Gals, its summer time. Time for plunging necklines, sleeveless tops, tube tops, short skirts and swimming suits. Get rid of those “muffin tops”, ” love handles” and sagging bootie, this summer with fat melting, firming exercises. Sagging booty cheeks are predominant to women who are over 30 and/or have had children, its time to firm them up.
Sparing 25 min out those 24 hrs shouldn’t be tough if you know what you really stand to gain.
A recent study showed that the classic sit-up is not the best exercise for stronger, flatter abdominals. This exercise generally involves the hip muscles instead of the abdominals, and in most cases, places an unnecessary amount of strain on the lower back.
To begin with keep in mind to engage those stubborn body parts- all around abs, butt and chest.
- Plank: Plank exercises are a great way to work your abdominals as well as your entire core. By forcing your body to stabilize itself in one position, planks work both your abdominal muscles as well as your back muscles. Get in a pushup position but instead of resting on your hands, you rest on your forearms. You hold your back completely straight while trying to hold your abdominals in. While it may sound easy, the longer you try to perform a plank, the harder it will be. You might start with 30 second sets and work your way up to 2-3 minutes. Repeat for 3-5 reps.
- Plank with Side Twist: Start in plank pose position. Lifting your right leg and bending at the knee, twist slightly at the trunk and reach your knee towards your hip. Return to plank pose position and repeat up to 25 times, once done repeat with your other leg. Repeat this move on both sides for 15 to 25 repetitions. Engage your abs not your lower back. You can even perform this exercise while standing.
- Push-Ups: Lie face-down on the floor, wrists beneath the shoulders, palms down. Draw your navel in toward your spine. Exhale and extend your elbows, keeping the knees on the floor as you lift your upper body. Do not allow the hips to sag or tent. Inhale and slowly lower halfway, then repeat. If you are out of shape, begin with wall push-ups and gradually advance to knee and then full-body push-ups.
- Tricep Dips: Sit on a bench or chair. Begin with the hands next to or slightly under the hips. Lift up onto the hands and bring the hips forward. Bend the elbows (no lower than 90 degrees) and lower the hips down, keeping them very close to the chair. Keep the shoulders down. Push back up without locking the elbows and repeat for 10-16 reps.
- Lunges: To perform the forward lunge, stand with the feet together and center of gravity still. Reach your foot directly out in front of you and place it on the floor. Bend your knees and lower yourself until your front knee is at a 90 degree angle to your body, keeping your back straight. Hold the pose for 1 second, then lift yourself back up, raise the legs back and hold. Return your foot to its original position. Repeat this exact same motion with the other leg, and repeat the exercise on both legs to complete 10 – 25 repetitions per leg.
- Seated Half Pigeon butt Raises: Begin on all fours, with your knees directly below your hips, and your hands slightly ahead of your shoulders. Slide your right knee forward to the back of your right wrist; at the same time angle your right shin under your torso and bring your right foot to the front of your left knee. The outside of your right shin will now rest on the floor. Slowly slide your left leg back, straightening the knee and descending the front of the thigh to the floor. Lower the outside of your right buttock to the floor. Position the right heel just in front of the left hip. The right knee can angle slightly to the right, outside the line of the hip. Look back at your left leg. It should extend straight out of the hip (and not be angled off to the left), and rotated slightly inwardly, so its mid-line presses against the floor. Exhale and raise you back leg a few inches, come back. Lift your torso away from the thigh. Lengthen the lower back by pressing your tailbone down and forward; at the same time, and lift your pubis toward the navel. Roll your left hip point toward the right heel, and lengthen the left front groin. If you can maintain the upright position of your pelvis without the support of your hands on the floor, bring your hands to the top rim of your pelvis. Push heavily down. Against this pressure, lift the lower rim of your rib cage. The back ribs should lift a little faster than the front. Without shortening the back of your neck, drop your head back. To lift your chest, push the top of your sternum (at the manubrium) straight up toward the ceiling. Stay in this position for a minute. Then, with your hands back on the floor, carefully slide the left knee forward, then exhale and lift up and back into Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose). Take a few breaths, drop the knees to all-fours on another exhalation, and repeat with the legs reversed for the same length of time.
Note:
- Always warm-up and stretch before a workout.
- Do not strain your back, involve the abs all along the workout.
- Do not over exert and listen to your body.
- Begin these exercises under the supervision of a fitness trainer.
- End your workout with relaxation.
- Do not hold your breath.
- Support these exercises with a 30 min cardio workout.