Men\'s Health UK - 10.2019

THE BEST

EXERCISE

YOU’RE

NOT DOING

TWIST THE SCREW

ON MUSCLE GAIN

If you want to stretch your potential,

then turn to the RESISTANCE BAND

WINDMILL AND PRESS. It’ll fire up

your abs and prime you for bigger lifts

MEN’S HEALTH 19

WORDS: MICHAEL JENNINGS | PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP HAYNES I MODEL: LEE MCLAUGHLIN AT W MODEL I STYLING: ABENA OFEI I GROOMING: SUSANA MOTA TRACKPANTS CASTORE.COM, TRAINERS NEWBALANCE.CO.UK

03

JOIN THE

RESISTANCE A

01

SOLID START

Stand with your feet at

hip-width, secure the

band under your left

foot and stretch the

other end overhead in

your right hand. Start

with your left hand at

the band’s midpoint,

just below your chest.

You should feel it in

your core already.

02

LEAN INTO IT

Look up at your right

hand and hinge into

your right hip, pushing

your glutes back

so your right leg is

straight and there’s

a slight bend in your

left knee. At the same

time, rotate your torso.

Ready to press your

advantage?

03

PUSH TO

ACTIVATE

This is where you’ll

really feel your core

switch into overdrive.

With your left arm,

press the resistance

band out to the right,

making sure your arm

fully locks out. Your

right arm should stay

overhead throughout.

Keep steady, now.

WHAT YOU’LL GAIN

INJURY-FREE

WORKOUTS

HEAVIER

DEADLIFTS

W

hen you’re

squeezing in

a gym session

between

meetings, making a beeline

from your desk to the bench

press is the go-to tactic. The

inconvenient truth, though,

is that skipping a warm-up is

sabotaging your workout.

In your quest for total-body

muscle, one move can make all

the difference, so set aside five

minutes and grab a resistance

band. “During the windmill and

press, your shoulder stabilises,

your hips hinge and your spine

rotates, priming you for heavy

kettlebell swings, overhead

pressing or deadlifts,” explains

Third Space PT Lee Ryan. You’ll

lift heavier for extra sets and

reps, accelerating your progress.

And that’s before we get to the

impact on your core. This move

builds abs as effectively as a

plank, but it’s far less boring.

“The band activates your entire

midsection when you rotate into

the pressing position,” says

Ryan. Shoot for two sets of 12-

reps on each side to feel your abs

work in places you never even

knew existed and prep for a PB.

Tired of the same old

pre-session stretching, but not

sure whether to stick or twist?

Well, now you know what to do.

04

REVERSE

FORTUNES

When you reverse

the move, stay in

control and don’t rush

back to your upright

position. This increases

time under tension to

maximise every rep.

Perform your set on

one side, then repeat

on the other side for a

full-body burn. How’s

that for a band aid?

ROCKIN’

ABS