5 Exercises We Do At Davies Training, Chichester

For a first blog post I toyed with the idea of creating a deep-thinking, insightful article; however cooler heads prevailed and I kept it simple and straightforward.

There are dozens of brilliant exercises that I see being performed in gyms and training facilities, feats of unimaginable strength and skill. I do feel however, that often times a few tweaks to some basic exercises could reap great reward for all trainees.Nothing fancy or philosophical here, just one coach’s take:

1) Push-ups with a reach.

Adding the reach (and preferably a posterior pelvic tilt) is not something I see very often. At Davies Training it is employed as a warm-up before heavier pressing (bench press, military press) with a slow tempo. It’s easy to do, just try to reach as far away from the ground as possible. Done correctly it can really help drive scapula upward rotation and keep them healthy. Inhale through the nose at the top and brace your abdominals!

2) Paused (insert any exercise here) reps.

Most gym goers (exceptions of course), under utilise this method. Many people bounce weights around and use the elastic nature of muscles to shoot themselves out of the bottom of a rep. By pausing for 1-3 seconds (or more if you’re a little different) removes this, forces the individual to control the weight, and makes it a helluva lot harder.

3) Low Intensity Movement.

Not everything in the gym needs to be 100%, and adding in some low intensity movement (walking, swimming, stretching/yoga, jogging, yes I said jogging!) can be really beneficial from a longevity standpoint. The key is low intensity. Don’t turn your jog into a 5K sprint, or try beating everyone at the local pool. Reap the rewards of a better aerobic system, improved circulation and a less stressful training session. Not to mention you can get outside when it’s sunny and get that Vitamin D we all love!

4) Bicep Curls Deadbugs.

Deadbugs are a basic anterior core exercise, there are dozens of progression and variations I won’t go into. One of the most common complaints at Davies Training is that of lower back discomfort and tight hamstrings. This is usually addressed in most cases by adding in some strength and control through the anterior (front) core. Give them a go, your posture will thank you. PS leave the high rep crunches at home for now.

5) Band walks/march variations.

All you need is a thick resistance band! Helps to address valgus knees (caving in), weak glutes, poor foot placement. A staple in all Davies Training warm up protocols. Plus if you’ve finished your workout and want to burn those butt cheek muscles like nothing else, get that band round your knees and walk – forwards, backwards, sideways whatever ways. Go for 5 minutes and let me know how it feels.

Narrowly missed out: Trap Bar Deadlifts, Split Squats

Need help with your programming? Curious as to how personal training could be of benefit to you? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with Davies Training.