Once you start to get a feel for a competition bell—how it rests on your forearm, where your hand sits in the window, how much paint sticks to your biceps after several long sets—you start to build a bit more efficiency holding it. Today we are going to talk about the Hook Grip.
Training for hiking added a not-so-familiar element to my regular training. As in, it was time to suck it up and do the cardio training I never want to do. Mainly because I find it boring, but also, who has the time?
It’s getting hot in herre. It is important when the temperature rises to be aware of what your body can do and what it needs. Stay hydrated, keep cool and if heat changes how your body functions while working out keep it short of you can. Here is a quickie strength HIIT workout to knock out before you head to the beach and work on that towel napping technique.
Strength HIIT
Equipment: Set of dumbbells
Time: 30 sec. work / 10 sec. rest x 18 (3 times through the entire set)
Squat and Press
Push Press
Deadlift
Swings
Plank Row
Alternating Froggers
[For a video demo, check it out on Instagram!]
Squat and Press
Starting with the weights at shoulders, Sit hips back for a deep Squat making sure to keep the chest up. Return to standing and go directly into an Overhead Press.
Push Press
Add some power! Start with weights at shoulders. Lower into a slight squat just enough to load the legs. From the slight Squat position, explode into an Overhead Press. Reload, Explode.
Deadlift
Hinging from the hips, send them back while keeping the back straight and shoulders packed. With the weights staying close to the shins and keeping the hinge, stop wherever flexibility allows or back and shoulders can maintain a neutral position. Hinge back up and squeeze the glutes at the top.
Swing
Add some more power! Like the Deadlift, hinge at the hips and swing the weights back through the upper thighs, making sure to not swing below the knees. Using the momentum, thrust forward with the hips to bring the weights up to about shoulder height. The power comes from the hips, so the weights should float in the arms.
Plank Row
Start in a plank position with a neutral spine (feet, hips and neck all in alignment), Row one weight to the armpit while squeezing the shoulder blade back. Return to the Plank position and Row on the other side.
Alternating Froggers
Seeing a pattern yet? Last power move. Still holding onto the weights, jump one foot up to meet the weight. From this position, quickly jump the forward foot back while jumping the back foot forward. Alternate sides.
Nice and sweaty? Now grab some water, some sunscreen and hit the beach. Enjoy!
Are you ready for this jelly? I have tweaking my workouts to be more efficient lately, as I start to get into my final weeks of endurance training for STP and having only small windows of time to do it. This week’s 45-minute workout was too fun not to share. And by fun I mean getting to lie on the floor while drinking a smoothie and watching a few episodes of The X-Files after.
KETTLEBELL (~30 min.)
30 Snatches (each arm)
20 Deadlift + High Pull
10 KB Sumo Squat Jump
40 Cleans (each arm)
20 KB Glute Bridges + Pullovers
10 Plyo Push Up Switches on KB
50 Swings (each arm)
20 Windmills
10 Half TGUs
CORE CIRCUIT (6 min.)
20s Holds, no rest inbetween x 3
Plank
Downward Dog
Half Plank
Cobra
Rocketman
SPRINT FINISHER (4 min.)
20s Hill Sprints / 20s recovery x 6
How did you do?
When I first was drafted to my team, I literally knew nothing about skating for speed or power. I was a true rookie, learning everything from page one. My captain said this was a gift. She said that I could learn good form first then skill would come with ease afterwards. Most veterans who didn’t learn this way ended up with bad habits and found it harder to fix form after doing it a certain way for many years. Bad habits are truly hard to break!
So after a week of working with a few clients, I noticed a particular form fix that I had to address with those who were both new and old to exercise. As easy as it sounds, it is not as easy as it looks. Today’s fix is focused on the lateral lunge.
There are tons of articles that go over proper squatting form (like this, this and this) and it is surprising how a basic strength move is so elusive to tame. But, as difficult as it can be to tame a wild pegasus, that beautiful beast will later help conquer a princess-hungry krakken. All mythical creatures aside, if you have learned from proper squatting technique that the squat comes from the hips and NOT the knees, then you will quickly learn that the lateral lunge uses the same principal.
To execute a lateral lunge in proper form, there are a few points on the body to pay attention to:
- First, the hips. Remember that like the squat, the hips initiate the movement, as if sitting back in a chair. Keeping the chest upright, hinge the hips back and keep the knee and ankle in alignment with weight in the heels. Be sure not to hunch those shoulders and arch that back just to get closer to the ground, only go as far as the lower body will support the weight and in time the lower the lunge will become.
- Secondly, keep in mind where the foot falls in the lunge position. The tendency is to step the foot out and leave it pointed in that direction. Instead, keep both feet pointed forward, in the same direction that the rest of the body is facing. This exercise is focused on the upper leg and not the lower, so leave the lateral movement focused there.
- Lastly, try not to lunge so far that the legs are overextended. We aren’t trying to do the splits or Van Damme it between two semi trucks. If it is too difficult to stand back up without having to hop out of the lunge or wiggle awkwardly back to the center (or end up failing to Van Damme and pulling a Channing Tatum), then adjust for a shorter distance so form (and groin muscle) doesn’t suffer.