As the resident exercise physiology nerd everywhere I go, I marvel at how the slightest adjustment can completely change the focus of an exercise.
Manipulating the smallest angle can transform an easy movement into something that only the fittest clients can perform.
This week, I'll discuss ways to tweak your program for a big payoff. Plus, I'll introduce one of my favorite exercises that involves slight angle adjustments.
If you look around your fitness center, you'll see all sorts of opportunities to improve other people's efficiency. Notice the folks who select machines that are 100 yards apart and use them in sequence? Someone gave them a list of exercises and showed them the machines, in that order, and they don't realize they have other options. Well, I'm here to tell you that it's OK to reorganize your workout.
If you're like most of my clients, your time is valuable. You've got work, family and a social calendar to attend to. The last thing you need is to waste time walking around the gym while you could be exercising.
One of my favorite ways to evaluate efficiency is to ask clients to carry a stopwatch and click "start" as soon as they commence exercise, but pause it when they are resting or socializing. Some people find that their hour-long workout was really only 15 minutes.
To maximize efficiency, I like to select plenty of exercises that can be easily transformed from one movement to another without much downtime in between. Stationing your Swiss ball near a dumbbell rack can be a fantastic start to a calorie-blasting workout within a 15-foot radius. The key is to understand and embrace some basic movements that will address the large muscle groups.
Here's a great example of a Swiss ball and dumbbell workout:
• Dumbbell squats with the ball against a wall, followed by
• Swiss ball hamstring curls, followed by
• Swiss ball chest presses, followed by
• Swiss ball shoulder presses, followed by
• Swiss ball biceps curls, followed by
• Straight leg dumbbell deadlifts, followed by
• Swiss ball triceps extensions, followed by
• Swiss ball crunches
This entire workout can be accomplished with a few pairs of dumbbells and a Swiss ball. It will challenge almost all of the major muscle groups, and you'll remain in the same spot the whole time. Not bad, huh?
This week's exercise takes this philosophy a step further. When you're really strapped for time, you can perform three different exercises consecutively without rest -- without even getting off the ball. The Progressive Press is the ultimate in angle adjustment for workout efficiency.
1. Select a Swiss ball and a pair of medium-weight dumbbells. Grasp the dumbbells and sit upright on the ball with good posture.
2. Position the dumbbells at shoulder level. Perform a normal overhead press by extending the dumbbells up until both arms are straight.
3. Lower the arms back to shoulder level and perform 12 quick but controlled repetitions.
4. Place the dumbbells on your thighs and "walk" yourself down into a 45-degree incline position with your hips lower than your shoulders.
5. Perform 12 incline presses by extending the dumbbells over your chest and shoulders.
6. Once you've done 12, walk out a little farther until you're lying on the ball with your only head and shoulders supported.
7. Perform 12 normal bench presses with the dumbbells.
8. Take a break and go through the entire progression again, but in reverse order.
This workout sequence will dramatically challenge your muscular endurance, because the shoulders really don't get to rest for 36 straight repetitions. It's a progression that I wouldn't recommend for beginners, and even veteran exercisers will need to scale back the resistance level a bit.
At any rate, I think anyone can appreciate how efficient this progression is. For a killer lunch-hour upper body blast, try this one on for size.
Matt Parrott has a doctorate in education (sport studies) and a master's in kinesiology and is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine.
ActiveStyle on 06/09/2014