Tricep and Bicep Workout

Hey Guys!!

Hope everything is going well for each and everyone of you! I wanted to let you all know that I have recently started pinning some of my stuff on Pinterest. I have pinned some workouts that I like as well as some other randomness. I hope that you will check it out and let me know what you think!

On to fitness!! Yesterday's workout was Triceps and Biceps. I have talked about this before, but when working out you want to switch muscles during the workout in order to give the muscle some reprieve. For example, you do leg extensions (quad) and then do a leg curl (hamstring). This gives the muscle times to shuttle blood and other nutrients to the muscle to help start the repair process. If you work quad muscle after quad muscle you will never allow time for the muscle to repair, therefore stunting progress.

For arms I have worked it out many different ways. The bicep has two heads and the tricep has three heads, so when I am only working out one of these groups I typically switch between the two or three heads of the muscle. So, sometimes I do back and biceps, when I do this I switch between back and bicep head one, back, bicep head two, etc. Yesterday I switched between bicep and tricep. Whichever way you run the workout is a-ok!

SO (finally!!) here is the workout from yesterday. It should ONLY take 1 hour. Really push yourself to complete in 1 hour.

1. Bicep Curl (dumbbell) w/Kickback (4x10)
-Really focus on the movement here. Go SLOW and create that muscle memory. You don't have to go heavy, but make sure that when you are doing the curl that you feel the bicep contracting and extending, squeeze the tricep when you are doing kickbacks, I promise you will feel it in the morning!
2. 21's w/Bench Dip (3x12)
3. Hammer Curl w/Overhead Extension
-This exercise can be done with dumbbells or on the cable machine. I used the cable machine so that I could really push myself.

Have fun guys! Keep me posted if you do the workout!

WOD: Biceps/Triceps

Good Morning!! Happy Monday!

I know that Monday's are probably the most hated day of the week, but I choose to focus on it being a new beginning. Every Monday you get a new shot at your goals...at things you didn't get accomplished last week...you get to try to achieve those things in a NEW week. In social work we call this the strengths perspective...try this week to look at things in a positive way and I promise that you will have a better week!

So today I want to give you guys a workout. One of the areas that I am personally trying to better is my upper body. I struggle with a small upper body and that is why I workout upper body 4 times a week. 

1. Cable Curl (or barbell) (4x15) superset with Jumping Jacks (30)

2. Extension (4x15) superset with Burpees (10-15)

3. Tricep pushup (or close grip bench press (3x10)

4. BOSU ball shuffle (3x10) (see notes)

5. Dumbbell curls (standing) (4x15) superset with Tricep dips (4x15)

6. Shoulder Press (4x15)

BOSU ball shuffles - If you fortunate enough to have a gym with BOSU balls you should try and use them all the time! They help with creating core strength. BOSU ball shuffles - start with your hands on the dome, place right hand out, tap left hand to right, replace both on dome, repeat on the left side. Focus on keeping your arms straight, you should feel it in your shoulders, triceps, and biceps. ALSO don't "bow" your butt up. Make sure you stay straight in plank pose. Keep your core tight the entire time. Remember to breath, and go at a pace that it comfortable to you. I am going to put up a video later on Instagram so make sure to go check it out!

Happy Lifting! :-)

Workout of the Day: Chest and Triceps

Workout of the Day: Chest and Triceps

In honor of “International chest day” being yesterday I thought I would post a helpful little blog about chest exercises! :-) I know that men work out chest a good deal, but women are hesitant to work it out. Why you ask? Well I believe the answer is that women don’t want to appear “bulky” and think that working out chest will give them huge pec muscles like men. 

****with that being said lets blow one myth out of the water, women DO NOT have the same muscle structure as men, therefore working chest or legs or whatever WILL NOT make you look manly****

Whew, I’m glad that’s out of the way! Haha. I will not lie, when I first started working out in the gym I thought that only men should do weights. Later, after copious amounts of reading, I learned that women benefit a great deal from weight lifting. Did you know that muscle burns more calories than fat?! SOOO having more muscle means more fat loss! So ladies, jump off that cardio machine and hit this chest/triceps workout to build those muscles!

-Super Quick Anatomy Lesson-

-Chest

Two major muscles in the chest area, the pectoralis major and minor. The major is the muscle that is on top and minor is below it and they both cover part of the rib cage. It is important for women to work these muscles because it “lifts” the breast and gets rid of that “side armpit boob”. :-)

-Triceps

There are three “heads” on the triceps; the long head, lateral head, and medial head. The triceps compose 60% of the arm but most people work out only their biceps. It is important to do exercises that hit all these heads in order to give the arm a lean shape. 

Workout:

-Warm up – (arm circles, seal jacks, shoulder rolls, etc) 5 mins

1. Push-ups

- Sets – 5

- Reps – 10, 10, 10, 10, 10

2. Barbell Incline Bench Press

- Sets – 4

- Reps – 15, 12, 10, 8

3. Rope Tricep Extension

- Sets – 4

- Reps – 18, 15, 12, 10

4. Machine Flye

- Sets – 4

- Reps – 18, 15, 12, 10

5. Dumbbell Kickbacks

- Sets – 4

- Reps - 15, 12, 10, 8

6. Cable Cross Over

- Set – 3

- Reps – 12, 10, 8

7. Dips (unassisted or assisted) **I usually do half and half**

- Sets –5

- Reps – 10, 10, 10, 10, 10

Happy Lifting Ya'll! :-)