Fitmd

CABLE TRUNK ROTATIONS are a more dynamic version of the PALLOF PRESS, another exercise meant to work the deeper abdominal muscles. Rotational movements recruit both the inner and outer obliques, muscles that run diagonally along the sides of the abdomen, as well as the deeper sheet-like muscle called the transverse abdominis. These muscles also serve as stabilizers when performing heavy lifting, in which they may work indirectly. Here’s one way to target them more specifically.

People tend to associate how they feel before a workout with how productive it is going to be, assuming that it’s not going to be worth it if they don’t feel their best. Not only is your emotional state not always predictive of how your workout is going to go, it also doesn’t matter.

That’s the great thing about exercise. It improves your life whether or not you think you “had a good workout” or not. In fact, most people will still see progress over the long term regardless of how they feel on any particular day. Show up anyway. 💪🏽

Everyone wants better recovery…
but no one wants to fix the basics.

The recovery industry is worth $8–10 BILLION a year —
and most people are still underslept and overstressed.

You don’t need more hacks.
You need better habits.

Sleep. Nutrition. Stress management.
That’s the real recovery stack.

As far as abdominal isolation exercises go, I find HANGING REVERSE CRUNCHES to be an effective option. These are more challenging and can’t be done for as many reps as some other common abdominal exercises, like traditional crunches, making them a bit more useful for strength and muscle development. They can also be progressed by straightening your legs or holding a dumbbell between your feet. HANGING REVERSE CRUNCHES can be done with ab straps, hanging from a bar, or using a “Captain’s Chair” if you have access to one. A key (and often neglected) element of this exercise is creating spinal flexion by bringing the knees to the chest, rather than simply to waist level. This recruits the re**us abdominis (“six-pack”), as opposed to the more hip flexor dominant movement that occurs when only bringing the knees to waist level.

DEADLIFTS are a great overall strength builder, with a particular focus on hamstrings and glutes. Many other muscles contribute to and stabilize the movement, including the quads, calves, lower back, lats, rhomboids, traps, and the deeper abdominal muscles. Here is a simple breakdown.

If there were one supplement almost everyone should consider… it might be creatine monohydrate.

Creatine is one of the most researched supplements in existence — studied for decades, with hundreds of peer-reviewed papers behind it.

Your body naturally makes creatine, and it’s stored in your muscles as creatine phosphate. Its main job? Rapidly regenerating ATP — your body’s primary energy source.

More creatine means more immediately available energy for short, intense efforts like lifting weights, sprinting, or jumping. That translates to better performance, slower fatigue, faster recovery, more muscle growth, and less soreness.

But the benefits go beyond the gym.

Creatine has been shown to improve working memory — especially in older adults — help preserve muscle as we age, and may even support brain health in conditions like traumatic brain injury and neurodegenerative disease. There’s also emerging evidence for creatines benefits in depression, stress, fibromyalgia, and sleep deprivation.

It’s extremely well-tolerated and has one of the best safety profiles of any supplement. If you have chronic kidney disease, talk to your physician first. Otherwise, 3–5 grams per day is a solid target.

If you don’t eat meat, you may benefit even more — since meat is the only natural dietary source.

With this much upside and very little downside, creatine might just be as close as we get to a “perfect” supplement.

The LOW BAR SQUAT is a version of the barbell back squat that places the bar at a lower position on your back than the more common high bar squat. It is a good option for recruiting not just your quads, but also your hamstrings, glutes, and back muscles, making it my preferred option for performing the squat. Let’s break it down for you.Step 1: Place your hands evenly on the barbell, equidistant from the center knurling. The closer, the better, but if your shoulders aren’t flexible, you may need to place them wider. It is recommended to use a thumbless grip, as this will allow you to comfortably place the bar in the proper position without wrist pain. If the bar is properly balanced, there will be no need to hold the bar in place with your thumbs. Step 2: Place the barbell below the spine of your scapula, across the back of your shoulders. This will be a couple inches below your last cervical vertebra. To locate the spine of your scapula, feel for a bony protrusion on the back your shoulder. To keep the bar stable and the movement efficient, retract your shoulder blades as much as possible, as if you are trying to hold a pencil between them.Step 3: Unrack the bar and step back. Position your feet with your heels about hip-width apart, with your toes pointed out about 30 degrees. Some people may need to assume a wider stance and have their toes angled out to up to 45 degrees, particularly if they have long legs.Step 4: Because of the low bar position, when you begin your squat, your torso will be leaning forward about 45 degrees. This is OK and necessary to keep the bar balanced in this position. In order to help maintain this position, your gaze will be fixed on the floor, about 3 feet in front of you. Step 5: Before you start the squat, take a big breath into your abdomen and tense your abdominal muscles. This will make the squat more efficient and protect your back. You will be holding your breath during the squat, only exhaling after you have come back up. Step 6: Lower into the squat until your hips are lower than your knees, while maintaining a neutral spine. To keep the bar balanced, keep it directly over the middle of your foot the entire time. Imagine a line from the ceiling, through the barbell, through the middle of your foot. Your job is to keep the barbell moving along this line.Step 7: After completing your set, walk directly into the rack until the bar hits the upright rails, and slide it back down into the hooks. Happy squatting!