Hamstring strength allows you to move efficiently, improves posture, and helps prevent injury. Add these Fab 4 Moves to your workout.
Use these Fab 4 Hamstring Strengthening Moves in the Workout:
10 Deadlifts
20 Swings
15 Hamstring curls
15 Hip drops
REPEAT 2-3x
Okay, I am going to sound like that nagging mom who reminds you to eat your vegetables, but this missing component of fitness – MOBILITY – is as important as veggies (almost). No matter your age or your fitness level, maintaining or increasing your mobility is very important, especially if you want to prevent injuries, correct muscle imbalances, build more muscle, or even simply move well and pain free.
While HIIT studios and heavy lifting gyms are super popular right now and those intense workouts are a bit more “sexy” for social media posts, there is a lot more to overall fitness than pools of sweat and big muscles. In fact, having good mobility may be one of the most important factors as you age. There are 5 really important components of fitness, and all of them deserve some time and attention in your overall fitness plan.
Let’s review:
Today we are focusing on MOBILITY because it is often the forgotten component (or the one we skip out on). One of the first things you need to understand is that mobility differs from flexibility. Flexibility is the ability of a muscle to temporarily stretch when needed, whereas mobility is the ability of a joint to actively and with control move through its intended range of motion. So while flexibility helps us become more mobile – it is only one part of the equation.
Other contributing factors are the structure and biomechanics of our joints, tendons and ligaments, and the strength we have to stabilize and control motion around each joint. There is little you can do about the structure of things, but here are some things you can do to help your overall mobility:
Do you know what areas of your body need some work? If not, talk to your trainer so they can help you develop a mobility plan – and then it’s up to you to make it happen. We promise it will pay off in the long run. All you need to do is dedicate a few minutes a day to doing a little mobility work. One of the simplest solutions is to add the recommended exercises to your pre-workout warm up or post-workout cool down.
Here is one of many mobility exercises that can help with movement at the hip, which is essential for almost everything we do – from standing up to walking, climbing, and jumping – to sitting back down.
As I mentioned above, MOBILITY is not the same thing as FLEXIBILITY and therefore not all mobility exercises are stretches.
Please check out this video and the others we have included in our Mobility Exercise Library. Start incorporating these into your weekly routine and be on your way to more fluid and pain-free movement!
Boxing is an impressive addition to your fitness toolbox. Benefits include increased hand eye coordination, upper body/ core strengthening, and boosted endurance. Try these Fab 4 moves and see.
Use these Fab 4 Boxing Moves in the Workout:
Back hand x 15ea
Jabs x 30
Upper cuts x 30
Monkey x 20
REPEAT 5x
Spread the Empower love. Share this awesome workout with friends.
There’s no downside to having a strong and supple core. Add these Fab 4 moves to your workout.
Use these Fab 4 Core Strengthening Moves in the Workout:
V- Ups
Leg Lowers
Bicycle Crunches
Situps
Workout: Do 12 of each, then 10 of each, then 8 of each
This Benefit Shouldn’t Be Underestimated . . . Personal Trainers Hold You Accountable.
Why did you invest in a personal trainer? Was it . . .
“I needed to lose weight,”
“I wanted to get stronger,”
“To prepare for a certain athletic or life event,” or
“Just to be healthier and feel fit.”
All great reasons because as personal trainers we provide exercise plans that are specific to your goals. We help you keep correct form and ensure you’re performing exercises safely, and give you guidance on what to eat or other healthy habits. However, there’s something else that a personal trainer provides that might be the ultimate benefit: accountability.
I have worked with Lori Ireland as her trainer for over 20 years. She will be the first one to tell you she would not be as consistent or as thorough in her fitness plan if it wasn’t for our weekly appointments. Not only is she committed to her health, she feels committed to me for showing up – it works both ways.
Here are some ways in which a trainer helps you stick to your fitness plan.
Okay, so maybe not NEVER, but once you have committed to your trainer, you’re more obligated to show up. Whether that is at the studio or on Zoom. We are all more likely to keep the commitments we make with others than the ones we make with ourselves. You can also get this kind of accountability from a good workout partner, but with a trainer you get the added benefit of having them expertly guide each workout and overall fitness plan. Not to mention, your trainer has a vested interest in helping you achieve your goals. They care deeply about you and your health, and it is their job, their passion, their livelihood – if you succeed, they succeed.
Most of you believe that investing in your health and wellness is the best money you spend, but let’s face it no one wants to waste hard earned money. Statistics show there is more follow through when services are being paid for – there is more skin in the game, so to speak. Why pay for something that you don’t plan on taking full advantage of, right?
Exercising can be hard work, and not everyone looks forward to a tough sweat session. However, when you have a trainer there guiding you through, you not only get a customized workout that is aligned with your fitness goals, but you also have someone by your side motivating you through every rep! They will ensure you do the right exercises, with the right amount of weight to reach your goals and they should also make it FUN!
Our trainers deeply care about each one of you and that doesn’t end when you leave the studio (or the Zoom session). Your trainer will probably encourage you to adopt other healthy habits and help keep tabs on those as well. How is your nutrition, do you sleep well at night, are you staying hydrated throughout the day, etc. So even when life happens and you slip up, or you fall off the workout train for a little while, your trainer will continue to check in with you and help you get back on track when you feel derailed.
Would you or someone in your life value the accountability a trainer can provide? If so, we would love to help you/them keep their health on top of their priority list.
Bridge variations are another tool to help tone your backside. Try our Fab 4 Moves and see.
Use these Fab 4 Bridge Moves in the Workout:
Double Leg Bridge x30
Single Leg Bridge x15e
Walking Bridge (out and in) x20
Bridge March x20
REPEAT 2-3x
Having strong legs increases cardiovascular function, decreases risk of injury, and can improve speed and power. Add these Fab 4 Moves and take leg day to the next level.
Use these Fab 4 Leg Strengthening Moves in the Workout:
Tempo Reverse Lunge – 10 each leg
Lunge Jumps – 30 seconds
Tempo Squats – 15
Jump Squats – 30 seconds
Workout: Repeat 3 times
The benefits of cardiovascular exercise are well documented. Try our Fab 4 moves and get your heart pumping.
Stair climbing or step-ups – 4 minutes
Jump rope – 3 minutes
Jumping jacks – 2 minutes
Plank ski jump-ins – 1 minute
REPEAT – 2 – 3x
A plank doesn’t always have to be just a plank. Use variations to keep yourself amused and motivated while you work that core. Try our Fab 4 moves and see.
Use these Fab 4 Plank Variation Moves in the Workout:
Plank Jacks x 20
Shoulder Taps x 20
Plank Up Downs x 10
Spiderman Plank x 20
Repeat – 3X
Spread the Empower love. Share this awesome workout with friends.
| Not only are Adam of Adam Lee Decker Music (and his band) and Kathleen Pace of Amelya Jayne Photography amazing at their craft, superb human beings and our dear friends – they are also fitness professionals themselves (and both worked on our Empower team in the past). To say we LOVE them is an understatement, and we HIGHLY recommend that you follow their work and hire them if you need their services. (click links below to learn more) Thank you Adam, Chuck, and Oren. Thank you, Kathleen. You have been part of our story and we are eternally grateful! |
