Don't Sleep on Core Training!

It can be so tempting to skip out on core training but ooooo it's so important! If you've ever experienced low back pain from sitting all day, you should know that core training is KEY to alleviating that! You need a strong core for EVERYTHING! Moving well depends on it. Balance depends on it. Injury prevention depends on it. 

A Psychology Hack for Consistency

That's why we are STARTING this training session with core. TIP: maintaining healthy habits is as much about your psychology as it is your body! You're a lot less likely to skip the hard, most important thing if you do it FIRST - before you're worn out and tired from everything else.

This is also why, for many people, it's easier to maintain consistency if you workout first thing in the morning. You do the hard thing before the day gets away from you and your brain is tired. 

What is Pull and Push Training?

That being said, we are starting this session with core and then following up with pull day exercises. 'What is a pull workout?' you might ask. When we talk about pull or push workouts, we are referring to specific muscle groups being worked. If a workout is Pull, we are working the pull muscles, which are the back and biceps. If a workout is Push, we are working the push muscles, which are the chest, shoulders, and triceps. 

You can think of the push muscles as being those we use to push the weights AWAY from our body. You can think of the pull muscles as being those we use to pull the weights TOWARDS our body. When I'm rowing, the weights are coming closer to me. When I'm doing a bench press, I'm pushing the weights away from me. 

So today will be core, then back and biceps. If you're ready, let's get going!

Selecting Proper Weight Sizes

As per usual, we want to select weight sizes that we can use to complete all of the prescribed reps while feeling like you still have about 2 reps left over by the end of your set. Do not sacrifice form in the name of going heavier! We want the weight to be challenging AND we want to perform the movement correctly. 

The Workout

1. High Plank Superset with Russian Twist - 3x1 minute and 3x15
2. Dumbbell Single Arm Bent Over Row - 4x10
3. Kneeling Wide Grip Lat Pulldown Superset with Dumbbell Hammer Curl 4x10 and 4x10
4. Kneeling Wide Grip Cable Row - 4x12
5. Dumbbell Spider Curl 3x10

Exercise Instructions

High Plank

1. Get into push up position with your hands directly under your shoulders.
2. Contract the abs and keep your body in a straight line from head to toes. Do not allow your back to arch and do not push your glutes up higher than your body. 
3. Hold this position for 60 seconds.

Russian Twist

1. Sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you and knees bent. 
2. Lean back slightly and raise your feet off the floor. Activate the abs to protect your back. Don't allow the back to arch. You can clasp your hands in front of you or hold a weight in front of you. This is your starting position.
3. Twist your upper body to each side one at a time while keeping your lower body stationary. 

Dumbbell Single Arm Bent Over Row

1. Stand behind an incline bench with a staggered stance (right foot in front of left foot.)
2. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand and hold onto the top of the incline bench with your right hand. 
3. Bend over at the waist, maintaining a flat back while doing so. 
4. Pull the dumbbell up to the side of your waist while keeping your arm close to your side. 
5. Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.

Kneeling Wide Grip Lat Pulldown

1. Set both of the cable pulleys to the highest setting. Attach a wide grip handle attachment to both pulleys.
2. Kneel on a mat in the middle of the cable station. Grasp the bar with a wide grip (hands wider than shoulder width apart.) Arms are extended overhead, palms facing forward.
3. Pull the bar down until it reaches the top of your chest.
4. Slowly straighten your arms, returning to the starting position. Do not lock your elbows.

Dumbbell Hammer Curl

1. Stand up straight holding dumbbells in both hands at your sides. Palms should be facing in. 
2. Curl the weight in each hand up towards your shoulders while keeping your palms facing inward and your upper arms stationary. 
3. Pause at the top and slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

Kneeling Wide Grip Cable Row

1. Adjust the cable machine so that it comes to about chest height when you are in a half kneeling position. 
2. Attach a wide grip handle attachment to each of the pulleys. 
3. Kneel down in a staggered stance facing the cable machine. Keep your torso upright. Activate the core to stabilize your body.
4. Grasp the bar with both hands, palms facing downward and arms extended fully out in front of you.
5. Pull the bar towards your upper chest, squeezing the shoulder blades together as you do so.
6. Pause and then slowly return the bar to the starting position. Do not lock out your elbows.

Spider Curl

1. Set up an incline bench at a 45 degree angle. 
2. Adjust the bench height so that your armpits are just above the top edge of the bench when you're facing the bench and your chest is resting against the top edge. 
3. Grab a pair of dumbbells and resume this position - facing the bench, chest against the top edge. Arms should hang straight down with your palms facing forward (underhand grip.) 
4. Engage your biceps to curl the weights towards your shoulders. Keep the upper arms stationary. 
5. Pause at the top of the movement and slowly return to the starting position. Do not swing the arms! Keep this slow and controlled, using just the biceps to curl the weights. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

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To Your Health & Success,

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