Back attack… who’s with me?
Make sure to feel the mind to muscle connection. Squeeze as you bring your shoulders back, and make sure to keep them tucked in as well. This ISO lateral rowing machine is a great way to safely isolate the muscle groups while allowing you to maximize the weight used while applying a natural lifting motion. The primary muscles worked are your lats known as latissimus dorsi.
Let’s Go 💪🏽 Happy Lifting
🍑 Squats make things hot. When building a beautiful physique it helps to be a little bit basic. Doing a smith machine squat especially with weights is a regular move that’s going to make a not so regular looking 👀 body.
We’re going to raise the bar just as I am pictured here. Since the smith machine is on a fixed bar path, you need to place your feet a little forward in front of your body. To be precise it would be about 3 to 6 inches forward from where they would be in a regular free range barbell squat.
Position yourself correctly, align that spine and neck, don’t look up while lifting. Act as if you’re sitting back into a comfy chair, and squeeze on the way up!
You’ve got this! Let’s shoot for 5 sets of 8-12 reps depending on how heavy you’re going. If you’re using heavier weights then aim for a few less reps, and vice versa.
Let’s take it on down to the ground.
Ready to go all in on your goals? Good because if you don’t use it you lose it. Afterall exercise will give you more energy even in cases when you’re feeling tired. Ever notice how the days you don’t want to workout, when you decide to go anyways to show up for your sweat sesh. You end up feeling like a new person totally refreshed and more amped up afterwards?!
Also fun fact did you know? For every pound of muscle gained the body burns an extra 50 calories per day on average.
The more you know, the more you’ll grow. 💪🏽
Let’s go! Lunge with me.
But first off what is it and why should we do them?
A lunge is a unilateral exercise. This means you are training one side of your body at a time. This is great for collecting any muscle imbalances that you may have between your left and right side. It also challenges your overall stability while improving your core. It is a solid go to move in order to work your major muscle groups in your lower body including your quads, glutes and hamstrings. So let’s get to it.
🎵 How’s that song go? To the window, to the wall… (I’m going to change it up here) … to the leg raises make a body fine. Leggo!
Weighted Standing Side Leg Raises are going to help strengthen the hip abductors, tone the thighs, enhance, balance and coordination. In addition to all of that it will also improve your core stability. Overall these things will help contribute to having better physical performance and overall well being. Try it out, even from the comfort of your own home, just grab a dumbbell or even milk jug and start raising those legs.
Time to get sweaty at the gym, even after this fresh hair blowout. Last time I checked nobody ever regret getting in a good workout.
Tips for having a better more affective workout:
Create a gym playlist that gets you focused and in the zone.
Drink enough water, you don’t want to pull anything simply from being dehydrated.
Put on a cool gym outfit that boosts your confidence naturally and pushes you to lift extra hard getting in that last rep.
Eat within 1-2 hours before the gym so that you have an adequate amount of fuel in you to lift but also enough time to digest it.
Remember to give yourself grace, this is your time to shine, don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s.
Single leg glute kickbacks are a powerful way to achieve that extra bit of glute growth.
How To:
Figure out which leg you want to work first, get into position then grip the handlebars firmly. You’re going to push back and up with your foot on the foot bar and extend your leg upwards. Then lower your leg back down to the starting position. Continue for the desired amount of reps and then switch legs. Another helpful tip is to make sure that you are in control of the momentum on the downward part of the exercise.
Bring it on up buttercups, with the weights that is. One of my favorite things to do when in a pinch for time is to do a quick tri set for a shoulder workout.
This is an example of what I’m doing today and some of my go to’s you can try out.
Dumbbell Upright Rows 4x12
Alternating Dumbbell Front Raises 4x10 (each arm, 20 total)
Alternating 1 Front 1 Lateral Raise (making an L-Shape) 4x10
Try this out next time you’re in a crunch for time and let me know what you think?!
So you want to take things up a notch? Expedite the process with high intensity interval training. Choose one from below and let’s go.
Circuit training- is a design that includes a series of different exercises targeting different muscle groups. Each one you complete for a certain period of time with minimal rests inbetween.
Tabata training- is a high intensity interval training workout which involves 20 seconds of pushing your max effort then immediately after followed by 10 seconds of rest.
Treadmill sprints- these were one of my favorites and I highly recommend if your goal is to lean out. Switching it up between short quick bursts of sprints followed by walking really gets your metabolism revved up. Repeat this cycle for about 10 times or 10 minutes with each sprint being about 30 seconds to a minute each.
Your body will thank you later for completing these high charged and effective workouts. Get ready to run it up!
It’s my birthday 🥳 another year around the sun, and I couldn’t feel more blessed to spend this day with the best friends anyone could ask for.
As I blow out the candles reflecting on another year, I reflect upon the never ending journey of personal development continuing to evolve into the woman I am today. This past year, through the ups and downs, the power of growth and health and fitness has transformed not only my body but also my mind and spirit. I hope you are able to do the same as it’s a very fulfilling feeling. Time to raise a toast to an even better chapter that’s about to unfold, unveiling the best version of myself yet. 🥂
All smiles as tomorrow is my birthday. 🎉 I’m about to finish my last workout at this age. It’s time to age like fine wine. Where are all my July Cancer birthday babes at?
Time to crush this gym sesh… are you feeling my excitement?! I hope so. Cheers to the health and happiness that we receive from our boost of endorphins and pep in our step from living an active lifestyle. Hope you go as hard in your workout as I’m about to. :)
Let’s get down to business with some fitness poolside. One of my faves is grabbing a mat, pair of dumbbells, a water, some music and getting straight to it. Even though this weekend I was focused more on productivity I fit in about a 30 minute sweat sesh. It truly felt so much longer with the intensity of the heat and some of these more challenging moves such as this one.
Remember to keep your head in line with your spine, as well as a neutral back. Keep your elbow in tight as you glide it on up towards your side. You can move the weight over as I did here to make it more of a compound movement. You can knock out training some abs as well as arms with this power move. The renegade row plus dumbbell ab glide is a gem, try it out with me.
For the love of compound exercises. You become stronger together for a better you. It’s like a two in one. It gets your metabolism, fired up faster and get your results quicker than just doing basic movements. Although basic moves are good, I do find that compound movements are more effective overall in a shorter time span.
Get ready to drop it down low to the floor.
Squats make a booty hot 🥵 not to mention especially in super high heat. It’s like working out in a sauna, taking it up several notches to increase the intensity level. You can also add a resistance band to make it more challenging as seen here. If you have a lighter weight like I do, try completing a higher rate range going until failure which means until you can’t complete anymore. If you happen to have a heavier dumbbell or kettlebell around try aiming for a lower rep range. Ready, set, squat it out!
Had to fit my fitness in this morning before todays photoshoot, did you? It’s essential to get in at least 30 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity daily to keep you primed to function at your very best. I want the best for you, so get to it, let’s do this. 💪🏽😊
Knowledge is potential power. So use it or lose it. There is so much to learn when it comes to health and fitness, but to be honest most of it boils down to the basics.
1) Don’t over complicate your workouts. However, switch them out in order to prevent plateaus.
2) Practice progressive overload so you can continuously challenge your muscles to grow.
3) Watch your form to prevent injuries, and don’t worry about overtraining. A solid workout can be done in just 30 minutes to an hour and a half, anything more than that is unnecessary.
4) Read food labels to watch which ingredients you’re putting into your body which is far more important than most people realize. We literally are what we eat, as it nourishes and shapes the cells in our body.
5) Hydration is so key!! Make sure you’re drinking enough water.
Hope these tips helped you place more importance and fine tune your fitness routine for the future. Have a great day! 💪🏽
Cause & Effect. One of my favorite effects that weight lifting brings into ones life is the sense of freedom to feel good in your own skin. The uptick in confidence it brings you is so empowering. The enhancement of your mindset that will then be fine tuned to hyper focus on growth because you realize your newfound strength and capabilities. There are so many positive effects that fitness will have on your life overall. If you haven’t taken your fitness regimen seriously yet, don’t stress it the next best time starts right now.
Happy 4th of July! Sending a rose to those who have served our country. I truly appreciate your service and dedication to our country. Sporting the red, white and blue stripes today during my long and intense sweat session. Hope you have an amazing day!
Success is what comes after you stop making excuses, and take action. The majority of people experience failure not due to a lack of desire, but because of a lack of commitment. GO ALL IN… when it comes to the things you want, the results you wish to see, the life you want to live. Stop waiting for the perfect time. Take messy action today, to get one step closer to looking how you want, feeling how you deserve to, and living a brighter future. It all starts with the choices you make in the present moment, so you know what to do choose wisely, commit to the plan, and create your dream life.
Stretch with me.
There are many different kinds of stretches you can do whether you’re standing, sitting, kneeling, on the go, etc. There’s one for every body at anytime. Remember to warm up hold each stretch for about 30 seconds.
Side Arm Stretch, Wrist Extension Stretch, Hamstring Stretch, Hip Flexor Stretch, Chest Stretch, Calf Stretch, Quadricep Stretch, Hip Flexor Stretch, Tricep Stretch, Forward Overhead Swing, Lateral Overhead Reach, Arm Circles, Scissor Stretch. The list goes on and on just choose one or a few and let’s begin.
Take the next step that’s necessary to make all of your wildest fitness goals come to fruition. It’s not as hard as you think. It just requires consistency and discipline to make it all happen. What are you waiting for? The time is now. Commit to start today to make a better future for yourself tomorrow.
Total Body Workout 101
Here are some great exercises to get in a total body burn. 🔥
1) Bent- Over Rows
2) Lunges with Bicep Curls
3) Goblet Squats
4) Deadlifts
5) Dumbbell Around the Worlds
6) Push-ups with Lateral Raises
7) Overhead Press
8) Russian Twists
9) Split Squats
10) Renegade Rows
The list goes on & on there are 10 you can start with. Time to fire it up today!
It’s time to get over any fears of inadequacy when hitting the gym or when it comes to fitness in general. Showing up confidently is key, but let’s learn how to do that with some of the best strategies and mindset shifts you can make to help that become a reality.
Educate yourself, never stop learning when it comes to things you want to improve on. Learn about different exercises and equipment to feel more equipped to handle your workout with ease.
Don’t compare your day one to someone else’s chapter 10 a.k.a. don’t play the game of comparisonitis. Focus on the way you look and feel compared to the way you did yesterday it’s all about noticing small improvements overtime.
Set realistic expectations and understand that everyone must start somewhere and progress will take time there’s no magic pill that will get you there more than having patience with the process.
Develop a disciplined routine, and establish a consistent schedule for your training, as well as for getting in healthy meals.
Start small and work your way up to a more advanced routine over time. There’s no raise to go from 0 to 100. You can prevent injuries and disappointment by taking it steady and simply showing up to put in the work daily.
Visualize your dream body spend time daily, imagining what you want to look like, how you want to feel, and trust that you will get there it’s only a matter of time.
Hope these tips help and remember not to get discouraged, just stay the course and keep showing up even on the days you don’t feel like it.
Yes or no way to weighing yourself daily?
Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty pros and cons of weighing yourself daily and what happens if you choose not to (like me).
The pros are tracking progress when weighing yourself daily allows you to monitor your weight fluctuations. In doing this will help you recognize what patterns help or prevent you from losing or gaining weight according to your goals. It can help keep you accountable since it’s an action you take daily. This can help you become more in tune with your body when it comes to certain foods, activities, or things that spike your cortisol levels.
The cons of weighing yourself daily can consist of fluctuations being very discouraging, hence taking a toll on your mood and possibly putting you in a negative state of mind.
Although consistency can be a good thing, and it also can be the opposite since weighing yourself can turn into an obsession. This can happen especially if you have an addiction to how much you weigh and associating your worth with a number that’s on the scale. This can cause one to then develop low self esteem or even eating disorders to get to their ideal weight.
Your body weight is influenced by multiple factors, including how much water you drink, what time of day you weigh yourself, how much food you consume, flying which causes inflammation in the body, what types of food you eat, how much muscle mass you have. This list goes on.
A rule of thumb I use is measurements as well as how my body looks to me in the mirror, and how well my clothes fit. You can choose what’s best for you when it comes to whether or not you should weigh yourself daily.
Think fast, chew slow.
When it comes to thinking about your next meal of course be mindful of what you eat however, don’t waste too much time thinking about it.
While you eat, your body will release 'fullness hormones’ that lets your brain know you’ve eaten and should stop. This process actually takes around 20 minutes. So to those that like to devour their food in a flash aka speedy eaters may consume too much food and only receive this signal later. So rule of thumb is to take 20-30 chews each time you take a bite of your food, slowly is key, let it satisfy your hunger the right way without getting bloated and a stomach ache from eating too fast. Then you’ll be fueled and ready to conquer your day.
Power through your workout today and remember it will help build a stronger you tomorrow. The gym in a way is like therapy. It allows you to zone out of whatever you currently have going on so that you can focus on what matters most in the present moment which is your growth. Grow big 💪🏽 or go home. 🏡
Upgraded my mirror 🪞to an 83” inch tall one. Let me tell you I got a workout in lifting this thing off the ground by myself to position properly against the wall. Always make sure when lifting super heavy to wear a belt.
The benefits of wearing a lifting a belt are that it will reduce stress on your lower back while you’re in an upright position.
Wearing a lifting belt, increases the pressure on your core while supporting your spine.
Wearing one of these while squatting or deadlifting is always a great idea.
Go grab the belt that fits you best and lift safely.
Bicep curls for days…
There are different styles of bicep curls, including standing or seated bicep curls, preacher curls, and hammer curls.
Benefits are that bicep 💪🏽 curls can help improve muscular endurance, and enhance the appearance of your arms.
You can incorporate alternative intensities and variations such as drop sets or super sets.
Your form and technique to perform bicep curls you can either sit or stand with a straight back. Pictured here I am standing, holding the weight with an underhanded grip, keep the elbows close to the body and complete a full range of motion. Do this for as many desired reps and sets.
Ab Exercises 101: To Add Weight or Not Add Weight
Doing an ab workout with weights will help you gain definition and strength. If your main goal is adding muscle definition to your core then adding weights into the mix is a great idea. Doing exercises with an amount of weight that's heavy enough to make you struggle by the last couple of reps is key to find that definition you desire.
Repetitions in a higher rep range typically over 20 tend to focus more on endurance and less on strength. If you’re a beginner or just find lifting weights while working your core too advanced for you then try simple yet effective bodyweight ab exercises.
Let’s get crunching!!
You are a direct result of the things you choose to do daily, not the things you say you will do. With that being said set the right intentions for what it is you want most and act on them. Don’t let anything or anyone deter your focus, aim to become the best possible version of yourself so you can inspire those around as you put your best foot forward. Get ready to create you 2.0 because now is the time!
