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I'm sure you've heard the saying, "a calorie is a calorie," and that when weight loss is the goal, you can probably loose weight on a 1,200 calorie/day diet whether it is 1,200 Twinkie calories or apple calories. At this point, you might be thinking, "Cool! I'll go on the Twinkie diet!"   Our bodies are smarter than that though, and I say, thank goodness. I know - I'm no fun at all :-). Last week at the grocery one of my kiddos held up a box of Twinkies and had the audacity to ask me to purchase them. I nearly burst a vessel in my forehead trying to restrain myself from smashing the box with......
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Being that it is summer, and there are vacations, kids home from school, camps, a lot of running around in circles...sometimes a workout is hard to knock out, even when intentions are high. When that happens, I have a 30-minute, total body workout that requires very little equipment, yet will leave you dripping in sweat. Wanna hear it? Here it is... You'll need:  a set of 10 or 12lb wts (lighter if you like), a resistance tube 5-10 minute warm up @ 40-50% max heart rate Set 1: 10-14 Burpees (also called pop squats) 3-way lunges w/ dumbbells: Start with weaker leg leading. Take one lunge forwa......
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Stumbled upon a few deals I'd like to pass along: 20% off planners! For all of you planners out there (you know who you are, planning each workout weeks in advance), get a head start on school year planning at MomAgenda. MomAgenda is offering 20% off small School Year books (use code: schoolyearsmom) Visit MomAgenda.com, offer expires 7.31.2011 *P.S. I LOVE MomAgenda planners. Seriously, love them - totally created by moms, for moms. Enough said. EatingWell magazine has a new book out: EatingWell 500-calorie Dinners for $22.45 (10% off the regular price). While you are planning workouts in you......
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Check out this video if you are unfamiliar with trigger point therapy... TPR Therapy, Ironman competitor Have you ever wished you could afford a personal masseuse? One who could come to your home, preferably daily, to help relieve you of the knots and muscle tightness that inevitably occur from daily workouts and, well, being a mom? In search of a solution to my IT band issues, I tried a chiropractor (not money well spent), stretching, massage therapy (therapist too gentle to release deep tissue), and my O.D. The O.D. provided the most valuable information: without proper biomechanics, the bod......
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The mysterious " fat burning zone " continues to confuse many gym-goers. The theory goes something like this: working out in a "zone" of intensity that is less intense for at least 20 minutes will burn more fat calories than calories from carbohydrate. Is this true? Yes and no, but mostly no. You actually burn more calories from fat right now, sitting still, reading this post, than you do on the treadmill. That is because in the resting state, the body burns a higher percentage of fat calories. As you crank up the exercise intensity, you burn a little less fat per calorie. However, it really c......
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Raise your hand if you loath abdominal crunches. My hand is up too. They are boring, and quite honestly, there are other exercises that are way more fun and more effective at strengthening the midsection than crunches. In fact, I very rarely even put crunches on my clients’ programs. Instead, I trick them into doing ab work with moves that require multiple joints, and usually a toy.

Stability Ball Knee Tucks are among my all time faves. The toy of choice: the stability ball (and if you don’t have one, visit
Perform Better and grab a quality Fitball Sports Stability Ball- they are the best!)

To begin this exercise, it is easiest to kneel in front of your stability ball and roll out over the top of it until the ball is under your knees. Notice the amount of core stabilization required to hold the ball steady under the weight of your legs even before you begin the first rep! Amazing.

Hands should be stacked directly under the shoulders. For clients who have wrist issues, I use neoprene dumbbells, which are slightly padded and more comfortable, and have them grip those while in this plank position so that the wrists are neutral rather than bent. Abdominals should be drawn in toward the spine. I refer to this as “zipping it up,” and head/neck should be neutral (i.e, don’t look at the ball, the ceiling, your cell phone…).

Next, slowly draw your knees toward your chest while keeping abdominals muscles engaged throughout the movement. Hold for 2 counts, then return to the starting position for 2 counts. Repeat for 8-14 reps.

Check out the video from ACE for a visual reference: Stability Ball Knee Tucks Video

To advance this exercise, start with the ball placed under the shins, or even the toes if you really want to go gangbusters.

Note: if you experience any back pain at all during this exercise, STOP, and do not continue. Consult your trainer before attempting this exercise again.



* Note: Blue Sky Gym and the author disclaim any liability for any injury, physical or emotional, suffered during or as a result of exercise or activities recommended. As always, you should use common sense and consult your health professional before beginning any exercise routine or program.

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