FitSugar

Get Lifted: Glider Side Lunge

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:00:47 -0700

If you need a new exercise to add to your strength-training routine that will target your quads, inner thighs, and glutes, check out this fun, yet effective, exercise. You need one of those discs like the Valslide, but if you don't have one, just use the lid of a plastic container and do this move on carpet. Or wear socks and do it on a wood floor.

To learn some tricks for doing this pose properly read more.

Stand with your feet a few inches apart, with your right foot on the plastic lid. Make a fist with one hand and cup your other hand over it. Keep your hands in front of your chest throughout the exercise to help you stay balanced.
Put weight into your left leg, and as you slowly bend your left knee and squat down, slide your right foot out to the side. Then as you slowly straighten your leg, slide the right foot back in. Most of your weight remains in the leg that's not moving.
Complete three sets of 10 reps on each side. To change up this exercise, you can also slide your foot diagonally behind you.

If you absolutely can't stand lunges, or they hurt your knees, try this alternative.

You Asked: Knee Friendly Alternatives to Lunges?

FitSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 05:50:10 -0700

Recently, I wrote about loving lunges and urged everyone to add them to their workout. I forgot that this move can be hard on some joints and this comment reminded me of that problem:

"I like lunges in theory, but my knees do not agree with them. Any way to work around this, Fit?" - The New Black

There are indeed work-arounds that will work your lower body, while being kind to your knees. You can try to replace lunges with squats or leg presses on the machine. Some folks find that reverse lunges are gentler on the knee joint so you can experiment with that variation of the move. An alternative that I especially love is Step Ups because they work a lot of the same muscles that lunges would work.
Learn how to do Step Ups.

Three Ways to Add Arm Work to Your Lunges

FitSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:00:49 -0700

If you're pressed for time at the gym (and these days, who isn't), time-saving exercises are a must. Adding arm work to the ever-classic lunge is a great way to work more of you in one move. Here are three ways to get more bang for your buck.

Newbie: If you're new to lunges, just stepping out and returning to your starting stance can be challenging enough. Don't sweat it. Simply hold dumbbells to push yourself to the next level. Holding weights, five to 10 pounds, will make both your booty and arms work more.

Up the ante: Add bicep curls to backward lunges. As your leg lunges back, bend both elbows, bringing hand weights to your shoulders. This is a great multitasking move and is pictured above.

Learn one more killer variation.

Learn to Love: Lunges

FitSugar — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Lunges are one of those exercises people either love or hate. There is however one powerful reason to love them: they sculpt a lovely tush. They also make your legs incredibly strong, which is a bonus as well.

Considered a compound exercise, lunges work your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves, just like ever popular squats. Lunges, though, require more finesse, since you move through the motion - stepping forward, back, or to the side to lunge. This movement makes your core work more than in a squat, since you need it to maintain your balance as you move through space, especially if you are holding a weight over your head. The push-off motion, to move out of the lunge, and back to standing position translate into function fitness for running, as well as cutting on a basketball court or lunging to make a shot on the tennis court. The lunge has many variations. I like taking my lunges for a walk to help my running. Backward lunges really work my booty, and side lunges work the inner and outer thighs. You can hold dumbbells while you lunge, and you can also add bicep curls and overhead presses too. Holding a weight in one hand and lunging is also a nice challenge to your balance. Or you can always add a resistance band to your lunges as well.

Tell me below if you love or hate lunges.

Take Your Lunges For a Treadmill Walk

FitSugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:00:00 -0800

Lately, I have been pressed for time and have been searching for ways to combine strength training and cardio equipment. Trainer Jackie Warner, of Bravo TV's Workout, shared this tip with Prevention, and after trying it last night, I am going to share it with you. Add lunges to your treadmill walking workout. Not just any old lunges. Nope. Lunges with the incline set to 15 percent. To make this action doable, you must slow the belt down and decrease the treadmill speed to two and a half or three miles per hour.

You can incorporate this move into your walking workout like this: after warming up, alternate two minutes of walking lunges, holding onto the handles if you need to, with two minutes of power-walking at a one percent grade followed by two minutes of recovery walking at an easy pace.

Not only does this get your heart rate going, but this move will also tone your glutes and thighs. Try it and tell me what you think.

Green Exercise: Add Lunges to Your Walks

FitSugar — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 04:00:00 -0700

Green exercise is all about working your body without using electricity to get you going. Walking is a cheap and simple way to burn calories and you can do it anywhere, but it can be a little boring. So I add walking lunges to my walks to not only stretch the muscles in my lower body and increase flexibility in my hip flexors, but lunges also strengthen my quads and booty.

Begin by walking for ten minutes.
Then stand with your feet together. As you inhale, take a huge step forward with your right foot. Exhale, and bend your right knee and lower your left knee into a lunge position with your left heel lifted. You can lower your left knee as far down as you want until you feel a good stretch in the front of your left hip. Then inhale as you step your left foot forward to meet your right foot. Then exhale to prepare for the next lunge.
Now inhale, and step forward with your left foot. Exhale, bend the left knee and lower your right knee into a lunge. Inhale, and step your right foot forward to meet your left. Then exhale to prepare for the next lunge.
Repeat on both sides 10 to 20 times, and then go back to regular walking for 10 minutes. Then repeat the walking lunges a second time, and then walk for another 10 minutes.

Fit's Tips: Do these with a walking buddy so you don't feel silly, or walk on a quiet neighborhood street. Or you can use the indoor track at your gym, where people are doing all kinds of crazy fitness moves, so this will seem pretty normal.

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Cool Fitness Gadget: Agility Dots

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:30:00 -0800

Recently during one of my visits to the gym, I broke out the Agility Dots ($34.95 for 12) in hopes of breaking the boredom of yet another leg routine. Agility Dots are basically flat, nonslip rubber discs that you lay out in a way so that you can hit (or touch) them during agility training - we used them a lot in gym class in high school. I placed them in a clock like pattern (12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock), stood in the middle and did some dreaded round-the-clock lunges. The dots made keeping form a little easier since I knew exactly where to lunge each time, and it kept me from lunging too far or not enough. It was actually fun and I almost felt like I was playing a game of Hullabaloo, instead of doing a strenuous leg workout. If your gym doesn't have Agility Dots but you would like to try them out on your own, you can buy them here.

Mini Circuits: A Quick Workout to Fit in Anytime

FitSugar — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 04:00:00 -0800

When I am running low on time during my workout, which I am a lot especially during the holidays, I like to do a mini-circuit workout so that I still feel like I am getting in some exercise but I am not spending hours doing it. I love the little combination below, because it really works the biggest muscles in your body.

Do each of the five exercises for about one minute with a little (12 seconds) rest in between each; complete the circuit two or three times.

Squats
Lunges
Push-ups
Bridges
Plank

One round will take you about 6 minutes and so doing it three times straight through will only be about 18 minutes - not too shabby for someone who thought she wasn't going to be able to fit in a workout today.

Fit's Tip: This circuit does not require any extra equipment (aside from a watch or clock) which means you can do it virtually anywhere, even in the guest bedroom you're calling home for a few days.

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Speak Up: Five Exercises You Can't Live Without

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 15:52:46 -0700

The other day I was at the gym and I was pressed for time so in order to get the most bang for my buck I went with my tried-and-true exercises in the short time that I had. Here are my top five can't live without exercises:

Running
Dips
Plank
Lunges
Yoga

I know you've got a top five too, so I am curious what they are. Plus, maybe you'll inspire someone to get up and try something new. So tell us the top five exercises you couldn't live without in the comments section below.

Interested in winning a FitSugar tee shirt or baseball hat? Leave a comment with your top five exercises and you will be entered to win some FitSugar gear!!! I will randomly select the winner from the comments (no duplicates please) and announce the winner Monday, July 9th.

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Beach Body Beach Workout

FitSugar — Mon, 21 May 2007 04:00:00 -0700

So you've been hitting the gym a lot to get into that bikini and now that you've arrived, try and keep it that way with this beach body beach workout:

Warm-Up: Tread water for 5 minutes.
Cardio: Jog in the sand for at least 30 minutes. For an added challenge, run in ankle high water.
Walking Lunges: Walking lunges are a great variation to regular lunges. Plus doing them in the sand adds a whole new variation. Try doing 20 forward and 20 backward. For an added challenge, hold two water bottles down at your sides.
Mountain Climbers: Do 3 one minute intervals. (Hands in sand with shoulders over hands. One leg tucked, one leg extended. As quickly as possible "climb" alternating legs back and forth.) Word to the wise: You may want to close your eyes as you'll probably be kicking up a lot of sand.
Push-Ups: Do 3 sets of 10 push-ups on the sand. For an added challenge, make sure your head is at a slightly lower level than your feet.
Crab Walk: (Reverse push-up position: belly facing up, abs tight, legs out in front of you, arms extended below your shoulders, spine straight) Walk forward for 25 steps and then backward 25 steps. Repeat. For an added challenge, soak a towel and rest it on your belly for some added weight.
Crunches: Do 2 sets of 25 basic crunches in the sand -- For an added challenge position yourself so that your head is at a slightly lower level than your feet.
Cool-Down: Walk around in the sand for 5 minutes and follow with 15 high kicks.

Fit's Tip: Be sure to use a waterproof/sweatproof sunscreen and I prefer to wear sneakers (except when swimming) for support of my ankles despite the sand.

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