The kettlebell windmill is a fantastic exercise and a lot tougher than it looks. It combines strength, stability and mobility, especially around the hips, abs, back and shoulders. It will take quite a bit of practice to master all the little cues but on the whole, the general movement can be performed fairly easily and safely. The real key is to remember this is about working the muscles in a controlled, safe manner. Not everyone will be able to reach their hand to the floor so work to your individual level. Key points:
• Stand tall with feet shoulder width apart. Keep one foot facing forward an turn the other 90 degrees outwards to the side. • The arm on the side of the foot facing forward, hold a kettlebell and raise directly above the shoulder. Eyes looking straight up at that hand • Keep both legs straight and the hip of the foot that is facing forward, press that out to the side and lean slightly over • Press the back of the free hand against the leg • Bend at the waist and slide the hand down the leg until body is parallel to floor (or as close as is comfortable) • Stand up tall again and repeat all reps on one side before switching
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The Saxon Side Bend doesn't look like much but it is a beast of a core exercise that can humble you with light to moderate weights. Due to the arms being overhead, it increases the lever point for the exercise.... when you do that, you make an exercise much, much harder. That is why I would recommend starting this exercise with anywhere from 1kg - 5kg dumbbells (closer to 5kg if you're strong). This is why a traditional side bend exercise can be done with a lot more weight in comparison. In addition to working the obliques hard, you will also feel this working the lats, shoulder muscles and the muscles around the spine. Key points:
• Stand tall with feet hip width apart and abdominals braced. • Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms fully extended over shoulders and parallel to each other • Bend sideways from waist, tilting upper body to one side. Keep arms parallel • Should feel a light stretch in lat muscles and oblique muscles down side of body. • Use oblique muscles (ab muscles at side of body) to pull upper body back to start position. • Alternate reps with other side of body. This is one of those exercises which feels like it is working pretty much everything. Primarily it is a core exercise that focuses on keeping the ab muscles stable whilst moving. After that it is a leg exercise as you are doing split squats. Due to the pull of the band, you will likely find your butt muscles are working overtime to stop you from being pulled over. This can be done using a cable machine or a resistance band. Key points:
• Secure a resistance band around a bench or solid object. Hold the band in each hand. • Stand sideways to point of attachment and hold band with both hands. • Take a large side step away from cable machine to take away any slack in band. • Stand tall with feet around shoulder width apart and abdominals braced together. Shoulders pulled back and down. • Hands should be together, touching lower chest / sternum. • Breathe out and push handle directly forwards, away from body until arms are fully extended and parallel to floor. Hold this position during set • Take a large step backwards into a staggered stance. Back leg is straight with heel off floor. This is the start position. • Keep torso upright or in a slight forward lean, bend both knees and lower hips straight down towards floor. • Lower until knees are bent approximately 90 degrees but stop before back knee touches floor. • To reverse, press front heel into floor and squeeze butt muscles to raise hips straight up and return to start position. • Repeat all reps on one side before switching sides The Pallof Press is one of my favourite ab exercises for building up strength and core stability. It also has a lot of variations you can play around with so it never gets boring. One of the more interesting variations is the Pallof Press Alphabet. It is literally making the alphabet shapes whilst holding the core solid. To switch it up again, you can play around with numbers, words, shapes, etc. It will get your core and shoulders burning! Key points:
• Attach a resistance band to a solid object that will not move, set to sternum height • Stand sideways to point of attachment and hold band with both hands. • Take a large side step away from object to take away any slack in band. •Stand tall with feet shoulder width apart and abdominals braced together. Shoulders pulled back and down. • Hands should be together, touching lower chest / sternum. • Breathe out and push band directly forwards, away from body until arms are fully extended and parallel to floor. • From here, make the letters of the alphabet, size of letters should be adjusted to comfort levels • Complete all reps on one side and face opposite way next set |
AuthorThis is my, mostly, Personal Trainer musings and information which I hope you'll find helpful! Archives
May 2021
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