April 23, 2024

Add Function to your Fitness

November 11, 2016 By Leave a Comment

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Get Functional!

If you’re having trouble lifting or carrying, try adding a Squat with a Bicep Curl to your workout routine:

Stand with your feet hip width apart. Hold a weight on either side of your body. Bending from your knees and hips, lower your body down about 12 inches, keeping your elbows straight. Upon standing up, bend both arms into a bicep curl. Repeat the squat and extend your elbows again.

If you’re having trouble bending or reaching, add a One Leg-Hold and Reach to your exercise outline:

Stand on your right leg only. Stabilize your torso and reach your arms forward, without losing your balance. Hold for 2-3 seconds, then return to your standing upright position. Do 10 reps. Then, switch and stand on your left leg only, reach forward and hold.

 

*Consult your physician before performing exercise.

 

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Build strong legs and core!

September 13, 2016 By Leave a Comment

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Strong Legs and Core

Build stronger legs and a stronger core with this one move. Begin on your hands and knees. Place your hands directly below your shoulders, and your knees directly below your hips. Keeping your torso stable, lift and extend one leg so it is parallel to the floor. Lower your toes to the floor, then lift about 12 inches. Perform 10-15 reps lifting each leg.

 

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.

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Take your leg strength to the next level…

August 16, 2016 By Leave a Comment

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Do a Single Leg Squat for leg strength.

Once you’ve mastered the Squat, try a Single Leg Squat to take your leg training to the next level. Here’s how:

Stand on your right leg only. Bend from your right knee and hips, and sit back lowering your body down about six inches. Keep your right knee lined up over your right foot. Maintain proper spinal alignment with your hips level. Now stand up straight again to complete one rep. Do 8-12 times. Repeat, standing on your left leg only. For better balance, extend both arms straight out in front of you. Progress to placing both arms across your chest. For even more of a challenge, reach forward and touch a point such as a chair or cone with your hand while maintaining proper form.

 

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.

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Burpees: Love to Hate Them?

April 20, 2016 By Leave a Comment

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Try Burpees for high-energy cardio fitness!

Consider adding burpee intervals into your fitness routine for a cardio-burst and total body challenge. Simply mention the word, burpee, and you’re sure to be greeted with a few moans and groans. However, here’s the bottom line: They work for cardio conditioning and strength building for just about every muscle. There are many variations and modifications. Here’s how to begin:

Begin standing. Squat down and place both hands flat on the floor in front of your body. Kick or step out both legs behind you into a pushup position. Perform one pushup. Hop or step both feet in to a squat position. Immediately jump straight up with both arms overhead, and with both feet up off the floor or stand up straight to complete one rep.

 

*Consult a physician before performing exercise.

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Squats on the go!

March 9, 2016 By Leave a Comment

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Wall Squat!

Wall Squats or Wall Sits make a great go-to lower body exercise to be completed when traveling, at the office or at home. Simply find a space along the wall or door frame. Lean your body against the wall. Place your feet about 18 inches away from the wall. Keeping your torso straight, slide your body down the wall about 12 inches. Line your knees up over your ankles. Hold for 10-30 seconds. Slide up the wall and return to your starting position.

 

*Always consult your physician before performing exercise.

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Sore Feet?

March 3, 2016 By Leave a Comment

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Stretch!

If you’re on your feet all day, try this simple Calf Stretch to ease sore feet.

Use a step or a curb, or on any stable platform that is about two inches off the floor. Place your right foot flat on the step, hold on for balance. Place the ball of your left foot on the step with your heel hanging off. Slowly drop your left heel, feeling a gentle stretch in the left calf.  Hold for ten to thirty seconds. Release the stretch. Repeat with your left foot flat on the step and your right heel hanging off.

 

*Always consult your physician before beginning exercise.

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All About Legs by Tera Busker

December 18, 2014 By Leave a Comment

All About Legs

Give your legs a boost! Here’s how to do it:

(Consult your physician before beginning exercise.)

 

 

20 Alternating Reverse Lunges
20 Squats
10 Burpees
1 Minute Jumping Jacks
20 Alternating Side Lunges
20 Mountain Climbers
10 Burpees
1 Minute Wall Squat

Rest for 1-2 minutes.
Repeat circuit 2-4 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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Total Body Workout! By Tera Busker

February 3, 2013 By Leave a Comment

30 x 3 Workout

This workout is fast, effective and FUN!!!!
30 seconds WORK, 30 Seconds REST, 30 Minutes (thus the 30 x 3) and you’re done. Complete this circuit 6 times for a great, full body workout. Be sure to consult your physician before beginning this or any exercise program.

 

30 Seconds: Squat/Shoulder Press
30 seconds: Rest
30 Seconds: Renegade Row Pushup
30 seconds: Rest
30 Seconds: Alternating Reverse Lunge with Rotation and Bicep Curl
30 seconds: Rest
30 Seconds: Tricep Extension with Hip Bridge
30 seconds: Rest
30 Seconds: Plank with Walkout
30 seconds: Rest
Repeat for a total of 6 circuits

Squat with Shoulder Press: Holding weights in both hands at shoulder height, lower your body into a squat. As you stand back up, raise weights straight over head in one smooth motion. As you lower back into a squat, lower weights back to shoulder height.

Renegade Row Pushup: Place a pair of dumbbells on the floor and set yourself up in pushup position, grasping the handles with each hand. Lower your body to the floor, pause, then push yourself back up. Once you’re back in the starting position, row the dumbbell in your right hand to the side of your chest, keeping your elbow close to your ribs. Pause, then lower the dumbbell back down and repeat with your left arm. Try to keep your hips from rotating while performing this exercise.

Alternating Reverse Lunge with Rotation and Bicep Curl: Hold dumbbells at your sides and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Step back with your left foot, and bend both knees to lower your body until your right knee is bent at least 90 degrees. At the same time, rotate your upper body toward your right leg and curl the dumbbells to your chest. Reverse the movement by lowering the weights and rotating your chest to face front, then return to standing. Repeat on opposite side.

Tricep Extension with Hip Bridge: Lying on your back with arms extended straight above your shoulders, lift hips off of the ground. As you lower the hips back to the mat, bend arms from the elbows only and lower weights down towards the ears. (Imagine putting earmuffs on and then taking them back off.) Repeat the motion by lifting the hips back up as you raise the weights.

Plank with Walkout: Set yourself up in a plank position on the elbows. Pull the navel in tight and keep the back and hips flat, step out to the side a few inches with your right foot, step out to the side a few inches with your left foot, step back in with your right foot and step back in with your left foot. Repeat. Try not to rock the hips as you perform this exercise.

Are you an advanced exerciser and want to take the workout to the next level? Here is a calorie torching version:
30 Seconds: Squat/Shoulder Press
30 seconds: Mountain Climbers
30 Seconds: Renegade Row Pushup
30 seconds: Jumping Jacks
30 Seconds: Alternating Reverse Lunge with Rotation and Bicep Curl
30 seconds: Mountain Climbers
30 Seconds: Tricep Extension with Hip Bridge
30 seconds: Jumping Jacks
30 Seconds: Plank with Walkout
30 seconds: Rest
Repeat for a total of 6 circuits

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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Ask A Pro by Mollie Millington

July 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Question: Should I be doing weights (specifically, what exercises?) or cardio to lose inches in my lower body? –Michelle, Phoenix AZ.

 

Answer: Both! Generally, participating in both weight-training and cardio will help tone up your lower body (and actually, will tone up your entire body.) Keep in mind however, genetics also play a large part in determining our overall body shape. Finding an appropriate, healthy and sustainable balance between lifestyle (food intake and exercise, for example) and genetics will allow you to lose all-over inches.

 

To lose inches, try squats, lunges, calf raises and leg press. Consider also adding Vibration training (using a VibroGym or Power Plate machine) into your gym routine to help tone up. As with adding any new mode of exercise, be sure to obtain professional guidance to learn the best options (duration, frequency, intensity) for your capabilities, along with any safety information. Also, remember to include cardio for 30 minutes 2-3 times/week for an overall calorie burning result. Finally, to lose inches be mindful to control portion sizes when eating. Consider enlisting the aid of a fitness professional for basal metabolic testing to outline how many calories you burn in a day without exercising. From there you’ll be able to monitor your caloric intake more exactly.

 

Mollie Millington is a London-based personal trainer, available for in-person and virtual training. www.ptmollie.com. Mollie may be reached at www.ptmollie.com, as well as via @PTMollie on Twitter.

 

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Leg Exercises Made Simple

September 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Try the following lower body exercises to shake up your routine. As always, pay attention to maintaining proper posture and holding abdominal muscles in tight. Control each movement. Start with body weight only and progress to holding dumbbells. 

Dynamic Side Squat. Begin by taking a step to your right side and forward 12 inches, arms extended shoulder-level, straight out in front of you. Bend your knees and hips and sit back into a squat. Push off with your right foot and return to the center. Repeat the same movement to the left side and forward 12 inches. Perform 12 repetitions alternating to each side.
Make it easier- perform as a stationary squat with your feet staggered 12 inches, eliminating the return to the center movement. (12 repetitions with the right foot forward, 12 repetitions with the left foot forward.)
Make it harder- perform a squat to the right side, bend forward from your waist and touch both hands to your right shoe. Push off with your right foot and return to center.  Repeat side squat to the left side, with a forward toe-touch to the left.

Chair Stationary Lunge. Stand about 3 feet in front of a sturdy chair. Balancing on right foot, place top of left foot on seat behind you. Bending both knees, drop your back knee toward the floor. Push through your front heel and return to your starting position.  Perform 12 repetitions with each leg.
Make it easier- only bend knees half-way down toward the floor.
Make it harder- lift your back foot up off the chair about one inch in between each repetition.

Cross-behind Lunge. Stand on your right leg. Step your left leg back about 2 feet, bend both knees and cross your left leg behind your right leg. Keep your weight on your right heel and pull your left leg up to center. Perform 12 repetitions with each leg.
Make it easier- Stand on your right leg, step your left leg back so it crosses behind your right leg.  Keep your right foot flat on the floor and the ball of your left foot on the floor. Bend both knees and lower your body toward the floor. Straighten both knees to complete one repetition. 12 repetitions with each leg.
Make it harder- stand on your right leg, step your left leg back so it crosses behind your right leg. Stand up by pulling your left leg to center and then forward by bending your left knee and lifting it in front of your body to be hip level.
 
Lunges are an example of a compound exercise. A compound exercise is that which uses many different muscle groups at the same time. For challenging exercises to improve lower body muscle strength or endurance squats and lunges are a great choice. Consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program, and enlist the assistance of a fitness professional to determine which form of squats and lunges are appropriate for you.

 By Nicole Clancy

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