As part of my plan to increase my physical activity, I've been trying to find things that I can do at home instead of always having to go to the gym. One of the things my boyfriend stresses is doing something, anything everyday. For awhile, we were doing an ab circuit at night, along with push-ups in addition to our daily workouts. Clearly, I fell completely off and now have to start all over.
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| Plank on stability ball |
So, the moves that we're going to focus on this week will be the plank and the push-up. Ironically, as I was doing my push-ups last night, I was thinking about just how much of your body they work: arms, chest, and your core. This morning, while perusing the internet, I came across an article that talks about the same thing. The push-up is an excellent move to not only tone your upper arms and chest, but also to help you build a stronger core and more defined abs. According to Yahoo! Sports, "(t)he push-up incorporates the stabilization muscles of your core, combining an upper-body pushing movement with a plank -- one of the best and most basic exercises for your midsection."(source). The plank is one of my favorite moves mostly because I'm utterly amazed at how much strength it takes to hold that pose for the recommended 15-30 seconds! Whew! The plank works wonders for your core and a strong core is needed for just about everything.
Follow these steps to perform the perfect plank:
- Start by lying face down on a mat. Place your forearms on the mat and directly align them under your shoulders.
- Extend your legs behind and rest on your toes, as if you are about to do a push up. Be sure not to toot your booty up towards the ceiling. Your shoulders, back, butt and toes should all be aligned.
- Tighten your ab muscles. This will help you hold the position correctly. Breathe evenly, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
- Hold this position for 15-30 seconds. If you are more advanced or feel up to the challenge, shoot for 60-90 seconds (Good Luck!)
- Try and do 3 sets of 3!
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| Perfect plank form |
Now for the push-up, the form is basically the same. The ab contraction is the same also. The difference is, you are now going to place your hands underneath your shoulders and lower your body in one fluid motion. The idea is to go all the way down, with your chest just about touching the floor, and come all the way up. The number one thing to remember when doing this is to let your arm muscles and your core do the work.
We're not doing the caterpillar y'all! Your entire body should be lifted with one motion. Give it a try. Start out where you are comfortable. If you can only do 2, then do 2, or push yourself and do 3 and see how proud you feel!
If you just absolutely can not do the standard push-up, try the modified version. Place your knees on the ground and cross your ankles behind you, lifting them slightly up off the ground. Lower your upper body down slowly, as close to the floor as you can and then push yourself up to the starting position, using only the strength of your arms and core.
Tonight, I will be doing 3 sets of the following:
- 10 push-ups
- 30 second plank
- 25 crunches
Join Me!!!! Leave a comment letting me know you will be trying this tonight. This will be my nightly routine for the next 7 nights. Each week, I will build on this by adding additional exercises and/or extending these. I can't wait to see how good my arms look after 30 days of this!
Disclaimer: I am not a fitness or nutrition expert. These tips are merely suggestions that I make based off of what I do for myself. Before doing any of these moves, please consult a medical professional. This blog post is for informational purposes only and is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose any condition or illness.
