SLC-S25/W3 | Building Strength (Increased Intensity)

Hello to all the fitness enthusiasts in the SteemFit & StayFit community!

I'm excited to share with you my thorough and comprehensive workout for the third week of Season 25 of the SteemFit Engagement Challenge, it focuses on the theme of Building Strength (Increased Intensity) specifically, in this weekly challenge is a perfect fit for my current fitness goals. I approached each exercise with renewed enthusiasm, determination and seriousness. Here is a detailed breakdown of my session:

Warm-up

To start my session effectively and reduce any risk of injury, I spent about eight minutes on a complete dynamic warm-up. This preparatory phase included balance exercises, including single-legged stands, as well as deep arm and shoulder stretches. These movements allowed me to gradually increase my heart rate, improve blood circulation to my muscles, and prepare my joints and tendons for the intensity of the exercises that followed.

Dumbbell Deadlift

I then progressed to barbell deadlifts, selecting two dumbbells that were appropriately weighted for my present strength level, I had to carefully coordinate my lower back, hamstrings and glutes for this exercise and It was important to keep the right form throughout. I made a concerted effort to keep my chest raised while lowering the dumbbells, flex my hips, and continuously use my core muscles.

This exercise effectively worked my lower back, glutes and hamstrings, providing a very clear feeling of developing muscular strength and I particularly felt a deep work of my hamstrings, thus confirming excellent muscular solicitation.

Incline Push-Ups

I used a plyo box as a soft support to perform incline push-ups after the deadlifts. This variation successfully worked my chest, shoulders, and triceps while also greatly easing the strain on my wrists and shoulders, I was able to perfect each repetition and progressively strengthen my upper body without overtaxing my joints owing to the incline positioning which made it easier to execute a full and controlled movement.

Dumbbell shoulder flys

I purposefully chose lighter weights for the dumbbell shoulder flys in order to guarantee perfect form and the best possible control of the exercise, really I experienced a strong activation of my shoulder muscles especially the deltoids when I raised the dumbbells laterally.

My shoulder stability and strength increased dramatically as a result of this exercise, which also strengthened my muscle control and coordination with each repetition by maintaining the health of my shoulder joints and maximizing their strengthening required precise movement.

Side Plank

Maintaining this plank position required a lot of focus and endurance, testing my ability to maintain perfect body alignment from head to toe, the side plank pose was particularly difficult for my core, targeting the oblique muscles.

This exercise was challenging, but it gave me a clear understanding of how crucial a strong core is for optimal stability, my lateral stability and muscular endurance have significantly improved as a result of consistently using my hips, shoulders, and core.

Cool-down

To gently conclude this session, I performed a complete series of full-body stretches. This final phase was essential for gradually reducing the intensity of the workout, thus facilitating optimal muscle recovery and reducing the risk of muscle soreness. The slow focused stretches allowed my muscles to deeply relax after the intensity of the session, increasing my flexibility and preparing my body for the next workouts.

My Experience

Overall, completing this intensive program was particularly rewarding. Each exercise precisely targeted specific muscle groups, significantly improving my strength, stability and overall fitness. The dumbbell exercises strengthened my lifting techniques and muscle coordination, while the incline push-ups and side planks significantly improved my upper body and core strength.

I felt the strongest muscle activation during the deadlifts and dumbbell lateral raises, observing significant progress in terms of overall muscle engagement, the lateral planking particularly challenged my endurance and stability, allowing me to clearly identify the areas to strengthen further, this complete routine not only allowed me to improve my physical capacities but also to reinforce my commitment to maintaining regular, serious and qualitative training.

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