Tag: Fitness

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Which Way to the Gun Show?

Welcome to part one of a three part series on the best ways to work your arms and shoulders!  I’m going to start with my top five triceps exercises that can be done at home or in the gym using only your body and a set of dumbbells.
#5 Dumbbell Skull Crushers
If you don’t have a stability ball or a bench these can be done lying on the floor.  Make sure that you’re isolating those triceps by hinging at the elbows and not allowing your upper arm to swing or drop.  Once you’ve got this move down, try turning the dumbbells horizontally and bringing them across your body to your opposite shoulder.  Do one side at a time and be sure to hinge at your elbows.  Now you’re isolating a different part of the triceps and practicing muscle confusion in the process!
#4 Bench Dips
Try this exercise with your feet flat on the ground and your knees at a 90 degree angle before you try it as it’s shown in the video above.  If it seems easy with your feet flat and knees bent, straighten out your legs and keep your feet on the floor.  If it still seems easy, go ahead and elevate your feet to allow for a deeper dip and larger range of motion.
#3 Overhead Triceps Extension
Overhead triceps extensions can be completed sitting or standing.  Try it both ways and see what you think!  Remember to choose a heavier dumbbell than you would usually work with as you are using both hands to lift it.  A weight that makes it tough but not impossible to complete 12-15 repetitions correctly is what you’re looking for on all of these exercises.  To make this more of a core workout try sitting on a stability ball rather than a chair.  Remember to hinge at your elbows and keep those upper arms stationary to isolate the triceps.
#2 Plank Hold with Triceps Kickback
This is a challenging way to work your core and your triceps at the same time.  If this is too advanced for you right now, start from your knees.  If that seems too easy try lifting one knee up and performing the kickbacks with your opposite arm.  Another option is to hold yourself up on your forearms rather than your hands.  This is no beginners exercise, but keep at the modifications until you gain enough core strength to try the advanced version.
#1 Diamond Pushups
By bringing your hands close together during your pushups you are able to work your triceps more than your chest.  Diamond pushups are not easy!  If you don’t have great upper body strength start from your knees and work up to your toes.  You may also do these against the wall or at an angle with your feet on the ground and your hands on something elevated like a picnic table.  Each of these modifications are great ways to start gaining enough strength in your triceps to do a regular diamond pushup.  Try a few of the modifications out to see where your starting point is.
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My Top 10 Butt Exercises

Why anyone would want to base their goals on any of the girls in the following video is beyond me:


Nevertheless, I’ve just received a challenge to mold one of my client’s posterior into Kim Kardashian’s keister.  Sooo, while Kim may not kayak often, I am willing to bet that she does hit these exercises in the gym.  Here are my top 10 butt exercises for lifting, toning, and strengthening…


10.  Dead Lift

When executed correctly, this exercise can work wonders for your butt!  As you stand up straight, completing each repetition of the exercise, be sure to squeeze your glutes for an added bonus.  

The “romanian” or “stiff leg” dead lift is a great butt exercise as well.  It works the hamstrings and low back, but again, squeezing everything tight after each repetition makes for a crazy butt workout too!  For an added challenge, stagger your feet placing one foot back and keeping the bulk of your weight on your front foot.  Hold your abs in and lower the weight.  A few sets of these seal the soreness every time.

9.  Walking on an Incline

Walking may seem like an easy form of cardio for people who are used to a more strenuous workout.  However, if you raise that treadmill incline up to about as high as you can handle you will end up with a sore but perky reason to give walking another chance.

8.  Hip Abduction

There are several ways to perform a hip abduction so stay open minded and be creative.  Whether it is a machine that you sit on and push your thighs apart, a machine with a cable that you swing your leg away from, a resistance band under your feet that you walk side to side with, or a simple leg lift you execute while lying on your side, hip abductions will bring you the butt burn you are seeking.  Remember to squeeze your glutes tight during every repetition for an unbeatable burn and the best results.
7.  Rear Kick

This exercise makes for a strong backside and a sizzling burn.  Most gyms have a machine to simulate the rear kick.  Pack on the weight so that it’s challenging to complete 12-15 reps.  Push through your heel and make sure your form doesn’t suffer during your set.  If you can feel yourself using your upper body or core even more than your legs you need to lower the weight.  Rear kicks can also be completed with a resistance band, no weight at all, standing, or on your hands and knees.  The important thing is that you challenge yourself and your body by switching things up.

6.  Leg Press

The leg press machine is a staple in every gym.  There are many different versions of this machine and I encourage you to try each.  Find a weight that makes 12-15 reps challenging but doable and press away.  Consider moving your feet out wide and pointing your toes slightly outward to isolate the glutes even more.

5.  Rollerblading 

Whether it is roller blades or ice skates, the side to side motion that skating entails will leave you with a first class fanny!  Some gyms have cardio machines that simulate skating and you might be surprised at how tough they can be.  Be it in the gym or outside, your butt won’t be the only thing burning with this exercise.  Count on burning about 250 calories for every 30 minutes of skating.

4.  Squats

There are about a million different ways to do a squat.  This is another exercise that creativity and open-mindedness can take a long way.  Try a standard squat with your feet shoulder width apart.  Pay attention to the placement of your knees.  If they are moving forward beyond your toes as you are squatting down you need to work on correcting your form.  Place a chair behind you then sit down and stand up.  Keep your butt back and your weight in your heels.  Your knees should not be doing the work here.  When they stay behind your toes you know you’re working your butt and thighs!  

Try moving your feet out wide and pointing your toes slightly outward.  Squat down and squeeze everything tight on your way back up.  You should feel this type of squat in your butt and inner thighs.  For more of a challenge add weight.

3.  Running

These top three butt exercises can probably also be found in a lot of people’s top three most hated exercises.  Give them another chance if you’re serious about toning up your back end.  Running, alone, can burn up to 400 calories per 30 minutes.  Interval training can be a great way to overcome the mental aspect of running while giving your body an even greater physical challenge.  Try running at a challenging speed for 45 seconds followed by 60 to 90 seconds of a reasonably paced walk.  Repeat this until you reach a mile.  For additional toughness jack up that incline!

2.  Lunges

Ahh, the dreaded lunge.  I don’t really have any tips to make these any easier or more exciting.  However, like squats, dead lifts, and hip abductions, lunges come in several different styles.  Practice alternating lunges, walking lunges, and side lunges to keep your body guessing.  Step backward into a reverse lunge or reverse walking lunge to give your glutes an extra workload.  Add weight to any of these lunge types to make them more difficult.



Finally, what may be the worst and best thing that’s ever happened to you…..


1.  Stair Climbing

Don’t think this has to be done on a stairmaster or stepper.  Get outdoors if the weather is nice, try to make the most out of an exercise that sucks!  Whether you’re in the gym or outside, keep an open mind if you’re getting a stair workout in.  Try climbing steps forward, backward, and sideways.  Try skipping every other step or if you’re really coordinated doing the grapevine on your way up.  If you can survive a moderate intensity 30 minute stair climbing workout you can burn over 400 calories and be one “step” closer to bootylicious.

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My Top 5 Stability Ball Exercises

After a recent inquiry about what exactly can be done with a stability ball, I’ve decided to post five of my favorite exercises and a couple of tips that will help you incorporate core work into your total body routine.  Aside from the exercises listed below, remember that you can use a stability ball as a flat bench or an incline bench.  Try exercises like the chest press lying flat on your ball for a good way to engage your core!

#1 STABILITY BALL SQUAT


This is a pretty easy exercise and a good way for people with suffering knees to strengthen their thighs and glutes.  Notice how this guy is keeping his knees behind his toes and practicing good posture by keeping his back straight.  It is not necessary to bend your knees any further than 90 degrees.  I would emphasize that suggestion if you consider yourself to have bad knees.

If this version of the exercise is too easy for you, consider holding dumbbells to increase the intensity.  Still too easy?  Consider adding a front raise or curl to your squat on the way down or a shoulder press on the way up.


#2 STABILITY BALL CRUNCHES


Using a stability ball to do standard crunches is one way to add some variety to your core workout.  While standard crunches tend to isolate your upper abdomen, balancing on a stability ball forces your entire core to stay engaged.  

Try this exercise without the weight first.  If you feel confident remaining stable on the ball you can increase the intensity of your crunches by holding a weight behind your head or above your chest.  You may also choose to bring your elbow toward your opposite knee to include your obliques in the exercise.  Finally, you may try placing your feet flat on a wall rather than flat on the ground to challenge your core even more!

#3 STABILITY BALL PUSHUPS


This exercise is a little more challenging.  I would suggest starting with your thighs on the ball rather than your feet.  As you gain strength and confidence move the ball back to your knees, shins, feet, and finally toes.  The wider you keep your hands the more of a chest workout you will get.  The closer you keep your hands the more you work your triceps.  Keep in mind that the chest muscles are much larger than the triceps muscles.  For that reason, wider hands make for easier pushups.

Want to try something different even more challenging?  Keep your feet on the ground and your hands on the stability ball. Complete a set of pushups this way, but not until you feel ready strength wise. 


#4 STABILITY BALL GLUTE RAISES

For a great glute and hamstring workout try these out.  Ideally, you want to keep your hips raised through an entire set.  If that’s too difficult for you, start by raising your hips for each repetition and work up.  To make this exercise more difficult try keeping one foot on the ball while raising the other straight up into the air.  


#5 STABILITY BALL ROLL-INS


For an advanced way to work your lower abs and entire core try these.  Looking for a way to make these tougher?  Try keeping your legs straight and rolling the ball in with a pike rather than a tuck.  Think I’m crazy?  Okay, just try adding a pushup between every rep.  ðŸ™‚

Hope this was helpful!  If there is something you’re interested in learning more about email me at Jess@napfitpt.com.  You might end up making the blog!