Mixing up your workouts
If you've been doing the same workout routine for more than two months, it's time to change it up. This week's fitness coaches bring some new ideas to your workouts:
Andrea Metcalf, Anytime Fitness & author of Naked Fitness
Sports
A broom or a bar-
If you can't get to the gym, a simple household broom can be part of your fitness routine. Sweeping is actually a great core workout. Try sweeping the broom side to side and do plies between sets. At the gym, an Olympic bar can be used in a similar fashion. Get down on your knees and stand the bar on its end then lean it to a 45 degree angle in one hand. You will then toss the bar from one hand to the other in a side to side motion, make sure you have the bar end secured on a mat or it will slip out at the bottom.
Another great move is to get down on your knees and put your hands on the bar. This basic "on four" position is the start. Roll the bar out for a great core and upper body toner, keeping the hips tucked under to protect the lower back. Then roll it back to the starting position. You can also use the bar for squats and over head presses. To focus on the biceps, keep palms upward on the press.
-Sergio Rojas, CSCS, CNS CES
www.RedefinedFitness.net
Looking for something new and non-traditional to pick up your work out try using sandbags. Here are two simple exercises that incorporate a total body workout.
Push and Pull- The first exercise is to push the sandbag from one side of the room to the other. As you push the bag across the floor you are concentrating on your glutes, hamstrings and legs as well as your core and shoulders. Once you reach the end of the room you are going to pull the bag back in reverse. With this movement you will feel your quads and feet being emphasized as well as strengthen up your wrists and forearms as you drag that sandbag.
Squat with a Bear Hug- Start with your feet in a staggered stance wrap your arms around the entire sandbag so the bag is close to your chest. Next you are going to simply squat down on the way up rotate your hips 45 degrees and then rotate back to the middle to squat down again. You want to alternate side to side after each squat, make sure you keep your movement slow and controlled as well as holding good posture. This exercise will concentrate on your glutes, legs and your core. If you want to add more difficulty to it instead of rotating on the way up lift the bag over your shoulder as you rise from your squat.
-Saran Dunmore, Trainer on MTV’s “I Used To Be Fat”
From time to time you need to change up your workouts to put some spark in your routine. Try adding undulating ropes to your workout to get that heart rate rocking.
Tsunami, Side To Side and Single Arm- The tsunami is done by taking the rope up as high you can go and then slamming it down to the floor as hard as you can. As you bring the rope down to the ground you want to slightly bend your knees so that you almost doing a half squat. The side to side motion is simply throwing the rope from side to side. As you cross the rope in front of you make sure you twist your hips as well as bend your knees . The single arm motion is alternating between the right and left hand making wave like motion with the rope.
Lunge- Once you feel comfortable moving around the rope you can step up your workout by adding a lunge to your movements. This might be a little harder to do with the side to side so try it with the tsunami and single arm.
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