Just Fitness

It’s important to do lower body training because the largest body muscles are located at our bottom. They are essential in movements we perform in day-to-day activities or in sports such as running, swimming or cycling. Well-trained legs not only give us a strong back and core but also provide the stability we need for good athletic performance.  You can easily use a  bench  to perform some leg and glutes exercises at home to get these big muscles moving. Step Up Pick one foot, press through the heel as you step onto the bench. Bringing the other foot up to stand on the bench. Return to the starting position by stepping down with one foot first followed by the other foot. Grab a dumbbell in each hand with your arms fully extended at your sides and palms facing inward to increase the difficulty level.  Muscle worked: Glutes and hamstring Single-leg Squat Extend your arms for balance. Roll your shoulder blades back and keep your back straight. Raise the non-s...

If you want to take your workouts to the next level, start with your middle. Your core contracts first in every exercise and then the energy is transferred to the limbs.  In order to prime your core muscles, so they fire better during your other workout, you need to train your core first. By training your torso when your muscles are fresh, you will achieve the fastest gains. Performing classic ab moves like crunches and knee-ins at the beginning of your workout to warm up the muscles, you will be able to lift more weights, work more muscle and burn more calories later on. Sharing four ab warm-up exercises that you can do on a  bench . Elevated Bicycle Crunch Lie on the bench with face-up, place your hands by your ears. Keep your legs out straight and elevated. Bring one knee up as you bring the opposite elbow to touch that knee. Contract your abs tightly as you come up with an exhale. Alternate with the other side. Alternating shoulder to knee crunches work all the m...

A well-trained butt and toned legs aren’t just nice to look at. Many suffer pain from lower back and leg pain from sitting all day.  The hamstring muscles are connected to the bones at the bottom of the lower pelvis. Tight hamstring muscles can lead to the locked pelvis and cause stress on the lower back, which would inadvertently cause pain in the spine and contributes to poor posture. With consistent hamstring exercises and stretching, many backs and leg pain will effectively dissipate. Hip and hamstring exercises can help lengthen and loosen back muscles, relieve nerve compression that causes pain. You could use your bench to finish these four exercises at home without going to a crowded gym. Let’s face it, the gym is packed with people and you probably don’t want to wait your term.  Hip thrust Many would agree that the hip thrust is the best glute development exercise. The size and appearance of your glutes will change dramatically because this exercise stren...