Lower Body Workout
If you have this setup, you can do this lower-body workout at any gym or home. I'll walk you through this so there's clarity. Strength comes first, next is endurance, and then core comes last in most of my programs.
Your first exercise will be a barbell back squat. Perform 3 sets of 3 to 5 reps and rest for 2 minutes between sets.
The second exercise you will do is a single leg, single arm romanian deadlift. Perform 3 sets of 5 to 8 reps on each side, resting for 2 minutes between sets.
This workout's third and fourth exercises are supersets – Performing two exercises back-to-back without rest is called a superset. The first exercise will be a goblet side lunge performed for 8 to 12 reps on each side, then a single leg hip thrust for 10 to 15 reps on each side.
The fifth and sixth exercises of this workout will also be a superset. The first exercise is alternating half bicycles for 10 to 15 reps on each side, then side plank hip raises for 10 to 15 reps on each side.
Need help with your form? Email them here.
Cardio Before Or After Weights?
Before you tell me what you’ve always done, ask yourself if you’re happy with the way your body looks?
Are you happy with the way your body performs in the gym?
If the answer is no then telling me what you’ve always done is not going to change my mind.
In most cases, my answer would be “It depends.”
This isn't most cases.
For the majority of people in America, fat loss is the goal.
Fat loss depends entirely on diet. How much is entirely? About 80-85% which means the majority.
What you do for movement will enhance strength and to a degree, aesthetics.
It's not the fact that you want to lose weight, it's that you want to lose weight and look good naked.
For that purpose, lifting weights should be the priority and cardio is supplemental as well as optional.
Do you have to choose either or? No
However, I believe in doing the least amount of work to get the most amount of benefits.
Contrary to popular belief, I spend about one hour a day, 3 to 4 times a week working out.
The days of me working out for 3 to 4 hours are long gone.
The more literature I read, the more people I train, the more I learn about how the body works and how to pair that with what people want.
If you like spending 2+ hours in the gym, be my guest.
If you like being efficient in the gym, less is more meaning pick 1-3 exercises per muscle group and lift heavy.
If you want to add cardio to your workout, only do so when your calories are in check and you don’t want to decrease your calorie intake further.
Another reason to do cardio after your workout is if you actually like it.
Here’s another reason why I suggest cardio after weights.
Strength training builds muscle.
Cardio builds aerobic capacity aka conditioning.
It’s harder to strength train when you’re fatigued from cardio.
It’s easier to do cardio even when you’re fatigued from strength training.
You’re also more likely to injure yourself in a fatigued-state lifting weights versus doing cardio.
So to answer the question about cardio before or after weights... Weights first, cardio after IF YOU WANT.
The only scenario I can think of where you would do cardio before weights is if you're training for a cardio-based event.
Training for a marathon?
Training for a swim?
Training for cycling?
Cardio first.
However, there are numerous amounts of literature that explains how strength training improves cardiovascular ability…
But that's a different conversation for a different day.
Back & Front Squat Tutorial w/a Barbell
Today's video is a lesson on how to squat with the barbell in the two most common ways.
First up is the barbell back squat, before you even load the bar, make sure that the bar is at a height that can sit on your traps comfortably. Next is finding the right position to place your hands on the bar outside of your shoulders. Don’t think about gripping the bar, think about your hands balancing the bar. If you don’t have the mobility to keep your hands close, then go further out on the bar. Squeeze your shoulder blades so the bar has a strong foundation to rest on. Feet position here is around shoulder width, with your toes rotated outwards slightly. Before you come down, take a big breath and brace your core as if someone was going to punch you in the stomach. As you squat down, push your knees out so they’re stacked over your ankles. Optimally, you’re breathing out when you’re close to standing up. The reason why this is important is because your core is fighting to keep your spine stable and your upper body from collapsing with the weight. I forgot to add in the part about having your heels elevated if you’re not able to squat correctly. Here’s a demo of that video (here).
Second part of this video is the front squat. I use the clean grip, however, you can use the cross grip. Which is better? Whichever you prefer. The same rules from above apply here too. The difference here is you’re focusing on keeping your elbows high so the weight doesn’t fall forward. The front squat variation works your core a lot more and doesn’t put any pressure on your spine so if you’re someone that suffers from lower back pain while squatting, this variation is for you.
Back and front squats have been a staple in my program as well as mostly everyone that I've ever coached. The stronger your lower body is the stronger everything else can become. They are compound exercises meaning they work more than one muscle group which also means you burn more calories. I personally want to do the least amount of work to get the most amount of results so I'd rather work harder for less time than cruise through a workout and it takes forever.
How to Split Squat and What to Avoid
The magic exercise that works your inner thighs and your cellulite as as well as your trainer's patience is the split squat.
Honestly, any type of exercise done on a single leg will not only give you that “toned" look you've been searching for your whole life, but it will also build up strength.
This is important especially if you have one side weaker than the other, weak hips, or suffer from instability.
There’s more than one way to work legs & there’s more than two ways to squat.
The split squat is great for people that have lower back pain doing barbell back squats or don’t have the flexibility to do a proper barbell front squat.
The two variations explained in this video focus on your rear foot being elevated onto a bench or a hip thrust machine.
You don't have to use these two, I just want you to use a height that allows you to use your full range of motion.
What I also want you to focus on is keeping your upper body leaning forward.
This prevents discomfort in your lower back as well as allowing you to work your backside (weak side) more.
What I want you to avoid is letting your heel come off the ground. There's two reasons why this might happen.
The first is not creating enough space between your front foot and the pad behind you.
The second is not bending your back knee enough. Think of your back knee as an elevator going down to the ground but also back towards the pad.
One thing I forgot to mention in this video was creating enough distance between your feet, meaning, if your feet aren't shoulder width apart, it’s going to be harder for you to maintain balance going down and up.
Also make sure your front knee is not caving in as you're coming down and up. Use a mirror if you can or record yourself from the front view if you think this is happening. If it's too hard to control, this is a sign that your glutes might be weak. Deadlifts, glutes bridges or any other exercise that works your backside will help fix this problem.
Improve Stability & Strength: Glute Bridge March
There’s more than one way to work your booty. The modalities & variation are endless. One of my clients told me she couldn’t stabilize herself doing single leg glute bridges for extended periods of time so here’s a regression for her as well as for you. Benefits include but are not limited to better posture, less back pain, and a plump booty:
Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the ground and hip-width apart.
Bend your arms, drive your hips up by pressing through your heels and support your body with your upper back.
As you bring each knee up towards your chest, focus on not letting your hips sag & keeping your core braced.
This is not a speed exercise, take your time, breathe through each rep focusing on squeezing the butt of the leg that’s still planted on the ground.
Full Body Workout + The Successful Dieter's Mindset
Welcome,
The full body workout mentioned in this video is going to have a total of 8 exercises:
A: Barbell Back Squat
3 sets x 5 reps w/3 min rest break between sets.
Superset: 3 sets x 5 reps each with a 1-2 min rest break between sets
B1: Dumbbell Chest Press
B2: Kettlebell Prone Row w/pause
C: Barbell Romanian Deadlift 3 sets x 8-10 reps w/1 min break
Superset: 3 sets x 8-10 reps/side w/1 min break
D1: Dumbbell Shoulder Press
D2: Cable Lat Pulldowns (underhand grip)
Arms Finisher:
Dumbbell Bicep Curls 1 set x 10 reps
Dumbbell Tricep Kickbacks 1 set x 10 reps
The second part of this video is about the mindset it takes to be successful with a diet.
It’s not easy to give up the foods you enjoy but it’s necessary to control the portions of everything you eat in order to lose weight & ultimately body fat.
The difference I see in people who succeed in weight loss versus those who don’t is patience. Everyone wants results but very few people are willing to do the work it takes. Losing weight is a result, changing your habits is what makes the results appear. Someone who isn’t patient will take every shortcut in the book and become frustrated when the progress they expected to happen in a few days or weeks doesn’t happen. How does one become a millionaire? By working hard, smart, and giving it time. The result you're looking for is planted in the work through the modification of your daily routine.
The body you have right now is the result of eating intuitively, not working out consistently, and spending too much time with people aren't aligned with your own goals. Successful people don't hang out with unsuccessful people in the same way that most people who are fit don't hang out with people who are out of shape. You'll be surprised at how quickly your life turns around when you change the people in circle. We're four months into 2019, how much of you have accomplished from your New Year's resolution list? If you have things still uncrossed, what's one thing in your day you can change right now that's going to get you closer to crossing off that particular goal?
Action Steps You Can Take Now
Start tracking you calories for weight-loss today! Learn how here
Lose weight without a diet. Learn how here
Use Intermittent Fasting to lose weight. Learn how here
Hit your Goal Body Weight in protein every day. Find your protein number here
Strength Train 2-3 times a week. Have 1 Day of cardio if you want. Don’t have a routine? Send me an email & I’ll give you a FREE 4 week program here: abel@aymhigher.com with the subject “4 Week AYM Higher Program”
How To Relieve Muscle Tightness & Soreness: SMR Techniques
Welcome,
What if I told you you could be pain free in less than 10 minutes a day? Is that enough to convince you it’s time to pick up a foam roller or lacrosse ball and get to work? And by work I mean laying down on the ground, scrolling through instagram while you make the most ugliest faces you would never post a selfie of.
For a video explanation, if you don’t have the time or patience to read, watch this:
For those of you with time to read, enjoy :)
Of the many things that could prevent you from working out, you don’t want it to come from something you can control. Muscle tightness and soreness can derail any type of motivation you built up. I find that once you start moving, it’s hard to stop. We’re trying to create momentum for doing something that’s going to lead to a great workout. The potential to have a great workout is higher when you can increase the mobility and flexibility of your muscles, decrease soreness and recovery time as well as decrease the likelihood that you’ll injure yourself.
SMR or Self Myofascial Release, is a therapy technique that relaxes a tense muscle in order to make it more mobile & flexible. Think about it like this, when you wake up first thing most mornings, you most likely roll around in bed a little bit before you start your day. That’s the same idea with SMR, we’re preparing our muscles for the day. What happens when you’re no longer tense? Your body moves with less restriction and your mood elevates because all of the discomfort your body was signaling to your brain, is reduced or eliminated.
Another benefit to using SMR is the ability of your muscles to lift heavier weight. More range of motion = more muscles being stressed by weight which begins the cycle of stress > recovery > adaptation. Unless you work the full range of motion, you’re not working the full muscle. If you don’t use the appropriate amount of stress, how can you grow? I don’t want you to waste years in the gym thinking you're almost at your potential when you’re only 65% of the way there.
In this video (here), for bigger muscles, use a foam roller or the stick, for smaller muscles, use a lacrosse ball or acumobility ball.
Find the “sweet spot” of where your muscle is most tense then stay there for 30 seconds to a minute.
Repeat this for every part of your body that needs TLC.
Bonus:
Here’s a video by Eric Cressey of Cressey Sports Performance demonstrating his foam roller series before working out (here)
5 No-Equipment Back Exercises
We’re here to make back gainz, not go back to our excuses
The best way to prevent back injuries is to strengthen your back before injury happens. The aesthetics of having a toned, muscular back is coveted by nearly everyone… so why doesn’t everyone have one? We have a tendency to work the muscles we see because it’s in our sight of vision. This means the muscles we don’t see, we don’t work as much or as hard, right? On a Monday evening, you’re more likely to see men going all out on chest, shoulders, and arms rather than rows, pull ups, or any other pulling exercise. Too much focus on pushing vs pulling will end up doing more harm than good in the form of front shoulder pain, poor posture & no progress in strength.
If you’re sitting down while reading this, are you hunched over or is your back as straight and flat as a wall?
If you’re reading this while standing up, where is your phone in relation to your face? Down by your stomach or up at face level?
If you sit in a hunched position doing computer work or scroll through instagram more than face to face interactions, try these moves out. You also can’t use the “I don’t have a gym membership” excuse. These 5 no-equipment back exercises can be performed at home, the park, the office…. I think you get the point.
If you need a good analogy to inspire your friend to focus more on back instead of chest… Think about the foundation of a house. You wouldn’t build a house on sand. You’d have a strong, sturdy, reliable base to construct your home, because anything else less trustworthy will result in a collapse. The same applies to your body, the stronger your back is, the stronger your front will become.
Bonus for men: When she digs her nails into your back, it’ll feel like rocks to her instead of warm towel 😉
Good Mornings:
3 sets.
10-15 reps.
Rest 30-60s.
Dolphin Kick:
3 Sets.
5-10 Reps.
Rest 30-60s.
Reverse Snow Angels:
3 Sets.
3-5 Reps.
Rest 30-60s.
Superman/woman Holds:
1-3 sets.
3 reps with a 15-30 second hold.
Rest 30-60s.
Wall Walks (nose & toes touch the wall):
1-3 sets.
3 reps with a 15-30 second hold.
Rest 30-60s.
Send me a form video if you’d like me to check your form or in need of a modification.
Reduce Shoulder Pain with 10 Exercises: Resistance-Band Edition
Here’s a perfect shoulder routine to reduce pain significantly.
Shoulder pain sucks, you know it because you’re on this page hoping to find a solution and to that, I want to say CONGRATULATIONS!
The only piece of equipment you’ll need for these is a resistance band.
Before we get into the exercises, the majority of people I come across who suffer from shoulder pain have similar tendencies. They include:
Shoulders being internally rotated for long periods of the day, think being hunched over a desk.
A lot of pressing versus pulling, think push ups instead of rows or pull ups/downs.
Using bad form with pressing movements. For example: push ups, bench press, shoulder press, and lateral raises.
The remedy for this problem is going to explained below. I want you to learn why these exercises should reduce shoulder pain for you. The reason being most people only work the muscles they can see. If you’re not giving love to the muscles you can’t see, they become weak, jealous, and vindictive. These exercises are going to focus on opening you up, rotating your shoulders out and back. The stronger your upper back and rear delts become, the less pain you’ll have in the front of your shoulders. The better posture you’ll have, the more confident you will be and appear to people.
Banded External Rotation
(1-3 Sets. 10-20 Reps)
You want to feel this in the side of your shoulder.
Don’t let your elbow extend further away from your body as you pull the band with your hand away from the attached point.
Banded Lateral Raises
(1-3 Sets. 10-20 Reps)
You’re going to feel this in the side of your shoulder if done right, not in your traps where some people feel this movement.
Raise your arms up to shoulder height with your palms facing down, arms slightly bent at about 45 degrees in front of you.
The magic here is controlling the descent, the slower and controlled this movement is coming back to your body, the more you’re going to feel this exercise.
Banded Pass Throughs
(1-3 Sets. 10-20 Reps)
Face away from the attached point.
Palms facing in front of you.
Elbows at shoulder height.
Hands above shoulders.
Walk out to a distance where the band feels tight.
Rotate your hands forward till they’re parallel with the floor stopping at shoulder height then return back to starting position with your hands above your shoulders.
Main thing here is to not let your elbows dip as your rotate your hands forward and back.
Banded Pull Aparts (T’s)
(1-3 Sets. 10-20 Reps)
You’re going to feel this in the back of your shoulders, upper back, traps, and lats.
Arms extended in front of you, palms facing down, bring your shoulder blades down to the floor and behind you to feel a squeeze beneath your armpits.
Keep your arms extended and bring them to your sides forming a T shape.
Banded Scarecrows
(1-3 Sets. 10-20 Reps)
You’re going to feel this in the top/back part of your shoulder.
Set the band at or below shoulder height.
Keep your elbows at shoulder height.
Main thing here is to not let elbows dip.
Banded Straight Arm Lat Pulldown
(1-3 Sets. 10-20 Reps)
You’re going to feel this in your upper back, shoulders, lats, and triceps.
Grip the bands with thumbs facing up, hips shooting back, arms extended and aligned with your upper body.
As you bring your arms towards you hips, keep your shoulder blades pressed down and back squeezing the bottom of your arm pits.
Banded Y-Raise
(1-3 Sets. 10-20 Reps)
The Y to the MCA. You want to feel this in the top/back part of your shoulder, upper back and traps.
Keep your elbows slightly bent.
Your arms should finish slightly behind your body.
Be careful not to let your neck jerk forward and control your traps from shrugging.
Standing Banded High Row
(1-3 Sets. 10-20 Reps)
You’re going to feel this not only in the back of your shoulders but also your upper back and traps.
Think about opening up your chest as you pull back with your elbows as well as your shoulders.
If you don’t pull back with your shoulders, you’re going to feel this only in your arms and make the pain in the front of your shoulders worse.
Standing Banded Row
(1-3 Sets. 10-20 Reps)
You’re going to feel this in the back of your shoulder, upper back, and lats.
Palms facing each other, soft knees, pull your elbows and shoulder blades back till you feel a squeeze.
If you don’t pull back with your shoulders, you’re going to feel this only in your arms and make the pain in the front of your shoulders worse.
Standing Snow Angels
(1-3 Sets. 3-5 Reps)
You’re going to feel this throughout your whole shoulder, upper back and traps.
Standing in a T position, arms extended, palms facing in front of you.
Begin with a reverse fly, raise your arms above your head, then back down to your sides in a controlled manner
Avoid speeding up the movement and raising your traps.
If at any point, you feel pain when performing these exercises, skip it or record yourself doing it and send me a video here: abel.y.mezemer@gmail.com. I’ll be able to look at your form and make any adjustments.