Thursday, June 18, 2009

Ohhhh it's hot!

It's so hard for a lot of us to workout when it's so hot. I know that.
Here is my suggestion to you....it's going to take a little effort on your part, but then again, everything does.
Workout twice in one day.
Start with a brisk 20-30 minute walk in the morning, right when you wake up, before work....this means you have to get up earlier, but that's ok, you'll get used to it.

Do your next workout in the evening. This could be weights, more cardio, a bike ride, anything. This should last at least 30 minutes as well.

Remember this is not leaisure time, this is heart pumping, sweating and muscle burning time.

Make it count.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Plank

The plank exercise ranked number 10 in the ACE study and is a great way to build endurance in both the abs and back, as well as stabilizer muscles. 

To do it right:

1. Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor.
2. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows.
3. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.
4. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air. 
5. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps.