Ryallscoaching - Fitness & Exercise
Exercise Technique Videos
On this page this will be set out for any and everyone wanting to try or see exercises they are doing but want to fully feel the muscle contraction while keep there form / technique correct.
Tricep Cable Extensions
In the tricep extension video, you can see I'm controlling the movement of the exercise with a slower pace where I'm focusing more on the action and feeling the muscle.
Tips - always try to keep your arms in front of your body with your back and arms remaining straight, always bring the weight back to a 90 degree angle then fully extend all the way down as seen in the video.
Tricep Rope Extensions
In the tricep extension video with the ropes, I'm controlling the movement of the exercise as from slowing down the speed of the activity you will feel it more from the muscle so in this case the triceps will be contracting/working more from squishing the muscle when fully extended.
Tips - always try to keep your arms in front of your body with your back and arms remaining straight, always bring the weight back to a 90 degree angle then fully extend all the way down as seen in the video.
Bicep Cable Curls
In this video we are doing bicep cable curls, what you wanna do is make sure your entire body from your back and legs are straight throughout the movement of the exercise.
Tips:
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When bringing the cable bar up towards your chest, remember to control the movement going at an average pace, when lifiting upright.
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When the cable bar is positioned in-front of your chest, make sure to hold and tense your arms to feel the effectiveness of the exercise, while fighting against gravity for bring the weight back down.
Cable Chest Press
In this video we are doing chest press with the cables one of many different ways to do chest press, when doing this make sure you keep your back flat and straight on the bench throughout.
Tips:
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When bringing the cables forward, ensure you start the exercise off having both the right and left cables at the side of your body.
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Extend your arm's forward so they are directly in front of your chest. With keeping your arms fully extended and tensing your chest from keeping the cables in place in-front of your for 3 seconds.
Cable Lat Pull-down
In this video we are doing what is known as the lat pulldown machine with the cable bar. Here you want to ensure you have your feet planted to the floor, your knees position under the pads to help keep you in position of the exercise and have a better hold of the weight when you bring it down towards yourself.
Tips:
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Ensure to keep your back straight throughout the exercise.
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Bring the weight towards your chest to where it's slightly touching your chest, while tensing your back muscles, specifically your lats when you bring the weight down.
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Remember to control the speed of how quick or slow you move the weight, from keeping the speed at an average pace, you will feel your back get more engaged in the exercise. Making your back muscles work harder.
Plate-loaded Lat Pull-down
In this video we are doing what is known as the plate loaded lat pulldown. Here you want to ensure you have your feet planted to the floor, your knees position under the pads to help keep you in position of the exercise and a better grip when lowering the handles to the side of your chest.
Tips:
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Try to keep your back straight throughout the exercise.
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When lowering the weight as shown in the video, remember to keep only move your arm's and keep your back straight as much as possible.
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This way your back muscle's will be forced to work harder, from remaining in position and engaging in the exercise as well.
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Also by controlling the speed of the movement, you will feel the exercise much more and your back muscles (otherwise known as your lat's) will feel the activity more effectively.
Plate-loaded Leg Press
In this video we are doing what is known as the plate loaded leg press. When doing this leg exercise make sure your back and bottom/glutes on the seat from beginning to the end of the exercise.
Tips:
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When performing this exercise, have your hands placed on handlebars for support, doing so will allow you to keep your back and bottom/glutes on the seat.
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Bring the weight as close as possible to your chest, unless you can't then bring it to as far as your hip mobility can allow you.
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Keeping your bottom/glutes on the seat throughout the exercise.
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When straightening your legs, ensure you don't fully extend your legs.
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Always have a slight bend at the knee, this will lower the chance of injury.
Plate-loaded Incline Chest Press
In this video we are doing what is known as the plate loaded incline chest press. For this exercise make sure to keep your back and bottom on the padded seat throughout, with both feet being kept on the floor.
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When starting the exercise, position your hands on both handle's.
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When lifting the weight upwards, keep your arm's positioned at the side of your chest during the entire exercise, with your arms fully extended at the top.
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Hold/tense your chest throughout to keep your chest/pec's engaged throughout the movement, and have your core/stomach tight, as this will benefit when bring the weight up.
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Control the movement of the exercise, by doing so you will benefit from your chest/pec's feeling more engaged and more effectiveness of the activity.
Leg raises
In this video we are doing what is known as leg raises. For this exercise you can lay on either a mat or the floor it self, place your hands either to your side or under your bottom/glutes.
Make sure your feet are together with a slight bend at the knee. Including have your head either laid flat on the floor or slightly above the floor.
Tips:
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When bringing your legs upwards towards yourself, keep your legs together with that slight bend at the knee.
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When your legs are almost at directly in-front of your eye sight, hold your legs in position for 3 seconds, while controlling the movement of lowering of your legs back to the ground.
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Keep your core/abs tight and engaged, doing so will allow your core's muscles to work more effectively, with making the exercise more intense from the slower motion.
Deadlifts
In this video we are doing what is known as deadlifts. When doing the deadlift's, ensure you have your feet being a shoulder width apart, your back is straight (no bend), arms are positioned to the side of your body, head is facing up and your hips are low.
Tips:
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When lifting the weight, remember to keep your core tight, your back remains straight throughout and your arms remain in the same position from start to finish.
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By keep your back straight, it will allow you have your back muscles tense and engaged for when you lift the weight upwards.
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It will lower the chance of injury, from having your back straight throughout.
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When lifting the weight upwards, remember to lift using your leg's power & strength, as once you bring the weight off the ground your main muscles being used to begin, are your leg's and once past your knee's the main source of strength will be your back muscles.
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Finally, if you can't physically lift the bar off the ground for a little bit, don't attempt the full lift, as this will/could lead to injury.
Plate Loaded - Shoulder Press
In this video we are doing what is known as plate loaded shoulder press.
Tips:
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When performing this exercise, ensure that your bottom and back are placed onto the padded seat throughout.
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Have your arms positioned to the side of your chest, with your palm's holding the side handle.
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Raise the handle's upwards, with having your arm's almost fully extended, with a slight bend at the elbow, when the handles are over your head.
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After bring the weight upwards, when you lower the weight back down keep the movement controlled and steady, as by doing this you will keep both your back and shoulder's engaged throughout.
Leg extension
In this video, this is the leg extension machine. Before starting have your back positioned on the back pad, you can have your hands on the handle bar or on your legs for extra support.
Tips:
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Ensure that before you start the exercise, that you have adjusted the machine's seat, leg pads and height of the leg extension to your height for full effective use.
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Have your toes and feet pointing upwards, as by doing so will help with when you extend your legs in-front of yourself, while feeling your leg's/quad's be more engaged from your feet positioning.
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Try to keep your bottom/glutes on the padded seat throughout, if you can't keep your glutes on the seat, lower the weight.
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Once you have lifted the weight up in-front of your eye slight, control the momentum when lowering the weight, as doing so will have a better effectiveness at your quad muscles from fighting against gravity of lowering the machine.
Smith Machine Shoulder Shrugs
In this video we are doing shoulder shrugs on the smith machine. For this you will want the bar positioned, on the bottom of the smith machine clips. Doing so will give you a better starter, for getting into position and then lifting the bar upwards.
Tips:
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Keep your back and leg straight throughout the exercise.
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Have your hands positioned a shoulder width apart.
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Ensure you have your arm's fully extended throughout, as you should only be moving the bar upwards using your shoulders and traps (traps are located next to your neck).
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To have more control and engagement throughout, slow down the pace of the movement when you lift and lower the bar, while holding for a few seconds at the top and tensing your trap's for full effectiveness.
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Remember the only body part of this exercise that should be moving, are your shoulder's and traps, with your back only moving when you lift the bar up to your waist.
Single Arm Back Row
These are single arm back rows. Here have one hand positioned on the handlebar on the weighted equipment, while your other hand placed on the handlebar directly in-front of the chest-pad.
Tips:
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Have your feet positioned either on the foot pads or on the floor, whichever works for you is fine.
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Adjust the height of the seat to your specific height, test this by making sure when that your whole chest is directly placed in-front and on the pad.
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With keeping your back straight throughout.
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For greater effectiveness and engagement, control the speed of the exercise when your bring the weight towards and away from side.
Decline sit ups
This is the decline sit ups. For this exercise have your hands placed behind your head, keeping your back straight throughout, with your feet placed in-between the pads on the bench.
Tips:
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Make sure to control the movement, as by slowing down the motion of moving upwards and back down, will have your core more engaged and by keeping your core tight it will be more effective on your ab's.
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To challenge yourself more, have a plated weight positioned on your chest/stomach, when lifting yourself forward, bring the plated weight upwards to where it is above your head as your at the top of the bench, then lower said weight back to your chest/stomach area.