In-Shape Fitness

Are you looking for a great upper body workout? From shoulders to chest, biceps to triceps, there are plenty of exercises you can do the next time you visit one of your favorite Elk Grove gyms to help you build muscle in your upper body. Start with some stretches, grab some dumbbells, and get ready to burn calories and build muscles.  Start with Stretches Before you start lifting weights, you need to prepare your muscles with stretches. Properly warming up can help increase your heart rate and oxygen delivery. Take about 10 minutes to warm up fully. Neck stretches, shoulder stretches, wrist flexing, jumping jacks, and upper body rotations can all help get the blood flowing better. Overhead Press Your first exercise to try at the best Concord gyms available is the classic overhead press. You can start with light dumbbells if you want. With your back straight, hold the dumbbells at shoulder height with an overhand grip, thumbs facing in. Press the weights above you...

Weightlifting can become an important part of your workout routine, but it takes practice to get your form right so you can progressively lift more. You can get that practice at reliable Concord gyms , but learning about how your body moves and putting that into practice is incredibly beneficial.  Learning the different phases of a lift can help you understand what your body is doing and allow you to focus on the micro-movements of muscles, tendons, and joints. It’s a great way to improve your workouts and achieve better results. So, let’s dive into the different phases of a lift and why they’re important in practice. Concentric Phase The concentric phase may be what you think of when you picture lifting weights. Essentially, it’s the part of the exercise that puts the most pressure on your muscles and joints because it’s flexing the muscle and shortening the joint angle. It’s the part of the exercise where you lift the weight, press in a bench press, and push in a pus...

A strong back helps posture, balance, stability, and athletic ability. But how do you actually build back strength and size? If you go to Concord gyms to work out, you can use equipment like barbells to work your back muscles in addition to specialized machines and other equipment. If you want to build your back strength, start with these three exercises.  Deadlift and Minor Variations The deadlift is a classic barbell exercise that engages your posterior chain, including your lats, erectors, and traps. If you’re interested in doing a barbell workout, the equipment is available at the best Elk Grove gyms and other locations throughout California. You might even find dedicated lifting platforms for deadlifts.  Start with the barbell on the floor and your feet shoulder-width apart. Center yourself over the barbell. Bend your knees and hinge forward, holding the bar in an overhand grip. Keep your shoulders back. Brace your core, push against the floor, and lift the b...