Top Health and Fitness Articles by Greg Brookes

7 Popular Exercises You Must Avoid and Safer Alternatives

By Greg Brookes

The human body is an incredible piece of engineering. It’s capable of such amazing movements.

But just because the body can perform a certain movement does not mean it is good for us.

There seems to be an epidemic at the moment of people in gyms and parks on a mission to totally destroy their body.

Here are 7 of the most common exercises that I see that need to be reconsidered:

# 1 – Dips

Dips have been around for years.

They even have specialised dips bars in gyms purely designed for performing sets of dips.

Dips however are not shoulder friendly unless performed with excessive forward lean.

As you lower yourself down, under full bodyweight, during the Dip exercise you put your shoulder capsule under huge amounts of strain.

The arms are not designed to go backwards to that extreme.

You can see this for yourself just by standing tall and then seeing how far you can take the arms backwards.

The worse types of Dips are the ones that you see during boot camps that are performed off a park bench.

Ever wondered why your shoulders are sore after performing Dips?

It’s because you are stretching all your ligaments and the soft tissue of the shoulder joint.

If you don’t want sloppy and unstable shoulder joints that are more likely to dislocate then lay off the Dips.

Safer Alternative: Regular Push Ups or Narrow Push Ups

# 2 – Behind the Head Lat Pull Downs

Everybody seems to have tried or performed this exercise at one time or another.

Almost every gym has a Lat Pull Down machine which consist of a T-Bar on a cable suspended from overhead.

Pulling the bar down to the upper chest does not present too much of a problem but when the bar is pulled down behind the head then it becomes very dangerous for the shoulder joint.

During the, behind the head, movement the shoulder joint is placed under external rotation and then with force taken well below its natural range.

You will even see people lean their head forwards as a natural reaction to the exercise so the shoulder isn’t put under so much strain.

Those with hypermobile shoulders will find this exercise much easier but it still compromises the integrity of the shoulder capsule.

Safer Alternative: Pull Downs to the Upper Chest or even better Chin Ups

# 3 – Sit Ups or Crunches

This is an exercise that is always painful to watch.

After spending a day hunched over a computer or desk the posture is made even worse by Crunching forward even more.

Surely after sitting in such a terrible position all day you would want to train the opposite muscles to pull everything backwards again!

Crunches and Sit Ups also only perform 50% of the natural movement of the spine if you are performing them lying on the floor.

If you are going to perform this exercise then at least Crunch over a Stability Ball to get the full range of movement.

Not only do Sit Ups and Crunches seem counter intuitive to posture but they also don’t seem to line up with our natural daily movements.

How often do you Crunch forwards in daily life?

Working on Core Stabilisation is a much more functional direction to take.

Safer Alternative: Planks, Woodchops, Stability Ball Jack Knife

# 4 – Running When You’re Not Strong Enough

Before you get too excited and all the running clubs start sending me hate mail hear me out.

Running puts a massive strain on the body.

Over 3 times the bodyweight goes through each leg during every stride.

In order to absorb this kind of shock the body must have good alignment and core strength.

The Core stabilises the pelvis to provide a solid platform for the legs to operate under.

Sadly most people have very weak core muscles due to inactivity and due to excess sitting most people also have bad joint alignment and stabilisation from head to toe.

Now take your average overweight runner looking to lose weight and then add in all these factors and the result is usually injury within 4 weeks.

If you want to start running, which I’m not against, then losing excess weight through diet and bodyweight exercises to improve core strength and joint stability would be a safer starting point.

Safter Alternative: Bodyweight Circuits, Fast Mountain Climbers or Hill Walking Intervals

# 5 – Deep Bench Press

The bench press will offer you a great way to add some serious muscle and strength to the chest and triceps but you have to be careful.

When loading the barbell or dumbbells you must be very careful not to take the bar down too low.

Touching the bar to the chest, or even bouncing it, is usually too deep for the shoulder capsules to handle.

There is a simple test you can try to see how deep you should take the bar.

Lie on the bench and use a wooden dowel or broomstick and see how deep you can naturally go.

Most people find they cannot go as deep as the chest, it is only the added weight of the bar that forces the shoulders into this position.

The same theory applies to performing dumbbell presses and dumbbell fly’s, just ensure you only go as deep as your shoulders will allow and not how deep the weight dictates.

Safer Alternative: Test your natural range and stick within it or use push ups instead

# 6 – Hamstring Curls

You have probably seen this crazy exercise where you lay on your belly on a machine and then pull your heels to your buttocks.

If you are into body building and not human movement I can see how this isolates the Hamstrings muscles.

But beware, lying down in this position puts huge strain on both the knee joints and the lower back.

Using a machine like this puts the body in a totally unnatural position and forces the joints to work in isolation, as opposed to an integrated unit the way the body is design to operate.

Isolation exercises like this one also force the body to move through a dedicated pattern which in nature is something that the body will avoid to prevent overuse injuries.

Finally think about the movement, how often do you perform this movement in nature?

Safer Alternative: Deadlifts or Single Leg Deadlifts

# 7 – Smith Machine Squats

The Squat is one of our fundamental movement patterns and I would always recommend that people learn to squat correctly.

Every time you sit down and stand up, or get into your car you are performing a variation of the squat.

Not only is the squat highly practical but it also offers huge benefits to the body including activating most muscles, pumping bodily fluids, opening up the lower back and increasing testosterone production.

The Smith machine is a bar that is held on runners that goes up and down along the same path vertically.

Many people think it is safe to perform a squat using a smith machine because it does have fail safe measures in case you drop or slip under the bar.

However, the smith machines vertical path does not mimic the natural path that we would take when performing a regular squat.

During the regular squat the upper body leans forwards off the vertical line to counterbalance balance the backwards movement of the hips.

The smith machine not only compromises the movement but also encourages bad form of this crucial exercise.

Add in the fact that it is very difficult to drop down deep enough to engage the buttocks correctly and you have a very weird and unnatural movement.

Safer Alternative: Kettlebell Goblet Squats or Barbell Front Squats

Conclusions

With so many safer exercises available there is no need to be performing movements that will cause you injury.

Think smart and start performing natural movements that will help to improve your health and movement skills and not degrade them.

Have you tried any of these safer exercises? Let me know more below:

How to Perform 100 Push Ups: Complete Push Up Guide with Workout Programs

By Greg Brookes

The Push Up exercise has been around for hundreds of years.

It’s a great conditioning exercise for most muscles of the body and requires no equipment.

In this post I’m going to break down this excellent exercise and show you not only how to perform it effectively but how to design your own push up workouts to get to that magical 100 push ups in one go!

Muscles Involved During the Push Up

The Push Up is a full body exercise that works lots of major muscle groups including:

Pectorals – these are your fan shaped chest muscles and are heavily used in all pushing exercises.
Triceps – another pushing muscle attached to the back of the arm. The triceps work hard at straightening the arm. So if you don’t fully straighten the arm you won’t get the most out of these muscles.
Deltoids – the shoulder muscles play a large role in all pushing exercises but also in the stabilisation of the upper body to maintain alignment during the exercise
Serratus Anterior – these muscles on either side of the rib cage attach to the shoulder blade and prevent it from winging during movement. Well developed serratus anterior muscles look like a bunch of bananas just underneath the arm pit. Nice!
Abdominals – there is loads of core involvement in the push up. From the Push up position gravity forces the hips to the floor and it’s your core muscles that prevent this from happening. You can think of the Push up as a moving plank exercise from the hands.
Glutes – the large buttock muscles are responsible for extending the hip and stabilising the core. When you hold your body in the straight position of a Push up it is your Glutes that are keeping your hips extended and in line.
Latisimus Dorsi – these large wing like muscles on the back of the body run from your arm down to your buttocks. Not only do they create internal rotation of the arm but they help with stabilisation all the way down to the buttocks too!
Secondary Muscles – there are so many more muscles involved in the push up that also help with correct alignment and stabilisation. The back of the body is actually more involved that you might first imagine.

How to Do the Perfect Push Up

The Push up is so much more than going down and up a few times.

Lets break it down and see how to perform the exercise correctly:

1. Hands

Hand position can vary and as a general rule the closer your hands are together the more Triceps engagement.

The wider the hands the more you use your shoulders.

More on the different types of Push Ups later.

For now lets stick with hands shoulder width apart and directly underneath the shoulders too. Fingertips should be facing forwards.

If you struggle with painful wrists then you can try forming a fist and doing your push ups off your fists.

Use a mat or towels underneath the fists to make this more comfortable.

Another option for sore wrists is to try using Push Up bars that put the hands in a different position that some people find more tolerable.

2. Feet

Keeping the feet together will better engage your core muscles but if you find this a bit too wobbly then separate the feet to a comfortable distance.

You may have seen people performing push ups with one foot on top of the other or raised in the air, these variations produce less stability for the feet and challenge the core muscles and shoulder muscles to stabilise more during the movement.

3. Shoulder Blades

During the push up movement your shoulder blades will want to wing out or stick out backwards. Winging scapular are very common and often down to weak serratus anterior muscles so it is very important that you work hard to keep your back flat during the movement.

As you think about the middle of your back between your shoulder blades you want to actively push this area up and do not allow this section to sag down as you get tired. Ensure you finish the top part of the movement by pushing up through the middle back.

4. Body Alignment

When in the starting position of the Push Up there should be a straight line from head to heel. You can test this position by having a friend lay a broom stick along your back and by following their feedback you can adjust your position accordingly.

Strong activation or bracing through the abdominal muscles and a contraction through the buttocks should bring everything into alignment.

If during the exercise your posture changes and your lower back begins to arch then it’s time to stop. An arching lower back is usually a sign of core weakness and you may be better working on core strengthening exercises first before progressing with the push up.

5. Head

The head and neck alignment should continue the straight line from the heels. A good rule of thumb is to look down just in front of your hands.

Keep the head still throughout the whole movement, you should not be bobbing around during the exercise even as you get tired.

Those ‘piece of junk’ Ab Rollers are often to blame for weak neck muscles during these type of exercises. Remember you are only as strong as your weakest link!

6. Arms

The elbows should not be pushed out during the down and up phase of the exercise. You never push something with your elbows splayed apart so now is not the time to start. Keep your elbows in close to your body for a more favourable shoulder joint angle.

On the downward phase of the Push Up screw your hands into the floor towards the body this will activate your Latisimus Dorsi muscles down the back and side of your body. You should feel the muscles just underneath your armpits activate as you pull yourself down towards the floor.

At the top of the movement you should aim to straighten the arms. Don’t snap the elbow back but ensure that they straighten in order to activate the Triceps muscles at the back of the arms.

7. Speed

You can perform the push up at lots of different speeds but I would recommend a controlled pace of 2 seconds down and 2 seconds up. Do not let your body fall to the floor.

Pull the body down under control. It is during the downward phase that you actually gain more strength so don’t miss out on half the exercise by dropping to the floor.

As you become more advanced at the push up your can lower yourself slowly and push back up more explosively, but to begin with you are better focusing on technique and controlling the movement.

8. Depth

Your goal should be to reach a 90 degree angle at the elbow. If you go much deeper than this you increase the risk of damaging soft tissue and ligaments. Be particularly careful if using push up bars which produce the tendency to go too deep.

If you need a depth guide you can put a rolled up towel underneath the chest and aim to touch it with your sternum every repetition.

9. Breathing

As you descend down into the push up take a deep breath in and as you push up from the floor breath out.

When performing more strength based push up variations like claps and plyo push ups then you may need to hold the breath for a split second just to get maximum core tension.

The reason why you need to hold the breath is because the diaphragm acts as a secondary core stabiliser so it’s not possible to both breathe consistently and perform the exercise at maximum effort.

Here’s a video on how to perform the perfect push up:

What if you Cannot Do 1 Push Up

Many people struggle to perform just 1 perfect push up.

In particular ladies find the push up more difficult due to the lack of strength. No I’m not being sexist here, men naturally have more upper body strength.

If you struggle with the Push Up then you need to regress the movement in order to perform it correctly and avoid getting injured and forming bad habits.

Here’s how to do it:

Wall Push Ups: start by performing push ups with your hands against a wall and feet 3 feet from the wall. When you can perform 20 repetition move onto the next level
Table Push Ups: next perform the push up with your hands on the side of a table. Ensure the table is against a wall so it does not slip. After 20 repetitions move to the next stage
Stool or Chair Push Ups: the final stage is taking the hands even lower onto a chair or stool. Once you can complete 20 repetitions move down onto the floor
Half or Seal Push Ups: you may not need this stage but if so perform the push ups off your knees. Its very important that you maintain a straight line from head to knees even during this version of the push up

Here’s a quick video on how to use stairs to progress your push ups:

Progressing the Number of Push Ups

Once you are performing perfect push ups you can start working on increasing the number of repetitions.

Here’s how to increase the number of push ups by putting them into a 5 set workout.

Initial Assessment

If you want to increase the number of push ups you can perform then you first need to know your starting point.

How many push ups can you do right now without a rest?

Perform as many as you can with perfect form. If your hips start to sag or you push your hips up nice and high to rest then it’s time to stop.

Make a note of this Max Number.

Putting together the Initial Workout

Now you know how many you can perform in one go you need to put together a workout to improve on your maximum. I have found that 5 sets tends to work best for improving on your push ups. You want to perform double the amount of repetitions that you performed during your maximum assessment.

So, this is how you calculate the numbers for your workout:

Multiple your maximum Number by 2
Divide this new number by 5
So if your max was 20: 20 x 2 = 40 / 5 = 8 reps
Perform 5 x 8 reps for a total of 40 reps
Rest 60-90 seconds between each set of 8 reps

This simple formula enables you to put together an initial workout that will help to improve on your Push Ups. However, in order to get stronger you need to progress the number of reps each workout.

6 Week Push Up Workout Plan

So you should have your initial starting numbers as worked out above. Now lets put them into a 6 week workout program so you can get stronger and continue to get results from your workouts.

Workout 3 Times Per Week

I recommend that everyone start with a 3 times per week program. Monday, Wednesday and Friday is a good start. Remember that you actually make gains in strength from your recovery so you need those days rest.

More is not always better in this case. If you find that you are too sore when its time to perform your workout then it’s OK to take another days rest.

Rest Times

To improve your push ups you will need to rest between each set. I have found that 60 – 90 seconds is usually about right.

If you are working on lower numbers then the rest should be longer as this is more of a strength based workout for you.

If you are working at higher numbers then the rest can be shorter as its more endurance focused.

Linear Push Up Program

You will begin with the calculations you made based upon your initial assessment. The following method is simple you just add one extra rep to each set every workout.

So taking the example above, if you performed 20 maximum reps your first 3 workouts will look like this:

Week 1

You would continue adding 1 rep per set per workout until week 6 looks like this:

Week 6

So following this method by week 6 you will be performing a total of 125 push ups.

Now retest your maximum.

You will find that your maximum should now be up around the 60 mark after only 6 weeks!

Undulating Push Up Program

I have found the above linear approach very effective but it can be rather boring and the muscle stimulation is not as high as it could be.

I therefore prefer to use an undulating method which means that the numbers do not stay consistent from one set to the next. Here an example based upon the same maximum assessment as above:

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

You will notice that the total amount of repetitions completed is exactly the same as the linear method, the only difference is the distribution of reps throughout the 5 sets.

100 Push Ups Program

I’ve had many emails from people who want to perform 100 push ups in one go. You can use either of the 2 programs above to achieve this goal.

If you want to complete one hundred push ups then you will need to perform a total of 200 repetitions over your 5 sets. Basically just continue on either of the programs above for another few more weeks and that will get you there.

Beyond the Regular Push Up

There are lots of variations of push up. As I mentioned earlier, hand positions and various feet positions will change both the instability of the shoulder and core muscles along with the demands placed on Shoulders and Triceps.

Once you can safely complete the regular push up for 30 – 50 reps then you can try some more advanced variations.

Here are a few Push Up variations:

# 1 – Stability Ball Push Ups

# 2 – Mountain Climber Push Up

# 3 – Push Ups With Leg Jumps

Conclusions

I hope you now feel like a Push Up expert and have the confidence to get out there are perfect this excellent exercise.

Get great at the Push Up and you can take it anywhere and stay in shape no matter where you are.

Now shoot for 100 push ups and let me know when you get there.

Over to You

Do you love the Push Up? Have you reached the magic 100 yet?

33 Kettlebell Exercises from Beginner to Advanced

By Greg Brookes

Kettlebells are a great tool for improving your strength, cardio, movement skills, and of course for burning loads of calories.

Training with kettlebells is slightly different from using other pieces of equipment, like dumbbells, so I recommend you get some good quality instruction or see my guide here.

If you are ready to get started with your kettlebell training then here is a list of kettlebell exercises starting with the foundational exercises and progressing to the most advanced:

Foundational Exercises

# 1 – Slingshot

A great warm up and starter exercise that gets your accustomed to the weight of the kettlebell.

Keep you feet reasonably close together and hips still as you pass the kettlebell around your body in a circle changing hands at the back and at the front.

Try to keep everything tight throughout the whole movement.

Don’t forget to try both directions. 20 reps each way is a good start.

# 2 – Halo

Another warm up exercise that opens up the shoulder girdle and prepares the body for an oncoming workout.

Hold the kettlebell with both hands by the ball with the handle pointing upwards.

Take the kettlebell around the neck keeping the kettlebell as close to the neck as possible.

Turn the kettlebell over at the back. Your forearms should brush your forehead on the way around.

Try 10 in each direction.

# 3 – Single Arm Deadlift

The perfect beginners exercise to practice the hip hinge.

The hip hinge ensures that when you bend forwards you bend from the hips rather than the lower back.

Stand over the kettlebell with it aligned between your toes.

Push your hips back and keep your chest up as you pick up the kettlebell.

Squeeze your buttocks at the top and reverse the movement. Your back should stay flat throughout the whole movement.

# 4 – Single Leg Deadlift

A great core exercise that integrates both sides of the body as well as developing good movement skills.

Standing on one leg and holding the kettlebell in one hand lean forwards keeping your back flat.

The same leg that goes back is the same arm that you are holding the kettlebell with.

Go down as far as your hamstrings will allow and then return to the top position.

Your standing leg can have a slight bend during the movement.

Want More? Single Leg Deadlift, Everything You Need to Know

# 5 – Turkish Get Up

The mother of all kettlebell exercises. Great for movement skills, core activation and shoulder stabilisation.

Starting on the floor with the kettlebell held above your chest, bend one leg and sit up.

Next sweep the straightened leg through to a lunge position and stand.

All you now need to do is reverse the movement.

Practice without a kettlebell to begin with, then a glass of water and finally your kettlebell.

Want More? Ultimate Guide to the Kettlebell Turkish Get Up

# 6 – Goblet Squat

A standard squat movement but holding the kettlebell with both hands and upside down.

The instability of the kettlebell during the goblet squat will help improve your general squatting movement pattern.

If you struggle to perform correct squats then you will need to regress to the bodyweight squat and work on your mobility, stability and motor control.

# 7 – Racked Squat

This variation on the regular squat loads the body on the one side.

Whenever you load the body unilaterally your core and stabilsation muscles need to work hard to control the movement.

The racked position involves holding the kettlebell in the one hand with the ball resting in the crook of the arm.

Keep the elbow in tight as you squat up and down.

Want More? 7 Kettlebell Squats You Need to Know

# 8 – Racked Lunge

Lunges are a very important movement pattern and by adding a kettlebell to just one side they become even more challenging.

Just as with the racked squat the kettlebell is held with one hand in the racked position.

Take the same leg back as you are holding the kettlebell with and ensure that the knee goes low to the floor allowing for full activation of the glute muscles.

For the forward lunge use the opposite leg that you are holding the kettlebell with.

# 9 – Windmill

Brilliant for improving mobility through the hips and hamstrings as well as improving your shoulder stabilisation.

Start with the kettlebell overhead and the arm locked straight.

Spread your feet to double shoulder width apart and angle your feet at 45 degrees.

Push your hips out to the side and while looking at the kettlebell take the opposite hand down and touch the floor between your legs.

Try to keep both legs straight throughout the whole exercise.

Want More? Complete Guide to the Kettlebell Windmill

# 10 – Single Handed Swing

If the Turkish Get Up is the mother of all Kettlebell exercises then this is the father.

Once you have master the art of the hip hinge by practicing the single arm deadlift then you can progress to the swing.

Holding the kettlebell in one hand push the hips back and snap them forwards as you swing the kettlebell between you legs.

The back should be flat throughout the movement. Highly cardiovascular and great for a full body workout.

# 11 – Two Handed Swing

Exactly the same movement as the Single Handed Swing but using both hands.

Many people find that the Single handed Swing is easier to learn first because when using one hand you are less likely to use your shoulder muscles to lift the weight rather than relying on your hip snap.

Ensure the back is kept flat throughout the whole movement.

Want More? Ultimate Guide to the Kettlebell Swing and Variations

# 12 – Alternating Swing

Another Swing variation but this time you change hands during every swing.

Ensure that you wait for the kettlebell to reach the top of swing before trying to change hands.

You have 2 options for changing hands either reaching over the other hand and switching or turning the kettlebell 90 degrees and changing hands from the side.

# 13 – Clean

One of the more technical kettlebell exercises that involves taking the bell from the floor up and into the racked position.

Ensure that the hips are the area that generate the power for the movement.

The thumb should point backwards at the bottom of the movement.

To prevent banging of the forearms try to take the arm around the kettlebell rather than the bell around the arm. Also aim to keep the bell as close to the body as possible.

Want More? How to Kettlebell Clean Like a Pro and Stop Banging Your Wrists

# 14 – Overhead Press

Pressing a kettlebell overhead can create some great shoulder and pressing strength.

Starting from the racked position crush the handle with your grip as your push the kettlebell straight overhead.

Ensure that you actively pull the kettlebell back down towards the chest using your Lat muscles to support the movement.

Keep a straight wrist throughout the whole movement.

Tight buttocks and core will also provide a more stable pressing platform.

# 15 – Clean and Press

Putting the Clean exercise and Press exercise together forms what is often called “The Long Cycle”.

There are not many muscles that don’t get influenced by the Clean and Press.

As you link the 2 exercises together it is important to take a short pause between each movement.

# 16 – Thruster

Here is another exercise that combines 2 exercises the Squat and the Press for maximum energy expenditure.

Start from the racked position and drop down into the Squat, next drive up from the floor and use your momentum to drive the kettlebell overhead.

Next control the kettlebell back down into the racked position and repeat.

The Thruster is a highly cardiovascular exercise that hits almost every muscle in the body.

# 17 – Bottoms Up Clean

This variation on the standard clean will help to improve your core stability as well as your kettlebell movement skills.

I like to use the bottoms up clean as a good warm up before more challenging exercises.

Start as with the regular clean but this time finish with the kettlebell not in the racked position but upside down with you balancing the movement on the handle.

You will need good grip strength and control to maintain the upside down position.

Hold for 5 seconds and then return back to the start.

# 18 – Side Lunge

If you are looking to build individual leg strength, good hip mobility and back stabilisation then this is the exercise for you.

Holding the kettlebell in both hands close to the chest take a sideways step, push the hips back and drop into a side lunge position.

Keep your chest up and weight on your heels.

One leg should bend while the other remains straight.

Try to work at getting deeper and deeper each repetition. The lower you can go the better the Glute muscle activation.

Want More? 16 Kettlebell Lunge Variations from Beginner to Advanced

# 19 – Bob and Weave

Similar in movement to the Side Lunge but this exercise is a bit more dynamic and really gets the heart rate up.

Hold the kettlebell high up the chest with both hands and step out to the side, duck down as if trying to get underneath a low doorway and then bring your other foot across to meet the foot that stepped out.

Make sure that all the movement comes from a hinging at the hips rather than bending forwards at the lower back.

The back should remain flat throughout the movement.

# 20 – Kettlebell Row

The first of the rowing movements and this one is simple providing you get your back in the correct position.

Bend over at the hips ensuring that you maintain a flat back and that your chest is lifted.

Look down at about 2 metres in front of you. Keep your feet at shoulder width apart.

Grab the kettlebell with one hand from between your legs and row the kettlebell back towards your one hip.

Your back should remain stationary at a 45 degree angle to the floor during the whole exercise.

Want More? 10 Kettlebell Exercises for the Back here

Advanced Exercises

# 21 – Pistol Squat

The ultimate leg exercise but requires lots of strength, stability and mobility to perform it correctly.

Standing on one leg hold the other out in front of you just above the ground.

Next push the hips back and squat down keeping the other leg off the floor.

You should drop down as low as your heel on the floor.

Next drive up from the ground place all your weight on your heel. The one leg should not touch the floor through the whole exercise.

Hold the kettlebell with both hands in front of you as a counterbalance.

# 22 – Overhead Squat

This version of the squat really works your core muscles as well as shoulder, upper back and general stabilistion.

Hold the kettlebell overhead with a locked out arm.

Next drop into the squat position by pushing your hips backwards. All your weight should be on your heels.

At the bottom of the squat push up from the floor back to the starting position.

The kettlebell should remain overhead throughout the exercise.

# 23 – Deck Squat

A fun exercise that works a lot of muscles at once but also requires good hip mobility.

Start by holding the kettlebell in both hands.

Next drop into a deep squat and the roll back onto the floor keeping your feet on the ground.

Take the kettlebell overhead and raise your hips up into a bridge position.

Finally throw your arms and kettlebell forwards as you return to the deep squat position and then finally stand.

The key to this exercise is the aggressive throwing of your weight forwards giving you the momentum to get back into the bottom part of the squat.

# 24 – Tactical Lunge

This lunge variation requires a lot of coordination but is excellent for advancing your lunging skills.

Start with the kettlebell in both hands and hanging in front of you.

Next take a step back into a reverse lunge.

As a gap appears underneath your front leg pass the kettlebell underneath from one hand to the other.

Finally return to the standing position with the kettlebell held in both hands again.

Continue to lunge with the same leg creating a circular movement underneath the front leg.

# 25 – Overhead Lunge

Similar to the Overhead Squat this lunge increases the amount of core activation as well as shoulder stabilisation.

Press the kettlebell overhead and lock your arm keeping your wrist straight.

Next take a good step forwards into a lunge position.

Try to ensure that the back knee kisses the floor or gets as close as possible.

Finally return back to the start position.

The kettlebell should remain overhead for the entire exercise.

# 26 – Side Lunge and Clean

Have you tried combining the Side Lunge with the Clean?

This exercise requires a lot of good coordination, skill, mobility and core strength.

Start with the kettlebell in the racked position.

Step out into a side lunge to the same side as you are holding the kettlebell.

At the same time as stepping out take the kettlebell down into the bottom position of the clean.

Next drive up from the heel back to the starting position and at the same time cleaning the kettlebell back to the racked position.

# 27 – Circular Swings

One of my favourite dynamic kettlebell exercises but can be dangerous if you are not ready for it.

Start with the kettlebell in one hand and then swing the kettlebell across the body and up to around head height.

The kettlebell then swings back down across the body as you rotate to absorb the mass.

Drive with the core muscles and swing the bell back to the top position.

Be very careful you don’t hit your knees with the kettlebell.

# 28 – Circular Clean

Similar in some ways to the Circular Swing but this time you begin in the racked position.

Rotate the body slightly in the direction of the kettlebell and push the bell out, swing it across your body and then return it to the racked position.

The exercise is like performing a regular clean but the kettlebell swings across the body each time rather than going up and down.

Again, watch those knees!

# 29 – Walking Swings

Lets take the Swing to the next level.

There are many ways to add further demands to the Swing but one way is to walk forwards, backwards or to the side with each repetition.

This may sound difficult but once you have mastered the swing adding an extra step each swing isn’t usually a problem.

A nice challenge is to swing walking from one tree to another tree, or the length of a football pitch!

# 30 – High Pulls

A great pulling exercise for the back of the body that also gets the heart rate seriously racing.

Perform a regular Single Handed Swing but at the top of each Swing movement pull your arm in towards your body.

Keep your wrist straight and elbow nice and high.

Next push the kettlebell out and back down into the bottom part of the swing.

If you haven’t performed this exercise before it is probably the most cardiovascular kettlebell exercise you will ever experience.

Want More? How to Master the Kettlebell High Pull

# 31 – Snatch

Ever heard of the 10 minute Snatch challenge?

The Snatch uses everything you have got to take the kettlebell from the bottom of the Swing to overhead.

Again starting from the Single Handed Swing, swing the kettlebell up at around head height, pull the kettlebell towards you and then push up.

Next throw the kettlebell out and absorb the mass at the bottom of the swing. Then repeat.

Once mastered try 10 minutes of Snatches changing hands as many times as you wish but without putting the kettlebell down.

Want More? Ultimate Guide to the the Kettlebell Snatch

# 32 – Sotts Press

A very tough pressing exercise that require good mobility and core strength.

Start with the kettlebell in the racked position and then drop down into a deep squat.

At the bottom of the Squat press the kettlebell overhead and then return it back to the racked position before standing.

You will need good mobility in your upper back to perform this exercise well.

# 33 – Renegade Row

A very powerful core exercise when performed properly and also great for building the back of the body.

You will need 2 kettlebells for this exercise.

Start in a Push Up position with both hands on the handles of the kettlebells.

Next row one kettlebell back towards your hips keeping your body and back nice and flat.

Return the kettlebell to the ground and repeat on the other side.

If you cannot remain in a good plank position throughout this exercise then it is too advanced for you.

How about 2 Kettlebells?

If you really want to increase the demands and take your Kettlebell training to the next level you could always try some exercises holding a kettlebell in each hand.

Swings, Cleans, Squats and Presses are a great introduction.

Love Kettlebell Training? See My Kettlebell Workouts Website here

12 Exercises to Build Better Buttocks That Look and Perform Beautifully

By Greg Brookes

Your buttocks are the strongest muscles in the body.

The main 3 buttock muscles that your need to know are the Gluteus Maximus (the main buttock cheek and strongest muscle in the body), the Gluteus Medius (sits on the side of your buttocks) and the Gluteus Minimus.

The buttock muscles are responsible for extending your hips. So when you walk or run it is your buttocks that extend your legs backwards. The Hamstring muscles also work to extend the hips but they should work as a secondary hip extensor.

Unfortunately due to incorrect exercise techniques, spending too much time sitting down and overactive thigh muscles, the Buttock muscles become lazy and the hamstrings will often do their job.

It is important to regain good activation and firing patterns of the Buttock muscles to take the work load away from the Hamstrings (often a reason for tight hamstrings) and also to use the buttocks as your primary calorie burner during exercise.

When working correctly the large buttock muscles can burn some serious calories.

Here’s a collection of Buttock exercises that will help reactivate the 3 main muscles and build a better looking and more functional backside:

Before beginning any of these exercises I recommend that you perform a simple Buttock activation exercise by squeezing your buttocks together as hard as you can and holding for 5 seconds. 10 repetitions should do the trick.

# 1 – Hip Bridge

A simple starter exercise that can really activate the Buttock muscles if performed correctly.

Lie on your back with legs pulled in and feet flat on the floor.

Place your hands by your side with your palms pointing upwards.

Next push your hips towards the ceiling squeezing your buttocks tight at the top.

Be very careful not to overextend your hips by using your lower back to gain extra movement.

Hold at the top position for 5 seconds and slowly return to the start.

Try to push from your heels throughout the entire movement.

# 2 – Single Leg Hip Bridge

Once you have mastered the Hip Bridge you can move onto this more advanced version.

The exercise is performed exactly the same as the hip bridge except this time you place one leg in the air pointing towards the ceiling throughout the whole exercise.

During the exercise ensure that the hips stay flat by using your core muscles.

You can make the exercise harder still by placing the one leg on a medicine ball or BOSU ball.

Aim for 12 reps each leg.

# 3 – Reverse Lunge

Brilliant for working the buttocks if performed correctly.

From a standing position take one leg back and then drop the knee to kiss the ground or come very close.

It is essential that the lunges are deep enough. Failure to drop the rear knee down deep enough will not activate the buttocks correctly.

Next pull up from the front heel to the starting position.

The more you use your heels to pull you forward the more buttock activation you will achieve.

Start off will bodyweight only and progress to holding a pair of Dumbbells or Kettlebell.

# 4 – Step Ups

The step up is a very functional movement that beautifully carries over into real life.

Not only is this exercise practical but it also seriously activates the buttocks.

Find a step that is the same height as your own knee height.

Next step up onto the step pulling from the front heel.

One common mistake made during this exercise is using the 2nd leg to help push the body up into the top position.

Try to ensure that the whole movement comes from pulling will the top leg.

Curling the toes back on the 2nd leg can prevent you from pushing up with this leg. Start with bodyweight and progress to holding dumbbells.

# 5 – Mule Kick

This is a great exercise to activate the Buttocks while disabling the hamstrings.

Start by kneeling on all fours with hands under shoulders and knees under hips.

Next take the one leg backwards slowing going back and up.

Keep a slight bend in the leg to disable the hamstrings from working.

As you get to the top of the movement squeeze the buttocks tight.

Ensure not to over extend the leg and use the lower back.

The lower back should stay in a neutral spine position throughout the exercise.

# 6 – Bulgarian Lunge

A beautiful exercise that forces the buttocks to work seriously hard. Start in a lunge position but with the back leg on a 6 – 12 inch step behind you.

Drop down into a deep lunge ensuring that the front leg reaches at least parallel with the floor.

Drive up from the front heel and lock the leg out at the top.

Start with bodyweight and when you can perform 12 on each leg begin holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in the one hand.

# 7 – Side lunge

Not only does this exercise strengthen the buttocks from another angle but also will improve your hip mobility.

Begin by facing forwards and then take a big step out to the side.

Keep your weight on your heel as you bend at the hips pushing your buttock backwards and keeping your chest up.

The one leg should stay straight.

Try to get the one thigh parallel with the floor before driving back up from the heel to the top position.

Take your time with the first few repetitions as you warm up your groin muscles.

# 8 – Deadlift

The grandfather of all Buttock muscles.

Whenever you lift something heavy up off the ground you should be using your buttocks.

The deadlift simulates lifting something heavy up off the floor.

During this movement the thighs and Buttocks do most of the work and the back should maintain with a nice static neutral spine.

Keep your chest up throughout the movement and drive your hips through at the top.

# 9 – Single Leg Deadlift

With this exercise you can really focus in hard on the buttock muscles while challenging your core and balance at the same time.

Standing on one leg push the hips backwards and bend the knee as you drop down towards the floor.

Keep your weight on your heels and your chest up.

Next drive back up from the heel to standing and push the hips forwards and squeeze the buttocks.

# 10 – Side Kick

For working on the side of the buttocks I like the side kick.

The exercise is called a side kick but really is more of a slow side leg press.

Start by standing tall and facing forwards. Next pick up one leg and slowly push it our sideways.

Stop when the leg is fully extended and hold the position for 5 seconds.

Next return the leg and repeat without putting the foot down.

Start off with low side kicks and build up higher and higher for a real challenge.

You will notice that the stationary hip also gets a good workout.

# 11 – Squat

Squats are amazing for developing the buttocks but you must drop down so your thighs are at least parallel with the floor.

The importance of getting the correct depth during squatting cannot be over emphasized.

Failure to reach parallel with the thighs will result in minimal amounts of activation of the buttocks especially if faulty recruitment patterns are present.

If you have big thighs and flat buttocks then the chances are you need to learn to squat deeper.

# 12 – Pistol Squat

An extremely intense buttock exercise that develops so much more than just your backside.

The Pistol Squat involves dropping into a deep squat while keeping one leg out in front of you throughout the whole exercise.

Once you can squat well will both legs you can try this advanced variation.

You may want to begin by holding onto something like a chair or TRX straps.

Once you have perfected the Pistol Squat you can ramp it up by holding Dumbbells or a Kettlebell.

Conclusion

Developing nice well functioning Buttocks is usually more about correct exercise technique than working harder.

Spend some time practicing each of the movements and don’t progress too quickly until you are ready.

Starting with exercises that are too advanced for you will only force your body into compensating the movement and activating the wrong muscles.

Have you tried any of these buttock exercises? Let me know more below:

7 Foods That Have More Calcium Than Milk

By Greg Brookes

There are many problems associated with the consumption of dairy.

Milk gets denatured due to Pasteurization, the process of heating milk to high temperatures, which destroys vital vitamins, minerals, good bacteria and enzymes.

Many people can’t tolerate milk, they lack the necessary enzyme Lactase to digest the milk sugars.

Even baby milk powder producers understand this problem and artificially add the enzyme Lactase.

If you are Gluten sensitive you generally won’t tolerate dairy too well either.

One of the biggest objections I hear when I ask clients to give up dairy is “But what about the Calcium?“

So here is a list of foods higher in calcium than milk so you won’t need to go without this important mineral.

# 1 – Sea Vegetables

Sea Vegetables include: Wakame, Kelp, Hijiki, Arame, Nori and Kombu.

According to Dr. Bowden “There are no group of plants on the planet richer in nutrients, minerals and trace minerals”.

The blood is of a similar composition to seawater so these sea vegetables help to cleanse and nourish the body.

Hijiki and Wakame contains 10 times the amount of calcium than milk.

Buy these Sea Vegetables in your health store and add to foods like a condiment.

# 2 – Wheat Grass and Barley Grass

Ever tried a Wheat Grass or Barley Grass shot?

You can almost feel the goodness as it goes down.

Paul Pritchard notes that these shots are very concentrated so you should not take more than 2 ounces at a time.

Barley grass is slightly milder so if you struggle with Wheat Grass you may want to try the Barley instead.

Very high in enzymes and almost 5 times the calcium of milk.

Dried wheat grass and barley grass is also available.

# 3 – Sardines

With almost 4 times the calcium of milk this little oily fish is a great option.

I choose to eat sardines over tinned tuna fish every time.

They are especially good as a convenient post workout snack straight out of the tin.

Very high in omega 3 fats, magnesium, iron, zinc and potassium.

Not forgetting they contain almost 4 times more calcium than milk.

Avoid the ones packed in Vegetable oil.

# 4 – Nuts

Yes the benefits of eating nuts just keep getting revealed.

Almonds have the highest amount of calcium at double that of milk.

Hazelnuts are next followed by Brazil nuts.

Ensure you buy your nuts as natural as possible.

Avoid those with added salt and even worst the ones that have been roasted.

Roasting nuts can have a detrimental effect on the nuts natural oils.

Nuts make great snacks, keep them with you at all times and enjoy at will.

# 5 – Watercress

I love the peppery taste of watercress.

Nothing beats a nice watercress salad, I even like adding a bit of watercress as a side to my eggs for breakfast.

4 times the calcium of milk and 6 times that of magnesium.

According to Dr. Bowden, this wonderful green also “contains as much vitamin C as oranges and more iron than spinach”.

With watercress so readily available it deserves a place in everybody’s refrigerator.

# 6 – Quinoa

Named by the Incas as the “Mother of Grains”.

Notorious for being very high in protein and containing all the essential amino acids.

Quinoa is a very diverse food that can be eaten hot or cooked and then eaten cold.

Great as a rice substitute for curries and to replace the terrible Couscous.

Still higher in protein than milk!

# 7 – Kale

I can never say enough good things about Kale.

Probably my favourite vegetable and a member of the cabbage family.

Great anti cancer properties, high in iron, vitamin A and C.

Kale is also a winner when it comes to calcium.

Kale makes great salads or can be used as a side dish when steamed.

If you haven’t tried Kale then it’s time to get started today.

Look Out!

Eating foods high in Calcium is great but ensure that you don’t inhibit the amount of calcium you absorb by drinking too much Coffee, Alcohol, Refined Sugars, Smoking and Exercising too much or too little.

Have you tried giving up dairy for 30 days? Let me know more below:

Top 5 Kettlebell Exercises for Interval Training or HIIT

By Greg Brookes

This post has been inspired by the following email I received today:

“I’ve been experimenting with HIIT for a while now but only doing sprints. My garage is my home gym. It consists of kettlebells 12kg, 16, 20 & 24kg bells (only singles of each weight) and a pull up bar.

I have all your kettlebell apps and train with kettlebells usually 5 times a week. I note your suggestion of Using 32, 24 & 20kg bells for swing intervals. I’d love to try it but don’t have bells that heavy at the moment.

Are there any other kettlebell exercises you’d recommend for HIIT? I’m guessing the snatch would work well? I’m keen to make best use of my pull up bar if you can suggest a use for that with HIIT?”

OK, so here are my suggestions for Kettlebell Interval Training:

Top 5 Kettlebell Exercises for HIIT

# 1 – Kettlebell Swings

No kettlebell workout would be complete without some kettlebell swings.

The Kettlebell Swing works the entire body and makes up the cornerstone of all kettlebell training.

Here are 3 HIIT kettlebell swing workouts:

Push Ups x 10
Swings x 20
Repeat reducing the Push Ups by 1 each round

Swings x 30 seconds
Pull Ups x 1 (you asked for them 🙂
Repeat adding 1 pull up each round. See how high you can go

Start 60 second timer
Swing x 30
Rest remainder of minute the repeat for 10 minutes

Want more? See the Complete Guide to the Kettlebell Swing here

# 2 – Kettlebell High Pulls

A monster of an exercise and even more cardiovascular that the kettlebell swings.

I like them because kettlebells can often neglect pulling movements so this one is a gem.

Here’s 3 workouts:

High Pulls Left – 30 secs
High Pulls Right – 30 secs
Rest 30 secs repeat 3 – 8 rounds

Swing Left 30 secs, High Pull Left 30 secs
Repeat other side
Rest 30 secs, repeat 3 – 8 rounds

High Pulls Right x 5
High Pulls Left x 5
Continue adding 5 reps until you can’t take any more

Want more? See how to master the high pull exercise here

# 3 – Kettlebell Snatch

The mightly Snatch works every muscle in the body.

Once you have mastered the Swing and High Pull then it’s the natural progression.

Try these 3 workouts:

Snatch x 10 each side
Repeat for 10 minutes
Goal 200+ reps

Snatch x 10 reps each side
Burpee x 20 reps
Rest 30 seconds, repeat 3 – 8 rounds

Snatch x 10 reps each side
High Pulls x 10 reps each side
Swings x 10 reps each side
Repeat for 9 reps, then 8 etc.
See how quick you can finish

Want more? See the Complete Guide to the Kettlebell Snatch here

# 4 – Kettlebell Clean

Too many people underestimate the simple clean.

If you want to add in the Press then that is fine but for cardio just work quickly with the clean.

Here are 3 more workouts:

Clean Left x 60 seconds (go as heavy as you can)
Clean Right x 60 seconds (go as heavy as you can)
Rest 60 seconds, repeat 3 – 8 rounds

Clean & Squat Left x 60 seconds (go as heavy as you can)
Clean & Squat Right x 60 seconds (go as heavy as you can)
Rest 60 seconds, repeat 3 – 8 rounds

Swing Right x 10, Clean right x 10
Swing Right x 10, Clean right x 10
Countdown reducing by 1 rep each round

Want more? See How to Master the Kettlebell Clean here

# 5 – Kettlebell Squat and Press

The thruster or Squat and Press certainly gets the heart rate up.

Again working most muscles in the body it’s highly demanding.

Here are 3 workouts:

Squat & Press Left x 10
Squat & Press Right x 10
Pull Ups x 5
Rest 60 secs and repeat 3 – 8 rounds

Clean, Squat and Press Left x 10
Clean, Squat and Press Right x 10
Countdown, reduce by 1 each round

Squat & Press Left x 20, 15, 10, 5
Squat & Press Right x 20, 15, 10, 5
Start at 20 and reduce by 5 each round

Want more? See 7 Squat Variations you Need to Know

Keeping it Simple

As with all HIIT training you need to keep it simple.

Interval Training is not a time for changing exercises too often, things need to stay simple so you can push hard.

Choose a weight that is heavy enough for you to handle and work at a good pace.

Breathe well, push hard and enjoy yourself 🙂

Love kettlebell training? See my Kettlebell Workouts website here

Your Complete Guide to Warming Up Before Exercise

By Greg Brookes

Warming up prior to your workout is an essential part of any exercise routine and should never be avoided.

During this article I’ll be exploring the warm up routine and helping you understand exactly what warm up exercises you should be using and why they are so important.

Why Should You Warm Up Before Exercise?

Warming up prepares the body for the oncoming workout and reduces the risk of injury as well as optimising your performance.

Here are some of the reasons why warming up is so vital:

Improve joint lubrication through the production of synovial fluid
Increase your mental preparation for the task ahead, get in the zone and correct mindset for your workout
Integrate the muscular stabliser system with the prime mover system so you are better able to perform full body movements more efficiently
Warm up the soft tissue so your muscles are more pliable, move more efficiently and less likely to cause damage
Increase blood flow through muscle tissue and thus increasing metabolism and temperature
Elevate the heart rate so beginning exercise creates less of an initial stress to the body
Increase muscle temperatures because oxygen is released more easily when warmer
Improve motor unit recruitment of particular movement patterns suitable for the prescribed workout
Integrate left and right brain hemispheres to improve movement skills

It would be a common mistake to go straight from sitting down all day to throwing around weights or putting your body through a demanding workout.

When Should You Warm Up?

You should always warm up just before your workout.

Once you have finished your warm up you should move straight onto your workout.

If you wait too long before starting your workout then your body and mind have time to cool down and you will have to repeat your warm up routine again.

Leave no longer than 30 seconds to 2 minutes between your warm up routine and your workout.

Never skip your warm up regardless of the amount of time you have.

What Should You Include in Your Warm Up?

1. Joint Mobility

The further you can move your joints through their active range of movement the more mobile you are.

As we age we loose mobility through the joints and become less and less mobile.

Good mobility truly is the fountain of youth!

A good mobility routine will not only help to lubricate the joints with synovial fluid but it will also help to maintain a good level of joint mobility.

The stiffer the joints become the more laboured the movements become.

It takes a lot more energy to move a stiff joint through its range than a mobile joint through its range.

You will improve your economy of movement by increasing your mobility.

Your mobility also has a direct impact on the way your body moves as an integrated unit.

If you have tight hips then your lower back will need to become more mobile in order to move fluidly.

If you have tight ankles then your knees will need to compensate in order to deal with uneven ground.

Most of the injuries I see and rehabilitate come from a lack of mobility somewhere along the kinetic chain!

Joint mobility should be approached systemically from head to toe spending more time on stiff joints and less time on mobile joints.

The Shoulder Corkscrew is an excellent joint mobility exercise:

2. Integration

Prepare the body for exercise by Integrating your body.

Your body consists of small stabiliser muscles that keep your joints in place and larger prime mover muscles that do all the heavy lifting.

The easiest way to integrate your stabiliser muscles with your prime mover muscles is to challenge your balance.

As your balance gets challenged your nervous system works overtime and survival systems get turned on.

Ever noticed how alert you are when challenged with a survival situation.

Another important part of integration is activating your right and left brain hemispheres.

Your right brain communicates with the left side of the body and the left brain with the right side.

Simple ways to integrate the 2 brain hemispheres are to perform cross body movements that cross the centre line.

Here’s an example exercise that crosses the mid-line:

3. Movement Preparation

Movement preparation involves practicing specific movements that mimic the movements that you will be using in your workout.

Jogging on a treadmill or sitting on an exercise bike for 5 minutes have no direction correlation with a workout that is focusing on Squats or Deadlifts.

If your workout is focused on Squats then you need to perform some bodyweight squats or light squats prior to your workout.

In other words practice the movement patterns that will be used in your workouts.

Movement preparation based exercises not only copy the exact movement patterns in preparation for the workout but they also give you time to improve them.

So if your squat pattern is bad then now is the time to really work on improving technique before adding further load.

The Yoga Squat is an excellent Squat Movement preparation exercise:

4. Soft Tissue

It is very important to keep all of your soft tissue in good condition.

Muscles, tendons and ligaments that have micro-tears, adhesions and scar tissue needs to be addressed and assisted in the recovery process.

You can use a foam roller, tiger tails, tennis ball and various other tools to improve soft tissue quality.

I used to spend more time before workouts addressing soft tissue but now I tend to NOT include this procedure as part of the warm up.

I now reserve soft tissue recovery for days when not exercising.

Finding a good sports massage therapist and having them address your issues every 1-4 weeks can make a huge difference to both your recovery rate and frequency of injury.

How to Warm Up Effectively?

Step # 1 – Joint Mobility

OK, so lets get started with the warm up.

You will want to begin with the Joint Mobility phase. I recommend that you start at the top of the body and work your way down.

So you can follow this order:

Neck (Cervical Spine)
Shoulders
Upper Back (Thoracic Spine)
Hips
Wrists and Ankles

Think about how the joint moves and then replicate that movement.

So we know that the Neck moves left and right, forwards and backwards, and side to side.

Take the joint as far as it will go without causing pain.

Remember you are trying to improve your mobility so move right up to the extreme of your joint movement and not just your mid range.

If a particular joint feels tight or lacks movement then spend more time on that area.

Gradually push the joint further and further to its extreme range.

If a particular joint has great mobility then don’t spend too much time there move onto the next movement.

Here’s a Quick Full Body Mobility Routine…

This routine is a great supplement for anyone that suffers with their joint mobility.

Perform the routine as many times as you can manage, it’s especially good for days off between workouts.

I guarantee you’ll feel amazing after you have finished!

Step # 2 – Integration

OK, now your joints are nice and mobile lets move onto the Integration Phase.

As mentioned earlier the best way to do this is by challenging your balance and also performing exercises that cross the centre line.

Integration Exercise # 1 – Standing Elbow to Knee

Here you not only get to challenge your balance and fire up your nervous system but also integrate your left and right brain hemispheres.

If you find this exercise too easy then try performing the same exercise but standing on a BOSU ball or foam pad.

10 – 20 reps is a Good Start

Integration Exercise # 2 – Bird Dog with Rotation

This exercise is slightly more difficult than the standing elbow to knee and requires a little more core control.

Again great for left and right integration.

If you find this one too easy try it on a BOSU Ball, Foam Pad or Stability Ball.

5 – 10 on each side will do it.

Step # 3 – Movement Preparation

So finally we are onto Movement Preparation.

This is the phase where you need to think hard about what exercises you are performing in your workout.

Depending on your workout you will mimic the same movement patterns so if you are performing a number of loaded Squats in your workout you will want to practice the Squat movement.

The same theory applies if you are performing lots of Lunges or Deadlifts or Presses.

Here’s a simple Guide:

Loaded Squats >> Practice Bodyweight Squats
Loaded Lunges >> Practice Bodyweight Lunges Forwards and Sideways
Loaded Bench Press >> Practice Light Bench Press and Push Ups
Loaded Deadlifts >> Practice Bodweight Single Leg Deadlifts
Loaded Rows >> Practice Light Rows

I think you get the general idea.

Basically repeat the movement but with less or no added weight to the movement.

Here the Bodyweight Single Leg Deadlift:

You would use this as a movement preparation for further Deadlift exercises.

Try 5 – 10 reps on each leg.

If your workout is going to involve running or sprinting then again you need to replicate the movement pattern.

So some gentle jogging, knee to elbow rotational movements and lunging will prepare you.

Think logically about how your Warm Up applies to YOUR workout. Don’t just follow someone else’s warm up because all workouts are different!

Warming Up Frequently Asked Questions

What if I don’t have much time?

A warm up is an important part of your workout, it is not separate from your workout.

If you are short on time then focus on warming up for a shorter workout.

So perhaps your workout may only involve Squats and some Core exercises.

If this is the case then warm up just for the Squat movement.

For example 20 Bodyweight Squats, 2 x 15 Dumbbell Squats, 3 x 8 Barbell Squats.

What if warming up is too difficult?

For many people following the above format may be hard work.

For example 10 bodyweight squats is a warm up exercise for one person but a workout for another.

If you find bodyweight squats or warm exercises tough then this IS your workout.

Spend time practicing the movements until you feel ready to move on to more difficult exercises later.

What if the warm up makes me feel tired before my workout?

Warm up exercises should leave you invigorated and ready to get stuck into your workout.

If you feel tired following your warm up then you have either done too much, need to work solely on your warm up exercises or need to take another day off and come back refreshed.

How long should I warm up?

Your warm up should be a direct reflection of your workout and current environment.

For tough workouts you should warm up more intensely.

If you are in a warm climate then it will take less time to raise your core and muscle temperature.

As a rough guide 10 – 15 minutes should do the trick.

Should I stretch as a warm up?

Research now shows that stretching prior to exercise can have a serious effect on muscle performance.

Stretching in order to better maximise a movement pattern can be acceptable but it should be monitored by a professional.

Joint mobility movements are far better at the beginning of a workout than the old fashioned static stretch.

Warm Up Conclusions

Hopefully you now understand the importance of warming up before exercise.

Keep it simple and learn to not only listen to your body but also think about what movements will be involved in your workout.

Begin with Joint Mobility, then move onto Integration and finally finish with Movement Preparation.

A simple 10 – 15 minute warm up routine will not only help to maximise your workout but also keep you out of the Physiotherapists clinic for many years to come.

How do you like this Warm Up? Let’s me know more below…

Top 3 Bodyweight Exercises

By Greg Brookes

I’m a huge believer in simplicity. Keeping exercise and workouts simple is vital for success. Nothing is more demotivating than a complex workout with lots of confusing exercises.

Recently I’ve been experimenting with one exercise per day bodyweight workouts and my ‘How to Perform 100 Push Ups‘ is a good example of this.

Push Ups are great and so are many other bodyweight exercises but it’s important to choose exercises that target the whole body, this way you avoid muscle imbalances, postural problems are also increase your fat burning potential more efficiently.

So I asked myself a simple question:

“What would be the minimum amount of bodyweight exercises I could use to target the whole body effectively?”

The answer produced the title of this blog post: Top 3 Bodyweight Exercises

OK, lets not waste any more time and get straight into the 3 exercises…

Bodyweight Exercise # 1 – Inverted Rows

The inverted row is a highly underused exercise, in fact I rarely see anyone performing this exercise in a gym when I’ve been training.

I chose this exercise because:

It works the posture muscles at the back of the body and counteracts sitting
It works most of the pulling muscles in the body
It’s the exact opposite of a Push Up
It integrates all your core muscles beautiful
It improves scapula retraction

How it’s done

You lie underneath a bar and keeping your body in line from shoulder to heel you pull your chest up towards the bar. It is important to keep your body straight by activating your core muscles. The more parallel your body is during the movement the more difficult the exercise will be.

My Inverted Row Tips:

Always keep your core engaged and body in a straight line
Never let your hips sag
Pull your sternum to the bar
Never reach with your chin keep it neutral
Breathe in as your pull up to the bar and out as you lower
Use a tempo of 2 seconds up and 2 seconds lower
Never use wrist straps let your grip improve naturally

Beginners

Start with the bar high and lower the bar each time you can perform 12 good quality repetitions.

Intermediate

Continue to lower the bar until your back almost touches the floor on the downward part of the movement. Once you can perform 12 good repetitions at this height raise the bar again and place your feet on a bench.

Advanced

Once you can perform 12 good repetitions with your feet on a bench and the bar as low as you can go without your back touching the floor advance to instability exercises. For instability exercises try using just one leg on the bench or swapping the bench for a stability ball. Once you can perform 12 good repetitions of these try using a TRX or Suspension Straps. You can even try one arm rows as you get really strong.

Performing these at Home?

If you are working out at home then chances are you won’t have an adjustable bar in your house. You can still perform inverted rows by lying underneath a table and pulling yourself up to the underside. Just be careful if you use this method that your table is strong enough and doesn’t tip over.

Bodyweight Exercise # 2 – Push Ups

Everyone knows the Push Up and how effective they can be. Performing proper Push Ups is not as easy as you think and I would advise everyone to take a look at the tutorial video below to get it right. If you want to find out more about training your Push Ups then please see my 100 Push Ups Article

I chose this exercise because:

It works most of the Pushing Muscles in the Body
It’s the complete opposite of the Inverted Row
It perfectly integrates the core muscles and strengthens the Abs
It improve shoulder stability

How its Done

Face down with weight on hands and toes lower and Push Up the body keeping the body in perfect alignment from shoulder to heels. Most people will find they are weak in the core and sag at the hips, if this starts to happen stop the exercise.

My Push Ups Tips:

Keep the Core engaged throughout the exercise and the body in a straight line
Breathe In on the way down and Out on the way up
Ensure that the elbows bend backwards and NOT outwards
Contract the buttocks to stabilise the core
Descend down until your elbow forms a 90 degree angle
Pull yourself down into the exercise by rotating the arms inwards as you descend

Here’s my Complete Push Up Tutorial Video

Beginners

If a proper Push Up is too much for you then start by doing Push Ups against a wall, when you can perform 20 repetitions move on to your hands on a table or chair.

Intermediate

You are performing proper push ups. Practice different hand widths, closer will be more difficult. Also try one foot on top of the other one or tapping your opposite shoulder after each repetition.

Advanced

Practice more strength based Push Ups by raising your feet on a chair or bench. Try improving your shoulder stability by performing them with your hands on an exercise ball. Develop explosive power with clap push ups.

Have trouble with your Wrists?

Many people suffer with there wrists when doing Push Ups. If this is the case for you then try either using Push Up bars or performing the Push Ups off your knuckles (use a mat to cushion them).

Bodyweight Exercise # 3 – Pistol Squats

Pistols are an advanced exercise that combine the elements of both a lunge and a squat together. Not only will this exercise work the entire lower body but it will elevate your heart rate rapidly as well as improving your one legged strength and stability.

I chose this exercise because:

It works all muscle of the legs and lower body
It improves balance and single leg stability of the hip helping protect the knees
It beautifully integrates the core and back muscles
It’s hugely cardiovascular
It works hip and trunk mobility often in decline due to excess sitting

How it’s Done

Standing on one leg with the other leg held above the floor. You then sit back onto your heel and drop down into a one legged squat. Next you drive back up to the standing position. At no point does the the one leg touch the floor.

My Pistol Squat Tips:

Keep your weight back on your heel at all times
Lower your body slowly keeping your knee in straight alignment
Keep your arms and weight forwards to counteract the movement
Never let your heel come off the floor
Breathe IN on the way down and breathe OUT through pursed lips as you stand

Here a Quick Video of the Pistol Squat

Beginners

The pistol Squat is a very tough exercise, the beginner should first master the basic lunge exercise, the basic squat exercise and finally the Bulgarian lunge which simply elevates the back foot during a static lunge.

Intermediate

Once your Squats and Lunges are strong then you can practice the lowering part of the Pistol onto a chair. Lower slowly down on one leg until your thigh is parallel with the floor. The chair can then take your weight and you can stand with both feet. You can also practice the pistol squat by using a chair, pole or strap to hold onto. Work up to 12 repetitions per leg.

Advanced

If you can perform the pistol squat for 12 reps with assistance then it’s time to go for it. You may find holding a weight in front of you helps as a counter balance. My rolling version of the Pistol Squat is also another way to practice this movement.

Here’s a Video of the Rolling Squat

Once you have the Pistol Squat perfected work on adding load to the squats either by wearing a weight vest, holding dumbbells or kettlebells.

Problems with the other leg?

For many people holding the other leg off the ground can be a problem. In this situation you may need to work on your hip mobility. Practice spending time in the bottom position of the squat and opening up your hips, you can hold onto a post for support if needed.

To continue to develop strength while your hip mobility improves you can practice your pistols by standing on a box and letting your free leg hang over the side. Using this method allows the free leg to not touch the floor as you squat down.

Putting it all Together into a Workout

Now you understand my Top 3 Bodyweight Exercises you can now work on putting them into a workout.

There are 2 basic options that I have used successfully:

Workout # 1 – (One Exercise per Day):

You chose one exercise per day, for example:

Monday: Inverted Row (12 reps, 60-90 sec rest, 3-5 sets)
Tuesday: Pistol Squats (6 reps each, 60-90 sec rest, 3-5 sets)
Wednesday: Push Ups (12 reps, 60-90 sec rest, 3-5 sets)
Thursday: Inverted Row (12 reps, 60-90 sec rest, 3-5 sets)
Friday: Pistols Squats (6 reps each, 60-90 sec rest, 3-5 sets)
Saturday: Push Ups (12 reps, 60-90 sec rest, 3-5 sets)
Sunday: Rest

Workout # 2 – (3 Exercises per Day):

Here you perform all the exercises in one day but you have more days off:

Monday: Inverted Row (12 reps), Pistol Squats (6 reps each), Push Ups (12 reps), Rest 60-90 sec rest, Repeat 3-5 sets
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: As Monday
Thursday: Rest
Friday: As Monday
Saturday & Sunday: Rest

Workout 1 is going to be a lot easier and allows for more focus on just one exercise. It will however overload that exercise each day so you will get strong fast this way. You also only perform each exercise 2 x per week compared to 3 x with Workout 2.

Workout 2 will be more cardiovascular as you perform more exercise and target more muscle groups per workout. So I would chose this option more for general fitness and fat loss. You also have 4 full days off for total body recovery.

With both of these workouts you will want to work through your progressions so start at whatever level you feel comfortable (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) and look at improving over the weeks, not days!. Most importantly keep the quality of each exercise high and NEVER sacrifice numbers for quality.

Have you tried any of these bodyweight exercises? Let me know more below:

Kettlebell Complex Flow Using Over 600 Muscles

By Greg Brookes

Today’s workout is for all those Kettlebell Fans out there.

This Kettlebell Complex takes just 4 exercises and puts them together into a nice flow.

The beauty of Kettlebell Training is the ability to take an exercise and then seamlessly move into another exercise without having to put the kettlebell down. Using this flowing style of workout ensures that you keep your heart rate elevated while hitting all the muscles of the body.

The following workout is demanding and very cardiovascular. You could use it as part of your Cardio training program rather than traditional running methods.

Ensure you have a base level of Kettlebell Skill before attempting this Workout.

The Warm Up

Run through the following warm up 2 times. If you find this warm up too difficult then the warm up is your workout and you should not proceed on to the following workout.

All exercises are performed with bodyweight only except the Turkish Get Up.

10 x Yoga Squats
10 x Single Leg Forward Reaches (each leg)
3 x Turkish Get Ups
Repeat Once more

The Kettlebell Workout

Complete the following exercises in order, try not to put the Kettlebell down until the whole sequence is finished. Feel the flow!

Finish the exercise on both sides before moving onto the next exercise.

(Click to watch videos of each exercise)

Single Arm Swing
High Pulls
Snatch
Clean, Squat & Press
Rest for 1 minute and repeat

The Numbers

Start by getting used to the flow of the exercises, don’t worry about times and repetitions at this stage, just practice. When you are comfortable try the following repetitions:

Stage 1

Perform 5 repetitions on each side before moving onto the next exercise. Rest for 1-2 minutes at the end and repeat 1-3 times.

Stage 2

Perform 8 repetitions on each side before moving onto the next exercise. Rest for 1-2 minutes at the end and repeat 2-4 times.

Stage 3

Perform 12 repetitions on each side before moving onto the next exercise. Rest for 1-2 minutes at the end and repeat 2-4 times.

Have fun with this little workout and really get into the flow of the transitions as you move from one exercise to the next.

Quick tip: take a rest at the top of the Snatch if needed!

How Often?

As with all training your recovery will be dependent on your lifestyle, nutrition and occupation. As a guide I would recommend at least 1 days rest between this workout and the next.

If you like this workout then you will enjoy my Kettlebell Workouts website

Top 5 Bodyweight Exercises for Interval Training

By Greg Brookes

When many people think about Interval Training they think about running but there are other options.

Using bodyweight exercises is another way to elevate your heart rate and if done correctly you can get many other benefits too like:

Full Body Muscle Development and Activation
Injury Prevention through Core and Joint Stability
Limited Overuse Injury through Better Load Distribution
Improved Balance and Coordination
Optimal Mobility and Flexibility of Joints

In order to get the correct response from these intervals it is important to use Bodyweight Compound exercises, that means exercises that use as many joints and muscles as possible.

You will find all these exercises demanding so the idea is to work hard for a short period and then rest for a short time before repeating the exercise.

To get a better understanding of interval training and the philosophy behind this type of exercise please read my article ‘Complete Guide to Interval Training for Quicker Results‘

Top 5 Bodyweight Exercises for Interval Training

# 1 – Fast Mountain Climbers

A fast paced exercise that uses most muscles in the body. I particularly like this exercise because it works your core stability hard as you try to maintain alignment in the push up position. You will need good shoulder stability and the ability to hold a good push up position in order to get the most from this exercise. From a push up position you keep the core tight as you alternatively drive the knees up and between the arms.

Be aware that this exercise heavily utilises the hip flexors, the muscles that bring the knees to the chest. It is common for many people to have over-active hip flexors due to faulty core activation so you will want to work on stretching out your hip flexors with deep lunges and back bends to counteract this over time.

Greg’s Tip: Get yourself some Sliders for this exercise or try it on a wooden floor wearing some old socks. Using sliders will eliminate the need for impact during each repetition so its a better option for beginners.

Tutorial on How to perform the Fast Mountain Climber Exercise:

3 Bodyweight Workouts:

Fast Mountain Climbers x 20 seconds
Rest 10 seconds and repeat 4-8 times

Fast Mountain Climbers x 30 seconds
Front Plank x 30 seconds
Repeat 3-8 times

Fast Mountain Climbers x 30 seconds
Squats x 30 seconds
Rest 30 seconds and repeat 3-8 times

# 2 – High Knees

This is a standing exercise that will have your heart rate shoot up very quickly indeed. Like all these exercises it works most muscles in the body but this particular exercise works into the Core Rotational muscles as well as the legs.

The exercise is very simple just run on the spot lifting the knees as high as possible. Your optimum goal is to get the knees above waist height.

Be very careful with this exercises because it uses a lot of high impact through the calf muscles. Please ensure that the ankles and calf muscles are warmed up first and that you have no calf or Achilles issues. This exercise would not be recommend for beginners or those who carry too much excess weight as the impact would be too high. Fast Mountain Climbers with Sliders would be more appropriate for a beginner.

Greg’s Tip: place your hands at waist height and work hard to slap your hands with your knee for each repetition.

Tutorial on How to Perform the High Knees Exercise:

3 Bodyweight Workouts:

High Knees x 20 seconds
Rest 10 seconds and repeat 3-8 times

High Knees x 100 reps
Rest 60 seconds and Repeat 3-8 times

Push Ups x 10, 9, 8 etc
High Knees x 30 seconds
Countdown, 10 Push Ups then High Knees, 9 Push Ups High Knees etc

# 3 – Squats or Jump Squats

Nothing is more practical than working on the Squat exercise and if done correctly and at a good pace they are very cardiovascular too. Squats use most muscles of the body but in particular the legs and buttocks.

For the beginner regular squats will raise the heart rate rapidly but for the more advanced you may need to up the tempo or add in a jump. Jump squats are definitely not for the beginner so if you are new to squats work on your regular squats first.

If you are not getting as much from your squats as you think you should you are probably not squatting low enough and/or driving your hips to full extension at the top of the movement.

Greg’s Tip: Get down deeper. For beginners squat down to a chair, stool or bench that puts your thighs at least to parallel with the floor.

Tutorial on How to Perform the Jump Squat Exercise:

3 Bodyweight Workouts:

Squat or Jump Squats – 20 seconds
Hold in bottom squat position – 10 seconds
Repeat 5-8 times

Squat or Jump Squat – 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10 reps
Fast Mountain Climbers – 20 seconds
Countdown, Squat 20, Fast Mountain Climbers, Squat 18, Fast Mountain Climbers etc.

Squat or Jump Squat x 20 reps
High Knees x 20 reps
Repeat 5 times as quickly as possible

# 4 – Squat Thrusts

Similar to the Fast Mountain Climber more even more demanding and placing more emphasis on the leg muscles. Squat thrusts are a huge core exercise too!

Beginners should reduce the impact of the Squat thrust by limiting the length of the jump or my using Sliders or socks on a wooden floor.

Try to keep your weight over the hands as much as possible as this takes the emphasis away from the legs slightly. Ensure that you extend the legs fully during each repetition.

Greg’s Tip: Use a line on the floor or use some tape to create one. Next ensure you jump your feet over the line each time. As you improve place the line closer and closer to the hands.

How to Perform the Squat Thrust Exercise:

3 Bodyweight Workouts

Squat Thrusts – 20 seconds
Rest 10 seconds and Repeat 3-8 times

Squat Thrusts – 30 seconds
Pull Ups x 1,2,3,4
Ladder, Squat Thrusts then 1 Pull Up, Squat Thrust, 2 Pull Ups, See how high you can go

Squat Thrusts – 50 reps
Rest 60 seconds
Repeat 40 reps, Rest, 30 reps, Rest, 20 reps, Rest 10 reps

# 5 – Burpees

The classic burpee just had to be included in this list. For the beginner just performing 5-10 good Burpees can be very cardiovascular. Like the exercises above the Burpee uses most muscles in the body. You can modify the exercise to eliminate the jumping aspect if you are new to the exercise and you can increase the demand by adding in a jump at the top of the exercise. Good core stability is essential for this exercise especially during the jumping back of the feet.

Greg’s Tip: Make you you don’t just fall to the floor, perform a good squat and then place the hands down. The downward phase is an important part of the exercise.

How to Perform the Burpee Exercise:

3 Burpee Workouts

Burpee x 10 reps
Rest 60 seconds and Repeat 3-8 times

Burpee with 2 Push Ups x 10 reps
High Knees x 50 reps
Repeat 3-8 times

Burpee x 30 seconds
High Knees x 30 second
Rest 30 seconds
Squats or Jump Squats x 30 seconds
Fast Mountain Climber x 30 seconds
Rest 90 seconds and Repeat Full Circuit 2-3 times

Conclusions

Bodyweight Intervals when done correctly are highly effective and can be performed almost anywhere. Start off with only 1 or 2 circuits and add an extra circuit each week. Only perform this style of high intensity interval training 2 times per week because your body will need time to repair and recover between workouts.

Most of all enjoy these intervals and progress at your own speed safely.

Have you tried any of these interval training exercises? Let me know more below: