Are you tricepually gifted? I'm not going to lie, that's a term I picked up from one of my clients (and I'm not really sure how you would spell such a made up word). He claimed that I couldn't rock his triceps because he is so "gifted"...but trust me, I found a way to challenge him! Here are some of my favorite tricep exercises that you can do back to back with lighter weights or mix them in with your full body routine: 1) Overhead Rope Tricep Extensions: Start on your elbows even with your shoulders in a 90 degree bend, then extend your arms out to a straightened position. Do 3 sets of 10-15 reps. 2) Supinated Tricep Extensions: Start with your elbows in tight bent at 90 degrees with palms up, then extend to fully straighten the arm squeezing the triceps. Do 3 sets of 15-20 reps with a green, red, or blue band. 3) Mini Tricep Dips: Start with your elbows straight and hands on a bench with legs bent (to make it more challenging straighten the legs), bend the elbows down to 90 degrees lowering the body. Do 10-20 reps. 4) Military Push Ups: Start in a normal plank position either on your knees as shown or with feet extended. Keeping elbows in close to the body, lower yourself down so the elbows are even with your midsection, then push back up. These are more challenging than the normal push up and much more difficult to stabilize the core. Do 12-20 reps.

It Takes More Than a Crunch One exercise we all see people doing at the gym constantly is the crunch. There are many variations of the crunch on the floor, stability ball, bosu...they all are working primarily the rectus abdominis and the obliques. But what about the muscles surrounding your ribs and back? The obliques are in this category as well as the spinal erector muscles. These muscles are equally as important to work because of the stability they provide all working together for your core. Here are 5 core moves to add to your workout that you might be missing: 1) Side Planks with a Twist: Start on your elbow in a normal side plank position, you can use a weight in one hand, but you might want to start without a weight just to make sure you're comfortable with the range of motion. Rotate down with the arm under the body and then back up to your starting position. Keep hips up so the body stays in alignment. Do 3 sets of 10-15 reps on each side. 2) V-Hold Figure 8 with a Medicine Ball: Start on your tailbone with legs bent (you can straighten them for an advanced move), chest stays lifted, rotate to each side forming a figure 8. Do 8-12 figure 8s total. 3) Weighted Side Bends: Start with your feet shoulder width apart, one weight with arm extended above you and one arm straight down to your side. Slowly side bend down a few inches and then come back up to your starting position. Use your obliques on the opposite side to help you pull back up. Do 3 sets of 8-15 repetitions on each side. Tip: Start without a weight to make sure the range of motion is comfortable. 4) Planks with a Reach: Start in a normal plank position onyour elbows. Reach and extend your arm forward alternating sides. Do 20-30 reps total. 5) Lower Abdominal Tilt on the Foam Roller: What's terrificabout using the foam roller is that it keeps your spine in alignment. Lay flat on the foam roller with legs up, tilt your hips slightly toward you flattening the lower back onto the roller. Remember to keep a small range of motion. Do 10-20 reps.

Power Up with Plyo

What might be missing from you routine to help you with your performance? Plyometrics. Normally people just stick to cardio and weights when they're working out in the gym, but adding plyometrics to the mix can provide you with more power and strength. Even if don't play a specific sport, it's a great way to take your workout up a notch! You can incorporate these 5 moves into your normal lifting routine alternating upper body exercises in between: 1) Box Jumps: Start with feet shoulder width apart, jump up on the box landing softly. The goal is to hardly hear your feet land on the box. Do 3 sets of 12 reps. 2) Split Squat Jumps: Starting in a lunge position, push off equally from each leg into a jump and land with the opposite leg forward back into your lunge position. Do 3 sets of 14-20 reps. 3) Squat Jump Reach: Feet start shoulder width apart, deeply squat down and jump up extending arms up into air reaching as high as you can. Do 3 sets of 12-20 repetitions. 4) Ring Jumps: Set up 4 or more rings, choose one ring as "home base" and jump to each ring in a circle or any way you want. Do 3 times 45 seconds. 5) Lateral Jumps: Using either cones to go between or moving laterally side jumping on one side at a time, start on one leg and push off onto the other leg. These are what you make out of them, so really focus on getting a good push off. Do 3 sets 20-26 total.

It Takes More Than a Crunch

One exercise we all see people doing at the gym constantly is the crunch. There are many variations of the crunch on the floor, stability ball, bosu...they all are working primarily the rectus abdominis and the obliques. But what about the muscles surrounding your ribs and back? The obliques are in this category as well as the spinal erector muscles. These muscles are equally as important to work because of the stability they provide all working together for your core. Here are 5 core moves to add to your workout that you might be missing: 1) Side Planks with a Twist: Start on your elbow in a normal side plank position, you can use a weight in one hand, but you might want to start without a weight just to make sure you're comfortable with the range of motion. Rotate down with the arm under the body and then back up to your starting position. Keep hips up so the body stays in alignment. Do 3 sets of 10-15 reps on each side. 2) V-Hold Figure 8 with a Medicine Ball: Start on your tailbone with legs bent (you can straighten them for an advanced move), chest stays lifted, rotate to each side forming a figure 8. Do 8-12 figure 8s total. 3) Weighted Side Bends: Start with your feet shoulder width apart, one weight with arm extended above you and one arm straight down to your side. Slowly side bend down a few inches and then come back up to your starting position. Use your obliques on the opposite side to help you pull back up. Do 3 sets of 8-15 repetitions on each side. Tip: Start without a weight to make sure the range of motion is comfortable. 4) Planks with a Reach: Start in a normal plank position onyour elbows. Reach and extend your arm forward alternating sides. Do 20-30 reps total. 5) Lower Abdominal Tilt on the Foam Roller: What's terrificabout using the foam roller is that it keeps your spine in alignment. Lay flat on the foam roller with legs up, tilt your hips slightly toward you flattening the lower back onto the roller. Remember to keep a small range of motion. Do 10-20 reps.

Meet Everette Chan

Welcome our new trainer Everette Chan! He graduated with a BS in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2009. Starting at a young age, fitness was always a priority on his life. Watching his uncle exercise growing up sparked his interest in fitness and body mechanics.

Everette began playing competitive sports at a young age. As a junior volleyball player, Everette made the Chicago Sun-Times All City First Team in 2005. From there, he went on to play club volleyball at University of Illinois-Chicago where he traveled the country playing various Division I club teams.

After college, Everette began working at one of Chicago’s most reputable physical rehabilitation clinics as a physical therapy aide. His experience at the clinic helped shape his philosophies on injury prevention and rehabilitation. Everette tailors each workout to the specific needs for each of his clients. He firmly believes that exercise should be implemented in everyone’s life and anyone can have fun doing it!

The Gun Show

No silly...I mean biceps! This is a shout out to getting fabulous arms for the summer. Doing some back and biceps will give your a arms a nice sleek look. Here are 5 moves that will bring on the burn: 1) Eccentric Pull Ups : Start with both feet planted on the step or bench. Hands will be placed on the inner grips of the pull up bars. Jump up to the top of the pull up position and then slowly (super slow) lower yourself down so your feet are back on the step. Start with this exercise because it's the most challenging. Do 3 sets of 12-15 reps. 2) TRX Bicep Curls: Begin with feet together and both hands will be on the TRX. Make sure you leave your elbows up and create an arc motion towards you for the bicep curl. You are using your own body weight for resistance, so it will be more challenging as you move your feet further forward. Do 3 sets of 10-15 reps. 3) Smith Press Underhand Pull Ups: Keeping your feet underneath you with your hips up, pull yourself up to the bar and then down so that arms are fully extended. The lower the bar is set, the more difficult the exercise. Do 3 sets of 10-15 reps. 4) One Arm Hold Bicep Curl: This is just a basic bicep curl with a twist. You will do each side individually while the other side is in a flexed (bent) position holding the weight in an isometric hold. Do 3 sets of 10-15 reps each side. 5) Cable Rope Bicep Curl: Keep the hands out wide fore this one. Flex all the way up keeping elbows in tight to the body, and then come back down for full extension. Do 3 sets of 15 reps.