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NerdCore Performance

Book Review - Red Queen (Red Queen #1)

Author: Victoria Aveyard

Date released: Feb 10, 2015

Dates read: August 13, 2015

Amazon Link: Red Queen

Here is the link to the Summary on Goodreads

“This is a world divided by blood – red or silver.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance – Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.”

I like Mare Barrow. She lives in a non-ideal situation and makes it work. Yes, she is a thief, but in that society, I can condone that. She does what she can for her family. That is until one mistakes leaves her sister (who had the potential to be a great seamstress and money maker) crippled in her hand, and Mare has to do what she can to support her family. They think she is dragged off to go serve in the war, which is akin to a death sentence. Mare, however, caught the eye of an unlikely ally when she tried to pickpocket a person who turned out to be the Crowned Prince. She ends up serving in the palace, essentially as a waitress, during one of their monthly events pitting Silvers against Silvers in a gladiatorial arena.

Long story short, a freak accident reveals that she has the powers of a Silver, but the blood color of a Red. She is forced into a life of lies she despises, pretending for the public to be a long-lost Silver living in the palace, while concurrently being despised by the Silvers, who live among her and know the truth.

This is a very typical YA dystopian, pitting one type of person (usually poor and forced into servitude - The Reds) against another of higher power (usually evolved somehow to be “better” than everyone else - The Silvers). I am not clear if this takes place in our same universe, just far, far into the future, or if this is a complete AU. I like to KNOW. So this is one of my criticisms. I know it is YA, but I like when authors can mix hard facts and current evidence with why they have chosen to write their stories a certain way. What about our society now has led to the current situation of the tale? I don’t care if it is far fetched or believable, I just like reasons.

But, I am not picky, as I stated HERE, and the story was pretty good. It is the first in a series, So I can forgive the main characters of any immediate stupidity and brash decisions. They still have their training wheels on. Mare Barrow seems to kind of go where she is pushed, and therefor, that does not scream REVOLUTIONARY LEADER to me. She is a very reluctant heroine, and starts off having very selfish tendencies. But let’s be real, she is a 17 year old girl, and most of them tend have selfish tendencies and make stupid decisions based around boys….yes, this happens too. Be warned. I hope she is able to take more of a personal stand in book 2, because I cannot stand flip-flopping characters who do not learn. This is the first book though, so again, I forgive.

The male leads in this book are...interesting. You have two Princes; Tiberias Calore "Cal" VII, who is the heir, the apparent alpha male, stickler for the rules, but does not have a clear understanding of right and wrong. He only knows how he was raised, and that is how he will live. His dedication to his kingdom is admirable, if not frustrating. Then you have the younger brother, Maven, the one tossed into the shadows, fun loving, kind, and since he is not the heir, the one with a bit more freedom. He befriends Mare, and they seem to have a good time of it. This is where a small love triangle seems to present itself, because the story is written in a way that makes us swoon for Cal, but makes Maven seem like a really good guy. Oh, and of course you have the hot male platonic best friend, Kilorn, who silently suffers from unrequited love syndrome. Sigh. Well, as with all first books in a series, not all is what is appears to be….

There is a lot more going on than meets the eye in this story, and it is not simply a “them vs. us” but paves the way for a revolution of many people vs. many people, and a whole new class of people that the Reds and Silvers never even knew existed. I am excited to see how they can spin this. If you like the Throne of Glass series (Sarah Maas), and the Grisha series (Leigh Bardugo), then you will probably enjoy the Red Queen.

About my Book Reviews...

So I love to read and I love a good story, that being said, I am NOT very picky unless sheer idiocracy and terrible writing get in the way. I can forgive some grammatical errors, especially if self-published. I am all about people with good stories getting out there by any means possible. I can forgive some character stupidity, if the stupidity matches the their ARC, and it works. I can forgive stories by separate authors that are very similar, again, as long as the stories are compelling.

What I cannot forgive is sheer stupidity by a character that is completely out of character for them. Why WHY WHY did they do that??. If the author cannot somehow explain why a beloved character is so stupid, then I cannot forgive the author (Veronica Roth). I cannot forgive bad writing (this does not include grammatical errors or some misspellings), this includes lack of diversity in words/descriptions and poorly written scenes (E.L. James - pick of a thesaurus), lack of character development or repeated stupidity (Stephanie Meyer), or book series that just need to end, even though I loved them (Janet Evanovich). Oh and FUCKING LOVE TRIANGLES! Here is actually a link to a great blog (Love is Not a Triangle) that describes the severity of love triangles in many YA books. I have turned to her for many a book review. Now, I can do a small love triangle, if - in my heart - there really is no question who the right pair is, and the 3rd person is thrown in there to just slightly annoy us or because they are imperative to the story (Jennifer Armentrout and the Covenant Series was ok, because the 3rd in the Triangle was very important to the story, and he ended up getting his own book series anyway, and the best pairing ended up together).

Upon writing this, I know it sounds like I am pickier than I am, but I assure you, I am not. Most books do not fall into the criteria listed above (maybe that’s actually because I never ended up finishing them?...Hmmmm, I should look into that)

Let me get back to you actually, maybe I am pickier than I thought. ;)

But in the end, I just like a good story. If I feel like I cannot put the book down, chances are I think its great!

Book Review - Half-Blood (Covenant #1)

Author: Jennifer Armentrout
Date Published: October 18, 2011
Date Read: June 27, 2012
Amazon Link: Half-Blood (Covenant)


Covenant Series: This is one of my favorite book series of all times. I am not going to lie, it has a lot of similarities with Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy. Guess what? I love BOTH series! Similar or not, both authors have great writing style, different characters, and the books start to drift apart in similarities after book 1 anyway. So if you love one, then you will probably love the other.

Jennifer Armentrout, in my opinion, dominates both the YA and adult book series circuit. Her critically acclaimed Lux series seems to be a fan favorite, but I don't know what it is about the Covenant series that puts it ahead of the game just a bit for me. Maybe it's the Greek mythology tie in, maybe it’s the sassy female lead with a rebellious attitude, maybe it’s the male lead who is rule-abiding enough to not quite be an ALPHA male, but still be a total badass, and maybe it’s the “I’m-going-to-string-you-along-with-a-kind-of-love-triangle-but-in-your-heart-you-know-it’s-not-a-real-love-triangle” aspect.

Either way, this is a book series that I will keep re-reading, over and over again, when I find myself in need of something fun, swoony, adventurous, and a wee-bit torturous.

Summary from Goodreads:
"The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi pure bloods have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals--well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.

Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is.

If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck."

Alexandria (Alex) is a half-blood Hematoi, who are descendants of the gods. A half blood occurs when a pure blood Hematoi and a human pair up and reproduce. Hematoi are basically the rulers of their society (which are assimilated with human society, but tend to live in separate areas), whereas the half-bloods only have 2 choices: to live in servitude of the Hematoi (no thanks), or to become trained bad-ass Sentinels and fight/kill daimons. Daimons are Pures who have tasted the aether that runs through the veins of other Pures, become addicted and basically turn into “vampires,” letting the cravings for aether turn them into killing machines. Luckily, half-bloods have this nifty sense where they can see though the glamour that daimons have, glamour that can fool pure bloods to lure them in. Because, with any superior race, there needs to be some kinds of checks and balances (Right Stephanie Meyer, with your perfect vampires with no real flaws or known enemies to hold them back, yet somehow still decide to live in secret from the humans, who they could easily take over with their only risk being sparkling them to squintyness??….but I digress...). In addition, not only do half-bloods have to fight daimons or serve pure-bloods, they're also forbidden from having relationships with pure-bloods.

Any who...Alex is a free spirit, who happens to live in a society dictated by ancient rules, and she generally goes beyond stupidity to break these rules. In fact, she's sometimes frustrating in her attempts to break rules but she's also endearing so I kind of forgive her. Aiden is a smexy, bad-ass, rule abiding pure-blood, who also happens to be training as a Sentinel. He is burdened with the duty of catching Alex up with her training, after she returns to the safety of the Covenant, from 2 years living on the outside with her mother. She and her mother escaped the covenant together (for reasons which you will discover when you read the book!), but when daimons attack, killing her mother, Alex has no choice but to return the Covenant.

This is where our story begins. Follow the beginning of Alex’s journey, as she struggles to catch up with her former classmates (I mean, she used to be better than them, but egos and hiatus don’t mix!), battles with her increasing feelings towards Aiden (and his inner conflict to stay good in the face of ultimate temptation), discovering that she is more than just a lowly half-blood, and learning there is far more at work in her society then she previously knew.

This is a YA book, that is a part of a 5 book series, so don’t expect anything conclusive to happen for at least the first 3 or 4 books. Jennifer Armentrout is the queen of stringing you along (Will they? Won’t they?) but her writing style is the kind that make you blush with a simple eye contact, or innocent finger brush. You know it’s good writing when a YA book with limited SEX can still make you swoon and get all the feels. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good hot scene every now and then, but it’s a testament to a true writer who can make you feel stuff without all that. I swear, some of these scenes turn me on more than blatantly written scenes of a more amorous and obvious nature (EHEM, 50 Shades of Grey).

Anyway, if you like fantasy, YA, action, a teeny bit of love-triangle, and fun, then the Covenant series if definitely for you!

Redefining goals: Too many? Not enough focus?

Have you ever wanted to do everything, be everything, know everything, and been so overwhelmed that you just shut down and play video games all day instead?

Not going to lie, my time management SUCKS

Have you ever put off your goals, not because you don't have any, but because you have too many? Too many professional goals, too many personal goals, too many family goals, too many improvement goals, and therefor you get nothing done, because you work 10% effort at each goal?

This is where I feel like I have been the last few years. I have no clear path, no set goals. I like so many things (personal training, fitness, competition, strength, functional fitness, nerdy stuff, video game stuff, books, cosplay, music, furniture refurbishing, comics, ) and I have all these great ideas on how to expand on them, and I want to create a brand, but I cant seem to narrow down and focus. 

I am going to start with the easy thing: Fitness. I have been an athlete (gymnast/cheerleader) and am very functional. I train Marines and I can do pretty much everything they do, at least for 3 reps. I have competed in figure, and I did pretty well there. But now I am just a jack of all trades, neither really aesthetic, not athletic. I have no defined goals there either....I am not planning on defining goals here, but just outlining what I love. I want to do it all! I am on a journey to be both aesthetic and athletic. Stop the laziness and get my drive back! I have spent the last 2 years yo-yoing in limbo between goals.  

But guess what? I am also full-time employed,, with an awesome job with the Marine Corps! I am a mother and my son and raising him right is pretty much top priority. (I'm sorry but we do not need another generation of lazy millennials!) I am a wife and my husband is my best friend, and hes not a huge gym guy! I love doing family things. I need balance.

*SIDENOTE*

 I understand that competitions and bodybuilding isn't about balance. I have nothing but respect for that industry, and I will probably go back one day! I love being on stage! However, bodybuilders are superheros, and they do not get balance. They give 110% to themselves and their sport, and their clients. I am just not able to give 100% of myself right now, when I have other big priorities consuming me. And to be honest, I don't have the money. Trying to give my son and my family a great life with fun experiences (not toys/things, but experiences), and save for my future. I live in SoCal, cost of living is stupid, so I need to plan wisely. 

So how am I going to do this? I have my Masters in Kinesiology, my CSCS, and I have trained many successful people, so its about time I train myself right!

What I WONT do: 
* Obsess over every calorie/carb/fat/protein (I want an idea, but I will not obsess)
* Feel endless guilt and torture if I skip a workout - sometimes the body needs rest
* Feel endless guilt and torture if I skip a workout to hang out with my family and be lazy - We like video games, and everything in moderation right? As long as its not a crazy habit, I will liberate myself from that guilt!
* Do endless long slow cardio for weight loss.
* Obsess over the scale - in fact, I don't even think I will take my weight for a while. LIBERATE!!
* Cut all carbs
* Feel guilty if I have a bad meal - Lets face it, I love pizza and Five guys and beer - everything in moderation.
* Endless hip/glute extensions to "build a booty"

What I WILL do: 
* Track progress with pics, body fat, and fitness assessments (power/speed/agility/endurance/1RM)
* Sign up for physical challenges that push me beyond my comfort zone, give me a date for goals, and promote teamwork and family. (I hate running, but love obstacles, so I am thinking a Tough Mudder or Spartan Race)
* Do high intensity cardio for health and performance improvement
* Do slower cardio for endurance and heart health
* Mix up my weight training - Olympic lifts, sports training, grip training, gymnastics, FUN.
* Mix up my fitness and involve family- Outdoor training, park, hiking, rock climbing, walking my dog more, stop driving places that I can walk/bike too.
* Focus more on natural nutrition, eat to nourish my body, build muscle, eat carbs to re-energize, fuel my workouts.
* Stop making excuses
* Stretch more

The ultimate outcome goal? Be a physical badass that looks fantastic in a bikini year round and dresses up in costumes! :)

My professional goals/other personal goals will shortly follow, but first, I need to get back to blogging, rediscover myself, and get social again ;)

I will follow up with my stats: bodyfat, pics, and fitness assessments measurements will be provided next week!

Are you interested in joining me to be your best you? I do online/in-person training. Email me gymgirl105@gmail.com. And NO I do not do cookie cutter meal plans that tell you to eat chicken and veggies, rather I educate you in nutrition and how to fuel yourself properly for your workouts and your life.

Ri

Sounds of Silence (Disturbed) to Fallout 4 Intro

I love this version, so I dubbed it over the Fallout 4 intro, because I think it worked so well!

My son has a YouTube Channel!

Hey all!

Just letting you know that my son has wanted to be a YouTube gamer for quite some time now, so for Christmas, I surprised him by putting together a YouTube gaming channel for him! I know he would love some subscribers, so please feel free to do so :). I am trying to teach him about committing to a task, and that to be successful at anything, you need perseverance. His job is now to record a few videos a week (easy) but in addition, since he is only 6 (almost 7), if he wants to be a real YouTuber, he needs to learn how to type (which includes spelling and reading better). I want him to learn about dedication to a craft, and that while it is fun, it is also work. Anyway, here are a few of his videos on Minecraft. perfect for kids!

Liam teaching ME how to play Minecraft!   

Building a House Part 1!

Building a House part 2!

Building a House Part 3! Decorating!

Thanks for watching and subscribing! We will be posting more nerdy videos, including costuming, and of course, fitness for nerds, kids, etc! :)

Riana

My Son Playing Doodle Jump for the First time!

So my 6 year old wants to be a You Tube gamer, so I figure...why not? Here he is playing doodle jump for the first time :) Fun little game! He falls a lot!

Fun Fallout 4 Screenshots!

In case you have not run across these gems yet, something to look forward too :)

Floating arm glitch! Because that is not incredibly creepy

This body is doing the "Smooth Criminal!" 

I am not even sure where to begin....Why the body is making out with a head in the urinal, or how the head got in the urinal to begin with. #ApocalypseDrama

This glitch caused our character to have the dead Mirelurk shell attached to his back! It was quite entertaining! (also including,...VIDEO!)

This glitch had all the settlers glowing red. We still have not figured out how this happened. A simple fast travel to and from took care of the problem however. 

These teddys are playing doctor....how naughty. 

Have you encountered any really fun glitches or funny things yet?? :)

Stairs Workout

This is a post from my Other Blog - which I am trying to bring here, because I only want one! :)

It is getting to be that time of year when getting outside to exercise is a nice change. Here is a stair workout I designed. I will be doing this and similar workouts in group format here in San Diego soon, so contact me for more info :)

rianarohmannfit@gmail.com

Easy Locations for Stairs:

·        Stadiums – Most professional stadiums are closed to public, but I know of some that open on random days specifically to allow exercisers in. Check out your local area. Most high-school and college stadiums and tracks are open to the public.

San Diego Specific:

1. ·         Tierrasanta has some good stairs right by Serra High school off Clairemont Dr.
2. ·         Downtown Convention Center
3. ·         La Mesa Secret Stairs    

Sometimes, it is just necessary to get OUT of the gym! We need a break, the weather is great, and the fresh air is invigorating! Here is a stair workout that is so much more involved, and therefore less boring, than the tradition run-up-and-down-and-skip-steps-occasionally workout. It is a whole complex workout! Take some time and find some stairs in your area that accommodate your needs (at least 3 stories, preferably straight and not winding in a stairwell, but hey, use what you can and make it work! Even if it is simply the stairs in a one-story building)

The Workout

(For time intervals- do the exercise to the top of the stairs, and just run back down to reset at the bottom, and continue until the time ends, unless otherwise specified)

Warm-Up:

·         3 minutes walking

·         2 minutes jogging

Workout: (recover as needed, try to decrease your own recovery time a little each workout). Stand next to railing for workout and use as an “Oh-Shit-I-Am-Falling” safety rail if necessary.

Circuit: Repeat as many times as you want! J Approx 15-20 minutes with minimal rest

•       1 minute sprints -1 foot per step
•       15 Offset Squat Jumps on each leg
•       1 minute Two Step Run -2 feet per ste
• 1 minute sprints - skip one step
•       20 push-ups hands on bottom step
•       1 minute sprints - skip one step
•       1 minute each side Crossover side walks
•       20 squats-flat
•       1 minute Sprint – skip 2 steps
• 1 minute Three Step Run
• 1 minute Bear Crawl
•       20 triceps dips on bottom step
• 1 minute Box Jumps
• 1 minute Walking Lunges up steps
• 1 minute Toe Taps

Cool Down

·         3 minutes slow walk

Stretch Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes and Calves

Video Demonstrations!

Fallout Fitness Challenge! - Level 1 (n00b)

Hey-lo NerdVerse!

    Many of you might possibly be aware of a little game that just released its first new game in 6 years, an insignificant small game called Fallout 4! Well, this is the game that prompted my husband and myself to finally purchase a PS4, and also get the game on my PC as well. (I eventually returned it (thanks Steam!) because I decided to get over my fear of playing games with the PlayStation remote, and decided to woman up and create a PSN profile). ANYWHO… this puts me in a bit of a conundrum… I don’t have any time! That thing called TIME that we all struggle with, I mean, who has TIME to play video games? #sadface #firstworldproblems

    One of my biggest loves is obviously fitness, and my time to go to the gym and work out has been very limited lately. With the release of Fallout 4 - PlayStation 4, plus my 6-year old son who is determined to be a YouTube game, time is fleeting! So I decided to implement FALLOUT FITNESS CHALLENGE! This is similar to traditional drinking games, except, when certain poignant events occur in the game, you (the Gamer) have to pause and take a little time to get off your butt and move!

   Here are your Challenges! (Note: these might change, or be amended, or added to as we continue to play J There is no limit to fitness, much like there is no limit to this Fallout Open World!) These are in NO particular Order:

Kill small creatures – Bloatfly, RadRoaches, Mole Rat, etc… 

     3 Push Ups per kill! Get going and Clear the wasteland!

Kill Larger creatures – Ghouls, Mirelurks, Raiders, etc….

     5 Squats per kill! (Or Tea Bags, after all, this is a gamer game ;)

Kill a DeathClaw

     10 Burpees – As if you needed to get your heart rate up any higher!

Find a BobbleHead or LunchBox

     25 Jumping Jacks – Celebration!

Complete a Quest

     10 Dips – use a coffee table or a chair.

Build a House/Complete Sanctuary Steps

     10 Lunges on each leg

Loading Screen – Walking in and out doors, new rooms, loading saved games, etc….

     Mountain climbers continuously until load ends OR 10 mountain climbers per load if using the Tally System

Use Stimpack/RadAway

     5 Jumping Lunges on each leg and be thankful to be alive.

Use Crafting Station –

     10 High Knee Jog in Place for each item crafted (can alternate with butt kickers in place)

Level Up – The Big Dog!

     10 squat jumps

     10 Jack knife crunches (V Ups) or straight leg lifts

     10 Incline Push Ups (put feet on chair or table)

Have Fun! And Play lots, because the more you play, the better in shape you will get! Please feel free to comment or email me about other games you would like me to create workouts for, or other ideas for Fallout 4!

rianarohmannfit@gmail.com ;)

Ri

Busy Nerd Mom Park Workout!

There is no reason why busy moms cannot live the Nerdy Fit lifestyle! With a little heart, dedication, and some quality time at the park with your kids, you can squeeze in a great workout. Do not be shy, but get your workout on loud and proud. Remember, you never know whom you are going to motivate, so lead by example!

Move through the exercises as quickly as possible with very little rest between sets, but keep your movements controlled and work through your entire range of motion for maximum effect. If you are short on time, just do each exercise once for 15 to 25 reps, or if you have more time, circuit your exercises for two to four sets of 12 to 15 reps. Enjoy your journey!

Circuit 1:

Assisted Pull-Ups on Monkey Bars

Place your foot on a step for assistance and grab the bars in either a neutral grip or an overhand grip. Squeeze your back muscles and pull yourself up, using as much upper body as possible and the step as little as possible. 

Bench Push-Ups

These are great for getting full range of motion during your pushups, especially targeting your chest, front delts and triceps. Place your hands on the bench, feet on the ground, and bend your elbows until your chest contacts the bench. Hold that bottom position for a moment, then push back up. Squeeze your abs during the movement and keep your body straight.  For added intensity, do decline push-ups and place your hands on the floor, feet on the bench. 

Bench Step Ups

Step-ups are great at targeting your booty and hamstrings, helping to get you that sexy and strong backside you deserve! Place one foot on the bench and the other on the ground behind you. Push through your heel and step up, finishing in a stand on one leg on the bench. Give and extra booty squeeze at the top position for added benefits. Balance for a moment, then slowly lower back down into a lunge.

 Swing Abdominal Pikes

If you have ever used a TRX or a stability ball, then you know that suspended abdominal exercises are excellent for targeting your abs! Just place your feet in the swing, hands on the ground, and pull you booty up over your head, keeping your legs straight. Lower back down to a straight body push-up position, keeping abs engaged the whole time. For variety,  you can also do these with bent knees in a tuck position. 

Circuit 2:

Hanging Leg Lifts

Hang from a bar, and tuck your knees up to your chest. Keep your movements slow and controlled to avoid swinging. Squeeze your abs and raise your hips and you lift your knees. This keeps the emphasis on your abs and not on your hip flexors. 

High Elevated Split Squat

Split squats are one of the best exercises for the glute-hamstring tie in, and the higher you can get your back leg, the better! Place it behind you on a bench/step/ladder and bring your front leg out so you are in a wide lunge position. Bend you front leg and lower yourself to a deep lunge position, really feeling the stretch in your legs. Make sure your front knee does not pass you toes!

 Bench Dips

Dips are one of my favorite exercises for triceps and shoulders. Keep your body as close to the bench as you can and focus on a deep bend through the elbows. As you straighten your arms, add an extra squeeze to your triceps.

 Bench Side Step Ups

Similar to the forward step-ups, except the side step ups challenge your balance a little more, and place more of an emphasis on your inner and outer legs (adductors and abductors).  Step-up and balance, with an extra booty squeeze, then step down into a deep side lunge.

Circuit 3:

Swing Crunches

These are very similar to stability ball crunches. They require control, helping to activate the deep abdominal muscles (transverse abdominus) that act like a girdle on your midsection, helping make your waist appear teenier. 

Deep Step-Ups (assisted)

These are similar to the front-step up, except you get a deeper lunge, which activates the glutes/hamstring tie in better. Find a spot, such as a ladder, where you can place your foot at a level between your hips and knees. Grab the handles to help life yourself, but use as much lower body muscle as possible. At the top position, kick your back leg straight behind you for extra emphasis on glutes. Slowly and with control lower back down.

Bench Jumps

Bench jumps are like box jumps. Be careful with these and take your time because cement benches can be unforgiving on the shins!

Feel free to message me for personal training/nutrition/supplementation questions! :) 

rianarohmannfit@gmail.com