Heather Connor is a professional powerlifter. She shares a lot of her favorite workouts and training process on Instagram. Connor recently posted a video of herself doing squats with a barbell. In it, she wore a white shirt and green shorts. Her followers gave her a lot of compliments in the comments section.
She Lifts Weights
Naturally, lifting weights is the main thing that keeps Connor in shape. ACE Fitness states that using weights has a lot of benefits. “Lifting heavy weights increases production of the hormone IGF-1. This hormone is related to the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is a neurotransmitter responsible for stimulating the growth of new neural pathways in the brain along with enhancing communication between existing pathways. In short, lifting heavy could make you smarter by enhancing cognitive function.”
She Does Squats
Connor is seen doing squats in her Instagram video. According to The Cleveland Clinic, squats have a lot of health benefits. “Proper squatting form requires you to reaaaaally engage your core — the muscles of your stomach, pelvis, hips and lower back. These large muscle groups support every move you make, both large and small, so keeping them strong helps keep you well. Strong core muscles play a role in: Maintaining good posture. Relieving back pain. Lowering your risk of injuries like hip flexor strains and sports hernias.”
She Does Deadlifts
Another strength training exercise that Connor does to keep herself in shape is deadlifts. She shared this video on Instagram of herself doing them with a barbell. Connor captioned the post, “207.5kgs/457.5lbs for a huge PR to finish out the last heavy deadlift session before my comp next weekend 😈” ACE Fitness states that deadlifts have a lot of benefits. “When performed correctly, the deep muscles of the spine work to maintain stability, while the hips allow the movement of flexion and extension. The lift can help strengthen the posterior chain muscles responsible for extending the hip and knee when the foot is planted on the ground. Finally, the RDL can improve endurance strength of the deep core stabilizers responsible for controlling the position of the spine, as well as strengthen the forearm flexors responsible for developing a strong grip.”
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