Last Updated on December 7, 2017 by MarcyPro
It’s the perfect time to build a new and improved YOU.
It’s the beginning of a new year and people are currently flocking to their local fitness clubs, or investing in building their own home gyms. Of course, a solid workout plan is not only good for your health, but also your long term longevity. Boosting up your health and fitness levels are obviously an important result of working out. There is also another equally important, byproduct of training: Building up your confidence.
People who have higher confidence levels tend to be more successful in whatever they do. Whether it’s being more assertive at the workplace; being taken more seriously when you speak to others; or simply being able to walk down the street with your head held up high—a heightened confidence can really work wonders for your life.
Here are several goal-setting tips that can help you to make great strides in building up your confidence.
Building Up Your “Strut Profile”
Seated barbell incline chest presses are excellent for developing your upper chest muscles. Perform four sets of these with a weight that allows you to barely manage eight to ten reps. This is optimal for building up your upper chest area and making that “V” area between your collarbones more pronounced.
However, a less known fact is that decline chest presses can actually really bring one’s chest out in full force. That’s because not only are there more available pec muscles within the lower portion of your chest, but also because of the exercise’s angle—less arm and shoulder muscles are allowed to contribute. In other words, decline chest presses utilize almost all chest.
Incline presses are performed by sitting upon an inclined bench and grasping the barbell overhead in an overhand grip. Angle your knees out at 45 degree angles and keep your feet firmly planted on the floor in front of your body. Lift the bar upwards until your arms are extended (leave a slight bend in them however to help prevent injury), while exhaling, pause a couple of seconds, then lower the bar gradually to your collarbones.
For declines, rest yourself upon a declined bench and take an overhand grip on the barbell above you. Lift the bar upwards and then slowly bring it down to your mid to lower chest, inhaling steadily. When you reach your chest, pause, and then press the weight back upwards until your arms are extended, although still slightly bent, and remember to exhale. Just as with incline presses, use as much weight as you can to be able to perform 8 to 10 reps, and complete four sets in all.
The Tight & Tapered Torso
Okay, that’s quite a tongue twister, but in all seriousness, rock hard abs are one of the ultimate goals for many a gym-goer. Although having a chiseled midsection may be at the top of the list, the first step is getting it tighter and more streamlined. After all, who’s going to notice those ab muscles if they’re all covered up in layers of holiday-accumulated fat?
Exercise ball-mounted ab crunches can really do wonders for your midsection. All you need to do is sit upon an exercise ball with only your upper gluts and lower back touching it. Then cross your arms across your chest so that each of your hands is resting on the opposing shoulder, or interlace your hands behind your head. Be sure to keep your knees bent and feet firmly planted on the floor in front of you. From this starting position, gradually raise your upper body while exhaling and “crunch” your abs together. Then release, and slowly move back to the starting position while inhaling.
Oblique crunches are also not only great for sculpting your midsection, but awesome for developing your core strength. Lay upon an exercise mat and rest on one side, and keep your knees bent and folded slightly. With one hand behind your neck, perform a contraction just as you would with a normal crunch—bringing your head and upper body upwards as far as you can go while inhaling deeply. Pause. Then exhale while returning back to the starting position.
Perform 10 to 20 reps of both of these ab blasting exercises, for four total sets. You’ll really feel it afterwards!
Step up Your “V” Shaped Triceps Game
Sure, ripped biceps look cool when someone is approaching you, but when they pass by and there’s a lack of overall tone in the rest of your arms, the impression can be lacking. That’s because triceps are actually the largest parts of your arms. They are composed of three parts—hence the “tri” in triceps, and include the long, medial, and lateral muscles.
One exercise that will help you to hit all three triceps muscles simultaneously is the triceps dip. Position yourself on a dip bar, and set your body up perpendicularly to the ground so that it is straight up and down. Slowly lower your body until your upper arms and forearms form a 90 degree angle, pause, then raise yourself back upwards as you exhale, contracting your triceps fully.
Another triceps-burning exercise is the French press. Seat yourself on the edge of a workout bench and grab an EZ-curl bar in a pronated grip. Begin with your arms straight up and the bar suspended over your head. Then, gradually bend at your elbows until the bar goes as far back as it can behind your neck. Pause, then contract your triceps while bring the bar back upwards. Be sure to keep your elbows tucked in throughout the entire range of motion.
Both of these triceps exercises should be performed for 4 sets, with eight to ten reps per set.
Ultimate Confidence Awaits
So now we hope that you are sufficiently motivated to not only build a new you, but also boost up your confidence levels moving forward, not only throughout the New Year, but beyond as well. Using these exercise tips, we know that you can do this. So get out there and get moving—ultimate confidence awaits you!
And be sure to check out Marcy Pro today for all your fitness needs, and start your fitness journey today!