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You’re here because you want to learn how to improve your flexibility.

Well, you’ve arrived at the right place!

We’ve been hosting flexibility challenges in our app, Nerd Fitness Journey. Today, we’ll share with you the same exercises we use to improve general mobility.

If you’ve always considered yourself “inflexible,” you need this guide!

Here’s what we’ll cover today:

• What are the 3 best flexibility exercises? (Intro and Benchmark Test)
• Tips and tricks for increased flexibility
• How to Improve Your Flexibility: Week 1
• How to Improve Your Flexibility: Week 2
• How to Improve Your Flexibility: Week 3
• How to Improve Your Flexibility: Week 4
• Next steps for becoming more flexible

I promise you, if you follow the videos in our guide, you will be more flexible in 30 days.

Let’s get bendy!

What Are the 3 Best Flexibility Exercises? (Intro and Benchmark Test)

The above video comes from Nerd Fitness Prime, kicking off our 30-day challenge “Flexibility for the Inflexible.”

In it, Nerd Fitness Coach Matt discusses the three best exercises for improving flexibility, which are:

1. The Toe Touch
2. The Back Scratch
3. The Butterfly Stretch

Let’s go over each of these moves now.

#1) Toe Touch

To perform a standing toe touch:

• Stand straight with your legs about hip-width apart. You want your legs to be straight, but don’t aggressively lock out your knees either (this feels like a “microbend” to a lot of people).
• Begin by bending and leaning forward towards the ground with your quads (front of your legs).
• Let your body rest naturally, as if you were a ragdoll. Keeping your hands relatively close together, straighten your fingers and begin to stretch down slowly to the ground.

The goal here, ultimately, will be to touch your toes. 

We also have a complete guide on How to Finally Touch Your Toes for more. 

#2) Back Scratch

To perform a back scratch:

• Take a comfortable seat (or stand), with your torso and back tall.
• Tuck your thumbs inside of your fist.
• Place your right hand behind your head, down back over your shoulder. Reach as far down the middle of your back as possible, palm facing you. 
• Your other arm (left) is going to go behind and up, with your palm facing away. Reach this hand toward your upper hand (don’t strain).
• Switch arms and reverse the moment. 

Over time, we are going to work to bring your hands closer together.

#3) Butterfly Stretch

To perform a butterfly stretch:

• Take a seat, with your legs facing out in front of you.
• Bring both of your front feet together, with the bottoms touching, by bending your knees away from each other.
• Grab both feet with your hands, with your elbows coming down toward your knee (they don’t have to touch). 
• Keep your back straight, and allow your knees to come down (if they can, don’t force it).

The goal here will be to bring your knees lower and feet closer to your groin, but don’t fret if this is challenging. Even Coach Matt has trouble with butterfly stretches. 

Why these three exercises?

Coach Matt refers to the toe touch, back scratch, and butterfly stretch as “benchmarks.”

If you have decent mobility in these three exercises, you’re probably pretty flexible.

Improving these will be our mission for the next 30 days! 

Each week, Coach Matt will provide three different video routines with exercises designed to target these specific benchmarks. 

So in Week 1, you’ll find a video for:

• Toe Touches
• Back Scratches
• Butterfly Stretches

You can do these videos all at once if you want, or break them up throughout your week.

Maybe you do a routine Monday, Wednesday, and then on Friday.

We’ll end this guide with some tips on starting a recurring practice.

At the end of our 4-week series, we’ll check-in, to see how everything is coming along.

Here’s what we need you to do right now: record where you are with these moves.

• How far down can you reach with your toe touch?
• How far apart are your hands during the back scratch?
• How close are your feet and how high up are your knees during the butterfly stretch?

Coach Matt recommends a few ways to measure these benchmarks in the introductory video above, but even some subjective tracking would be useful:

“On a scale of 1 to 10, this move was tough, so I’d give it an 8.”

Don’t forget about this initial tracking, even if you don’t have a measuring tape. Just go through the initial benchmark tests the best you can.

Before we jump into the series itself, let’s discuss some general tips and tricks for improving flexibility.

Tips and Tricks for Increased Flexibility

First and foremost, all bodies are different.

You might have a great range of motion in your back scratch, but can’t get much range on your toe touch. Or maybe you’re like Coach Matt, where butterfly stretches are challenging. 

Our goal here is to improve YOUR flexibility. We’ll all have different mobility ranges on Day 1.

All of us have to start somewhere, so don’t stress if you feel inflexible…

…that’s why you’re reading this guide.

No matter what, by going through this process, you’ll learn more about your body and develop tools for increasing your range of motion.

Next up…

Coach Matt highlights two general ways to increase your flexibility:

1. Function. This is your technique and awareness of your flexibility. Think of this as maximizing the potential of your current body.
2. Structure. This would be your body itself, and the range of motion of muscles, tendons, etc. Structure is about changing your body itself through these flexibility exercises.

You’re probably not going to increase the structural flexibility of your body after one stretching session. These things take time

However, you very well may increase your flexibility by improving your function or technique. As you go through the videos, Coach Matt will offer instructions on how to position your body for proper stretching. 

This alone may very well increase your range of motion.

We’ll also be using three specific movement tools for improving flexibility:

#1) Active Range of Motion

This would be doing the complete movement of an exercise, fluidly.

So a normal bodyweight squat would be an active range of motion if you did the entire movement:

By going all the way down and back up with your squat, your muscles are engaged evenly throughout.

#2) Pulses

This movement has you stopping at a particular point of an exercise, like the bottom of a squat, and slowly and in control, pulsing slightly up and down:

You’re really only moving about an inch here for your pulses.

This will help you gain control of that particular area.

#3) Holds

As the name would suggest, here you’ll hold the position at a specific point of the exercise. 

For example, for your squats, you may pause at the bottom of the movement:

This can help you grow stability during a particular stretch.

During the course of the next four weeks, we’ll be utilizing a combination of active range of motion, pulses, and holds, to increase your flexibility.

And with that, onto week 1!

How to Improve Your Flexibility: Week 1

For our first week, Coach Matt is going to start us off slow.

Here, it’s all about learning the foundations of the movement. 

To increase flexibility, it often comes down to properly setting up the stretch.

We’ll begin by teaching you the basics. 

Toe Touch Week 1:

Back Scratch Week 1:

Butterfly Series Week 1:

How to Improve Your Flexibility: Week 2

This week, we’re going to identify the edge of your flexibility.

We won’t push or strain ourselves too much, but we’ll use our breath as a sign of difficulty.

The goal here is to understand how flexible you may actually be (you might be able to reach farther than you think). 

However, as Coach Matt will continuously remind you, if it feels unsafe, DON’T DO IT!

Toe Touch Week 2:

Back Scratch Week 2:

Butterfly Series Week 2:

How to Improve Your Flexibility: Week 3

In Week 3, it’s all about exploring and expanding your flexibility exercises.

We’ll be testing your movements and begin thinking about ways to “go off the rails” a little here and there.

In our third round of exercises, you’ll begin changing, adapting, and remixing the moves to increase your range of motion.

With flexibility, some creativity can be a good thing, which will be your focus for this stage.

Toe Touch Week 3:

Back Scratch Week 3:

Butterfly Series Week 3:

How to Improve Your Flexibility: Week 4

In the last week of “Flexibility for the Inflexible,” it’s all about building strength.

Muscle will help you hold and expand mobility positions, so this week Coach Matt covers exercises designed to couple strength with your flexibility.

We’ll even mix in some weights into your routine here.

Toe Touch Week 4:

Back Scratch Week 4:

Butterfly Series Week 4:

Next Steps for Becoming More Flexible

The video above is a “re-cap party” with Coach Matt, ending the 30-day Flexibility for the Inflexible challenge we ran for Nerd Fitness Prime members.

Let’s go over some highlights.

#1) Continue to test and retest your flexibility benchmarks. 

That which gets measured gets improved, so continue to track your toe touch, back scratch, and butterfly stretch. 

Remember, these tests don’t need to be some precise measurement rounded to the nearest millimeter (although if you want to do that, have at it). 

Instead, they can be subjective: 

“This is really tough, I can’t bring down my knees at all.” 

to…

“I could probably sit like this for 15 minutes.”

Don’t stress out over how precise your measurements are, but do keep a record of how these stretches feel. It’ll help us know if you’re improving. 

#2) Use your breath as a guide.

Breathing can often be a signal of excretion levels:

• If your breath is calm and normal, what you’re doing is within your comfort range.
• If you’re huffing and puffing a lot, or even holding your breath, you’re probably exerting yourself too much.

As Coach Matt highlights, during your flexibility exercises, don’t push too far past your comfort zone.

Yes, we should find your edge, but we also want you to feel in control during your stretches so you can really “own” the movement. 

If you find yourself having to catch your breath, it could be a sign you’ve gone too far. 

Be mindful of your breathing during our flexibility exercises. 

#3) You don’t have to stretch every day.

You probably noticed that we provided three 20 minute videos per week to help improve your flexibility.

This was intentional, because you don’t have to stretch every day to increase your range of motion.

Truth be told, you don’t even need to do 20-minute sequences three times a week to improve flexibility. Even just 10 minutes of flexibility exercises a couple of times per week could improve your mobility.

Just make it habitual.

To do so, you can continue to follow the videos in this guide, or I have some other resources for you to check out.

Here are three more guides for improving your flexibility:

• 21 Yoga Poses for Beginners. Yoga can be a great practice to improve your flexibility. If you’ve never tried it before, check out our guide. We’ll provide video sequences designed for beginners, so don’t worry if you have no clue what a downward dog is. We’ll teach you.
• Three Full-Body Stretching Routines to Cool Down. After a workout, a good stretch can be the perfect way to lower your heart rate. Our guide will offer you three different routines to perform after your workout (or whenever) so you can start improving your flexibility.
• How to Touch Your Toes. Since the toe touch is the go-to benchmark to see how flexible you are, we have a complete guide on getting you there. If you’ve always dreamed of being able to reach your little piggy wiggies, start here.

The most important thing you can do now?

Get to it!

You’re not going to get any more flexible by reading articles online, so pick a sequence from today and get going! 

Start with the Flexibility for the Inflexible Week 1 videos if you’re unsure where to begin.

If you like our style here at Nerd Fitness, I have three great options on how you can continue your journey with us:

Option #1) If you want a professional coach in your pocket, who can do video form checks, provide feedback, and adjust your workouts based on your experience level, check out our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program! 

For example, let’s say you have an old injury and couldn’t perform one of our flexibility exercises. A Nerd Fitness Coach can work with you to create a customized routine for your exact situation. 

Personally, I’ve been working with the same online coach since 2015 and it’s changed my life. You can learn more by clicking on the box below: 

Our coaching program changes lives. Learn how!

Option #2) Exercising at home and need a plan to follow? Check out Nerd Fitness Journey!

Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).

Plus, you can take part in flexibility challenges alongside a group of nerds who are all trying to better themselves!

Try your free trial right here:

Option #3) Become part of the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.

Sign up in the box below to enlist and get our Rebel Starter Kit, which includes all of our “work out from home” guides.

Alright, now I want to hear from you! 

Did you try our “Flexibility for the Inflexible” series?

Did you find any of the exercises easier or harder than the others?

Any tips or tricks to help the “inflexible”?

Let me know in the comments!

-Steve

P.S. Personally, I’ve found a yoga practice to be incredibly helpful in improving my mobility. We have an entire course on starting home yoga as part of Nerd Fitness Prime.

I’d love for you to check it out. 

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Photo Source: Evgeniy Pavlovski © 123RF.com, LEGO Marvel Avengers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Trooper, Maybe the droids we’re looking for are at the bottom of this pool, Hold onto your hat, Monkey King

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Meet Mason, a chemist from Minnesota who is currently celebrating losing over 70 pounds as a member of our Online Coaching Program.

As you can see, Mason has gone through quite the transformation.

Here’s what’s truly remarkable about this story: the time frame!

Mason found Nerd Fitness a year ago, after googling “how to make fitness like a video game” in January 2020.

The fact that THIS is the search that led Mason to us makes me so dang happy.

Like many in the NF Rebellion, Mason felt right at home amongst a group of nerds trying to better themselves. After going it alone for a bit, Mason decided a NF Coach could help him reach his goals.

He recognized he had some challenges, including:

• A love of baked goods – “The THOUGHT of cutting out all desserts and sweets made me miserable.”
• Workout programs that were too advanced – “I was always told that knee push-ups were the easy variation…but I couldn’t even do those.”
• No idea on how to get going – “There’s an overwhelming amount of information when it comes to fitness. I wasn’t sure where to begin.”

Luckily, Mason decided to pick a path and course correct along the way.

365 days later, Mason feels like a new person.

Let’s dig into Mason’s journey and see what allowed him to crush life…during a pandemic!

THE 5 KEYS TO MASON’S SUCCESS

#1) MASON TOOK ACTION

At the end of 2019, Mason knew something had to give:

“After gaining another 10 lbs over Christmas, I wanted to make a change in the New Year.”

The problem?

Mason wasn’t sure what to do!

He started asking himself:

• Where do I begin?
• What diet should I follow?
• How do I start exercising?

Like many of us, Mason started googling for answers.

We’ve all been down this rabbit hole…

Luckily, Mason eventually stopped searching the internet for more information and got to work.

This is an important point: research is great, but action is more critical.

Reading books on working out is for sure helpful. However, no book will ever surpass the benefit of actually trying a work out yourself.

Takeaway: I’m glad you’re here reading Nerd Fitness to level up your life, but don’t forget the most important step: you gotta get going!

Otherwise, you may spend your time endlessly collecting underpants.

#2) MASON EMBRACED HIS EXPERIENCE LEVEL

In Mason’s own words: “Nerd Fitness was the first program that came down to my level of workouts.

When I started, my biggest struggle was doing a push-up.

I was always told that knee push-ups were the easiest variation…but I couldn’t even do those.

Even the incline push-ups were too challenging. My coach didn’t flinch at any of that though, and programmed wall push-ups first.

A few weeks later, I upgraded to an incline push-up. It then took a couple of months before I achieved my first knee push-up. That was the sweetest feeling.”

“It was the first indication that the program was working and I was making actual progress!

After two more months of training, I achieved my first full push-up.

Now, I’ve started doing diamond push-ups.”

Takeaway: All of us start from a different experience level. That’s okay! Don’t freak out if you can’t do a push-up (or even a knee push-up).

You’re going to have to beat Level 1 before going to Level 2. That’s how any decent game (or fitness program) works. However, if you put in the time, you will get to the next level.

Or as Mason says, “Understand that this is a marathon. It takes time, but consistency is key.”

#3) MASON CREATED SYSTEMS (INSTEAD OF RELYING ON MOTIVATION)

Speaking of consistency, Mason knew he didn’t want to depend on “January motivation” to make his goals.

So he created systems.

“I tried to turn fitness into a habit. That’s helped me stay consistent for the past year. I tell myself ‘Today is Monday. I work out on Mondays whether I feel like it or not.’”

A coach has also been helpful for Mason’s new system too.

“Coaching made me feel accountable to my schedule. Someone else would know if I didn’t do my workout for the day.

But I never was made to feel ashamed or guilty. It was only non-stop encouragement.”

Takeaway: When you make a goal, create a plan or system on how to get there.

Then, ask yourself, “am I doing what I set out to do?”

This course of action will propel you far longer than a single spurt of motivation ever could.

#4) MASON DIALED IN HIS NUTRITION (WHILE STILL EATING BAKED GOODS)

Like many of us, Mason LOVES cookies.

He knew that any program that would forbid them completely was doomed to fail.

So Mason makes them part of his plan:

“Learning balance and intention has been important. For example, I’ve discovered that it’s ok to have a cookie. Just not ten. Each treat is an intentional choice, instead of mindless eating.”

But it hasn’t all been “eat less of that.” On the flipside, Mason has also had to make room on his plate for other nutritious foods.

“I’ve been trying to eat more protein. It’s a big mindset shift where I’m actually trying to eat more instead of less.”

Takeaway: When someone tells us they are trying to eat healthier, generally, we don’t tell them to stop eating anything specific right away. Instead, we tell them to eat more protein (chicken/legumes) and fiber (found in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains).

As Mason says, this is a big mindset shift, as most dieting advice boils down to “stop that.”

#5) MASON ASKED FOR HELP

Here’s how Mason tells it:

“I wanted to join Nerd Fitness Coaching in order to get some structure in my fitness journey.

On my own, I was trying to piece together a plan from a ton of different sources. It was a little overwhelming.

Having a coach who can put together a workout and answer all my nutrition questions has helped me maximize my progress. They took my year-long goal and broke it down into bite-sized chunks.

When I started, my ‘big, impossible, never going to achieve this’ goal was to get under 200 lbs…

Well, I’m currently at 198 lbs and happily maintaining.”

Takeaway: It’s 100% possible to use free articles and videos to help you reach your goals! We’ve seen millions of Rebels achieve amazing feats using nothing but the free guides on Nerd Fitness as a roadmap to move forward.

However, there are also limitations on going alone. You might not even appreciate that you’ve been struggling or stalling.

So learn to ask for help when in doubt.

It could be from a trained professional like a coach. Or even just a friend who knows the way.

The important point is recognize when you’ve exhausted progress on your own.

2021 IS UP AND ROARING

I’m super proud of Mason and what he’s accomplished.

If you personally didn’t meet your fitness goals last year, don’t beat yourself over it.

Most of us felt lucky to just tread water, thanks to the Apocalypse Simulator 2020.

It seems like we’re living through the sequel too…

Regardless of what 2021 brings, if you have large goals this year, think about how you can strive for “consistency” with them.

How can you move forward, even just a little bit, each and every day?

This strategy is what allowed Mason to gain his incredible results.

Should you want some one-on-one help for some consistency in 2021, chaos is where our coaching program thrives.

We’ve found that having a plan that adapts to constantly changing situations is really valuable in times like this!

So if you think having a personal Yoda on your side can help with the challenges you’re facing (and the challenges you don’t even know about yet!), we’re here for you.

With Nerd Fitness Coaching, you’ll gain:

• Confidence on exactly what to do. No guesswork needed, you’ll simply log into our coaching app and follow the plan laid out for you.
• A program tailored to your needs. We won’t just say “do this workout” or “eat broccoli.” You can get that for free on the internet. We’ll find out what works best for you as an individual. Plus, if it’s not working for whatever reason, NBD. We’ll absorb that information like a non-judgemental scientist would, and together we’ll create a new path forward.
• A partner to help you make your goals. Many people can set goals and hit them by themselves. But some of us can’t (I personally needed a coach to hit my fitness goals too). If you’ve been struggling by yourself, know that it’s okay to seek help from an expert who knows the way.

If you want to make the most out of 2021, we’d love to be a part of your journey.

You can schedule a call to see if we’re right for each other right here:

Learn more about Nerd Fitness Coaching!

If you decide not to try coaching, no problem. I’ll still be here offering free guides and corny jokes to help you level up your life.

But if you do decide to join, maybe it’ll be your success story I’m sharing at the end of 2021.

A similar thing happened to our friend Mason.

For the Rebellion,

-Steve

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It’s time to discover the best compound exercises for beginners!

Compound exercises are the most “bang for your buck” when it comes to working out, so I’m super excited you want to learn more about them!

In our 1-on-1 Online Coach Program, we prioritize compound exercises when building workout routines for our clients. We’ll explain why today.

Nerd Fitness Coaches build workouts for any situation. Click here to learn more.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• What are compound exercises? (How to train efficiently)
• The 5 best compound exercises (bodyweight)
• The 7 best compound exercises (barbell)
• Start training with compound exercises (Next steps)

Also, if you’re in a hurry, we’ve compiled all our strength and weight training content into one handy guide called (appropriately): Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know. 

Grab it for free when you join the Rebellion (that’s us!) below:

Alright, cue the music. Let’s do this thang.

What are Compound Exercises?

Let’s compare “compound exercises” to “isolation exercises”:

• Compound exercises require more than one muscle group working together to complete the movement. This replicates the way your body naturally moves.
• Isolation exercises more or less train one specific muscle group. For example, the leg extension machine focuses on your quads, so it “isolates” training that muscle.

Front squats would be an example of a compound exercise, because it engages your entire  lower body and core, and quite a bit of your upper body too, as you perform the movement:

As opposed to biceps curls, which more or less just trains your biceps:

As we explain in our Guide to Functional Fitness, whenever possible you want to focus on compound exercises.

Why?

Because in everyday life, you don’t use your muscles in isolation!

When you’re placing luggage in the overhead bin, hoisting a bag of dog food from the floor, or hauling your kid to bed, you’re using your muscle groups together. 

Just like you would with a compound exercise.

Plus, since you’re using multiple muscle groups at once, you’re taxing your body more when training. This can provide more efficient use of your time in the gym. 

In other words, why do three different exercises when you can just do one?

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get to working out.

The 5 Best Compound Exercises (Bodyweight)

1) The Push-up: The best exercise you could ever do for yourself when it comes to using your bodyweight for “push muscles.”

Muscles trained with the push-up:

• Pectoral 
• Triceps
• Deltoids
• Abs

Here’s our video on how to do a proper push-up:

Easier Variation: Knee Push-up

Tougher Variation: Decline Push-up

2) The Bodyweight Squat: This exercise serves a dual purpose – it is the foundation for building strength AND helps build proper mobility. If you are going to ever do barbell squats, you need to work on hitting proper depth with a bodyweight squat first! 

Muscles trained with the squat:

• Quads
• Glutes
• Hamstrings
• Core muscles

Easier Variation: Assisted Bodyweight Squat

Tougher Variation: Goblet Squat

3) The Inverted Bodyweight Row: Until you can get your first pull-up or chin-up, these exercises are GREAT to start building your pull-muscle strength.

Muscles trained with the inverted row:

• All of your back muscles (Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius)
• Biceps
• Forearm muscles (dorsal, ventral)
• Your grip

Easier Variation: Incline Inverted Row

Tougher Variation: Elevated Feet Inverted Row

4) The Pull-up and Chin-up: Once you can support your body’s weight above the bar, the world becomes your playground. No strength training routine should be without pull-up or chin-up work! (Can’t do a pull-up yet? We got you.)

Muscles trained with the pull-up:

• All of your back muscles (Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius)
• Biceps
• Latissimus dorsi (Lats)
• Trapezius (Traps)
• Abs
• Your grip

Here’s how to perform a proper pull-up:

Easier Variation: Negative Pull-ups

Tougher Variation: Weighted Pull-ups

5) The Bodyweight Dip: As you start to get stronger with push-ups and need to find a way to increase the challenge, consider doing dips.

Warning: these are very advanced, but are incredible strength-building exercises. 

Muscles trained with the dips:

• Pectoral 
• Triceps
• Deltoids
• Rhomboid (Back muscles)
• Abs

Easier Variation: Assisted Dips

Tougher Variation: Weighted Dips

These 5 compound exercises will propel you into the world of bodyweight training. 

For more ideas on how to train without a gym, check out The 42 Best Bodyweight Exercises (Work Out Anywhere).

Now, it’s barbell time!^[1]

The 7 Best Compound Exercises (Barbell)

After getting comfortable moving your own bodyweight around, it’s time to start training with barbells!

To up the difficulty with these compound exercises, simply add more weight. 

The fun thing about barbells: you can almost always add more weight (disclaimer: provided you do it safely). 

Here are The Best Barbell Compound Exercises: 

6) The Barbell Squat: Probably the best compound exercise when it comes to building strength and muscle throughout your whole body. 

Show me somebody who squats heavy and I’ll show you a great physique. This is a MUST.

Here’s how to perform the barbell back squat:

Muscles trained with the barbell squat:

• Quads
• Glutes
• Hamstrings
• Core muscles

7) The Barbell Deadlift: Maybe the best exercise of all time. 

It’s certainly the most primal: “pick the weight up off the ground. Done.” 

Here’s how to perform the deadlift:

Muscles trained with the barbell deadlift:

• Glutes
• Erectors (Spinal muscle)
• Hamstrings
• Pretty much every muscle in your body

9) The Barbell Romanian Deadlift: Think of this as the top half of a conventional deadlift (imagine you’re a “drinking bird” bending over at the waist):

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to perform the Romanian deadlift:

Muscles trained with the Romanian deadlift:

• Hamstrings
• Glutes
• Erectors (Spinal muscle)
• Rhomboid (Back muscles)

10) The Barbell Overhead Press: Press a barbell above your head. 

Muscles trained with the overhead press:

• Pectoral 
• Triceps
• Deltoids
• Rhomboid (Back muscles)
• Abs

All the muscles in your chest, shoulders, and arms are engaged in order for you to lift the weight over your head. As a bonus, you need to really flex and brace your core, which gets those muscles working too.

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to perform the overhead press:

11) The Barbell Bench Press: Lie on a bench, and lower a barbell until it almost touches your chest. Pause, and then press it back up towards the sky. 

Repeat! And get strong. 

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to perform the bench press:

Muscles trained with the benchpress:

• Pectoral 
• Triceps
• Deltoids
• Rhomboid (Back muscles)
• Abs
• Pretty much every muscle in your upper-body

12) The Barbell Bent-Over Row: Bend your torso over and hoist a barbell up.

Muscles trained with the bent-over row:

• All of your back muscles (Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius)
• Biceps
• Forearm muscles (dorsal, ventral)
• Your grip

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to perform the bent-over row:

Note: The above might be tough if gyms are closed around you. If that’s so, here’s how to build a gym at home (using household equipment).

Start Performing the Best Compound Exercises (Next Steps)

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: commit to trying ONE of these compound movements in the next week. Use 20 seconds of courage, recruit a friend who has lifted or trained before, and try your best. 

We all start somewhere! 

Speaking of starting out…

Have you yet to do ANY of these compound exercises?

Always start out with bodyweight moves and make sure your form is correct!

If it’s a barbell movement, use a broomstick (or PVC Pipe). 

When it comes to movements like squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, bench press, etc. – your form is crucial.  Develop good habits with lighter weight and you will save yourself months of frustration later and will protect you from injury.

If you’re struggling with certain elements of a movement, don’t get frustrated! Just understand that you’ll have areas in which you can improve.

When I started, I really liked practicing all of the movements at home because I could watch a video online at the same time as I was watching myself do it in a mirror.

Film yourself and compare it to our videos, or post it to the form check section of the Nerd Fitness Forums.

Still uncomfortable with the movements after that? Look around at some local strength and conditioning gyms and see if you could hire a coach (here’s how to find a good trainer) for one or two sessions just to go over the basic movements (or consider working with an online coach).

No matter what path you take, the most important thing you can do: START NOW!

Don’t overthink it. Just pick a compound exercise and learn how to do it. We can add more exercises to your routine down the road.

Want a little help getting going? The perfect next step to start your strength training journey!

You got it. 

Option #1) If you want a coach in your pocket, who can do video form checks, provide feedback, and adjust your workouts based on your progress, check out our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program! 

I’ve had an online coach since 2015 and it’s changed my life. You can learn more by clicking on the box below: 

Our coaching program changes lives. Learn how!

Option #2) If you want a daily prompt for doing compound exercises at home, check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).

Plus, you get to build an awesome superhero in the process!

Try your free trial right here:

Option #3) Join the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.

Sign-up below and receive our free guide Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know. It includes step-by-step instructions for the Best Compound Exercises covered in today’s guide. 

Alright, enough from me. Your turn:

Do you agree with my list of best compound exercises?

Am I missing any?

Any tips or tricks for a newbie just getting started?

Let me know in the comments!

-Steve

PS: Make sure you check out the rest of our Strength Training 101 series:

• 5 Best Strength Training Workout Routines For Beginners
• How Much Weight Should I Be Lifting?
• Finding the Right Gym

###

GIF Source: Weighted Dips, Biceps Curl, Will Ferrell,

Photo Source: lightfieldstudios © 123RF.com, Workout, LEGO bench press,  Lance Cpl. Tayler P. Schwamb, 101, 102, 103

The post Blog first appeared on Nerd Fitness.

from Nerd Fitness: Helping You Lose Weight, Get Stronger, Live Better. https://ift.tt/3oUGu7D
via IFTTT

It’s time to discover the best compound exercises for beginners!

Compound exercises are the most “bang for your buck” when it comes to working out, so I’m super excited you want to learn more about them!

In our 1-on-1 Online Coach Program, we prioritize compound exercises when building workout routines for our clients. We’ll explain why today.

Nerd Fitness Coaches build workouts for any situation. Click here to learn more.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• What are compound exercises? (How to train efficiently)
• The 5 best compound exercises (bodyweight)
• The 7 best compound exercises (barbell)
• Start training with compound exercises (Next steps)

Also, if you’re in a hurry, we’ve compiled all our strength and weight training content into one handy guide called (appropriately): Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know. 

Grab it for free when you join the Rebellion (that’s us!) below:

Alright, cue the music. Let’s do this thang.

What are Compound Exercises?

Let’s compare “compound exercises” to “isolation exercises”:

• Compound exercises require more than one muscle group working together to complete the movement. This replicates the way your body naturally moves.
• Isolation exercises more or less train one specific muscle group. For example, the leg extension machine focuses on your quads, so it “isolates” training that muscle.

Front squats would be an example of a compound exercise, because it engages your entire  lower body and core, and quite a bit of your upper body too, as you perform the movement:

As opposed to biceps curls, which more or less just trains your biceps:

As we explain in our Guide to Functional Fitness, whenever possible you want to focus on compound exercises.

Why?

Because in everyday life, you don’t use your muscles in isolation!

When you’re placing luggage in the overhead bin, hoisting a bag of dog food from the floor, or hauling your kid to bed, you’re using your muscle groups together. 

Just like you would with a compound exercise.

Plus, since you’re using multiple muscle groups at once, you’re taxing your body more when training. This can provide more efficient use of your time in the gym. 

In other words, why do three different exercises when you can just do one?

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get to working out.

The 5 Best Compound Exercises (Bodyweight)

1) The Push-up: The best exercise you could ever do for yourself when it comes to using your bodyweight for “push muscles.”

Muscles trained with the push-up:

• Pectoral 
• Triceps
• Deltoids
• Abs

Here’s our video on how to do a proper push-up:

Easier Variation: Knee Push-up

Tougher Variation: Decline Push-up

2) The Bodyweight Squat: This exercise serves a dual purpose – it is the foundation for building strength AND helps build proper mobility. If you are going to ever do barbell squats, you need to work on hitting proper depth with a bodyweight squat first! 

Muscles trained with the squat:

• Quads
• Glutes
• Hamstrings
• Core muscles

Easier Variation: Assisted Bodyweight Squat

Tougher Variation: Goblet Squat

3) The Inverted Bodyweight Row: Until you can get your first pull-up or chin-up, these exercises are GREAT to start building your pull-muscle strength.

Muscles trained with the inverted row:

• All of your back muscles (Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius)
• Biceps
• Forearm muscles (dorsal, ventral)
• Your grip

Easier Variation: Incline Inverted Row

Tougher Variation: Elevated Feet Inverted Row

4) The Pull-up and Chin-up: Once you can support your body’s weight above the bar, the world becomes your playground. No strength training routine should be without pull-up or chin-up work! (Can’t do a pull-up yet? We got you.)

Muscles trained with the pull-up:

• All of your back muscles (Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius)
• Biceps
• Latissimus dorsi (Lats)
• Trapezius (Traps)
• Abs
• Your grip

Here’s how to perform a proper pull-up:

Easier Variation: Negative Pull-ups

Tougher Variation: Weighted Pull-ups

5) The Bodyweight Dip: As you start to get stronger with push-ups and need to find a way to increase the challenge, consider doing dips.

Warning: these are very advanced, but are incredible strength-building exercises. 

Muscles trained with the dips:

• Pectoral 
• Triceps
• Deltoids
• Rhomboid (Back muscles)
• Abs

Easier Variation: Assisted Dips

Tougher Variation: Weighted Dips

These 5 compound exercises will propel you into the world of bodyweight training. 

For more ideas on how to train without a gym, check out The 42 Best Bodyweight Exercises (Work Out Anywhere).

Now, it’s barbell time!^[1]

The 7 Best Compound Exercises (Barbell)

After getting comfortable moving your own bodyweight around, it’s time to start training with barbells!

To up the difficulty with these compound exercises, simply add more weight. 

The fun thing about barbells: you can almost always add more weight (disclaimer: provided you do it safely). 

Here are The Best Barbell Compound Exercises: 

6) The Barbell Squat: Probably the best compound exercise when it comes to building strength and muscle throughout your whole body. 

Show me somebody who squats heavy and I’ll show you a great physique. This is a MUST.

Here’s how to perform the barbell back squat:

Muscles trained with the barbell squat:

• Quads
• Glutes
• Hamstrings
• Core muscles

7) The Barbell Deadlift: Maybe the best exercise of all time. 

It’s certainly the most primal: “pick the weight up off the ground. Done.” 

Here’s how to perform the deadlift:

Muscles trained with the barbell deadlift:

• Glutes
• Erectors (Spinal muscle)
• Hamstrings
• Pretty much every muscle in your body

9) The Barbell Romanian Deadlift: Think of this as the top half of a conventional deadlift (imagine you’re a “drinking bird” bending over at the waist):

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to perform the Romanian deadlift:

Muscles trained with the Romanian deadlift:

• Hamstrings
• Glutes
• Erectors (Spinal muscle)
• Rhomboid (Back muscles)

10) The Barbell Overhead Press: Press a barbell above your head. 

Muscles trained with the overhead press:

• Pectoral 
• Triceps
• Deltoids
• Rhomboid (Back muscles)
• Abs

All the muscles in your chest, shoulders, and arms are engaged in order for you to lift the weight over your head. As a bonus, you need to really flex and brace your core, which gets those muscles working too.

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to perform the overhead press:

11) The Barbell Bench Press: Lie on a bench, and lower a barbell until it almost touches your chest. Pause, and then press it back up towards the sky. 

Repeat! And get strong. 

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to perform the bench press:

Muscles trained with the benchpress:

• Pectoral 
• Triceps
• Deltoids
• Rhomboid (Back muscles)
• Abs
• Pretty much every muscle in your upper-body

12) The Barbell Bent-Over Row: Bend your torso over and hoist a barbell up.

Muscles trained with the bent-over row:

• All of your back muscles (Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius)
• Biceps
• Forearm muscles (dorsal, ventral)
• Your grip

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to perform the bent-over row:

Note: The above might be tough if gyms are closed around you. If that’s so, here’s how to build a gym at home (using household equipment).

Start Performing the Best Compound Exercises (Next Steps)

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: commit to trying ONE of these compound movements in the next week. Use 20 seconds of courage, recruit a friend who has lifted or trained before, and try your best. 

We all start somewhere! 

Speaking of starting out…

Have you yet to do ANY of these compound exercises?

Always start out with bodyweight moves and make sure your form is correct!

If it’s a barbell movement, use a broomstick (or PVC Pipe). 

When it comes to movements like squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, bench press, etc. – your form is crucial.  Develop good habits with lighter weight and you will save yourself months of frustration later and will protect you from injury.

If you’re struggling with certain elements of a movement, don’t get frustrated! Just understand that you’ll have areas in which you can improve.

When I started, I really liked practicing all of the movements at home because I could watch a video online at the same time as I was watching myself do it in a mirror.

Film yourself and compare it to our videos, or post it to the form check section of the Nerd Fitness Forums.

Still uncomfortable with the movements after that? Look around at some local strength and conditioning gyms and see if you could hire a coach (here’s how to find a good trainer) for one or two sessions just to go over the basic movements (or consider working with an online coach).

No matter what path you take, the most important thing you can do: START NOW!

Don’t overthink it. Just pick a compound exercise and learn how to do it. We can add more exercises to your routine down the road.

Want a little help getting going? The perfect next step to start your strength training journey!

You got it. 

Option #1) If you want a coach in your pocket, who can do video form checks, provide feedback, and adjust your workouts based on your progress, check out our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program! 

I’ve had an online coach since 2015 and it’s changed my life. You can learn more by clicking on the box below: 

Our coaching program changes lives. Learn how!

Option #2) If you want a daily prompt for doing compound exercises at home, check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).

Plus, you get to build an awesome superhero in the process!

Try your free trial right here:

Option #3) Join the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.

Sign-up below and receive our free guide Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know. It includes step-by-step instructions for the Best Compound Exercises covered in today’s guide. 

Alright, enough from me. Your turn:

Do you agree with my list of best compound exercises?

Am I missing any?

Any tips or tricks for a newbie just getting started?

Let me know in the comments!

-Steve

PS: Make sure you check out the rest of our Strength Training 101 series:

• 5 Best Strength Training Workout Routines For Beginners
• How Much Weight Should I Be Lifting?
• Finding the Right Gym

###

GIF Source: Weighted Dips, Biceps Curl, Will Ferrell,

Photo Source: lightfieldstudios © 123RF.com, Workout, LEGO bench press,  Lance Cpl. Tayler P. Schwamb, 101, 102, 103

The post Blog first appeared on Nerd Fitness.

from Nerd Fitness: Helping You Lose Weight, Get Stronger, Live Better. https://ift.tt/3oUGu7D
via IFTTT