Exercise of the Week: Stability Ball Push-Up

If you want to move beyond the basic push-up for upper body strength, try stability push ups. This variation of the push up increases the difficulty (as well as the effectiveness of the standard push up).

Personally, I prefer my client to perform functional exercises rather than just push weights around. Functional exercise is generally an exercise that requires you to use your body as resistance rather than free weights or machines. These exercises require more muscles to be activated (stabilizers and core muscles) during the movement. This push up works more muscles than a bench press.

When you add the requirement of balance, you also increase muscle fiber activation. During functional exercises, a machine doesn't control the movement patterns so your muscles must control it. If you're working harder, you burn more calories and you gain more strength.

Keep in mind that you should progress from the basic push up to the stability push up in order to perform it safely. Do not attempt stability push ups until you can do 20 basic push-ups. Instructions:

1. Lay with your chest on the stability ball Place your hands at the sides of your chest. Place your toes on the floor, legs straight.

2. Push your body up until your arms are almost straight, but do not lock your elbows. Hold here for two seconds.

3. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat to fatigue.

Exercise of the Week: Walking Lunges

Walking lunges are hands down one of the greatest leg exercises you can do.

The reason they are so high up on the list is because you not only get a fantastic leg workout, but you are also working on flexibility at the same time. Each lunge forces your body to stretch into a lowered position that really allows the hip flexors of the back leg to elongate and open. That means you get strength, conditioning, toning, and flexibility benefits from just this one exercise.

Here's how to complete it:

1. Hold dumbbells by your sides with your palms facing towards your body

2. Lunge forward with one leg and allow both knees to bend

3. Lunge as deep as you can comfortably4. Push back up and forward through the front leg's heel

5. Repeat with the opposite leg walking forward for 12-16 total repetitions

Tips to Remember:

1. Keep your shoulder blades pulled back and your chin parallel to the floor the entire set

2. Do not let your front knee go over the front foot when lunging

3. Breathe in on the way down and out on the way up

4. Start out with no weight if need be

5. Keep your arms by your sides throughout each repetition

If you are new to these, try them without weight for your first few times and concentrate on form. If you are a pro at these, add some weight.

If you are doing these at the gym, the track is great place to do these, but don't try to lunge around the corners. You don't want to take a chance of getting out of alignment.

One additional tip for the all the fitness divas (and divos) out there - Take these outside for an additional challenge - but not just anywhere. Find a hill! Walking lunges uphill is an INSANE great workout!

Exercise of the Week: Dumbbell Step Up

You already know that I love compound exercises. The more muscles you work, the more calories you burn. Makes sense. So what could be better than an exercise that works multiple muscles (strength benefits) and gets your heart rate up (cardiovascular benefits)?

That's why the exercise of the week is: the Dumbbell Step Up.

Tips: The first time you attempt this, try it without weight at a slower pace with a small bench/platform. As you get stronger, add weight and/or raise the bench and/or increase your speed. There's always a way to challenge yourself with this exercise - no matter how strong you get.

Instructions:

Hold one dumbbell by your sides. Step up onto a flat bench with your left leg. Then, step up with your right leg to stand on the bench. Step down with your left leg, then your right leg. Repeat 12 to 15 times, then step up with your right leg first for 12-15 reps on that side.

If you are an elite athlete, you can add a glute lift by stepping on the bench with your left leg and kicking the right leg back instead of stepping on the step with your right leg. Do the same amount of reps as described above.

Exercise of the Week: Swiss Ball Jackknife

A lot of people are confused about what it takes to get a flat stomach. First, six-pack abs are the result of a well-conditioned workout routine involving cardio, strength training, flexibility, and good nutrition. Hate to break it to you if you've been doing 500 crunches a day and not seeing any results, but your best bet is to do exercises that involve core stability and isolation. That's why this week's exercise is the Swiss Ball Jackknife.

The Swiss ball Jackknife is great movement for targeting your lower abdominals. Plus, since the ball is unstable, your entire core has to work to maintain the position of your body.

Start by getting into a pushup position with the tops of your feet on a Swiss ball. Your body should form a straight line from your toes to your shoulders with your hands positioned just slightly wider than your shoulders.

Keeping your back flat and abs tight, bend your knees and roll the ball toward your torso. Squeeze your abs for a second and then roll the ball back to the starting position. Try to do 3-4 sets of 20-25 reps with only about 30 seconds of rest between sets.

One other tip: Keep the movement smooth and be sure to keep your spine in a neutral position. You should not feel like your hips are dropping.

Exercise of the Week: Dumbbell Squat Press

I don't like to waste time anywhere - but it especially applies at the gym. This is why I'm a big fan of complex exercises. Why would I only work one muscle group when I could do more?

The dumbbell squat press may be the most efficient exercise out there. For starters, muscle groups used include: mayMuscles involved: Quadriceps, Gluteus Maximus, Erector Spinae, Rectus Abdominis, Obliques, Deltoids, Triceps Brachii and Trapezius. Not to mention because of the nature of the exercise, it has cardiovascular benefits as well as strength training.

Here's how to do it:

Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and dumbbells at shoulder height. Being sure not to round out your back, lower yourself down by pushing your hips back until you reach about 90 degrees of flexion in the knees. Your theighs should be parallel with the floor.

Step 2: Dig through your heels and press up out of the squat position as you press the dumbbells overhead. Lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height, which should take you you back to the starting position. Repeat.

Tips to remember:

1. Keep your abdominal muscles tight, and keep the chest lifted.

2. Don't let yourself look down. Looking straight ahead keeps your neck in line with your spine - always a good thing!

3. Always keep your knees behind your big toes.

4. Keep the press motion tight as if you're trying to punch the ceiling.

5. Remember that the bulk of your weight should be in your heels. This will help you keep your balance.

Oh, and side note - after today if you've kept up with the challenge, you will have done 700 pushups in a week! YES! Check back tomorrow for Part 2 of the the One-Week 100 Challenge.

Exercise of the Week: One Legged Bent Over Row

How many people do you think hit the gym with the goal of seeing slow and steady results?

Probably no one. 

Today's world wants everything quickly and efficiently. That's why this week's exercise - the one legged bent over row - works more muscles at once than most people's full workouts!

It works the lower, middle, and upper back as well as your shoulders and biceps while also working the glutes, hamstring, and calf on the standing leg. Not to mention, it works to improve your balance, coordination, and flexibility. What more could you want?

Directions:

Start by holding a dumbbell in your right hand. Balancing on your right leg, hinge forward from the hips until your back is as close to flat as you can manage. Raise the back leg as high as possible and stabilize by contracting the glute and hamstring muscles of that leg. 

While maintaining a flat back, pull the dumbbell up in a rowing motion, driving the elbows as far back as possible. Hold this position for a second, and then slowly lower to the straight arm position, while maintaining a flat back. (Dropping the weight too quickly will not work the muscle in reverse and could result in losing your balance.)

Do as many reps as you can, then do the same amount of reps on the other leg. Remember to start with a light weight until you get the hang of it, and then you can add heavier weight.

Make it easier:

If you are finding it difficult to balance you can try performing it without weights. You can also place your back foot on something for balance like a chair or bench.

Make it harder:

You can always add weight. You can also try placing dumbbells in both hands and rowing with both arms at the same time. 

Across the Floor Push-Ups

If you're looking for a killer push-up, your search has ended.

To do this, athletes should get into the standard push-up position. Lower your body as normal, but instead of just pushing back into the starting position, propel yourself off the floor and jump slightly to one side. This can be done to the right and to the left.
(Ideally, if you are going across the floor to the right, your left hand will replace your right hand.)

Whichever way you are going, that side will get a better work-out, so make sure to do the activity to the left and to the right.

This drill will take several attempts to master, because it takes rhythm and coordination of the hands and feet. It is also very difficult, so you should not
expect to do more than 10-15 on the right and 10-15 on the left the first few times.