Exercise of the Day: Plyometric Side Box Hops

Plyometrics!! Once again, plyometrics are great to add into your workout, especially if you're an athlete, because they help improve your speed, power, force, and agility. By doing the a side step up onto a plyometric box, you are improving the muscle power in your upper thigh and glutes, eventually allowing you to run faster and jump higher!




1-Stand to the left of a plyometric box.
2-Raise your right foot over the box.
3-As soon as you place your right foot onto the box, push yourself straight upwards into the air.
4-Land softly, with your right foot landing the box, and your left foot back on the floor.
5-Do this movement 10-12 times, then switch sides.

Want an added bonus? Hold a dumbbell or medicine ball as you jump!

Enjoy!

Yoga Pose of the Day: Half Moon

Today's Yoga Pose of the Day is Half Moon, or Ardha Chandrasana. This pose is great for stretching and strengthening your torso, therefore strengthening your spine, and you also work on your balance.



1-Begin in Mountain Pose, lengthening through your spine.
2-Extend your arms overhead, palms facing each other. Keep your shoulder blades down and actively pressing into your lower back while your extend through your arms.
3-Shift your weight onto your right leg and begin to hinge forward, raising your left leg behind you.
4-Place your right hand down on the floor and twist your torso so that your chest is parallel with the left wall. 5-Keep length in your spine, reaching out through your left leg and keeping a long spine. At the same time, create the push and pull affect with your right leg, pushing into the ground, and a pull in your right leg, creating length.
6-Extend your left arm straight overhead, so that it is in one line with your right arm which is still grounded in the floor. Your arms create a new push and pull feeling in your body.
7-When you have your sense of balance, and if you do not have neck injuries, turn your heads so that you are facing upwards and extend your gaze past your left hand.
8-Hold for three breaths.
9-Bring your gaze back to the ground and begin to rotate your torso back to being parallel with the floor. Bring your body back to Mountain Pose.
10-Repeat the pose on the other side, using your left leg as an anchor.

Namaste.

Exercise of the Day: Back Extensions

Let's strengthen up your lower back today by doing back extensions. It is important to have strong lower back muscles in order to have the foundation and power to carry out most exercises correctly and in proper form, especially upper body exercises. Also, most people focus far too much on doing crunches for their abs, and their bodies become too out of proportion in muscles mass in the front, causing strain on your lower back. You need balance!!!!

I typically prefer doing back extensions using the Roman Chair (as pictured), but if this is unavailable to you, you can do back lifts, such as the Superman exercise, on the ground. There are also back extension machines in most gyms. I'll discuss the exercise in terms of the Roman Chair.




1-Stand between the two pads of the Roman Chair so that you are facing the large pad.
2-Position your upper thighs against the large pad and place your ankles under the foot braces. Activate your core to remain stable.
3-Lower your upper body so that it is perpendicular with the floor.
4-Slowly and with control, flex your lower back muscles to raise your torso back upwards, keeping your torso flat----Do not arch your back! Stop when your torso is raised slightly above your hips. You do not want to hyperextend your back!
5-Do as many repetitions as you can in 1 minute.

ENJOY!