The top at home exercises you shouldn't be doing (plus alternatives)

Today I’m back, and I may be bringing some crushing news for some.

If you’ve been in the gym you’ve probably noticed there are a few “common” exercises that I never include in my programs. Whether it is because most people get the form wrong, or it just trains your body in a counter productive way, these are moves that I try to keep out of the gym and keep away from those working out at home.

These moves are usually very common in home workout programs, and most likely you’ve done them before, a few times. But don’t worry, I’ve provided alternatives you can do to get just as good a workout, without all the bad stuff.

Check them out below! If you have any questions, are unsure about form, or are looking for a more customized at home, or in the gym program, reach out to jtabtraining@gmail.com!

Can’t Gym? Then Home!

If it was hard to get the gym before, it’s almost near impossible now. Between home schooling, lack of childcare, changing work hours and oh yeah, a pandemic, a lot of people either can’t, or aren’t comfortable heading into the gym. While I absolutely understand that, it doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t workout still. As we’ve seen throughout the past few months of shutdowns, our homes can be excellent places to get and stay fit.

There are many benefits to doing a home program, whether you’re utilizing it as a standalone program or a supplement to a heavier gym workout or two. Since most people don’t have heavy weights in their homes, most home workouts utilize light weights, bands or even body weight (and my home program is no exception). To really get results with these light (or lack of weight), we need more volume than we are getting a “regular” gym workout of 30-60 minutes. This mean more reps to fatigue the muscle than you would with heavy weights at the gym.

Ideally, this program would complement a gym routine so you could get a good mix of heavy and light weights. Can’t get to a gym now? Although you will be missing the heavy part, you can still get in good volume at home with JTab’s new Home Program for a great workout. 

1)     All you need is your body and a few bands to get the job done. What job you ask? Gaining muscle mass. That’s right – a home program that helps you gain muscle mass without the heavy weights. “But Joey I’m trying to lose weight!” I hear you but let’s attack weight loss (what we really mean is fat loss here) differently this time. Gaining muscle doesn’t mean you’re going to become huge. In addition, building lean muscle will help reduce fat due to increased calorie burn.

2)     This program is simple, yet effective. This is a program that they doesn’t require a Master’s Degree in Kinesiology first. It also doesn’t utilize a million exercises or muscle confusion. Doing a very few exercises correctly and intensely can provide great results.

3)     This program is done for you, so you don’t have to think, just do! Take a break from the million other things you have to manage during the day and just move your body.

4)     Jtab’s Home Program has videos to follow if you need them so you can ensure perfect form.

The results will come when you do the program the way it’s designed and stay CONSISTENT!

Message me for more details!  

Your Glutes Can Take a Shit Ton of Pounding: Are Your Glutes REALLY Strong?

Last week I was under the barbell doing glute bridges, taking a break after one of the 8 sets of 15 reps I was set  up to do that day of them. It got me thinking; How many reps was I doing? (120 to be exact) And how much total poundage (lbs) was I glute bridging? (around 24,750lbs combined, just on my glutes)

Now this may not be the norm for most people, but it really made me think that our glutes can handle some serious work (at least 12 tons in my case!).

Why am I bringing this up? Not every muscle can withstand a total beating like this. The glutes can. If you do too much quad work you can get an imbalance that might lead to back pain. If you do too much chest work you might get an imbalance that can lead to shoulder pain. The glutes (and the upper back) are muscles that can take a lot of work.

A big part of allowing your glutes to carry a heavy load without pain is proper stretching. Tightness in the lower body can often be attributed to hip flexors, and most of the tightness in lower body can be alleviated by stronger glutes. A very smart person once told me “Your hip flexors are stupid, just get your glutes stronger”.

Most people have tight hip flexors and constantly stretching them out is not the only answer. There might be a reason they are always tight (like your Glutes are WEAK). They are one of the major muscle groups that can, and probably should, get extra attention and extra work. They don’t need their own day (although some fitness competitors actually have a glute day) but definitely can take some extra hard work. And by work I mean heavy intense glute bridges, tons of lateral walks, and single leg glute bridges (among others).

Who doesn’t like a nice set of big strong glutes? The extra glute work you put in now will pay dividends in  the fall when it comes to filling out your jeans and leggings. I don’t know a single person that doesn’t want, or appreciate, and nice set of glutes. They make all the difference in your physique when you have a nice set.

So as we melt into the gym floor, let’s not forget that our glutes NEED and CAN HANDLE a shit ton of pounding and really get after them in the weight room. Add in some glute bridges, hip thrusts, and lateral band walks, and be sure to do high reps to make up for maximum toning. These three exercises in particular will work the glutes but not tax the hamstrings or quads as much. This means the glutes will get extra work from all the deadlifts, squats, lunges you are already doing… which I  know you are doing them already, right?

What the Avengers can teach us about life now, the pandemic and fitness? Pt 1. Life in a Pandemic

1)    “I still believe in Heroes” – Nick Fury, Avengers

And by heroes we mean all the people like the Doctors, Nurses, all Hospital staffing, grocery store employees, delivery drivers, cleaning crews, restaurant staff, and the many others who are keeping this country (and world) running. If you are trying to help out in any way, you are the Heroes and we believe in you!  

2)    “Whatever it takes” – Captain America, End Game

We are being called on to do whatever it takes to rid this country (and World) of this virus. Join together and let’s do whatever it takes to overcome!

3)    “There was an idea, to bring together a group of remarkable people, to see if we could become something more” – Nick Fury, Avengers

Usually great things come from a group effort, so let’s keep united and fight as one! We can’t have people doing one thing and half the people doing another to fight this.

This also means keeping others in your thoughts when making decisions. Don’t hoard things you don’t need so other people don’t have to go without. Offer to pick up food for a neighbor who can’t leave their house. Share resources with those around you whenever you can.

4)    “Cause if we can’t protect the Earth, you can be damn sure we’ll Avenge it” – Iron Man, Avengers 1

If this isn’t relative now with protecting the Earth from this Virus, I don’t know what is. We can’t protect everything but we can avenge the pain that some have felt.

5)    “If we’re going to win this fight, some of us might have to lose it” – Barton (Hawkeye), Civil War

Unfortunately this rings true right now. Some of us have lost the fight but we will win the war over this Virus.

6)    “The city is flying and we’re fighting an army of robots, and I have a bow and arrow. None of this makes sense” He later goes on to say “But if you step out those doors, you are an Avenger” – Barton (Hawkeye), Avengers Age of Ultron

Make a decision and stick to it to be all in and help out during a crisis or stay inside and someone will come get you. If you can help, then decide how you are going to help and be “all in”.

7)    “With all that’s happening, the things that are about to come to light, people might need a little bit of old fashion” – Coulson, Avengers 1

After this is over, I think going back to old fashion communication might be in order. Re-connect with people, re-introduce yourself to neighbors, and town folk. Let’s re-learn how to speak in close proximity to people again.

It’s also the time to get back to some “old fashion” fitness in our homes. A lot of us no longer have access to fancy gyms and equipment anymore – but it doesn’t mean that you can’t stay strong.

8)    “No mistakes, no do-overs. Look out for each other. This is the fight of our lives” – Captain America, End Game

We don’t get do-overs in this life. Look out for your family, friends, co-workers during this crucial time. We are literally fighting for our lives or our family’s lives here.

9)     “The World has changed and none of us can go back. All we can do is our best, and sometimes the best that we can do is start over” – Peggy Carter, Captain America

We might not be able to go back to pre-virus days but we will start a new better life after this is over! Write it down, the World will be better when we “start over” and create a fresh start.

On a micro level, you can apply this to your day-to-day. Had a bad day? You can start over tomorrow. It doesn’t mean you have to totally give up on your fitness and nutrition goals, personal goals, or work goals because today didn’t work out as plan. Wake up tomorrow with a fresh start.

10)  “Today we don’t fight for one life, we fight for all of them” – Black Panther, Infinity War

Although we have lost people, we are still fighting the good fight to save as many as we can! So do your part to help the fight. Stay home as much as possible, social distance from those not in your immediate family, support local businesses when safe to do so, and look out for those who are the most vulnerable in our communities.

Jtabs New Favorite Snack

Snack is a funny word. Us fitness professionals and nutritionists can’t decide if snacking is healthy or not (but that’s another blog for another week). But for those of us in the real world, snacks are a part of life. Especially mid afternoon or late night, when you need something to carry you through to you next meal. Here is a snack I’ve been loving lately (particularly late night) and wanted to share. This recipe can be adjusted slightly to feet any macro need you may have.

Yogurt “Slop”

Best name ever, remember it’s MY concoction so I can call it anything I want.

• ½ cup (half serving) of PLAIN Organic Greek Yogurt from Stonyfield Farms (10 grams of Protein, 4 grams of Sugar, 0 )

• 2 Heaping TBSP of Organic Peanut Butter from Trader Joe’s (10-12 grams of Protein, 20ish Grams of Fat, 4ish grams of Sugar)

• 1 serving of Carob Chips (1 serving is 5 grams of fat, 9 carbs, 0 sugar) (I usually use unsweetened but also have Chatfield’s and that brand is 10grams of sugar and 5 grams of fat per serving), could use Blueberries as well here for more phytos

• 1 serving of Purely Elizabeth plain granola (use plain oats for lower calories or omit altogether for way less carbs and added fats)

• A few ounces of Walnut (or any other nut based milk is fine) to add some liquid to consistency (I use about 1/3 serving so negligible calories)

Top 5 Takeaways from my Perform Better Conference August 2-4th

Over this past weekend, Coach Joey put down the weights (only for a minute) and picked up the books at the annual Perform Better Conference in Providence. This conference not only keeps Joey’s CSCS certification active, but teaches him tons of new things he can bring back to the gym for better workouts, better nutritional advice, and better overall health. Below are the top 5 takeaways from the conference that you can take into your own life.

1)    Connections – Making connections at one of these top notch seminars is a funny thing. I met and reconnected with so many amazing coaches over the weekend. Some were “famous” in the industry, some were just attending, and some in between. While this will not lead to more sales for someone like me, it goes far beyond the sales or money making possibilities. Having a great network around you is one of the most important aspects of a successful and fulfilling and happy life.

2)    There are some easy ways to drum up business and community outreach that doesn’t take thousands of dollars just a little bit of courage and connection with local businesses and restaurants. Be on the lookout for me at some local great places soon! Not only is this a great opportunity to promote the gym, but hopefully it will lead to some pretty cool local recommendations for you all to check out!

3)    Have some confidence and go after what you feel you deserve and work really hard for. It was a wake up or kick in the butt talk about putting in the work and making sure you get the results you are working for. Just like in the gym, you get back what you put out.

4)    Geeky tip(s): 

a.    Mobility before stability- You need to be mobile (having joint range or motion) first, then we can make that joint stabile from teaching it how to “Brace” or get strong. When we lose mobility, we tend to slow down and have degeneration.

b.    When working on stability, the simple act of breathing out hard gets most people to brace their core pretty well. This can be used in many aspects, even a setup for a deadlift. After you breathe out hard and feel that “brace” you can keep it and get a small breathe in and pull.

c.     Fat loss training still needs high reps, speed(power) work, heavy work and mid rep work. A good fat loss program will have all the above, just like we have at Jtab! (funny how that works, right!?)

d.    The simple cue of trying to pull apart a band or anything you’re holding onto, will help engage your lats more, especially for those that have difficulty working that area.

5)    Taking “diet” breaks more often than you think will usually lead to better adherence and results. It’s not normal to be “dieting” for 3 years straight. Not only is it not normal, its super detrimental to your hormones and health, and can actually have the opposite effect of what you’re trying to do. Eat above maintenance for a few days/weeks and then go back to base or below base level. A few days break can help keep your body on it’s toes, and burning fat and calories.

A Brand New Offering from Coach Joey!

Conjugate: combining two or more parts to form a single bigger piece.

When it comes to lifting, I’m always striving to find new ways to combine different techniques (or conjugate them) to make unique, fun and of course most effective workouts for my clients.

I am offering a variation of the conjugate method to my clients already doing 2+ days a week. The complete program is 4 days per week. For those unable to commit to that, I have a 3 day version condensed as well.

Spring is here, Summer is coming, and I want to offer a different approach in getting strong and lean with more days/week. It’s time to up the anti and fast track your results. For those wanting to try it, you have to be able to commit at least 3 days a week and optimally 4 - and the program runs mid April through Mid July, perfect for getting you summer ready.

What is the conjugate program exactly? It is a Strength and Hypertrophy Program with dedicated days for each “function”. There are 4 days, alternating upper and lower body (2 lower, 2 upper per week or 1 upper, 1 lower and 1 longer full body day). Each day has a specific focus, which makes the conjugate different than other programs. One lower body day is all about hitting a 5 or 3 rep max of the squat or deadlift for that day (max effort lower), one upper body day tries to find your 5 or 3 rep max for the bench press (max effort upper body), etc. The other day(s) are rep(hypertrophy) work or dynamic effort days. On the other 2 days there is a dedicated day for high rep lower body work and a day dedicated to high rep upper body work. In layman’s terms, you alternate between days where you max out heavy lifting, and days with lighter way and higher reps.

Not only is this aimed towards getting you summer ready quickly, but I am offering this at a MASSIVE discount. Please reach out to me for more information on pricing, but let’s just say you’ll be getting even more workouts, for less money. It’s a win/win for all!

A couple of disclaimers: This is not for beginner (and tif that is you and you’re not ready yet for a more advanced program and that is totally fine). You also have to have an idea of basic movements in order to switch out different exercises weekly or monthly. Remember this is a huge discount for more days so there will be some more autonomy on your part if you (chose) to do it.

For the right people it will create a great growth and strength stimulus and also added bonus of burning lots of calories from added lifting days (and intensity).

Who’s ready to start cranking up the intensity at Jtab? Whoever wants to give it a go and can COMMIT to at least 3 days(better with 4), then let me know!  Stop by and see me at the gym, send me a DM on Facebook, or email jtabtraining@gmail.com for more information, pricing and to sign up!

Hip Mobility

Today I’ve got a few different exercises and stretches for you to do to increase your hip mobility, loosen your hips, and set your self up for better squats in the future. Increasing your hip mobility can also help protect your lower back and relieve back pain, as well as increase athletic performance. Check them out below!

Don't Got Glutes? Glute Camp Will Help!

Struggling to get a set of glutes or wish to naturally “enhance” what you have already? Enter
Jtab’s Glute Camp! 3 Days a week on top of your normal workouts will get your glutes to
where you want them! Best part of it is they can all can be done at home with just a few simple
pieces of equipment!

After purchasing this program everything will be laid out for you and includes:

• Complete weekly workouts included a different one for each day of the week,
• An online tracking sheet to keep track of your progress and what day you're on,
• Videos showing proper form so you can maximize your workouts, 
• And a private FB group with Joey answering any questions glute related.

3 extra days a week of dedicated glutes will really help focus on developing the glutes to not only look great but perform more optimally. This will make your squats, deadlifts and lunges better and you they will look better in jeans, bathing suites, dresses, khakis, yoga pants, and sweatpants even! Done right, training your glutes more often will ALSO ease or prevent back pain, knee pain and keep your hips more healthy. It is a WIN/WIN situation. Look better, perform better and feel better! Let’s do this glute thing!

The cost of the program is $25 per month. There is no long term commitment and each month a new workout will be created! Those that are local can save their spot by bringing payment direct to Joey at the gym. To register via PayPal Click Here!

The Ultimate At-Home Leg Workout

I’m all for a crazy heavy weight training workout but sometimes you just can’t get to the gym but want to get a great workout in.  You will be hard pressed to find a better home based leg exercise than the split squat. 

Here my client Charlotte demonstrates a slightly advanced version for people that have the mobility and strength.  It is called the Front Foot Elevated Split Squat.  This exercise fries your quads and glutes and gives you a great stretch in your hips.  If you can not do this variation you can simply omit the box(step) in front and have your front foot on the ground.  Give it a try and get those legs cranking!  Start out with low reps but once you mastered your form pump those reps upwards to 15-20 each leg!  Do a few sets of high rep split squats once or twice a week and you will notice your legs becoming stronger and leaner!    

Got 30 Minutes?

Have less than 30 minutes to train yet still actually want to get a good workout in?  No problem, Jtab Training has your back (and glutes and quads and arms and shoulders also haha).  New to Jtab Training, but not a new fad or training philosophy at all, is the idea of getting in a complete full body workout by doing only the major, or most functional, movements as a circuit.  The workout will be simple yet effective and time efficient, making it perfect for those on a tight schedule.  These workouts include all the “big” moves, so you are burning many calories and building lean muscle all at the same time.  In addition, these “big” moves elevate your heart rate for conditioning training.  We will be offering these to members and non-members as a drop in price of $5 (paid via Venmo or cash at time of visit).  There will be beginner circuits and intermediate circuits based on an individual’s level.

Email Joey at jtabtraining@gmail.com with questions or to learn more so you can start start to get a taste of the Jtab experience with no membership required!  

Mini Band Upper Body Workout pt. 2 of 2

The mini band is back and welcome to pt. 2, upper body. Today we're using the mini band to work not only your arms, but your core and midsection as well. 

All 3 of these exercises can be done at home, without the use of extra weights, while still getting an excellent strength workout. These exercises will help you strengthen your shoulders,back and arms, tighten your core and burn calories. Combine these with the lower body workout in pt. 1 and you'll have a great, full body workout.

Mini Band Lower Body Working pt. 1 of 2

Today we're featuring one of the favorite tools at Jtab Training, the mini band! At about $2 per band, this is something you can easily pick up at any gym supply store or online. So grab yours (or ask me to order one for you) and start using it at home for some great resistance training.

Today is part 1 of a 2 part series featuring the mini band and we're starting with the lower body. This series of 3 exercises features glute walks, squats and glute bridges which can all be done without extra weights at home. Not only will these moves help shape your legs and glutes, but offer you better balance and stability, relieve pressure from your lower back, AND burn calories.

New Year Fat Loss Workout

Welcome back and Happy New Year! Right now we know everybody is focused on getting back in shape after the holiday season. If you did overindulge a little don't worry! Today we've got an at home, full body, fat burning workout designed to help you get your metabolism going. These moves can be done at home, without any weights, so no excuses! Get up and get moving, to start rocking your body in 2017.

Do this entire circut 3 times with 10 reps for each move.