Body Pump: Track #7, Lunges
Now we’re moving back to the larger muscles, so your heart rate is going back up with this track! Each lunge track is different in terms of the equipment you need so listen to the instructor carefully. Generally though, you will have the bar on the meaty part of your upper back and your weight selection should be between tricep and chest weight.
The most important part of the lunge track is making sure you’re in the proper set position. To set yourself up for the perfect lunge, kneel on one knee and put the other foot out in front. Adjust that front foot until both the back and front legs are making 90 degree angles at your knees - that is, back knee under hip, front heel under knee. Once there, lean forward a bit, tuck your back toes under, and stand up without adjusting your stance. This is the perfect lunge set up - your feet will be hip width apart and your stride will be long. Remember what that stance feels like and commit it to memory for both sides.
To execute a perfect lunge get in your set position with your stride long. Let the back knee drop towards the floor and keep the chest tall to avoid bending forward at the waist. To rise back up simply push through the front heel to engage the butt cheek and rise. The body should travel straight down and up with no forward and back motion. Think elevator, not escalator!
Remember, lunges are for the front leg and butt cheek, not the back leg. They WILL make you stronger at everything you do and your butt will get a nice, round shape that everyone loves to look at… How great is that?
Live Fit,
Max
Body Pump: Track #6, Biceps
Continuing on with our smaller muscle groups, on to the gun show!! I love training biceps because it feels good, it’s easy to get it right, and toned biceps look truly amazing - especially on the ladies!
So you’ll be instructed to take a bit of weight off your bar. I was surprised when I first found out, but triceps are a bit stronger than biceps, so you’ll need to back off the weight a bit. I normally use 5kg on each side. All you’re going to do is bicep curls the whole time - maybe singles, top halves, bottom halves, super slows, or other moves, but usually the bulk of the track is the bicep curl. Here’s how to do a perfect curl:
Start in Body Pump ’set position’ (feet under hips, knees soft, belly braced, shoulders down and back) and your hands just a bit wider than your shoulders. Starting point is the bar touching your thighs and your arms straight. Too many people I see keep their arms bent, so remember to straighten them at the bottom. Curl the bar up without moving your elbows at all. This means don’t let them flare out and don’t let them come forward. The finish point is when the bar is about shoulder height, but remember don’t let the bar come close to your chest. The perfect curl ends with the bar a few inches from your chest. Why? Because if you bring the bar right to your chest your elbows will be forced to move forward of your torso, and ultimately, you’ll be giving the muscle unintentional rest. That means you won’t be working as hard and you won’t see the results your looking for - not good!
One final “cheat” move I see a lot is people letting their pinky fingers come off the bar at the top. Keep a solid grip for the entire track and work through the discomfort. It’s worth it!
Live Fit,
Max