Category: Fitness

Big biceps. For some lifters, that’s the ultimate weightlifting goal. Not winning gold medals in competition or hoisting hundreds of pounds overhead. Just building some eye-catching sleeve-stretchers. And, frankly, there’s not a thing wrong with that.

Changing your physique to suit your own goals, and building muscle for muscle’s sake, is still perfectly acceptable, despite the recent prevalence of functional training, obstacle racing, or performance-driven workouts. Nevermind the fact that directly training your biceps can contribute to joint health and may actually boost performance in many lifts. So, in the spirit of getting big ol’ arms, here are some of the best ways to grow your biceps.

12 Best Biceps Exercises

Cheat Curl

Performing the cheat curl is doing the wrong thing for the right reason. Instead of a strict barbell curl, which can be effective on its own, you’re deliberately using some body English to drive a heavy weight to the top position and then controlling the eccentric (negative or lowering phase).

By using your hips and legs purposefully to lift the weights, rather than accidentally loosening technique due to fatigue, you remain in control of the exercise and reduce the risk of injury while benefiting from heavier weights and increased muscle tension.

How to Do the Cheat Curl

Stand with an underhand, shoulder-width grip on a barbell. Slightly bend your knees and push your hips toward the wall behind you. Keep your back straight and slide the bar down along your thighs. Forcefully straighten your body while curling the weight toward chin-level. Brace your abs in the top position and slowly lower the weight. Keep your elbows pinned to your sides while straightening your arms.

Repeat the entire process for each repetition. Be sure to use your legs and hips to drive the weight up, not simply your hips and lower back. Take roughly three seconds, or longer, to lower the weight on each repetition.

Benefits of the Cheat Curl

• The hip drive and increased muscle recruitment allows relatively heavier weights to be used, which can contribute to building size and strength.
• Lowering the weight slowly can help to build more muscle than lowering at a faster speed. (1)

EZ-Bar Curl

The EZ-bar allows a semi-supinated (angled) grip, which reduces the wrist strain many lifters from using a fully supinated (palms up) grip on a straight barbell. The shift in hand position also affects muscle recruitment by activating more forearm musculature than a straight bar.

The multiple sections of an EZ-bar also allows you to easily change your grip width from “wide,” to “moderate,” to “close.” Grip width will affect your effective range of motion, which will influence muscle activation.

How to Do the EZ-Bar Curl

Stand with a shoulder-width, underhand grip on the bar. Pull your shoulders back and keep your torso upright. Slightly bend your knees and set your stance to a comfortable width. Keep your elbows stationary as you curl the weight toward the front of your shoulders. Pause briefly before lowering the weight to full extension.

Benefits of the EZ-Bar Curl

• The EZ-bar increases brachioradialis activation compared to many other biceps exercises. (2)
• The angled hand position reduces stress on the wrist joint, making the exercise more comfortable for lifters with mobility problems or joint issues.

Chin-Up

Many lifters consider the chin-up to be primarily a back exercise, but the supinated (palms up) grip drastically increases biceps recruitment during the exercise. This makes it ideal for a biceps-focused workout, especially if it’s preceded or followed with additional direct biceps training to increase cumulative fatigue on the muscle.

 

By flipping your grip, you increase the leverage for your biceps to contribute during the movement, which places more stress directly on them and relatively less stress on the larger back muscles.

How to Do the Chin-Up

Grab an overhead pull-up bar with a shoulder-width, palm-up grip. Allow your body to be supported by your straight arms. Pinch your shoulder blades together as you pull your body toward the bar. Keep your neck in a neutral position and avoid extending your chin to the bar. When your mouth is roughly level with the bar, pause briefly before lowering your body to full extension.

Benefits of the Chin-Up

• The chin-up is one of relatively few compound (multi-joint) exercises which primarily work the biceps. Compound movements are highly effective at building strength and size (3)
• This movement allows for using potentially heavy weights compared to other biceps exercises, which is beneficial for size and strength.

Alternating Supinating Curl

This exercise puts a twist — pun completely intended — on the classic dumbbell curl to deliver increased muscle recruitment. Supinating, or rotating, your hand as you curl the weight up allows you to activate additional arm muscles and it works the biceps to their fullest capacity.

Each repetition takes your arm through a significant range of motion and complete muscle contraction by turning the wrist from a neutral position to a fully supinated (palm up) position, which maximally recruits the muscles of the biceps and forearm.

How to Do the Alternating Supinating Curl

Stand holding a pair of dumbbells by your sides with your palms facing your hips. Curl one arm upwards, keeping your thumb up in a neutral position. As your hand passes your ab-level, begin rotating to a palm-up position as you continue curling. In the top position, your pinky should be slightly higher than your index finger. Reverse the motion to lower the weight, and then perform a repetition with the opposite arm.

Benefits of the Alternating Supinating Curl

• The biceps muscle plays a significant role in supinating the forearm as well as flexing (bending) your arm. (4) This is one of the very few exercises to specifically incorporate the supinating function, which increases overall activation of the biceps.
• Using a neutral grip in the initial portion of the exercise recruits the brachialis and brachioradialis, making the alternating supinating curl an efficient way to train the biceps and forearms.
• Alternating arms and performing the movement unilaterally (curling one arm at a time) allows you to use a slightly heavier weight than curling both dumbbells together. (5)

Barbell Spider Curl

The barbell spider curl works the biceps from a unique angle for a variation in training stimulus. This is essentially a “reverse incline curl,” because it requires lying chest-down on an incline bench and allowing your arms to hang vertically down.

By positioning your upper arm in front of your torso, the short head of the biceps is more strongly recruited than the long head. Some lifters may not notice a significant difference in the development of either head, but for physique-conscious lifters, emphasizing either biceps head can play a significant role in building an aesthetic physique.

How to Do the Barbell Spider Curl

Set an incline bench to a low-to-moderate angle, roughly 30 or 45-degrees. Lie your chest on the bench while holding a barbell with a supinated (palm up) grip at roughly shoulder-width. Let your arms hang straight toward the ground. Curl the weight without moving at the shoulder. Your upper arms and elbows should remain pointed at the ground as the weight moves. Pause briefly in the top position to maximize the peak contraction. Lower slowly with control and avoid swinging the weight.

Benefits of the Barbell Spider Curl

• The short head of the biceps is recruited relatively more than the long head due to the position of the upper arm relative to the torso. The long head is involved in working the shoulder joint, which is essentially “immobilized” due to hanging straight down.
• The barbell spider curl creates an extremely strong peak contraction due to the angle of the bench and the leverage of the weight against gravity. This can help many lifters improve the mind-muscle connection with their biceps, which can ultimately benefit muscle growth. (6)(7)

Incline Dumbbell Curl

The incline dumbbell curl is a classic bodybuilding exercise, known for its unique angle which puts the biceps and shoulder into a stretched position and increases recruitment of the long head of the biceps.

While the stretched position is essential for the incline curl, it may be stressful on your shoulder joint. You can adjust the incline as needed, higher or lower, to accommodate your own mobility and flexibility. The key is to maintain bench-contact with your head, shoulder blades, and lower back to ensure an inclined position.

How to Do the Incline Dumbbell Curl

Lie back on an incline bench set to roughly 45-degrees with a dumbbell in each hand. Keep your head, shoulders, and tailbone against the bench throughout the entire movement. Straighten your arms and rotate your palms forward. Keep your palms facing up as you curl both weights toward your biceps. Your elbows should remain pointed to the floor and should not move forward. Slowly lower the weights to a full stretch.

Benefits of the Incline Dumbbell Curl

• Training the biceps with a unique angle, in an inclined position, contributes to more muscle growth than performing exercises which are too similar to one another. (8)
• The incline dumbbell curl puts the shoulder into a stretched position. Because the long head of the biceps crosses over the shoulder joint and is involved in shoulder flexion, this curl variation emphasizes the long head more than the short head. (9)
• The stretched position of the arm can contribute to improved shoulder mobility and biceps tendon strength. (10)

Single-Arm Preacher Curl

The barbell or EZ-bar preacher curl is a time-tested muscle-builder, but performing the exercise with one arm at a time can allow even greater focus on the muscle. Unilateral (single-side) training will improve muscle recruitment and emphasize on each arm more than a barbell exercise.

The upper arm support and stationary shoulder position de-emphasize the long head of the biceps and increase recruitment of the short head.

How to Do the Single-Arm Preacher Curl

Start with a dumbbell curled to your shoulder, with your palm facing your body. Press your chest against the flat side of a preacher curl bench and rest both underarms snugly on top of the pad. Lay your elbow and triceps on the angled side of the bench, keeping the dumbbell in the top position. Maintain a palms-up grip as you slowly lower the weight. When your arm is nearly straight, curl the weight back to the starting position.

Benefits of the Single-Arm Preacher Curl

• The preacher curl bench supports the upper arm which reinforces strict technique and limits cheating or momentum.
• The single-arm preacher curl emphasizes the short head of the biceps.
• The unilateral movement allows lifters to address common muscle asymmetries between arms by focusing on each arm individually.

Single-Arm Low Cable Curl

The low cable pulley puts the biceps under constant tension, compared to barbells or dumbbells which rely on gravity and leverage to provide resistance. This results in cables offering greater time under tension and a stronger muscle-building stimulus. (11)

 

The single-arm low cable curl can be done either facing the cable stack or facing away from it. Facing away will put a greater stretch on the biceps, similar to an incline curl, and is the more effective option.

How to Do the Single-Arm Low Cable Curl

Attack a single handle to a low cable pulley. Grab the handle, turn your back to the weight stack, and take one or two small steps forward. With a palms-up grip and your hand by your side, your straight arm should be very slightly “pulled” behind your torso by the weight. Keep your elbow stationary while curling the handle toward your shoulder. From the top position, fully straighten your arm before repeating the next repetition.

Benefits of the Single-Arm Low Cable Curl

• This cable curl variation puts the muscle under constant muscular tension which can increase muscle growth.
• The long time under tension and long range of motion make the exercise highly effective with relatively light weight, making it ideal for lifters whose joints cannot tolerate heavy loads.

Concentration Curl

The concentration curl is a classic biceps exercise, often performed by beginning lifters instinctively without formal direction. It can be an extremely effective way to target the biceps with minimal recruitment of other muscles.

The setup of the concentration curl allows you to, rightfully, concentrate on the working arm during each set. Not only is the movement strictly performed by one arm at a time, but you’re looking directly at your muscle as it contracts and stretches for each repetition.

How to Do the Concentration Curl

With a dumbbell in one hand, sit on a bench or chair with your feet set well-beyond shoulder-width. Brace the triceps of the working arm near the same-side knee. Curl the weight toward your face while maintaining a palm-up grip. Don’t allow your legs or torso to swing the weight up. Slowly lower the weight to complete extension.

Benefits of the Concentration Curl

• This exercise is ideal for using the “touch training” technique — using your non-working hand to touch the working muscle during each repetition. This can improve the mind-muscle connection and may increase muscle growth. (12)
• This movement allows for strict exercise performance with little to no momentum due to the braced stance and arm support.
• The concentration curl allows variety from standard dumbbell curls without needing additional equipment like a preacher curl bench or cable pulley.

Zottman Curl

The Zottman curl, named for American strongman George Zottman, working the biceps and forearms through a variety of motions for maximum muscle recruitment. It combines a standard dumbbell curl and a reverse curl, while testing and building wrist mobility.

If you can manage the necessary coordination (which is less complicated than patting your head while rubbing your stomach), then you can build bigger, stronger arms with this efficient movement.

How to Do the Zottman Curl

Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand by your sides. Curl one arm palm-up toward your shoulder. In the top position, rotate your hand palm-down and lower the weight to full extension. Next, curl the opposite hand palm-up toward your shoulder before rotating it palm-down for the lowering phase. When you’re comfortable with the basic movement, aim to move your arms at the same time — raising one hand palm-up while simultaneously lowering the other palm-down.

Benefits of the Zottman Curl

• The Zottman curl recruits multiple muscles of the arm — including the biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis — during the multiple phases of the exercise.
• The varied hand positions and use of supination and pronation (turning the palm up and down, respectively) will help to build overall wrist mobility and may improve wrist and elbow health.

Hammer Curl

This simple adjustment to the standard dumbbell curl increases recruitment of the forearm muscles, allows you to move relatively heavier weights, and builds grip strength.

The thumbs-up position emphasizes the brachialis and brachioradialis, along with the biceps, making it an efficient way to train the forearm as well as the upper arm.

How to Do the Hammer Curl

Stand holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides with your hands facing your hips. Curl both weights up toward your shoulder while keeping your thumbs up. Allow your elbows to move slightly forward as you bring the weight into the top position — this can increase overall muscle recruitment. Pause briefly before lowering to full extension.

Benefits of the Hammer Curl

• The hammer curl allows you to lift heavier weights than any palms-up curl, which can benefit size and strength gains.
• The neutral-grip hand position emphasizes the brachialis and brachioradialis, which are not significantly recruited during other biceps curl variations.

EZ-Bar Reverse Curl

The EZ-bar reverse curl shares many of the benefits of the standard EZ-bar curl — reduced wrist strain and a consistent gauge for adjusting grip width — and it offers even greater recruitment of forearm muscles due to the angled palms-down grip.

The semi-pronated (partially palms-down) grip increases activation of the brachialis, brachioradialis, and wrist extensors, along with some recruitment of the biceps. This makes the movement a very efficient way to train the lower arms.

How to Do the EZ-Bar Reverse Curl

Stand with a shoulder-width, palms-down grip on the bar. Pull your shoulders back and keep your torso upright. Slightly bend your knees and set your stance to a comfortable width. Keep your elbows stationary as you curl the weight toward the front of your shoulders. Pause briefly before lowering the weight to full extension.

You may find the exercise more comfortable using a thumbless or “false” grip, placing your thumb next to your index finger instead of wrapping it around the bar. This technique will require greater grip strength as you squeeze the bar harder throughout the movement.

Benefits of the EZ-Bar Reverse Curl

• The combination of using an EZ-bar and a predominantly pronated (overhand or palms-down) grip significantly increases brachialis, brachioradialis, and forearm activation compared to supinated (palms-up) biceps exercises.
• The angled hand position reduces stress on the wrist joint, making the exercise more comfortable for lifters with mobility problems or joint issues.

The Biceps Muscles

It sounds counterintuitive, but “the biceps” are actually just made of your biceps. Several closely related muscles in the upper and lower arm need to be developed for a great looking set of biceps.

Biceps Brachii

The primary biceps muscle on the front of the upper arm is composed of two heads working together. The short head of the biceps, sometimes called the “inner head,” runs from near the elbow to the top of the upper arm. The long head, sometimes called the “outer head,” runs from the elbow over the shoulder joint and attaches to the shoulder blade.

The biceps are well-known for working to flex (bend) your elbow, but they also function to pronate and supinate your wrist and forearm — turning your palm up and down. This is one reason why exercises like the alternating supinating curl result in stronger muscle contractions and greater overall growth.

Brachioradialis

The brachioradialis runs along the thumb-side of the forearm from the wrist area to the lower part of the biceps. It is heavily activated when curling, particularly when the hand is in a neutral (thumbs up) position. The brachioradialis also plays a role in stabilizing the forearm muscle during and after supination or pronation.

Brachialis

This often under-appreciated muscle is actually located “beneath” the biceps, near the elbow joint. When the brachialis increases in size, it has the effect of “lifting” the biceps to make it appear larger. The brachialis becomes the primary arm flexor when using a neutral grip, which is why movements like the hammer curl target it efficiently.

Forearms

The wrist flexors and wrist extensors, on the lower and upper part of the forearm respectively, are largely responsible for lifting the hand at the wrist joint. These muscles are often statically trained during most biceps curl variations, to stabilize the hand and wrist.

However, exercises like the Zottman curl or the cheat curl may recruit the flexors or extensors more significantly due to the involvement of more dynamic lifting technique.

How Often Should You Train the Biceps

Direct biceps training will be a factor of your specific goal and your overall training split. Two effective approaches are to either perform a moderate amount of biceps work immediately after training a larger body part or to perform a low amount of biceps training more frequently.

Because your biceps are recruited during almost all back exercises, ending your back workout with two or three biceps exercises (each for two to four sets of eight to 12 reps) is an efficient way to fully exhaust the biceps.

With this approach, the exercises should be as varied as possible. For example, performing the cheat curl, EZ-bar curl, and single-arm cable curl would all train the biceps with a similar stimulus. Performing the EZ-bar curl, incline curl, and Zottman curl would deliver greater variety, increased muscle recruitment, and stronger stimulus for growth.

An effective alternative is to perform one biceps exercise for two to three sets of six to 15 reps at the end of your workout three to five days per week. With this high-frequency approach, your biceps are trained often, but the low volume allows for optimal recovery and growth. (13)

The lower volume per workout also prevents biceps fatigue from interfering with your other training for other body parts. For this method to be most efficient, use different exercises and/or a different set/rep scheme in each workout. For example, perform cheat curls for four sets of six in the first workout, single-arm preacher curls for three sets of 12 in the next workout, hammer curls for three sets of eight in the next session, etc.

How to Progress Your Biceps Training

One essential element for maximizing your biceps growth is training with a variety of hand positions and arm angles, either in a single workout or throughout the week. This will optimize overall muscle recruitment and balance activation of the major arm flexors — biceps long head, biceps short head, brachialis, and brachioradialis. (14)

Be sure to incorporate “classic” palm-up curls like the barbell spider curl, palms-down curls such as the EZ-bar reverse curl, movements with your upper arm in front of your torso like the chin-up, and movements with your upper arm angled behind your torso including the incline curl.

One particularly effective technique to increase training intensity and volume is the mechanical advantage drop set. This is a specific type of superset which pairs similar movements with simple adjustments to improve leverage in order to perform more total repetitions.

For example, when you might begin with alternating supinating curls. When you approach muscular fatigue, transition immediately (without setting the dumbbells down) and begin performing hammer curls. Because hammer curls put the brachialis in a stronger position to contract, you will be able to complete additional repetitions before again reaching muscular fatigue.

Many people accidentally stumble onto this technique when performing strict barbell curls, as they inadvertently transition to cheat curls to complete a challenging set.

How to Warm-Up Your Biceps

While the elbow joint is most commonly overstressed or aggravated by certain triceps exercises, biceps training can also play a critical role in determining joint health. Because the elbow is held in position during most biceps exercises, the joint can be put under significant strain. A thorough warm-up can go a long way toward preventing any excessive stress.

Before any biceps training, get blood flowing throughout your upper body. Alternating low-rep push-ups with high-rep band pull-aparts for two or three sets is a good start. Following that with (perhaps counterintuitively), a light weight, high rep triceps exercise alternated with a light weight, high rep biceps exercise for two sets. With those four movements, you’ve got an efficient way to approach your biceps warm-up. Continue the training with a relatively light first set on each biceps exercise, and get to work.

Don’t Be Scared to Train for Big Arms

Direct biceps training has developed an unfortunate reputation in recent years, with some lifters thinking it’s purely for “vanity.” First of all, no it isn’t. Setting a goal of lean, muscular 17-inch arms isn’t “vanity” any more than setting a goal to squat five plates per side. Secondly, biceps training can play a performance-boosting role in upper body strength, stability when handling heavy weight, and shoulder, elbow, and wrist joint health. So, you want to build your biceps? Excellent. You’re now armed with the most effective ways to get there.

References

1. Wilk, M., Zajac, A. & Tufano, J.J. The Influence of Movement Tempo During Resistance Training on Muscular Strength and Hypertrophy Responses: A Review. Sports Med 51, 1629–1650 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01465-2
2. Marcolin, G., Panizzolo, F. A., Petrone, N., Moro, T., Grigoletto, D., Piccolo, D., & Paoli, A. (2018). Differences in electromyographic activity of biceps brachii and brachioradialis while performing three variants of curl. PeerJ, 6, e5165. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.5165
3. Paoli, A., Gentil, P., Moro, T., Marcolin, G., & Bianco, A. (2017). Resistance Training with Single vs. Multi-joint Exercises at Equal Total Load Volume: Effects on Body Composition, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Muscle Strength. Frontiers in physiology, 8, 1105. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2017.01105
4. Tiwana MS, Charlick M, Varacallo M. Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Biceps Muscle. [Updated 2021 Aug 11]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519538/
5. Costa E, Moreira A, Cavalcanti B, Krinski K, Aoki M. Effect of unilateral and bilateral resistance exercise on maximal voluntary strength, total volume of load lifted, and perceptual and metabolic responses. Biol Sport. 2015;32(1):35-40. doi:10.5604/20831862.1126326
6. Calatayud, J., Vinstrup, J., Jakobsen, M. D., Sundstrup, E., Brandt, M., Jay, K., Colado, J. C., & Andersen, L. L. (2016). Importance of mind-muscle connection during progressive resistance training. European journal of applied physiology, 116(3), 527–533. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3305-7
7. Schoenfeld, B. J., Vigotsky, A., Contreras, B., Golden, S., Alto, A., Larson, R., … & Paoli, A. (2018). Differential effects of attentional focus strategies during long-term resistance training. European Journal of Sport Science, 18(5), 705-712.
8. Costa B.V.D., Kassiano, W., Nunes, J. P., Kunevaliki, G., Castro-E-Souza, P., Rodacki, A., … & de Sousa Fortes, L. (2021). Does Performing Different Resistance Exercises for the Same Muscle Group Induce Non-homogeneous Hypertrophy?. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 42(09), 803-811.
9. Schoenfeld, Brad CSCS. Accentuating Muscular Development Through Active Insufficiency and Passive Tension. Strength and Conditioning Journal: August 2002 – Volume 24 – Issue 4 – p 20-22
10. Wiesinger, H. P., Kösters, A., Müller, E., & Seynnes, O. R. (2015). Effects of Increased Loading on In Vivo Tendon Properties: A Systematic Review. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 47(9), 1885–1895. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000603
11. Burd, N. A., Andrews, R. J., West, D. W., Little, J. P., Cochran, A. J., Hector, A. J., Cashaback, J. G., Gibala, M. J., Potvin, J. R., Baker, S. K., & Phillips, S. M. (2012). Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. The Journal of physiology, 590(2), 351–362. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200
12. Oshita, Kazushige. (2021). Effect of internal focus of attention with touching cue on the agonist muscle activity during exercise. 10.14198/jhse.2021.16.Proc2.04.
13. Schoenfeld, B. J., Grgic, J., & Krieger, J. (2019). How many times per week should a muscle be trained to maximize muscle hypertrophy? A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining the effects of resistance training frequency. Journal of sports sciences, 37(11), 1286–1295. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2018.1555906
14. Kleiber, T., Kunz, L., & Disselhorst-Klug, C. (2015). Muscular coordination of biceps brachii and brachioradialis in elbow flexion with respect to hand position. Frontiers in physiology, 6, 215. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2015.00215

Featured Image: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock

When someone asks you what your fitness goal is, it would be safe to assume that you’ve never said,

“To make sure I don’t get plantar fasciitis.”

Given the amount of work that the foot-and-ankle complex does, it’s surprising how most of us don’t give it more attention.

It’s all about those improved race pace times, right? 

But if you’re not taking care of the 28 bones, 30 joints, and 100+ muscles in the foot that work in perfect harmony to ensure you can run, then you might be increasing your risk of injury. The result? Halting your progress and setting yourself back for at least a few months.

Undoubtedly, one of the most common injuries among runners – and fitness enthusiasts, in general – is plantar fasciitis.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Time for a quick lesson in Latin. “Plantar” is a Latin word that means “the sole of the foot or relating to the sole of the foot.”

Now, to put theory into practice, look at the bottom of your foot. Trace your finger from the heel to just under the toes. The length that you just traced is where you’ll find several plantar ligaments. 

These ligaments have a lot of responsibilities, including stabilizing your arch, absorbing the impact from exercise, and ensuring that you’re able to walk and run.

For runners, without the flexibility of the plantar ligament, you wouldn’t be able to propel yourself forward.

Time for your second lesson in Latin. Fasciitis is a combination of two Latin words:

• Fascia: Connective tissue that surrounds muscle fibers
• Itis: Inflammation

Put it all together and what do you get?

Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis

How do you know when you might have plantar fasciitis? Maybe it’s foot arch pain not plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis symptoms can vary from person to person. The most common symptom is pain in heel of foot, which can be sharp or dull. You may feel this pain when you first get out of bed in the morning or after sitting for long periods of time. The pain may go away after you walk around for a bit, but it may come back later in the day.

Other symptoms of plantar fasciitis include:

• Pain along the arch of your foot
• Stiffness in your foot first thing in the morning
• Difficulty walking or standing for long periods of time
• Swelling in your foot^[1]

What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?

 There are a number of things that can lead to plantar fasciitis, such as:

Overuse

This is the most common cause of plantar fasciitis. If you participate in activities that put a lot of stress on your feet, such as running or dancing, you may be at risk for plantar fasciitis.

For example, runners put a lot of high-impact stress on this part of the foot. Imagine your foot slamming on the pavement repeatedly for your typical hour-long run. Over a long period of time of striking the ground with too much force, you can cause microtears in the plantar ligament. 

As a result, you might cause tiny tears in the tissue, which leads to inflammation of the plantar fascia.

Scar Tissue

Continuing with the point above, sometimes, after the tears heal, these micro-injuries can leave behind scar tissue. This scar tissue can limit the flexibility of the plantar ligament, and as a result, you might notice a decline in performance.

Age

As you age, the plantar fascia becomes less flexible and more likely to tear. This can lead to plantar fasciitis.

Foot Structure

If you have high arches or flat feet, you may be more likely to develop plantar fasciitis.^[1]

Heel Pain: 5 Helpful Tips to Prevent Plantar Fasciitis

So, what can you do to prevent plantar fasciitis? Here are five ways to lower your risk for this runner’s injury.

1. Increase Your Mileage and Intensity Slowly

If you’re just getting into running or are increasing your mileage, do so gradually.

Sudden increases in mileage or intensity can put too much stress on your plantar fascia, leading to plantar fasciitis.

A good rule of thumb is to increase your mileage by no more than about ten percent each week.

2. Schedule Time for Recovery

In addition to gradually increasing your mileage, make sure you schedule time for recovery.

Yes, this means taking days off from running, but you should also be cross-training with other low-impact activities such as swimming or biking.

Recovery days give your plantar fascia a chance to rest and heal.

3. Wear the Right Running Shoes

Make sure you’re wearing shoes that are supportive and fit well. This is especially important if you have high arches or flat feet, as these foot types are more susceptible to plantar fasciitis.

Look for shoes with good arch support and cushioning in the heel.

Old and damaged running shoes can increase your risk of developing plantar fasciitis along with running injuries in general.

Just like car tires, your running shoes need to be changed. You wouldn’t drive a car on the rim, right? Running in old and damaged running shoes is the equivalent of just that.

But how do you know when it’s time to switch up your shoes? Well, we can help with that. 

4. Stretch before you run.

Before you head out for a run, take the time to stretch your plantar fascia and Achilles tendon. These two areas are closely connected, and tightness in one can lead to plantar fasciitis.

A simple plantar fascia stretch involves crossing one leg over the other and pulling your toes back toward your shin.

For a more comprehensive stretching routine, consider foam rolling on top of stretching.

5. Work on coordination and foot stability.

If plantar fasciitis is a chronic problem for you, it may be due to weakness or poor coordination in your feet and ankles.

To help prevent plantar fasciitis, focus on exercises that improve foot stability and coordination such as single-leg balance drills and toe raises.

Plantar Fasciitis Treatment: Preventative Exercises

Speaking of exercises to prevent plantar fasciitis in the first place, here are some exercises that you can incorporate into your running workouts.

Inch Worms

Inch Worms accomplish two things at once: They stretch the foot-and-ankle complex while improving the flexibility of the same area along with your calves.

How to Do the Exercise:

• Start in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Keeping your legs straight, bend forward at the waist, and place your hands on the ground.
• As you walk your hands forward, allow your heels to rise off the ground until you reach a push-up position.
• Once in the push-up position, begin “walking” your hands back toward your feet, allowing your heels to touch the ground as you return to the starting position.
• Do two sets of ten repetitions.

Modified Crossbody Twists

This version of Crossbody Twists focuses on improving the muscular control of your ankles and the soles of your feet.

How to Do the Exercise:

• Stand on one leg and cross your arms in front of your chest.
• Turn your upper body to the left and then to the right.
• Keep your ankle straight and flex the arch of your foot.
• Do this exercise three times a day for one minute on each side.

What to Do if You Have Plantar Fasciitis

Are you currently suffering from plantar fasciitis? Looking for effective plantar fasciitis treatment tips. Here are five things you can do right now to alleviate the pain and get on the road to recovery.

1. Stop Running & Follow the RICE Method

The first thing should be obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many people will simply take an ibuprofen and lace up their shoes.

Your foot needs rest to let the injury heal, so get off your feet!

If you keep adding more stress to the injury, you will only delay the healing process.

RICE stands for “Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.” Follow these steps to treat plantar fasciitis at home:

• Rest: Take a few days off from running or other high-impact activities.
• Ice: Apply ice to the affected area for 20 minutes several times per day.
• Compression: Use an elastic bandage or compression sock to help reduce swelling.
• Elevation: Keep your foot elevated above heart level as much as possible to reduce swelling.

If home treatment doesn’t seem to be helping, or if the pain is severe, you may need to see a doctor for further treatment options.

2. Roll Out the Tension in your Foot

Once the pain has decreased in your foot, you can start taking active measures to address the problem. Start small with a tennis ball.

Reduce the tension in your foot by rolling out the soles of your feet with a small ball for two or three minutes a day. Think of it like a tiny massage for your foot to promote blood flow and healing.

Start at the base of your heel and work your way toward your toes.

How to Do the Exercise:

• Roll out the soles of your feet slowly with the ball.
• Slowly and carefully increase the pressure on the sensitive areas for about 60 seconds.

3. Stretch the soles of your feet regularly.

Plantar fasciitis stretching and massaging can help to loosen the tissue and reduce pain. Try these plantar fascia treatment stretches:

Kneeling Plantar Fascia Stretch

• Place your toes on the floor and slowly sit back on your heels.
• Keep your upper body straight and upright.
• Hold the stretch for about 60 seconds.

Lunging Wall Stretch

• Place your hands against a wall.
• Step one foot back, keeping that heel flat on the ground.
• Lean forward into the wall until you feel a stretch in your calf and arch.
• Hold for 30 seconds.
• Repeat with the other foot.

4. Strengthen Your Shins and Calves

One of the best ways to prevent plantar fasciitis is to keep your shins and calves strong. Here are three exercises that can help to strengthen these areas of the lower body.

Dorsiflexion Band Pulls

• Pull a resistance band towards you using your toes.
• Flex your foot, hold the position, and then straighten your foot again.
• Do three sets of fifteen repetitions.

Calf Raises  

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold on to something for balance.
•  Keeping your knees straight, raise your heels, so you’re standing on your toes.
• Hold for a second, then lower back down.
• Do three sets of fifteen repetitions.

Heel Drops

• Stand with the ball of one foot on an elevated surface and your heel hanging off.
•  Keeping your knee straight, slowly lower your heel until it is below the level of the raised surface.
• Hold for a second, then raise your heel back up.
•  Do three sets of fifteen repetitions.

 

These exercises can help to prevent plantar fasciitis by strengthening the muscles and tendons in your feet and lower legs.

5. Consider Custom Orthotics

Great footwear is a first step, but what if you drop a lot of money on good shoes, but you’re still having issues with plantar fasciitis? It might be time to look deeper in your shoes and consider getting custom orthotics.

Orthotics are devices that are worn in the shoes and are designed to support the foot in a specific way that is customized to your unique foot shape. Studies show that custom orthotics can make a huge difference in alleviating symptoms while lowering your risk of developing plantar fasciitis in the first place.^[2]

There are many different types of orthotics, but for plantar fasciitis, you want to look for something that provides arch support and cushioning.

Remember that custom orthotics are made to fit your feet specifically, so they might be a bit pricey, but they are definitely worth the investment if it means no more plantar fasciitis.

If you’re not sure where to start, talk to your doctor or a physical therapist about what type of orthotics would be best for you.

Wrap Up

Plantar fasciitis is a condition that affects the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot. The plantar fascia supports the arch of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes.

If you have plantar fasciitis, you may experience pain in your heel and along the arch of your foot. You may also feel stiffness in your feet first thing in the morning.

While plantar fasciitis can be a frustrating and painful injury, there are things you can do to prevent it.

Gradually increase your mileage, take recovery days, stretch before you run, and focus on exercises that improve foot stability and coordination. By following these tips, and the exercises we discussed above, you can help keep plantar fasciitis at bay.

***

On Sept. 3, 2022, athlete Devin Burger showed off his strength by completing a 498.9-kilogram (1,100-pound) Silver Dollar deadlift during the United States Strongest (USS) Texas Strongest Veteran competition. According to Burger’s Instagram profile and the official results, the massive Silver Dollar deadlift is a Texas State record for an 18-inch deadlift in the under-275-kilogram weight class. Burger wore knee sleeves, a lifting belt, and utilized lifting straps to help him with this deadlift.

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Given the ease with which Burger seemingly completes his pull, the athlete could vault himself up the Silver Dollar deadlift annals soon enough. That’s because his achievement compares well with his peers. If Burger had competed and managed his pull during the recent 2022 World Deadlift Council (WDC) World Silver Dollar Championships, his 1,100-pound milestone would’ve ranked fifth among all his peers. Ben Thompson set a then-World Record of 577.2 kilograms (1,272.5 pounds) during the contest in a first-place performance.

Notably, the Silver Dollar record has changed several times in the 2022 calendar year.

Thompson’s record from mid-May 2022 eclipsed Sean Hayes’ former record mark, who pulled 560 kilograms (1,235-pound) Silver dollar deadlift during the 2022 Strongman Corporation Canada King & Queen Of The Throne contest. Hayes had previously surpassed Anthony Pernice’s past figure of 550 kilograms (1,212 pounds) from the 2020 USS Farm Strong Record Breaker. Estonian Strongman Rauno Heinla captured the current World Record with a pull of 579.7 kilograms (1,278 pounds) at the 2022 Silver Dollar Deadlift Estonian Championship in early June.

Burger has a long way to go before he can start challenging the new record. However, given the context, he seems to be on the right track.

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Though he competes on a domestic level, at the time of this writing, Burger does not appear to possess any significant international competitive strongman experience. A general perusal of Burger’s social media showcases the athlete performing and training various traditional strongman staples like the Log Press and Atlas Stones.

When he’s not preparing for strongman competition, Burger spends much of his time working as a certified personal trainer. The athlete appears to run his own independent business entitled “Camp Gladiator,” where he offers coaching centered around a prospective person’s nutrition and fitness. According to his Instagram bio, Burger characterizes his personal training as a means to “help normal people with health and fitness.”

[Related: 20-Minute Workouts for Muscle, Fat Loss, Strength, and More]

At the time of this article’s publication, Burger doesn’t have any pending strongman contests on his plate. With his Silver Dollar deadlift feat in mind, the athlete might be someone to watch in the future.

Featured image: @thegainzfairy on Instagram

Sam Sikora started competitive powerlifting roughly a year ago, in March 2021. With a mix of learning experiences and great flourishes, it seems the 19-year-old athlete is only improving. His latest performance might be something to put a pin in for the future.

On Oct. 15, 2022, Sikora shared a post on his Instagram detailing his complete performance at the 2022 Powerlifting America (AMP) Elite Season Classic. (Note: The contest occurred on the same day in Kenmore, NY.) In a first-place outing in the Men’s Raw Junior 105-kilogram weight class, Sikora logged a personal record (PR) on each of his staple lifts, eventually finishing with a 712.5-kilogram (1,570.8-pound) raw PR total.

[Related: How to Do the Hip Thrust — Variations, Benefits, and Common Mistakes]

Notably, the entirety of Sikora’s performance saw the athlete successfully lock out all nine attempts (three each, respectively) on his squat, bench press, and deadlift. Sikora wore a lifting belt for each lift and had additional wrist wraps on during his squat and bench press.

Here’s a complete overview of Sikora’s performance at the 2022 AMP Elite Season Classic:

Sam Sikora (105KG) Junior | 2022 AMP Elite Season Classic Top Stats

• Squat — 275 kilograms (606.3 pounds)
• Bench Press — 167.5 kilograms (369.3 pounds)
• Deadlift — 270 kilograms (595.2 pounds)
• Total — 712.5 kilograms (1,570.8 pounds)

In what might be Sikora’s best showing to date, the athlete shattered each of his previous raw all-time competition bests. According to Open Powerlifting, his new top squat is 25 kilograms (55.2 pounds) more than his past top mark. His top bench press is 22.4 kilograms (50 pounds) more than his previous best figure. His top deadlift is 15.1 pounds more than his past competition PR. Finally, Sikora’s total is an astonishing 62.5 kilograms (138 pounds) more than his best ever.

Each of these previous marks was from the 2022 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Teen Nationals in late March 2022, showcasing how far Sikora has come with his strength and training in roughly half a year’s time. In Sikora’s Instagram post, the athlete detailed that the lead-up to the 2022 AMP Elite Season Classic was his “first perfect prep” since his competitive debut and that he had “no failures.” He has the results to show for it.

Here’s a rundown of the complete results from Sikora’s career to date:

Sam Sikora | Complete Career Results

• 2021 USAPL Madness Open — Fifth place (Open); First place (Teen)
• 2021 USAPL High School and Teen National Championships (Varsity) — 16th place
• 2021 USAPL Michigan State Championships — 10th place (Open); First place (Teen)
• 2022 USAPL Teen Nationals (Teen) — Eighth place

[Related: How to Do the Inverted Row — Benefits, Variations, and More]

Sikora is wasting no time preparing for his next contest. The athlete wrote that he next plans to compete in the 2023 AMP High School Nationals. Those will take place on March 31-April 2, 2023, in Scranton, PA. Judging by how he fared with time between his last competition, the ascending Sikora may well shatter his competition bests once more come next year.

Featured image: @samsikk on Instagram

In the current pantheon of strongman, Martins Licis is one of the inarguable pillars of the sport. The 32-year-old athlete can boast a World’s Strongest Man (WSM) title to his name (2019) and seemingly finds a way to finish near the top of many contests he features in. With another tentpole competition on the horizon, Licis is training to make his usual waves once more.

On Oct. 17, 2022, Licis shared a video of himself capturing a 455-kilogram (1,003-pound) block-pull deadlift for four reps. Per the caption of his post, Licis apparently had “plenty more in reserve” even after finishing the set. Notably, Licis did not disclose the precise heights of the blocks. However, judging by the video, they appear to be roughly half the height of the 6-foot-3 strongman’s calves when standing straight up. The athlete wore a lifting belt and lifting straps, and completed the set while donning just his socks.

[Related: How to Do the Hack Squat — Benefits, Variations, and More]

Licis’ unique deadlift training is part of his preparation for the upcoming 2022 Rogue Invitational. The American strongman is the defending champion of the contest that will take place on Oct. 28-30, 2022, in Austin, TX. According to Strongman Archives, it will also be Licis’ first appearance in a formal competitive strongman setting since he finished in second place to Tom Stoltman at the 2022 WSM.

Licis is one of the more decorated and accomplished active strongmen. His 2019 WSM title aside, the athlete has also never failed to qualify for the WSM finals in five appearances. His overall precedent shows that he usually fares well amongst his peers in other competitions, too.

Here’s an overview of the more significant results from Licis’ illustrious career to this point:

Martins Licis | Notable Career Results

• 2015 America’s Strongest Man — Second place
• 2017-2018 Ultimate Strongman Summermania — First place
• 2018 Giants Live World Tour Finals — Second place
• 2018 Arnold Europe Arnold Pro Strongman World Series — First place
• 2019-2020 Arnold USA Arnold Pro Strongman World Series — First place
• 2019 WSM — First place
• 2019 Giants Live Wembley — First place
• 2021 Rogue Invitational — First place
• 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic — First place
• 2022 WSM — Second place

At the time of this article’s publication, here is the current roster for the latest edition of the strongman Rogue Invitational:

2022 Rogue Invitational Roster

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This latest deadlift pull might be an example of Licis ramping up his training as he gets set to compete again. Should the strongman successfully repeat as Rogue Invitational champion, it’ll undoubtedly be another impressive notch in the belt for one of the biggest names in strongman.

Featured image: @martinslicis on Instagram

It’s difficult to walk into a gym and not run into someone trying to develop their posterior chain with set after set of hip thrusts. The exercise has actually been around for a long time, but it’s gotten a surge of popularity in the last 10 years or so, possibly fueled by social media trends and glute-building fascination.

Many gyms even have specialized hip thrust machines, which offer a fixed path of movement and an easier setup than combining a flat bench, barbell, and an assortment of pads or steps. At its core, the hip thrust is a movement with many technical details worth considering. If you want the best results, read on for a full-scale breakdown of this powerful and popular lift.

How to Do the Hip Thrust

Presuming you don’t have access to a hip thrust machine, you’ll need to first gather a barbell (a five-footer will be easier to balance than a standard seven-foot bar), a sturdy flat bench, a bar pad to spare your hip bones once the weights get heavy, and plenty of plates to load.

Step 1 — Set Up the Starting Position

Sit on the ground perpendicular to the bench with the center of your shoulder blades resting on the corner of the bench pad. Set your feet a comfortable width apart — that’s probably going to lie somewhere between hip-width and shoulder-width. The loaded barbell should be on the ground with the bar above your knees.

Form tip: Sitting too close to the bench will throw off the trajectory of the bar. Sitting too far away won’t give you any leverage (and will probably make you slide off). Line up the bench with the middle of your shoulder blades as you lean against it in the starting position.

Step 2 — Prepare to Thrust

This exercise is a real dance with the physics of movement. Roll the bar over your hips and position the bar pad across your hip bones or lower abs. Place your hands on either side of the barbell, well beyond shoulder-width, with your palms down. Your hands are there to support and stabilize the bar, not to lift the weight.

Walk your feet several small steps toward your glutes and bend your knees. The bar should be cradled in your lap. Your thighs and torso should form a V-shape. Now you’re in position to thrust.

Form tip: To do a successful hip thrust, your upper back must function as the axis of rotation as you transfer power from your feet through your hips and into your upper body. Take time to fine-tune your foot width and stance to determine the most powerful and most effective starting position for your individual body.

Step 3 — Press and Squeeze

Grip the bar tight and brace your abs. Squeeze your glutes and drive your feet through the ground. Lift your hips to shoulder-height. Aim to create a “tabletop” position from your shoulders straight to your knees.

In the top position, your glutes, hamstrings, core, and upper back should be firing on all cylinders to control and stabilize the weight.

Form tip: Make sure your feet are far enough away from your body to promote 90-degree angles at your knee joints in the top position. If your feet can’t stay flat on the ground, or if you can’t reach a near-horizontal body at the top, your stance needs to be adjusted.

Step 4 — Lower with Control

Pause for one second at the top and slowly lower your hips until the plates are hovering just above the ground.

Your glutes may or may not touch the ground in the bottom position depending on your leg length. Control the descent and don’t allow your body to bounce off the ground.

Form tip: Lower the weight slowly and be aware of where the ground is. Avoid bouncing the plates and rebounding into the next rep. Feel muscular tension and be in control of the movement at all times.

Hip Thrust Mistakes to Avoid

The hip thrust is prey to common errors that can lead to an inefficient, ineffective lift. Similar to deadlifts, leg presses, and squats, the hip thrust allows you to go relatively heavy, so it’s important to iron out the technical kinks before loading up. To do so, avoid these pitfalls.

Back Hyperextension

It’s extremely common to see this movement performed with most of the work being done by the lower back rather than the glutes and hamstrings. This happens when your glutes aren’t strong enough to posteriorly tilt the pelvis — tucking your hip bones “down and back” and your tailbone “up and forward.” If your pelvis can’t tilt properly, your glutes can’t be fully recruited (1).

This may not be an issue when the muscles are under extremely light loads, but things get real once there’s a significant challenge placed upon them. Always be patient with the load to ensure proper technique is maintained.

Once your pelvis can’t achieve a posterior tilt, your gluteal muscles become less and less involved in the lift, leaving the lumbar spine (lower back) in extension. This inefficient position stresses lower back muscles even more and is an unfavorable load-bearing position for the spine.

Avoid it: When you’re doing the hip thrust, think about driving the bar backward over your head, rather than up toward the roof. This will cue your pelvis into the right pelvic tilt motion. It will also encourage your glutes to be activated through the concentric (lifting) portion of each rep.

Feet Too Close or Too Far

People falter when they start the movement with their feet too close to their glutes because it makes the movement rely just as much on knee extension as it does on hip extension. Doing so may “feel” comfortable initially, but a couple of things actually go wrong here.

It’s much easier for your heels to come off the ground when your feet are too close. This can add pressure to the knee joint capsule and isn’t a friendly position for lifters who have a history of knee injuries. More knee extension also means more quadriceps involvement and less work for the glutes and hamstrings.

Pressing with your feet too far forward will limit your leverage, which reduces the amount of weight you can move. It also makes it more difficult to remain flat-footed in the bottom position, which means you either neglect the lower portion of the range of motion (which reduces muscle recruitment) or you lift your toes (which decreases overall stability).

Avoid it: The 90-degree angle rule should be respected when performing hip thrusts. Namely, at full extension (in the top position), your knees should create a 90-degree joint angle to balance efficient power output, muscle recruitment, and joint health. Before beginning your set, take the time to step your feet the ideal distance away from the bench, and from your glutes in the bottom position, to create a solid framework to reach the right joint angles.

Insufficient Range of Motion

As a whole, using a short range of motion can be a problem many lifters struggle with. This may be due to taking too many liberties with loading or it could simply be chalked up to poor exercise technique. In either case, an incomplete range of motion is responsible for decreased muscle-building and less strength gains. (2)

Understand the anatomy and biomechanics of the body. In the hip thrust, your hips can and should go into deep flexion (bending at the hips). Hip extension (opening your joint and straightening your legs) comes from properly using your glutes and hamstrings — the deeper in flexion they begin, the more they’re recruited and the more work they can do.

Hanging out in the mid-range of each rep and avoiding a full descent and full lockout may create some constant tension on the muscles, but it doesn’t do anything for building healthy muscles and joints. The hip extensors will be most involved at the top of this lift because that’s where mechanical tension is highest. For that reason, actually reaching a full lockout at the top is ideal.

Avoid it: Aim to lower your hips almost to the floor on each rep and bring them to a “tabletop” lockout position with your thighs running parallel to the ground. This will be the longest and most effective range of motion for the exercise.

How to Progress the Hip Thrust

While the standard hip thrust can accommodate all strength levels, some inexperienced lifters may need to build up to handling external load. On the other end of the spectrum, more experienced may eventually need an increased challenge beyond another weight plate. Here are the best options.

Bodyweight Hip Thrust

Certain exercises can be performed with identical technique regardless of external load while other movements use a weight as an integral part of their performance. For example, a pull-up is performed the same with or without added resistance, but performing a kettlebell swing without holding a kettlebell won’t allow the lifter to learn proper technique and doesn’t recruit the same musculature.

The hip thrust falls into the first category because the fundamental movement and muscle recruitment will be the same with or without a loaded barbell. For lifters unable to manipulate a standard barbell, or those still developing muscular coordination and building a mind-muscle connection, performing unweighted (bodyweight-only) hip thrusts can be an effective way to build very basic levels of strength while learning form which will directly carry over to the barbell movement.

Single-Leg Hip Thrust

Training with unilateral (single-leg) lower body movements can contribute to greater strength, power, and muscular development than focusing solely on bilateral (double-leg) training. (3) The single-leg hip thrust can be used with bodyweight-only or with added load, as a means of increasing the stability challenge and getting a greater overall training effect from relatively less weight.

For lifters who can’t tolerate excessively heavy loading, the single-leg hip thrust challenges the glutes, hamstrings, and core while putting the involved joints under lower stress than the bilateral movement.

Benefits of the Hip Thrust

Strength

The hip thrust, being a barbell movement which targets the powerful glutes and hamstrings, allows lifters to train with heavy weights. The involved muscles, along with the beneficial leverage of the movement, allow the hip thrust to potentially be one of the heaviest lifts in your exercise arsenal. This makes it an ideal alternative to the deadlift for building strength in the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, and lower back).

The hip thrust can support and build lower body strength which carries over to strength movements like the squat and deadlift, as well as creating a more stable base for overhead pressing movements.

Hypertrophy

Lifting relatively heavy weights for higher total volume with higher reps can be great for increasing the size of the target muscles. (4) Especially if deadlifts or squats aren’t agreeing with your individual leverages when it comes to making muscles grow, hip thrusts can be a worthwhile choice. One key reason the hip thrust circled back into the recent limelight was exactly because it was re-discovered to be a highly effective glute-builder. (5)

Targeting the quadriceps on the front of the thigh is often the goal for a muscular lower body, but the glutes and hamstrings contribute to a more aesthetic and well-rounded set of legs. Few physique-conscious lifters would say no to having a better looking set of glutes, and the hip thrust is a fast-track.

Joint-Friendly Training

The hip thrust enables a lifter to move relatively heavy loads with minimal compression on the spine. This is because the force angle is horizontal in nature, compared to squats and deadlifts which apply vertical forces to the spinal column.

This makes the hip thrust a viable option for anyone with a history of back or shoulder issues which would otherwise prevent them from holding a barbell on their back or support a front-loaded, lower back-stressing deadlift.

Muscles Worked by the Hip Thrust

The hip thrust is predominantly a glute exercise. If building a great looking and powerful backside is on your list of goals, the hip thrust should find a spot in your weekly routine. Beyond the glutes, the hip thrust trains much of the lower posterior chain. This includes the lower back and hamstrings. The calves are even worked statically, to a small degree, to support your body.

Glutes

Strong, developed glutes are a powerhouse for athletic ability, healthy hip function, and a balanced physique. Hip extension — bringing your legs backward in line with your upper body — is a fundamental movement controlled by the glutes, and the hip thrust trains this pattern directly.

Hamstrings

When the exercise is performed properly, your glutes should be the prime movers and first muscle to fatigue. However, your hamstrings are closely involved as secondary movers. Your hamstrings are highly active in the transition from the bottom portion of the repetition into the press toward lockout.

Core

Your abs and lower back play a small but significant role for general stability throughout each repetition. With your shoulder blades pinned to the bench, it’s essential that your core is stiff, strong, and constantly engaged to transfer power from your feet to your trunk. Without an active core, you’ll be unable to achieve lockout and your target muscles will be undertrained.

How to Program the Hip Thrust

Programming the hip thrust can accommodate a variety of training goals and workout plans. Here are some of the most effective ways to incorporate this adaptable exercise.

Heavy Weight, Moderate Volume

The hip thrust can be performed as the first movement in your workout. Given its capacity to be loaded fairly heavily, it can be used as a primary movement for any lower body workout. Four to six sets of four to six repetitions with a very challenging weight is a good place to start.

However, remember that it’s not wise to go hard and heavy with multiple “primary” lifts in a strength- or size-focused workout because your energy, focus, and form won’t last. Choose a main lift you’d like to focus on, and treat the remaining movements as “accessories” to that lift.

Moderate Weight, Higher Repetition

When using the hip thrust as a secondary or accessory movement, be sure to contrast the heavy lifting you did in the first exercise (likely a squat or deadlift) with relatively higher rep work with lower weight in the hip thrusts. Not only will this ensure your spine’s safety and the use of good technique while fatigued, but it will also spare your central nervous system of too much output over the course of your workout.

Performing the hip thrust after squats or deadlifts is fair game because it won’t be doubling down on spinal compression to compete with the first lift you chose. Try three to four sets of 10 to 15 reps squeezing a strong peak contraction on every repetition.

Hip Thrust Variations

You may not have a barbell, bench, bar pad, and plates to properly load and safely perform standard hip thrusts. If that’s the case, the question then becomes, “What will best simulate the same training effect as the loaded hip thrust?” Here are the answers.

Deficit Single-Leg Hip Thrust

In the absence of weights, bodyweight training can be used with a deficit and paired with unilateral movement. This can come in handy for creating a surprisingly challenging level of effort for any lifter.

The use of an elevated platform combined with a single-leg hip thrust allows for a greater range of motion and increased muscle recruitment. Though no external weight is being used, the deficit and increased time under tension requires a much greater effort than a standard bodyweight hip thrust.

Glute Bridge

Another effective alternative to the hip thrust would be doing a glute bridge. This serves a role for anyone without a bench, but also for anyone who may not yet have the technique to use the relatively long range of motion that a classic hip thrust requires. A glute bridge essentially cuts the movement in half by starting in a supine position on the floor rather than supported on a bench.

The general performance is virtually the same as a hip thrust, but your hips begin in a less flexed position, meaning fewer opportunities for other muscle groups to contribute to the concentric (lifting) movement. A lifter will “bridge up” on their shoulders, while keeping the bar across their hips as their glutes press away.

Kettlebell Swing

One more hip thrust alternative works the same movement pattern using a much lower load, but requires much more concentric velocity. It’s the popular kettlebell swing. The swing is performed standing vertically, but the weight travels between your legs in a horizontal path. This keeps your glutes and hamstrings as the true drivers of the weight and delivers the same benefits as the hip thrust.

The swing also involves a more rapid rate of contraction, meaning there’s less time to perform each rep. Your technique must be on-point in order to reap the benefits of this movement, since there’s much less of an available window to get tight, brace, and feel each rep.

Step-Up

A surprisingly effective hip thrust alternative doesn’t actually look like a hip thrust at all. The step-up is another way to do a loaded version of a hip extension pattern, while paying special attention to your knee position and involvement by keeping a vertical shin position.

Loading a step-up with dumbbells in your hands or with a bar on your back is equally acceptable. Angling your torso slightly forward on each repetition allows your glutes to work even harder by extending the hip from a position of deeper flexion.

FAQs

Can I use a dumbbell for hip thrusts?

In general, a barbell will be easier to balance and stabilize than a dumbbell. Because the diameter of the dumbbell is much larger than a barbell, it will sit differently in your hip crease and will likely interrupt your range of motion in the bottom position. Barbells will also allow you to go much heavier than any dumbbell you’ll find lying around the gym.

Ideally, use a straight barbell, either the standard seven-foot bar or shorter five-foot bar. You might also find an EZ-curl bar to sit more comfortably on your hips due to the angled handles, especially if you don’t have a bar pad. You can also consider using the Smith machine if you set up the bench properly and find an effective foot position. However, if you must use a dumbbell, be sure to use a complete range of motion, reaching your hips toward the ground and achieving a full contraction at the top.

Can I do the hip thrust and deadlift in the same workout?

If your goal is building major size and strength in your glutes and hamstrings, a one-two punch of deadlifts and hip thrusts can be a great approach if it’s programmed properly. Choose one of the movements as the main lift and hit it with heavy weight and low reps, and follow it up using the second exercise with a relatively higher rep range and moderately heavy weights.

In Thrust We Trust

The hip thrust definitely has some constraints, such as the learning curve of technique and potential hip discomfort from the weight itself, but this efficient movement also allows for good versatility in your program. It belongs in any routine designed to improve the strength and size of your posterior chain, while also carrying over to other lifts. The hip thrust is one of those few “can’t go wrong” movements that can satisfy a massive crowd of lifters. You’ll be glad you added it to the mix. Your spine will thank you, too.

References

1. Queiroz, B. C., Cagliari, M. F., Amorim, C. F., & Sacco, I. C. (2010). Muscle activation during four Pilates core stability exercises in quadruped position. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 91(1), 86–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2009.09.016
2. Pallarés, JG, Hernández-Belmonte, A, Martínez-Cava, A, Vetrovsky, T, Steffl, M, Courel-Ibáñez, J. Effects of range of motion on resistance training adaptations: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2021; 31: 1866– 1881. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.14006
3. Ramirez-Campillo, Rodrigo & Burgos, Carlos & Henríquez-Olguín, Carlos & Andrade, David & Martínez, Cristian & Álvarez, Cristian & Castro-Sepulveda, Mauricio & Marques, Mário & Izquierdo, Mikel. (2015). Effect of Unilateral, Bilateral, and Combined Plyometric Training on Explosive and Endurance Performance of Young Soccer Players. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 29. 1317–1328. 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000762.
4. Schoenfeld, B. J., Contreras, B., Krieger, J., Grgic, J., Delcastillo, K., Belliard, R., & Alto, A. (2019). Resistance Training Volume Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy but Not Strength in Trained Men. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 51(1), 94–103. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000001764
5. Neto, W. K., Vieira, T. L., & Gama, E. F. (2019). Barbell Hip Thrust, Muscular Activation and Performance: A Systematic Review. Journal of sports science & medicine, 18(2), 198–206.

Featured Image: gpointstudio/ Shutterstock

William Bonac has been a mainstay in the Men’s Open division for a few years. Yet, despite the bodybuilder’s consistency and a career-high second-place finish in 2019, he’s never quite been able to reach the summit of the Mr. Olympia. A recent demanding training session centered around his chest might be an integral step forward in shifting his fortunes this late fall.

On Oct. 14, 2022, Bonac posted a video to his YouTube channel where he quickly shredded up his chest as part of his formal prep for the 2022 Mr. Olympia on Dec. 16-18, 2022, in Las Vegas, NV. With the athlete seeking to capture his first-ever title at the prestigious contest, it seems he’s pulling out all the stops.

[Related: 4 Workouts with a Single Dumbbell for Muscle, Fat Loss, and More]

Here’s a quick overview of Bonac’s recent “Olympia prep” chest workout.

Cable Crossover

Bonac begins his routine with some cable crossovers. He warms up for a set before putting the pedal to the metal. Notably, Bonac doesn’t actually cross the cables in a downward motion but straight ahead across his chest.

Smith Machine Incline

For the next segment of his workout, Bonac performs an incline bench press on a Smith machine. The bodybuilder clarifies that he appreciates the incline movement more because he thinks it helps balance his physique well.

“I do [incline] because it’s for my upper chest,” Bonac explains. “I do them because mine is undeveloped. It doesn’t match with the total of my chest. I need to bring it up more. When you train chest, you need to hit it from every angle, you understand. I want the ball over here [directs to chest] so that I can put a glass on it. I use most of my strength and energy for the incline.”

Smith Machine Flat Bench Press

Following the incline press, Bonac stays in the Smith machine and lowers the bench to a flat setting for a classic bench press. The hard-training lifter explains that performing multiple exercises in one machine is a time-saving strategy.

Smith Machine Decline Bench Press

After appropriately working the upper and middle parts of his chest, Bonac quickly shifts to giving his lower chest some attention with some sets of a decline bench press on the Smith machine. For Bonac, he appears to appreciate cycling through slight variations of these different chest exercises.

Standing Machine Chest Fly

After moving on from the Smith machine, Bonac performs a few sets of pectoral flys on a standing chest machine.

Diamond Push-Ups

To close his workout, Bonac elects to rep out some diamond push-ups — a more challenging variation of the traditional push-up, where an athlete’s hands come together to form a diamond shape. This last piece for Bonac appears to be more about getting a quality pump rather than pushing himself to the limit. Especially since he apparently finished this workout with limited pain.

“Normally, when I train my chest, I have a lot of pain and joint pain in my elbows,” Bonac said. “At this moment, since I started my off-season prep, I don’t have any issues with that anymore. I’m pretty happy with that.”

[Related: How to Do the Inverted Row — Benefits, Variations, and More]

Bonac faces tall odds to topple two-time reigning champion Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay for his first-ever Mr. Olympia title. However, with a physique hovering around 265 pounds from his last check-in of the offseason, along with this taxing chest workout — Bonac might be in a prime position for an upstart performance on the Las Vegas stage.

Featured image: @william_bonac on Instagram

HI friends! Happy Friday and hellooooooo from the Great Wolf Lodge. We were originally supposed to be on the way to NYC – there were a lot of reasons for canceling, but decided to do a Disney cruise in January instead – and ended up doing a little fall break staycation at GWL. The kids LOVE it here and are at the perfect ages to enjoy everything they have to offer. I think this is our fourth trip and we’ve had a blast each time.

Other than Great Wolf Lodge, the kids have a birthday party, friend/family dinner, and I’m getting everything ready to start the Dr. Cabral detox on Monday.

I will definitely share more about my experience! If you want to join, you can still order here and use FITNESSISTA20 for 20% off. They ship very quickly and you can start whenever you receive your goodies.

I’d love to hear what you’re up to this weekend! I hope you have a relaxing and lovely one ahead.

It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party. This is where I share some of my favorite finds from the week and around the web. I always love to hear about your faves, too, so please shout out something you’re loving in the comments section below.

Friday Faves

Random:

Six! Season tickets for Broadway in Tucson were my Mother’s Day gift, and it’s already one my favorite gifts. I love having shows to look forward to all year!

I took madre with me to see Six on opening night and it.was.everything. I had no clue what to expect and was blown away! It’s unlike traditional musicals, as there are no set or costume changes. The six performers are onstage with the band the entire time, and it has like a concert vibe to it. It still has an amazing plot, deep moments, lots of comic relief, and the entire audience was clapping, cheering, and fully enjoying themselves.

The performers were so incredibly talented, and each “wife’s” musical style is similar to names we’d recognize, like Alicia Keys, Ariana Grande, Sia, and Beyonce. Highly, highly recommend it — I want to see it again! Also, please drop your favorite Tudor/Henry VIII historian fiction recs my way.

Read, watch, listen:

Check out this week’s podcast episode here! Chatting about nutrition struggles + blood sugar.

Hot dads in children’s books (and three cheers for including Daniel from Guess Who? lol).

5 meal planning tips.

Fitness + good eats:

25 recipes to try this fall.

12 healthy fall recipes.

More reasons to eat earlier in the evening.

As soon as I found out this cookbook was on the way, I ordered a copy.

Thrive Market goodies! I order from Thrive Market every couple of weeks and stock up on pantry essentials, snacks for the kids, dog treats, and household items, like dish soap, laundry detergent, etc. The prices are so much better than Whole Foods and they have so many of our favorite brands. My Thrive Market staples are here and you can use my referral link for 40% off your first order. Since I order from Thrive Market and our meat from Butcher Box, I don’t have to get as much when I go to the grocery store.

(LOVE this granola on smoothie bowls)

Fashion + beauty:

Got this cute sweater set and am thinking about ordering another color. I’ll definitely wear it a lot with low-top sneakers or booties, and the material quality is excellent. When I bought it, it was $50 and now it’s $35!

I always travel with the sheet mask version of this, but just found out you can get it in a jar, too. It smells like a dream and doesn’t irritate my skin, which can be sensitive with masks.

Happy Friday, friends!

Have a wonderful weekend and I’ll see ya soon.

xo

Gina

Anyone who watches how bodybuilder Derek Lunsford carries himself in public likely sees a picture of energy and confidence. However, it doesn’t seem like that’s always an accurate descriptor. That’s because even this elite competitor and former 212 Olympia champion (2021) deals with nerves before the big moments.

On Oct. 13, 2022, Lunsford uploaded a video to his YouTube where he candidly discusses what it feels like before he steps onto a major bodybuilding stage. For an athlete judged by the minute details of his mass and physique, it’s a valuable perspective and, on a human level — it’s a relatable one.

[Related: 4 Workouts with a Single Dumbbell for Muscle, Fat Loss, and More]

Lunsford’s discussion about his feelings on competition happened amidst a Q&A during one of his usual training sessions. When a question about his potential nervousness came up, the bodybuilder said it was not so black and white. Rather than be wholly frozen with anxiety, the athlete maintained that any stress he feels comes mixed with healthy excitement.

Any nerves Lunsford does feel also aren’t necessarily prevalent once he steps on stage. The pomp and frill around the general moment seem to be what conjure any butterflies in his stomach.

“It’s more the build-up, the anticipation backstage,” Lunsford clarifies. “They call your name, division. [You] start getting pumped up, touch up tans, and then wait for 30-45 minutes.”

In that waiting time, before the lights come on and before he’s judged closely, Lunsford said it might be easy to overthink matters and get in his own head. Though he knows some things are just out of his control. With that knowledge in hand, he tries to stay even-keeled and in a calm mindset about his prospects.

“It’s going to be what it’s going to be,” Lunsford explained. “I don’t get nervous about people watching. I just want to know … when I’m on stage, I’m giving my best.”

[Related: 10 Push-Up Variations for More Muscle and Strength]

What Lunsford appears to actually struggle with is public speaking. The bodybuilder said he’s better at it now than he used to be, but it’s still not necessarily a duty he relishes as a public-facing figure and one of the biggest names in his sport.

“I was so nervous talking in front of people,” Lunsford said of his early competitive days. “My palms would get sweaty, I was just really nervous … You’re pretty much obligated because you’re a public figure. You need to be able to talk in front of people.”

“I just kept doing it and kept doing it and kept doing it. I kept making myself [speak on stage] even when I didn’t have to do it and I didn’t want to do it. […] I still am not super comfortable with it, but I’ve gotten better. I’m not saying I’m getting better at giving speeches, I’m saying I’m better at not being so nervous about it.”

Lunsford might have another significant public-speaking task ahead of him. The athlete is transitioning to the Men’s Open division at the 2022 Mr. Olympia, where he’ll try to topple respective titans like two-time reigning champion Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay, Brandon Curry, and Nick Walker. Should he succeed, the bodybuilding world will see Lunsford’s growth in front of a microphone and an audience firsthand.

Featured image: @dereklunsford_ on Instagram

On Oct. 10, 2022, CrossFit athlete Noah Ohlsen posted a video to his YouTube channel where he explained that next year’s 2023 CrossFit Games would likely be his last as an Individual. Among other important notes, the 32-year-old competitor discusses his current rationale, disappointment with recent performances, and what might be next for him in CrossFit. The 2023 CrossFit Games will take place on Aug. 1-6, 2023, in Madison, WI.

Ohlsen’s overall discussion is an illuminating look inside the mind of a staple on the Men’s Individual CrossFit circuit for a long time.

[Related: The Best HIIT Workouts with Bodyweight, with Kettlebells, and More]

For the past 10 years, Ohlsen has been a consistent sight at the CrossFit Games. After making his Games debut in 2014, the athlete has maintained a sparkling record of consistency, never missing an appearance since. While he broke down his future, Ohlsen clarified that he didn’t appreciate his performance at the 2022 CrossFit Games. After finishing in at least the top 10 in each of the last five iterations of the Games, Ohlsen’s 2022 result (12th place) was his worst at the flagship competition since a 15th-place finish at the 2016 edition.

Per Ohlsen, it didn’t appear to meet his high personal standards.

“The 2022 CrossFit Games were just about two months ago out in Madison, Wisconsin,” Ohlsen started. “It was not my worst performance ever, but it was certainly not my best. I finished 12th place, which is pretty disappointing for the … I don’t know if I’d call it expectations but the desires that I have for myself in terms of performance.”

[Related: How to Do the Kettlebell Swing for Explosive Power, Strength, and Conditioning]

As a mainstay in Individual CrossFit for years, Ohlsen understandably thinks more of his competitive acumen. That’s partly why he wants to step away from this portion of the sport.

“I not only want to be a top 10 CrossFit Games athlete, but I want to be on the podium, I want to win,” Ohlsen explained. “That’s been my goal for the last decade. “There is a good chance that it’s my final season competing at the CrossFit Games as an Individual athlete, That’s tough to say, for sure. It’s been all that I’ve known for the last decade plus.”

As for what’s next, Ohlsen hinted at being involved more with family and personal endeavors but noted that he only has so much energy to utilize as an Individual competitor. It appears he thinks that his motivation is best used elsewhere moving forward.

“The way things have gone, the way my life is set up now, I don’t want to just continue on that hamster wheel of trying to win the Games and just falling short of that.”

[Related: How to Do the Inverted Row — Benefits, Variations, and More]

Though he’s stepping away from the Individual portion, Ohlsen isn’t done in CrossFit. He said he intends to transition to the Team division come 2024, in the vein of notable legends like Rich Froning Jr. The athlete won the 2022 Wodapalooza in January on a Team with Chandler Smith and Travis Mayer. He maintained that he plans to be in contact with Smith and push for a CrossFit Games Team title after 2023.

Before that transition happens, Ohlsen has a pending Individual competition on his docket. He will partake in the 2022 Rogue Invitational, which will take place on Oct. 28-30, 2022, in Austin, TX. Relatively soon after, Ohlsen’s potential last ride as an Individual competitor will start when the 2023 CrossFit season begins on Feb. 16, 2023.

Featured image: @nohlsen on Instagram