20 Minute Jump-Start: Amp Up Your Walking Routine
Add a little oomph to your walking routine with the “20 Minute Jump-Start.” Designed by Rachel Cosgrove, fitness trainer, triathlete and author of The Female Body Breakthrough
Complete exercises 1-5, performing 10-12 repetitions on each exercise and then repeat starting back with exercise 1. Complete circuit 3 times.
1.) Hip Extension:
Start: Lying on your back on the floor, bend your left leg to 90 degrees, and straighten you right leg. Your arms should be face up at 45 degrees from your body. Lift your entire body up one inch by pushing off your left foot. This is the start position.
Movement: Continue to lift until your entire body is in straight line and your thighs are parallel to each other. The only parts of your body that are in contact with the floor are your arms, upper back, and left foot. Lower to one inch off the floor, pause, and repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions. Be sure to keep your hips in a straight line. Repeat the other side. The extended leg can be bent, weighted with an ankle weight or tucked to your chest as possible variations in this exercise.
2.) Incline Push Ups / Push Ups:
No more “girl push ups”! From now on you do real push ups. Incline push ups are a great way to eventually be able to do push ups on the floor. As you get stronger, lower the incline until you are not the floor. Push ups not only work your upper body including your chest and shoulders, but also area great core stabilization exercise. The reason most women cannot do a push up is that their core is not strong enough, not because they don’t have the upper body strength. Think about it- most women can do “girl” push ups on their knees, it is when we put them on their feet in a plank position using their core that they have trouble.
Start: In a push up position on an incline using a bar, bench or wall to support yourself depending on how strong you are. If you are strong enough, do real push ups on the floor. Other wise, the higher the incline, the easier this will be. Your spine should be in a straight line, with your head, upper back, and tailbone in alignment.
Movement: Lower yourself into a push up, keeping your body in a straight line with your abdominals tight. Lower until your shoulders go just below your elbows and then return to the start position keeping your body in a straight line during the entire movement. If you cannot get the full range of motion with out letting your back arch or without sticking your hips out, then increase the incline.
3.) Body Weight Squat
Start: Feet in a wide stance squat position with your arms reaching over head as high as you can.
Movement: Good morning, good afternoon, good day body! You’ll feel everything waking up by doing this movement! Keep both arms reaching overhead, bend over at the waist to touch the floor between your feet, keeping you legs straight, stretching out the hamstrings. Keeping your hands on the floor, drop your hips down into a squat position. Staying in a full squat position, reach your right arm up so that you are in a full squat position with your arms overhead. From here, stand up to return to the start position and repeat.
4.) Forward Ball Roll
Forget crunches! When it comes to getting a six pack, core stability is where it’s at. This exercise will work your abs like you have never felt before. You will be sore, but you won’t have to do 500 crunches. Sweet!
Start: On your knees with your forearms on a Swiss ball, draw your abs in tight. Your shoulders should make a 90 degree angle with your body and your hips should make a 90 degree angle.
Movement: Rolling the ball forward by slowly extending your hips and arms opening each of those 90 degree angles to eventually stretch out as far as you can go while maintaining a neutral spine and keep your abs tight. Be sure you are extending your hips and extending your arms equal amounts. Do not go further than you can to maintain a stable back. Going to the point where your back is arching is too far.
5.) Rows with Dumbbells
Ladies, we have to look good leaving the room, too! Tall posture and a strong, sexy back say “confidence”. Nothing is sexier than being able to show off a toned, defined back wearing an open back shirt or dress. Performing a dumbbell row will give you the back you can feel confident leaving the room with.
Start: Bent over with your right hand supporting you on a bench and holding dumbbell in your left hand. You feet should be directly under your hips, shoulder width apart and your back should be flat with your head, spine, and tailbone in a straight line. The dumbbell should be hanging straight down from your left arm.
Movement: Row the dumbbell up by squeezing you shoulder blade back, maintaining a neutral spine. Lower the dumbbell and repeat. Do not shrug your shoulder, the movement should all be from you back. Repeat with your right arm.
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