Monday, August 27, 2012

Exercise of the Day: Single-Arm Tricep Pushdown

Time to tone up those arms! I LOVE working triceps and pushdowns are great for creating burn in the back of your arms. You can use the standard rope, or multiple other attachments at a cable machine, so working this exercise into your routine.



1-Set up the pulley at a high position on the cable stand. Keeping your core engaged and extending through your spine, hold the end of a rope, or the handle of a cable attachment with your right hand. Be sure that your palm is facing inwards, towards your core. Hold your right elbow tightly next to your side.

2-By only extending at your elbow (do not use the rest of your upper body) extend your right forearm downwards, until your right arm is perpendicular to the floor.

3-Slowly bring your forearm back to the starting position. This is one repetition.

Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions per arm.

ENJOY!

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Exercise of the Day: Hanging Abdominal Windshield Wipers

This one is a doozie. Hanging wipers are amazing for abdominal (especially your obliques) and overall core strength. This is an advanced version of the windshield wipers that you can do laying on your back on a mat, as pictured below.


To do Hanging Windshield Wipers, you need a Pull-Up Bar.



1-Grasp the inner handles, as if doing a chin-up and engage your abs so that you are able to bring your toes up to the bar, your upper back as parallel to the floor as possible. This is the center position (Position A in the picture above).

2-Keeping your core as stable as possible and your upper back parallel to the floor, begin to tilt your legs at a 45 degree angle to your right. Pause for one count (Position B in the picture above).

3-Bring your legs back to center, your toes going straight up towards the bar (Position A).

4-Begin to tilt your legs at a 45 degree angle to your right. Pause for one count (Position C). Bring your legs back to center. This is one repetition.

Do as many repetitions as you can.

I added this video from YouTube to demonstrate the exercise. Much better to watch this exercise than to simply look at pictures.


ENJOY!