Showing posts tagged fitness123
Dynamic Rest
When you’re working out one muscle group pretty hard, you need to rest that area in between sets. However, instead of just standing there, do a light exercise that focuses on a different area.
Common and easy choices you won’t have to think about are:
- Crunches
- Leg lifts
- Pelvic pulses (for your butt)
- Squats
Some other moves you might want to consider:
- Rear deltoid raises (bend over with your arms out slightly bent and lift arms up to squeeze your shoulder blades together - good for posture)
- Bicep curls
- Tricep dips
- Inner thigh (abductor machine)
- Light shoulder raises
- Sitting against the wall with your quads parallel to the floor for 60 seconds.
- Superman (laying on your tummy and lifting your arms and legs to work your back) for 1 minute.
For any of the above, use light weights so you will have energy to go back to your main exercise.
If you really want to take your lifting workout to the next level, do cardio between sets:
- Step-ups
- Running up a set up stairs
- Tapping around the top of a bosu ball for 30 seconds
- Jumping rope
- High knees (running in place bringing your knees up as high as you can)
- Jumping jacks
- Static boxing with light weights or bands
On a whim, Leslie shot me with her iPhone on the streets of Mexico doing one of my favorite new ab exercises you can do ANYWHERE. All you need is a platform/box at least 4 inches from the ground. You’ll work your abs, shoulders, and chest.
Do this between lifting reps at the gym, in the middle of your work day to get your blood pumping (you won’t work up a sweat with this one, although it would be awkward to do in a skirt to say the least), or as part of an outdoor routine.
(This is a great option for dynamic rest)
The “Stork” Reverse Lunge
“Breaking Down The Workout” — Francesca Meccariello
Often we forget to incorporate balance into our workout. We stand up straight and do one movement. This dynamic exercise is a total body strengthening that revolves around your core (as most stability exercises do).
The Setup:
- Grab a light weight 3-5lbs.
- Stand with your feet together and engage your core.
The Movement:
- Pull your navel to your spine and lower your arm in front of you as you let your chest descend forward.
- As you raise your chest, instead of bringing your foot back to the starting position, step back into a lunge.
- After you land and stabilize, curl the weight and then press it upwards.
- Bring the weight down and step forward.
Form:
NEVER LET YOUR ABS GO, THEY WILL HOLD YOU STEADY!
Do 15 reps on each side, possibly in between your lifting sets.
MEDBALL OBLIQUE SIT UP
“Breaking Down The Workout” — Francesca Meccariello
While working your oblique muscles, this challenging exercise also helps improve shoulder stability and posture while even getting a bit of a hamstring stretch.
The Set Up:
- Using a 2-6lb medicine ball lie down on your back with your legs fully extended.
- Place your left heel on top of your right toes.
- Hold the medicine ball in your right hand with your arm fully extended straight up.
The Movement:
- Draw your navel in towards your spine, place your tongue on the roof of your mouth just behind your front teeth (the natural place your tongue goes when you swallow).
- Curl your upper body all the way up to sitting with spine straight and pushing the medball straight up toward the ceiling opening your chest.
- Come back down slowly with navel drawn in tightly gently unrolling spine back to the floor. Exhale as you lift up, inhale as you lower back down.
Do 10-15 reps then switch feet and hold ball in the your left hand. 2 sets each side.
A note to beginners:
If holding the ball with one hand is too difficult hold it with two hands. If you cannot sit up all the way just get your shoulders up off the floor. The key is to keep your navel drawn in to help support your lower back. Do not plop your spine to the floor!
Want to intensify?
Super set this with a prone plank held for 30-45 seconds.
Have fun!
Practicing what I preach. Leg press (80 lbs, 15 reps) or squats in between back excercises….AFTER a spin class. Feeling a little weak after no sleep, but my spirits are rising after every rep.
Hey You, Tight Ass
Yeah, you heard me! Or did you not recognize your nickname??
Admit it, in the past few months you’ve been toning up your Kelly Ripa arms and letting your booty sag underneath your overcoat. What happened to you, tight ass?
Or is that just me….
So last week I incorporated 4 different glute moves to super set my regular exercises and get my butt back in shape.
- Basic Squats - The real deal, oh so low (nope, lower!), 20 reps (10 lbs/hand)
- Step ups - Same leg on a high step, 10 reps each leg then switch (10 lbs/hand)
- Pelvic Thrusts - On your back, hips up and abs tight, small pulses for 30 seconds followed by bigger thrusts for 30 seconds (1 10 lbs disk)
- Butt kicks - On all fours, leg at 90 degrees, 30 reps (10-20 lbs dumbbells in knee socket)
In one workout, I would choose one or two and do them between EVERY set of weights you do. These moves are only embarrassing if you let them be!
The most important thing to remember is to push through your heels and squeeze at the top. Keep your chest up and abs in. In parenthesis is the optional weight you can add to intensify the workout and really get your heart going.
Try it all this week. The best part is that even if you don’t make it to the gym, you can still do 100 of one movement every day!
Archery Pull (Single Arm Cable Pull)
“Breaking Down The Workout” — Francesca Meccariello
This one will get you energized!
Use this movement to tone your rear deltoid muscles (shoulders) and upper back. You’ll also be working your core muscles because of the rotational movement involved. I like to super set this pulling exercise with a pushing exercise that can be as simple as a push up.
The Set Up:
- Set the cable at shoulder height, and choose a moderate weight.
- Stand facing a cable machine with your feet parallel to each other. Knees are slightly bent.
- Hold on to the handle with your left hand and arm fully extended, palm facing down. The right elbow should be bent at 90 degrees and parallel to the floor at cable height.
The Movement:
- Initiate the movement from your core/trunk by drawing your navel in toward your spine and simultaneously rotate your trunk to the left while stepping your left foot out and turning your left palm inward as your pull the cable across your chest.
- As in archery. Your right arm should now extend and remain parallel to the floor at shoulder height as you pull with your left arm.
- As you come back to face the cable column, your right arm comes back to a 90 degree bend in the elbow, remaining parallel to the floor. Do not let your elbow drop.
Do 12-15 reps then repeat on your right side. Do 2-3 sets and super set with 10 push ups.
This is also a good warm up exercise on a day you plan on working out mostly your back muscles.
SHREDMILL
If you’re stubborn like me and refuse to take the week off, give this tredmill routine a shot. Created by Felix Montano from Equinox, it will kick your booty onto the couch and there will no longer be a debate about abstaining from the gym!
- 5 min: Walk at 4.0 speed, 4.0% incline
- 2 min: Increase speed to 6.0-6.5
- (Rest: 90 sec at 2.0 and 1% incline)
- 90 sec: 6.0 speed at 3% incine.
- 90 sec: Sprint your fastest at 3% incline
- (Rest)
- 90 sec: 6.0, 5% incline
- (Rest)
- 2 min: Raise incline to 12% and walk (no handrails!)
- (Rest)
- 90 sec- 2 min: Sprint your fastest at 0% incline
- 2 min: Walk at 2.0 speed and 0% incline
This will ABSolutely kick your ASS.
I learned this combo from “the little guy” in Mexico who taught the abs class at the gym. Juan and I were crying by the end of each 30 minute set.
Don’t rely on this solely for abs. The exercise needs to be used in the middle of your routine to give your abs a break but still keep them working while you blast out your booty.
The Set-Up:
- Lay flat on the ground with knees bent and feet flat. Your hands rest by your side.
- Straighten one leg on the ground.
- Flex your foot.
- Pull your navel to your spine.
The Movement:
- Push through your heels to raise your hips up so your body is in a straight line.
- At the same time, bring your straight leg perpendicular to the floor. Make sure to pull with your abs not your hip flexor.
- As your hips reach the top, squeeze your butt.
- Slowly lower your hips and leg down at the same time so they are an inch from the ground. Neither touch.
Repeat 10-15 times on each side. If you have been working legs or cardio on the same day, this is a good way to push those muscles to fatigue.
Form:
- Abs are ALWAYS engaged.
- Your leg stays STRAIGHT, and foot is flexed.
- Always push through your heel.
Getting Back On The Fitness Freight Train…Or Staying On During The Holiday.
After a long weekend of too much goodness (whatever that is for you), sometimes you feel like you want to go to the gym and open up a big can of whoop ass. You get there and kill a hard workout to start the week off right.
Other times you know you should reach for the can opener, but have no desire.
So, here’s my advice to getting back on the wagon: DO WHAT YOU LOVE. Your body is familiar with the routine, and it will be easy to get through the lack of motivation. If you’re an elliptical junkie, jump on. Hit up your favorite class. Once you get through the first hour, then you can start your real workout.
Now you’re thinking to yourself, “my real workout, wasn’t that enough?!” And the answer is usually yes. But if you’re looking to truly turn over a new leaf, you need a little bit more.
So now you take a little rest. Grab a set of three or five pound weights, turn up your iPod, and get your arms in gear. Press ups, curls, punches. Burn it out until your shoulders can’t take any more. This really should take about ten minutes.
Then, it’s time to go for round two. Back on the elliptical, start another class, jog the tredmill. Your body will actually be ready to go now. I suggest taking a class so you have a little guidance and commitment to another 45 minutes of work.
Here’s what I do:
- 45 minutes spin
- 10 minutes light arm weights
- 45 minutes of spin
You’ll leave the gym feeling like a champ. Your craving for pizza has morphed into a urge for chicken and broccoli. As for sugar, you’re not going to do that to yourself after you worked so hard…at least on the first night.
Hope this helps!
Squat with Shoulder Rotation
“Breaking Down The Workout” — Francesca Meccariello
This advanced full-body, multi-joint exercise will work your legs, glutes and rotator cuff. Great for increasing shoulder joint mobility and improving your postrure.
It is much more challenging than it looks! Make sure to check your form in the mirror.
The Set Up:
- Use a cable column machine set on the lightest weight, handle on the bottom setting.
- Grab the handle while facing the weight stack.
- Stand with feet parallel to each other about hip distance apart.
The Movement:
- Perform a squat sitting up tall with your arm fully extended.
- As you begin to stand from the squat keeping your arm straight, rotate making a big circle with your arm until it comes back to shoulder height.
Perform 2 sets or 8-10 reps/side.
Form:
- Keep chest lifted and chin parallel to the floor.
- As always, your abs are engaged.
- Press through your heels.
*This exercise must be performed after you have properly warmed your shoulders up by doing shoulder rolls forward and backwards and shoulder clocks.
Avoid Holiday Weight Gain! with a quick home workout by Sarah Dussault. Try to go three rounds so you’ll get a good 10 minute burn.
The only thing I would add to the routine are 20 push ups and 50 crunches.
Fitness On Demand!
A reader emailed me last week saying she has recently been loving the fitness videos she found on the On Demand with her cable service. She didn’t even know they were available until a friend directed her to the option. I didn’t either!
As you can see there are a bunch of different workout options if you can’t make it to the gym.
This is a good way to get your heart rate up on one of those lazy days when you want to go to the gym, but have no desire to leave the house.
Combination Chest Press/Hip Extension
“Breaking Down The Workout” — Francesca Meccariello
This intermediate to advanced strength and stability exercise will work your shoulders, chest, glutes and abs.
You’ll need a Swiss ball and a light to medium set of dumbbells.
The Set Up:
- Holding on to your weights sit on a properly sized Swiss ball.
- Roll forward until your head and upper back are resting on the ball.
- Feet should be hip width apart, heels just and flat on the floor.
The Movement:
- Begin with hips and thighs parallel to the floor holding the weights straight up.
- Fully extend arms with your palms facing forward.
- Take a deep breath as you lower your glutes/hips down while bringing the weights down and out until elbows are bent and below your shoulders.
- Exhale and press the weights up while engaging your glutes to extend your hips until parallel to the floor again.
Form:
- Be careful not to let your lower back arch too much. You should not feel pain in your lower back if you do stop the exercise.
- Push through your heels, not your toes.
Advanced: Once you can perform 3 sets of 15 reps comfortably you can progress the exercise by bringing your feet and legs closer together even squeezing your thighs together.
Reilly started a fitness tumblr! Welcome Reills!!!
On MTM, Reilly has shared his marathon training and race experiences. I hype him up constantly because he’s truly an inspiration to get my butt into the gym. His spin classes have evolved to be stellar in only a year. There really isn’t anything fitness this man can’t do.
So if you love being active, click the link and follow my main man Reilly. You’ll start sweating just reading about his workouts.
