The Pin Squat is a variation designed to slow down the eccentric and eliminate the stretch reflex at the bottom of the squat to improve technique, build strength, and increase time under tension for increased muscle engagement. Instructions: 1. Setup: Set the safety pins in a squat rack at a height where the barbell will touch when your thighs are about parallel to the ground during your squat. To check, squat with your body weight standing directly next to one rack and place the pin where your shoulder sits on the rack. 2. Load the barbell and position it on your rear delts and traps, similar to a regular squat setup. Unrack the bar & step back, standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out. 3. Engage your core and take a big breath to brace. Keep your back flat. Begin by pushing your hips back and driving your knees outward. 4. Lower yourself slowly, aiming for a controlled descent, ensuring both sides of the bar reach the pins at the same time. 5. Touch the pins gently with the barbell, maintaining tension through your body. Avoid relaxing or letting the weight fully rest on the pins. 6. Engage the glutes and hamstrings to drive through your midfoot and stand back up to the starting position. 7. Repeat for the recommended number of reps, focusing on slow, controlled movements and maintaining control throughout. Tips for Proper Form: - Focus on lowering the bar slowly and evenly to the pins. This helps maintain balance, control and better muscle engagement. - Stay Tight at the Bottom: Keep your core, glutes, and quads engaged when you reach the pins to avoid losing tension in the bottom position. - Keep your weight distributed over your midfoot throughout the entire lift to maintain balance and avoid leaning too far forward or backward. Substitutions: - Box Squat - Paused Squat ---------------------------------------------------------------- This is Moves You Training - In-person and Online Strength and Nutrition Coaching, leading men & women to build strong bodies, minds & lifestyles. I help clients build strong bodies, become confident in and outside of the gym, and gain control of their nutrition to see life-changing results. We make working with a professional fitness & nutrition coach enjoyable by building training and nutrition plans tailored to your unique goals. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/movesyoutraining/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Movesyoutraining/ Visit our website: https://www.movesyoutraining.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Get started with a Professional Strength & Nutrition Coach today 👇 No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: https://www.movesyoutraining.com/monthly-training

Banded Dips | Step-by-Step Instructions Banded dips are a great exercise for targeting the triceps, chest, and shoulders, while using a resistance band to assist with the movement, reducing the load on your shoulders and making the exercise more accessible for various fitness levels. Instructions 1. Setup: Attach a resistance band to a dip station. Adjust the band so it provides sufficient assistance. Position yourself in front of the dip station by using a box to step from, and place the band under your feet or knees for support. 2. Grab the dip handles with a neutral grip (palms facing inward). Step to position yourself so your arms are fully extended and your body is in an upright position. Your feet should be off the ground if using the band under your feet. 3. Engage your core and maintain a slight lean forward. Slowly lower your body by bending your elbows, aiming to bring your upper arms parallel to the floor or slightly below. 4. Keep your elbows close to your body and focus on pushing through the palms of your hands to engage your triceps, chest, and shoulders. 5. Exhale and press through the dip handles to lift your body back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms while maintaining control and stability. 6. Ensure that you lower and lift your body with controlled, deliberate movements to maximize muscle activation and minimize strain on the shoulders. ** Adjust the band for more or less assistance based on your strength and fitness level. Tips for Proper Form - Body Position: Keep your body upright with a slight lean forward to engage the chest and triceps effectively. - Elbow Path: Keep your elbows close to your sides to minimize shoulder strain and maximize triceps engagement. - Avoid Using Momentum: Focus on a smooth and controlled movement throughout the exercise to avoid swinging or using momentum. - Full Range of Motion: Lower yourself as far as you can comfortably go, ideally until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, then press up fully. - Band Assistance: Ensure the band provides adequate support without taking over the movement; adjust if necessary for the right balance. ---------------------------------------------------------------- This is Moves You Training - In-person and Online Strength and Nutrition Coaching, leading men & women to build strong bodies, minds & lifestyles. I help clients build strong bodies, become confident in and outside of the gym, and gain control of their nutrition to see life-changing results. We make working with a professional fitness & nutrition coach enjoyable by building training and nutrition plans tailored to your unique goals. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/movesyoutraining/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Movesyoutraining/ Visit our website: https://www.movesyoutraining.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Get started with a Professional Strength & Nutrition Coach today 👇 No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: https://www.movesyoutraining.com/monthly-training

The Assisted Seated Abduction exercise targets the gluteus medius and minimus, and helps to build the outer (or side) glutes. By adding assisted reps at the end of your set, you can push past failure, increasing muscle growth. Instructions Setup: Sit on the abduction machine, and use the handle below the seat to adjust the machine’s starting width so your knees are as close together as possible. 1. Sit up straight, without your back resting on the back pad, place your knees against the edge of the padded portion. Position your feet securely on the footrests. 2. Engage your core and sit up tall 3. Start the movement by pressing your knees out against the pads, focusing on squeezing the outer glutes as you push against the resistance. Keep the movement controlled. 4. Extend as far as your flexibility allows while maintaining tension on the outer glutes. Hold the contraction at the top of the movement for a brief moment to maximize engagement. 5. Slowly return to the starting position, keeping tension in your glutes throughout the movement and avoiding letting the weight plates touch. 6. When you reach failure (the point at which you can no longer complete a full rep with proper form), place your fists on the outside of your knees to assist the movement. Use your upper body strength to help push your knees outward, allowing you to perform a few more reps with reduced resistance. 7. Complete a few additional assisted reps, focusing on maintaining proper form and keeping tension in the glutes as you finish the set. Tips for Proper Form: - Focus on slow, controlled movements throughout the exercise. Avoid using momentum to swing your knees outward; instead, engage your glutes to power the movement. - When assisting with your fists, push just enough to complete the rep without taking all the tension off your glutes. The goal is to extend your set beyond failure for extra muscle engagement. Substitutions: - Beginner friendly: Machine Seated Abductions

Barbell Hip Thrusts | Step-by-Step Instructions 1. Place a bench or box behind you. Ensure it is stable and will not tip over. 2. Sit on the ground with your upper back against the bench. Roll the barbell over your legs, positioning it over your hips. Use a barbell pad or cushion for comfort. 3. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground, shoulder-width apart. Your shins should be vertical when your hips are fully extended. 4. Grip the barbell with both hands to keep it stable during the movement. 5. Tighten your core to maintain a stable torso and straight back throughout the movement. 6. Press through your whole foot and lift your hips towards the ceiling. Your upper back should pivot on the bench as your hips rise, and your chest should follow the movement pattern. 7. Top position: Fully extend your hips at the top of the movement, forming a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. 8. Controlled Descent: Slowly lower your hips back down to the starting position, without losing tension in your glutes, maintaining control of the barbell, chest following the barbell. 9. Repeat: Perform the desired number of repetitions, maintaining proper form and control throughout each rep. Tips for Proper Form - Foot Placement: Adjust your feet so that your shins are vertical at the top of the movement. This will help maximize glute activation. - Knee Height: If your knees are below your chest at full extension (top of the moevement) try placing a plate beneath your feet, to raise your knees higher and have a flat nody from chest to knees @ the top position - Avoid Overarching: Do not overarch your lower back at the top position. Keep your ribcage down and maintain a neutral spine. - Control the Movement: Avoid bouncing at the bottom of the movement. Focus on a controlled lift and lower to maximize muscle engagement. - Avoid Using Too Much Weight: Start with a manageable weight to ensure you can maintain proper form throughout the exercise. We are looking for challenging weight, but with great form & execution. - Avoid Arching Back: Avoid arching your lower back at the top position to prevent lower back strain and ensure glute focus. ---------------------------------------------------------------- This is Moves You Training - In-person and Online Strength and Nutrition Coaching, leading men & women to build strong bodies, minds & lifestyles. I help clients build strong bodies, become confident in and outside of the gym, and gain control of their nutrition to see life-changing results. We make working with a professional fitness & nutrition coach enjoyable by building training and nutrition plans tailored to your unique goals. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/movesyoutraining/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Movesyoutraining/ Visit our website: https://www.movesyoutraining.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Get started with a Professional Strength & Nutrition Coach today 👇 No contract with us, just commitment to yourself: https://www.movesyoutraining.com/monthly-training

The 45° Hyperextension targets the glutes, and hamstrings. This exercise can work the lower back, however, adjustments in technique and form will minimize lower back involvement and maximize activation of the glutes and hamstrings. Setup: Adjust the hyperextension bench so that the top edge of the pad sits just below your hips, allowing your upper body to move freely. Position yourself with feet hip-width apart, toes slightly turned out, and keep a slight bend in your knees. 1. If using weight, pick the the weight. You can hold it close to your chest, however, for best glute engagement hold the weight out and away from you. 2. Slowly lower your torso by hinging at the hips until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, while maintaining a curved upper back. 3. From the lowered position, press your hips forward and squeeze your glutes to lift your torso until it aligns with your legs, stopping at a 45° angle (avoid rising to full extension). - Think about squeezing the glutes at the bottom, and driving your hips into the pad, like a hip thrust. - Don’t overextend at the top. Only go as high as needed to engage glute/hamstring, without using the lower back to lift. 4. Pause at the top of the movement, fully squeezing your glutes and maintaining a soft bend in your knees. 5. Slowly lower yourself back to the starting position, focusing on controlling the descent and keeping tension on your glutes and hamstrings. Tips for Proper Form: - Focus on moving from your hip joint rather than your lower back to isolate the glutes and hamstrings. - Avoid using momentum; instead, focus on a controlled lift and descent. - Avoid Overextension: Do not raise your torso beyond a 45° angle to keep your lower back out of the movement. - Keep a slight bend in your knees to emphasize the glutes Exercise Substitutions: - Beginner Friendly Sub: Bodyweight Good Morning - Reverse hyperextension - Cable Pull-Throughs

Supine Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly. Target muscle for this exercise is the rear delt, aka the back side of the shoulder, with support from the traps, lats, and rhomboids. Strengthening these muscles can help to increase overall shoulder and back strength and improve posture. It is difficult to move a heavy load with rear delt flyes as the movement is powered by a small muscle group. Choose a light weight to start, that is challenging but controllable and allows for the full range of motion with good form, as this will get the most benefit while minimizing stress on the shoulder joint. 1. Laying with your back supported on a bench, start with your arm straight up, and a slight elbow bend. To ensure the rear delts are targeted and shoulder stress is minimized in a rear delt fly, it’s important to maintain a slight bend in the elbow. 2. Hold the Dumbbell using a pronated, or overhand, grip so that your palms are facing away from your face. You can either wrap your thumbs around the dumbbell, however, i prefer to not wrap my thumbs for a better rear delt connection. 3. Brace your core and ensure your torso and hips remain stable as you let the dumbbell start to move across your body and above your chest. To sustain a stable torso throughout the movement, your oblique muscles will need to be engaged. If you’re finding your torso begins to twist, lighten the load or place your other hand on the top of your hip for further stability. 4.Think about stretching the rear delt as you slowly bring your arm across your body. The dumbbell should move across your body and end just slightly below the chest. 5. Engage the rear delt to pull the DB back up to the starting position. Complete all reps on one side before swapping arms. I like to think about feeling the rear delt stretch on the way down, and then from the bottom, pushing my pinky through the top of the dumbbell to push it back up to the starting position.

The Smith Machine Banded Hip Thrust is a great exercise for targeting and building glutes. Adding the resistance band helps to increase engagement of the upper and outer glute. Instructions: 1. Setup: Position a flat bench parallel with the smith machine bar, and place a barbell pad on the Smith machine. Set the barbell height to around knee height when standing. 2. Place a 45-pound plate on the ground to place your feet on top of. This helps bring your knees to chest height at the top and increases range of motion. 3. Start with 1-3 warm up sets, working up to your working weight. Strength is different for everyone, so your first warm up may be just the barbell, or it may be with weight added. 4. Place your resistance band above your knees 5. Lower yourself so that your shoulder blades are supported by the edge of the bench, around where your sport bra sits. Triceps are lightly resting on the bench as well. 6. Position your feet flat on the plate, hip-width apart, ensuring even pressure from heel to toe. 7. Engage your core to stabilize your torso and and keep a neutral spine throughout the movement. This prevents lower back arching & pain. 8. Unrack the bar by lifting slightly, then rotate it to unlock. 9. Let your hips drop to the bottom position. Squeeze from the glutes at the bottom position to lift your hips upward, keeping your knees pushed out against the resistance band. Fully extend your hips until your torso forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. 10. At the top, squeeze your glutes and hold for a brief moment to maximize contraction. Ensure your knees stay out against the band’s resistance. 11. Slowly lower your hips back down, keeping control over the descent. Avoid letting the bar rest at the bottom position, maintaining tension on your glutes throughout. 12. Notice how my chest follows the bar path and I maintain a straight (aka neutral) back. Doing this will reduce lower back engagement, and increase glute growth. Tips for Proper Form: - Press against the band to prevent knees from caving in, which keeps the focus on your glutes. - Engage your core throughout the movement to avoid arching your lower back. - Use a slow, controlled pace, especially during the lowering phase, to maximize tension on your glutes. Substitutions: - Banded Barbell Hip Thrust - Dumbbell Banded Hip Thrust