Front Squat Technique

Hello followers;
      Today we are gonna touch base on the Front Squat Technique , and keep in mind use little or no weight until you get proper technique down , thus saving yourself from injury as well as it is a good idea when getting into weighted front squats to have a spotter or trainer with you.

 The Front Squat Setup. Like with Back Squats, your body is supposed to hold the bar not your hands. On Front Squats this means you should keep your chest up at all times so your shoulders support the barbell, not your wrists. If you try to support the weight with your hands, it will hurt. Chest up, elbows high, open hands. Don't hesitate stretching your wrists and triceps if you lack flexibility.

• Foot Stance. Stance should be slightly wider than on the low bar Back Squat. Start with shoulder-with stance, go a bit wider.
• Toes Out. How much depends on your foot stance, but they should always point in the same direction as your knees. So 30-45° out.
• Chest Up. Put your chest forward and lift it up. This gives the bar a solid base to sit on & makes it impossible to round your upper-back.
• Tighten Lats. You can't tighten your upper-back on Front Squats like on Squats. However you can tighten your lats: spread them.
• Look Forward. Up is bad for your neck, down will make your lower back round. Look forward, fix a point in front of you.
• Bar Position. Behind your clavicles and close to your throat. Coughing is possible and clavicles may hurt. Front Squat more, you'll adapt.
• Hands Open. Your shoulders support the weight, not your hands. Open your hands, relax them. Three fingers under the bar is okay.( In the video below I am demonstrating a modified cross arm grip the his grip is a lot harder to keep your elbows up so I recommend using the front clean grip see pic 1.5)
• Elbows Up. Put your elbows up with your upper-arms almost parallel to the floor so the weight doesn't end up hurting your wrists.
• Elbow In. Push your elbows toward each other during the Front Squat. This will be easier on your wrists.

Check out my video below , any comments or concerns please message me.

"Run Well My Friends!"

Pic 1.5 :  Front Clean Grip / Cross Arm Grip

http://stronglifts.com/how-to-front-squat-with-proper-technique/

Client Trainer Update

Proud to say that KC has made great bounds in the right direction towards his goals. He has toned up sculpture like and has shown quite an overall gain in strength & endurance.
With KC's permission here are some of his numbers:

Weight: 114.8 lbs
BMI: 20.3 (Body Mass Index)
Fat%: 9.1%
Fat Mass: 10.4 lbs
FFM: 104.4 lbs (Fat Free Mass)

"These are great results and I'm sure we will see more in the near future; Keep up the great work KC!!"

here is a section of what we have coming up to look forward to with the addition of some Boot Camp Basics and Spartan workouts guaranteed to bring huge results.

TRX...It Works!!

TRX a name heard from gyms and exercise gurus a like, has been busy building a strong reputation as an effective exercise regiment to Build Muscle, Strength & Endurance, using your bodyweight and of course the TRX.
Lets rewind a little, Randy Hetrick ; after graduating from college at USC, spent 14 years serving as a Navy SEAL commando.`` A dirty little secret,`` says Randy `` is that all SEALs learn how to sew in order to maintain and repair gear.`` Early in his career, Randy used his sewing skills to customize and modify gear. On one deployment, Randy used his sewing abilities to bear on a nagging problem : How to stay mission fit on the road.
Experimenting with an old jiu-jitsu belt and some surplus parachute webbing, hung his handmade contraption over a door and discovered the endless versatility of the tool he had created. Suddenly he was doing rows, pull ups, presses, curls, shoulder raises, flys, pull overs, tricep extensions and a host of other exercises. Thus the TRX Suspension Training was created.
Myself and my fellow classmates were lucky enough to get to endure a demo class thanks to JM at Goodlife, and let me tell you for those who would look at the TRX and think to themselves`` I wont get to my goals using silly straps`` I have two words for you ``TRY IT`` and you will be amazed!.
Giving you the ability to experience fitness options that provide fun, new opportunity, and allows you to gain control of postural muscles that will ultimately aid you from chronic pain due to postural misaliningment. Routines can be slowed down, sped up, and progressed to provide appropriately challenging workouts for all.

``I highly recommend that you try TRX Suspension Training for yourself`` .

http://www.trxtraining.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gagl23KZs0U

Target Heart Rate.....Why Not?

We have all heard about the use of Target Heart Rate(THR) in exercise programs, however only a select few actually utilize it.
For those of you who do not know how to calculate your THR here is the procedure:

• 220 - AGE = MHR / Max Heart Rate      ( Eg: 220 - 32 = 188 )
• You will need to take your Resting Heart Rate / RHR (Eg: 62)
• Then you subtract your RHR from your MHR = your HRR / Heart Rate Reserve (Eg:188-62=126)
• To get your Low Range THR Take your (HRR x .5 [50%]) + RHR = LHR (Eg:(126 x .5) + 62 =125
• To get your High Range THR take your (HRR x .85 [85%]) + RHR = HHR (Eg:(126x.85)+62=169
• Thus making your THR 125 bpm - 169 bpm

Now that we are all on the same page, back to the question at hand. Myself I feel it is very beneficial to utilize your THR, heart rate being your internal intensity scale why wouldn't you use it. Using your HR appropriately will strengthen your heart aiding in better circulation and respiration in the end aiding you efficiently to get you to your goals.

Understandably this is only my opinion, if you have any discrepancies or arguments to this please comment 

otherwise here is a great link to check out on this and other topics.

"Run Well My Friends".

http://www.livestrong.com/article/437319-what-are-the-benefits-of-exercising-at-the-target-heart-rate/

Anchor Speaks Out

LA CROSSE, WI -- Jennifer Livingston, a local news anchor in La Crosse, Wisconsin, calls out viewer as a "bully" on the air.

In a YouTube video that is very likely to go viral, and spur more debate about the issues of obesity and bullying in our society, a television news anchor is making a statement. A viewer wrote to Jennifer Livingston of WKBT-TV: "I was surprised indeed to witness that your physical condition hasn't improved for many years," wrote the viewer, who said Livingston was not a "suitable example" for young girls. "I leave you this note hoping that you'll reconsider your responsibility as a local public personality to present and promote a healthy lifestyle."

Livingston addressed her bully on-air Tuesday, the comment made by her message by saying that she has received words of support from "hundreds" of people and that the response has been "truly inspiring." She said that bullying scared her as the mother of three daughters. "If you are at home and you are talking about the fat news lady, guess what?" she said. "Your children are probably going to go to school and call someone fat."

The online site Jezebel.com called Livingston's response "the best thing you'll see all day." The site's author goes on to say, "Fatphobia is rampant, and fatshaming is, somehow, the one acceptable form of bigotry we have in this society." 

Myself I feel the best and strongest comment out of the whole video is to all children watching  "Do not let your self -worth be defined by Bully's". I agree with this comment if we all Teach our youth Kindness, and compassion maybe bullying would not be as much as a threat as it has become.

What do you think of the viewer's email? What about the news anchor's on-air response?