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Split Squat
HEALTH

How to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes

by Abbey
written by Abbey

The Bulgarian split squat is a version of a single-leg squat where the back leg is elevated on a bench or a sturdy chair. As a unilateral squat, the exercise focuses more on the quadriceps than similar lower-body compound movements. In order to maintain perfect form, it also calls for a high level of balance and coordination, which increases the engagement of the core and upper body.How to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes

The Bulgarian split squat is a great exercise to add to a lower-body or total-body workout.
Due to the compound, balance-focused nature of the movement, it’s a good idea to include it toward the beginning of a workout, perhaps after a solid warmup including traditional squats, Romanian deadlifts, or barbell snatches.

Lockie RG, Risso FG, Lazar A, et al. Between-leg mechanical differences as measured by the Bulgarian split-squat: exploring asymmetries and relationships with sprint acceleration. Sports (Basel). 2017;5(3):1-12. doi:10.3390/sports5030065

 If you’re ready to fire up your quads and grow your glutes, read on for ways to try the highly-effective exercise.

Bulgarian Split Squat Muscles Worked

Bulgarian split squats are an intense lower-body exercise that engages several leg muscles simultaneously. One of the main muscles used in Bulgarian split squats is the front quadriceps.
Other muscles include the hamstrings along the back of thighs, glutes of the buttocks and hips, and calves along the back of the lower legs.How to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes

This exercise is intended to target your front leg—your back leg is there to offer some balance support, but the engagement and the “burn” should be felt primarily in your front leg, particularly the quadriceps of your front leg.How to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes

Bulgarian split squats also include a balance challenge to keep you steady on one leg. This keeps core muscles, including the abdominal muscles and spinal erectors (run along the spine), engaged throughout the movement.How to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes

How to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat

The key thing to keep in mind when performing the Bulgarian split squat is that it may take some trial and error to establish the ideal foot placement for a comfortable workout. You’ll place one of your feet on a bench behind you, but you may need to hop your front foot around a little bit to help you find the exact position that feels best. Feel free to perform a few practice reps to ensure proper setup before starting your actual set.

All you need for the most basic version of the Bulgarian split squat is a bench or a sturdy chair. As you become comfortable with the exercise, you may want to add dumbbells or kettlebells for increased resistance.

  1. Stand roughly two feet in front of a sturdy bench or chair, your feet hip-distance apart, your core engaged, your shoulders back, and your chest and eyes pointing straight ahead.How to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes
  2. Pick up your right foot and place it on the bench behind you. You can do this in one of two ways. One option is to place the top of your foot on the bench so that your ankle joint is roughly aligned with the edge of the bench. The other option is to flex your ankle and find your balance with the ball of your foot and your toes, more like during a traditional lunge exercise.How to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes
  3. Ensure that your feet are at least somewhat broader than the distance between your hips. If your elevated foot is directly behind your front, balancing will be more difficult.
  4. Remember, your back foot is just there to help you stay balanced—the engagement and movement of the exercise are focused on the front leg.How to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes
  5. Engage your core with your chest high and eyes looking straight ahead, and bend your left knee, allowing your right knee and ankle to naturally bend as you move through the downward phase of the exercise without taking on the load with your back leg.How to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes
  6. Keep the load balanced evenly across your left foot as you lower. Hinge slightly forward at the hips, ensuring your left knee remains aligned with your left toes (that it doesn’t cave inward or bow outward). You may find that your left knee starts to protrude slightly over your left toes toward the bottom of the exercise. Depending on how comfortable you are and how flexible your ankles are, this might not be good or wrong.
  7. Inhale through this downward phase, lowering down until your left quadriceps is roughly parallel to the ground.How to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes
  8. Press back to standing by pushing through your left foot and using your left quad and glute to power the upward phase of the exercise. Exhale as you press to standing.
  9. Step your right foot off the bench or chair after completing a full set to one side. Ensure you keep things even by performing the same repetitions and sets to each side.How to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes

You may need to hop or wiggle your front foot around to find a secure, well-balanced placement. You may have to do this a couple of times after performing a repetition, as finding the proper foot placement based on your comfort and preference can take a little time.How to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes

Benefits of Bulgarian Split Squats

A great exercise to advance your lower-body training is the Bulgarian split squat.This movement targets all the same muscle groups you see targeted during squats and lunges—quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves, abdominals, and spinal erectors—but places greater focus on the quadriceps and core due to the single-leg, balance challenge that the exercise provides.How to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes

Anytime you work your body unilaterally, or concentrate on one side of your body independently of the other, you can correct your muscle imbalances from side to side.

By improving these imbalances, you’re less likely for one side to “take over” when bending, lifting, or moving through life, making it easier for you to maintain proper alignment and avoid injuries over time.

These exercises may also improve your agility, and core strength, making it less likely that you’ll experience a fall when knocked off balance. Maintaining your balance as you age may help you fall less and lower your chance of suffering potentially deadly injuries like wrist or hip fractures.

Bulgarian Split Squat Variations

The split squat variations listed below can be performed without a bench or with the addition of weight, an exercise ball, or a resistance band to make the exercise more difficult.

Split Squat

While “split squat” and “Bulgarian split squat” are often used interchangeably, they’re two different variations of the exercise. The Bulgarian split squat refers to the version where the back leg is elevated on a bench or a sturdy chair, while the split squat is the version performed without the rear leg elevated.

Remember, this isn’t the same as a lunge where the back leg is also engaged in the exercise.

  1. Perform the exercise in the same manner, but with your back foot on the floor.
  2. Use your back leg to help with balance, but the front leg should support the entire movement.

Weighted Bulgarian Split Squat

Once you’ve mastered the proper form, make things harder by adding weights.

  1. Hold a pair of dumbbells or kettlebells in your hands to ramp up the difficulty of the exercise.
  2. For an even more challenging variation, place an unloaded or loaded barbell across your shoulders before performing the Bulgarian split squat.

Bulgarian Split Squat with Resistance Bands

Another variation that adds a challenge is to use a resistance band. The band adds resistance as you lift out of the squat.

  • Place the resistance band under your front foot.
  • Bend your arms to bring the resistance band in line with your shoulders as you perform the Bulgarian split squats.

Bulgarian Split Squat with an Exercise Ball

If you want to add more of a challenge for your core muscles, you can use an exercise ball.

  • Elevate your back leg onto an exercise ball instead of a bench or chair.
  • Move slowly to keep proper Bulgarian split squat form even though your core is working harder to maintain your balance through the exercise.

Common Bulgarian Split Squat Mistakes

There are a few common mistakes made when performing Bulgarian split squats. Here’s what to watch for.

Placing the Back Leg Directly Behind the Front

If you align your back foot directly behind your front foot, you’ll have a tough time balancing throughout the exercise. Because your front leg powers the motion, this is already a unilateral balance challenge, forcing you to maintain balance as you move through a squat supported primarily by your front foot.

If you reduce your base of support by placing your back foot directly behind your front one, you’re going to struggle to master proper form.

When you place your back foot on the bench behind you, make sure it’s roughly hip distance apart from your front foot or even slightly wider. Even though you’re not powering the exercise with your back foot or leg, having this wider “kickstand” for support will help you complete the Bulgarian split squat effectively.

Leaning Too Far Forward From the Hips

It’s tempting and common to lose focus on your core—particularly your abdominals and spinal erectors—as you move through the downward phase of the Bulgarian split squat. Not only does this forward lean limit the core benefits of the exercise, but it makes you more likely to place too much stress on your front knee, shifting your weight too far forward. (A slight lean is fine.)

Additionally, if you progress to a Bulgarian split squat with a barbell balanced across your shoulders, a forward lean as you squat will likely lead to injury. Before starting the exercise’s downward phase, re-engage your core muscles and roll your shoulders back. Try to keep this same posture and alignment throughout each repetition.

Rising Onto the Toes

A bad habit that sometimes occurs when your alignment and form are otherwise poor is to rise onto the ball and toes of your front foot as you squat down. This usually indicates one of two things: 1) your front foot is too close to the bench, and you need to move it forward to maintain better balance and alignment, or 2) you’re leaning forward at your hips as you perform the squat, and you need to rise onto your toes to support the forward shift in your weight to remain balanced.

If you ever find yourself rising onto the ball or toes of your front foot, stop the exercise and reset. Check the placement of your front foot—you may need to shift it forward—and ensure you’re keeping your torso upright and tall as you perform the exercise.

Supporting the Movement With the Back Leg

Remember, the Bulgarian split squat is a form of single-leg squat. While the back leg is intended to help with balance, it’s not supposed to be engaged to perform the exercise, making it more of a lunge. At any given point of the movement, you should be able to “shake” your back leg to ensure it’s still loose and not engaged in supporting your weight.

Allowing the Front Knee to Lose Alignment

As with all squat and lunge variations, one standard and significant mistake during the Bulgarian split squat are to allow the front knee to shift inward or outward, losing alignment with the same-side toes. This places way too much stress on the knee, especially during single-leg exercises, where the weight and resistance are all being supported by one leg.

Especially when you go from the downward to the upward phase of the exercise, pay close attention to how your front knee aligns with your toes.

Safety and Precautions

Proper setup and effective core engagement are hands-down the best ways to ensure the Bulgarian split squat remains safe. Take your time to find appropriate foot alignment and placement, so you’re not tempted to lean forward from the hips and throw your center of gravity in front of your front knee. This places too much stress on the knee and could lead to injury.

Generally speaking, this exercise is safe for anyone who’s been participating in strength training for a while and has a decent level of balance, coordination, and lower-body strength.

If you’re brand-new to strength training, or if you struggle to remain balanced while performing traditional lunges, you probably aren’t ready to try the Bulgarian split squat yet. Likewise, if you have knee or ankle pain or injuries, the flexibility and mobility required to perform this movement correctly may not be comfortable for you.

If you feel any pain or discomfort, discontinue the movement and try the split squat variation with your back foot balanced on the floor.

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7 Best Glute Exercises
HEALTH

7 Best Glute Exercises for a Stronger Butt

by Abbey
written by Abbey

If you want to build stronger glutes, you’ll want to do exercises and activities that target those muscles. The “glutes” are actually three different muscles—the gluteus maximus (the largest muscle), the gluteus medius, and the gluteus minimus. Read on for 7 moves to try that will build your butt 7 Best Glute Exercises for a Stronger Butt.

Your glutes can’t always be changed structurally, but with the correct exercises, you can make them firmer and stronger.The key is working all the muscles from different angles with different exercises and cardiovascular activities. Try any of the exercises below to target and strengthen your glutes 7 Best Glute Exercises for a Stronger Butt.

 Glute Imbalance: What It Is and How to Fix It

Squats

The squat is one of the best exercises for building strength in the gluteus maximus, which is the largest muscle in the lower body. They also strengthen your core, thighs, hips, and calves.7 Best Glute Exercises for a Stronger Butt

Squats should be a staple of any basic lower body workout. If the move hurts your knees, try alternative forms of the squat.7 Best Glute Exercises for a Stronger Butt

How to Do Squats

  1. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart. For added intensity, hold weights at shoulder level or at your sides.
  2. Bend your knees and lower into a squat 7 Best Glute Exercises for a Stronger Butt. Keep your knees behind your toes (imagine that you’re sticking your butt out behind you, but keep your torso upright and contracted).
  3. Press into your heels to stand.
  4. Repeat for 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 reps

If you’re up for a challenge, try the Bulgarian split squat. The move requires you to balance on one leg while elevating the other on a bench or sturdy chair. The move shifts the workload onto the quads of the front leg, but the glutes are activated as well.

 Build Your Butt With the Bulgarian Split Squat

Lunges

Lunges are a typical exercise for the butt. When you are in a staggered position, your glutes play a major role in stabilizing your body.
The stance also forces the glutes on the front of your legs to work even harder.2 Lunges also work other muscles including your hamstrings, quads, and calves 7 Best Glute Exercises for a Stronger Butt.

 The Best Lower Body Strength Exercises

How to Do Lunges

  1. Stand with your feet staggered, one foot forward and one foot back (about 3 feet apart).
  2. Bend both knees and lunge straight down, sending your back knee toward the floor.
  3. Try not to lunge forward over your front toes. Keep your front heel on the ground.
  4. Press into your heel to stand.
  5. Repeat for 1 to 3 sets of 12 to 16 reps. For added intensity, hold some weights.

One of the best things about lunges is that there are many varieties. You can easily mix it up to target your muscles in different ways. For example, elevate your back foot on a step or platform to really challenge both legs.7 Best Glute Exercises for a Stronger Butt

While lunges are a great move for the glutes and thighs, you’ll want to avoid the move if it aggravates any knee problems 7 Best Glute Exercises for a Stronger Butt.

Step-Ups

Step-ups are another great exercise to work your butt. To get started, make sure that you choose a platform high enough that your knee is at a 90-degree angle when bent. If that’s a little too much, use the second stair on a staircase and hold onto the rail for balance 7 Best Glute Exercises for a Stronger Butt.

How to Do Step-Ups

  1. Stand in front of the step or platform. Place your right foot on the step.
  2. Pressing into your heel, step up, touching your left toes to the step.
  3. Keeping your right foot on the step, bring your left foot down to the floor. Bend your knee into a lunge for more intensity.
  4. Repeat for 1 to 3 sets of 12 to 16 reps on each side. For more intensity, try holding weights or a resistance band under your standing foot.
  5. Push into your heel to lift the body and concentrate all your weight on your stepping leg.
  6. Lower down gently, barely touching the toes of your other leg to the ground. If you take it slow and concentrate on the working leg, you’ll really feel this move.

We’ve tried, tested, and reviewed the best resistance bands. If you’re in the market for resistance bands, explore which option may be best for you.7 Best Glute Exercises for a Stronger Butt

Sidestep Squats With Resistance Bands

This exercise targets the smaller gluteus medius and minimus, whereas the preceding workouts mostly worked the gluteus maximus. Don’t worry, though, the gluteus maximus is still involved because you’re squatting.1

To turn this into a great whole-body exercise, hold the handles of the resistance bands with your arms bent for an isometric exercise for the biceps.7 Best Glute Exercises for a Stronger Butt

How to Do Sidestep Squats

  1. Use a band with medium-light tension. Stand on it, holding both handles.
  2. Take a wide step out to the right into a squat, keeping tension on the band.
  3. Step your left foot in. Continue stepping out and squatting to the right, all the way across the room (or as far as you can).
  4. Repeat the other way or for about 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 steps.

Hip Thrust / Glute Squeeze on Ball

The hip thrust on a ball is another exercise that works your glutes. The ball not only creates some instability but also works your entire lower body. Grasping weights on the upper thighs might intensify an exercise routine.

How to Do Hip Thrusts

  • Begin in a bridge position with your head resting on the ball and your butt lifted. If you want, place weights on your thighs for added intensity.
  • Lower your hips to the ground. Try not to let the ball roll around.
  • Squeeze your glutes to lift back to your starting position.
  • Repeat for 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 reps. Try lifting your toes for a more intense move.

Hip Extensions

While the previous compound exercises are the go-to choice for working multiple muscles at the same time, hips extensions are perfect for targeting the glutes in a more focused way. You’ll also benefit from some core and shoulder activation.

How to Do Hip Extensions

  1. Get on your hands and knees, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips.
  2. Keeping the right knee bent, lift your right leg up until it is level with your glutes.
  3. Lower your leg.
  4. Repeat for 12 to 16 reps on each side.
  5. To add intensity, squeeze a weight in the back of your knee or use ankle weights.

One-Legged Deadlifts

Deadlifts are great for your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back, but this one-legged version is an especially good butt workout. Doing anything on one leg adds intensity and it also involves your stabilizer muscles to keep your body balanced.

Keep in mind that with deadlifts, proper form is critical. You should skip this exercise if you have back problems.

 

How to Do Deadlifts

  1. Holding weights, take your left leg back behind you (about a foot or so) and lightly rest on your toe.
  2. Tip from your hips and slowly lower the weights to the floor as far as your flexibility allows.
  3. Keep your back flat (or with a natural arch). Make sure you keep your abs contracted to protect your back.
  4. Squeeze the glutes of your working leg to bring it back up.
  5. Do 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 reps on each side.

Other Activities to Improve Strength in Your Glutes

The previous strength exercises aren’t the only moves for the glutes—cardio activities can also be an effective way to engage your backside. Try any of these fitness activities to improve your glute strength.

  • Walking up an inclineautomatically gets your glutes more involved. If you’re wearing a backpack, you’re getting even more of a workout.
  • Kickboxinginvolves complex combinations that target your upper and lower body and abs to make them stronger. For instance, a 140-pound woman can burn up to 500 calories with 45 minutes of kickboxing.
  • Hiking works the glutes and also burns a ton of calories. Not only do you work harder if you are hiking uphill, but you’ll expend even more energy if there’s a change in altitude. A 140-pound person burns about 390 calories in about an hour while hiking. If you live in a flat area, try raising the incline on your treadmill to mimic trekking up a hill.
  • Biking is another great way to engage the glutes. If there are no hiking trails in your area, consider cycling (indoors or out).
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Chicken Breast
HEALTH

Chicken Breast Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

by Abbey
written by Abbey

Chicken breast is an excellent source of lean protein (protein without a lot of accompanying fat). That means most of the chicken breast calories and macronutrients (macros) come from protein. People who eat enough protein are more likely to maintain muscle mass and preserve a healthy metabolism Chicken Breast Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits.

In addition to being affordable and adaptable in the kitchen, chicken breasts can be prepared in a multitude of ways.For example, baked chicken breasts and air fryer chicken breasts tend to be convenient and healthy cooking methods. Learn more about food safety, the nutritional benefits of chicken breast, and how to prepare it as part of a balanced diet. Nutritional Information and Health Benefits of Chicken Breast.

Chicken Breast Nutrition Facts

The chicken breast macros for one 3-ounce (85g) grilled, boneless, skinless piece are 26 grams of protein and 2.7 grams of fat with zero grams of carbohydrates.1 This serving size also has 128 calories. Note that many commercially packaged chicken breasts are much larger than 3 ounces. So if you eat a single breast, you’re probably eating more than a single serving.Chicken Breast Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

  • Calories:128
  • Protein:26g
  • Fat:2.7g
  • Carbohydrates:0g
  • Sodium:44mg
  • Fiber:0g

Calories

A full 80% of the calories in chicken breast come from protein. The rest comes from fat, as chicken breast has no carbohydrates. There are 128 calories in a single 3- ounce serving of skinless chicken breast.Chicken Breast Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Protein

Chicken breasts are high in lean protein, making up most of their macronutrient composition.For people who eat meat, consuming chicken is a simple way to meet some of your body’s protein needs without consuming a lot of fat. Depending on the cooking method you choose, chicken breasts are also naturally low in sodium.Chicken Breast Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Fats

Skinless chicken breast contains a small amount of fat, fewer than 3 grams. It is mostly unsaturated fat (there is less than 1 gram of saturated fat in a 3-ounce portion of skinless chicken breast).

If you keep the skin on your chicken breast, the fat, calorie, and protein counts will all be higher. A 3-ounce (85g) serving of roasted, broiled, or baked chicken breast with skin on provides 166 calories, 6.6 grams fat, and 25 grams protein.

Cooking your chicken breasts produces more fat. For instance, adding olive oil to a skillet increases the quantity of fat in the finished food that is produced. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat, both of which provide health benefits.Chicken Breast Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Carbs

Unless they are seasoned or breaded, chicken breasts don’t contain any sugar or starch, hence they have no carbohydrates. The estimated glycemic load of chicken breast is 0.

Vitamins and Minerals

Chicken breast is a very good source of the selenium, phosphorus, vitamin B6, and niacin. Selenium is important for thyroid function and making DNA.3 Niacin and B6 are both in the family of water-soluble B vitamins that play an essential role in cellular functioning.Chicken Breast Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Health Benefits

The low-fat protein in chicken breast can offer many significant advantages, making this food a helpful addition to many eating plans. Specifically, the nutrients in chicken breast can help with muscle mass, bone health, appetite control, and even mood and sleep.Chicken Breast Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Builds and Maintains Muscle Mass

Protein helps your body maintain muscle mass and also helps build muscle in conjunction with a strength training program.5 Because chicken breast is high in protein, it is part of a diet that can help you build muscle mass. Research shows that losses in muscle mass and strength are directly associated with mortality rates in older people. Consequently, it is critical to stop muscle loss at any age, especially if you aren’t making an effort to gain more muscle mass.

Strengthens Bones

Scientists and doctors once believed that a diet high in animal protein could reduce bone density and increase the risk of broken bones. However, more recent research shows that protein works with calcium to help protect bones.7 It’s crucial to consume enough protein to keep bones strong and healthy.Chicken Breast Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

May Reduce Appetite

Consuming protein helps you feel full, which can help reduce food cravings and prevent overeating. One small study of overweight men on reduced-calorie diets, for example, found that those who ate more protein showed “improved appetite control and satiety. The amount of protein in chicken breast makes it a good choice for you if you’re hoping to boost your satisfaction with meals.Chicken Breast Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Boosts Serotonin and Melatonin

Chicken breast contains tryptophan, an essential amino acid that helps regulate protein synthesis. Tryptophan also contributes to your brain’s ability to synthesize serotonin. Individuals who don’t get enough serotonin may get depressive symptoms or memory problems.Moreover, tryptophan aids in the production of melatonin, a hormone essential for sleep.

Allergies

Poultry allergies are rare but are certainly possible. Doctors suggest that an allergy to poultry is about as common as an allergy to red meat (but being allergic to one kind of meat does not mean you will be allergic to other meats). Sometimes people with egg allergy have a secondary allergy to poultry. In this kind of allergy, reactions usually happen when coming into contact with raw meat and not consuming cooked meat.

Adverse Effects

When it comes to protein consumption, especially when it comes to high servings, people with kidney disease need to exercise caution. Consult a healthcare professional about the appropriate protein sources and dosages if you have kidney illness.

Since chicken breast contains an animal protein, it should not be consumed by anyone who follows a plant-based (vegetarian or vegan) diet.

Varieties

You can purchase chicken breasts that are pre-trimmed and ready to use. In many grocery stores and bulk warehouses, you might also find chicken breasts that are frozen and individually wrapped. If you buy one of these convenient options, be sure to check the nutrition facts label. These varieties of chicken breast may contain more sodium.

You may also see various labels on chicken marketing it as organic, antibiotic-free, etc. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates these terms:

  • Free range:“Producers must demonstrate to the Agency that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside.”
  • Natural:“A product containing no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed. Minimal processing means that the product was processed in a manner that does not fundamentally alter the product. The label must include a statement explaining the meaning of the term natural (such as “no artificial ingredients; minimally processed”).”
  • No hormones:“Hormones are not allowed in raising hogs or poultry. Therefore, the claim ‘no hormones added’ cannot be used on the labels of pork or poultry unless it is followed by a statement that says “Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones.”
  • No antibiotics:“The terms ‘no antibiotics added’ may be used on labels for meat or poultry products if sufficient documentation is provided by the producer to the Agency demonstrating that the animals were raised without antibiotics.”
  • Organic:There are specific rules about how chickens must be raised and cared for in order to be labeled organic. For example, they must be given 100% organic feed.

Storage and Food Safety

Raw chicken can harbor bacteria, such as Campylobacter and Salmonella, that can cause illness. Cooking chicken to at least 165 degrees F will kill the bacteria, but safe handling of the raw meat during preparation is important. Never wash or rinse raw chicken, and always thoroughly clean hands, utensils, and surfaces after handling raw chicken.14

Both uncooked and cooked chicken should be kept in the refrigerator, where it will keep for a few days. Refrigerate or freeze leftover chicken within two hours of serving. Both raw and cooked chicken can be frozen for up to nine months.

How to Prepare

How you prepare chicken breast can significantly change your meal’s fat and calorie count. Roasting, broiling, poaching, and grilling are generally the healthiest preparation methods if you want to limit fat in your meal. You can increase the fat and calorie content of your chicken by breading it, frying or sautéing it in butter or oil, or adding sauces like barbecue sauce.

Chicken Breast Recipes

There are many delicious ways to enjoy chicken breasts with spices and sauces. Try one of these flavorful healthy recipes:

  • Healthier Chicken Masala
  • Chicken Caesar Salad with Homemade Creamy Caesar Dressing
  • Low-Carb Creamy Southwest Chicken
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Plank
HEALTH

How to Do a Plank: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes

by Abbey
written by Abbey

Planking has numerous advantages since it’s a great core and abdominal exercise. To ensure you keep your core strong and stable, add the move to your ab workout program. Keep reading to find out plank exercise benefits and different variations along with instructions How to Do a Plank: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes.

What Is a Plank?

A plank involves lifting your entire body off the ground and maintaining balance on your toes and forearms. Your head, torso, and legs are all in alignment, and your spine is maintained in a neutral position.
Planking is an isometric exercise since keep your core muscles contracted in one position How to Do a Plank: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes.

How to Do a Plank

Select a position where you can extend your whole body length. Using a yoga mat or exercise mat will give you enough padding to be comfortable on all fours. You can do a plank on your palms or forearms, as seen in the video. Many wrist wraps are available to provide joint support.

  • Step 1: Begin in the plank position, face down with your forearms and toes on the floor. Your elbows are directly under your shoulders and your forearms are facing forward. Your head is relaxed and you should be looking at the floor How to Do a Plank: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes.
  • Step 2: Engage your abdominal muscles, drawing your navel toward your spine. Keep your torso straight and rigid and your body in a straight line from your ears to your toes with no sagging or bending. This is the neutral spine position. Ascertain that your shoulders are down and not tucked up toward your ears. The balls of your feet should be beneath your heels.
  • Step 3: Hold this position for 10 seconds. Release to floor.
  • Step 4: Over time work up to 30, 45, or 60 seconds.

Plank Benefits

Planking provides many physical benefits. Strengthening the core is an important aspect of any workout regimen. A strong and solid core looks and feels good How to Do a Plank: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes. More significantly, though, is that it supports the body’s ability to propel through, stabilize, and control almost every other activity.

Core strength is the basis for all coordinated and powerful athletic movements. A strong core can reduce stress on the joints and allow you to achieve better posture How to Do a Plank: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes.

The plank exercise can also be used as the basis for a core muscle strength and stability test. The plank is more of a strength-building exercise than a cardio exercise, but by engaging a range of muscles it can also help to boost your calorie burn How to Do a Plank: Proper Form, Variations, and Common MistakesHow to Do a Plank: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes.

Plank Modifications and Variations

A plank can be performed in a variety of ways to strengthen and stabilize the core muscles. If you’re a newbie, there are additional ways to tweak it.

Need a Modification?

If you find the plank difficult at first, try these two variations as you build up strength.

Tabletop Plank

Practice plank from a tabletop position by actively pressing into your hands and pulling your abs in, which will help you learn how to keep your spine neutral, as pictured. You can also tuck your toes under and practice lifting your knees slightly off of the floor How to Do a Plank: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes. Doing a plank with your knees bent and lifted can help take some of the pressure off of your feet as you build core strength How to Do a Plank: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes.

Incline Plank

You can also do an incline plank with your forearms or palms resting on a bench or step. Place your forearms or palms on a flat, elevated surface with your elbows directly under your shoulders. Walk your feet back until your body forms a straight line on a diagonal How to Do a Plank: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes. Pull your abs in as you tuck your tailbone slightly and actively press into your forearms or palms.

Up for a Challenge?

Try these variations to change up your plank and challenge your core strength even more.

Plank With Leg Lift

Start in the plank position, with your forearms and toes on the floor, to complete a plank with a leg lift. You can substitute your hands for your forearms in this workout to make it a little easier.

  1. Slowly raise one leg 5 to 8 inches off the floor
  2. Count to two and slowly lower your leg to the floor.
  3. Switch legs and repeat.
  4. Do two to three sets of 10 reps.

Plank With Arm Lift

Another way to add variety to the basic plank is to add an arm lift, either by pressing into the opposite forearm or palm. To perform a plank with an arm lift, follow these steps:

  1. Start in plank position.
  2. Carefully shift your weight to your right forearm (or palm).
  3. Extend your left arm straight out in front of you.
  4. Hold for three seconds while keeping your core tight.
  5. Slowly bring your arm back to starting position.
  6. Switch arms and repeat.
  7. Do two to three sets of 10 reps.

Sets of Shorter Planks

Rather than doing a single plank for 30 seconds or more, some exercise routines say there are good benefits for doing a 10- to 15-second plank, resting for 30 seconds, and doing three to five sets. Your total time spent in the plank in an exercise session should be 60 seconds or less.How to Do a Plank: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes

Common Mistakes

Avoid these blunders to get the most out of this workout and to avoid strain or injury.

  • Arching your back: If you arch your back, you are not engaging your abdominals sufficiently and you are putting more of the weight onto your arms. Check to be sure you are keeping your shoulders down and wide.How to Do a Plank: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes
  • Sagging your hips: Your hips will start sinking once your abs have reached their fatigue limit. That’s a sign it’s time to end your plank. If it seems your hips are sagging from the beginning, try separating your feet a bit wider and focus on engaging your abs.
  • Tilting your head up: Your neck should be in line with your body, not tilted up, which could strain the neck. Keep your gaze down at the floor.

Plank Safety and Precautions

You should not do planks if you have a shoulder injury. If you feel shoulder pain, end the exercise. In pregnancy, planks are considered safe for most people though there may be a concern for placing stress on the abdominal wall. It could be better to alter the plank and perform an incline plank or side plank exercise instead. See your doctor or physical therapist to determine if this is a safe exercise.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles do planks work?

The plank exercise works the entire core, including the abdominal muscles that run from the pelvis along the spine and up to the shoulder girdle.

Muscles worked during planks include:

  • Rectus abdominis, or top layer of core muscles at front of the pelvis
  • Transverse abdominis, or the deepest layer of core muscles that run horizontal like a corset
  • Obliques, which are core muscles that run along your sides of your abdomen
  • Erector spinae, which run along the length of your back
  • Shoulder stabilizers, which support the shoulders
  • Gluteus maximus, or the largest muscle of the buttocks and hips
  • Quadriceps,which run along the front of the thighs

How many calories does planking burn?

Your weight and the length of time you hold the plank determine how many calories you burn. A 150-pound person will usually burn three to four calories per minute when performing a plank.

What do planks help with?

Planks are great for building core strength and stability, which helps improve balance and coordination during everyday activities. A strong core can also support you during other forms of athletic or physical activity and can even help protect your lower back from injury.

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Recipe Nutrition
HEALTH

Try Our Recipe Nutrition Calculator

by Abbey
written by Abbey

Editing Your Recipe

You can edit your recipe at any point.

  • Editing ingredients: If you want to change or remove a specific ingredient, click the pencil symbol next to its name. To add new ingredients, hit “+Add Ingredient.”
  • Servings:Choose the number you’d like from the “Number of Servings” dropdown.
  • Starting over:Choose “Analyze New Recipe” or “Start Over.” Note that these options will delete the current information, so if you want to save your current analysis make sure to grab the embed code!

Saving and Embedding the Nutrition Label

To save the nutrition label, just save this embed code.Once you’ve finalized your ingredients and servings click or tap “embed this label,” located under the nutrition label, to generate a code that you can insert into your blog or save to reference later Try Our Recipe Nutrition Calculator.

Making the Most of the Recipe Nutrition Analyzer

You can use this recipe calculator to help you choose healthier foods, but if you’re watching your calories or just want to learn more about your diet, the nutrition facts label is also helpful.Try Our Recipe Nutrition Calculator

Here are a few tips for how to make the most of it.Try Our Recipe Nutrition Calculator

  • Ingredient swaps: Take a look at the calorie breakdown for individual ingredients if you’d like to adjust the calorie content of your recipe. Knowing where the calories are coming from can help you pinpoint specific ingredients to swap out or adjust quantities for Try Our Recipe Nutrition Calculator.
  • Ingredient comparisons: How much of a difference will using whole milk versus low-fat milk make? Analyze a recipe with one ingredient, then edit it to use the second and compare the nutrition facts.
  • Recipe comparisons: Analyze multiple recipes and compare the nutrition labels to help you decide which is better for your diet and specific nutritional needs Try Our Recipe Nutrition Calculator.

Troubleshooting Errors With the Recipe Analyzer

You might see an error message pop up once you analyze your recipe Try Our Recipe Nutrition Calculator. Here are a few common ones and how to fix them:

  • Ingredient not recognized, please try editing:click or tap the ingredient for a dropdown of options to choose from. When you choose the correct one, hit “update.”
  • Measurement not recognized, please try editing: click or tap the pencil icon next to the ingredient name. Choose a measurement from the dropdown, then hit “update.” You can also easily convert the measurement with a unit converter if needed, to match the listings available Try Our Recipe Nutrition Calculator.

Please make sure that you are using the most up-to-date version of your web browser in order to avoid potential errors. This recipe analyzer is not compatible with Internet Explorer Try Our Recipe Nutrition Calculator.

 

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Calories Converter
HEALTH

Steps to Calories Converter

by Abbey
written by Abbey

When calculating your calories burned per step, the number will depend on your weight and height. For instance, a typical 160-pound person of average height will burn about 40 calories per 1,000 steps. This is the equivalent of 0.04 calories per step. The charts below show you how many calories you’d burn in 1,000 steps, 5,000 steps, 10,000 steps, or more. Here is what you need to know about converting your steps to calories burned Steps to Calories Converter.

Convert Your Steps to Calories

You must be aware of your approximate steps per mile in order to translate your steps into calories burned. Based on your height, the majority of fitness trackers calculate your steps per mile.
An average number at a brisk walk or easy running pace is 2,000 to 2,400 steps per mile Steps to Calories Converter Steps to Calories Converter.

For more accuracy, you can also count your steps over a measured mile or measure the length of your stride to determine your steps per mile.Alternatively, you can use a steps-per-mile chart, along with your height and weight, to estimate calories burned at various step counts Steps to Calories Converter. The calorie numbers are based on metabolic equivalents (MET) research, taking an average of the calories burned at walking speeds from 2 to 4 miles per hour.

Here are some charts that are based on height and weight. These will give you an approximate number of calories burned per step Steps to Calories Converter.

How Many Calories is 10,000 Steps Per Day?

How many calories you use while walking 10,000 steps a day will vary widely based on factors such as body size, age, genetics, pace (brisk or slow), and terrain (steep hills or mostly flat ground). See the charts below to get general estimates based on height and weight Steps to Calories Converter.

Height 6 Feet and Above

Use the chart below to estimate calories burned by step count if your height is 6 feet or more. This assumes that you take 2,000 steps per mile Steps to Calories Converter.

2,000 Steps per Mile (Height 6 Feet and Above) Calories Burned by Step Count and Weight
Weight 100 lb 120 lb 140 lb 160 lb 180 lb 200 lb 220 lb 250 lb 275 lb 300 lb
Steps 45 kg 55 kg 64 kg 73 kg 82 kg 91 kg 100 kg 114 kg 125 kg 136 kg
1,000 28 cal. 33 38 44 49 55 60 69 75 82
2,000 55 66 76 87 98 109 120 137 150 164
3,000 83 99 114 131 147 164 180 206 225 246
4,000 110 132 152 174 196 218 240 274 300 328
5,000 138 165 190 218 245 273 300 343 375 410
6,000 165 198 228 261 294 327 360 411 450 492
7,000 193 231 266 305 343 382 420 480 525 574
8,000 220 264 304 348 392 436 480 548 600 656
9,000 248 297 342 392 441 491 540 617 675 738
10,000 275 330 380 435 490 545 600 685 750 820
11,000 303 363 418 479 539 600 660 754 825 902
12,000 330 396 456 522 588 654 720 822 900 984
13,000 358 429 494 566 637 709 780 891 975 1,066
14,000 385 462 532 609 686 763 840 959 1,050 1,148
15,000 413 495 570 653 735 818 900 1,028 1,125 1,230
16,000 440 528 608 696 784 872 960 1,096 1,200 1,312
17,000 468 561 646 740 833 927 1,020 1,165 1,275 1,394
18,000 495 594 684 783 882 981 1,080 1,233 1,350 1,476
19,000 523 627 722 827 931 1,036 1,140 1,302 1,425 1,558
20,000 550 660 760 870 980 1,090 1,200 1,370 1,500 1,640

Height 5’6″ to 5’11”

Use the chart below to estimate calories burned by step count if your height ranges from 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 11 inches. This assumes that you take 2,200 steps per mile.

2,200 Steps per Mile (Height 5’6″ to 5’11”) Calories Burned by Step Count and Weight
Weight 100 lb 120 lb 140 lb 160 lb 180 lb 200 lb 220 lb 250 lb 275 lb 300 lb
Steps 45 kg 55 kg 64 kg 73 kg 82 kg 91 kg 100 kg 114 kg 125 kg 136 kg
1,000 25 cal. 30 35 40 45 50 55 62 68 75
2,000 50 60 69 79 89 99 109 125 136 149
3,000 75 90 104 119 134 149 164 187 205 224
4,000 100 120 138 158 178 198 218 249 273 298
5,000 125 150 173 198 223 248 273 311 341 373
6,000 150 180 207 237 267 297 327 374 409 447
7,000 175 210 242 277 312 347 382 436 477 522
8,000 200 240 276 316 356 396 436 498 545 596
9,000 225 270 311 356 401 446 491 560 614 671
10,000 250 300 345 395 445 495 545 623 682 745
11,000 275 330 380 435 490 545 600 685 750 820
12,000 300 360 415 475 535 595 655 747 818 895
13,000 325 390 449 514 579 644 709 810 886 969
14,000 350 420 484 554 624 694 764 872 955 1,044
15,000 375 450 518 593 668 743 818 934 1,023 1,118
16,000 400 480 553 633 713 793 873 996 1,091 1,193
17,000 425 510 587 672 757 842 927 1,059 1,159 1,267
18,000 450 540 622 712 802 892 982 1,121 1,227 1,342
19,000 475 570 656 751 846 941 1,036 1,183 1,295 1,416
20,000 500 600 691 791 891 991 1,091 1,245 1,364 1,491

Height 5’5″ and Under

Use the chart below to estimate calories burned by step count if you are 5 feet 5 inches or less. This assumes that you take 2,400 steps per mile.

2,400 Steps per Mile (Height 5’5″ and Under) Calories Burned by Step Count and Weight
Weight 100 lb 120 lb 140 lb 160 lb 180 lb 200 lb 220 lb 250 lb 275 lb 300 lb
Steps 45 kg 55 kg 64 kg 73 kg 82 kg 91 kg 100 kg 114 kg 125 kg 136 kg
1,000 23 cal. 28 32 36 41 45 50 57 63 68
2,000 46 55 63 73 82 91 100 114 125 137
3,000 69 83 95 109 123 136 150 171 188 205
4,000 92 110 127 145 163 182 200 228 250 273
5,000 115 138 158 181 204 227 250 285 313 342
6,000 138 165 190 218 245 273 300 343 375 410
7,000 160 193 222 254 286 318 350 400 438 478
8,000 183 220 253 290 327 363 400 457 500 547
9,000 206 248 285 326 368 409 450 514 563 615
10,000 229 275 317 363 408 454 500 571 625 683
11,000 252 303 348 399 449 500 550 628 688 752
12,000 275 330 380 435 490 545 600 685 750 820
13,000 298 358 412 471 531 590 650 742 813 888
14,000 321 385 443 508 572 636 700 799 875 957
15,000 344 413 475 544 613 681 750 856 938 1,025
16,000 367 440 507 580 653 727 800 913 1,000 1,093
17,000 390 468 538 616 694 772 850 970 1,063 1,162
18,000 413 495 570 653 735 818 900 1,028 1,125 1,230
19,000 435 523 602 689 776 863 950 1,085 1,188 1,298
20,000 458 550 633 725 817 908 1,000 1,142 1,250 1,367

How Many Steps Burn 100 calories?

Although this will differ from person to person, burning 100 calories typically requires 2,000–3,000 steps. A pedometer is a great tool for tracking your steps because it can monitor several parameters. Like this chart, many fitness trackers or watches can estimate total caloric expenditure based on your personal inputs, such as height, weight, and gender.Steps to Calories Converter

You can attempt jogging intervals, using fitness walking poles, and increasing your pace when walking to enhance your calorie expenditure.Most fitness trackers don’t accurately track activities that aren’t step-based, so they may not be included in your total steps. You can calculate step equivalents for other activities based on the calories burned.Steps to Calories Converter

Find the Perfect Walking Shoes

Walking is a fantastic low-impact activity for your general health and is frequently suggested as part of a weight loss strategy, regardless of the precise quantity of calories burnt.To help you feel comfortable to go the distance, it’s important to have a good pair of walking shoes that accounts for your foot shape and gait patterns.

For example, there are walking shoes made for high arches and stability walking shoes for overpronation. The wear pattern of your old shoes can give you clues about your gait or you can get tested at a shoe store that specializes in running and walking shoes to ensure a good fit.Steps to Calories Converter

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Leg Press
HEALTH

How to Do the Leg Press

by Abbey
written by Abbey

The leg press is a popular piece of gym equipment that can help build key muscles in your legs. There are two leg press machines commonly found in gyms and home gyms: the standard horizontal leg press and the 45-degree leg press, with a seat that reclines at an angle while your legs press upward in a diagonal direction.

Both machines develop the quadriceps and hamstrings of the thigh and the gluteus (buttocks). While it seems like a simple exercise, it’s essential to learn how to use it properly. To get the most out of strength training and prevent injuries, good form must be maintained. The leg press is used as part of a leg strengthening routine or a machine circuit workout How to Do the Leg Press.

We’ve researched and reviewed the best home gyms. If you’re in the market for a home gym, explore which option may be best for you How to Do the Leg Press.

Leg Press Benefits

With the leg press machine, you can reap some of the benefits of a barbell squat, including the development of your quadriceps. Additionally, it strengthens the gluteus maximus, hamstrings, and calves.

One benefit of the leg press machine is that you can emphasize different muscles by varying your leg press foot position. It builds strength in these muscles, and you can use it to overcome imbalances, such as overly developed hamstrings, compared to quadriceps How to Do the Leg Press.

Leg presses are similar to barbell squats, but they don’t require as much core work, thus they’re not as full-body exercises.This can be beneficial if you add the leg press to your routine as an accessory to squats. Doing so will allow you to continue adding volume to your quadriceps and other leg press muscles worked without causing the additional fatigue that loading a barbell on your spine creates How to Do the Leg Press.

Enhancing your quadriceps strength can improve your squat performance by fortifying the muscles required for advancement. If you find that your barbell squat strength has plateaued, adding the leg press could be helpful.

Using a seated leg press machine may also help increase your balance and stability, especially if you are a beginner at lifting heavy weights. Some people are not ready to use a barbell for squatting until they are accustomed to lifting heavy weights with their legs in a way that increases balance and stability of the core and legs in a safe manner, such as with the leg press.

 7 Weighted Squats to Add to Your Gym Routine

Step-by-Step Instructions

When you sit down at a seated leg press machine, your body should be in a particular position. Sit on the machine with your back and head resting comfortably against the padded support. Place your feet on the footplate about hip-width apart while ensuring that your heels are flat How to Do the Leg Press.

Rather than being elevated, your butt should be flat against the seat. At the knees, your legs should be in a roughly 90-degree angle. If your feet are too high on the plate, it will stress your glutes; too low puts unnecessary pressure on your knees. Your knees should be in line with your feet and neither be bowed inward nor outward.How to Do the Leg Press

When you press, take care to keep this alignment. Your head and spine will remain supported and in alignment if you hold onto the assist handles.

  1. Brace your abdominal muscles and push the platform away with your heels and forefoot. Your heels should remain flat on the footplate How to Do the Leg Press. The front of your foot or toes should never be used exclusively to move the pad forward How to Do the Leg Press.
  2. While exhaling, extend your legs and keep your head and back flat against the seat pad. Extend with slow control rather than with an explosive movement.
  3. Pause at the top of the movement. Do not lock out your knees, and ensure that they are not bowing out or in.How to Do the Leg Press
  4. As you inhale, progressively bend your knees to bring the footplate back to the beginning position. Maintain a flat back and feet at all times.
  5. If you have never done leg presses, start modestly with three sets of 10 leg presses. You can advance from there as you build strength How to Do the Leg Press.

Leg Press Common Mistakes

It is essential to ensure proper form to get the most out of your leg press routine. To ensure you are doing the leg press safely, avoid these errors.

Too Much Weight

One of the most significant factors is ensuring you’re not trying to lift more weight than you should. If you can’t control your movements, you must reduce the weight. Lifting weights is only as crucial as using proper form.

Exercise should be hard, but it also needs to be done under total control. Do not speed the exercise or allow your legs to give up at the end.

Buttocks Not Flat Against Seat

If your buttocks are raised off the seat, your legs are at too sharp of an angle. You will need to move the seat back until your knees and buttocks are comfortably positioned. You can recognize poor positioning when you feel cramped, and/or your knees seem to be directly in front of your eyes How to Do the Leg Press.

Placing Hands on Knees

Placing hands on the knees is a common mistake that will break your form. Grip the assist handles instead.

Short Range of Motion

Always follow through the entire range of motion without lifting your hips. If needed, adjust the seat and/or lower your weights. This means getting deep into the position with your butt below your hips, and your knees wide.

Raising Head

Concentrate on where your head is located. It should rest gently against the seatback and be stable. You are employing too much weight if you are jerking your head forward.

Breathing

Remember to keep breathing during the effort phase and to avoid holding your breath. If you focusing on exhaling on exertion and inhaling on release, your breathing will eventually become automatic.

Leg Press Modifications and Variations

The leg press can be modified to suit your skill level and make it easier for beginners to perform.

Need a Modification?

You need to adjust this very individual exercise to fit your body. As machines can vary, you may want to ask a trainer to show you how to adjust it safely before starting.

Beginners should use lighter weights and develop good form. Concentrate on slow and deliberate movements rather than how many reps or the amount of weight you’re lifting. Ask a trainer to review your form and get personalized advice if you notice any unwarranted stress or pain.How to Do the Leg Press

 10 Reasons to Hire a Personal Trainer

Up for a Challenge?

Foot positioning can be used to work muscles in different ways. Using a wider foot placement will work the inner thigh muscles. Using a narrower foot placement will work the outer thigh muscles.

Placing your feet higher on the footplate will work your gluteus maximus and hamstrings to a greater degree. Placing your feet lower on the footplate will emphasize the quads more, but this also puts more stress on the knees and should be done with caution.

You can also use the leg press one leg at a time if you are working to overcome imbalances.

Safety and Precautions

Avoid the leg press if you have weak pelvic floor muscles, as it puts much stress on the pelvic floor.5 You should not use this machine if you have a knee injury. Instead, do safer leg press alternatives or strengthening exercises as your doctor, or physical therapist recommended.

If one or both of your knees hurt, do not try to endure the agony. Trying to push through will only result in harm. If you have back pain or an injury, you should avoid doing this exercise as it may put additional strain on your back.Six

Try It Out

Incorporate this move and similar ones into one of these popular workouts:

  • Full-body strength training routine for beginners
  • Glute, hip, and thigh exercises

6 Sources

By Paul Rogers
Paul Rogers is a personal trainer with experience in a wide range of sports, including track, triathlon, marathon, hockey, tennis, and baseball.

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Steps Are in a Mile
HEALTH

How Many Steps Are in a Mile?

by Abbey
written by Abbey

The average person takes between 2,000 and 2,500 walking steps per mile as counted by a fitness band, or phone motion sensor. Running steps have a longer stride length, which means you may take between 1,000 and 2,000 steps per mile How Many Steps Are in a Mile?.

A total of 10,000 steps equals 4 to 5 miles. The number of steps per mile varies from person to person and depends on your stride length. Knowing how many steps are typical for a mile, you can begin to envision how far you need to walk to log 10,000 steps per day How Many Steps Are in a Mile?

It is also backwards compatible.The distance might not seem that vast when you take into account how many kilometers you actually manage to log during your daily activities. If you keep going, you will accomplish your daily goal.How Many Steps Are in a Mile?

 Average Steps Per Day: How Many Miles Adults Walk

Walking and Running

An earlier study showed the following average steps per mile at walking and running speeds as a quick guide:

  • Walking 20 minutes per mile (3 miles per hour): 2,252 steps per mile
  • Walking 15 minutes per mile (4 miles per hour): 1,935 steps per mile
  • Running 12 minutes per mile (5 miles per hour): 1,951 steps per mile
  • Running 10 minutes per mile (6 miles per hour): 1,672 steps per mile
  • Running 8 minutes per mile (7.5 miles per hour): 1,400 steps per mile

Using these averages, here is how far you might go using various step totals. Keep in mind this will vary depending on your individual step length.How Many Steps Are in a Mile?

Steps Walk
(Shorter Stride)		 Brisk Walk/Jog
(Moderate Stride)		 Run
(Long Stride)		 Fast Run
(Very Long Stride)
1,000 0.4 miles 0.5 miles 0.6 miles 0.7 miles
2,000 0.9 1.0 1.2 1.4
3,000 1.3 1.5 1.8 2.1
4,000 1.8 2.1 2.4 2.9
5,000 2.2 2.6 2.9 3.6
6,000 2.7 3.1 3.5 4.3
7,000 3.1 3.6 4.1 5.0
8,000 3.6 4.1 4.7 5.7
9,000 4.0 4.6 5.3 6.4
10,000 4.4 5.1 5.9 7.1
12,000 5.3 6.2 7.1 8.6
15,000 6.7 7.7 8.8 10.7
20,000 8.9 10.3 11.8 14.3
25,000 11.1 12.8 14.7 17.9
30,000 13.3 15.4 17.6 21.4
40,000 17.8 20.5 23.5 28.6

Estimations by Height

Many fitness trackers use estimates based on height and ask for your height during setup. Rough estimates of steps per mile based on a stride-to-height ratio are:How Many Steps Are in a Mile?

Height Steps per Mile
4 feet 10 inches 2,601 steps
4 feet 11 inches 2,557 steps
5 feet even 2,514 steps
5 feet 1 inch 2,473 steps
5 feet 2 inches 2,433 steps
5 feet 3 inches 2,395 steps
5 feet 4 inches 2,357 steps
5 feet 5 inches 2,321 steps
5 feet 6 inches 2,286 steps
5 feet 7 inches 2,252 steps
5 feet 8 inches 2,218 steps
5 feet 9 inches 2,186 steps
5 feet 10 inches 2,155 steps
5 feet 11 inches 2,125 steps
6 feet even 2,095 steps
6 feet 1 inch 2,067 steps
6 feet 2 inches 2,039 steps
6 feet 3 inches 2,011 steps
6 feet 4 inches 1,985 steps

Measuring Your Steps

You can count your steps in your head, with a step-counting fitness tracker, or with the step-counting feature on your phone. The best method to calculate your average step count per mile is to count your steps multiple times over a predetermined distance to find your average:

Running Track

To find a measured mile, you can use a regulation quarter-mile track at a local school. You may have to ask the coach to ensure it is a quarter-mile track (1,320 feet) rather than a 400-meter track (1,308 feet). Walk in the inside lane only. Count your steps.How Many Steps Are in a Mile?

It’s best to go around four times to get a full mile on a quarter-mile track, so you won’t need to do any math. For a 400-meter track, go around four times and multiply your steps by 1.009.

Use a Football Field

A football field is 300 feet from the goal line to opposite goal line. Count your steps as you walk or run at your usual pace from the goal line to the goal line. Multiply your steps by 17.6 to get your steps per mile.

Fitness Trackers

Tracking steps and many other statistics, such as heart rate or stress scores, can be done conveniently by wearing a fitness tracker on your wrist.Fitbits and sports watches are examples of fitness trackers that perform the counting for you. However, wearable devices tend to be an investment and reliable options can cost about $100 to $300 or more depending on the style and features included in it.How Many Steps Are in a Mile?

Apps

You can use a mobile app such as MapMyWalk that will count your steps and measure a mile with your phone’s GPS at the same time. However, the mile distance can be off by 10% using GPS.How Many Steps Are in a Mile?

GPS signals travel between your phone and multiple satellites in orbit. They can get confused by buildings, trees, and hillsides, resulting in less accurate distance measurement. For better accuracy, choose a place to walk in an open area with a clear view of the sky and no twists or turns.How Many Steps Are in a Mile?

Measured Mile

An alternative approach is to create a mile path in your neighborhood using an internet mapping tool, then walk it while wearing a fitness tracker. Select a path that is straight and devoid of curves for optimal accuracy.

 We Walked for Weeks to Find the 9 Best Pedometers of 2024

Stride Length

An average stride length that you will see listed in many places is 2.2 feet (0.67 meters) for women and 2.5 feet (0.762 meters) for men, but it depends very much on height. Measuring your stride length will give you a much more accurate number of steps per mile.How Many Steps Are in a Mile?

Your stride length is the distance from the heel print of one foot to the heel print of the other foot. This is the distance traveled forward by a single leg.How Many Steps Are in a Mile?

Your stride length varies depending on whether you are walking or running and whether you are on hills or rough trails or crossing streets with starts and stops. To measure your stride length, you can use various methods such as walking a football field (300 feet) and stride length equations.

Stride Length Equations

Here is how to calculate your stride length:

  • 300 divided by step count = stride length in feet
  • 3,600 divided by step count = stride length in inches

If you know your stride length, your steps per mile will be:

  • 5,280 divided by your stride length in feet.
  • 63,360 divided by your stride length in inches.

 How Many Steps Should You Aim for Each Day?

Device Correction

If you find that your fitness tracker tells you that you have gone farther than a mile in a measured mile, then increase the stride length programmed in the tracker. Reduce the stride length that the tracker is configured to record if it indicates that you have traveled less than a mile in a measured mile.

Fitness trackers you wear on your wrist may be counting arm motion rather than steps. Read the instructions to see how to set its sensitivity so it isn’t over-counting steps.

Additionally, studies indicate that wearing a fitness tracker on your non-dominant wrist improves accuracy.Put it on your left wrist, for instance, if you are a righty.

Your steps per mile will be inaccurate when wearing a wrist-based fitness tracker if you don’t use arm motion, such as when holding onto the handrails of a treadmill or pushing a baby stroller. They may also be inaccurate when using trekking poles and not moving them every step.

 How Many Calories Do You Burn Walking Per Mile?

How many steps or strides it will take to walk a mile depends significantly on your individual step or stride length. This varies from person to person and can be influenced by your height, age, and fitness level.5 Use a fitness tracker to help you determine your steps per mile, along with the calculations for determining your personal step rate above.

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31 Yoga Poses for Beginners
HEALTH

31 Yoga Poses for Beginners

by Abbey
written by Abbey

The quantity of positions may seem intimidating to a novice student of yoga, but yoga doesn’t have to be difficult.If you got out of bed this morning and stretched your arms over your head, you already did a yoga pose. A yoga practice is a lifelong pursuit—giving you plenty of time to explore each asana (pose) and to learn sequences of postures 31 Yoga Poses for Beginners 31 Yoga Poses for Beginners.

Many basic yoga positions feel quite natural to us since our bodies naturally bend and twist into them. To facilitate deeper positions and even greater relaxation, it can be beneficial to intentionally concentrate on your breathing.These yoga poses for beginners will keep you occupied for a long time, and you can continue to practice them as you build your practice and take on more challenging poses 31 Yoga Poses for Beginners.

Remember that you don’t have to learn all 31 poses listed below. They are just options for you and can be learned at your leisure without any pressure to perfect them. Keep reading to learn more about beginner yoga poses, their benefits, and how to practice them 31 Yoga Poses for Beginners.

Types of Poses

Yoga has various pose types based on how you move your body. Here are some basic types of yoga poses.

  • Standing poses: Standing poses are often done first in a yoga class to “build heat” and warm you up. In vinyasa/flow style yoga, standing poses are strung together to form long sequences. You can practice the standing poses separately in Hatha courses, taking a break in between each pose.
  • Balancing poses: A key technique for developing the core strength required for many of the more difficult yoga poses is beginners’ balances. Even while these balances might seem difficult at first, you can improve them significantly with constant practice.
  • Backbends: As a beginner, you will generally begin with gentle spine flexion (bending forward) and extension (bending backward), eventually moving to deeper bends. Since you rarely move like this in daily life, backbends are essential for spinal health and longevity 31 Yoga Poses for Beginners.
  • Seated poses: Seated stretches, which often focus on stretching the hips and hamstrings, are usually done toward the end of a yoga class after the body is warm. Placing a folded yoga blanket or a block under your seat is an excellent way to make yourself more comfortable in these postures 31 Yoga Poses for Beginners.
  • Resting or supine poses:It’s essential to get to know your resting poses, especially child’s pose, which you are encouraged to do whenever you need a break during a yoga session. These resting poses continue the hip and hamstring work of the seated poses and provide gentle back-bending, twisting, and inversion 31 Yoga Poses for Beginners.

Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Pose type: Standing

It’s not always simple to practice downward dog, even if you’ve heard of it.

Beginners often lean too far forward in this posture, making it more like a plank. Instead, keep your weight mostly in your legs and reach your hips high, with your heels stretching toward the floor (they do not need to touch the floor).

Bend your knees a little to facilitate the move if you have tight hamstrings. Keep feet parallel.

 How to Do Downward Facing Dog

Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

Pose type: Standing

While mountain position isn’t as well-known as downward dog in yoga, it’s nevertheless a crucial pose 31 Yoga Poses for Beginners.

For good alignment—which refers to how your body parts are ideally arranged—in Mountain pose, imagine drawing a straight line from the crown of your head to your heels, with shoulders and pelvis stacked along the line 31 Yoga Poses for Beginners. Every person’s body is different, so focus on rooting down with your feet and lengthening with your spine.

A yoga instructor can help you with this in class; they will remind you to keep your weight on your heels and to move your shoulders down your back.

 How to Do Mountain Pose

Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

Pose type: Standing

The critical thing to remember in Warrior I is that the hips face forward. Think of your hip points as headlights—they should be roughly parallel with the front of your mat. This may require you to take a wider stance 31 Yoga Poses for Beginners.

Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

Pose type: Standing

Unlike Warrior I, the hips face the side of the mat in Warrior II. The hips and shoulders open to the side when moving from Warrior I to Warrior II.

You’ll also rotate your back foot, angling your toes at about 45 degrees. In both Warrior poses, aim to keep your front knee stacked over the ankle. Your front toes face forward.

 How to Do Warrior II

Extended Side Angle (Utthita Parvakonasana)

Pose type: Standing

One modification of Extended Side Angle Pose is to bring your forearm to your thigh instead of placing your hand on the floor. It should rest lightly on your thigh and not bear much weight. This modification enables you to keep your shoulders open. You can also place your hand on a yoga block.

You risk misaligning your body and turning your chest to face the floor instead of the ceiling if you reach for the floor before you’re ready.

Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana)

Pose type: Standing

The Triangle can be modified like Extended Side Angle, using a yoga block for your bottom hand if you aren’t comfortable reaching your arm to the floor. You can also rest your hand higher up on your leg—on your shin or thigh—but avoid putting it directly on your knee.

Don’t hesitate to micro-bend both knees if the pose feels uncomfortable. This won’t look or feel like a pronounced bend, but rather, just enough of a movement to unlock your knees and ease tension in your hamstrings.

Triangle offers many benefits: Strength (in the legs), flexibility (in the groin, hamstrings, and hips, as well as opening the chest and shoulders), and balance.

Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)

In order to perform Standing Forward, Fold over your legs, bend, and release the air. To release your spine and loosen up your hamstrings, bend your knees if they feel a little tight at first. Allow the head to droop.

Keep the legs gently bent with feet hip-width apart for better stability (you can straighten the legs, but it is unnecessary). You can clasp opposite elbows with opposite hands while swaying gently from side to side.

Reverse Warrior (Viparita Virabhadrasana)

Pose type: Standing

Similar in stance to Warrior I, Reverse Warrior adds an optional backbend or a small heart-opening side bend.

To stay steady in the posture, it’s essential to root into the sole of the front foot, anchor the outside edge of the back foot, and engage the glutes and hamstrings.

Keep your eyes focused on the palm as it extends upward. As you sink more into the hips, maintain your front knee tracking over your ankle.

Garland Pose (Malasana)

Pose type: Standing

Squatting is an excellent stretch for the muscles around the pelvis, making it what is often called a “hip opener” in yoga.

Perhaps surprisingly, it’s also good for your feet, which are often neglected. If squatting is difficult for you, props can help: A yoga towel or blanket can be rolled under the heels, or you might try sitting on a block. Continue applying pressure with your heels on the ground.

Half Forward Bend (Ardha Uttanasana)

Pose type: Standing

This flat-back forward bend (you may also hear it called “halfway lift”) is most often done as part of a sun salutation sequence. As such, it’s often rushed, but it’s worth it to take the time to work on it independently. Figuring out when your back is flat is part of developing body awareness.

At first, it’s helpful to glance in the mirror. You may find you need to let your hands come off the ground and onto your legs as high as is necessary to keep the back flat. Gently bend your knees as needed, too.

Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana)

Pose type: Standing

Standing forward bends like Pyramid pose are an ideal time to break out your yoga blocks to make the pose more accessible. Place a block on either side of your front foot to “raise the floor” to a level your hands can comfortably reach. Your hamstrings will still enjoy a nice stretch.

Raised Hands Pose (Urdhva Hastasana)

Pose type: Standing

Built upon the foundation of Mountain pose, Urdhva Hastasana requires you to continue to root into the ground with your legs while reaching for the sky with your arms. The result is a full body stretch, a great way to usher in the physical part of your yoga session.

Low Lunge

Pose type: Standing

The alignment of your lunge is super important. Try to make a right angle with your front leg so that your knee is directly over your ankle and your thigh is parallel to the floor. At the same time, keep your hips level and energize your back leg.

Many people don’t go deep enough into the front leg and sag in the back leg. Glance in the mirror to make sure you’re getting it right.

To modify, place your hands on blocks and/or lower your back leg to the mat (with a blanket or towel as needed for cushioning).

Tree Pose (Vrksasana)

Pose type: Standing/Balancing

Tree pose is an excellent introduction to balancing postures. If you feel yourself beginning to topple, you can step out of it easily. Try not to create a counterbalance by jutting your hip to the side of your standing leg.

Focus your gaze on a spot on the floor, and try varying foot positions to see what works for you: Heel resting low on the ankle, on a block, or above or below the knee.

Downward Facing Dog Split

Pose type: Standing/balancing

Introducing suitable balance poses aids in the development of core strength. It doesn’t matter how high you can lift your leg in Down Dog Split. Rather, concentrate on firmly planting your feet in both hands and maintaining a balanced weight distribution.

Plank Pose

Pose type: Balancing

It might seem strange to call plank a balancing pose since the risk of falling over is pretty minimal, but it gets to the heart of what this pose is about—core strength.

A strong core is essential for so many yoga poses, including standing balances and arm balances, and plank is an excellent way to work on your stability and stamina. Aim to keep your hips and spine in a neutral position.

Cat-Cow Stretch (Chakravakasana)

Pose type: Backbend

It’s the best of both worlds: spinal extension followed by spinal flexion. Moving back and forth warms the back, improves body awareness, and is a basic introduction to doing a vinyasa sequence by coordinating your movements to your breath.

Cat-Cow may be the most important pose you learn when starting yoga, especially if you have back pain. Even if you never make it to more than a few yoga classes, continue doing this stretch on your own.

Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

Pose type: Backbend

Bridge pose is a gentle way to explore spine extension, also known as a backbend. It’s a good idea to start incorporating this type of movement because it improves the mobility of your spine and counters the effects of too much sitting.

If Bridge appears too intense, consider using a block as support for a bridge. In order to effectively engage your leg muscles to sustain the position, keep in mind to root into your feet.

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

Pose type: Backbend

In flow yoga, Cobra is done multiple times per class as part of the vinyasa sequence of poses. While a full cobra with straight arms offers a deeper backbend, you’ll build more back strength by doing low Cobras in which you lift your chest without pressing into your hands.

Root into your feet, lengthen through the crown of the head, and broaden through the collarbones as you lift the sternum. It’s also key to anchor your pelvis to the floor before you lift.

Knees, Chest, and Chin (Ashtanga Namaskara)

Pose type: Backbend

Ashtanga Namaskara was once taught to all beginning yoga students as an alternative to and preparation for Chaturanga Dandasana. In recent years, it’s fallen out of favor.

As a result, some students are rushed into Chaturanga before they are ready. It belongs in the sun salutation series for beginners. Plus, it’s an excellent warm-up for deeper backbends.

Take your time and enter the pose slowly from a plank position. Start by lowering your knees to the yoga mat, with toes tucked under. Then keep your elbows pressed toward your body as you lower your chest and chin to the floor. Shoulders should hover over your hands.

21

Staff Pose (Dandasana)

Pose type: Seated

Staff pose is akin to a seated version of Mountain pose (above) in that it offers alignment guidelines for various other seated poses. Engage the leg muscles and flex the feet.

Lift the chest and relax the shoulders. You can also allow a gentle bend in the knees, which can create ease for the shoulders to stack over the hips.

If your back hurts and you can’t sit with your butt on the floor, try using a block or two folded blankets. This pose prepares the body for a forward bend in a standard yoga practice.

Cobbler’s Pose (Baddha Konasana)

Pose type: Seated

Let gravity work on stretching your inner thighs in Cobbler’s pose. If you find this position difficult, props can make a big difference. Sitting on a block, cushion, or blanket raises your hips so your knees can open more naturally.

If your knees are high, it takes a lot of effort to hold them up, and your legs need to be relaxed to enjoy the benefits of the stretch. The solution is to place a block (or something else supportive) under each knee to give them something to rest upon.

Since it’s ​unusual to sit this way in everyday life, this pose stretches neglected areas of the body, particularly the adductor groups of the groin.

Easy Pose (Sukhasana)

Pose type: Seated

Sitting cross-legged doesn’t have to be a difficult position. As with Cobbler’s pose, the judicious use of props can transform an uncomfortable position into one of ease so you can begin to reverse the effects of too much chair sitting.

Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

Pose type: Seated

Twists are an essential part of yoga. They help improve spinal mobility and can even get things moving along your digestive tract (yes, twists can relieve constipation).3

It’s OK to extend your bottom leg in this pose if it’s uncomfortable to have it bent behind you. You can also modify it by sitting on a blanket. Placing the bent leg inside the extended leg is great for easing shoulder, hip, and spine rotation.

Head to Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana)

Pose type: Seated

Forward bends can be tricky for anyone with tight hamstrings (i.e., many people). Janu ​Sirsasana is more accessible because you only stretch one leg at a time.​​​​​​​​​​​​​ You can also use a strap around the foot to help extend your reach.

26

Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)

Pose type: Seated

There are many hamstrings stretches in beginning yoga for a good reason. The hamstrings tend to get short and tight in people who sit a lot, which can contribute to low back pain. Stretching them, as you do in the Seated Forward Bend, is helpful.

This pose offers a stretch to the entire back of the body. Bend at your hips, not your waist, and keep your neck aligned with your spine.

Seated Wide Angle Straddle (Upavistha Konasana)

Pose type: Seated

Opening your legs wide creates a slightly different stretch from Paschimottanasana. To do this stretch:

  1. Separate your legs into a wide position.
  2. Flex both feet and engage both the legs down strongly, coming into Upavistha Konasana.
  3. Forward bend to the center, extending the spine on your inhales and deepening the pose on your exhales.

Though it may look like the mandate is to bring your chest to the floor, it’s not about that. Instead, concentrate on keeping your back flat, rotating the pelvis forward instead of crunching forward through your spine, and keeping your feet flexed. If you do all three of these things, it doesn’t matter how far forward you lean.

Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana)

Pose type: Supine

Happy baby is a wonderful way to finish a yoga session. It’s also an excellent example of the vital interplay between effort and ease in yoga.

You want to exert a little pressure on your feet to draw them toward your armpits, but not so much that your tailbone lifts off the floor. You don’t want to go to the extreme but find the middle ground.

Supine Spinal Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)

Pose type: Supine

A passive twist is a classic way to end a yoga session, although there’s no rule against doing this pose at the beginning of your practice. The position of the legs is up to you.

You can bend them both; you can straighten the top leg and hold onto your foot if you have the flexibility, or you can twist the legs around one another (as in Eagle pose) to stretch the outer hips. Keep knees in line with the waist.

 How to Do a Supine Spinal Twist

Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Pose type: Resting

Child’s pose is essential because it’s the position you assume whenever you need a break during a yoga class. If you ever feel fatigued, you don’t have to wait for the teacher to call for a break.

Just move into Child’s pose and rejoin the class when you’re ready. It provides a gentle stretch for the back, hips, thighs, and ankles, but does not challenge strength or balance.

Taking Child’s pose is really up to your discretion, which happens to introduce one of yoga’s best lessons: being attuned to the signals your body is giving and respecting them above any external directions.

 How to Do Child’s Pose

Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Pose type: Resting

Most yoga sessions end lying flat on your back in Corpse pose. It’s a critical transition between the end of your yoga practice and the rest of your day. Bringing the body to stillness challenges the mind to maintain its calm. You may find this difficult at first, but it gets easier with practice.

Give yourself plenty of time to learn these poses. Dedicate some time daily (or every few days) to relax in a comfortable space and review your practice. It’s a good idea to wear workout tank tops with low support and four-way stretch to move with you through poses. With regular yoga sessions, you’ll find that your body moves comfortably from one pose to the next for improved physical function and wellness.

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Effective Triceps Exercises
HEALTH

The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises

by Abbey
written by Abbey

Strong arms are important for almost every upper body movement you do each day and your triceps are often the heavy lifters The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises. Every time you push something—a door, a stroller, a lawnmower, or a barbell—your triceps are worked. Moreover, exercising other muscle groups requires having strong triceps.Strong triceps are needed to do push-ups, for example, as well as chest presses The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises.

The triceps muscle is composed of three separate heads: the medial, lateral, and long heads.
All of these heads contract during triceps exercises, but some moves emphasize the muscle fibers of certain triceps heads more than others The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises. The best way to build strong, firm triceps is to choose a mix of exercises that hit all those muscle fibers from every angle The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises.

How Should You Do Triceps Workouts?

Putting together a triceps workout can help you gain functional movement. Here are a few things to consider:

  • Start with a warm-up: Begin with some brisk walking or jogging, jumping jacks, or calisthenics. Warming up gets blood flowing to your muscles and increases the temperature of your muscles, which helps prevent injury The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises.
  • Gradually add weight and intensity: If you’re starting out, aim to do three sets of 10-12 reps of each exercise using about 70% of the maximum amount of weight you could possibly lift for each exercise.3 Add more weight and reps as your fitness level increases The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises.
  • Target all three tricep heads: The more diversity you add to your triceps exercise, the more evenly distributed your strength will become.Select from the exercises below The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises.
  • Train multiple muscle groups: Tricep workouts isolate the triceps very specifically so that you don’t work other muscle groups simultaneously. Consider training the shoulders and chest along with the triceps since they are all involved in many of the same functional movements.
  • Build in rest days. It’s important to rest the muscle groups you train for at least two days before working them again to allow for the recovery process and to help prevent injury The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises.

 Why You Need to Work Your Chest Muscles

Best Triceps Workouts

Some triceps exercises are more effective than others, according to the ​American Council on Exercise (ACE). In an ACE-commissioned study, researchers took exercisers through eight of the most common triceps exercises and recorded muscle activity by attaching EMG electrodes to subjects’ triceps. With this information, they were able to rank the best triceps exercises. Here, the top triceps in order of effectiveness (starting with most effective):

  • Diamond push-ups: Also known as triangle push-ups, this exercise emphasizes all three heads of the triceps muscle and is the most effective move for that The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises.
  • Kickbacks: Though not to the same extent as the diamond push-up, this exercise also works all three heads of the triceps. Because it is also simpler, it may be easier to utilize than push-ups.
  • Dips: This exercise also works all three triceps heads and has the added benefit of helping to activate core muscles.
  • Overhead triceps extensions: Including this exercise means you have a move that primarily emphasizes the long head of the triceps muscle, which is a nice complement to the other exercises.
  • Triceps rope pushdowns: This move emphasizes the long head of your triceps, again a nice complement to the other exercises.
  • Triceps bar pushdowns: While it is marginally less efficient than rope pushdowns, this bar version highlights the triceps’ extended heads.
  • Lying triceps extensions: This is yet another way to target the long head of the triceps primarily.
  • Close grip bench press: This move primarily targets the lateral head and is a more accessible option for those getting started with triceps exercises The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises.

Choose a series of exercises that target the various triceps muscle groups rather than attempting all of these movements in one session.

Diamond Push-Ups

Among the triceps exercises on this list, the diamond push-up is most likely the hardest. You might need to start at your knees and gradually work your way up to your toes because this move takes a lot of upper body strength.

How to Do a Diamond Push-Up

  1. Begin the move by positioning the hands on the mat directly under the chest with the fingers spread and the thumbs and forefingers touching, making a diamond shape.
  2. Straighten the legs into a plank position, or keep the knees on the floor for a more accessible version.
  3. Make sure the back is flat and the abs are engaged as you bend the elbows, lowering until your chin or chest touches the mat. If you can’t go that low, go as low as you can—then work to build enough strength to lower all the way down over time.
  4. At the bottom of the movement, your elbows should stay close to your sides.
  5. Press back to start, keeping the torso rigid, and repeat for 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 reps.

 Try These Exercises to Work Your Triceps

Triceps Kickbacks

According to the ACE study, the triceps kickback is the second most effective triceps exercise and not far behind diamond push-ups, achieving about 88% muscle activation.4

By bending forward, you really have to work against gravity to move the weight up and down. The key to this move is to use your shoulder to stabilize the upper arm, allowing the forearm to extend behind you. If your elbow drifts down, use a lighter weight to maintain good form.

Defintion

Muscle activation is the ability to switch on your muscles so they can do work The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises. Typically, activation occurs when you use short, isolation exercises that target specific muscles to wake them up and get them working.

How to Do Triceps Kickbacks

  1. Prop the right foot on a step or platform, resting the right forearm on the thigh to support the back or allowing the arm to drop directly below the shoulder.
  2. Hold a weight in the left hand and pull the elbow to the torso level.
  3. Keeping the elbow in that position, extend the arm behind you, focusing on contracting the triceps muscle.
  4. Lower the forearm to about 90 degrees and repeat for 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 reps.
  5. Focus on keeping the upper arms stationary against the body throughout the exercise.

Triceps Dips

Triceps dips are the third most effective and challenging exercise, depending on how you position your feet. In this version, the knees are bent, making the movement easier. The exercise will become more intense if you extend your feet out.

The key to ensuring this move is safe is keeping your hips close to the chair or bench to avoid straining the shoulders. Keep your shoulders down and away from your ears. If this exercise causes you any shoulder pain, stop.

How to Do a Triceps Dip

  1. Sit on a chair or bench with your hands just outside your hips, with your knees bent or your legs extended straight out (harder).
  2. Lift up onto your hands, keeping your hips very close to the chair or bench. Bend your elbows, lowering down until they’re about 90 degrees.
  3. Keep the elbows pointing behind you, the shoulders down, and the abs engaged.
  4. Push back to start and repeat for 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 reps.
  5. Avoid this exercise if you feel any pain in the shoulders.

 Triceps Dips: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes

Overhead Triceps Extensions

The overhead triceps extension is the fourth most effective exercise, activating about 76% of muscles.4 The key is keeping the arms next to the ears as you lower the weight behind you. To prevent your back from arching, make sure you can contract your abs.

You can do this exercise seated or standing. Believe it or not, this move feels more challenging when you’re sitting, and sitting on an exercise ball adds an element of core strength.

How to Do an Overhead Triceps Extension

  1. Sit on a chair, bench, ball, or stand; keep your back straight. Hold a weight in both hands, extending it up overhead.
  2. Keep your biceps close to your ears and elbows pointing forward as you lower the weight behind your head until the elbows are at about 90-degree angles.
  3. Straighten the arms, contracting the triceps, and then repeat for 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 reps.
  4. Keep the abs engaged throughout the exercise and avoid arching the back.

Rope Pushdowns

The rope pushdown, normally done on a cable machine with a rope attachment, comes in at number five, eliciting about 74% muscle activation.4 The idea is to spread the rope at the bottom of the movement to fire up the triceps muscle.

Use a resistance band in its place if you don’t have access to a cable machine. Tie a loose knot in the band about halfway down and fasten it to the top of a doorway.

How to Do a Rope Pushdown

  1. At a cable machine with a rope attachment, hold the rope near the knotted ends and begin the exercise with the elbows bent at about 90 degrees. Your elbows should be next to your torso.
  2. Extend the arms, taking the hands down towards the floor, spreading the rope slightly out on either side as you contract the triceps.
  3. Bring the forearms back to start and repeat for 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 reps.

Bar Pushdowns

The bar pushdown is similar to the rope pushdown but slightly less effective at about 67%.4 This exercise is usually done on a cable machine at the gym using a small bar attachment, although you can also do this exercise at home with an exercise band and a small pole or bar threaded through the handles.

The key to this move is to keep the elbows stationary as you push the weight down. If you lift the bar too high (say, higher than neck level), your elbows may come forward, making the exercise less effective.

How to Do a Bar Pushdown

  1. Stand in front of a cable machine, holding onto the bar with the elbows bent to about 90 degrees.
  2. Keeping the elbows stationary, push the bar down, contracting the triceps as you extend the arms.
  3. Bring the bar back up to about chest level without moving the elbows and repeat for 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 reps.

Lying Triceps Extensions (Skull Crushers)

Triceps extensions performed lying down (also known as skull crushers) come in at a surprising number seven, eliciting about 62% muscle activation.Since this activity is regarded to be difficult, some exercisers may find this relatively low activation rate surprising.

The muscle activation data doesn’t mean you should stop doing these exercises, but rather that you should work them into a program that includes some of the top exercises as well. Using a variety of exercises that tackle different muscles at different intensities will lead to better results and stronger triceps.

How to Do a Skull Crusher

  1. Lie on a bench, step, or floor and hold a barbell or dumbbell with your hands about shoulder distance apart.
  2. Begin the exercise by extending the weight up over your head, with your palms facing out and thumbs next to your fingers.
  3. Bend the elbows and lower the weight until the elbows are at about 90-degree angles. Don’t go too low during this part of the exercise, as you might hit your head or face.
  4. Squeeze the triceps to straighten the arms without locking the joints.
  5. Repeat for 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 reps.

 How to Tone the Area Around Your Triceps

Close Grip Bench Presses

The close grip bench press comes in eighth as an effective triceps exercise, eliciting about 62% muscle activation.4

American Council on Exercise. ACE-sponsored research: Best triceps exercises.

 This move also involves quite a bit of the chest, which may be why the triceps don’t work as much as in other exercises.

That does not imply that you ought to forgo this workout. As a matter of fact, it can be an excellent exercise for simultaneously targeting the triceps and chest.

Doing this move at the end of your chest exercises can warm up the triceps before you move on to more targeted moves.

How to Do a Close Grip Bench Press

  1. Lie on a bench or step holding a barbell with hands about shoulder-width apart.
  2. Begin the exercise with the elbows bent and the barbell hovering just over the ribcage.
  3. Press the weight straight over the ribcage, focusing on contracting the triceps.
  4. Lower and repeat for 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 reps.
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