FitSugar

Core Work: Side Elbow Plank With Twist

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:30:00 -0800

Side planks are a great way to work your core, but why not add a twist to spice things up. Adding any kind of motion to a side plank is a serious balance challenge and any time you twist the torso you will be working your obliques and toning the sides of your torso. This move will help you tone your entire torso, not to mention work your shoulders. Needless to say, I love this move.

Details on how to do this variation on the side elbow plank, when you read more.

Come into a side plank on your right side, with your feet stacked one on top of the other and your weight on your right elbow with your fingers reaching away from your body.
Place your left arm behind your head, and inhale to prepare.
Exhale and pull your navel to your spine to engage your deep abs and rotate your left ribcage toward the floor. Stay there for a second and deepen your abdominal connection pulling your navel in toward your spine even more.
Return to starting position and repeat seven more times for a total of eight reps, then switch sides. Repeat series again on both sides.

If your upper back is tight this exercise provides a nice stretch too. I know it seems like a cruel and perverse way to stretch your back, but think of it as a bonus.

Banish Love Handles: Side Bridge

FitSugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 03:30:00 -0700

We may not be able to spot reduce love handles, but we can certainly tone them. Side Bridges are an effective oblique exercise to help banish love handles and get you ready for bikini time. The internal and external obliques are both abdominal muscles on the sides of the torso and this exercise will tone them both. Here's how to do a Side Bridge.

Start sitting on your left side with legs almost straight and right leg crossed in front of the left leg. Inhale to prepare.
Exhale, pull your abs to your spine and lift your pelvis off the floor, coming into a side plank. Really lift your bottom waist up. Pull your shoulder blade down your back so your shoulder stays away from your ear (this will work your lat too).
Hold for five seconds. Lower your pelvis back to floor slowly and with control. Repeat a total of 10 times on each side. Do two sets.

Fit's Tip: This is a variation of the Mermaid exercise from the Pilates method. You will get a nice stretch for the side of your torso as you lower your pelvis back to the floor; it's a nice bonus.

Get on the Ball: Ab Twist

FitSugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:45:00 -0700

Looking for a great exercise to work your abs without straining your neck? Try this move on an exercise ball. It'll also work your glutes and thighs.

Place your upper back on the ball, feet about a foot apart, with your heels underneath your knees to help you stay balanced.
Straighten your arms up above your chest, and touch your palms together. Engage your abs and press your pelvis up so your thighs and belly are in one straight line.
As you exhale, slowly rotate your torso with control allowing your arms to follow the motion until they are parallel with the floor. Your bottom shoulder will be touching the ball.
Then as you inhale, return to your starting position, bringing your torso back to the center and your arms pointing straight up. Exhale and rotate to the other side. Be sure to keep your abs, glutes, and thighs engaged the entire time.
Repeat so you do a total of 30 on each side.

No Equipment Necessary: Bicycle Crunches

FitSugar — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 04:00:00 -0800

Looking to get that six-pack? You can do regular crunches until the cows come home, but that can get pretty boring for you and your abs. Bicycle crunches are a great way to target the rectus abdominis (the "six pack") and the obliques (the "spare tire") in one easy exercise.

To learn how to do them just read more.

Here's how:

Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground (pull your abs down to also target your deep abs).
Put your hands behind your head.
Bring your knees in towards your chest and lift your shoulder blades off the ground, but be sure not to pull on your neck.
Straighten your right leg out to about a 45-degree angle to the ground while turning your upper body to the left, bringing your right elbow towards the left knee. Make sure your rib cage is moving and not just your elbows.
Now switch sides and do the same motion on the other side to complete one rep (and to create the "peddling" motion).
Do three sets of 20 reps.

Fit's Tips: Speed is not the name of the game here, go slowly to focus on your form and your breathing. Also, it is not necessary to touch your elbows to your knees as this could cause strain in your neck.

Source

Short, Sweet and Complete Abdominal Workout Video

FitSugar — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 14:35:00 -0800

How about those abs? If you are bored with your ab routine, or if you neglect your middle, here's a workout for you to try.

This video is made for you to play while you do the exercise. Think of it as a quick little workout with a voice leading you along and a counter in the lower lefthand corner counting down your reps.

So don't just watch. Watch and do. Then be sure to work your abs at three days a week. Your belly will thank you for all the attention.

For a few tips, just read more

You want to make sure you are working your deep abs the entire time. So focus on pulling your navel to your spine.
To keep tension out of your neck when doing crunches, think of holding an orange between your chin and your chest. Don't juice the orange, but don't drop it either.
When performing toe taps and heel taps, keep the torso and pelvis totally still. Use your abs to do this.
Have fun with the Hip Ups, but remember to control the motion and really scoop out your low belly.
When twisting to work your obliques, isolate the movement to just the rib cage. Don't move your low back.

Ab Work: Seated Russian Twist

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:00:00 -0800

It may be early February, but now is the time to start thinking about creating bikini-worthy abs. On second thought, strong abs are great for any season and this exercise is great for your abs so the Russian twist may just be for you. This ab exercise targets your obliques, but your deep abs and your back muscles should be working together to support your spine while your ribcage rotates around your center.

Learn the details on the Russian twist when you read more.

Sit on the ground with your knees bent and your heels about two feet from your bum.
Lean slightly back without rounding your spine at all. It is really important, and difficult, to keep your back straight, but don't let it round.
Place your arms straight out in front of you with your hands one on top of the other. Your hands should be level with the bottom of your ribcage.
Pull your navel to your spine and twist slowly to the left. The movement is not large and comes from the ribs rotating, not from your arms swinging. Inhale through center and rotate to the right. This completes one set.
Do two sets of 12.

To make this exercise more challenging hold a medicine ball or a dumbbell in your hands with your elbows slightly bent. Conversely, if you have a compromised or injured low back, this exercises is not recommended for you. Try the bicycle crunch instead.

Let Pilates Move You: Twisted Obliques

FitSugar — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 11:32:00 -0800

If your abdominal strengthening routine is feeling stale, why not put a twist on it?

This variation on the basic "sit-up" targets the obliques. Try it at home or the gym soon and let us know what you think of it.

Move 1) Lie on your back with bent knees and twist both legs to the left until your legs are on the floor. Bend elbows and interlace fingers behind your head. Really cradle and support your head.

Move 2) Exhale pulling your deep abs in to your spine, lift your head and upper back off the floor using your abdominals. Keep your shoulders square to the ceiling because it's so easy to cheat. Really focus on your left shoulder coming off the floor as much as the right one by actively reaching it towards your right hip.

Inhale and slowly lower your head. Repeat 9 more times before switching sides.

Fit’s tip: It is good to stretch your spine and obliques before doing the sit ups. To stretch, lie in the twisted position from "Move 1", but reach your arms straight out to the side and rest them on the floor. Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds on each side.

To see how not to do this exercise read more

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Beyonce's Trainer Reveals 5-Minute Preparty "Body Blast"

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:50:29 -0800

When I'm totally wrapped up in Thanksgiving cooking, prepping, organizing, shopping (need I go on?), there's hardly a fighting chance that I'll make it to the gym for a full-on workout. Usually, I'll try to squeeze in a set of push-ups while prepping dinner preparation, or an early morning yoga session, if I can. So, I was excited to see Marco Borges, the trainer credited with whipping Beyonce, husband Jay-Z, and Gwen Stefani into tip-top shape, sharing an easy and no-equipment-needed workout with US Weekly. Here are the five moves he suggests to give yourself an all-over body-blasting workout (even if you only have five minutes to spare before your guests arrive):

Jumping Plies: I call these jumping squats, but it doesn't matter what you call them as long as you do them. Here's how: stand with your feet just a bit wider than shoulder-width apart, abs pulled in tight, and bend your knees, lowering your body till your thighs are parallel to the floor and jump straight into the air. Return to starting position and repeat for one minute.

Reverse Lunges: Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, step back into a lunge and repeat on the opposite side, alternating for one minute. Be sure that abs remain tight throughout, working your core and maintaining your balance and posture.

Push-Ups: According to Marco, "The push-up is quite possibly one of the simplest and best body weight movements targeting the muscles of the chest, arms, shoulders and core." Do as many classic push-ups, or moderated position push-ups from your knees, as you can for a full one minute, making sure to maintain proper form and bring your chest as close to the floor as you can before pushing back to starting plank position.

For the rest of Marco's workout, keep reading

Pilates Video: Saw Off Your Baby Toe

FitSugar — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 09:15:00 -0800

Looking for a way to work your abs and stretch your back at the same time!!! I love multitasking exercises like this one with one of the best names in the Pilates repertoire Saw off your baby toe.

Try it. I think you will like it. Plus, it is a great exercise to do in a series with the Twist.

Remember to really pull yourself back to upright with your abdominals. The more you work your abs, the bigger stretch you will get for your back.

Get Lifted: Dumbbell Side Bends

FitSugar — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 09:00:00 -0800

Dumbbell Side Bends will definitely work to whittle your waist away. Check out this video to see how the exercise is done. Try it next time you are at the gym.

Fit's Tip: If you are inexperienced, you may want to start with less weight and if you are more experienced you may want to start heavier.