FIT 1 BLOG

We have all heard how important  it is to have a strong ‘core’. …and how we ’should’ train  our “core” for optimum fitness. So….WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?..

Does it mean that all your workouts have to be geared solely for  core conditionong? NO….unless of course you are a lineman in the NFL!!! Core is your body’s natural balance and support system,basically all the little muscles that constantly fire to  to keep your  body upright. But truthfully, we could all stand to be a little stronger around the middle. One  simple[ but physically challenging] way to do this is by creating an unstable surface to train on. The easiest way to do this is to train all your body parts using only 1 leg for support. Use opposite arm to leg that is supporting ,then switch half way through the set.

Adding just  1 of these  for every 2 exercises per body part  will put that little extra tax on those stabilizing muscles. So more muscle used= more calories burned! And we all know what that means!!!!

So here are a few exercises to include in your next work out.

Back

1 legged bent over rows–stand on 1 leg knee slightly bent,  bend over at the hips. Keeping a flat back  and square shoulders lift weight[as a row] using opposite arm to working leg.

Chest

1 legged cable flyes–stand upright on 1 leg in a cable machine[do not lean forward] bring hand to center then back. Be sure to not twist at the hips.

Shoulders

1 legged shoulder presses– stand on 1 leg. Start with dumbells at ear height  wrists always above elbows and press up[but do not lock out]

Legs

1 legged stand ups–start in a seated position. With one leg firmly planted on the floor and the other floating, stand up then lower yourself back down into a seated position. Make sure when seated that your knees never go beyond toes.

Biceps

1 legged bicep curls—stand on 1 leg,keeping shoulders square and hips straight perform single bicep curls.

Triceps

1 legged tricep kickbacks–stand on 1 leg and bend over at the hips. Keeping back flat and shoulders square perform single tricep kickbacks.

Replace your desk chair with a Bosu Ball. The ball forces you to sit up tall and because you are on an unstable surface all of those core muscles have to work hard to keep your balance. That’s why slouching is not an option when sitting on a ball….unless of course you want to LAUNCH yourself out the office window!!