Tag: core

August Abs – MTFFplank Challenge

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Here are days 3, 4 and 5 of the #MTFFplank challenge.

DAY 3 #MTFFplank is the plank shoulder taps. Start in high plank with shoulders over wrists, hips square and in a straight line with your spine. Keep feet a little wider than shoulder width and a neutral neck don’t look down or up. For the shoulder taps alternate tapping right hand to left shoulder and left hand to right shoulder.  SQUEEZE your belly button to the spine and spread weight evenly through the plane hand and feet. Try not to rock side to side.
Challenge:  50 shoulder taps, easy count; counting each tap. Rest for 20 seconds and repeat 4x.

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DAY 4 #MTFFplank is the side plank. Start on with right arm on the floor shoulder over wrists and hips stacked. Keep you core tight and hips high.
Challenge: Hold right side for 30 seconds switch to left side for 30 seconds. Then increase holds by 10 seconds, so 40 seconds each side, 50 seconds, then 60 until you can’t hold it any more!
We are still in week 1 and just getting started – challenge a friend and get your #augustabs with me!

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DAY 5 of the #MTFFplank challenge is the reverse plank. This plank engages your shoulder, triceps, glutes, hamstrings and core.
Start by sitting on the mat place hands under shoulders finger tips to toes and press hips up. Your body should be in straight line with yourweight even distributed. Be sure to keep your hips up by squeezing glutes, hamstrings and core. 
Challenge: Hold for 20 seconds, rest for 20 seconds, then hold for 30 seconds, rest for 15 seconds, then 40 up and 10 rest, 50 and 5 and end with 60 seconds straight. 

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Be sure to tag #MTFFplank so in follow  your journey to get #augustabs!

Start today! Email maketimforfit@gmail.com for your personalized workout program!

Day 2 #MTFFplank challenge – Low Plank

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Day 2 of #MTFFplank challenge is the low plank. Just like the high plank keep your weight spread out evenly.  Keep forearms parallel, body in a straight line and neck neutral. The low plank is more challenging because it recruits more of your core muscles to do the work.
Can you do a low plank for 60 seconds?  Challenge friend and get #augustabs together!

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Start today! Email maketimforfit@gmail.com for your personalized workout program!

August Abs MTFF plank challenge

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Hey hey – are you up for a challenge?
Each day in August I’ll post a plank variation with directions on what to do. Get your summer abs and tighten up your core with me!  #MTFFplank so I can follow along with you!

Welllll since today is August 1, let’s get started!

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DAY 1 #MTFFplank is the high plank.

Form is key to make planks effective. Shoulders over wrists, hips square and in a straight line with your spine. SQUEEZE your belly button to the spine and spread weight evenly through hands and feet. Keep a neutral neck don’t look down or up.

Now how long can you hold it?
× Beginner – If you are new to planks start off with 10 seconds on and off for a minute repeat 3x

× Intermediate try holding 30-45 seconds rest 30-15 secs and repeat 3x

× Advanced try holding for 60 seconds, rest 10 seconds and increase 70 seconds on, 20 seconds rest and 80 seconds on, 30 seconds off and 90 seconds on, yes 4x – you’re advanced right?

× Pro do a max hold – hold til you can’t hold any more!

We are just getting started – challenge a friend and get your #augustabs with me! Be sure to #MTFFplank so I can follow you!

Start today! Email maketimforfit@gmail.com for your personalized workout program!

Move of the Day – Bicycle Crunch

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I firmly believe that if you have a weak core, then you are weak – plain and simple! Nearly every move you ensure proper form your core must be engaged – which is why a strong core is essential! Today’s move of the day focuses on the sides of your core, the obliques. This move helps create the curved waist and supports the core as a whole. When doing bicycle crunches it’s important to remember to keep your lower back on the ground throughout the move. As your twist bring your elbow to the opposite knee, squeezing through your abdominals. Do this 50x when you wake up and 50x before you go to bed and you’ll start seeing results in 4 weeks!

BicycleCrunchesTo get your personalize fitness program email maketimeforfit@gmai.com for your free consultation!

Do you foam roll?

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I’m sure you’ve seen them at your gym. People rolling and contorting their bodies on this foam cylinder, and you think “what does that even do?”

A foam roller is a very helpful tool that helps your body recover and can help to prevent injury. When you use the foam roller  it digs into muscles to release tension, specially Self-myofascial release. It a massage technique that require longer low pressure on a muscle until it releases and the mobility and tissue are restore to their proper form. A foam roller allows you to have this type of massage by yourself.

Benefits

  • Increased blood flow throughout the body
  • Better movement and increased range of motion.

Ideally foam rolling should be down both during your warmup and your cool down. It’s so important to get your body prepared for a lift and to stretch after a workout!

Now why does it hurt?

Now if you’ve tried foam rolling and feel like you are almost forced to tears, chances are you are doing it right AND you really need it. Similar to the pain you get while stretching. It should be uncomfortable, but not unbearable, and when you release you should feel looser.

How do I do it?
I like to start with my calves and work my way up to my hamstrings. Then I move to IT bands (which usually hurt a lot because I hold a lot of tension in my hips). When I find a spot that’s tight I hold in place and bend my knee to increase the pressure. Then I move onto my quads and then inner thigh. Then the other leg – IT band, quad and inner thigh. After that I sit on the foam roller rolling over my glutes sometimes crossing my leg putting my ankle to my opposite knee to dig in deeper, switch sides. At the end I lay on the foam roller in line with my spine and up my arms up like a touchdown signal and am just still for about a minute (which is actually really long time to be still). I usually feel my shoulder and neck tension release and a great sense of calming to do nothing for a minute.

This is just my routine. There are many ways to foam roll you can what works for when you consistently include foam rolling into your workout regime.

Here are some pictures!

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I promise after a week or two of consist foam rolling your body will recover faster and your muscles will be looser over all!

references here and here

At home shoulders and abs

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Moves to try! Here are some great moves you can do at home!

Bird Dog: Keep your core tight and chin up on the dog plank with alternating opposite leg and hand extensions.  You’ll feel this full body move works great for targeting those shoulders and core and even those glutes! 👍👍👍👌

The forearm plank to down dog is a great core move and gets your shoulders burning. Remember to squeeze your core as you press up hold for 3 counts then back down.  👊👊

Enjoy!

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How to do a push up

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Push ups are great full body move. They require not only upper body strength from chest and shoulders but also the core, glutes and legs for stabilization and good form throughout the move. So many people end up doing push ups wrong thus putting them at risk for injury. 
Here are two modifications that will help you gain the strength needed for regular push ups.

Move 1: one leg push up

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Start with knees on the floor but as you lower yourself straighten one leg.  This move helps strengthen your core, helps prevent low back sag and replicates the form you’ll want to have during a regular push up.

Move 2: power up push up

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This move is a step closer to a regular push up.  It allows you to practice lowering yourself with no assistance but placing knees on for at bottom of move to press up, power up, through chest. Again this move helps with proper form and technique of av regular push up.

Try incorporating these moves 3-4 times a week and I promise you’ll gain the strength needed to do a regular push up with good form and technique!