Author: Lindsay Hogg

Hopefully these ab exercises will help you mix up your regular crunch routine. Core is such an important part of your fitness routine. It helps protect your lower back and can definitely take your yoga practice, running, cross fit or muscle building to the next level.

1. The Push

Looks and sounds simple, but trust me, you will feel the burn. Bring your legs to a 90 degree angle, flex your toes towards your face and place your hands on the tops of your thighs. Push your hands into your thighs while pushing your thighs back into your hands. *Make sure your lower back is flat on the mat and engage your core!

2. Leg lifts

Bring your hands (palms down) to your lower back. Start with your feet to the ceiling, flex your toes towards your face and take 3 deep breaths.

Lower your legs 30%, hold here and take 3 deep breaths.

Lower your legs half way and hold here, take 3 deep breaths.

Lower your feet 2 inches off the floor, lift your shoulders and look at your feet. Take 10 breaths here and slowly raise your feet back to the ceiling. Repeat at least 3 times. *Flex/engage your legs and use your core to lift and lower them.

3. High Boat/Low Boat

Start with your sit-bones on the floor, a straight back and your feet as straight to the ceiling as you can (most come to about a 90 degree angle). Bring your arms out wide and hold here for 5 breaths.

Bring your hands together in the middle of your stomach. Using your abs, lower all the way down to the floor.

Come back into high boat and repeat this process in sets of 5-10. *Be sure you use your core here or you could hurt your lower back. A modification would be to hold the backs of your thighs when you’re in high boat and bring your hands flat to the mat as you lower and raise back up.

 

4. Row Your Boat

Come into high boat (see above). Bring your hands to heart center. Interlace them like you’re holding a paddle and bring them to your right.

Then bring your hands to the left. *Keep your legs centered, but twist your upper body. You will feel the most in your side abs if you bring your hands down low to your sides, like you’re actually rowing a boat.

The end. Now go rock those abs!

(Big word up to my friend Nicole who modeled these exercises for me!)

By: Shannon Boyce

Have you heard about Tabata Training? You may not have yet but trust me – everyone you know will be talking about it soon. This is a seriously intense training method that is thought to burn 13.5 calories in a single minute. Even better, it is also believed to double your metabolic rate for an entire half hour after you work out. It all sounds a little too good to be true, doesn’t it? Well, have no doubt, this training is not for the faint of heart. If you want those results you are really going to have to work for them. Are you ready to find out more about Tabata Training? Let’s take a closer look at what it is and how you can get started.

Exactly What Is Tabata Training?

You already know that Tabata training is super intense and can burn a crazy amount of calories in a single minute. What you don’t know is what this type of training method really is. It was originally created by a Japanese professor, Izumi Tabata in the 90s as a way to help speed skaters prepare for the Olympics. Since then, it has been used to get in shape…fast!

What is so impressive about Tabata training are the results of a study done about the workout. They found that this type of exercise could boost your metabolism quickly. They estimated that it would normally take five times the amount of cardio exercises (time on the treadmill or speed walking) to burn the same amount of calories that are burned in just 4 minutes of Tabata. Yes, Tabata training lasts for just 4 minutes yet can do more for you than exercises that last for much longer. Talk about impressive!

 

Tabata Training: The Basic Format

Now that you know how awesome Tabata is for your body, you’re probably dying to learn how you can do it for yourself. Well, it is essentially 4-minutes of explosive moves. Each high-intensity move is done for 20 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of rest. You repeat this routine 8 times until your 4-minute training is over. The intervals are effective and really help you break a sweat!

One of the biggest perks of this type of training? You don’t need a ton of money or fancy equipment to get a high quality workout. All you really need is a bit of space to do it and a stopwatch. Why a stopwatch? To complete this type of training properly, you’ll need a watch or some sort of another way that will help you keep track of your time. An app on your smart phone is a convenient and free option if you’re looking to save a couple of bucks.

 

How You Can Include Tabata Training Into Your Workout

Ready for some more good news? Tabata training can be worked into your regular fitness routine. Any type of cardio will work! Things like squat jumps, burpees, and high-knees will help you burn a ton of calories. Whatever you choose, the most important thing is to give each move everything you’ve got. The more you put into each interval, the more you’ll get from your workout!

You can try it NOW below! 🙂

The video below is from Brad Gouthro at Live Lean TV

Author: Shannon Boyce

You’ve got to start somewhere. Even the most athletic people in the world were beginners at some point! If you’re trying to improve your level of fitness and get healthy, there is no time to lose. Starting something new can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. The key is to ease your way into it as you gain your footing. To help you do just that, try these 2 essential exercises for beginners.

The Modified Push Up

It’s time to start your exercise routine…. but where to begin? How about with a push up? This is a pretty basic move but it is also very effective at toning your arms, chest, shoulders, and even your core. That makes it an absolute must! A traditional push up can seem pretty challenging to a beginner. Thankfully, this move can be modified in a couple of ways. If you’re really new to working out, stand in front of a wall with your arms shoulder-width apart. Put your hands flat against the wall and take a giant step back. Bend your elbows and lean into the wall. Push your body back and repeat 10 to 15 times. Doing it this way will take some of pressure off of your arms and core but it will still help you build up your muscles and endurance!

Another way you can do it? Get down on your knees with your hands in front of you, shoulder-width apart. Push yourself towards the ground and then back up. This is slightly more difficult than the modified wall push up, so work your way up to this next modification.

 How to do a modified pushup video

The Chair Squat

For this next easy exercise, you’ll need to grab a sturdy chair for balance. Why? The chair squat is a modification of a traditional squat. Using a chair takes some of the pressure off of your legs by giving you something to grab onto. This move is a great place to start because works so many muscle groups, including your lower body, like thighs, hips, and glutes. To perform this exercise, start by standing in front of a turned around chair, with your feet shoulder-width apart. Reach your arms out in front of you and grab onto the very top of that chair. Then you want to bend your legs, keeping your head raised throughout the move. Move down into a squat position and push yourself back up either on your own or with a little help from that chair! Repeat this move 10 to 15 times until it becomes easier for you to do. Once you feel confident, you can ditch the chair and go a little lower into your squat.

When you’re just beginning get in shape, start small. It is important to have the basic moves down pat before you progress any further. This will prevent injuries and help you to build your confidence. With these essentials, you’ll be able to add onto what you know and make the moves even more challenging as your fitness improves. It’s only a matter of time!

How to do a chair squat video