Warrior III
This yoga move from Kristin McGee's cellulite-fighting yoga routine tests your balance, tones your legs, and strengthens your core.
How to do it: Stand with the feet together, and lift up the left leg with a pointed toe, putting your body weight onto the standing, right leg. Continue to lift your leg and drop the head and torso so they form a straight horizontal line from head to toe with the arms at your sides. Engage your core and make sure the left thigh, hip, and toes are aligned. Remain facing down and keep your back as straight as possible. Ensure your right knee doesn't lock and center the weight on the middle of the foot. Hold for 5 breaths and then slowly return to standing.
Switch legs and repeat.
Watch the video: Warrior
Bridge opposite arm-leg reach
This exercise activates all of your abdominal muscles.
How to do it: Lie face up with your left knee bent, left foot flat on the floor, and right leg extended toward the ceiling. Reach toward the ceiling with your the left arm and keep your right arm down by your side. Without moving your hips or shoulders, open your raised leg to the right and raised arm to the left. Now, concentrating on your abs, return your raised leg and arm to the center. Do 10-12 reps, then switch sides and repeat.
Swan dive
A staple in many yoga and Pilates workouts, the swan dive strengthens back muscles to improve your posture. This move is from Kristin McGee's Secret to an Amazing Body Pilates routine.
How to do it: Lie face down on a mat with arms stretched overhead, toes pointed. Lift your arms and legs about 6 inches off the ground. Hold for 1 count, imagining your legs being pulled out and back, away from your hips. Then, circle your arms out to each side of your body behind you. Exhale and reach your arms toward the toes, palms facing the body (as seen in the photo). Hold for 1 count, then bring arms back to starting position and relax entire body to ground. That's one rep. Repeat for 6 to 8 reps.
Eagle pose
This yoga move is ideal for testing your balance and activating your lower body muscles to maintain balance.
How to do it: Bend your knees slightly and cross your right leg over your left leg high at the thigh, then try to double cross it behind the left calf or ankle. Wrap your right arm under your left and back over top; press your palms together.
Squeeze thighs tight and pull your belly to your spine while you sink lower, bending slightly at the knee and a bit forward at the waist. Hold for 5 breaths, then repeat with arms and legs reversed.
Make it easier: If double-crossing your legs is too challenging, cross just once at the thigh and rest your top foot's toes on the ground for balance. If your shoulders are too tight to double-cross your arms, wrap under only and press the backs of your hands together.
Watch the video: Eagle Pose
Caterpillar plank
Take the traditional plank exercise to the next level with this more challenging modification. It does wonders for your upper body and core.
How to do it: Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, bend forward at the waist and place your hands on the floor; crawl forward to plank position with shoulders directly over wrists. Bend elbows to lower your body toward the floor, then push back up. Next, bend your left knee, bring it up and in toward your chest, then rotate your waist as you raise your bent left leg out until it's parallel to the floor. Return to plank and repeat on the opposite side. Return to standing.
Knee lift-leg kick combo
Squat side kick
Side incline with a twist
This popular yoga move targets your triceps, biceps, core, and waist. You can also try to combine this with a traditional plank to maximize your strengthening and toning routine, by transitioning from a plank into the side incline.
How to do it: Lie on your right side with forearm directly under shoulder, hand perpendicular to your body, and legs stacked. Engage your abs and the right side of your waist, lifting your hips so your body forms a straight line from head to feet.
Extend your left arm toward the sky, staying engaged through your core (shown). Now scoop your left arm in front of your body and reach under the space between your chest and the ground, twisting only from the waist up.
Come back up; repeat 4 times, then lower body to the ground. Repeat on the opposite side.
Low lunge hover
Table twister
Booty burn
Incline plank
Hip heist push-up
Take your cardio routine up a notch and kick your body into overdrive with this calorie burning and strengthening exercise.
How to do it: Get into "up" part of a push-up; lower chest and bend elbows, stopping at 90 degrees.
Lift right hand and left foot, rotating upper body to the right while bringing left knee across body toward right armpit. Pivot on right foot and continue rotating torso until you're face up. Hands should be directly beneath shoulders and feet hip-width, knees bent at 90 degrees. Lift hips until torso is in tabletop position.
Lift left hand and right foot, rotating upper body to right, pivoting on left foot until you are back in the "up" part of a push-up. Repeat in opposite direction.
Y-squat calf raise
Original article and pictures take www.health.com site
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