Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Exercise of the Day: Single-Arm Dumbbell Snatch

The Single-Arm Dumbbell Snatch is a perfect total body exercise to include into your workouts. It's a great exercise that you can mix up with heavy and light weights depending on the day or your goal, so it works for everyone.

1-Stand with your feet shoulders width apart, pressing into your heels, with a dumbbell sitting a few inches in front your of your right foot. Make sure you are creating length in your spine, your core is activated.

2-Begin to squat down, hinging at the hips and keeping your chest up and your shoulders back. When you are all the way down in the squat, use an overhand grip and grasp the dumbbell with your right hand.

3-In a single movement, press through your heels and use your right hand to raise the dumbbell to the ceiling, quickly and with good form. Keep the dumbbell close to your body, avoid waving it all about. You want to raise the weight with such great force that as you come out of the squat to a standing position, you raise onto to your toes. Your arm will stop when it is extended straight overhead, your palm facing in front of you.

4-Lower your arm back down in front of you and lower back into the squat position discusses in Step 2, holding the weight in front of your right toe. That is one repetition.

Do 12 repetitions with the weight on your right side. Then, do 12 more repetitions, this time with the weight on your left.

Want to mix it up? Try using a kettlebell instead of a dumbbell!

ENJOY!
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Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Yoga Pose of the Day: Turtle Pose

Turtle Pose, or Kurmasana, is a wonderful pose that will help stretch the inner leg muscles, hips, and your lower back. It is also a nice pose for modifying, so no matter your level of flexibility, or how much your body feels like cooperating on a particular day, everyone can get something out of it.

1-Start seated on your mat, pressing extending through your spine as you extend your legs straight out in front of you.

2-Extend your legs outwards, as much as your flexibility allows. If your legs are not flexible enough, you can keep your knees bent.

3-Lower your torso, leading with your chest, and extend your right arm under your right leg as far as possible. Next, do the same with your left arm, extending it under your left leg as far as possible. Keep your palms facing the floor.

4-Engage your legs and exhale, and lower your torso as close to the ground in front of you as possible, being sure to lead with your chest. Hold yourself in the lowest position for five deep breaths.

5-To come back up, bend your knees and as you take a deep inhalation, bring your torso back upright, keeping a flat back the entire time you lift.



If you are super flexible in the hips and thighs, you can practice bringing your knees close to your ears when have completely lowered your torso to the ground.


NAMASTE!

Exercise of the Day: Total Body Workout Plan

Many people ask for quick, easy workouts that they can fit into their busy schedules. Workouts that will hit every part of their body. Fitbie offers this workout to do. My recommendation: go through the entire list of exercise three times, increasing your weight slightly each round.

The Hot Body Workout
ENJOY!!