FitSugar

Four Ways to Rock the Plank

FitSugar — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 09:15:28 -0700

The plank is one of my favorite multitasking moves. It works your abs, your arms, and your back, and you can do it pretty much anywhere, without a bit of equipment. Better yet, it's highly versatile: Vary the moves just a bit, and you've got a whole new exercise. Here are four ways that you can rock the plank.

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4 Planks to Work Your Core

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 05:50:00 -0700

Planks are always more challenging than they look, and that is just one reason why I love them. They work wonders for your core as well as your shoulders and require no equipment at all. With planks, it's easy to track your progress; the stronger you become, the longer you'll be able to hold the positions. Start by holding your plank for at least 30 seconds and add on in five- to 10-second increments to keep challenging yourself. Here are four planks to mix up your routine!

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Push-Up Variation: Crocodile Jumps

FitSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:00:46 -0700

I love push-ups. They are one of the best strength training moves out there. Not only do they sculpt your upper body and back, but they also tone your core. Here's a variation that will target your triceps more than regular push-ups since your elbows are in against your body instead of out wide. This exercise will make you stronger, and it's also a great prep for the yoga pose called Crocodile.

Music: "The Man Who Danced Too Slowly" by Baka Beyond

This is a pretty difficult exercise, so if you're up for the challenge keep reading

You Asked: Losing Weight and Losing My Chest Too

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 04:30:17 -0700

Dear Fit,
I've been on a health kick for about three months. I'm exercising four times a week, eating well, and am proud to say that I've been dropping pounds and am halfway to my goal weight. My only complaint is that I've also dropped a cup size, and am worried my chest will get even smaller. My chest was the one part of my body I actually really liked! Is there any way to lose weight but not lose my boobs?
- Missing My Girls

First of all, congrats on losing weight. It must be exciting to see all your hard work pay off when you step on the scale. I can also understand your frustration at seeing your chest size shrink. To find out what you can do, read more.

The only thing you can do is embrace your less curvaceous self. Unfortunately, just like you can't spot-reduce areas of your body, you can't spot-save, either. In other words, the body doesn't let you pick and choose which parts you lose the fat from. In fact, genetics play a huge role in where your body chooses to draw fat from for fuel.

While you can't keep the pounds from shedding off your chest, you can keep it looking toned by adding a few strength moves into your gym routine. Include push-ups, plank variations, and chest presses to work your pecs.

My Spring Equinox Fitness Challenge

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:00:00 -0700

I am a goal-oriented gal, and have been feeling the need to set some new fitness goals. Always up for some expert help, I wanted to work with a trainer, too. Equinox Fitness invited me to run (pun intended) my six-week Spring fitness experiment at its SF gym, which I, coincidentally, started on the Spring equinox. My goals are pretty simple: I want to become a better, faster swimmer and improve my VO2 max. Equinox placed me with a wonderful trainer Hannah - she swam competitively in college!

Like any experiment, we had to figure out my base level of fitness. Hannah and I spent an hour taking measurements: body fat percentage, VO2 max, squats per minute, posture, elbow plank endurance. My first workout session will be half on land, followed by a swimming assessment and water workout. All this will take place at 6:30 a.m. Although, I am no stranger to early morning workouts, just getting to the gym on the other side of the city that early might be an experiment unto itself.

The great thing about working with a trainer is I already learned a new exercise, a variation of the ever-versatile plank. To learn the move, read more.

Hannah called this move the plank-up, it targets the core while working your arms.

Start in an elbow plank. Shift your weight to the right, place your left palm on the ground. Then shift left to place right palm on the ground, ending up in a plank position.
Now reverse the action, place the left forearm on the ground followed by the right, returning to an elbow plank. This completes one rep.
Repeat four more times starting with the left arm to complete five reps. Then switch sides starting with the right arm for five more reps.
Do two sets of five beginning with each arm, then rest in a child's pose to stretch.

Try this move next time you're working out. You will be surprised how much you can feel it in your abs.

Celebrity Trainer David Kirsch Loves Push-Ups and Hates Processed Carbs

FitSugar — Thu, 14 May 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Celeb trainer David Kirsch took time out of his busy schedule - his days start with a 5 a.m. workout before training clients at his gym in Manhattan - to speak with me yesterday. David helped Heidi Klum walk gorgeously down the runway eight weeks after having her third child. His client list also includes Anne Hathaway, Liv Tyler, and Faith Hill.

He launched his Summer Slimdown program for free, so I decided the time was right to ask him for more fitness advice. Always curious what personal trainers do for exercise, I asked David his favorite core move; he recommends planks, and planks rolling into a T-position, as well as work on the stability ball. Kirsch believes in fitting fitness into a busy life, and when pressed for time push-ups are the one move he thinks you should do.

When I asked him how I could increase my metabolism he told me:
“You have to move your body faster to burn more calories. Combine good strength training exercises with a form of cardio, and it doesn’t have to be running. It can be circuit training or one of my boot camps as long as it keeps your heart rate up.” He follows his own advice. His early morning 45-minutes workouts are heart pumping circuits, which he does four to five days a week.

Learn David’s favorite foods and what he thinks about “cheat days,” when you read more.

When it comes to diet, David believes in eating well and listed salmon burgers, quinoa, and beans among his favorite foods. I asked if he believes in cheat days and he wholeheartedly replied, “Sure! But be smart about it. Pick a meal, or a certain food, but don’t eat five million pieces of it.” Once again, we learn from an expert that moderation is key. David also loves to cook and prepares Thanksgiving dinner for 30 to 40 guests every year. I asked him if he used butter for his T-day dishes and he said, “No” before I could say the second syllable of butter. His stuffing does sound divine: cornbread with chestnuts, herbs, turkey sausage, red peppers, apples, and apricots.

David does have a couple of suggestions on how to get beach ready. First he suggests that you fine-tune your diet, limit dairy, get rid of cheese completely, and stay away from processed carbs. Secondly, he says, “You should assess your body and see where you need work and be strategic. Do more plié squats if the inner thighs need toning. Do more Pilates if your abs need toning. Do push-ups if the triceps need toning. Maybe you need a little bit of all over toning so do it all over. Be strategic and come up with a process that is good for you."

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Take Your Elbow Plank For a Walk

FitSugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 08:00:00 -0700

When you're working out, getting to the core of the matter doesn't always mean being static. Yes, holding an elbow plank will work your core, but to really fire it up, take those elbow planks for a walk. The challenge of moving your body forward and backward, as well as side to side, works your abs, back, and arms nicely. Plus it is more functional, meaning when you add motion to your planks, the movement pattern translates more closely to moves you do in your regular life. Strength training this way also helps prevent injuries. I learned this move at the Nike Women's Media Summit, and I really felt it in my abs. I may never do another sit-up again. Only kidding! But try it out and you'll see what I mean.

To see how to walk your plank, just read more.
First off, I know walking on your elbows doesn't sound all that comfy, so make sure you have some padding. If you have a yoga mat, just double it up at the front.

Start in an elbow plank, with your elbows directly under your shoulders. Your palms should be flat on the ground and in line with your elbows. Pull your abs toward your spine and reach through your heels to activate the back of your legs.
Walk about half an inch forward with your right arm. Your feet do not move. Walk the left arm forward so it is even with the right arm. Walk back a half inch with right elbow, and then your left.
Now repeat starting with the left elbow, taking one step forward with each arm and one step back.
Next you will step your right arm to the right about a half inch. Then bring your left arm a half inch to the right as well. Return to starting position, stepping first with the left arm and then with the right. Once again your feet should not move.
Reverse directions and step the left elbow to the left, with the right arm following. Then return to back to center stepping first with the right arm and then with the left.
Now add another two steps in each direction. Walk forward right, left, right, left and then backward right, left, right, left. Repeat starting forward with the left arm. Walk backward starting with the left.
Walk to the right for four steps. Return to center and repeat walking to the left.
Push back into a Downward Facing Dog and hold the pose for five breaths. Then repeat the series two more times.

Aside from working your core and your arms simultaneously, another reason to love this exercise is that it works in two planes, which will help increase your overall fitness level.

Core Knowledge

FitSugar — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 09:00:00 -0800

Fitness types toss the term "core" around with little explanation, leaving many people confused and believing that ab work, like crunches, is strengthening their core. But this is not the case; the core is not simply the muscles on the front of your body. Nope. The core is three-dimensional, and in general terms you can think of it as your torso. One of my favorite definitions of the core is that it runs from your nipples to your knees.

Essentially, the core stabilizes your pelvis, low back, and rib cage, and it is made up of many muscle groups: all four layers of your abdominal muscles, including the obliques and transversus; the muscles on either side of the spine; the little muscles that run vertebrae to vertebrae know as the multifidi; as well as your glutes, hip flexors, and inner thighs. In Pilates, we also include the pelvic floor as part of the core; these small deep muscles help stabilize the pelvis.

To see how these muscles work together read more.

All these muscles work together to maintain torso stability, but I feel a working core is easiest to feel if you imagine sandwiching your spine with your deep abs and deep spinal muscles, like when holding plank. When you add leg movement to a plank, like a donkey kick, you are challenging your core even more. You should feel your core working during squats as well as boat pose in yoga. And if you don't feel your back and abs working together, imagine that sandwiching sensation and know that if you pull your abs toward your spine without moving the vertebrae, the muscles in your back will be working too.

Looking for more exercise to strengthen your core, now that you know crunches are not targeting all the elements of your core? Check out these core exercises.

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You Asked: How Do I Strengthen My Abs?

FitSugar — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 02:30:00 -0700

You're asking and I'm answering . . .

"Hi Fit,
I am frustrated with my abs. Although I am pretty active, eat well, run a lot and pretty toned and all, my abs are a mess! I have very weak abs and that is the only area where I am completely flabby and loose. Not only does the appearance bother me, but mostly because I want strong abs so that my back is strong too. My question is how do I improve the strength of my abs? I try all sorts of things, but thought if I had a little more guidance on how to strengthen them, I can be on my way to being healthier, stronger and having a tight stomach. If you could help I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!"
– Miss Frustrated

This is a great question and I know you are not alone in this quest, so to see my answer read more.

The abs seem to be a difficult area to tone and while "six pack" abs may be aesthetically pleasing they don't necessarily translate to a strong torso or healthy back. Since we cannot pick and choose the area of our bodies where fat is lost, the best bet for losing belly "flab" is cardio, for all over weight loss.

While you can't spot reduce, you can spot tone (this is important for preventing back problems) and when it comes to abdominals you need to work all four layers of abdominal muscles. Here's a quick run down on the layers going from outermost layer, you have the rectus which turns into the six pack, the external and internal obliques, and the transverse. And you are right you need strong abs to help your back, and here's the run down on what your ab muscles do and exercises for each layer, plus a bonus exercise for your back.

Rectus:
Controls the tilt of the pelvis and can affect the curvature of the lower spine, bends the torso forward
Exercises: Bicycle Crunches and Ball Crunches

Obliques:
Creates intra-abdominal pressure to stabilize the spine, side bending and twisting torso
Exercises: Twist Oblique Crunch and Ab Crossover

Transverse:
Flattens the belly, creates intra-abdominal pressure to stabilize the spine
Exercises: Elbow plank and Side elbow plank

Back Extensors
Stabilize the spine, as well as extend (arch), side bend and twist spine
Exercise: Superman and Flying with an exercise ball

To work your abs you need to do enough reps of an exercise, or variety of exercises, until your abs really burn and feel exhausted. Then repeat the set two more times. Just like strength training, you want to give your ab muscles time to recover, so work them at the most every other day. Your abs, especially your transverse, should engage before you move your arms or your legs to provide stability to the spine. So you should be working them all the time, so if you use the elliptical or stair stepper try not using your hands to force your abs to engage so your time on cardio machines will be doing double duty.

Wow . . . I had no idea I has so much to say about abs.

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Why Prehab?

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 08:00:00 -0800

In a perfect world, we could work hard, play hard, and stay injury-free. Since the world isn't perfect, you need to "prehab." Prehab is like rehab, except you take care of the weakness or imbalance before it develops into a serious problem. For runners, a lot of prehab is about strengthening the core. When the abs and the low back are weak, a tired runner begins to move inefficiently, both wasting energy and creating bad body mechanics which evolve into overuse injuries. These injuries can seriously interfere with your training (read "no running for a couple of months or more"). Hopefully, I have gotten your attention - fear tactics sometimes do work.

You need to work some core exercises into your fitness routine. Try to do at least two to four core exercises three times a week. Before your next run, I suggest that you warm up your core with some toe taps in neutral spine, and your low abs with a few reverse crunches. A strong core isn't just essential for runners. Everyone from cyclists to swimmers, from hikers to stair climbers, from gardeners to mothers of wily toddlers can benefit and avoid injury by having a strong core.

If you run, consider rolling out your IT band on the outside of your leg and stretching the soles of your feet as other forms of prehab. So what are you waiting for? Get busy strengthening yourself - drop and give me two 30-second elbow planks.

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