Homemade Christmas work-out
Christmas is around the corner and that means that many people are getting to gain an additional kilo or two. Unnecessary in my eyes. Of course you’ll be spending quite a few days eating elaborately and more than you usually eat, but if you compensate with a little workout it’ll be no problem. Most gyms are closed during this period, so you could go for a run or hire Tom Barten. Tom is the founder of Personal Body Plan, an app that is your personal trainer, nutritionist and lifestyle coach all in one.
Almost too good to be true? Based on your goal, age, weight and lifestyle, you’ll receive a training schedule, nutritional tips (with recipe!) and you can chat with your coach. It comes down to self discipline, but you also receive motivational messages on your screen fairly often and little bits of handy information to help you. I’m going to test it out in the new year, but Tom has already prepared some great exercises for you to do at home during the Christmas vacation. We’re all predominantly going for the BLB-trainings, because those are our weak spots.
First a short introduction from Tom, then grab your mat and get started. Go for it, good luck and Merry Christmas!
The Butt
“Upon closer inspection, you’ll find that the butt muscle is made up of three muscles: the Gluteus Minimus, Gluteus Medius and last but not least the Gluteus Maximus. The Gluteus Maximus is largely responsible for the shape and roundness of the buttock. No, you do not achieve optimal workout from the squat challenge. So then what does work?
The butt muscle is most effectively worked out with exercises like hip extension or almost hip extension. Think of exercises like the glute bridge, hip thruster, rope cable pull through and kettle-bell swings. It is very important to vary not only the exercises but the manner in which you execute them, to achieve the best development.”
The Legs
“The leg muscles can be defined in four groups: thigh front (quadriceps), thigh back (hamstrings), lower leg muscles (including the calf) and the short muscles of the foot. The greatest part of the leg is made up of the quadriceps, which are in turn made up of four muscles, and the hamstrings made up of three muscles.
The squat may not be the most efficient exercise for the buttock but it is a totally different story for the quadriceps. Not only the back squat, but all variants of it. The hamstring can be activated with various buttock exercises. You simply change the way you stand with your feet. The further away your feet are from your butt, the more the hamstring is activated.”
The Belly
“The belly muscle is made up of four flat muscles, which lie around part of the abdomen. The four flat muscles are the right stomach muscle (musculus rectus abdominus), the inner oblique stomach muscle (musculus obliquus internus abdominus), the outer oblique stomach muscle (musculus obliquus externus abdominus) and the transverse stomach muscle (musculus transversus abdominus).
The beauty of it all is that everyone has stomach muscles. Yes really, even you! Only your fat percentage is too high, so you can only feel them and not see them. Lowering the fat percentage is mainly to do with food. You can however strengthen and increase your belly muscles. Train them just like you do with any other muscle.”
