I meant to post yesterday, but it just didn’t happen. Between working in the morning, doing some last prep for a practical final exam, and going to school to actually do the exam, it was a busy day. I’m happy with how the practical final exam went though, I’m pretty sure I aced it. I was pretty stressed about it, so it’s a huge relief to be done it. One final down, three more to go next week!
Today I thought I’d share a workout with you. I haven’t created many strength workouts for the blog, so I thought I’d do one for today’s post. It’s pretty straight forward, but if you have any questions about it, let me know in the comments and I’ll be sure to answer any that come up.
Squat // With feet hip width apart and hands in front of you to help with balance, use the glutes to lower your hips back and down while bending at the knees and ankles. Once you’ve reached the lowest position you can without leaning forward too much or letting the knees collapse in, return to a standing position, using your glutes to propel yourself.
Deadlift // With feet hip width apart and the barbell in front of you on the floor, grasp the barbell with whatever grip is most comfortable for you. Using your glutes, lift it so that you’re standing straight up. Lower it back to the floor and then up again.
Lunges // Stand with feet hip width apart. Step forward with one foot so that the forward leg’s thigh is parallel to the ground, and the back leg’s shin is parallel to the ground. The back knee shouldn’t touch the floor. Use your quads and glutes to step the front foot back towards your back foot and end by standing straight up with feet hip width apart again. For the second lunge step forward with the other foot.
Bench press // With a pair of dumbbells sit on a bench, and slowly lay down. Bring the dumbbells straight over your shoulders with your arms extended. Slowly bring them down to your torso and then up back to the starting position.
Machine rows // Sit at a cable row machine with your feet centered on the foot platform and sitting on the bench so that you have a slight bend in your knees. Lean forward to grasp the handles of the cable and lean back to a standard sitting position. Start with your arms extended, and slowly bring them towards your abdomen, using your back muscles. Once your elbows have reached 90 degrees, extend your arms back out.
Lat pulldown // Sitting at a lat pulldown, adjust the leg pads to make sure it’s at the appropriate height. Stand up to grasp the bar with both hands and then sit back down, sliding your legs under the leg pads. Start with your arms fully extended and leaning back just slightly. Bring your hands down to your collar bone slowly and then extend them back out to the starting position.
Looking for more workouts? Check out all the workouts I’ve posted on GFF here.
Check with your doctor before beginning to workout. As always, remember to honor your body and modify as needed.