Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Cheek to cheek plank : Exercise Guide

Cheek to cheek plank

Focus Area : abs,hips,oblique muscles

Instructions:
1) Start with the forearm plank position having your elbows on the ground.
2) Maintain a flat back and keeping your tummy tight clasp your hands.  
3) Rotate through the waist, tapping your hips one at a time on the floor.  
4) Return back to forearm plank position.





Click to see the short version of the video

Monday, December 29, 2014

Superman : Exercise Guide

Superman

Focus Area : Abs and lower back

Instructions:
1) Lie face down on your stomach with the arms extended out in front of you and the legs extended behind you
2) Slowly lift the arms and legs up towards the ceiling in one movement making a U shape.
3) Hold the position for as long as you can and return to the starting position.



Click to see the short version of the video

Friday, December 26, 2014

Plank : Exercise Guide

Plank

Focus Area : Arms, shoulders, back, and Abs

Instructions:
1) Lie face down on your stomach with arms bent, palms and forearms on the ground, fingers pointed forward, legs extended, and toes tucked.
2) Slowly lift your entire torso off the floor, keeping weight onto your forearms or on your extended arms, and toes on the ground.
3) Your body should form a straight line from your head to your feet 
4) Engage your core and hold the position for as long as you can.




Click to see the short version of the video


Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Side Plank : Exercise Guide

Side Plank

Focus Area : Abs, oblique muscles

Instructions:
1) Turn onto your right side with your legs extended and your feet and hips resting on the ground and stacked on top of each other 
2) Place your right elbow directly under your shoulder to prop up your torso, and align your head with your spine.
3) Gently contract your core and lift your hips and knees off the floor
4) Hold the position for as long as you can and return to the starting position.
5) Roll onto the other side and repeat.





Click to see the short version of the video

Monday, December 22, 2014

Bicycles : Exercise Guide

Bicycles

Focus Area : Obliques, Abs, Thighs

Instructions:
1) Lie flat on your back on the floor putting your hands down at your sides.
2) Place your hands behind your head and interlock your fingers.
3) Raise your shoulder off the ground and pull your left knee touching your right elbow while keeping your right leg straight.
4) Alternate by straightening your left leg and pulling your right knee to touch your left elbow.
5) Slowly lower shoulders back to ground slowly and drop the feet.


Click to see the short version of the video

Friday, December 19, 2014

Rev Crunches : Exercise Guide

Rev Crunches

Focus Area : Lower Core abdominal muscles 

Instructions:
1) Lie flat on your back on the floor putting your hands down at your sides.
2) Lift your feet off the floor either by having your knees bent or keeping your legs as straight as you can get in the air.
3) Using your abs, lift your hips off the ground.
4) Lower your legs back to starting position



Click to see the short version of the video



Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Situps : Exercise Guide

Situps

Focus Area : Abs, Hips

Instructions:
1) Lie flat on your back on the floor putting your hands down at your sides.
2) Bend your knees and place your hands behind your head and interlock your fingers.
3) Keeping your heels on the ground and your toes flat to the ground, slowly and gently lift your head first, followed by your shoulder blades till your hips is at a 90 degree  angle.
4) Lower your back until your shoulder blades touch the ground.



Click to see the short version of the video



Monday, December 15, 2014

Crunches : Exercise Guide

Crunches

Focus Area : Upper Core abdominal muscles 

Instructions:
1) Lie flat on your back on the floor
2) Bend your knees and place your hands behind your neck or head
3) Lift your shoulders towards the ceiling using your abdominal muscles
4) When your shoulders are off the ground, pause and hold that position and go back down slowly.





Click to see the short version of the video

Friday, December 12, 2014

Jump Rope : Exercise Guide

Jump Rope

Focus Area : Full body including calves, abs, glutes, shoulder, hamstring, chest

Instructions:
1) Stand straight and hold the rope's handles in each of your hands. 
2) Extend your hands and forearms at least a foot away from your body.
3) Use your hands and wrists to swing the rope over your head
4) When the rope is coming toward the front of your feet, hop over it.



Click to see the short version of the video

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Jumping Jacks : Exercise Guide

Jumping Jacks

Focus Area : Full body including calves, abs, glutes, hips, shoulder

Instructions :
1) Stand straight with feet together and arms at your side.
2) Slightly bend your knees and bring your legs out to the side about shoulder width or slightly wider while in air. 
3) While moving your legs outward, raise your arms up over your head keeping it slightly bent throughout.
4) Your feet should land shoulder width or wider as your hands meet above your head with arms slightly bent.
5) Return to the starting position.



Click to see the short version of the video

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Burpees : Exercise Guide

Burpees 

Focus AreaFull body including glutes, hamstring, abs, tricep, calves, quads

Instructions:
1) Stand straight with feet shoulder width apart.
2) Lower your body into a squatting position, placing your hands on the floor in front of you. 
3) Kick your feet back so that you are in push-up position
4) Lower your chest to do a push-up and bring your chest back up.
5) Kick your feet back to their original position. 
6) Stand up, and then jump into the air while raising your arms overhead.



Click to see the short version of the video

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Plank Jacks : Exercise Guide

Plank Jacks

Focus Area : Core, Glutes

Instructions:
1) Get on all fours and rise into a plank position keeping your shoulders, hips and legs should be in a line.
2) Jump the feet out to the sides as if you were performing a jumping jack but keep the upper body still
3) Return the feet to the starting position and that is 1 rep



Click to see the short version of the video

Monday, December 8, 2014

Mountain Climbers : Exercise Guide

Mountain Climbers

Focus Area : Full body including Deltoids, triceps, obliques, abs, quadriceps, hamstrings

Instructions:
1)Get on all fours and rise into a plank position keeping your shoulders, hips and legs should be in a line.
2) Lift your right foot and bring your knee as close to your chest as you can
3) Return to the starting position and repeat with your left leg


Click to see the short version of the video

Friday, December 5, 2014

High Knees : Exercise Guide

High Knees

Focus Area : Glutes, quads, hamstrings

Instructions:
1) Stand straight with the feet hip width apart, arms by your chest and looking straight ahead
2) Run in place, bringing your knees up to your chest or high as you can, pumping your arms as quickly as you can.


Click to see the short version of the video





Thursday, December 4, 2014

Russian Kicks : Exercise Guide

Russian Kicks

Focus Area : Triceps, Core

Instructions:
1) Sit on the ground, your knees bent in front of you with your feet flat on the ground 
2) Place your palms directly in line with your elbows and shoulders and your fingers pointing towards your feet.
3) Raise your hips off of the ground and engaging your lower abs and kick your right leg as straight up in the air as you can.
4) As you lower your right leg back to the ground, kick your left leg as straight up as possible.


Click to see the short version of the video

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Up up down down : Exercise Guide

Up up down down

Focus Area : Shoulders, core

Instructions:
1) Start in a plank position on your forearms, palms facing down.
2) Walk your left hand in, placing it under your shoulder and pressing your body up. Walk your right hand in so that you end up in a full plank position with both arms straight.
3) Lower your left elbow down to the floor, and then your right, so you're back in your starting position of the forearm plank. 


Click to see the short version of the video

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Tricep Pushup : Exercise Guide

Tricep Pushup

Focus Area : Tricep, Chest Muscles

Instructions:
1) Get in plank position with your hands next to your shoulders and having a naturally bend with the elbow pointing towards the ceiling.
2) Slowly lower yourself toward the floor while keeping your upper arms parallel to your sides and your elbows pointing straight back 
3) Push back up to start. That's one rep. 


Click to see the short version of the video

Monday, December 1, 2014

Tricep Dip : Exercise Guide

Tricep Dip

Focus Area : Tricep, Chest Muscles

Instructions :
1) Sit up straight on the long edge of a chair keeping your legs slightly extended.
2) Place your hands on both sides of the chair just outside your hips. 
3) Steadily lower yourself. When your elbows form 90˚ angles, push yourself back up to starting position.


Click to see the short version of the video

Friday, November 28, 2014

Pushup : Exercise Guide

Pushup

Focus Area : Chest and arm muscles

Instructions:
1) Assume a face-down prone position on the floor.
2) Keeping your feet together, position hands palms-down on the floor, approximately shoulder width apart.
3) Lower your torso to the ground until your elbows form a 90 degree angle.
4) Keep your elbows close to your body and head facing forward. 
5) Raise yourself by attempting to push the ground away from you. 
6) Repeat lowering and raising yourself at a steady pace. 


Click to see the short version of the video

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Diamond Pushup : Exercise Guide

Diamond Pushup

Focus Area : Tricep, Chest Muscles

Instructions:
1) Get on a mat and Move into push up position.
2) Face the mat and stretch out your arms and legs a bit to get ready.
3) Place your hands under your chest and touch your index fingers together and your thumbs together making a diamond shape.
4) Lower yourself to the ground keeping your back straight and then push up.


Click to see the short version of the video

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Cursty Lunge : Exercise Guide

Cursty Lunge

Focus Area : Glutes and legs

Instructions:
1) Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
2) Keeping your weight in your left foot, take a big step back with your right leg, crossing it behind your left leg.
3) Slowly bend your knees and lower your body straight down until your front thigh is parallel to the floor, and both knees are bent at 90 degrees.
4) Pause and slowly return to standing position.


Click to see the short version of the video

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Side Lunge : Exercise Guide

Side Lunge

Focus Area : Quadriceps, hamstrings, buttocks

Instructions:
1) Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
2) Allow your feet to turn out slightly keeping your back straight
3) Step out to far to the right side and bend your right knee as far as you can.
4) Keep your left leg straight.  Make sure the knee never goes past your toes.
5) Pause and slowly return to standing position by pushing the floor away with your right foot. 




Click to see the short version of the video

Monday, November 24, 2014

Back Lunge : Exercise Guide

Back Lunge

Focus Area :quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves

Instructions:
1) Stand up straight with you feet hip-width apart.
2) Take a big step backwards with your left leg. 
3) Lower your hips to the floor until your front (right) knee forms a 90-degree angle.
4) Push yourself up keeping the strength coming from your front (right) foot. 
5) Return your back (left) foot to the starting position


Click to see the short version of the video

Friday, November 21, 2014

Forward Lunge : Exercise Guide

Forward Lunge 

Focus Area : Quads, hamstrings, calves, hips, and glutes

Instructions:
1) Stand up straight with you feet hip-width apart.
2) Take a big step forward with your right leg. 
3) Bend your front (right) knee so that it is at a 90 degree angle with the floor.
4) Your back (left) knee should be almost touching the floor.
5) Keep your weight on your front (right) heel. 
6) Contract your front (right) quad along with your hamstrings and glutes to push yourself back up to the starting position.

Click to see the short version of the video

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Bridges : Exercise Guide

Bridges

Focus Area : Glutes, Hamstrings

Instructions:
1) Lie flat on the floor on your back with the hands by your side and your knees bent. 
2) Your feet should be placed around shoulder width. 
3) Pushing mainly with your heels, lift your hips off the floor while keeping your back straight. 
4) Slowly go back to the starting position as you breathe in.


Click to see the short version of the video

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Wall Sit : Exercise Guide

Wall Sit

Focus Area : Quadriceps, Glutes

Instructions:
1) Stand with your back flat against a wall
2) Walk your feet out in front of you and slide your back down the wall, bending your knees until they are bent at about a 90 degree angle. 
3) Your thighs should be parallel to the ground and it should appear that you are sitting in an invisible chair.
4) Hold this seated position for 20-60 seconds, contracting your abdominal muscles
5) Straighten your legs to come up.



Click to see the short version of the video

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Plie Squat : Exercise Guide

Plie Squat

Focus Area : Glutes, Quads, and hip muscles


Instructions:

1) Stand straight and tall
2) Move your legs so that they are wider than shoulder width apart from each other with your knees slightly bent.
3) Your toes should be facing out. 
4) Slowly bend the knees and lower your legs until your thighs are parallel to the floor. 
5) Press mainly with the heel of the foot to bring the body back to the starting position while exhaling.


Click to see the short version of the video

Monday, November 17, 2014

Air Squat : Exercise Guide

Air Squat

Focus AreaThighs and butt

Instructions:
1) Stand with your feet a little wider than hip-width apart and toes turned out slightly and your arms resting at your sides.
2) Engage your abdominal muscles and broaden your chest by gently pulling your shoulder blades in towards each other.
3) Bend your knees slowly, pushing your butt out behind you as if you are sitting down into a chair. 
4) Keep your weight balanced evenly between the front and back of your feet.
5) Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground. 
6) As you lower down, raise your arms up and in front of you 
7) Straighten your legs to come up, and lower your arms back to your side.


Click to see the short version of the video