Posterior Reach and Trunk Rotation Superset (Staying In Shape While You're Away Series)

This is a posterior reach superset with a trunk rotation using band tubing. This helps to develop your rectus abdominis and internal and external obliques. Most people are accustomed to hearing this called your core region.

During the posterior reach I am basically letting the cables pull me back from a neutral position with arms overhead as if I were to attempt to do a back handspring. As I am doing this I bend my knees and shoot them forward to release any extra tension on my lower back and then I return to a neutral position while keeping my arms straight throughout the whole movement. Contrary to popular belief, the main function of the rectus abdominis is not to flex your spine (e.g. crunches) but to prevent hyperextension which is basically what a posterior reach is. Although crunches are great in developing your abs, the posterior reach has more functional value. During the trunk rotation I am basically rotating my upper torso while trying to keep my pelvis neutral. As you see it is a short range of motion but more than enough to get those internal and external obliques.

Squat and RDL Superset (Staying In Shape While You're Away Series)

This is a squat superset with an RDL (romanian deadlift) using a super band. The squat is a knee dominant movement emphasizing more of the quadricep area while still developing glutes, hamstrings, and calf muscles while the RDL is a hip dominant movement mainly emphasizing the glutes and hamstring area. While one may think that these two exercise basically develop the same muscles, as a movement these two exercise are very different especially when one starts progressing the RDL into a a full on deadlift. Not only are these movement performed differently but both are fundamental movements we use in every day life. 

During the squat I am basically bending both my hips and knees at the same rate and lowering myself to a comfortable position while still trying to keep my back neutral. During the RDL, I start off with my knees slightly bent and basically hinge at my hips and displace my pelvis backward while keeping my back neutral. A common mistake many people do is to actually keep the pelvis where it is and just bend forward. Although they are still hinging at the hip, their center of gravity is being displaced forward which is why many people will probably complain about feeling it mostly in their lower back muscles when doing it this way. By shifting your center of gravity forward you turn it into more of a good morning exercise.

Bent Over Pulldown and Shoulder Press Superset (Staying In Shape While You're Away Series)

This is a bent over pulldown superset with a standing shoulder press using band tubing and a super band. This helps develop both your vertical pulling muscles (back, biceps) and vertical pushing muscles (shoulders, triceps) respectively.

During the pulldown I am bent over with my back straight and my hips displaced back. During the shoulder press my stance is shoulder width, although this may vary depending on how much tension you desire, and I am taking a shoulder width grip for the actual press.

Chest Press and Row Superset (Staying In Shape While You're Away Series)

This is a standing band chest press superset with a standing band row. Here I have 1 leg forward and switch legs mid set for a total of 10 reps for each leg. This helps develop both your horizontal pushing muscles (chest, anterior shoulders, triceps) and horizontal pulling muscles (back, posterior shoulder, biceps) respectively.

Staying In Shape While You're Away

Hi Everyone,

I’m writing to all of you from the wonderful state of Hawaii. That’s right I’m on a much needed vacation.

Like many of you who travel a lot, I found myself wondering how I will manage to work out and stay fit while I’m away. If you are like most, chances are you are probably not going to be working out either because you have no access to a gym or your hotel gym may not have exactly what you need. So this post as well as a series of videos to follow will be dedicated to those of you who travel a lot and don’t have access to a gym. [Read more...]

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