C.A.B.S. Workout

Fit Day Friday

As you may know by now, I am all about maximizing my workouts in as little time as possible. What can I say? I'm a multitasker. Pull-ups and chin-ups are, by far, the hardest strengthening exercises I have ever done. They work out your core, arms, back, and shoulders, otherwise known as C.A.B.S., all at the same time. Talk about efficiency! What's the difference between the two? Hand placement. Pull-ups are when your palms are facing away from you, and chin-ups are when your palms are facing toward you. Chin-ups are a bit easier than pull-ups and a great place to start building up strength in all of those muscle groups. It does take a bit of time and lots of repetition to be able to complete a single pull-up or chin-up which makes them not only physically difficult but mentally difficult as well. Because of this, we invested in an over-the-door pull-up/chin-up bar so I didn't have to live at the gym all day, and every time I passed by it (which was very frequently considering its location) I would try to do just one chin-up. Before I could even complete just one, I felt the muscles tightening and soreness setting in and knew that, just as the saying goes, "the burn says it's working"! Technique has a lot to do with this exercise, and it is important that you stick to that technique so you do not get hurt. Hands should be slightly more than shoulder width apart, knees should be slightly bent, feet should be crossed, and head should look up toward where you are pulling yourself. Just be patient and keep trying. Nothing good comes easily, right? If I'm going to be working so hard, I better see some big-time results, and these exercises do just that. What other exercise is an intense workout for four major muscle groups?