When it comes to hitting the gym, we all have our favorite exercises. You know, the ones that make us feel powerful and accomplished. But what about those exercises we secretly dread, the ones that we must mentally prepare for and force ourselves to do? We’ve all been there – procrastinating before a set of movements that are exhausting, intimidating, and downright painful (in a good way). However, it’s time to shift our perspective.

In this blog, we’ll take on those exercises that sink the hearts of even the most dedicated fitness enthusiasts. We’ll explore why they’ve earned their notorious reputation and, more importantly, why you should include them as an essential part of your fitness journey. These exercises may be tough, but they hold the key to unlocking your true potential and achieving remarkable fitness gains.

So, let’s dive in and discover why embracing the workouts you hate is the path to ultimate strength and success at AFAC gym in Thornton, Colorado.

The Gym’s Toughest Exercises Can Give You the Greatest Fitness Gains

Let’s be real – there’s at least one exercise that sends shivers down your spine and makes you wish you could escape the gym at full speed (or never show up to begin with). It’s the kind of exercise that feels like a form of punishment.

However, here’s a thought: the old adage “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” might just hold some wisdom. Avoiding exercises simply because they’re challenging or unpleasant could mean missing out on crucial opportunities for strength and overall fitness improvement. It’s time to view these beasts as your besties during your workout routine.

Burpees

Rarely do you hear anyone declare, “Burpees are a blast!” Even in our training sessions, the mere mention of burpees elicits a few groans from gym members. To be perfectly honest, we can understand why. Burpees demand a substantial amount of effort. They’re challenging because they engage numerous muscle groups in one fell swoop. Furthermore, they’re designed to enhance your explosive strength and power, a facet of fitness that many of us struggle with. Nevertheless, they stand as a genuine litmus test for one’s overall fitness level.

Burpees encompass a combination of squats, push-ups, and jumps, constituting a comprehensive full-body exercise. While burpees may pose a formidable challenge due to their demand for balance and coordination, they come with a long list of advantages. This exercise aids in muscle development, calorie burning, and the enhancement of cardiovascular endurance. Simultaneously engaging the leg muscles, core, chest, and arms, burpees also contribute to improved agility and coordination. By incorporating burpees into your fitness routine, you can expedite your journey towards achieving your fitness goals, with the added flexibility to adapt the exercise to various fitness levels. Despite their level of difficulty, burpees prove to be an excellent means of elevating your overall fitness and well-being.

How to Do Burpees

Burpees are a high-intensity, full-body exercise that combines elements of a squat, push-up, and jump. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to perform a basic burpee.

Starting Position. Begin by standing upright with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides.
Squat Down. Bend your knees and hips to lower your body into a squat position. Keep your back straight and your chest up as you lower yourself.
Plant Your Hands. Place your hands on the ground in front of you, just inside your feet. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart.
Kick Your Feet Back. Quickly kick both of your feet behind you, so you’re now in a push-up or plank position. Ensure that your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels. Engage your core muscles to maintain stability.
Perform a Push-Up (optional). If you want to intensify your burpees, you can add a push-up at this point. Lower your chest to the ground by bending your elbows, then push yourself back up to the plank position.
Jump Your Feet Forward. Explosively jump your feet back to their original position, between your hands. Use your leg muscles to generate power.
Jump Upward. From the squat position, jump up into the air as high as you can, reaching your arms overhead.
Land Softly. As you land, bend your knees slightly to absorb the impact and then immediately go into the next repetition.
Repeat. Continue this sequence for the desired number of repetitions or for a set amount of time, maintaining a brisk pace for an effective cardiovascular workout.

It’s important to maintain proper form and perform burpees with control to prevent injury. Start with a manageable number of repetitions and gradually increase as your fitness level improves. Burpees can be adapted to suit different fitness levels by modifying the push-up and jump components, making them a versatile and effective exercise for building strength and cardiovascular endurance.

Lunges

It’s no secret that leg day at the gym can be a bit of a struggle, especially since leg-day usually means lunges, which are one of the most dreaded exercises. Lunges can pose a significant challenge, especially if you’re not accustomed to them, and they can occasionally be uncomfortable, particularly for those with knee issues.

For some, the sensation of hip stiffness during lunges is another reason they tend to steer clear of this exercise. Nevertheless, lunges offer a multitude of benefits. They can significantly increase muscle mass in your legs and glutes while enhancing your range of motion and posture.

Moreover, if you’re aiming for a slimmer waistline, incorporating lunges into your workout routine is a wise choice. They effectively target and strengthen your core, glutes, and legs. Additionally, lunges contribute to improved balance and coordination, ultimately boosting your overall athletic performance and reducing the risk of workout-related injuries. So, despite their challenging reputation, lunges can be a valuable addition to your fitness regimen.

How to Do Lunges

Lunges are a great lower body exercise that targets your quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. Here’s how to do a basic forward lunge:

Begin by standing up straight with your feet hip-width apart. Keep your chest up, shoulders relaxed, and arms hanging at your sides.
Take a step forward with your right foot. Your stride should be long enough so that when you lower your body, both your knees form a 90-degree angle. Your left knee should hover just above the ground.
As you step forward, lower your body by bending both knees. Your right knee should be positioned directly above your right ankle, and your left knee should hover just above the floor.
Keep your upper body upright, and your core engaged to maintain balance.
Push off your right foot to return to the starting position.
After completing the desired number of repetitions with your right leg, switch to your left leg. Take a step forward with your left foot and repeat the lunge motion.
If you’d like to increase the difficulty of your lunges, you can hold dumbbells or kettlebells in your hands, or a barbell on your shoulders.
Another way to increase difficulty is to perform lunges while walking forward, alternating legs with each step.

Deadlifts

True to their name, deadlifts can be an intimidating exercise that many people dread. Whether you’re lifting heavy weights for a few reps or going lighter for high repetitions, deadlifts demand an all-out effort from your muscles. The intensity is unmistakable, evident in the heavy breathing and the extreme muscle fatigue that often follows a set of deadlifts.

First and foremost, deadlifts require a strong grip to hold onto the weight. Beyond that, they engage major muscle groups throughout the body, including the back, glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings, pushing these muscles to the point of exhaustion. It’s safe to say that deadlifts can leave you feeling, well, almost dead with fatigue.

Nevertheless, deadlifts reign supreme as one of the most effective exercises for enhancing both strength and muscle mass. Beyond their muscle-building prowess, they play a pivotal role in improving posture, preventing back pain, burning calories, enhancing core strength, and elevating grip strength. Through consistent training, deadlifts offer an invaluable pathway to elevating your physical fitness and overall well-being. If you’re eager to catapult your strength, muscle growth, and athletic performance to new heights, it’s time to incorporate this king of exercises into your workout regimen.

How to Do Deadlifts

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to perform a conventional deadlift.

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with your toes under a loaded barbell on the ground or at the lowest setting on a Smith machine. The barbell should be positioned over the middle of your feet.
The barbell should be close to your shins, and your feet should be about hip-width apart. Your toes can be slightly turned outward.
Bend at your hips to hinge forward and reach down to grip the barbell. Your hands should be just outside your knees, using either a double overhand grip (both palms facing you) or a mixed grip (one palm facing you and one palm facing away).
Keep your back straight, chest up, and shoulders pulled back and down. Your spine should maintain a neutral position.
Take a deep breath and engage your core muscles.
Push through your heels as you stand up, lifting the barbell. Keep it close to your body as you lift.
As you stand up, extend your hips and straighten your knees simultaneously. Keep your back flat throughout the lift.
Once you’re standing upright with the barbell, ensure your shoulders are back, and your chest is up.
At the top of the lift, you should be in a fully upright position with your hips and knees fully extended, holding the barbell in front of your thighs.
To lower the barbell, initiate the movement by pushing your hips back while maintaining a straight back.
Bend your knees once the barbell passes them, and gently lower it to the ground while maintaining control.
After the barbell is safely on the ground, release your grip.

Keep the barbell close to your body throughout the lift to minimize the stress on your lower back. Maintain proper form and technique to avoid injury, especially in your lower back. Start with a lighter weight to practice the movement and gradually increase the weight as you become more comfortable and confident with your form.

If you’re new to deadlifts, consider seeking guidance from a personal trainer at AFAC gym to ensure proper technique.

Barbell Squats

Barbell squats undoubtedly claim the throne as the supreme exercise in the realm of fitness. Unlike some exercises, grip fatigue is a non-issue with barbell squats, as the bar securely rests on your upper back. Engaging your entire body, from calves to quads, glutes to abs, low back to upper-body stabilizing muscles, barbell squats leave no muscle group uninvolved.

The art of executing the barbell squat largely hinges on your inner strength and determination to conquer the inevitable fatigue that accompanies pushing this exercise to its limits. When performed correctly – with substantial resistance, impeccable form, and maximum repetitions – it elevates your heart rate and pushes your breathing to its peak.

In this demanding pursuit, you’ll contend with the burn of muscle acidity and the relentless pressure of the bar resting upon your upper back or neck for an extended duration. It takes immense courage to execute squats with precision and unwavering effort, which is precisely why it’s often viewed as the most daunting exercise. It’s a simultaneous blend of love and hate, a true test of your physical and mental fortitude.

How to Do Barbell Squats

Barbell squats are a foundational strength training exercise that targets your lower body, particularly the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to perform barbell squats.

Begin by setting up a barbell on a squat rack or Smith machine at about chest height. Ensure that the bar is loaded with an appropriate weight for your fitness level.
Stand facing the bar, with your feet shoulder-width apart. Your toes can be slightly turned outward for comfort.
Position yourself under the barbell, aligning it with your upper back. The bar should rest just below the base of your neck and across your upper traps. Be sure it’s balanced evenly.
Reach up and grasp the bar with both hands, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Your palms should face forward, and your elbows should point down and back.
Take a step back to clear the rack (or, if you’re using a Smith machine, unhinge the bar from the rack) so that the bar is fully resting on your upper back. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider.
Inhale deeply, engage your core, and maintain a straight back throughout the movement.
Begin the squat by bending at your hips and knees simultaneously. Lower your body while keeping your chest up and your eyes looking straight ahead. Imagine sitting back into an imaginary chair.
Continue descending until your thighs are parallel to the ground or go as low as your mobility allows. Ensure that your knees stay in line with your feet and do not cave inward.
Pause briefly at the bottom of the squat, maintaining good form.
Exhale as you push through your heels and extend your hips and knees to return to the starting position. Keep your back straight as you ascend.

Here are some tips to keep in mind as you perform barbell squats:

Focus on maintaining proper form and control throughout the movement to prevent injury.
Keep your core engaged to stabilize your spine.
Ensure your knees do not extend beyond your toes during the squat.
Your back should remain straight, and your chest should stay up throughout the exercise.
Start with an unloaded bar to practice proper form before adding weight gradually as you become more confident with the movement.
As with other difficult exercises, if you’re new to barbell squats, consider seeking guidance from a personal trainer at AFAC gym to learn the correct technique.

Barbell squats are a powerful exercise for building lower body strength and muscle mass. Include them in your workout routine and progressively increase the weight to challenge yourself and reap the benefits of this essential compound exercise.

Bulgarian Split Squats

The intensity of Bulgarian split squats is undeniable! If you’re not accustomed to them, they can also feel a bit awkward and are challenging to set up correctly. However, their effectiveness in addressing leg imbalances and developing independent leg strength is unmatched.

These squats don’t require much to feel the burn because you’re supporting your entire body weight on one leg while performing the squatting motion. They are invaluable for enhancing single-leg strength and boosting explosiveness.

The Bulgarian split squat also stands out as a top choice for preventing lower body injuries. It hones strength, balance, and control in a single leg through a specific range of motion that holds immense relevance for various sports and physical activities.

How to Do Bulgarian Split Squats

Bulgarian split squats are a fantastic unilateral leg exercise that targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and stabilizing muscles. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to perform Bulgarian split squats.

Find a bench, step, or stable elevated surface, and place it behind you. Stand about 2-3 feet in front of the bench, facing away from it.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, and keep your chest up, shoulders back, and arms at your sides. You can also choose to keep your arms out in front of you or put your hands on your hips.
Lift your right foot and place the top of your right foot on the bench behind you. You can chose to have your rear foot flat on the bench or on its toes. Your right shin should be nearly horizontal. The rear foot will be used mainly for balance throughout the exercise.
With your left foot firmly planted in front of you, engage your core for stability.
Inhale deeply, and as you exhale, start to lower your body by bending your left knee into a deep lunge. Lower yourself slowly until your left thigh is parallel to the ground or your left knee is at a 90-degree angle. Ensure that your knee doesn’t extend beyond your toes.
Hold the bottom position briefly to maintain control and feel the stretch in your right hip flexor.
Exhale and push through your left heel to return to the starting position. Your left leg should be doing the majority of the work.
After completing the desired number of repetitions on one side, switch to the other side. Remove your right foot from the bench and place your left foot behind you, following the same steps.

Here are some tips to keep in mind as you perform Bulgarian split squats:

Keep your chest upright and your back straight throughout the exercise.
Maintain a controlled and balanced movement pattern.
Ensure that your front knee stays in line with your toes and doesn’t waver inward or outward.
Aim to achieve a full range of motion without discomfort.
You can hold dumbbells or kettlebells in each hand for added resistance as you become more proficient in the exercise.

Bulgarian split squats are a potent lower body exercise, offering benefits such as increased leg strength, muscle balance, and improved stability. Start with a light load or body weight and gradually progress as you become more comfortable with the movement.

Transforming Dread into Delight at AFAC Gym

In this blog, we’ve explored some of the most dreaded exercises at the gym and why they deserve a place in your fitness routine. Exercises like burpees, lunges, deadlifts, barbell squats, and Bulgarian split squats may be challenging, even intimidating at times, but their incredible benefits make them indispensable tools for achieving your fitness goals.

Whether you’re seeking strength, muscle growth, cardiovascular endurance, improved posture, or injury prevention, these exercises have you covered. They demand commitment, focus, and the willingness to push through discomfort, but the rewards they offer are well worth the effort.

Embracing these exercises not only enhances your physical fitness but also builds mental resilience. They teach us that progress often lies on the other side of discomfort and challenge. So, don’t shy away from the exercises that make you cringe; instead, see them as stepping stones to a healthier, stronger, and more confident you. Incorporate them into your workout routine, stay consistent, and watch as they help you reach new heights in your fitness journey. Remember, the most feared exercises are often the ones that lead to the most remarkable transformations.

Whether you’ve been working out your entire life or you’re a beginner stepping into our gym for the first time, our personal trainers are here to guide you through each workout. They can assist you with learning any exercise at the gym—including those you might hate at first. We can also design a customized fitness program for you that aligns with your goals. The personal trainers at AFAC gym are always here to support your efforts so you’ll see the results you’re working so hard for. That’s why we’re the best gym in Thornton, Colorado.

If you’d like to learn more about AFAC gym and our incredible array of strength training and cardio equipment — as well as our unique offerings like daily group classes, cryotherapy, hydro massage, and our rock climbing wall and cave — we hope you will visit us for a personalized tour. Our team will be happy to help you. For more information and assistance, you can also contact our gym owner, Susan, at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club.