Two In The Gym
Photo shoot with a Hasselblad digital camera system and Broncolor lighting. Thank You!
At Cruz 2 Fitness personal training gym here in Palm Springs with Naomi (and Naomi). Best personal training ever!
Gym Photo Shoots
Of all the bodybuilders I have photographed, amateur and the biggest name pros, it is Dan Decker who has probably appeared in more magazine features than any other.
Love Training Delts With Ava
Training tip from IFBB Pro Figure Champion Ava Cowan…
Delts- The love of training them, and that I certainly do!
I prefer to explore all angles, hand positions and planes of motion. My goal is to target every single fiber, front to back equally, creating beautifully developed symmetrical shoulders.
In this exercise, the dumbbell front raise on incline bench, targets the anterior delts.
Incline front raises, using a pronated hand position (palms facing the floor) may be alternated with a semi-supinated (palms facing each other) grip.
-Start this exercise by lying supine on an incline bench set to 45 degrees.Â
-With the elbows slightly bent, raise the dumbbells using your shoulders until your arms are parallel to the floor or slightly higher.Â
-Keep a slight bend in the elbow and raise the weight.Â
-Stay in control of the exercise with a tempo of a count of two up and four on the way down. -Lower the weight under control to a dead stop before repeating.
Sets: 2-4
Reps: 6-10
Rest: 90 seconds
Iron – The Best Supplement
My favorite supplement has always been Iron! Lifted, pushed, pulled, and curled. Typically in as much weight as I could handle. One of the reasons I have always liked Palm Springs Fitness Center as my gym… 150lb dumbbells. Always needed them for one arm back rows.
Pro Bodybuilder and United States Marine Xavisus Gayden from one of our photo shoots. Thanks!
Doing It Right
From one of my photo shoots with the incredible Doug Brignole. This guy really knows what he is doing! One of the foremost experts on weight training and exercise on the planet. At Palm Springs Fitness Center.
You Work For It!
You work for it, you build it. A great body by Jessica Holohan! From our photo shoot. Outstanding!
The Best Part…
The best part of doing these short videos for Palm Springs Fitness Center is meeting and chatting with these wonderful people who are on their fitness journey. Doing squats with Gabriella and her gym trainer Lisa…
Chest Fly’s And Crush Press
Another workout video with some good points that I shot for Palm Springs Fitness Center with trainer Dan Partridge. Thanks!
About “good form” in doing exercises… “… the reason I have a job”. “We want to make sure that when you come in here that you are doing the exercises not only to better yourself but to make sure you are doing it properly…” – Dan Partridge
Lat Variations
Simple training video clips I have fun doing for Palm Springs Fitness Center. Thanks!
A variation of the Lat Pulldown with trainer Dan Partridge. Making your time better spent in the gym with muscle time under tension. Much better than time under tension in a lot of things we do!
Bicep Curls With Ava Cowan
From a really great fitness magazine photo shoot series I shot with IFBB Figure Pro Ava Cowan at Palm Springs Fitness Center.
From IFBB Figure Pro Ava Cowan from her magazine workout series photo shoot…
Single Arm Biceps Curls.
Warm Up: Using a lighter weight start with 2 sets of 12-15 reps before moving into a heavier weight.
Set Up: Adjust seat so that the padding is comfortably and completely under armpit. Using a dumbbell as opposed to a machine requires that all stabilizing muscles are warmed up as well.
Working Set: 2-3 sets of 6-12 reps on each arm. Start with the weaker of the two arms. Sets and reps are dependant on lifter’s goals and experience.
Action: Benefit of this angle is you can isolate and squeeze at the top of the movement. On the way down make sure not to lock out elbow, keeping tension on the biceps. Repeat.
Advanced Variation:
Looking for a slight variation and a more advanced exercise?
Try 1 Arm Machine Curls.
Warm Up: Warm up with the 2 sets of 12-15 reps for each arm using a normal amount of weight. You can start with two arms and then move into a single arm warm up.
Working Set: Adjust weight to more than you can lift for one rep. Using the free arm non working arm to help with the positive portion of the lift and then resist the negative only with the single working arm.
1 set of 3-5 reps of negatives.
Heavy Lifting
Some heavy lifting in a magazine photo shoot I did with IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Daniel Hill. At Palm Springs Fitness Center.
Training With A Fitness Trainer
When I do these videos for Palm Springs Fitness Center, it is interesting to hear the comments made by the training clients. There is many a commonality. One thing that I do hear over and over is how happy they are to train with a trainer and what a difference it is made for them.
A different workout method with trainer Dan Partridge with his client Ed. Take a few minutes hear and see what they have to say about it.
And how many of us have said this to ourselves? Ed said that without a trainer… “I found that getting myself to the gym was difficult to do, because I always had other things to do”.
“I have a little bit more limited schedule, we’re doing supersets, so we’re doing 30 minutes, but it is more intensive for 30 minutes. It is a better workout than I have ever gotten.” – Ed
Don’t Eat The Weights
A fun photo shoot with my buddy Rob Carbo this was! It was for Bodybuilding.com published in Iron Man Magazine. A feature I sourced, wrote and photographed monthly for three years. At Palm Springs Fitness Center.
Deadlifts With Ava Cowan
An outstanding workout series I photographed over a few days with IFBB Figure Professional Ava Cowan. “Professional” for sure when it comes to Ava!
And be sure to “Like” the Facebook page for our gym shoot location Palm Springs Fitness Center, my favorite gym and to keep up with my posting over there as Social Media Manager. It helps me a lot and I promise to make it fun! Thanks!
Deadlifts done right with IFBB Professional Figure Competitor Ava Cowan…
Preparation:
With feet flat beneath bar, squat down and grasp bar with shoulder width or slightly wider overhand or mixed grip. Start with light weight to not only warm up but to determine what you are capable of lifting.
The addition of wrist straps can great improve your ability to perform multiple reps as well as more weight. If no straps are used, a mixed grip is a great way to grip the bar.
Start with 2 sets of 15 reps before moving into working weight.
Execution:
Lift bar by extending hips and knees to full extension, keeping the bar close to the body throughout the movement. Keep your back flat throughout the exercise and pull shoulders back being mindful not to round the shoulders. Also, keep knees pointing the same direction as your feet. Return and repeat.
The simplified version of the muscles used are:
The grip strength (finger flexors) and the lower back (erector spinae) work isometrically to keep the bar held in the hands and to keep the spine from rounding.
The gluteus maximus and hamstrings work to extend the hip joint.
The quadriceps work to extend the knee joint.
The adductor magnus works to stabilize the legs.
Core musculature remains braced to stabilize the spine.
Fitness Journey With Myrna At 82
I love meeting and talking with these wonderful people when I do these videos for Palm Springs Fitness Center. Be sure to take the few minutes to watch them. They really are uplifting!
And please “Like” the Facebook page for Palm Springs Fitness Center for more of my videos and photos and fitness related fun! It helps me too, so do it for me! Thanks!
Training With Flavio
Another quick workout video for Palm Springs Fitness Center with retired Professional Bodybuilder Flavio. Thanks!
225 Done Right
225 pounds or 65 pounds, it’s all a matter of doing it right. Anu Mcknight with great form doing incline bench press during our photo shoot at Palm Springs Fitness Center.
His back end solid on the seat, feet planted flat, shoulders and head back. Hands well spaced to make the exercise work the chest and not too close together activating the triceps. Bring the bar straight down to just above the center line of your chest and then back up, not locking out your elbows. Slow, easy and repeat. If you are only moving it in a partial range, too heavy, lighten up.
Triceps Push Downs
From one of my photo shoots. It may have been the first time Angela D Segovia had been published in a magazine. Great fun! At Palm Springs Fitness Center.
Middle Rear Delt
“This is an angle that enables you to target the middle and mid rear deltoid. The more angles that are targeted the more complete the development. It’s the middle rear delt that can be overlooked.”
– A more advanced training tip from IFBB Figure Pro, Ava Cowan. From a magazine workout series photographed by me right here at Palm Springs Fitness Center. Thanks!
Shoulders
My latest video for Palm Springs Fitness Center, my favorite gym by the way! With trainer Bill Bunchak.
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