Sculpt A Better Bottom Today With These Exercises

We’re always complaining about how backsides, but how much are we really doing to improve them? Nowhere near enough. Almost every time you’re standing on your feet, you’re working your glutes and hamstrings, but most people spend too much time sitting down to really see any sort of benefit from this easy and necessary action. Your glutes are the most powerful and largest muscle group in the body, as well as being responsible for burning calories and boosting your metabolism, so it’s a shame that so many people aren’t putting them to good use. If you neglect them for too long, your bum becomes slack and difficult to tone up.  There are loads of ways to tone up this area of your body and with some easy move too; here are some of the best ways to tone up and really see results soon.

Facedown Hip External Rotation

This move may look easy but it’s actually one of the most challenging and effective moves for targeting your external hip muscles which have a major impact on your glutes. You begin by lying facedown on the floor with your arms folded under your head and your legs extended straight behind you. Bend your right leg, knee pointed out, and place your foot on the back of your left knee. Keep both of your hips on the floor and contract your right bum cheek and lift your right knee a few inches off the floor, without raising your hip. Pause and then return slowly to the starting position. Complete 10 to 12 reps on each side.

Dumbbell Straight-Leg Deadlift

Focus on your form here and this will be your new BFF when it comes to glute-boosting workouts. Grab a pair of five to eight-pound dumbbells and hold them in front of your thighs keeping your feet hip-width apart. Bend at your hips to lower your torso until it’s almost parallel to the floor, keeping your weights close to your body. Return to standing and keep the weights close to your body at all times. This is one rep – complete 10 to 12 of these.

Dumbbell Bent-Knee Deadlift

This is a real challenge for your glutes, so try increasing the weight when you’ve practiced this for a while so as to boost your metabolism. Begin with a pair of 10 to 15-pound dumbbells on the floor in front of you. Squat, keeping your chest up, and grab the dumbbells with an overhand grip. Your arms should be straight and your lower back slightly arched, but not rounded. Tighten your glutes and stand up with the dumbbells, straightening your legs and thrusting your hips forward, whilst pulling your torso back and up. Slowly lower the dumbbells to the floor. That’s one rep – complete 10 to 12 reps for a set.

Sideways Band Shuffle

This is great for toning up your saddlebags, by enlisting your smaller glute muscles and tightening them up. Place a resistance band loop around your ankles and stand with your feet hip-width apart, keeping your hands on your hips. Step your left foot to the left and place as much tension on the band as possible, then bring your right leg to the left. Do all reps to the left, then repeat on your right side.

 

Single Leg Hip Extension

Lie face up with your arms to your sides and your right knee bent, with your left leg straight and raised a few inches off the floor. Lift your left until it’s in line with your right thigh and push your hips upwards, forming a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Pause and lower to your starting position. Do all reps then switch legs.

Categories: dumbbells, exercise, feet hip, fitness, floor, glutes, hip width, left, pound dumbbells, rep complete, starting position, weights close

How Plyometric Exercises Can Help You Burn Calories

If you’ve ever been to the gym and seen people doing a series of high-intensity, rapid jumps or skips, you’ve probably been witnessing plyometrics. This type of high-octane training taps into energy stored in your muscles to encourage development in these areas, as well as cardio functioning, stamina and agility. A recent study found that a moderate plyo routine done on a hard surface could even improve your athletic performance. But the best news is that because of the energy needed to do them, they burn a massive amount of calories. So whether you want to boost your performance on the field, want to tone up fast or simply want to mix up your regime for a more exciting workout, this collection of plyometric moves can really do wonders for your exercise programme. For each of the exercises, do two to three sets of 10 reps. But remember – perfect form is key so take a break if your form begins to slip.

Squat Jumps

Begin by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart and your hands clasped behind your head. Keeping your weight on your heels, squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then hold the position for a second. Without counter-movement and without using your arms, jump as high as possible and be sure to absorb the impact when you land by pushing your hips back and flexing your knees. Repeat until you’ve completed all reps.

Scissor Jumps (Alternating legs)

Stand in a split squat position with your left foot forward and your right foot back, and your right arm forward and left arm back. Keep your chest up and jump, scissoring your arms and legs at the same time so that the opposite arm comes forward with the opposite leg. When you land, reverse the jump and scissor your legs back to the original starting position, then repeat.

Tuck Jumps

Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your hands at your sides, keeping your weight on your heels. Quickly push your hips back while flexing at the knees to squat down into a quarter-squat. Swing your arms backwards and without pausing at the bottom of the squat, reverse the direction and explosively jump into the air, popping your knees up to your chest. When you land, make sure that you absorb the impact by pushing your hips back and flexing at the knees. Repeat single efforts for the correct number of repetitions, or as a series of multiple repetition jumps.

Standing Broad Jump

Begin by standing with your feet hip-width apart and with your hands at your sides. Face the direction of your jump and quickly push your hips back and flex your knees into a quarter squat. As you do this, swing your arms backwards, then without pausing, jump forwards as you swing your arms forwards. When landing, absorb the impact by pushing your hips back and flexing your knees. You can repeat as a single effort or as multiple repetitions.

Slalom Hops

Stand in an upright position with your knees slightly bent and your feet shoulder-width apart. Flex your knees to quickly drop your body 10 to 12 inches, the rapidly explode upwards, forwards and to the side. Swing your arms forcefully upwards, and immediately repeat the jump upon landing, but forwards and in the opposite direction.As with the other exercises, be sure to absorb the impact by flexing your knees rather than keeping them locked.

Categories: arms, exercise, feet hip, fitness, hip width, jump, Knees, knees repeat, Plyometrics, quarter squat, quickly push, Squat

Love Your Legs: How to Get the Muscle Tone of Champions

If you look at any top female athlete, do you expect to see skinny legs? Of course not. What you’ll find is beautifully defined muscles from hip to toe – and there’s nothing wrong with that! Women tend to see toned, thicker legs as a bad thing – thanks, in part, to phrases such as “thunder thighs” – but why let a silly phrase like that impact your fitness or wellbeing? We should be celebrating our muscles, and sculpting them to compete or workout at a higher athletic level. You may worry that growing your legs can affect your weight wellness, but you don’t need to add on weight or fat. Rather, you need to challenge your muscles and get proper nutrition to have the thighs of glory you deserve.

 

‘If you want to grow your legs, you need a weight lifting plan,’ says wellness writer Danielle Restuccia. ‘If you are lifting light weights and doing endless repetitions, you will get a lean look but not a toned, muscular one. In fact, by lifting just a few pounds of weights, you will decrease size! This is how you know if you are lifting heavy enough to grow your legs: If you can complete your number of desired repetitions (say 12) easily and could continue with a few more, then you are not lifting heavy enough. You should be able to lift comfortably for the first few reps, and complete the last two reps of your set with difficulty. Your muscle should be fatigued enough to continue further than the 12th repetition.’

 

If you’re up for the challenge, try the Love Your Legs workout. You need to do two to three sets of 15 to 20 reps of each exercise:

 

1. Split squat: Restuccia instructs, ‘Place your left foot on a chair positioned behind you, hands on hips. Squat until your right knee reaches 90 degrees. Switch legs. Add dumbbells for more challenge.’

 

2. Sissy squat: ‘Using a chair for stability, stand with feet hip-width apart and rise onto your toes,’ Restuccia advises. ‘Simultaneously bend your knees and lean your torso back until your knees reach 90 degrees. Maintain a straight line between knees and shoulders.’

 

3. Pistol squat: Restuccia directs, ‘With feet hip-width apart, lift your right foot a few inches off the ground, toes pointed up. Squat until your left knee reaches 90 degrees, keeping your right heel off the ground.’

 

4. Goblet squat: ‘Stand with feet farther than shoulder-width apart, turning your toes out,’ Restuccia outlines. ‘With your hands, hold a dumbbell near your chest (like a goblet), keeping elbows out to the sides. Squat until your knees reach 90 degrees. Jump slightly as you rise.’

 

5. Three-way lunge: Restuccia details, ‘Place feet hip-width apart and hold your hands together in front of your chest. Do three lunges, each with your knee reaching 90 degrees: one toward the front, one toward the side, and one to the back.’

 

6. Good Morning: ‘Put feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ends of a dumbbell with your hands,’ Restuccia suggests. ‘Place the weight under your chin. Slowly bend forward from the waist to 90 degrees, keeping your legs straight and pressing your butt back backward.’

 

7. Single-leg dead lift: ‘Stand with feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand,’ says Restuccia. ‘Bend at the hip, extending your right leg behind you and keeping your abs tight. Hinge forward until your body is parallel to the floor, arms hanging down.’

 

8. Bridges: Restuccia notes, ‘Lie on the floor and place a small towel under your heels. With arms by your sides, lift your hips off the floor, pressing your heels into the ground and forming a straight line from knees to shoulders.’

 

9. Calf raise three ways: ‘Stand on a box or stair, letting your heels hang back over the edge,’ Restuccia comments, ‘Then turn your toes inward and lift your heels. When you’ve done two to three sets of that, repeat the exercise with toes turned outward and then with them pointed straight.’

Categories: feet hip, hip width, knee reaches, knees reach, legs, lifting heavy, Muscle, shoulder width, shoulders nbsp, squat restuccia, straight line, Women

Family Fitness: A Fun Workout You and Your Kids Will Love

Fitness and wellness are both worthy goals to aspire to, but they can be a bit, well, boring. Sure, you want to take care of your wellbeing but, let’s be honest, if it isn’t fun you’re not going to stick with it. If you’re tired of the same old exercises, why not try this fun workout routine courtesy of certified trainer and international fitness instructor Sara Haley, creator of fitness DVD Sweat UNLIMITED? You should perform these exercises in the order they are given, and do them on up to three non-consecutive days per week.

 

1. Rake and Shake: This move works your inner and outer thighs, bum, quads and hamstrings. Haley instructs, ‘Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, hands clasped together in front of you as if you are holding a rake (1). Lunge to the left bending your left knee (toes pointing forward and hips pressing back), keeping your right leg straight, rotating your torso toward your right leg, and reaching your clasped hands toward your right hip (2). Slowly “rake” the leaves back to centre, returning to the start position. Repeat on right side to complete one rep. Continue for 15 repetitions. Finish by shaking your legs out one at a time as if you were trying to shake leaves off your legs.’

 

2. Football Feet: This is a core, cardiovascular, speed and agility exercise all in one. According to Haley, you should ‘stand with your hands at chest height, arms bent, knees soft as if you are ready to catch a football. Lifting knees as high as you can, take three jogging steps to your left (left-right-left), landing with your right foot in the air (1). Repeat three high-knee jogs to the right (right-left-right), landing with your left foot raised (2). Now run three steps backwards, swinging your arms and torso back as if to catch a football (3). Finish by running three steps forward to “catch” the ball (4). Repeat side to side and back to front for at least 10 sets.’

 

3. Pumpkin Roll and Apple Pick: This is a move for your lower body, core and cardiovascular system. ‘With feet wider than hips, back straight and knees and toes turned outward, bend the knees and squat straight down, keeping chest lifted and reaching toward the ground as if picking a pumpkin,’ says Haley. ‘(1). Stay low and walk forward in your squat position for 10 steps as you pretend to roll your pumpkin across the patch, then stand back up, straightening legs and reaching up to the right as if plucking an apple from a tall tree (lifting your left leg up at a diagonal (2). (Add a little hop on the right leg here if you want more challenge!) Squat back down and roll your pumpkin backwards for 10 steps, then stand and reach (or hop) to the left to complete one rep. Repeat for 10 total repetitions.’

 

4. Slippery Hiker: Work your legs, glutes, core, shoulders and cardiovascular system with this move. Haley advises, ‘Begin standing tall with arms at your sides, feet hip distance apart and back straight (1).Take a big step forward with the right foot into a lunge, bending the front knee over the ankle but keeping the back leg straight (2). Hinge from the hips to place your hands on the ground on each side of your foot, keeping abs tight (3). Walk or slide your front leg back into a plank position with arms and legs straight, back straight, and body in one long line (4). Pause for a moment, then walk or drag your left leg forward, keeping hands on the ground (5). Slow straighten back to an upright position, then step left leg back to return to the start position (1). Repeat, this time starting the series by stepping forward with the opposite (left) leg and finishing the whole series by stepping the right leg back to complete a single rep. Repeat for five to eight total repetitions.’

Categories: Family Wellness, feet hip, Fun, fun workout, left, left leg, leg straight, rake and shake, rep repeat, repeat, straight, total repetitions

How to Give Classic Dumbbell Moves a Kettlebell Makeover

Kettlebells look strange when you don’t know what they’re for, although if nothing else they would make for a pretty good doorstop. However, these strange-shaped weights can work wonders for your fitness and overall wellbeing, and there’s evidence to prove it. According to research, people who did 20-minute kettlebell workouts torched almost 300 calories. Lifting kettlebells is also beneficial for your muscle wellness, helping you to increase that energy expenditure by up to 50%! Kettlebells can also make traditional dumbbell moves more challenging. Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist Jen Ator, author of Shape-Up Shortcuts, explains, ‘Their weight isn’t evenly distributed, so your stabiliser muscles have to work harder.’  So let’s check out a few moves that can benefit from the use of a kettlebell.

 

1. Around-the-Body Pass: Ator instructs, ‘Hold the kettlebell with both hands in front of your torso and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Release the kettlebell into your right hand and move both arms behind your back. Grab the bell with your left hand and bring it back to the front (completing a full circle around your body). That’s one rep. Do 10, then switch directions and repeat without stopping to rest.’ Throughout this entire move, make sure you avoid moving your hips and remember to keep your core engaged.

 

2. Bent Row: ‘Take the kettlebell in your right hand, squat slightly, and bend forward from the hips until your torso is almost parallel with the floor,’ says Ator. ‘Let the kettlebell hang at arm’s length . Keep your torso still as you pull the kettlebell to the side of your chest, elbow close to your side . Lower back to start. That’s one rep. Do 10 to 12, then repeat on the other side.’

 

3. Dead Lift: You should do 10 to 12 reps of the dead lift to feel the benefits. Ator details, ‘Stand with your feet hip-width apart, the kettlebell on the floor between your feet. Squat down and grab the handle with both hands, keeping your back flat . Brace your abs, squeeze your glutes, and slowly push down into your heels as you stand up, keeping your arms extended.’

 

4. Figure of Eight: When doing this movement, you should be fluid but also slow and controlled. ‘Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart, knees bent into a quarter-squat position, back straight, and chest up,’ Ator outlines. ‘Hold the kettlebell behind your left leg with one arm on each side of your leg . Grab the bell with your left hand and swing it in front of your left leg, between your legs, and behind your right leg . Grab it with your right hand and swing it in front of your right leg, between your legs, then behind your left leg. That’s one rep. Continue for 10 reps.’

 

5. Half Get-Up: You should aim to do five reps of this move on one side, and then another five on the other. Ator notes, ‘Lie faceup on the floor, legs straight, holding the kettlebell in your right hand straight above your shoulder . Bend your left knee, place your foot on the floor, and prop yourself up on your left arm. Keep the weight directly in line with your shoulder and sit up until your back is straight . Reverse the movement to return to start. That’s one rep.’

 

6. Swing: This one needs more reps than all the others – 15 at a minimum but you should build up to doing 20. Ator instructs, ‘Grab a kettlebell with both hands and stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart. Squat down until your thighs are nearly parallel to the floor. Immediately stand and swing the kettlebell up to shoulder height . As the kettlebell begins to arc back down, bend your knees and squat, swinging the kettlebell between your legs . That’s one rep.’ You can do this move without using a weight if you suffer from back problems.

Categories: ator instructs, dead lift, dumbbell moves, feet hip, feet wider, hip width, kettlebells, left hand, left leg, leg grab, workout routine

Stretching Techniques To Prepare Your Body For Exercise

If you’re planning on working out, stretching is vital – it prepares your body for exercise and improves flexibility. Your muscles will feel relaxed and warmed-up once you’ve stretched properly, and this will help you to avoid any injuries. You should take at least five to ten minutes to stretch before and after a workout, so that your muscles have chance to warm up and cool down effectively. Here are some stretching techniques for your upper, middle and lower body.

Upper Body

Your chest is often overlooked in terms of stretching, but it is the core of so many exercises. Begin by standing straight, with your knees slightly bent. Place your feet hip distance apart, making sure that your toes are pointing forward. Keep your shoulders even and place your arms behind your back. Clasp your hands together, extend your arms behind your back and hold this position. You’ll feel the stretch in your chest – inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds then release.

For your triceps, begin standing up straight with your knees slightly bent. Keep your toes pointing forward and your shoulders even as you complete this stretch. Bend your right arm at elbow joint and lift your arm next to your head – position your right fingers so they touch your shoulder blade area. Place your left arm across the top of your head, and then place your left hand on the right elbow joint to support your arm. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds, then repeat on the opposite side.

To stretch your upper back area, begin in the same standing position as previously used, and extend both of your arms, forming a 90-degree angle between your arms and body. Clasp your hands together, palms facing forward, and extend your arms in front of your body – hold this position. You should feel the stretch in the upper back – inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth, holding for 30 seconds. You can also complete this in a sitting position.

Middle Body

To stretch the abdominal area, lie on your back with your head flat against the floor. Bend your knees and place both feet on the floor, then extend your arms to the left side of the body, keeping your arms in line with your shoulders. Drop both knees to the right side of your body, so that your body forms a Z shape. Hold this for 30 seconds.

To warm up your back, stand straight with your knees slightly bent. Place your feet hip distance apart, and keep your toes pointing forward. Place your hands on your thighs and slowly arch your back, rolling your shoulders and leaning forward. Hold this C shape position for around 30 seconds. Then slowly uncurl yourself and feel the stretch in your spine.

Lower Body

Lie on your back with your head flat against the floor. Bend your knees and place both feet on the floor, then straighten your right leg and point your toes – your leg should extend about two inches from the floor. Slowly raise your right leg towards the ceiling, keeping the leg straight, until your feel the stretch in your hamstring. Hold this for 30 seconds, then repeat with your left leg.

Standing up straight, place your feet hip distance apart. With your right foot, take a large step backwards to create a lunge position. Your entire body should be in a proper alignment with your shoulders, ears and hips to form a straight line. You’ll feel a stretch in your right upper calf and lower calf. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds, then repeat on the opposite side.

Categories: elbow joint, exercise, feet hip, floor bend, head flat, hip distance, knees slightly, ll feel, Stretching, stretching techniques, toes pointing, Warm-Up