Strengthen your Hamstrings & Butt with Straight Leg Deadlifts (video)

The Barbell Straight Leg Deadlift exercise will really bring strength to the muscles of your butt and hamstrings since the motion is something that most of us are not used to. Much like a Deadlift, the Straight Leg version is just harder to execute. As you perform the motion, you will feel something of a 'pull' in your hamstrings, which is totally normal.

Your Glutes (butt) are exercised during what is called 'hip extension', and your hamstrings in 'flexion at the knee'. As you keep your legs straight though and keep an arch in your back, your hamstrings will isometrically contract while your glutes perform the moving portion. If this bothers your low back, it means you're rounding your back - either watch yourself in a mirror, or lower the weight.

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Learning Single Leg Exercises (with video)

Executing a Barbell Biceps Curl is pretty simple, but by taking one foot off the ground and performing a Single Leg Barbell Biceps Curl, your whole body will be working.

Since you're on one foot, the leg on the ground has to work very hard to keep you balanced while your biceps execute the curl. Your butt will be isometrically contracting (holding you still and flexed) and your core musculature (abdomen, back) will also be holding you steady. Standing on one leg and doing this exercise will help you work your whole body, helping you see gains not just in your arms.

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What is Fitness?

I just checked with dictionary.com, and they say 'Fitness' is 'health', as well as the ' capability of the body of distributing inhaled oxygen to muscle tissue during increased physical effort.' Alright, good to know.

If you want to be 'fit' or 'healthy', you need to make sure that you are exercising! Now many of you may not know how. No worries, that's what all these tips are designed for. But I want to focus on the second answer of what fitness is, being the capability of distributing oxygen.

Many of us perform cardio-respiratory exercise, but is that enough? Nope. Your muscles need to be stressed as well, and as you also work with weights and your body weight in the gym or at home or in a park, you are also working on your bodies' ability to transport oxygen when needed (during physical exercise).

As a beginner, understand that you need to push yourself every time you exercise, to the point where you are sweating afterwards. This needs to occur minimum 4 times a week to really get into good shape.

For you veteran exercisee's, are you really pushing yourself anymore? Have you been doing the same exercises for years? Find news ways to push yourself (that's whay i've put up the videos), so that you can continue to excel with your physical fitness.

Make sure you are looking at older tips too, because there is lots of wonderful information in there (not just from me, but from others before me).

Using the Pull Up to gain explosive strength (with video)

The Pull Up can be used in so many different ways, and gaining explosive strength there can be achieved. In this video, you can see how switching your grip can benefit the strength of your back, biceps, forearm and hand strength. Performing an Explosive Switch Grip Pull Up will tire you out quickly though, because you will be moving mighty fast during the motion. Watch your shoulders and try to keep them back as you perform the motion.

And be careful, because a miss on grabbing the bar might mean you'll fall, hopefully wih just an injury to your pride :)

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Bent-Over Scapular Retraction Strengthens your Back (with video)

Your rhomboids are a muscle in your back that pull your scapula (shoulder blades) together. The motion of Scapular Retraction (video) directly works this muscle group, strengthening the back and, when done properly, improving ones posture. Utilize free weights in this exercise, and make sure that as you lean forward you do not round your lower back. If needed, perform a few repetitions, stand back up, then again get into the lower position to give your low back a rest if it is too difficult to perform.

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