1、 Elastic Band: A Low Cost and High Cost Effective ‘Training King’
The elastic band is definitely one of the most cost-effective small tools in the gym – lightweight and portable, with adjustable resistance, and can also adapt to almost all parts of the body for training, especially suitable for beginners and beginners to break through bottlenecks.
Core Training: Side Plate Elastic Band Rotation
Action points: Lie on your side for support, straighten your legs below, hold one end of the elastic band with your hands above, and fix the other end in a low position in front of you; Keep the core tight, rotate the body sideways and forward with the upper hand, feel the contraction of the lateral waist and external oblique muscle, 12-15 times per group, alternating between 2-3 groups on both sides.
Advantages: Compared to traditional side tablets, the resistance of the elastic band allows the core deep muscles to exert more force, effectively improving the problem of uneven strength on both sides of the waist and abdomen.
Upper limb strengthening: elastic band bending over for rowing
Action points: Place both feet in the middle of the elastic band, bend your knees slightly, straighten your back, and hold both ends of the elastic band with both hands; Pull the elastic band towards the waist and abdomen, with elbows close to both sides of the body. Hold the peak for 1 second and slowly restore, 15-20 times per group, completing 3 groups.
Advantages: Novice friendly, can avoid back compensation caused by non-standard movements, accurately activate the latissimus dorsi and rhombus muscles, and improve round shoulder hunchback.
Lower limb activation: deep squat with elastic band
Action points: Place the elastic band over your knees, stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and your toes slightly outward; Keep your back straight, slowly squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground, your knees are aligned with your toes, and when you stand up, actively tighten your hips, 15 times per group, complete 3 groups.
Advantage: The lateral resistance of the elastic band can forcibly activate the muscles on the inner side of the buttocks and thighs, solving the common problem of “insufficient force on the buttocks” during squats.
2、 Medicated ball: a “training catalyst” for explosive power and coordination
Medicine balls (weighing between 1-10 kilograms) are an excellent tool for enhancing explosive power, core stability, and body coordination, especially suitable for training in combination with compound movements to rejuvenate routine movements.
Ace move: Medicine ball hitting the ground
Action points: Hold the medicine ball with both hands in front of your chest, stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and slightly bend your knees; With the help of the waist and abdomen, lift the medicine ball above your head, then quickly bend down and use explosive force to smash the ball to the ground (about 30 centimeters away from your toes), 8-10 times per group, completing 2-3 groups.
Advantages: Instant explosive power training can effectively enhance core strength and release stress, suitable for activating the body before training or strengthening the core after training.
Advanced action: rotating and throwing the medicine ball
Action points: Find a training partner, with a distance of 3-4 meters between them, each holding a medicinal ball; Stand with both feet forward and backward, tighten the core, and use a spin to throw the ball horizontally to your partner. After receiving the ball, quickly return to your original position and throw back, 10-12 times per group, alternating between two sides to complete two sets.
Advantages: Strengthen the rotational core strength, improve body coordination and reaction speed, especially helpful for ball sports enthusiasts.
Novice friendly: Medicine Ball Tablet Support
Action points: Hold the top of the medicine ball with both hands, stretch both feet backwards to form a flat support posture, keep the body in a straight line, tighten the core, and prevent the buttocks from collapsing; Persist for 30-45 seconds and complete 3 sets.
Advantage: The instability of the medicine ball will force the core muscles to continue exerting force, which improves the training effect by more than 30% compared to traditional flat support.
3、 Foam Axis: “Muscle Relaxation Artifact” after Training
Many people only focus on the training process, but overlook post match relaxation – muscle tension not only affects training effectiveness, but may also lead to soreness and injury. The self fascia relaxation (SMR) function of the foam axis can help you quickly relieve muscle tension.
Relaxation of the calves: the key to solving the problem of ‘muscular legs’
Action points: sitting position, place the foam shaft under the lower leg, and support the body with both hands; Slowly roll the muscles behind the calf, pause for 10-15 seconds when encountering soreness points, and roll on both sides for 1-2 minutes.
Suitable scenario: It can effectively relax the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles when the calves are tight after running or squatting.
Back relaxation: an “invisible orthodontist” for improving round shoulders and hunchback
Action points: Lie on your back, place the foam shaft on the middle of your back (under your shoulder blades), bend your knees and step on the ground, and hold your head with both hands; Slowly roll your back, focusing on relaxing the upper back muscles, and roll for 1-2 minutes.
Caution: Avoid directly pressing on the lumbar spine. Those with lumbar problems should do so under the guidance of a coach.
Relaxation of the front thigh: a necessary “recovery item” after squatting deeply
Action points: lie on the stomach, bend one leg, place the foam shaft on the front of the thigh, and extend the other leg to support; Slowly roll the quadriceps muscles on the front of the thigh, 1-2 minutes on each side.
Advantages: Relieve the tension in the quadriceps after squatting and prevent knee joint discomfort.
4、 Mini elastic ring: the secret weapon for accurately activating “small muscle groups”
Mini elastic rings (diameter 15-20 centimeters) are compact in size, but highly targeted, especially adept at activating small muscle groups such as buttocks and inner thighs that are easily overlooked. They are an “invisible helper” for improving posture and enhancing training quality.
Hip activation: Clam style opening and closing advanced version
Action points: Lie on your side, place the mini elastic trap above your knees, and bend your legs at a 90 degree angle; Maintain pelvic stability, slowly open the upper knee upwards (such as opening and closing a clam shell), hold the peak for 2 seconds, then restore, 15 times per group, 2-3 groups on both sides.
Advantages: Accurately activate the gluteus medius muscle, solve the problem of deep squat compensation caused by “buttock weakness”, and improve false hip width.
Training on the inner thigh: elastic ring clamping the leg
Action points: Lie down, bend your legs and step on the ground, clip the mini elastic ring between your knees; Slowly tighten the inner thigh muscles, squeeze the knee towards the center, hold the peak for 3 seconds, and then relax. Repeat 15-20 times per group to complete 3 groups.
Suitable for: Sedentary individuals often experience body problems due to muscle weakness in the inner thighs, which can effectively improve their posture.
5、 Kettle Bell: A Retro Artifact that Balancing Strength and Functionality
The kettlebell is a classic small tool that has returned to the mainstream in recent years. Its unique center of gravity design can simultaneously train strength, explosiveness, and body coordination, making it particularly suitable for enhancing the “functional strength” required for daily activities.
Basic action: Hard pull the kettlebell
Action points: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and place the kettlebell in front of your feet; Bend down and bend down, hold the handle of the kettlebell with both hands, keep your back straight, and tighten your core; Use leg and hip strength to pull up the kettlebell until the body is upright, slowly lower it, 12-15 times per group, complete 3 groups.
Advantages: Compared to barbell pulling, kettlebell pulling exerts less pressure on the waist and can more accurately activate the glutes and hamstring muscles.
Advanced action: Swinging the kettlebell
Action points: Stand with feet slightly wider than your shoulders, hold the kettlebell with both hands and place it in front of you; Bend your knees and bend down, swing the kettlebell backwards to the back of your thigh, then use your hips to exert force to swing the kettlebell forwards to your chest, keeping your core stable. Complete 2-3 sets 15-20 times per set.
Attention: The core of the movement is to exert force on the buttocks, rather than swinging the arms, to avoid compensating for the waist.