Get Fit Quick Tip:
Flutter Kicks for Abs!
Bored with your Ab Exercise? Try this!
Lie on your back on the floor. Stabilize your midsection by pulling your belly button in toward your spine and maintaining neutral lumbar position. Lift both legs up off the floor, alternating. Match each lift and lower with an inhale or exhale. Start with 10 reps.
To progress: Lift both legs up off the floor and cross your ankles in a scissor kick.
*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.
Get Fit Quick Tip:
Side Plank
Lie on your right side on the floor. Place your right hand on the floor directly below your shoulder. Place the outside of your right foot on the floor, with both legs straight. Lift your body up off the floor and hold your body straight in a side plank position. Release by dropping your hips to the floor. Repeat with your left hand and left foot on the floor. Lift your body up and hold the side plank position. Begin with a ten second hold on each side. Breathe through each plank, hold your belly button in tight and maintain proper spinal alignment.
*Consult your physician before performing exercise.
Get Fit Quick Tip:
Abdominals…Plus!
Crank your ab workout up a notch with this exercise:
Lie on your back on the floor with your hands behind your ears. Hold both feet up off of the floor with your knees over your hips. Begin by lifting both shoulders up off of the floor. Next lift your right shoulder up toward your belly button, at the same time bringing your left knee toward your belly button. Return to your starting position. Now lift your left shoulder up toward your belly button, at the same time bringing your right knee toward your belly button. Repeat 10 times.
*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.
Get Fit Quick Tip:
Elbow to Knee Plank
Want to challenge your abs? Add this exercise into your workout! Begin in a plank on your hands and toes. Lift your right foot up off the floor, next bend your right knee and bring it toward your right elbow. Extend your right knee to and return your foot to the floor to complete one rep. Next lift your left foot up off the floor, bend your left knee and bring it toward your left elbow to complete two reps. Repeat until 10 reps are performed.
*Consult your physician before performing exercise.
Get Fit Quick Tip:
Isometric Abs!
Isometrics hold muscles under tension for a set period of time. Try this V-Sit for an isometric abdominal challenge. Here’s how:
Sit on the floor in proper spinal alignment. Pull your belly button in and keep your shoulders back and down. Extend both legs straight out on the floor in front of you. With a straight back, lean back slightly and lift both legs up off the floor about 6 inches to start. Extend both arms straight out in front of you. Hold this position for 10 seconds, breathing in your natural rhythm. Lower your legs and rest. Repeat 2-5 times.
*Consult your physician before performing exercise. This exercise is for intermediate/advanced exercises, and is not for those with injury concerns.
Get Fit Quick Tip:
Plank!
Strengthen the many layers of your core musculature by adding Planks into your fitness routine.
From a prone position, place your forearms on the floor with your elbows directly below your shoulders. Tuck your toes under and lift your body up off of the floor so your body is parallel to the floor. Pull your shoulders down into your body. Pull your belly button up. Tuck your chin into your chest to maintain spinal alignment.
From the basic plank position, many options exist for progressions:
Alternate lifting your right foot, then your left foot up of the floor.
Lift and hold one leg up off the floor.
Perform a plank with your hands on the floor instead of your forearms.
*Always consult a physician before beginning exercise.
A strong core is essential to functioning better during our day, and even more so to functioning pain-free during our day. Our core includes many muscles that overlap and intertwine through our mid-section. Sometimes we use our core muscles to prevent rotation. For example while carrying a suitcase in one hand and nothing in the other. In this situation, we’re using our core to keep us upright and centered. Other times we use our core musculature to rotate us to one side or bend to the side, forward or backwards. For example, we use our core when bending to pick up an item off the floor. These are the muscles that help return us to our standing upright position. To effectively improve strength our core it’s important to move at many different angles. Here are a few non-crunch exercises to strengthen core muscles. The following exercises are for intermediate exercisers without injury concerns. Consult your physician before beginning exercise.
Floor Plank. Begin in a push up position on the floor; place your hands directly below your shoulders and lift your knees up off the floor. Hold your body straight. Hold for a count of 10 seconds.
Floor Side Plank. Lie on your right side on the floor. Place your forward flat on the floor, with your elbow directly below your shoulder. Lift your body up off the floor, holding the position with your right knee and right forearm. Slowly lower your hip and stop when your hip is about two inches off the floor. Repeat lifting and lowering your body up off the floor. Do ten times. Repeat lying on your left side.
Lie on your back on the floor. Hold your arms directly over your shoulders and your knees up directly over your hips. Extend your right arm overhead and your left leg out straight toward the floor about six inches. Return to the center. Now extend your left arm and your right leg about six inches. Repeat 10 times.
Sit on a Stability Ball. Place your arms across your chest, and lift and hold your right foot up off the floor. Count to 10. Repeat by holding your left foot up off the floor; count to 10.
Lie face down on a Stability Ball. Lying face down on a Stability Ball, pull your upper body up and extend your legs so your body is lined up almost parallel to the floor. Lift your right arm and your left foot up off the floor. Return to your starting position. Now lift your left arm and your right foot up off the floor. Repeat 10 times total.
Stand on a Wobble Board. Stand with both feet in the center of a Wobble Board for timed holds of ten to thirty seconds.
Toe Touches. Stand on your right foot only. Bend forward from your hips, keeping your back lined up, and touch your left foot. Return to your starting position. Do ten times. Change leg position to stand on your left foot only; bend forward and touch your right foot. Do ten times.
Think about all the different angles in which we move during the day. Consider adding these angles into your workout to learn how to move properly and to strengthen those muscles. Enlist the aid of a Fitness Professional to outline appropriate exercises for you.
*Disclaimer: Result may vary from person to person.
Tired of the same old routine at the gym? Make your fitness fun! Get on the stability ball and mix up your workout. Exercising on the ball improves balance, posture, body awareness and coordination. Performing exercises on an unstable surface (the ball) recruits more muscles in the core to keep the torso steady (stabilization).
Make sure the ball is the appropriate size for you. When sitting on the ball your thighs should be parallel or slightly below the hips. The following exercises are for intermediate exercisers and for those without muscle/joint concerns. Perform exercises at your own risk. Always consult your physician before performing exercises. Pull your belly button in towards your spine during each exercise.
Standing Wall Squat- (strengthens the lower body). Place the ball against the wall positioned in your lower back area. Walk your feet slightly forward, keeping them about hip width apart. Perform a squat by bending your knees and allowing your hips to shift backward. Bend your knees until you feel tension in the front of your thighs, then return to a standing position. Do not let your knees travel in front of your toes. Repeat 12-15 times.
Seated Row with Tubing- (strengthens your upper back). Sit on the ball. Pull your belly button in towards your spine and sit up tall. Extend your legs out in front of you, so only your heels are touching the floor. Wrap the tube around your feet and hold on to the handles. Pull your elbows into your body. Extend your arms to return to your starting position. Repeat 12-15 times.
Incline Ab Curl- (strengthens the core). Sit on the ball, walk your body toward the floor until the ball is under your low back. Curl your trunk pulling your ribs down toward your hips. The ball should not move. Repeat 12-15 times.
Enlist the help of a Fitness Professional to build a workout routine on the stability ball for you.
Subscribe
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest