Workouts: Core Stability

Often one of the most neglected dimensions of fitness, core stability can be quite beneficial to the body. When I'm talking about core stability, you instantly think abs. Not necessarily. Core stability does work the abs, but it also incorporates many of your pillars of strength--shoulders, glutes, hamstrings etc. Yes, you are focusing on your abs, but you will also be using and building other muscles at the same time. Creating a great center of balance is probably the best benefit of core stabilization. It will also blast body fat. Here's the workout.

You will only need three things: a swiss ball (fitness, yoga), a 5 lb dumbbell, and a good floor.

Ab Activation Warm-Up
25 swiss ball crunches
25 reverse crunches
(this will engage your ab muscles making it easier to brace them later in the workout)

Core Stability Workout
Raised leg push-ups 4 sets of 15- regular push-up, the only difference is that one leg is elevated about 12-18 inches above the other leg. Keep this leg locked out. Alternate legs every set until 2 sets are performed with each leg for a total of 4 sets.

Single leg squats 4 sets of 10 (2 per leg)- Maintain a straight posture while performing these just like you would a regular squat. There are a couple things you can do for support with this move if needed. One is that it helps some to hold a weight (5 lb dumbbell will work fine) in front of them while performing this move. Another is to have a bench or a chair(preferably one where you can sit down and have your feet touching the floor while, at the same time, have your legs perpendicular to the floor. When you become comfortable with this move, try bracing your core all the way through every set.

Side planks 4 sets of 40 seconds (2 per side)- to make this move even more challenging, raise your (top) leg for the last 15 seconds of the move.

Front Planks 2 sets of 45 seconds- brace/tighten your abs!

X-Planks with alternating arm raise for 80 seconds alternate arms every 10 seconds- like the name of the exercise suggests, your body is like an X. Get up in push-up position- with arms and legs spread out to make an X shape. The arms to not have to be wide but the legs do. Keeping a straight, flat back and a tight core, raise each arm shoulder parallel to the floor at shoulder level.

Swiss ball push-ups- This is the same as a regular push-up-just on a swiss ball. Focus on a smooth motion. Steady on the upward part. Slow and controlled on the downward part. Squeeze the shoulders blades together at the bottom of the move. Oh and I almost forgot- keep those abs tight!

- This is a very basic yet challenging workout. There are many more exercises which I will include in a modified workout which will be coming soon...

Attitude: Staying postive regardless of the circumstance

I am currently doing an internship at a physical therapy and sports medicine practice. My first day was a great experience, as I was mostly observing and taking notes. What really struck me that day was a woman, whom we will call Donna, who has progressive Multiple Sclerosis(MS). I was given a little background on Donna: 1. She has been a patient there for four years getting exercise and stretching to fight her MS. 2. She has already exceeded her life expectancy because of her resilient actions. A lot can be attributed to her great attitude. She went through various exercises and stretches (most of her exercises are done with a stability( swiss, yoga) ball to help her with balance as she does things such as overhead dumbbell extensions). She ALWAYS was smiling despite her obvious pain and frail body. She NEVER complained.--Now take that in.
Another woman was in there too, but she was...a much different situation. First of all, she was only dealing with rehab for a mild shoulder injury. We were focusing on getting back her range of motion(flexibility) and strength. This woman complained the whole time-and was bitter! "Why do I have to do this?" etc, etc.--never smiled once.
While she was being a disgruntled patient, to put it nicely, Donna was going through every single exercise with no complaints. Interesting right? One case we have a woman who is in a situation where, if she does her exercises, she gets full use of her arm again. Wheras on the other hand, we have a woman that has no chance at recovery, but shes doing everything she can to keep her body in good enough shape to allow her to continue to live.
Always bring a postive attitude with you--wherever you go, whatever happens to you--have one! Its free, it doesn't weigh anything, and not only will it show incredible character, but it will also improve life for YOU.
This can also be an example of control. Donna cannot control what happens to her, but she can- and is, for that matter- controlling what goes on inside her, which is a positive attitude. The other woman did not exemplify good control. She wanted an external solution for her shoulder. We can't lift those weights for her. It has to be her decision-her action-to help her shoulder recover.

Life Lessons: Control

A common, but innocent human failure is our perspective on control. We often focus on things that are bigger than we are instead of realizing what we can control--ourselves. There are many things in life that will take place around you. What we usually fail to focus on is what happens within. We can control our attitudes and actions. When we do this, it is likely that the problems we tried to fix on the outside will now be solved because of what we have done for ourselves inside. Remember: You can always control what happens within you, but the same cannot be said for what happens around you.

Six pack Abs: The 500 rep workout

What? Hold on. 500 reps? Actually this workout is not as difficult as one would think. It is not very difficult and should only take 10-15 minutes. The great part about this workout is its flexibility. There is not a particular group of exercises, instead the focus is on reaching 500 reps. However, I recommend the following routine to use as a beginner:

-100 crunches on a swiss ball
Lay on a swiss ball so that your butt is just barely on the ball. to avoid stress on the neck, keep your back straight and pull your torso forward using your abs. I like this method instead of bringing the shoulders forward because it promotes good posture.

-75 flutter kicks
Lay flat on your back. You may place your hands under your hips to assist yourself. Keeping each leg straight (do not bend at the knees), alternate raising each leg to 90 degrees. This not only will not build a strong core, but will also help with flexibility.

-100 oblique crunches (50 each side)
This move is slightly different from the regular swiss ball crunch. Here, you want to crunch at your sides pulling in with both your torso and your legs (crunch at about a 45 degree angle to target the obliques).

-25 suitcase crunches (if you're a beginner, try doing two sets of 12 with this)
Lay flat on your back. Simultaneously bring your knees to your chest and perform a normal crunch then release both of these as you extend your legs straight out (6 inches off the ground) and your arms straight out behind your head.)

-50 crunches on the swiss ball with a 25 lb plate
Use the same form as the crunches mentioned above. Add more resistance by holding a 25 lb plate high on your chest (comfortably under the chin) with your arms crossed over it.

-50 flutter kicks

-25 crossovers with 25 lb plate
Sit on the ground holding a 25 lb plate, and while keeping the legs elevated, touch the plate beside each hip.

To add an extra challenge perform 2 sets of side planks (left and right) and front planks, 30 seconds each.
This is a great way to finish an ab routine. Not only are you working your abs, but you are stabilizing your shoulders. These are great for burning fat and creating better definition in the midsection. Here is a link that will show you a proper plank. http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/plank.html

Remember: The goal is 500 quality reps. Again, there are many options as far as what exercises you can do--just as long as a minimum 500 reps are completed. Focus on form and good posture. If you're feeling great, go for 700.

I will add more advanced 500 rep workouts soon. These will suggest going above 500 repetitions and also will feature more challenging exercises.