5) Shoulder packing:
Shoulder packing is very important for posture, and to help prevent rotator cuff injuries. It should be done before you do any upper body exercise, whether you are working out your arms, chest or back. After enough practice it will be a natural motion and you won't have to think about it, but until that happens you may have to check your posture while working out.
To practice this lie flat on your back on the ground with your arms at your side. You can either have your legs bent at a 90 degree angle or flat on the floor. First push your shoulders towards your feet, then down into the ground. You should be able to feel your shoulder blades "flat" against the ground. Hold this position for 10-12 seconds and repeat 5-6 times. Once you've done this on the ground a couple of times, you can try it while standing. The reason you start on the floor, is because it really creates a sense of awareness of the movement that you are supposed to be doing while standing up.
4) A proper squat:
Squats are something that I emphasize in all my programs for my clients because you often have to pick things up off of the ground. There is a whole bunch of other reasons to emphasize a squat, but that is not what I am here to talk about. Often, squats are done wrong and the wrong action can cause stresses and strains on your knees that are unnecessary.
Stand with your shoulders about hip width apart, or a little wider. Make sure your feet are parallel with each other - meaning that the toes are pointing directly in front of you and your heels are hitting the wall directly behind you. Bend at the waist first, sticking your butt out and when you feel like you are about to fall, bend your knees and squat down. Bending at the waist first makes utilizes your glutes (butt muscles), which is what is supposed to happen. Make sure your abs are tight and braced while doing this to maintain a straight back.
3) Bracing:
Bracing is relatively easy, but necessary for your workouts. You should do it when working out your upper and lower body for sure, and you can randomly do it while your walking. It's a way to help support and stabilize your back to prevent injury.
If you haven't figure it out by now, bracing involves your abdominal muscles. The best way to describe it is like this: pretend someone is about to punch you in the gut, how would you harden your muscles? That is what bracing is. It's tightening your abdominal muscles, again, to support and stabilize the spine.
2) Drink Water:
You should always drink 8 oz of water before you work out. Drink water every 10-20 minutes (or as needed) while you are working out, and drink 8-12 oz immediately after working out. This is the best way to prevent dehydration, headaches, sore muscles and fatigue. You are made up of water, so you should replace the water regularly. I have found that by drinking the appropriate amounts of water I am able to focus better and I feel more energized throughout the day. So, stop drinking all that soda, all that juice and all that coffee and every time you pass your kitchen, drink some more water!!!
1) Ask questions:
If you are relatively new to a gym and don't know how to use a piece of equipment, or are unsure of how to workout a specific muscle, ask a trainer. Even if you don't train with them, it is their job to help you. Don't expect them to give you a full session, but I've asked several trainers questions before and they are generally awesome at helping out. I know that if someone were to come up to me, I'd be glad to help.
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