Forging Optimal Health & Wellness















Saturday, February 6, 2010

Arms, Back and Core!

This week I wanted to focus on our arms and back so in looking back, pun intended, here is a quick recap of the exercises.
Starting off, after taking a few moments to contemplate your life’s distractions, bang out a set of 15 bench dips or a few push-ups.
Follow that up with:
• “Y”: Lie face down on the floor with your arms extended out from your shoulders forming a ‘Y’ position overhead. Engage the muscles in your arms all the way through your finger tips with your thumbs pointing toward the ceiling. Slide your shoulder blades down and back and engage your core. Using the strength of your core and with an exhale of your breath, lift your torso, head and arms off the floor, inhale, lower and repeat. If you are looking for an extra challenge, lift your legs, with your muscles engaged, off the floor at the same time.
• Begin in plank position. Engage the muscles of your arms up to your shoulders, your core and your legs, reaching through your heels. Maintain a straight, neutral spine, not allowing your stomach to sag to the floor or your tailbone to reach to the ceiling. Take a deep breath and "roll" on to your right hand, coming into a side plank. Take a breath and from there roll toward to your back into backward plank position. Take another breath and roll over on to your left hand in another side plank. Breathe again and return to your starting plank position. It is important to maintain your core integrity and spine alignment through all these positions!
• Stand with your feet hip distance and parallel, shoulders down and back and your core engaged. If you have a set of light dumbbells, hold one in each hand. With your palms facing forward and your arms by your sides, bend your elbow, engaging your bicep, into a curl. At the top of the curl, turn your palm to the front again and extend your arm into a shoulder press. Lower your arm to your hip. With the same arm, extend it up into a diagonal overhead. Lower back to your hip and again with the same arm, punch across your chest. Lower your arm to your side and repeat the entire series with the opposite arm. Repeat this series of exercises for 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each arm. It is a fun one!
• Begin this on your hands and knees. Balance your weight on your knees and one arm, engaging all the muscles of your balancing arm and pressing through your palm and all your fingers. Make a fist with your "working" arm and with a slightly bent arm, bring your fist to your rib cage. This is your starting position. With the muscles in your arm engaged, squeeze your shoulder blades together and lift your arm, still slightly bent, laterally, (to the side) to shoulder height. Return and repeat for 15 repetitions and switch arms.
Cycle through these exercises for a great arm, back and core series. Have a great weekend!

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