Did you ever read an exercise description and say, huh? These six cues shine new light on old form pointers to sharpen results.
There are more than 6,500 languages in the world today, and within each one are phrases, words and explanations that make complete sense to one person and sound like Greek to the next. And so it goes with exercise cues — a standard direction that is clear to most people might be hazy or vague at best to others.
For those of you who go hmmm, we’ve taken some common cues and associated moves and, like an Instagram filter, have sharpened their focus, bringing out the detail of the direction and a few new highlights, as well. As a bonus, there’s also an advanced directive to make your lifting experience that much more effective.
THE STANDARD CUE: “Stand with your feet hip-width apart."
USED FOR: Squats, cleans, deadlifts
THE NEW CUE: “Play with your foot placement to find what works for you.”
If standing with your feet hip-width apart is uncomfortable or inhibiting for you, chuck it out the window. Hip anatomy differs from person to person, affecting squat depth and ease of movement, so find your own personal sweet spot by adjusting your feet wider or narrower and turning your toes outward by degrees until you find a position that allows you to squat the deepest while maintaining a neutral spine.
ADVANCED DIRECTIVE: Do dynamic stretching for depth.
Performing a series of dynamic stretches preworkout mobilizes your hips and gets the muscle fibers firing and ready to work. Leg swings, Frankenstein walks, standing knee hugs and dynamic bridges are great ways to warm up and get loose.
This story is from the February 2016 edition of Oxygen.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 2016 edition of Oxygen.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Work Hard. Be Nice To People.
This is the mantra of trainer and social media mogul Claire P. Thomas. And as we found out, it suits her to a tee.
The Power Of Suggestion
Though the media makes it out to be voodoo, hypnosis may be your secret sauce for success.
Test Your Fitness Levels
Exactly how fit are you? How do you measure up? Find out with these next-level self-trials from Autumn Calabrese, Beachbody trainer and author of Lose Weight Like Crazy Even If You Have a Crazy Life (Galvanized Media, 2020).
Ankle weights
Does this ‘80s staple still have a place in modern workouts? Our experts weigh in.
THE POWER CLEAN (Discover this dirty little secret for better functional fitness.)
OLYMPIC LIFTS ARE A VALUABLE TOOL FOR IMPROVING STRENGTH and athletic performance — and as a side bonus, they also help develop crazy-good muscle shape, size, and definition. In fact, one could argue that the power-clean portion of the clean-and-jerk is the best exercise ever devised. “The clean is a functional movement used [routinely] in everyday activities,” says Aaron Viscounte, CSCS, head coach and manager at Summer’s Fitness Inc. in North Canton, Ohio. “We use aspects of the clean to pick up a box and put it on a shelf, move furniture or even go grocery shopping.” During a power clean, the barbell travels from the floor to the “racked” position at shoulder level and back down again. We tapped some elite trainers for their step-by-step expert advice on making the most of every rep.
The science of happıness
WHY DOES A GOOD WORKOUT MAKE YOU FEEL SO MUCH HAPPIER? TURNS OUT, IT HAS AS MUCH TO DO WITH YOUR HEAD AS WITH YOUR BODY.
THE [ABCs] OF GREAT GLUTES
Improve athletic performance and perfect your posterior aesthetic with these 18 awesome exercises.
Three's the charm
After the birth of her third daughter, Lindsay Raynne vowed to get healthy.
Keep your head in the game
Adding a few targeted ingredients to your otherwise healthy lifestyle is a yes-brainer when it comes to maintaining your mind.
Recovery Discovery
The fitness space is flooded with products, potions and protocols promising to optimize your recovery from training. See what science has to say about some of the most popular applications.