More updates going on at GAH this week. We're going to be taking delivery of 2 new pieces of Powerfabs leg equipment and replacing our existing cardio with brand new pieces, all pictured below. Exciting times for us here as we try to improve our Cilfynydd facility to make it one of the best around.
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There's been a lot going on here at the gym in the last few weeks. The biggest news of the last week is the delivery of 4 new pieces of Powerfabs equipment, a standing leg curl, plate loaded fly, decline press and multi press. These are some of the best, most versatile pieces we've had yet, equipment that makes us proud to be an official Powerfabs gym. There's plenty more in the works in the coming months to keep on improving the gym and make it the best possible training environment we can.
GAH Gym Unit 38, Albion Industrial Estate, Cilfynydd, Pontypridd, CF37 4NX With the Rio Olympics taking place, here at GAH Gym we're having a giveaway competition for our members. See below for details on how to enter GAH Gym Unit 38, Albion Industrial Estate, Cilfynydd, Pontypridd, CF37 4Nx The coming weeks at GAH Gym will see the addition of several new pieces of Powerfabs equipment. We use Powerfabs equipment at our Pontypridd facility simply because it’s what equipment should be, well made, built to last kit with great angles and movements. We’ve just taken delivery of a brand new leg press, and there’s more on it’s way to help make GAH Gym the best we can.
GAH Gym Unit 38, Albion Industrial Estate, Cilfynydd, Pontypridd, CF37 4NX A back exercise you don’t see performed very often in the gym. A barbell rowing movement, with the added pause on the floor that keeps your reps explosive and prevents you using momentum to aid your lifts.
Performed like a bent over row, start with the bar on the floor, place your grip just wider than shoulder width, a slight bend in your legs, trying to keep your back as straight as possible. From there, row the bar close to your body trying as much as possible to keep your body at the same angle, with your back straight, and your legs out of the movement. This is harder movement than standard barbell rows, so take the weight slowly to find your level. GAH Gym Unit 38, Albion Industrial Estate, Cilfynydd, Pontypridd, CF37 4NX A small piece of training kit we have in the gym, but one that can make a
big change to your fitness training. Fat Gripz can be added to a bar or dumbbells, making the bar much thicker. For pulling movements suck as rows, this can aid your grip by making it much more difficult to grip the bar. They are also a great alteration when performing curls, as the thicker bar will cause even more tension through the arms, making them even more effective. Finally, adding them to the bar for pressing movements can help you spread the load adding more comfort to the movement. GAH Gym Unit 38, Albion Industrial Estate, Cilfynydd, Pontypridd, CF37 4NX Improve your hamstring training in the gym with 2 small tips
1 DON'T BE AFRAID TO GO HEAVY Hamstrings are typically a muscle that will fatigue quickly and more suited to heavy, powerful training. When performing hamstring exercises, don’t be afraid to keep your reps lower and the weight high. 2 HIT THEM FROM BOTH ANGLES Whilst leg curls are great for hamstrings it is also important to remember that they are also involved in movement at the hip joint. Incorporate movements such as straight or stiff leg deadlifts to ensure you’ll hit your hamstrings from both angles and train them even more effectively. GAH Gym Unit 38, Albion Industrial Estate, Cilfynydd, Pontypridd, CF37 4NX As with anything in the gym, there are always small changes you can make to exercises to make sure you’re getting the most out of them. 1 FULLY FLEX, FULLY EXTEND YOUR ARM When performing tricep extensions, moving the elbow joint through its full range, so fully bending and straightening your arms, the tricep will be full stretched and contracted. To contract you triceps, making them as short as possible, perform the exercise until your arms is completely straight andelbow locked. To stretch triceps, making them as long as you can, fully flex your arm when performing the negative portion of the movement. To make sure you’re doing this, contract your biceps for a moment at the top of the movement. 2 WORK YOUR WRISTS This small addition to the end of tricep extensions will allow you to feel a much more forceful contraction in your triceps. When straightening your arms, at the very end of the movement, point your wrists out, so that your thumb starts to point down towards the floor (or up to the ceiling if performing overhead movements). GAH Gym Unit 38 Albion Industrial Estate, Cilfynydd, Pontypridd, CF37 4NX Another muscle group a lot of people have trouble targeting when they’re in the gym. As with chest, you’ll hear a lot of people saying that they feel it in their arms when training back. If you feel this, there are a few small tweaks that you can make to help you place the stress onto your back.
1 ENGAGE YOUR BACK BEFORE YOUR ARMS This will apply to both rowing and pulldown exercises, and can help prevent your arms from being the main driver of the exercise. When doing a row or pulldown, let the weight stretch you, engage your shoulder blades (pulling them down for a pulldown and back on a row) before starting to pull with your arms, then begin pulling with your arms once you’ve fully engaged your shoulder blades. This will allow your back to become the main driver of the exercise. So whilst you may feel weaker at first, once you learn how to engage your back, you’ll find your strength also increasing. 2 DON’T GO TOO HEAVY This particularly applies to T-bar and bent over rows, exercises where you need to be bent over in an unsupported manner. Going too heavy on these exercises will not only increase the risk of injury, but will also cause you to become more and more upright and use momentum to get the weight up. This will mean you’re targeting your back less, and most stress will also be placed on your traps. It might not be the most appealing advice but going a little light on back exercises will lower the need to use momentum and allow you to use your back properly. 3 USE LIFTING STRAPS Using lifting straps will prevent your grip from being the limiting factor in sets, so when you do fail it will be because your back can’t move the weight, rather than your grip failing. It will also mean that you don’t need to grip the bar or handles so hard. To use straps, wrap them around the bar once, going in the opposi the direction to your grip. Once they’re secure, it will lower the effort you need to put in the keep the bar in your hand. GAH Gym Unit 38, Albion Industrial Estate, Cilfynydd, Pontypridd, CF37 4NX As with anything in the gym, there are always small changes you can make to exercises to make sure you’re getting the most out of them.
1 FULLY FLEX, FULLY EXTEND YOUR ARM When performing tricep extensions, moving the elbow joint through its full range, so fully bending and straightening your arms, the tricep will be full stretched and contracted. To contract you triceps, making them as short at possible, perform the exercise until your arms is completely straight and elbow locked. To stretch triceps, making them as long as you can, fully flex your arm when performing the negative portion of the movement. To make sure you’re doing this, contract your biceps for a moment at the top of the movement. 2 EXTEND YOUR WRISTS This small addition to the end of tricep extensions will allow you to feel a much more forceful contraction in your triceps. When straightening your arms, at the very end of the movement, point your wrists out, so that your thumb starts to point down towards the floor (or up to the ceiling if performing overhead movements). GAH Gym Unit 38 Albion Industrial Estate, Cilfynydd, Pontypridd, CF37 4NX |
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November 2018
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