Bust a (Better) Move

Ready to step up your gym routine? Max out your workout? Here are five moves from Gold’s Gym Fitness Institute trainer Robert Reames that can take you from basic to A+ advanced.

Arms, abs, legs, rear—we’ve got you covered. Gold’s Gym Fitness Institute trainer Robert Reames selected five exercises that can take your workout to a whole new level, thanks to challenging add-ons and tough balance components. “We’re coming into the home stretch of 2013,” Reames says. “Now’s the time to maximize your effort. Embrace each opportunity you have at the gym to get even stronger, gain more balance and build up endurance.”

1Pull-Up Progression

Basic: Pull-ups with palms facing you. Hang on the pull-up bar with hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing you, elbows straight but not locked. Slowly pull yourself up until your chin passes the bar, then lower to the starting position. Do as many as you can.

Better: Pull-ups with palms facing each other. Same move but have palms facing each other. Do as many as you can.

Even Better: Pull-ups with palms facing away. Same move but have palms facing away from you. Do as many as you can.

From the expert: “Hand position determines muscle activity, and because the biceps are basically shut off when your palms are facing away, this is the toughest way to do pull-ups,” says Reames.

2Ball Bridge Progression

Basic: Standard ball bridge. Lie back on a stability ball, with your feet flat on the floor and your body forming a 45-degree angle with the ball. Cross your hands and place them on your upper chest. Contract your abs to lift your torso five to 10 inches off the ball, keeping your feet and neck stable, then slowly lower back down.Do 3 sets of 10 reps.

Better: Standard ball bridge with load. Same move as above, but hold a standard weight plate on the pelvic area. The amount of weight should be based on your current ability and what’s appropriate for you. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.

Even Better: Unilateral (single leg) ball bridge. Lie back on a stability ball, with your feet flat on the floor and your body forming a 45-degree angle with the ball. Secure both feet first, then take your right foot off the floor. Straighten raised right leg and align the upper thighs with each other. Establish a pelvic tilt to activate the glutes. Alternate legs. Do 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.

From the expert: “When you change to the unilateral move, you’re automatically adding a whole new level of stability and core strength to your workout because you have to push harder to keep yourself centered.”

3 Hanging Knee Lift Progression

Basic: Standard hanging knee lifts. Standing on a stability bench, reach up onto a high bar (or place your arms inside hanging arm swings). Step off the bench so that you are at a dead hang; i.e., your body is hanging down in a straight line. Then slowly lift up your legs, bending your knees as you raise them while tucking the hips under until your knees are almost touching your chest. Then slowly lower your legs back down. Make sure your movements are smooth and steady and that you aren’t swinging your knees up and down. Begin by trying to do 10 reps.

Better: Hanging knee lifts with rotation. Standing on a stability bench, reach up onto a high bar (or place your arms inside hanging arm swings). Step off the bench so that you are at a dead hang; i.e., your body is hanging down in a straight line. Then slowly lift up your legs to the right side, bending your knees as you raise them while tucking the hips under until your knees are above your waist. Then slowly lower your legs back down. Repeat on the left side. Make sure your movements are smooth and steady and that you aren’t swinging your knees up and down. Begin by trying to do 1 set of 10 reps on each side.

Even Better: Hanging knee lifts with dumbbells. Try both moves while holding a dumbbell securely between your feet. Begin by trying to do 1 set of 10 reps.

From the expert: “Hanging knee lifts are the best move in the gym to build abs. This progression just keeps adding resistance as you advance. One thing to remember on all three versions: Really make sure to keep lifting your legs until you get that pelvic tilt and feel those lower abs working.”

4 Squat Progression

Basic: Standard basic squat with load. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Slowly lower your bottom as you would to sit down in a chair. Keep your back straight and chin up. Lower as far as you can while keeping your knees parallel with your ankles. Bend knees to no more than 90 degrees to maximize safety. Then slowly stand back up. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.

Better: Standard basic squat with load on balance board. Step on the balance board and move your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Slowly lower your bottom like you would to sit down in a chair. Keep your back straight and chin up. Lower as far as you can while keeping your knees parallel with your ankles. Bend knees to no more than 90 degrees to maximize safety. Then slowly stand back up. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.

Even Better: Jump squats on plyo box. Start on the floor in front of plyo box, feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees into a squat, then jump up. The moment you’ve landed on the box and stabilized your body, immediately jump right back to the ground where you were standing.Try to do 3 sets of 5–10 reps.

From the expert: “The second progression adds that balance element, requiring more strength and balance on both sides. The jump squats onto the plyo box are an awesome plyometric move that really pushes power, strength and extreme balance; it’s a very advanced exercise.”

5 Calf Progression

Basic: Body-weight heel raises. Stand with your shoulders squared. Slowly rise up onto your toes and pause briefly, then lower down. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.

Better: Calf raise machine. Stand on the footplate with your shoulders squared. Slowly rise up onto your toes and pause briefly, then lower your heels until fully extended. To work your calves one
at a time, simply cross one leg over the other. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.

Even Better: Single leg hops (plyometric). Standing in place, bring your left knee up, then just hop straight up on your right foot. Pretend you’re skipping rope on one leg. Alternate legs and jump with left foot. Do 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.

From the expert: “Getting to the jumps means you’ve developed a strong calf muscle and can now increase your balance and coordination. It’s also a dynamic way to strengthen the ankle joint.”

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Burn Better With Supersets

Galaxy Multi Gym Fitness Institute trainer Adam Friedman gives us the 411 on the double, without the trouble.

YOU’VE HEARD THE TERM, but what exactly does the word “superset” mean? Traditionally, a superset is two or more exercises performed consecutively to work opposing muscle groups. “These days, the term has been used a lot more loosely,” says Gold’s Gym Fitness Institute trainer Adam Friedman. “I tend to follow the traditional approach myself.” Supersets increase intensity level, heart rate and calories burned because you are doing two exercises consecutively. Plus, they amp up your mental toughness with more challenging gym time, and you have to push yourself to do continuous sets with less rest.

“I enjoy doing them because it’s more challenging from a conditioning standpoint, it’s time efficient, and it’s an excellent way to work opposing muscle groups to keep balance,” says Friedman. In a healthy body, the muscles that move and stabilize the bones have a natural reflex to relax when their opposite muscles are working. Doing supersets can help guarantee that you’re working all your muscle groups.

Here are five supersets you can use to supersize your routine. Beginners should start with three sets of 5 to 8 reps, while more experienced gymgoers can try three sets of 10 to 12 reps. Count to three on the way down, and go back up on two. “At the beginner level, the weight lifted during a superset should be a little lighter than what you would normally use during an exercise,” Friedman says. “This is just for safety reasons until you become better mentally and physically.” Intermediate to advanced should use the same weights you typically do with an exercise to maintain their strength levels, which may mean that they go down in repetition to start, but then increase as conditioning improves.

DUMBBELL FLAT CHEST PRESS > DUMBBELL BACK ROW

Dumbbell flat chest press
Begin by lying on a flat bench, feet flat, knees bent at 90 degrees, arms extended upward at shoulder width with dumbbells in hand. Squeeze your shoulder blades against the bench and lower the dumbbells level to your chest.

Dumbbell back row
Stand in a split stance, bend over until your back is parallel with the ground. Keep back in a neutral alignment, arms fully extended with dumbbells in hand. Pull dumbbells up to waist.

DUMBBELL INCLINE CHEST PRESS > LAT PULL-DOWN

Dumbbell incline chest press
Begin by lying on an inclined bench, feet flat, knees bent at 90 degrees, arms extended upward at shoulder width with dumbbells in hand. Squeeze your shoulder blades against the bench and lower the dumbbells level to your chest.

Lat pull-down
Sit on a pull-down machine with a wide bar attached to the top pulley, legs at 90 degrees. Grab the bar just outside shoulder width. Pull bar down to the top of your chest, bringing your shoulders down and back.

SHOULDER PRESS > PULL-UPS

Shoulder press
Stand with feet hip distance apart, knees soft, dumbbells in hand. With elbows straight, extend arms above head. Lower dumbbells to earlobes.

Pull-ups
Mount the assisted pull-up machine. Grab bar, lower body down, extend your arms, and pull up, aiming your chest toward the sky.

CHEST FLY > REVERSE FLY

Chest fly
Begin by lying on a flat bench, feet flat, knees bent at 90 degrees, arms fully extended above shoulders with dumbbells in hand. Bring arms down to your side, with a slight bend in your elbow. Straighten elbows and squeeze your chest muscles on the way back up.

Reverse Fly
Begin by lying chest down on an incline bench, feet flat, knees bent at 90 degrees, arms fully extended with dumbbells in hand, thumbs facing down. Bring arms out to your shoulder.

BICEPS CURL > TRICEPS EXTENSION

Biceps Curl
Stand with knees soft, feet shoulder-width apart, with dumbbells in hand. Press your elbows into your sides. Bring the dumbbells ¾ of the way up to your shoulders.

Triceps Extension Machine
Stand with knees soft, feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your elbows stationary for the full move. Grab the bar and extend you arms downward to fully contract your triceps. Pause for one second at the bottom of the movement before bringing arms back up to the starting position.

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Best #Legday Ever

Galaxy Multi Gym Fitness Institute trainer Maruti Sir gives you six moves to get your lower body in premium shape.

You may have seen the hashtag #Legday bouncing around Instagram, a reference to lower-body-focused workouts and muscular thighs. If you’re looking for moves that can help kick-start your own #Legday workout, Gold’s Gym Fitness Institute trainer Adam Friedman gives you six moves that will strengthen your whole leg from calves to glutes. But Friedman points out that #Legday workouts aren’t just important for vanity’s sake. “Seventy percent of our weight is carried in our upper body, and it’s important to maintain the strength, power, flexibility and range of motion in our legs to support that weight,” he says. “Most people are sitting all day at work and their hips and butt are becoming numb. Focusing on the lower body and the legs at least once a week is going to wake everything up.”

Friedman also explains that even people who spend all day on their feet can benefit from #Legday, as it promotes the fundamentals of movement while aiding injury prevention: “People don’t realize how many low back issues are related to improper movement patterns in the lower body. That can translate from the low back to neck and shoulder issues. All kinds of issues start from the ground up.”

Here are the six moves:

SUPINE BRIDGE HIP EXTENSION

2 sets of 10x

Lie on your back with your heels dug into the ground and your toes in the air. Lift your hips up until the line from your shoulders to your knees is straight, making sure your spine doesn't twist to one side.

Adam's extra tip: Focus on giving a strong contraction in the glutes, and tie in the lower abdominals to keep them engaged.

KETTLE BELL SWING

3 sets of 20x, 1 minute rest between sets

Grab the kettle bell with both hands in front of you and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your arms loose as you bend with a straight back and your butt out, bringing the kettle bell between your legs, then swinging it forward.

Adam's extra tip: Don't use your upper body to swing the kettle bell. This move is really focused on driving through the hips, meaning the butt is driving the kettle bell and creating the momentum for the swing. Think hip hinge, not squat.

KETTLE BELL GOBLET SQUATS

3 sets of 10-15x, 1 minute rest between sets

With your feet shoulder-width apart, grab the kettle bell by the horns with both hands and raise it to your chin with your elbows at your sides. As you descend into a squat position, keep your back straight and your chest out, and let your elbows drop inside your knees until your butt is almost touching the ground. Take a deep breath and return to standing position.

SINGLE LEG BENCH SQUATS

3 sets of 12x, 1 minute rest between sets

Stand with your back to the bench, putting your foot on the bench with your toe touching it and your standing leg straight. Descend slowly for four or five seconds, bending your knee until your thigh is almost parallel to the ground and keeping your back straight. Hold for a beat, then rise back up slowly to your starting position.

Adam's extra tip: I like to start with the non-dominant side first. Do three sets of one leg, then switch to the other one. The exercise is great for your quads as well as your glutes, while also promoting stability and balance.

STATIONARY SIDE LUNGE

3 sets of 10x, 1 minute rest between sets

Start with your legs apart at least twice the width of your shoulders and your hands either on your hips or clasped under your chin. Keep one leg straight while bending the other knee and moving your body in that direction. The kneecap of the side you're lowering down should be pointed straight ahead, in line with the second big toe. Then return to the starting position and go to the other side for one set.

Adam's extra tip: Don't allow the knee to drive past the toe. People end up being knee dominant, which puts pressure on the joint and can lead to injury.

SINGLE LEG CALF RAISE ON STAIR

3 sets of 20x, 1 minute rest between sets

Finally, Friedman suggests a simple exercise to complete #Legday. Place your foot on a stair so your shoe is one-half to one-third of the way on it, giving you flexibility to raise it up and down but with enough support so you feel stable and balanced. Tuck your other leg behind the one on the stair. Use your calf to lift your heel up as high as it will go, then lower it as far as you can to complete the repetition.

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5 Battle Rope Moves for a Fierce Workout

Grab a rope for a full-body workout that builds muscle, burns fat and strengthens your entire frame

If you’re anything like us, you’re always looking for a new type of killer workout. Well, good news: We have one for you, and even the name makes us want to throw on our gym clothes and sprint to the nearest Gold’s Gym.

“Battle ropes are really dynamic in that they challenge your heart while challenging your core,” says Adam Friedman, a Gold’s Gym Fitness Institute trainer. “It’s all about making sure the core is staying stable, keeping the spine in line while moving your extremities.”

• Key Benefits of Battle Ropes

- Battle ropes are simple, fun and effective.

- Studies show that you’ll burn between 300 and 500 calories per half hour, while your metabolism will be elevated for 36 hours following the workout.

- Battle rope moves mimic movements you need in everyday life, whether that’s playing a sport or heading to your job.

• Use Battle Ropes To:

- Strengthen biceps and shoulders

- Tighten your core

- Get a good cardio burn

Friedman offers five moves to try at the gym. For each one, he suggests doing three 30-second sets with a 30-second rest between sets. Battle away!

Note: Friedman suggests that anyone interested in using battle ropes ask a trainer for assistance at the beginning. He frequently sees people end up with pain in their shoulders or other joints if they aren’t breathing properly or aren’t performing a move correctly. A consultation with a professional can prevent such problems and get you on the road to a fun, safe workout.

DOUBLE WAVE

Start by standing in a half-squat position with your spine straight and your feet a little more than shoulder-width apart with your toes pointed forward. Take one rope in each hand and move your arms up and down together to create a wave in the ropes. You should keep your body stable, according to Friedman, focusing on an even tempo as if you're beating a drum. This will work your forearms and shoulders as well as your core. 

ALTERNATING WAVE

This one is similar to the Double Wave in both start position and execution, but instead of moving your arms together, move one up while the other one is going down, and then switch. "The waves can be small if the arms are pumping faster or bigger to work the shoulders a little bit more," Friedman says. The offset rhythm works different stability muscles in your core than those worked by the Double Wave. This one also emphasizes your arms and shoulders, with the benefit of being a full-body workout as well.

CHOP AND LIFT

You start in a half-squat position, holding one rope in each hand pulled nearly taut. Bring the ropes above your head, then slam them down to the ground on your right side and release. Lift them back up, pausing for the briefest moment to ensure a straight spine, then slam them down to the ground on your left. Friedman says to move your toes directionally, mimicking the direction of the ropes. This move is especially good for your core, working the external abdominal oblique muscles in addition to your arms and shoulders.

DOUBLE DUTCH

Remember doing double Dutch when you were a kid? Well, this is double Dutch for adults. Take one rope in each hand and make circles, your right arm going counterclockwise and your left going clockwise. After each set, switch the direction that you move your arms. This one will work the forearms in addition to the shoulders and the core.

DOUBLE WAVE WITH ALTERNATING STEP-BACK LUNGE

This is the most advanced move, combining the Double Wave with a second exercise. Your arms do the Double Wave, but instead of keeping your feet still, step back with your right foot and bring your knee to the ground. Rise and return your right foot to its original position, then repeat the sequence with your left leg. "Your whole body is going down and up while your arms are moving up and down," Friedman says. "You're combining the upper and lower body." A total-body workout indeed, one that works the quads while it tones the arms, shoulders and core.

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Five Steps to Awesome Abs

Your abdominal muscles play a key role in so much of what you do on a daily basis. Think about them for a second.

Your abdominal muscles play a key role in so much of what you do on a daily basis. Think about them for a second. The rectus abdominisruns from your chest to your pelvis, one long strip of muscle that facilitates forward motion. Our abs help us walk, run, bend, curl, swim, stretch, pretty much anything and everything beyond sitting absolutely still (and even then, those abs are working to keep you upright).

As with any major muscle group, it’s vital to train them. We’re here to help, but don’t worry—we’re not talking endless sit-ups. Instead, we want to help you focus on smart training and proper technique to get the most out of your time.

The secret to a good ab workout? Targeting different parts of the massive muscle, which benefits the entire body. Studies have shown that even a move that seems focused on the upper ab has benefits lower down.

We turned to Gold’s Gym Fitness Institute Specialist Robert Reames, who offered up a circuit of muscle-crunching, stomach-busting moves to bring out your abs. Perform it 3 to 4 times a week on its own, or, for best results, add it to the end of your normal routine. Once you get the hang of the circuit, try to step up to the high-octane version of each move for even faster results.

Repeat the 5-move circuit below 3 times, resting for 30 seconds between circuits.

BICYCLE SIT-UPS

50 reps (each extension of the leg is 1 rep)

Lie flat on your back with your hands behind your head and your knees directly over your hips at a 90-degree angle. In one motion, extend your right leg straight while bringing your left knee straight back toward your left elbow. Return to the original position, then repeat with your left leg extending and your right knee moving toward your right elbow. "You should focus on having a smooth, even, continuous flow to your movements for maximum effect," Reames says.

High Octane version: Place your hands on a medicine ball.

RUSSIAN TWIST ON A SWISS BALL

12 reps each side

Lie with your low to mid-back on a Swiss ball and your feet flat on the floor with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Clasp your hands directly over your chest, keeping your arms straight. Carefully rotate your arms to one side, as the Swiss ball rolls across to the back of your shoulder. "Make sure to keep your hips high by squeezing and activating your glutes," Reames says. Return to the starting position, then repeat to the opposite side.

High Octane version: Hold a medicine ball between your hands.

HANGING KNEE LIFTS

15 reps

Place your arms in the straps connected to the high chin bar, firmly gripping the top of the strap. Bring your knees to your chest, then slowly return to the start position. According to Reames, "Controlling the speed of the return motion will help to avoid swinging" and also ensure that you work those abs to their fullest.

High Octane version: Add a 10-pound dumbbell between your feet.

BALL BRIDGES

15 reps

Begin facing up with your head, neck and shoulders comfortably placed on the floor with your legs stretched out straight and your lower legs balanced on a Swiss ball. Pull your legs toward your body while lifting your glutes off the ground until your feet are firmly planted on the ball and your upper body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.

High Octane version: Put a 5- to 15-pound dumbbell or plate on the lower ab area.

STATIONARY COBRA

Hold for 30 seconds

Lie face down on a mat or the floor. Push your chest off the floor until your arms are straight. Make sure to keep your neck in a neutral position to avoid neck hyperextension. Hold this position for 30 seconds, to work the low back area and provide a perfect complement to all the ab-focused exercises.

High Octane version: Hold for 1 minute.

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