FitSugar

Core Work: Twisted BOSU Plank

Susi May — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 09:40:59 PST

No matter how you slice it or dice it, the BOSU makes everything harder - and I mean that in a good way. Take your basic plank, add the BOSU into the equation and your core is working overtime. Here's a progression of plank exercises for this devilish piece of equipment that I learned from my Equinox trainer Lauren.

Basic Plank: You start in a basic plank with the ball side of the BOSU facing down. This can be quite a challenge and an exercise unto itself. If just doing this plank variation, hold the position for 30 to 60 seconds, and repeat three times.
Knee Up: For an added challenge, while holding the plank pull your right knee to your chest and hold there for two or three seconds. Return to the plank, and switch legs for one complete rep. Do 10 reps altogether. You need to keep the BOSU stable throughout the exercise - that's what makes it tough.
Add a Twist: Start in plank, pull your right knee toward your chest, twist to the left, and kick your right leg out to straight. Reverse the action, untwist, bring knee to chest, then return to plank. Do 10 times on each side. This one is tough, but it makes more sense to your body on the second set. Do two to three sets of this move while keeping the BOSU stable.

RX For Love Handles: Add a Twist to Your Plank

Michele Bell — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 07:00:32 PST

Are you falling out of love with your love handles? One of the secrets to trimming down the waistline is toning up those obliques. Thanks to the slim and trim Joy Bauer, I learned a new move that left my sides begging for a breather. A bit challenging on the body, it's an easy enough motion to learn and definitely gives the obliques a run for the money, which means your belts and slim fitting dresses will be thanking you.

To see how to do the exercise, just

Start in an elbow plank with your elbows at a 90-degree angle. Do not let your tush dip down or slouch.
Bring the right knee in a cross-body motion and touch it to the ground and then kick it back into starting position. Use your glute for that motion.
Repeat the same motion on the other side and bring the left knee across and touch it to the ground. Then come back to your starting position.
Do each side 10 times for one set. Do three complete sets.

Here's a little more detail on the twisting action.

View 2 Photos ›

Whittle Your Waist With Side Planks

FitSugar — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 04:30:42 PDT

Just because chunky sweaters are all the rage this Fall, you need to mind your waist. Especially as we enter the ~~eating~~ holiday season. While it is unfortunately true that you cannot spot reduce your love handles, venturing into the realm of side planks can help you tone your muffin top. Remember, the stronger your core the longer and harder you can run, dance, ski, and ride. Check out my fave variations on the side plank - exercises are listed in order of increasing difficulty.

Source: Getty

Core Work: Side Elbow Plank With Twist

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:30:00 PST

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

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 PDT

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 PDT

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 PST

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

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

6 Hard-Core Obliques Moves

FitSugar — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:35:00 PDT

For better posture, lower-back support, and to avoid back pain, it's important to strengthen and tone your obliques (side abdominal muscles). We've compiled six hard-core exercises to train and tone this region. Remember that quality is better than quantity. Start with five solid reps and work your way up to 10 or more.

Work Your Waist With Woodchoppers

FitSugar — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:50:54 PDT

The woodchopper is a fave exercise among trainers everywhere - Gunnar Peterson calls it his fave core exercise - and my Equinox trainer is a fan of the move too. Woodchoppers really work the abs but target the obliques, helping you to tone your muffin top. But unlike the static plank, woodchoppers target your middle while your middle is in motion, making this move a serious function fitness maneuver. Grab a five to 10 pound medicine ball and get ready to learn the basics.

Start with the feet a little wider than hip distance apart, keeping the knees slightly bent.
Bend your elbows bringing the ball to your left shoulder.
Pull your abs into your spine to stabilize your center.

On an exhale, bring the ball down diagonally across your body toward your right knee. Imagine you're chopping some wood at this angle and the ball is your axe - the move is a bit percussive.
Don't twist through your knees, but really rotate through the trunk.
Control the ball back up to the starting position. This completes one rep.
Remember you are moving with force, but control. Don't give into the momentum of swinging the ball around.

Do 15 reps each side to complete a set. Lauren always makes me do three sets, so I think you should do that too.

Torch Calories and Tone With This Circuit Workout

Susi May — Mon, 14 May 2012 02:40:46 PDT

What's not to love about circuit training? Combining heart-pumping elements of cardio with strength-training moves means you torch calories while toning muscles. It's just so efficient.

Here's a fun yet challenging circuit workout I did recently with my Equinox trainer Lauren. The workout has you performing each exercise for a minute, which means you need to keep a stopwatch handy, but you have the luxury of not needing to count.

Get the details of this circuit after the break.