Friday Fitness Fun!

For an all over body strengthening exercise, try the Dumbbell Squat Press.

This move hits your shoulders, hamstrings, glutes, quads and calves.

You need a set of hand weights ( 5, 8, 10 or more pounds).

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, place a dumbbell outside each foot. With arms at your sides, squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor.

Grab each dumbbell and straighten your legs while pressing the dumbbells overhead.

Squat again and place the dumbbells to the floor.

Return to standing. That would be 1 rep. Try to do 3 sets of 10-12 reps, rest for30 seconds between sets.

* place your weight in your heels and squeeze your glutes as you stand*

Thanks to Women's Health Magazine

Friday Fitness Fun!

Today's Fitness test is balance and flexibility. I am so inflexible it is not even funny. I am almost embarrassed to admit that I am a Certified YogaFit Instructor(Disclaimer: I have not taught in over 5 years)!

I know how good yoga was to my body and saw how limber I was becoming. I am still trying to figure out why I stopped teaching and/or taking it! I will let you know when I figure it out.

The muscles that are usually the tightest are the ones in front of the body. The hip flexors and quads to be exact. A great test to assess your flexibility as well as help lengthen your muslces to new levels.

The Test:

Standing Bow Pose

Stand tall with your feet together and arms at your sides. Lift your right leg and balance on your left. Bend your right knee, reach back and grasp the inside of your right foot with your right hand. Carefully lift your right leg behind you, being sure to keep your hips square and your right knee pointed toward the floor. At the same time, lower your torso, trying to get as close to parallel as you possibly can.

Wishful: Torso vertical to 45 degrees toward the floor

Sturdy: Torso 45 -90 degrees toward floor

Strong: Torso 90 degrees toward floor

How did you do? Let me know, I would love to hear from you! or

Friday Fitness Fun!

Let's talk about upper-body strength! Women by nature are weaker in their upper-body then men are ( phooey!). It's just a fact. Those that are not genetically blessed have to really work at it. A good way to assess your upper-body strength is by doing a balance pushup. When putting your hands on a stability ball while doing pushups can make your arms work up to 30% harder than when you have them on the floor. ( Applied Physiology, Nutrition & Metabolism journal, 2007).

The test:

Get in the bottom of a pushup position with your hands on a stability ball. Keep your legs and body straight and your feet hip-width apart-balance on your toes. Extend your arms and push your torso off of the ball until your arms are nearly straight. Return to the starting position and repeat as many times as possible.

Wishful: 1-4 pushups

Sturdy: 5-7 pushups

Strong: 8+ pushups

How did you do? Let me know. I would love to hear from you!

Friday Fitness Fun!

Today's fun fitness test is all about core strength! Your core muscles not only include your abdominal, but also your back, pelvic, and hips. Strong core muscles help keep your back healthy, hold your body upright, and improve your balance. It's easy to see why core strength is so important, not just for people into fitness, but for everyone.

Performing a plank( also called a hover) is a great way to test your core strength. I know that my core strength went down the drain after I had my kids and the plank is still difficult for me to do.

Get in a plank position with your elbows on the floor directly below your shoulders. Hold your body straight. Butt down with a flat back. No arching please!! You also want to engage your abs now. Think about bringing your bellybutton up towards the ceiling and keeping it there.

Wishful: 20 to 44 seconds

Sturdy: 45 to 59 seconds

Strong: 60 seconds +

How did you do? Let me know, I would love to hear from you!

Friday Fitness Fun!

Did you ever wonder how strong your legs were?? Or your butt? Or your lower body in general for that matter. I am wondering because I always though my lower body was stronger than most, but yesterdays Cardio Kick class really has me feeling sore, sore, sore! The class choreography was not too tough this time; it was what the insane instructor had us do between every song. There were 6 songs total I believe. We had to do 20 jump lunges. It was complete craziness. I loved it. Today I am totally feeling it today too. I guess I need to do 100 jump lunges a few times a week--or not.

A good way to test your lower body strength in the privacy of your own home is by doing a timed wall sit. All you have to do is stand with your back to a wall, feet hip-width apart. Be sure to press your head, back, shoulders and hips against the wall. Lower your hips until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Hold as long as possible!!

This is a great test of muscular endurance-the amount of time yur muscles can keep going full force.

Wishful: 30 to 59 seconds ( keep practicing!)

Sturdy: 1 minute to 1:59 ( WOW!)

Tough: 2:00 plus ( Mission Possible!)

Where do you fall on the rating scale? I would love to hear from you!