Why you need glute activation exercises and how to do GREAT monster walks!

I was not planning on lifting this morning, but both my morning clients canceled on me so I had an opportunity and I jumped on it. I don't typically like lifting in the morning, but when I have a big opening in my schedule and know that I would have normally been working during that time anyway, I like to take advantage of it. Getting your workout out of the way and knowing the hardest part of your day is over just makes you feel a sense of accomplishment and an, "I can do it" kind of attitude. 

I did lower body today, starting out with some moderately heavy back squats and step-ups. I have recently started doing more and more step-ups and I'm starting to love them! Starting your week out with squats is a great way to get the hardest lift out of the way for awhile. If you can do heavy squats on a Monday, you can do anything! After that, I did a few circuits of accessory work, one of which included a favorite of mine: Monster Walks. 

Monster walks are an awesome glute activation and strengthening exercise. Many, if not most, people go throughout their daily life without their glutes being fully activated. Sitting all day, not exercising, and not even moving causes your glutes to, "turn off." This can lead to problems such as back pain, hip tightness, and over-compensation by your hamstrings. This is why I have my clients start off with mini band work to get their glutes firing before we get into and heavy lifting. 

Here's how I do Monster Walks

• Put a mini band on around your ankles
• Squat down to a half squat (just above parallel)
• Keeping your core engaged take big, outward, diagonal steps
• Keep your knees out, focus on engaging the side of your butt
• Make sure you keep your toes pointing forward, they are going to want to point out
• All the movement should come from your legs and hip, do not let your upper body turn to compensate
• Walk, staying in the squatted position, for about 10-15 yards forward, then backwards back
• Maintain good posture with your upper body, do not let your back round

Congrats, you did Monster Walks! 

You can buy mini bands for less then $10-15 for a pack of 4-5 of various resistances; I would strongly urge everyone to get some for home!

Thanks for reading and get those gluts activated!

-Nick 

Lower Body 8/17/16, how to aggressively roll out your calves, and how to have a GREAT squat!

I was so excited for squats today! I haven't had a good lower body lift in over a week due to vacation, but I finally got one in today! My calves were incredibly tight so I started by rolling them out on a LAX ball and also rolling them out using a barbell.

To do this:

• I put a bar in a low placement on a rack
• Laid down below the bar
• Put a leg up on the bar
• Moved my leg all around trying to break up the knots 

It was one of the roughest way I've worked on my calves, but it definitely helped!

I only went to 275 on squats, and unfortunately, that felt pretty heavy. I added some core in between the sets of squats. I then went into a circuit of heavy RDLs, single leg squats with a med ball, KB swings, and goblet squats. I loved this circuit, it kept my heart rate up, and the blood pumping in my legs!

To go along with yesterday's Technique Tuesday post about how to bodyweight squat, here are my most common cues for getting my clients into a proper squat position.

• Feet just outside shoulder width
• Toes pointed as straight as possible (0-15 degrees)
• Lock your core in (sternum to belly button)
• Screw your feet into the ground (externally rotating your hips)
• Push your butt back, drive your knees out towards pinky toes
• Try to get to at least parallel
• Drive up from the middle/heel of your foot

Congrats you just had a great squat!

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Thanks for reading and happy squatting!

-Nick