Andrea Nisler, a dedicated CrossFit athlete, motivates her followers with her strength-focused workout routines. Recently, she shared a video on Instagram showcasing a variety of dumbbell exercises, including squats and Romanian deadlifts (RDLs), captioning it, “A good week of lifting – that is all 🙂 Looking forward to continuing to make it the focus this winter. Being strong > cardio (imo).” From lifting heavy to balancing cardio, Nisler demonstrates how to build both strength and endurance for optimal fitness.
As you can see from her Instagram post, Nisler likes to lift weights to keep herself in shape. ACE Fitness states that using weights has a lot of benefits. “Using maximal loads for compound (multi-joint) movements like the deadlift, squat-to-shoulder press, bent-over row or chest press can improve intermuscular coordination, which is the ability of many muscles to work together to generate and control high levels of force through multiple joints. Lifting heavy weights elevates levels of anabolic hormones—specifically testosterone, growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1)—which are used to repair muscle fibers damaged during exercise. This helps the muscle fibers to become thicker and capable of generating higher levels of force.”
Nisler is also seen doing squats in her Instagram video. According to Allina Health, squats have a lot of health benefits. “The squat is one of the all-around best exercises to do for your lower body. It strengthens and tones muscles in your thighs, butt and calves and improves posture, balance, flexibility and inner core strength. Squatting also improves bone mineral density to keep your bones strong.”
Nisler is also seen doing RDLs in her Instagram video. ACE Fitness states that the exercise has a lot of benefits. “The Romanian deadlift (RDL) is a traditional barbell lift used to develop the strength of the posterior chain muscles, including the erector spinae, gluteus maximus, hamstrings and adductors. When done correctly, the RDL is an effective exercise that helps strengthen both the core and the lower body with one move. Unlike the traditional barbell deadlift and other quad-dominant exercises such as leg presses, which place significant loads on the anterior portion of the knees, the RDL focuses most of the physical work on the muscles responsible for extending the hip and the knee from the posterior.”
Nisler likes to use a stationary bike to keep herself in shape. She shared this video on Instagram of herself riding one at different intervals. Penn State PRO Wellness states that using a stationary bike has a lot of benefits. “Riding a stationary exercise bike is an efficient and effective way to burn calories and body fat while strengthening your heart, lungs, and muscles. Compared to some other types of cardio equipment, a stationary bicycle puts less stress on your joints, but it still provides an excellent aerobic workout.”
Nisler also likes to walk on a treadmill to keep herself in shape. She is seen doing so in the beginning of this workout video on her Instagram. Healthy Talbot states, “Treadmills provide outstanding cardiovascular exercises, which can significantly enhance your heart health. Thanks to their ability to maintain constant heart rates throughout the exercise. If you’ve high cholesterol or cardiovascular issues, this can be very beneficial. They can help to diagnose cardiac issues like heart disease and artery blockages. Under normal circumstances, your body may not exhibit symptoms of these heart conditions. However, when put under pressure through a workout, those symptoms will be displayed.”