April 25, 2024

Strong Shoulders and Core

July 11, 2018 By Leave a Comment

Fit Body:

Kneeling Arm Raise for Strong Shoulders and Core

Do this all in one exercise to strengthen your shoulders and core. Here are your form pointers for the Kneeling Arm Raise exercise: Begin on your hands and knees on the floor. Hold a weight in each hand. Make sure each hand and weight is securely placed on the floor. Keeping your torso still, lift your right arm straight out the side of your body about six inches. Do 10 reps, then release. Next, lift your left arm straight up out to the side of your body. Do 10 reps. Be sure to keep your shoulders pulled down into your body and your back straight during the entire range of motion.

 

*Consult your physician before performing exercise.

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Supported Posture Stretch

March 15, 2018 By Leave a Comment

Fit Body:

Shoulder Stretch for Posture

If standing shoulders stretches feel uncomfortable, try this seated and supported posture stretch. Begin kneeling on the floor facing a wall. Place both hands on the wall about chest-level. Walk your fingers up the wall, leaning forward until you feel a stretch under your arms and along the side of your torso. Hold for 10-30 seconds, then slowly release.

 

*Consult your physician before performing stretch.

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Seated End-of-Day Stretch

October 25, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Low Back and Leg Stretch

Begin seated on the floor, with both legs straight out in front of you. Gently tuck your chin to your chest and bend forward, reaching straight out with both hands. Hold for one or two deep breaths, then slowly return to your upright posture.

 

*Consult your physician before performing exercise.

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Stretch It Out

September 6, 2016 By Leave a Comment

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Seated Hamstring Stretch

After your run is a great time to stretch out your lower body. Begin seated. Extend your right leg straight out in front of you. Bend your left knee and place your left foot on the inside of your right knee. Lift your chest and bend forward from your hips. Hold for 10 seconds, then release. Repeat with your left leg straight out in front of you, with your right knee bent.

 

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.

 

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Bored with your Ab Exercises? Try this!

July 12, 2016 By Leave a Comment

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.

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Exercise Bands for Fitness by Tera Busker

December 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment

You don’t need a gym full of weights and machines to get a great full body workout. Using resistance bands can challenge your muscles in a whole new way. And the best thing about resistance bands is that you can do a workout with them anywhere.

Here are 3 exercises that will are guaranteed to give you results. The following is for those with a solid fitness base. (Consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Perform exercises at your own risk.)

Squat Press
Stand in the middle of the band with feet parallel and shoulder-width apart. Hold handles at shoulder height, with palms facing forward and elbows bent. Squat like you are about to sit on a chair, keeping knees behind your toes. Stand back up to the starting position and then press your arms directly over your head. Return hands back to shoulder height and repeat sequence. Repeat for 10-15 reps.

Reverse Lunge with Bicep Curl
Place the center of the band under the arch of your right foot and hold both handles with the palms facing forward. Lunge backwards with your left foot and perform a bicep curl. Return to start position and repeat for 10-15 reps.  Switch legs and repeat.

Crunch with Lat Pulldown
Loop the band around a stable object, like a railing. Lie on your back, gripping the band’s handles with arms extended over head. Raise your legs and bend your knees so your shins are parallel to the floor. Crunch your upper body forward while drawing your arms toward your knees. Keep the elbows locked and straight during this movement and maintain a relaxed and neutral position in the neck – do not bring the chin to the chest. Roll back to starting position. Repeat 20 times.

Tera Busker is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and owner of Fitness To Go, an exclusive In Home & Private Studio Personal Training Service based out of Roberts, WI. www.fitnesstogo.net

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Planks Explained by Gen Levrant

May 27, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Make your planks functional: 5 variations to try

I could go on for pages about why and how a standard plank will not give you a flat stomach. Holding your abdominal muscles isometrically for as long as you can is not functional. Fortunately, there are ways to tweak the plank to make it functional. For a muscle to produce a powerful contraction, it first needs to lengthen. This does not happen in the plank, so here are five variations to ensure it does. (Please consult with a fitness professional if you are pregnant, new to exercise or unsure of proper and safe technique. And as always, seek medical clearance from you doctor prior to beginning any exercises.)

Knee to chest: start in a standard plank position: elbows bent, forearms resting on the floor and abdominal muscles braced. Use your abs to pull one knee towards your chest, bending it at a right angle and exhaling. Repeat with other knee for 10-20 reps.

Tilting hips: start in a press up position. Keeping your feet together, tilt your right hip to the side as if trying to point it to the ceiling. The same side elbow will bend a little. Go back to the start and repeat with the other hip for a total of 10-20 reps

Reverse plank: start on all fours facing the ceiling with your elbows straight, knees bent and bottom off floor. Reach to  the ceiling with one hand, raising your pelvis to the ceiling and engaging your gluts. Dip your elbow and repeat for 10-15 reps before switching arms.

Up & under: start in a press up position, open one arm up as far as it goes. Bring it down under the body, reaching as far as you can before replacing it back at the start. Repeat with the other arm for 20 reps (10 each arm.)

Foot crossovers: start in standard plank. Cross one foot over the other to touch the floor outside of it, and bring back to the start. Repeat for 30 secs before switching legs.

Take a look at all moves demonstrated on YouTube.

These will hit your abdominals in three planes of motion, which is how we are designed to move. They can be added on to one of your existing workout routines or performed alone.

Gen Levrant is an Advanced Personal Trainer and fat-loss specialist operating out of a private functional training studio in Southampton UK. For fitness tips, updates and further info: http://www.fasterpt.com/personal-trainer-southampton/or email Gen via gen@fasterpt.com. Follow her on Twitter @PTGen, https://www.facebook.com/FasterPersonalTrainingSouthampton or via YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82Jii13lkNY

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