Legoland!

We are on Legs today.

Pick a child, most likely your lightest one (or you can use ankle weights or a bag of potatoes...I am using Liam, weighing in around 15 or so pounds although usually I would go with Lily at 28 lbs)

Laying on your back, bring your knees in the air, feet down. Have child lay against shins. Bring your feet up to a 90 degree angle, keeping child centered on legs and then back down (feet do not touch ground.) Be slow and deliberate; do not use momentum. Do 15-30 reps.

Now set child aside. Lay on your right side and bring legs to a 90 degree angle so your body makes an L shape on the floor. (Legs are straight out and feet are flexed. You can lay head on arm if you like.) Raise Left leg, up and slowly down, 10-20 times. Change sides.

Repeat above exercises 3-5 times.

Yay! You did it, again! Good work!

Arm-or All

Hi girls,

Today we are working arms. This workout is less about strengthening and more about toning. You will need either 1 to 2 pound weights or two canned goods (I am using Lite Sliced Bartlett Pears!)

With cans or weights in each hand, press your upper arms against your body, forearms facing out. Lift weights (both hands at the same time) all the way up, elbows should stay against the body, and then down. You will do this for one minute and should be going quick enough to do 50-60 reps. (Don't let your arms go wild but definitely try to move quickly.)

Now hold your arms (and cans) down to your sides, press upper arm against your body and move them up and down like you are running, really squeezing when they are going back behind you (you should feel this in your triceps!) Again, one minute total.

Lastly, bring elbows up so that they are in line with your shoulders and punch out, moving slightly across your body, right then left repeatedly for one minute. (Keep elbows up.) You should be able to get in 60-90 punches.

Challenge: Do above exercises back to back 3-5 times

Good Job!!

Better Late then Never Abs!

Hi girls,

It's 2 p.m., do you know where YOUR abs are? You may want to hold on tight for this one. (Unless you have a rock solid tummy then you can breeze on through!)

Start flat on your back, feet straight in the air, hands lightly behind your head. Slowly open your feet to either side (a straddle in the air) and then back to center. As your feet come together again, bring your head and shoulders and bum off the ground, crunching everything tight. Do this 20 times.

Now, stay on your back, feet straight in air. Lift your head and shoulders off the ground by tightening abs. As if walking, pull your right knee toward your head, push it back up; then left knee down and back up (keeping abs tight and upper body still in the air.) 10-30 reps depending on your fitness level...if you start feeling too much strain in your neck, take a break.

Lastly, keeping legs straight in air, drop one slowly down about 3 inches off the ground, then out to the side, back in and back up. (You are making an L shape). Switch legs. Make sure to keep abs tight and don't let back arch! Do this 10-20 times.

Now, repeat the above 3 exercises, 3-5 sets.

Have a great Friday night! I'll be back tomorrow!

Legs-ersize

Time to do some more leg work!

I want you to pick up your lightest child, get into squat position and do 20 squats. (I recommend having them ride your back if they are old enough.) If you can't do this holding a child, do 30-40 squats instead.

Get down on your back, legs in the air and do 10-20 bicycle rotations, keeping abs tight.

Now find a wall, put your back against it and lower yourself into sitting position so that you are sitting with your back pressing into the wall. Hold that for one minute.

Repeat the above three exercises 2-4 sets.

Good Job!!

Arm trio

Ok girls. We are going to give our arms a good workout!

Start by warming up with 1 full minute of quick moving jumping jack arms (just like it sounds...do just the arms of the jumping jacks...like a bird flying....for a full minute...)

Now go straight into push-ups...as many as you can for a full minute! (Drop to modified push-ups on your knees if you need to!)

From there go back to a full minute of jumping jack arms.

Now find a good place for tricep dips (a chair, side of tub, countertop with feet up on chair perhaps, etc) Do a full minute or as many as you can. (Here is a you tube video if you are a newby!)

End with one more full minute of jumping jack arms and you are DONE! YAY!

Challenge: Do the entire routine 2-3 times! Good luck!

Phenomenal Abdominals

Ab time again! Yay!

Today we are going to do "The 100" (for you Pilates Fans) in three different ways!*

Lay on your back and bring your knees to your chest. Hug them tight, releasing any tension in your lower back. Take 10-20 seconds to really breathe deep breaths. Release your arms and legs so that your feet are on the ground, knees bent, arms flat on ground at either side of your body.

Now, lift your arms off the ground, fingertips together and straight out, letting the energy flow from them. Tightening your abs, bring your head and shoulders off the ground. Begin to pulse your hands up and down (as if you are saying Hi, about 2-3 inch movements) and count 100 pulses. (Keep abs tight the entire time.)

Release, bringing knees to chest, take a few breaths and put your legs all the way flat to the ground, arms going the opposite direction to really stretch those abs. That's 1.

Bring arms back to side of body, lift legs into air so that knees are bent as if you are sitting (right angle to your body). Lift arms, head and shoulders off the ground by tightening abs and pulse hands for another 100.

Release and stretch out. That's 2.

Now, bring arms back to your sides, legs straight into the air either straight up and down or at a 45 degree angle (or somewhere in between), depending on your fitness level. Tighten abs, raise arms, head and shoulders and pulse hands for another 100.

Release, stretch out and you are done! Yay! EXCELLENT WORK!

Challenge: Go through the entire routine again 2-4 sets (all at once or throughout the day.)

*If you have no idea what I am talking about, view this video from TauMed Health.

Lots-a-Legs

Get down on all fours (in crawling position). Lift right leg straight up, keeping back straight and abs tight, lower leg slowly to ground, gently tap foot and bring back up. Repeat for 1 minute. Switch legs.

Rest for 30 seconds in child's pose (sitting on knees, bring head to ground, hands either stretched out on floor in front or behind you.)

Get back on all fours. Lift right leg straight up. Tighten abs and bum as you curl foot towards your back (working the hamstring.) Do 1 minute of VERY DELIBERATE AND SLOW curls. Switch legs.

Rest in child's pose.

Get back on all fours. Lift right leg straight back. Tap toe on ground and this time bring knee to chest, kick leg back out then tap toe again and repeat. (Toe tap, knee to chest, leg back out, toe tap etc...) These are quick motions but make sure to keep abs tight and don't arch back. 1 minute per leg.

If you need more challenge, repeat the above 3 exercises back to back 3-5 times!

YAY! You did it! GREAT JOB!

Shoulder Sculpting

Let's get those shoulders in shape!

You are going to walk in place while doing these.

Start walking in place, arms straight out to your side, fingertips pointed strong, as if energy is flowing out of you. (I call these airplane arms with my kids!)

Slowly move arms in small, quick forward circles. Do this a FULL minute then switch the way of the circle and do another FULL minute. Drop arms and shake two or three times.

Now, bring fists close to ears, elbows straight out to side. Push arms up, opening hands and bringing them close together above your head. Bring arms back down as hands close into fists again. Do this 30 seconds to a minute.

Now, repeat all of the above for a total of 2-5 sets.

Challenge: Do it again later in the day! Your shoulders should be fatigued when you are done.

YAY! YOU DID IT!

Abracadabra Abs!

Lay on your back, feet straight up in the air, hands lightly behind your head. Keeping legs straight, scissor your legs back and forth while bringing opposite elbow toward knees. The larger the leg movement, the more your abs work but be careful not to arch your back.

Do 20-40 reps.

Stand up and do 20 windmills. (Legs apart, making a triangle with the floor. Arms straight out to the side. Bring right hand down to left foot and back up. Then left hand to right foot, etc.)

Repeat the two exercises until the time is up. 3-5 reps each.

Yay! You did it!

Leg toners

Start in a lunge position, right foot flat on the ground in front of you and your left foot behind (on the ball of the foot so most of your weight is on the other leg). Jump up, changing foot position in air so that you land with left in front and right in back. Upon landing immediately repeat the jump. Move your arms as if you were running in stride with the jump. Do 16-20 jumps.

Rest with 20 calf raises.

Now stand with legs apart, in squat position. Put hands straight out in front of you as you squat down. Jump up so that legs come off the ground and point your toes at the top to flex your calf muscles. Land, coming all the way back down into a squat. Do 10-15 jumps.

Rest with 20 calf raises.

Repeat both types of jump with calf raises in between. 2-4 sets.

Good work!!!

(Thanks to the Daily Workouts at FitNiche for the lunge jump idea!)

Arms

We are briefly working arms today but I think it is time for a good stretch!

Stand with your right shoulder facing a wall. (You should be a good few feet away from the wall so that when you lean against it you are at a slight angle!) Put your right hand against the wall a few inches under shoulder height. Bend your elbow, lowering your body weight into the wall like a push-up. You should feel this mostly in your shoulder. Push up and repeat 10 times.

Switch arms. Do 3-5 sets.

Follow this with side balance pose.

Now, take the rest of the time to really stretch. You've been working hard the last few weeks and your body needs some good stretching. Here are some more ideas for stretching.


Great Work!!!!

Absolutely Abs!

It's Abs day again: Here we go!

Start in standing position. Arms up so that elbows stick out at shoulder height and hands are touching neck slightly. Bring right knee up towards left elbow, crunching body in on the way up. Try to get knee above belly button to really work abs. Un-crunch yourself, bringing leg down so that toe taps ground and then crunch back up. Repeat this movement 40 times. Switch legs.

Lay down on the ground. Do bicycle crunches: Lift head off the ground, gently supporting neck with hands, bring right knee to chest while you extend left leg out (keep leg off ground). Slightly lean left elbow to right knee before switching sides. Do these for one minute. (And if you have a baby-scarred belly like me, feel free to close your eyes and imagine your tummy as it was pre-kids!)

Jump back up and repeat both exercises. (3 sets each.)

YAY! YOU DID IT!

Arms and Heart

Ok Olympians, today we are doing arms and a little heart. :-)

Start with 50 jumping jacks.

Drop down to the ground and do 10 modified power push-ups. (Get into push-up position on your knees and when you push up, you are pushing off the ground so that both hands come off the ground.)

Repeat: Jumping jacks then push-ups, 3-5 sets.

Yay! Great work!

Legs

Standing to the side of a box (or any stable object that's 6 to 12 inches high, like a stool or something) place the foot closest to the box on top of the box. Use the leg on the box to raise the body until the weighted leg is extended, then lower to almost starting position WITHOUT TOUCHING GROUND. Perform 10 reps on each leg.

Now stand in front of a chair so that you can put left leg back, top of foot resting on chair. Squat down on right leg, keeping knee in line with toes. Push back up. Repeat 10 times and switch legs.

Now, repeat both exercises but quicker.

Repeat again VERY VERY SLOWLY. (If you need more of a workout, do both exercises until you can't feel your lower body, hee hee hee....)

Make it count!

Abs

Olympians don't get days off!

We are working abs (plus some).

Lay on your back, legs straight out. Bring your right leg, bent to your chest. Raise your left foot off the ground. Very slowly and deliberately bring left knew too chest while straightening out Right leg. Feet do NOT touch the floor but come to about an inch from the floor.

This is SLOW and DELIBERATE! Do 20 reps.

Get up and we are going to do 20 kicks. Stand straight up, keep abs tight. Bring right knee up belly button height or higher, kick forward from knee. Put leg down and do left leg. (If you feel muscle tightness in your hamstrings, stop to stretch first.)

Now, repeat the two exercises two more times.

Make it count everyone!!!!

Speed Squats

Stand with your feet flat and positioned slightly more than hip-width apart. Cross your arms over your chest and align your head with your upper body. Slowly squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor or as close to parallel as you can comfortably get them. Keep your torso straight and don't let your knees extend over your toes. Perform this exercise as quickly as possible using the proper form.

GOAL: 3 sets of 25 followed by 1 slow set of 10 with a 2 second pause at the bottom.

CHALLENGE: If you want to and difficulty, you can use bands by placing them under your feet with the handles held shoulder high. Be sure the bands are placed behind the elbows. Have fun!

Courtesy of FitNiche

Arms

We are back to arms today. We are going to do a dip mix.

Aim for 40 dips. Seriously. Here's the way:

Find a chair or step or something you can do a tricep dip on (Iuse the side of my tub). Put your hands on the chair so that you are facing away from it, hands are pointing out, elbows back. Legs should be out in front with your knees bent. Do 10 dips.

Relax by doing 20 windmills: Legs are a little farther than hips width apart. Arms are stretched out to either side. Bring your right hand to left foot trying to keep legs and arms straight. Come up. Bring left hand to right foot. Come up straight.

Now, back to dips. This time, raise your right foot off the ground. Do 10 dips.

20 Windmills.

10 more dips, left foot off the ground.

20 windmills.

10 more dips, this time, keep legs straight, no bent knees.

20 windmills.

YAY! YOU DID IT!

Core Training

Today we are working a bit of the core.

Get into Dolphin Plank Pose (for you yogis).

You should be on your forearms with legs extended back: (push-up position except on forearms.)

Bring your right foot off the ground. Slowly bend your knee underneath your body toward your left shoulder, then push your leg back out and slightly to the right, keeping abs tight and careful not to hyperextend your back. Repeat 20 times and then change legs.

Do 3-5 sets.

NOTE: If you can't do this move on your forearms, you can do regular plank pose (the upper half of a push-up) and still get the motion in.

Make it count ladies!

Calf Muscles

Calves! Yay!

Start with doing 20 calf raises.

Next, spread your legs into squatting position (slightly father apart than your shoulders) squat down and then jump out of the squatting position using your calf muscles (as well as everything else) pointing your toes in the air. Come back down into squat position resting hands on your thighs. Repeat 10-20 times.

Repeat raises and jumps for the 5 minutes, or until your legs are too tired to move (hee hee hee...)

Oh, and you might want to stretch afterwards...these tend to be a little unforgiving in the morning. :-)

Push-up Trio

Today we are going to work our arms for 5 minutes. Ready?

Find a wall. Stand about 3 feet in front of it. Place hands against wall, shoulder width apart. Do as many wall-push ups as you can (stopping at one minute.)

Relax with 20 jumping jacks.

Find a sturdy chair, (countertop, side of tub, car bumper or other such object) and do as many push-ups as you can.

20 jumping jacks.

Now do as many regular push-ups on the floor as you can (knees bent are okay too!)

20 Jumping Jacks.

Repeat all of the above until the 5 minutes is up or you can go no more!

Make it count everyone!

Stretch

If you are like me, you follow the Olympics with excitement and a bit of envy... Look at their fitness level! The shape and tone of their bodies and muscles! Wow! And of course, you may have also heard the story of Dara Torres, 41 years old mother of a toddler, deciding to make another Olympic go b/c she needed something to do to keep herself fit during her pregnancy! (And then taking home several Silver Medals!) What inspiration! Or what about the inspiring story of Oskana Chusovitina, (who won the silver medal in vault), a 33-year-old mother competing in her fifth Olympics. She dedicated the medal to her 9-year-old son, Alisher, who has leukemia.

So, in honor of the Olympic moms and moms everywhere, I have decided to start the 5-Minute Olympian. You can do these even with kids running about. It will be just enough to make you feel like you did a little something (perhaps give you that extra afternoon boost!), which is better than nothing right?! And who knows, it may just make you feel a little like an Olympian!

Okay, today's is easy: Spend 5 minutes stretching your legs and back. Seriously. Think: Quads, hamstrings, calves, spinal twists. Need some ideas?

Each moment can make a lasting impression on our bodies and lives! Let's make it count everyone!