1/11/10 Mon Daily Dose of Exercise Motivation (Day 6 of 12 Wk Plan)

No replies

Sun, 01/10/2010 - 11:11pm

thinkhappy

Offline

Joined: Feb 10 2008

Points: 24385

Welcome back to Monday, Nesters! Time to work off that weekend slide that ended up on our backsides! We're continuing our 12-Weeks to Weight Loss Plan! Enjoy - and even if you can't do it all, whatever you can do is AWESOME! And remember, these exercises remain in our Daily Dose Forum forever - so you'll always know where to find them!

Check back and let us know how you did!

Day 6 - Core Strength

Today you're going to focus on strengthening your core with some new workout ideas. You'll learn how to work your abs with a little more action (not just lying on the floor and crunching up and down). You'll also take a look inside your pantry to see what can go (here's a hint: get rid of the Twinkies).

Cardio Focus: Active Rest

Your focus today is on being active and having fun. Don't worry about heart rate, intensity or any of that other stuff.

Take your dog for a long walk
Take the kids or your spouse out for a leisurely bike ride
If it's cold outside, stay indoors and put on your favorite CD or radio station. Do a little dance...no one's looking.
Wash the car...twice.

Strength and Flexibility Focus: Core Strength

First, get warmed up by taking a short walk or doing a few minutes of light cardio or marching in place. Then, do the workouts below to strengthen your abs and back in challenging ways:

Dynamic Abs

This workout involves a resistance band, an exercise ball and a medicine ball. If you don't have all of the equipment shown, either subsitute or do the exercises without the equipment.

Try these unique exercises that target the muscles of the torso in new and dynamic ways. This workout is perfect if you're tired of the same old crunches!

Wood-chopsAnchor a resistance band near the floor and stand with left side facing it. Hold handle with both hands and, keeping your hips forward, sweep your arms up and across your body in a diagonal until arms are over the right side of your body. If you don't have a resistance band you can use a medicine ball, a light dumbbell or nothing at all. Don't swing--do the movement slowly.

For Beginners: Do 1 set of 8-12 repetitions of each exercise. Modify anything that isn't comfortable.

For Intermediate: Do 2 sets of 8-12 reps.

For Advanced: Do 3 or more sets of 8-12 repetitions.

Always...

Warm up with 5-10 minutes of cardio
Do this workout in addition to weights and cardio exercise for best results.

Beginner	Advanced	*Ball Pikes* Lie facedown with ball under shins/ankles, body supported on hands (like a pushup). Beginners, bend the knees and roll the ball in towards the chest--try to keep your back straight and contract the abs. Roll out and repeat. Advanced, keep the legs straight, contract the abs and pull the ball in in a pike position until toes are on the ball.
*Obliques* Sit with legs bent, back straight, arms extended straight out in front of you. Contract the abs and sweep right arm down and behind you in a half-circle motion, leaning the torso back a few inches. Sit back up and repeat on other side.
		*Lying Torso Twists* Lie in the floor with knees pulled in over the chest. Place a ball between knees and stretch arms our to the sides like an airplane, palms facing up. Contract the abs and twist the hips to the right, bringing knees towards the floor (keep your shoulders flat on the floor). Don't touch the floor, but use the abs to bring knees back to start and go to the other side.
*Side-Plank Hip Lift* Lie on your side balanced on forearm, feet and hips stacked on top of one another, other hand behind head. Holding the torso steady, slowly contract your abs and lift the hips off the floor (don't sink into shoulder). Lower and repeat.