FitSugar

Multitasking Move: Arms and Abs

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 11:45:00 -0700

I love multitasking, about this I cannot lie. I really love a multitasking exercise. Arms and abs are often what brides want to work in their pre-wedding Pilates sessions. Well, here are 2 types of elbow planks to get the job done, and they are not just for brides. Planks are a great way to get your body bikini ready.

Elbow Plank

Hold for 30 seconds

Pull your abs up toward the ceiling, but do not break at your hips
Really press through your elbows so you don't collapse between your shoulder bladesReach through your heels to activate the back of your legs and your booty (similar to weighting your heels when you do a squat)

Side Elbow Plank

Keep your waist lifted away from the floor, work those obliques
Press down with your elbow to keep your shoulder away from your ear
Reach through your top hand, this will make you feel lighter

Both exercises are fine to do if you have wrist problems since the weight is on your elbow, not your hands.

Try holding each plank for 30 seconds, and work up to holding them for a minute. These are great to do during commercial breaks while watching TV. Just put something under your elbows to cushion them.

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.

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

Weekend Workout: 1-Legged Core Exercises

FitSugar — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 03:00:04 -0700

Weekends are often jam-packed with traveling, errands, spending time with friends and family, and house chores, which means you can't always fit in a regular workout. So here are some strength training moves you can squeeze in when you have a few minutes. They don't require any equipment so you can do them anywhere. The first move will tone your glutes and hamstrings, the second targets your upper body, and the third move is great for your thighs and abs. Complete each move in this order, and repeat for a total of three times.

Reverse Elbow Plank
With Leg Lifts

One-Legged
Dolphin Dive

Side Plank Star

Still itching for more? Check out these Weekend Workouts to learn how to tone other areas of your body.

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

No Equipment Necessary: Walking Elbow Plank

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 05:50:49 -0700

If you liked taking your elbow plank for a walk, here's another variation. It's an effective exercise that will strengthen your arms, upper back, and core. Add it to your strength-training routine the next time you work out, and it won't take long before you feel this one working.

To learn how to do this move, keep reading

Put a Twist on Your Fitness Routine

FitSugar — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 07:30:41 -0700

The range of motion of the human body is amazing, but common strength training exercises often skip twisting motion. For instance squats and lunges only move in two planes, but you can add rotations into your strength training routine. I highly recommend doing so, for twisting is part of staying functionally fit - we twist in everyday life so we should train with twists too. First warm up your spine with some simple twisting motion like with this Pilates move aptly named the Twist, or something a little more complicated like Lying T Dancer. Then add spinal rotations to some basic weight training exercises. To learn how, read more.

Lunges: You can easily add twisting motion to your lunges - both forward and side. Once you have lunged forward, keep your pelvis stable and square and rotate your ribs to both the left and the right and then return to the starting position. Or lunge out to the right, then reach your left hand to your right foot. Return to upright and repeat on the other side.
Ab work: Working your abs with rotation is great for your obliques and your spinal health. If you have an exercise ball, doing abs with a twist is a perfect way to work your obliques. Don't forget the bicycle crunch to work your twist. Or try the seated Russian Twist since it incorporates spinal rotation and you can safely add weight to this exercise using a dumbbell or a medicine ball.
Push-ups: One of my favorite all body exercises, push-ups are perfect for twisting. Try the grasshopper push-up or the push-up with a T.
Planks: You can even add a twist to your planks. Try the elbow plank with rotated knee. The side plank with a twist is another variation to try.

What is your favorite exercise with a twist?

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.

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.

No Equipment Necessary: Spiderman Push-Up

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:00:00 -0700

Push-ups have got to be my all-time favorite upper-body exercise since they are so effective at targeting your chest and shoulders. There are so many variations to this basic exercise, so here's another one to add to your routine.

"Missing You" by Red Raven Blue

For details on how to do a Spiderman Push-Up read more.

Come into plank position (top of a push-up), with your hands under your shoulders, and your body in one straight line. If you can't do a push-up this way, just lower your knees to the floor (as shown in the second half of the video).
As you bend your elbows out to the side and lower your torso toward the floor, bend your left knee and touch it to your left elbow.
As you straighten your arms, come back to plank position with your left foot next to your right. Now lower your torso down and touch your right knee to your right elbow. Then return back to plank position.
This counts as one repetition. Complete as many as you can, then stretch out your lower back and shoulders in Child's Pose for five breaths and then stretch out your pecs by doing Seated Heart Opener for five breaths.