These muscles play a major role in everything from opening a pickle jar to doing a pull-up. Here’s what you need to know.
A Trainer’s Top Exercise: Push-Up/Plank
David Kirsch is a celebrity trainer who works with the likes of Kate Upton, Kerry Washington, and chef Danny Meyer. He’s also the founder-owner of the Madison Square Club in NYC. Kirsch begins every day with at least five sets of as many push-ups as he can do, ending each set with a one-minute plank. He Kirsch recommends the quick exercise for guys because it gets the heart going while also engaging the core, arms, back, chest, and arms.
Want to do it? Perform a set of push-ups, then return to the “up” position and hold a plank. You should be pushing through your heels (so your calves are lengthened) and rolling your shoulders down your back (so you’re not over engaging your trap muscles.) Your navel should also be drawn, and you should be bracing with your abdomen while also squeezing with your butt. Hold for one minute and repeat.
Here are a few more of the exercises top-trainers think you should be performing.
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While they may seem similar, confidence and egotism are fundamentally different. Understanding it is vital.
Don’t Want to Be Mistaken For Arrogant? Say “Actually" Less Often
When at the beginning of a statement, “actually” portends an uninvited correction, as in, “Actually, it’s pronounced es-press-oh…” Unless you’re being asked to provide expertise, it’s good to be aware of when you insert your insights. However well-intended that may be, they come across the wrong way.
“The motivation for ‘actually’ is, ‘Look at me, I’m smarter than you,’” says John Crossman, CEO of Crossman Career Builders who coaches job-seekers and companies on hard conversations. “The exact details of what someone says in most conversations don’t really matter, so let them talk. It’s not the time to nit-pick.”
It’s easy to sense when someone is being condescending. It's much harder to sense when we're doing it ourselves. Here are some signs to recognize.
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