Weekend Challenge 3

Do you remember trying something new where your workout regimen was concerned and being happy with the results? For me, this happened the first time I tried Hot Yoga. I went to the class alone and, honestly, was quite nervous- not know what to expect or how I would feel afterwards. The class lasted 90-minutes and I was in love with Hot Yoga by the end.

Sometimes, our workout regimen needs a subtle or extreme change to keep us from boredom and from the dreaded plateau. Mixing up a workout will work our bodies in new ways and continue pushing us towards better overall health. This weekend, try something (workout wise) that you have never done before. Whether it be running outside rather than on a treadmill, taking that fitness class you have been eying at the gym, or signing up for your first ever race. These simple things will help keep our workouts engaging and reduce that pesky inclination of getting bored with a workout. Although signing up for my first ever race in a certain field does sound the most exciting, my weekend challenge will be completed with this Ballet Beautiful workout. Simple, but exciting for me since it has been ten years now since doing any form of ballet!

What exciting and new form of exercise will you being doing this weekend?  

Pre and Post Workout Stretches

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The kinds of stretches we do both before and after a workout can make a huge difference to our athletic performance, risk of injury, muscle strain, and, of course, our flexibility. But, not all stretches are created equal. Completing static stretches (stretches that do not require movement or raise the heart rate) before a workout can, actually, increase our risk of injury rather than reduce it. It is important to know which stretches should be completed before and after a workout since they are completely different.

Stretches before a workout should involve movement that will increase the heart rate, stretch the muscle, and lubricate the joints. By completing dynamic stretches before a workout, we are decreasing risk of injury, increasing our range of motion, and increasing out athletic performance. There is really no con about it. These dynamic, pre-workout stretches are the most important to our bodies health and physical performance. Stretches after a workout should lower the heart rate and stretch the muscles. These should be static, or non-moving exercises.

Over the summer I made a list of pre and post workout stretches for the camp we work at. These stretches are simple and will work well before and after any workout. They are also some of my personal favorites to do since they help me see the most results! These do not have pictures to go along with them, only the how-to. For pictures of some of these stretches, you can check-out this for pre-workout stretches and this for some post-workout stretches with pictures and all! 

Dynamic Stretches: 5 Minutes, Total

Jumping Jacks

• Good for Arms, Torso, Legs
• Start with legs together and arms at your side. Jump legs out so they are wider than shoulder width apart. While jumping, bring arms overhead, clapping hands together. Immediately jump back to starting position.
  

Kick-backs

• Good for quads and hips
• Begin jogging in place. While jogging, kick your left heal to your bum. Alternate legs, making sure to keep knees pointed straight down the entire time.
  

Knee to Chest

• Good for knees, hamstrings, glutes, arms
• Stand with feet hip width apart. Lift the right leg up to your chest and give your leg a big hug, pulling it as close to your chest as possible. Hold, then alternate to the left leg. This exercise can also be done on the ground after a workout.
  

Walking Lunges

• Good for inner thighs, glutes, calfs
• Stand with legs hip width apart on one side of the tennis courts. Walk to the other side of the tennis courts, alternating lunging with the right, then left leg. This should not be intense, you do not need to dip as far down as a regular lunge and the body should be leaning forward. Side lunges are also great for larger groups.
  

Arm Circles

• Good forArms. And great for intercostal (rib) muscles
• Extend arms straight out at your side so they are parallel to the ground. Begin rotating arms forward in small circles. Continue for an appropriate amount of time, then reverse the the movement so your arms are rotating backwards. Small arm circle should be done before large arm circles.
  

Straight Leg Kicks

• Good for glutes, arms, back, hamstrings, hips
• Stand straight up with feet hip width apart. Kick the right foot in the air and touch the right toes with the left hand. Be sure to keep legs, back, and arms straight and toes flexed. If you cannot reach your toes, that is fine. Alternating kicking the right leg with the left hand and the left leg with the right hand.
  

Neck Roll

• Good for back, shoulders, neck
• Stand straight up with shoulders down. Start by slowly dropping the head forward and then rolling your head from right to left shoulder. Repeat this a few times, then begin rolling the head 360 degrees. Continue, then alterante the rolling direction.
  

Knee-Ups

• Good for ankles, knees, hips, hamstrings, abs
• Jog in place, bringing each knee up so your thigh is parallel with the floor. I like to complete 30 seconds of these with 30 seconds of kick-backs at the start of my warm-up stretching.

Post-Workout Static Stretches: 3-5 Minutes, Total

Static stretches should only be done after a workout. This form of stretching will help elongate muscles and increase limb range of motion. They will also help bring the heart rate back to a moderate level.

Butterfly

• Good for hamstrings, hips, glutes
• Sit on the ground with knees bent and the soles of each foot touching the other. Hold feet together while trying to bring them as close to the body as possible, making sure your back remains straight. You can use your elbows to place some pressure on the knees, but do not push down firmly. Hold without bouncing legs.
  

Forward Fold

• Good for upper back, lower back, shoulders, legs, arms
• There are many variations. Legs can be together, hip width, or shoulder width apart. Arms can be touching the toes, interlaced behind the back, are dangling above the head. Back can be straight, with a natural bend, or curled. The options are endless, but the main position is legs straight, hip width apart, with your body bent forward trying to touch the floor.
  

Downward Facing Dog

• Good for arms, back, intercostals, bum, lower back, calfs, legs
• Start in forward fold then jump or walk legs back so your body is making an up-side-down “V”. Arms should be straight and shoulders should be down. Be sure to keep the lower back straight and bum in the air. To really work your calfs, alternate lifting one heal up while trying to press the other farther towards the ground.
  

Flamingo Stretch

• Good for quads, abs, back, ankles
• Stand straight up with feet hip width apart. bend the right leg and bring the right foot up towards your bum. Hold this position, making sure knees are in alignment.
  

Extended Leg Stretch

• Thighs, hamstrings, hips, arms, back, shoulders, neck
• Sit on the ground with the right leg straight. The left leg shoulder be bent with the foot against your upper right leg. Complete a forward fold, tying to touch the toes and keep the back as straight as possible. Alternate to the left leg.
  

Torso Stretch

• All abs, intercostals, shoulders
• Stand straight up and hold arms above the head with fingers interlaced. Fold to the left, back, right, then forward, holding each fold for an appropriate amount of time.
  

Shoulder Stretch

• Good for triceps, shoulders,
• This can be done standing or sitting. Extend the right arm straight out, then use the left arm to pull it into the chest. Your right arm should be straight across your chest with the hand extended to the left. 
  

Bum Stretch

• Bum, legs, back, shoulder, neck
• Sit on the ground with legs extended forward. bend the right knee and place the right foot on the outside of the left knee. Rotate your torso and place the right elbow against the inside of the right knee while the left arm is behind you being used for support. Rotate you back and neck so you are looking over your left shoulder. Alternate sides, making sure to keep the back as straight as possible

10-Minute Ab Workouts

We all want abs, and most of us would like them in as little time as possible. Welcome the massive trend of 10-minute abs. These workout only take ten minutes, but they should be pushing your abs to the extreme the entire time. 10-minute ab workouts should be done with another daily workout, my preference is cardio first and 10-minute abs to top it off.  

Total Ab Workout

Of course, no 10-minute ab overview is complete without my personal favorite of ab workouts. This workout has worked abs for a gambit of different body types. If you are interested in getting some massive tone, you will love this. It may take up to 15-minutes to complete your first time around, but as you increase in core strength, the workout will take less time. This workout focuses a little less on the obliques and a bit more on the upper and lower sections of the abs, although it does give them a complete workout!

Beginner Ab Workout

This ab workout is great for the novice ab exerciser. The workout will work your upper, lower, and oblique abs evenly with two 5-minute circuits. I love this quick video and XHIT's video layout- they have timers on the lower thirds and let you know what exercise is coming next! It is so much easier to push ourselves to the limits when we know we are only doing it for fifteen more seconds!

The exercises are pretty basic and almost any level of fitness should be able to complete it. If you would like to kick-up this ab routine, you could complete it twice, or use weights for movements like the Russian Twist.

Lower Ab Workout

Let's face it, lower abs can be a very difficult place for a great majority of people to tone. This workout does a great job of pin-pointing the lower abdominal muscles and working them to the brink. Like the beginner ab workout above, this workout is done by XHIT, but uses a different trainer. Since it is an XHIT workout, it has the timer and lists the upcoming exercise as well. Love this. Although the workout calls for an exercise ball, Kelsey (trainer) says you can do the movements along without the ball if there is no medicine ball available to you.

Must-Love Workout Sweaters for Fall

Fall is finally here! In other parts of the US, the seasons are changing, weather is getting cooler, and clothes are starting to get layered. Thankfully, workout apparel is no different. Running outside in the crisp air of fall is wonderful, and so are these adorable, trendy sweaters. It may not be cool in sunny Florida yet, but that does change how much I love/need these adorable tops!

Two Tone Top

This LuLulemon two tone top ($88.00) is one of the cutest fall sweaters ever! There are multiple colors, two of which have this cute block effect and three that are solid. These are not yoga pants, so we should be safe from any peek-a-boo moments as well.  

Terry Hoodie

Hello adorable Gap hoodie that is currently 25% off, welcome to life as my new best friend. This hoodie ($44.95) is made of super soft terry material which means that it will soon be the most comfortable thing in your wardrobe. Yes, I am quite sure we can all go ahead and resign ourselves to fall in love with this top and never take it off.

Nike Dri-Fit Sweater

Are you seeing a pattern here? Two-toned sweaters can currently be found at almost every workout clothing retailer. The only question left is which do you love more?For me, it is not such an easy answer. This Nike Dri-Fit top ($100) is adorable. The lines on the chest are feminine enough, but the hoodie keeps it from being as girlie as a pink tutu. The pants are pretty loved as well.

Dolman Sweater

This lightweight sweater is for all those who, like me, want adorable fall workout attire in the not-so-fall weather. This sweater ($84.00) comes in white (love), red, and black. It is light enough to wear for a low-key class in the summer, but will not let you freeze outdoors in early fall either. Just ignore the fact that she is wearing a bikini.

Multi-Color Running Sweater

This New Balance hoodie is as colorful as it is cute! One of the neatest little perks of this guy is the attached cuff thumbholes that can be worn or rolled up. The sweater also comes in enough colors to have one for every day of the week, if you are into that sort of thing. Even better though, is the price. It will be hard to say no to this adorable and, somewhat, inexpensive running sweater!