skullcrushers correctly, lock out your elbows at the top of the movement and squeeze your triceps. The barbell should be an inch away from your forehead at the bottom of the movement.
21’s
Bicep pumps will never be the same for you once you do the 21’s. Hold a barbell with a shoulder-width grip and perform seven half repetitions from the bottom to the mid of the full range of motion. Perform the second set of seven reps from the top to the middle of the movement and the final seven reps with a full range of motion. Perform the 21 reps without any rest in between and the 21 reps will be one set.
Planks
Planks are the ultimate exercise for building core strength. Most people make the mistake of slouching their butt or forming a bridge while planking. Keep your core tight and body in a straight line while performing the planks.
Burpees
Burpees are one of the hardest bodyweight cardiovascular exercises. The trick while performing the burpees is to maintain constant intensity. By the end of this exercise, you’ll be gasping for breath and swimming in the pool of your own sweat.
Which is the hardest exercise according to you? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*Header image courtesy of Evato Elements.
Gym Crush – Karina Elle
Images courtesy of Instagram @karinaelle
Kariana Elle is a true Cali girl who loves the beach and gym life. Elle is a former competitive cheerleader and a cross country runner. After college, Karina devoted most of her free time to fitness and started competing in bikini shows.
The half Vietnamese – half-French beauty is a fitness model, a personal trainer and was named the most “in-demand” fitness model by a popular magazine in 2014. Elle won the World Fitness Federation Pro Bikini Championship amongst many others.
Hotness Overload – Karina Elle
While attending the University of Florida, cheerleading and cross country running was replaced by being a part-time group fitness instructor. For Karina, the transition from cheerleading to fitness came naturally as she liked her fitness instructor job so much.
Karina isn’t your average fitness girl who is always on the lookout for the right lighting for the perfect booty shots. Elle is comfortable sweating and having messy hair as she goes about doing her thing.
Squat Rack is the Altar
Elle likes to squat heavy and can put many men to shame with the depth and form of her squats. Karina prefers using heavy weights as it helps in fully engaging all her muscle fibers and maximizes muscle growth.
After winning the overall title in her first bikini show, Karina started modeling for the top agencies in the country. Elle has featured in several minor TV commercials, has been featured on the cover of one of the most renowned magazines in Singapore in 2013, and she achieved all this at the age of 26.
Get the Best of Everything
The 5’11” internet fitness celebrity is into yoga and can turn the world into her yoga mat. Karina says her addiction to endorphins which she gets after a good workout helps her stay motivated to hit the gym and be in shape.
Elle is a Gym Shark athlete who is always making a style statement in and out of the gym. Karina doesn’t hold herself back from having some fun while she’s working out. Follow her on Instagram to keep up with her.
Karina has one of the most chiseled midriffs on a female fitness model. Her washboard abs are the proof she loves to stay in top shape throughout the year. Although Karina sticks to her healthy diet, she likes to have a juicy hamburger and french fries once in a while.
Bikinis are Life
Elle undoubtedly has one of the most exotic wardrobes with some of the most beautiful bikinis you’ll ever see. Her pictures will glue you to your phone and you’ll find yourself scrolling through her timeline for hours.
Karina loves taking her workouts outdoors. Elle often does her cardio and bodyweight workouts in the wild. She is the perfect example you should never miss a workout even if there are no gyms around you. Make the world your gym.
Karina trains at the Mecca of Bodybuilding, Gold’s Gym in Venice, California. Her impeccable physique is the result of using every machine in the gym from the free weights to the cardio equipment.
What do you think about Karina’s abs? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*Header image courtesy of Instagram
10 Workout Excuses: Stupid Reasons Not to Workout Today
Best Workout Excuses to Miss the Gym
You’re always just one excuse away from skipping the gym. Going to the gym and training every day of the week is hard while sitting on the couch and making up an excuse to miss the workout is super easy.
If you’re going to miss the gym, we thought we’ll help you find good excuses to add to your arsenal. Be generous and share these excuses with your friends so you can skip the gym together and leave the gym for the serious ones.
One More Episode
Binge watching is one of the growing reasons why people miss their workouts. While it might be tempting to watch the next episode of 13 Reasons Why and uncover why Hannah killed herself, killing those extra calories is more important.
It’s Raining
Or it’s too cold, hot, foggy. You need to realize there are no recommended weather conditions to train. If you travel in your own vehicle, getting around in any weather shouldn’t be a problem. For people who use public transport, an Uber is always around the corner.
I’m Tired
The good old “I’m tired” excuse is responsible for hundreds of people missing their workout every day throughout the world. Supplements like stimulated pre-workouts invalidate this excuse. Even a cup of coffee can pump you up for your workout.
It’s Late
It is never too late to workout. Most gyms these days are open till late at night and some are even open 24X7. If you feel you’re running late and won’t be able to get in your normal 2-hour workout, cut short your routine by using super and drop-sets.
I Have to Hang Out with Friends/Family
This is a common excuse for people who workout in the evening. If the chillout can’t be moved to a rest day, try hitting the gym a little early than usual or after you hang out with your friends.
Too Much Work
If the presidents and prime-ministers can make the time to train, so can you. A fit lifestyle can help you get more done in your work life. Work and hitting the gym don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Working out will help you do more with better focus and stamina in the office.
A Day Off Can’t Hurt
Some people take the liberty of missing a workout after they’ve trained for 2-3 days in a row. If you’re not an advanced lifter or athlete, skipping a day can take you back in your fitness journey.
My Workout Partner is Busy
Have you ever noticed people miss the gym in groups? If one person in the team skips the workout, the other follows him. This is why you should choose your training partner carefully. Bodybuilding and fitness isn’t a team sport, it’s an individual sport, so always be ready to train alone.
I’m Out of Supplements
Some people miss their workouts because they’re out of their pre-workout or protein supplements. A pre-workout can be replaced with a caffeinated drink and a protein shake with a fast digesting high-protein meal like fish.
It’s Not My Usual Time
Most people go to the gym at a certain time every day. For some reason, if you can’t train at the same time, be open to working out at a different time. Training at a different time will only benefit you as it’ll come as a shock to your muscles. Use this as an opportunity.
What is your favorite excuse to skip a workout? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Florida TikToker Says LA Fitness Member Followed Her Home & Assaulted Her
A recent TikTok went viral after woman claims that she was followed home and assaulted.
A Florida TikToker shared a recent video claiming that a man followed her home from an LA Fitness and assaulted her. At first, the particular LA Fitness did not ban this member from the gym or take any action but the woman has spoken to the company since.
Jessi Balter, or @jessibalter on TikTok, shared a video on Dec. 11. In less than two weeks, the video has received 6.9 million views and close to 7,000 comments. In the 25 second video, Balter shows what she was wearing on the day of the incident and explains that there was no course of action taken.
“What I was wearing:
the day a man followed me home from the gym and into my apartment.
I reported the incident to LA Fitness and they refused to ban him.
How can they care more about a contract than their own member’s safety???” Balter wrote on screen in the video.
Unfortunately, this is not the first incident at a gym in recent weeks. Another instance went viral after a TikToker shared a video where a strange man is seen spotting a woman while bench pressing without her consent. The woman claimed that this ‘gym creep’ was following her around the gym prior to this.
For Balter, the situation was a bit more serious as she was followed home. Last week, Balter took to TikTok to post an update on the situation. She said she spoke to the district manager of LA Fitness in South Florida following the breakout of her video.
Balter explains how the manager was kind and offered her a refund for what she was unable to use. Also, how LA Fitness would cooperate if Balter wanted to take further action against the man.
“I basically explained to him what happened in full detail and I told him who I spoke to after the incident and how they reacted to me and how the situation was just not handled the way it should have been. He agreed,” the tiktoker said.
“He basically asked what else I wanted him to do to make the situation right. I told him, I thought it was really important that he read through the comments and became aware of what has been happening at these facilities around the country…He told me that I have their full support if I wanted to reach out to law enforcement. They would be fully cooperative and help me out there.
If someone comes up and reports they are unsafe in the gym. They feel like someone is following them, a man said something to them, a man touched them — this is not something to report on their account. They should be given some sort of reperscussion. They need to be kicked out of the gym or sent to a different gym.”
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The Four Best Machines To Build Big Quads
Here are four great machines to build up your quads!
Every muscle can be built with free weights or machines, but quads in particular benefit greatly from machines. You show me somebody who’s built tree trunk quads and I’ll show you somebody who takes machine training seriously.
Oddly enough though, gym culture demonizes machines. They’d rather die on the barbell hill than grind their quads through a machine. They’ll say things like, “Machines aren’t as manly” or “Machines aren’t functional.” Oh so much stupid.
Machines rock and if tired of having baby quads, strap into the following machines.
1 – Hack Squat
The hack squat is an epic machine because it’s design fits everybody’s structure. It’s angled for a reason.
With traditional barbell back squats, the bar rests on your back and you’re essentially resisting weighted gravity. This means the bar has to stay over your center of mass or else you would topple over on either side and turn into a viral gym fail.
For the weight to stay over the center of your mid foot, your joints bend at specific ratios based on your anatomy. For some people, this means they genetically get more of an upright position which means more knee flexion(knee bend) hence more quad growth.
However, some people with less favorable limb ratios could be lifting the same load for the same amount of reps may not get as much quad growth because their anatomy limits knee flexion.
Fortunately, the hack squat solves this. The machine prevents you from toppling over and puts you at angle to get lots of knee flexion. It’s also suggested you bring your stance slightly lower and more inwards if it produces more knee flexion. This isn’t always the case, but for most people, the hack squat is better quad builder than barbell back squats.
To best perform the hack squat, follow the following cues:
Push through your entire foot.
Allow your knee to travel forward.
Keep your back neutral against the pad with no posterior pelvic tilt.
Grip the handles tight for stability.
I also like to have a reverse band set up on hack squats to add more resistance to the top portion of the lift. I find this more joint friendly and allows the entire rep to be more challenging as opposed to just the bottom portion being overloaded.
2 – Leg Press
The leg press is a bodybuilding stable and for good reason, but many dorks abuse it to stroke their ego. Nearly everyone who does it slaps on too much weight and perform a micro range of motion about the size of their puny brain. You thought I was going to say something else huh?
Well anyways, the leg press is a quad stimulating fast track if you used correctly. Here’s how to maximize quad growth on the leg press.
Set up
First set the seat as far back as you can. This minimizes hip flexion and the stretch on your glutes. This also increases your range of motion and allows for more knee flexion. Less hip flexion and more knee flexion means more quads and less glutes which is what you want.
To be clear, the glutes will still be working, but they’re not the priority in this case.
Keep your back pressed against the pad and similar to the hack squat, don’t allow for any posterior pelvic tilt. This takes tension off the targeted muscles and while it’s not a super dangerous position, does place more stress on the joints.
As for feet position, your most comfortable position should be fine. Do consider going slightly narrower and lower for more quads, but only if it doesn’t sacrifice range of motion.
Warm Up
The leg press is a heavily loaded exercise, so doing at least a couple warm up sets would be wise. This also allows you find your groove and adjust your feet position if needed. Perform all warm up sets just as you would your working sets.
This means with a controlled eccentric, a forceful concentric, and a full range of motion especially in the bottom position where the muscles are stretched and procuring lots of muscle building mechanical tension.
As you add load to your warm up sets, range of motion must not be compromised. If range of motion is cut short, you’ve gone too heavy.
Working Sets
Before you start your working sets, you can add bands for accommodating resistance. If not, no worries. Rest fully before starting your first working set.
Brace every rep and push until you reach near failure. Rest at least 3 minutes between sets. If you think you can go with less rest, you didn’t push hard enough.
By set 3, you should feel like walking is challenging. It’s ok, your quads will thank you later.
And remember, the leg press is a fixed plane. There’s no cheating technique besides range of motion. Either your quads get stronger or they don’t.
3 – Smith Machine
If the leg press or hack squat is taken, you can rely on the smith machine for some sweet quad gains. Yes, the most taboo machine is a hypertrophic beast.
“But it’s a fixed bar path.”
Yes, you dork, that’s the point. That’s where all the benefits come from. Similar to a hack squat, the design of the smith machine allows you to achieve more knee flexion through a fuller range of motion.
“But it deactivates your stabilizers.”
Again, people are dense. That’s what makes the smith machine so valuable. Without your core having to stabilize, you can push your quads much harder. You’re not limited by core or stability requirements not to mention it’s less taxing on your joints and nervous system.
In other words, more muscle building stimulus for less fatigue cost. A win, win.
The smith machine also possesses the same position as the bottom of the lunge except for both legs. So it’s perfectly functional. Haters need to stop hating.
For a smith machine squat, you can stand right under the bar or have your feet slightly in forward for slightly more knee flexion. If it is an angled smith machine, make sure you face the smith machine in the direction as the bar downwards towards where you’re facing.
To execute each rep, lower your self smoothly as the bar slides down with control. Sit as upright as you can and push your knees forward. Sink into the squat as deeply as you can without any part of your back rounding or your hips tucking under.
Your quads should stretch quite nicely at the bottom reach past 90 degrees. Because of the fixed bar path and low stability demands, training close to or all the way up to failure will ensure your quads fatigued all it’s muscle fibers.
4 – Leg Extensions
The leg extension is the unicorn of machines. It’s so unique people don’t even realize it. Every machine I’ve mentioned so far is great, but they’re all similar to one on another along with free weight exercise in the muscle length it trains.
All squat or compound quad movements train the quads in the lengthened position. To maximize hypertrophy, you need to train at all muscle lengths. Leg extensions are the only exercise that trains the quads in the shortened position. In addition, it’s one of the few movement patterns that hits the front of the quads (rectus femoris) well.
The rectus femoris is tricker to train than the other quadricep muscles because it crosses both the hip and knee joint. Any squat or lunge movement doesn’t place much mechanical tension on it.
Furthermore, leg extensions are highly low fatiguing compared to compound leg movements. You can do more volume and train it within a high frequency program without worrying about recovery issues.
It also allows you to train to failure without risk of injury and use set extending techniques nicely like myo-reps or rest pause.
To set up, set the seat back as far as you can to stretch the quads the most which increases force production. Don’t set it too far back where you lose stability though.
Set the pad above ankle level. Strap on a seat belt if your leg extension has one and grip the handles tightly. Your forearms should squeeze quite hard and pull yourself into the seat. This keeps your body stable, so the quads can get smooth force output.
Kick up forcefully while maintaining stability. Pause for 1 full second with your knees locked out and lower with lots of control even as you get towards that bottom portion where the resistance drops off.
You never want to slam your leg down as your muscles won’t be producing tension in the stretched position which is crucial to growing the rectus femoris.
Learn to Train Hard With Machines
Machines provide lots of advantages from biomechanics, stability, force output, and allowing you to train your quads optimally. In fact, it’s quite hard to grow your quads quickly and naturally without machines.
These machines simply have far too many advantages to expand your thighs. So I would think twice before you yap on about machines being lame.
In fact, machines allow the targeted muscle to reach close proximities to failure. They’ll burn like all hell. Are you man enough to endure it? If so, your quads will grow.
WATCH: TikTok Video Shows ‘Gym Creep’ Assisting Woman Without Consent
A recent video has cause a stir after a man is seen following a woman around the gym.
A recent video posted to TikTok has caused quite a stir after a man is seen assisting a woman with a lift without her permission. In the video, the man approaches the barbell and grabs one side of it, which causes trouble with balance. What was not seen in the video was the man following the TikToker around the gym.
The video was shared by “Smalls” (@dezsquats). She claims that the man was following her as she was doing her workouts prior to him approaching her on the bench. Not only is this a strange and invasive procedure by the man, it was dangerous. He grabs one side of the bar, not the middle like usually done when spotting, and this could have caused the lifter to lose control and drop the weight.
““I thought I lost this video. This man had been following me around the gym trying to “help” me my entire lift. ? reasons I need a fucking home gym.” The TikToker shared.”
This video currently has over 2.6 million viewed and 385,000 likes. Despite the fact that the man stepped over the line, there are commenters that have tried to come to his rescue and provide a defense. Some have brought up her form when bench pressing and the fact that she racks one side at a time. The TikToker made a follow-up video claiming that she has to re-rack like this because she is smaller, not because she is struggling.
This is not the only follow-up that she had made. “Smalls” explained how there was not any interaction with the man following the strange encounter and that she no longer goes to that gym.
“There’s no story. He was following me around the gym, and I just went off and told him not to touch my fucking bar.”
“He never tried to defend himself or anything. He kind of just got scared and went back to doing whatever workout he was doing.”
Not only could this have cause injury, it continues to show why some women do not feel comfortable in a gym setting. This is an instant where action should have been taken against the man — and one commenter agreed.
“As a gym attendant, if you showed me this video he would have his membership revoked that day and you would be escorted out at the end of your sesh,” one TikTok commenter said.
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5 Exercises For Building A Cobra Back
5 Exercises For Building A Cobra Back.
Your back is the biggest muscle group after your legs. It can also be one of the hardest muscle groups to train since you can’t see your back directly in the mirror and hence it can be comparatively hard to establish a mind-muscle connection.
If done right, a good back workout should be as grilling as a brutal leg workout. You should be running on fumes when you’re done with your back workout. Building a cobra back can take a lot of effort, patience, and persistence. It is no surprise only a few people have a jacked back.
1. Pull-Ups – 50 Reps
You need to have a broad back if your goal is to build a shredded back. Pull-ups are one of the most efficient exercises when it comes to building a wide back and giving you a V-taper. Arnold performed 50 reps of this exercise at the beginning of his back workouts.
There are no fixed number of sets you need to complete these 50 reps in. Try to take as few sets as possible. As you get better at this exercise, you can start using weights to make it harder for yourself. If you’ve just started working out, use a pull-up assistance machine or ask for a spot from someone at your gym.
2. Deadlifts – 3 Sets 5 Reps
Deadlifts are a complete back builder. It’s a compound (multi joint) exercise which works your entire body. It is better to perform this exercise at the beginning of your back workout when you’re at your strongest.
You don’t need to do a lot of reps to get the most out of deadlifts. Lifting heavy weights with an explosive movement can get you better results. Deadlifts can help you gain muscle mass and strength which can make you stronger at every other exercise.
3. Dumbbell Bent Over Row – 3 Sets 12 Reps
While overhead pulling movements can add to the width of your back, rowing movements will add the much-needed thickness. You need to have a combination of both these movements to build a Cobra back.
Dumbbell bent over rows help isolate your back and will give you an incredible pump. Have a full range of motion to recruit all the muscle fibers in your back. Hold and squeeze your back at the top of the movement.
4. Lat Pull Downs – 3 Sets 12 Reps
Lat pull downs are incredibly effective at targeting your lats. Many people make the mistake of using momentum while performing this exercise. Make sure you don’t swing yourself and use momentum to lift the weights.
Try bringing the bar close to your chin while sitting straight. Hold and squeeze your lats at the bottom of the movement. Use lifting gear like straps to eliminate recruiting your forearms. Doing this will also help in lifting more weight and performing more reps.
5. Ground Pulley – 3 Sets 12 Reps
The ground pulley is a great exercise when it comes to developing a V-taper. Use weights you can comfortably lift for 12 reps. Lifting heavier weights can lead to leaning way too far at the bottom and the top of the movement.
Keep your reps slow and deliberate to completely annihilate your back. You can try variations of this exercise by using different handle bars. Each new grip will target your back from a different angle and will recruit different muscle tissues.
Which is your favourite back exercise? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.