Trainer Tips

Trainer works with members at the Campus Recreation Center.

Check out the tips below to get ensure you are using correct form when trying these exercises.

Equipment Tutorial


Tricep Extensions

  • Keep your elbows in like earmuffs
  • Lift your arms straight up and hinge at your elbows
  • You can use a split stance to protect your lower back

Squats

  • Place the bar in the meaty part of your upper back and shoulders – off of your neck! Keep your heels in line with the bar when setting up
  • Take two big steps away from the bar
  • Push your hips back first! Drive the knees out and push back up through the heels
  • Remember to breathe! – Exhale on the return to stand

Planks

  • Keep your hands shoulder width apart, elbows lined up under the shoulders
  • Keep your body in a straight line: your core tight and butt down
  • Equal pressure through the hands into the floor and heels drive back to flex the quads
  • Hold - hold - hold!

Chest Press

  • Have good posture while lying down to set yourself up for good posture for your chest press
  • Keep the natural curvature of your back on bench
  • Always ensure you have clips to keep your weights from falling off the bar
  • Plant your feet into the floor
  • Keep the bar in the middle of your chest/sternum while pressing and place back on the rack
  • Remember to breathe! – Exhale on the return to starting position
  • Remember to re-rack your weights when you are done!

Bicep Curls

  • Don't rock the boat!
  • Keep your elbows tight to your body and move your arms steadily up and down during the curl
  • To keep your body steady, you can try seated curls on a bench or have your back straight up against a wall

Pull Up v. Chin Up

  • Chin Up: Hands will be closer together and facing you, use more of biceps
  • Pull Up: Arms are wider, hands facing out, utilize lats
  • With both, keep a nice slow contraction while completing the movement both up and down to get the best results

Deadlifts

  • Keep the bar in the middle of your foot
  • Do a hair flip and push hips back
  • Keep your shoulders and lats locked down
  • Keep everything contracted while completing the entire movement of driving pressure down through the legs to return to standing

Lunges

  • Plant with your front foot, keep your chest lifted and core strong
  • Move your body down like an elevator (straight down and back up) and not like an escalator (front to back)
  • Make sure your front knee doesn't go past your front toe
  • Plant with your front foot, keep your chest lifted and core strong
  • Move your body down like an elevator (straight down and back up) and not like an escalator (front to back)
  • Make sure your front knee doesn't go past your front toe