Stability Ball Workout

Stability balls are already found in many households across Dallas, but just owning one doesn't mean it's being used to its full potential. So dust yours off, or simply purchase one at Target, Walmart or any sports store like Sports Authority and get on the ball!

Before you begin, be sure your stability ball is inflated to it's correct size. That size may be printed on the outside of your ball. This size is a maximum limit, so do not go past this limit as it may result in a burst ball.

Next, be sure to warm up at least 5 to 10 minutes before beginning these exercises.

1. Push Ups: Two hands on the ball with feet behind you in a plank position. Slowly lower your chest downwards while keeping the ball steady, then rising back up. Check out the picture for a great example.
2. Squats: Place the ball at your lower back and against a wall. As you lower your hips down, keep the ball pressed against the wall. Be sure that your feet are far enough away from the wall so that your knees don't go past your feet as you squat.
3. Crunches: Sit on the ball and place your lower back in the center. With your hands behind you head lay back and curl your upper body forward, contracting your abdominal muscles. Lay back to flat, making sure to control every aspect of this motion.
4. Lunges: Stand in front of the ball and place one foot on top of the ball. With your legs spread far apart, lower your hips down into a lunge. This is a great balance and knee strengthening exercise. Repeat for both legs.
5. Knee Tucks: Hold your body in a plank position with your hands on the floor. Next place your feet on top of the ball which should be behind you. Once you are balanced, pull the ball in toward you by tucking your knees into your chest. Place the ball back where you started and repeat.
6. Hamstring Curls: Lie on your back on the floor. Place the ball underneath your and hips lifted off the ground. Pull your heels toward your butt and then straight back out. Keep your hips off the ground the entire time and repeat.
7. Side Crunches: Lay on the ball on your side with your belly button lined up with the center. Spread your feet apart on the ground to help with balance. With your hands behind your head, pull your upper body toward the ceiling to contract your side abdominal wall. Release back to the starting position and repeat.
8. Lateral Squat: Stand with the ball to the side of you. With one foot on top of the ball, preform a one legged squat while the foot on top of the ball roles the ball outward. As you raise back up to a standing position, return the ball toward you.

Perform each exercise 10 to 15 times for a total of 2 to 3 sets. The stabiity ball is an excellent core and balance trainer for all ages. This is a great tool to get the whole family involved in working out!

Article from the Dallas Fitness Examiner

Be Kind to your Knees...

Be kind to all your bendy places

Biggest Loser Club fitness expert Michael Scholtz knows when you're new to exercise, aches and pains abound, but he urges you to follow his tips to prevent unnecessary joint pain in your knees. "The knees are involved in practically any movement you do from everyday walking to chores to exercise," Scholtz says. So it's crucial your knees feel good. To keep knees in tip-top shape, avoid the following:

(1) Being a weekend warrior. Knees need consistent activity, not sudden activity.

(2) Deep Squats: "Squatting down very deeply, especially if you stay there for a prolonged amount of time, can be terrible for your knees," says Scholtz.

(3) Kneeling on hard surfaces: kneel on a rolled-up towel or knee pads, not hard wood or concrete.

(4) Plant and twist maneuvers. Point your toes and knees in the same direction when exercising. Turning your body with your feet planted in another direction puts too much torque on your knees.

Scholtz says anyone with knee pain will benefit from weight loss. In any activity, knees absorb three pounds of weight for every pound on your body. So just a five-pound weight loss takes off 15 pounds of pressure on your knees! Remember, when it comes to your knees, work with TLC!

Effective Abdomina Exercises...

The Captain's Chair is the second most effective move for the rectus abdominis as well as the obliques and can be found in most health clubs and gyms. To do it right:

1. Stand on chair and grip handholds to stabilize your upper body.
2. Press your back against the pad and contract the abs to raise the legs and lift knees towards your chest.
3. Don't arch the back and remember to breathe smoothly.
4. Slowly lower back down and repeat for 12-16 reps.


The exercise ball is an excellent tool to strengthen the abs and comes out number three for working the rectus abdominis. To do it right:

1. Lie face-up with the ball resting under your mid/lower back.
2. Cross your arms over the chest or place them behind your head.
3. Contract your abs to lift your torso off the ball, pulling the bottom of your ribcage down toward your hips.
4. As you curl up, keep the ball stable (i.e., you shouldn't roll).
5. Lower back down, getting a stretch in the abs, and repeat for 12-16 reps.

The vertical leg crunch is another effective move for the rectus abdominis and the obliques. To do it right:

1. Lie face up on the floor and extend the legs straight up with knees crossed.
2. Contract the abs to lift the shoulder blades off the floor, as though reaching your chest towards your feet.
3. Keep the legs in a fixed position and imagine bringing your belly button towards your spine at the top of the movement.
4. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.

The Torso Track is a tough exercise because it can hurt your back if you're not careful.

1. Grip the handles of the Torso Track and pull the abs in without holding your breath (as though bracing them).
2. Exhale and glide forward as far as you comfortably can. If you collapse in the middle and feel it in your back, you've gone too far.
3. Contract the abs to pull your body back.
4. Add tension by using more tension chords.

THIS IS MY FAVORITE ONE!!

The plank exercise ranked number 10 in the ACE study and is a great way to build endurance in both the abs and back, as well as stabilizer muscles. To do it right:

1. Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor.
2. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows.
3. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.
4. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air.
5. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps.


To see more please visit Top 10 Most Effective Ab Exercise

100% Clean Eating...

This is a meal plan from a good blogging friend of mine...Ms Danni is certainly fit enough for me to take advice from! To be exact she is a into fitness and I think she should be a personal trainer or something of a sort...

Ms Danni blog can be found on LJ

1)oatmeal
banana
( cardio 45 min )

2 )2 harboiled eggwhites no yolks ( yucky )
1slice wheat toast

3 )protein shake


4) salad with oil vinegar topped with a tad of feta and grilled chicken ( I have a feta fetish )

5) 5 oz of lean strip steak with steam broccoli and a tad of couscous

6) low cal ( not carb ) english muffin with natural peanut butter

-gym-

7) muscle milk 100 calorie pack with no sugar

bedtime.

5 Exercise Tips to LOOSE Belly Fat...

Excess body fat could pose great health risk on an individual. And excessive fat concentration in the mid section may lead to higher health risks, like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart attacks. Health experts agree to attain a healthier body and tone flat abs is to exercise and have a balanced diet. Nowadays there are plenty of exercise tips to lose belly fat fast. The fact is if you want to lose that extra weight you have to remain active, have a healthy balance meals and a healthy lifestyle. By eating the right kinds of food you may be able to trim down those excess fats and coupled with some proven exercise tips to lose belly fat you are on your way to a healthier body and flat abs.

First you must understand that losing weight entails a whole body workout, it’s impossible to get rid of one section of your body alone. Spot reducing will not give you favorable results, instead incorporate exercises that will tone and shape your muscles and then do some exercises that will target your midsection. There are exercise tips to lose belly fat that you can incorporate in your workout routine that can give you excellent results in no time.

These 5 exercise tips to lose belly fat could be included into your routine work out:

1. The Plank

The Plank is a core exercise that strengthens and tightens the abdominal muscles, as well as the back and the lower back muscles. The position; push up pose, forearms and toes are the ones only touching the ground. Hold this pose for 6 counts or until you can tolerate holding this pose. Then slowly go down and repeat the pose 3 times.

2. Abs crunch with stability ball

This core exercise let’s you target and isolates the abs muscles for a more precise muscle workout. However if you do not have a stability ball you can put your legs on a sturdy chair and do the crunch. Do the crunch for 12 counts and repeat for 3 times.

3. Pilates

It is a good body conditioning routine that develops flexibility, endurance and strengthens the core muscles. It tones the abs muscle without adding muscle bulk this is a good workout to have a flat toned abdominals a great exercise for ladies too. There are different pilates routines to choose from, from beginners to the advance routine.

4. Walking

Another great exercise tip to lose belly fat, walking lets all the muscle in the body burn more easily especially the abdominal muscles. Walking is a great cardio workout also. This will strengthen your heart and improve your breathing.

5. Cardiovascular exercises

Cardio exercises or aerobic exercises, like jogging, swimming, biking, and sprinting are some of the best cardio exercises that you will definitely enjoy. It gives a good whole body workout and is a great exercise tip to lose belly fat.

These exercise tips will help you lose belly fat, just remember to add variety in all your routine and diet. Adding variety to your workout will motivate you to go further into achieving your goal. This will also reduce the incidence of plateaus which often makes an individual frustrated.



By: Andres Munoz

There is something to working out that is contagious!

I love everything about it! I know that when you find something you like and you are good at you should stick with it! Well I love the gym I am at now! It is still under the same umbrella (24hr fitness)! However, the people are much nicer there! They talk to each other...they welcome you and no pressure about people walking around half naked to flaunt! I mean I know the saying but there is a time and place for everything! My gym attire no matter what my size has been modest! A tee and sweats! I do not know why people feel that it is a nigh club when they go to the gym. The best thing about it is that the ones that dress like that normally are the ones that come once a week (if that often), so I do not have to see it all that much! Well I am getting off of that and on to something better!

I noticed today that the swim suit I wear to the class, I have not worn in 7yrs and it was not something that I was dying to put on! However, in a weeks time I have noticed a difference in the way it fits! A difference in the way other items fit also! Is it my strut? YEAH! I have better posture and confidence since putting that swimsuit on! Yes! I am noticing! And it feels good!

Turbo Kick Boxing

Turbo kick boxing is not for the beginers! I am just being honest with you! It whooped my ass! OMG! O I was fucking through with it within the 1st five minutes! However, I stuck in there! I kicked when I cold jumped when I could! I squated and prayed to get up and got up and prayed to squat! I know that one day I will go back in there and conquer that class, but until then...well I am keeping my big ass in the pool and circuit training! I do enough of that other bull with all the DVD's that I have at home! I would rather do my "Flirty Girl Fitness" workout than TKB! It is much more my speed, I feel the muscles and the aches after, and it is fun! I feel like HEEEEEEEEAAAAAYYYYY! LMAO! I will have to recommend that to anyone who likes to dance and wants to loose a few inches of jiggle!

Some days I can not help but love being me!
No drama, no bullshit, just being the playful me that I am!
I love that my mornings in the gym, take my mind off of the drama outside the doors of the gym!
I love being in the water and feeling the muscle targeted and sometime the secondary muscles working like never before! I REALLY love it!
Afterward it is so much easier to be me and loving me!

Perfect post-workout refuel: chocolate milk - Sports

Perfect post-workout refuel: chocolate milk - Sports

I am so glad that I do this already! Chocolate Milk is a GREAT after workout boost!

1st Aqua Class

Well, today I went to the gym I had feared for so long. It was the 24hr Fitness with EVERYTHING! Basketball court, full gym facilities, classroom, pool, whirlpool, dry sauna and steam room!

Well I have always wanted to try the aqua classes, and for over a year I was like...uh no way! Synchronized swimming are for old ladies not divas! Besides I want to really work out, you know! I bust sweats with treadmills and elliptical! I make muscles sore with pounding weights! Not an aqua aerobics class! Well YES! I did! I did an aqua aerobics class and it was AWESOME! I am so glad that I did it! For one reason it was very good using my own body as resistance with no stress on the joints. Another reason is that being around the women that were there was the best! These woman were well past their 50's and they were still trucking! Hell, honestly it was hard to keep up with some of them. One in particular I can not wait to see at the next class, she helped me out so much! I was so out of sorts! But once I was engaged and using my core I was on it! However, I was off balance enough twice to land face first in the pool! Yeah, it was hilarious! I just needed to find my center of gravity while sitting and floating at the same time, but splat! There I went!

I honestly have not felt better after a work out! I know I will go back and sweat it out again in the pool of fitness! Yes, you can sweat while doing an hour of aqua aerobics! I can not wait...and then a soak in the whirlpool with a trip to the dry sauna! I am so loving it!