The Amazing Stickie and Step Up Reverse Lunge

The Amazing Stickie loves an amazing challenge.  When she gets bored with her usual step ups, she amps things up by doing step up reverse lunges.

 

She begins with her right foot on a step or box or bench sturdy enough to support her.  She steps up on to the box lifting her left leg so that her knee is raised like she is marching.  She steps back to the floor with her left leg and then moves her right leg behind her, bending both knees in a reverse lunge.  Then she stands back up and repeats the exercise beginning with her left foot on the box.

A set of thirty is good. 

Effects of Strength Training - 7

This effect of strength training is a little more warm-fuzzy.  We improve our sense of wellbeing when we lift.

A number of things go into this benefit.  One is that anything that gets our heart rates up tends to make us feel better (and if our heart rates don’t rise when we lift, we aren’t lifting enough!).  Another is that we increase our sense of efficacy.  Look!  I can lift a weight!  I am strong!  This sense of efficacy carries over into other areas of our lives.  Exercise generally releases endorphins in our bodies and those are the happy chemicals.  We like those.  Finally, over time as we lift, we look better and we improve our health, both of which tend to improve our sense of wellbeing.

 

So:  Lift and get happy!

Effects of Strength Training - 6

One of the guiding principles of my personal life is that crutches are bad.  I say this from experience.  So when something is likely to reduce my risk of injury, I tend to be in favor of it.  Strength training decreases the risk of injury.

There are a few ways that this works.  For one, the stronger I am, the more likely I can lift that thingie or whatsit without throwing out my back.  Having practiced good form as I lift, I know how to lift safely.  Because strength training improves my proprioception (five dollar word translator:  sense of where my body is in space), I react better to my environment and bump into fewer things and fall down less often.  I also cope with surprise curbs, gopher holes in the grass, and other unexpected obstacles better.  My body is generally more resilient as a result of my strength training.  Plus:  stronger bones less likely to break.

 

Lift to skip the crutches!

Monday Workout: Related!

The renegade row and the plank to pike are related exercises.  Skill building while we build strength for the win!  Three rounds.

 

jacks	30
good mornings/deadlifts	20
renegade row	10
squat raise	30
bench press	20
truck driver	10
suitcase swing	30
flies	20
plank to pike	10

 

The Amazing Stickie and Plank to Pike

The Amazing Stickie loves exercises that help her prepare for other exercises!  Plank to pike was an exercise she used when she was building up to do renegade rows, but it is also a great exercise all on its own.

She begins in plank position, a lovely straight line from her heels to the back of her head, her hands directly below her shoulders.  Then she lifts her behind up in the air until her body is the shape of an inverted V.  From there, she returns to start.

 

Ten reps make a good set.

Effects of Strength Training - 5

Strength training improves posture.  As we increase our strength and we balance out the strength of various parts of our bodies, our posture gets better.  Part of this is focus on form because as we pay attention, we hold our bodies with better alignment.  Part of it is that in order to lift heavy stuff, we have to coordinate our bodies efficiently and good posture is efficient.

Good posture is good for us because of that efficiency.  It also helps us breathe.  And who does not want to look thinner?  Good posture makes us look better and leaner.

 

Lift and thrive!

Effects of Strength Training - 4

Want to increase stamina?  Surprisingly, hitting the treadmill for hours and hours is not necessarily the way.  When we do weight training, especially with fairly heavy weights, we automatically get benefits in our endurance.

Essentially, by getting stronger, we also get more durable.  Lifting heavy is, of course, not intended as cardio exercise, but I don’t think there is a person out there whose heart rate does not go up while squatting to a one-rep max.

 

Lift to win!