Many barbell arid free-weight moves mimic everyday ones (carrying bags, picking upachild, openinga door) the way machine-based moves that tend to isolate a single muscle can't. Don't worry about bulking up: Most women don't have near the amount of testosterone needed to build big. bulky muscles.
THE FIX: Grab 12-pounders instead of 5s (but don't be afraid of 20s if you have the strength!). Try deadlifts with a barbell versus dumbbells. It's okay if you need to do fewer reps. Adding weight will tone you up in less time.
MISTAKE #2 Bad squat form
Squats areone of the best glute and quad sculptors because they engage a large amount of muscle. But I see my clients making two key errors when it comes to squats; First, they put their weight on their toes instead of in their heels. This puts stress on the knees and makes you unstable. Second, they stand with their feet too close together. Women are built differently than men and their hips tend to angle forward. This anterior tilt can lead to muscle imbalances as well.
THE FIX: Wiggle your toes at the bottom of a squat to make sure your weight is in your heels. Press through your heels as you rise up. Also, stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips with your toes slightly turned out. This will shift your weight back and counteract that pelvic tilt.
MISTAKE #3 Using crunches to fight belly fat
Crunches firm the muscle that lies underneath fat-they don't actually melt away fat. To see a difference, you
need to burn or cut the extra calories.
THE FIX: Abs are made in the kitchen. Make sure you have more calories going out than coming in. Trade
crunches for exercises that engage your entire core—the front, back, and sides of your torso— like planks. Also, work your lower body. Moves that target large muscle groups like your buttand thighs help increase calorie burn and your metabolism after a session, which ultimately helps slim down your waist.
No comments:
Post a Comment