My Fitness Hut Blog

Bodyweight Exercise Series: Lower Body Circuit

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:52:00 +0000

Bodyweight lower body circuits will really burn more fat and tone your legs.

Bodyweight lower body circuits are a tried and true method to burn more leg fat, increase strength/endurance and improve heart health.

Since this workout is circuit-style, you also get the benefit of a great cardio workout. Do each exercise (10-12 repetitions) one after the other with little or no rest between exercises. Rest 2-3 minutes and do the circuit 2 more times. Here is a good bodyweight leg circuit program:

--Bulgarian split squats
--Step ups (with knee high platform), pictured above
--Squat jumps, Depth Jumps (set 2), Tuck Jumps (set 3)
--Reverse lunges
--Side lunges

Do this workout as a supplement to your regular full body strength training workouts.

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Blast Fat With Bodyweight Exercise And Running Cardio

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:09:00 +0000

Blast more fat with bodyweight exercise and running cardio. If you're bored with your cardio, just try this workout! You won't get bored again! You need to ramp up the intensity of your cardio workout to get better fat loss and weight loss results.

Here is a good workout for you to try....you don't need any weights, medicine balls, resistance tubes or stability balls....you just need your body to do this workout.

Part 1

--Warmup on treadmill - run three minutes at moderate pace
--15 minute cardio interval rotation: 1 minute run, 2 minutes walk (running outside will give you better results)

Part 2

--Prisoner squats, 12 repetitions, moderate pace
--Plank, 5 repetitions, 30 second hold
--Pushups, 20 repetitions, moderate pace
--Mountain Climbers (pictured above), 30 seconds, fast
--Pullups, 10 repetitions (or do as many as possible), moderate pace
--Ab Curl Ups, 15 repetitions, slow pace
--Do this circuit 2 times

Do this circuit with little or no rest between exercises. Rest 2-3 minutes between circuits.

Part 3

--12 minute cardio interval rotation: 1 minute run, 2 minutes walk

You're done (literally)!

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Bodyweight Exercise Series: Ab Ball Rollout

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:36:00 +0000

The bodyweight ab ball rollout is a great core exercise that doesn't put your low back at risk for injury. At the same time, this exercise requires that you have an adequate amount of low back muscle strength and stability.

Finish

Start

1. Start with the ball in front with your elbows on the ball.

2. Roll the ball out slowly and keep your abs braced (as if taking a punch to the gut). As you straighten your torso you will feel your abs stretch and extend. Return to the starting position.

Try the ab ball rollout the next time you workout.

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Bodyweight Plyometric Workout Blasts Fat

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 01:30:00 +0000

Bodyweight plyometric workouts will blast more fat because they are very intense! And, one-legged jumping exercises are more intense than two-legged jumping exercises. Shorten and intensify your workouts with jump training (plyometrics)! Plyometric workouts also blast more fat and calories during and after your workout!

If you're having trouble sculpting your butt, hips and thighs then you need to do more jump exercises.

Bodyweight plyometric workouts are advanced workouts. You need to perfect jumping and landing techniques or you will injure yourself. And, if you have knee and low back problems, high-speed jump training is not for you.

Try this plyometric workout (take little or no rest between exercises):

--jump rope, two feet, full speed, 1 minute
--squat jumps (pictured above), 10, full speed
--lunge jumps, 10, full speed
--depth jumps (off knee-high platform), 10
--tuck jumps, 10, full speed
--jumping jacks, 30 seconds, full speed

Rest 1 minute between circuits. Repeat the circuit 2 more times--20 minutes total workout time. Take more rest between exercises or circuits if needed.

Try bodyweight plyometric workouts to blast more fat!

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Isometric Bodyweight Workouts

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:40:00 +0000

Isometric bodyweight workouts help you build strength and burn fat without moving much. Exercise without much movement you say? Keep talking right?!

Isometric exercises are very underrated. They are great for building muscles, stabilizing muscles, building strength, improving power and burning fat.

Isometric contractions can be described as a type of muscle contraction where your muscles develop tension without changing length. For example, pushing against a wall and holding for 30 seconds causes an isometric contraction.

You should strength train your muscles with all contraction types (eccentric, isometric, concentric). All muscles function eccentrically (reduces force or deceleration), isometrically (stabilizes force) and concentrically (produces force).

Isometric bodyweight workouts force most if not all of your muscles to work during an exercise. The stability ball plank exercise (pictured above) is a great example. To do the plank, you get into position and hold for a period of time (like 20 seconds). So, many core exercises are great isometric exercises.

So, here is a good isometric bodyweight workout for you:

1. Deep Knee Bends and Hold, 10 repetitions, 10 second hold
2. Stability Ball Plank, 10 repetitions, 20 second hold
3. Bridge, 10 repetitions, 20 second hold
4. Pushup and Hold, 20 second hold
5. Side Plank, 10 repetitions each side, 10 second hold
6. Captain Chair Knee Ups and Hold, 10 repetitions, 10 second hold
7. Ab Curl Ups and Hold, 10 repetitions, 20 second hold

Repeat this circuit 2 more times. Rest 2-3 minutes between circuits.

Now "hold on" and do your isometric bodyweight workout!

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Athletic Bodyweight Workouts Blasts Fat

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:26:00 +0000

Athletic bodyweight workouts will blast fat from your body like never before...just try a workout and see for yourself!

Athletic bodyweight workouts are very intense and will improve your body's composition (fat loss, more muscle). These workouts will sculpt your body without your joints taking a pounding from lifting heavy weights!

To get your muscles to improve power (how fast your muscles can produce force), do some or all of the exercises full speed. Also, you will really burn fat and shape your bulkier, fast twitch muscle fibers when doing exercises at full speed!

Athletic bodyweight circuit workouts are a tried and true method to burn more fat, increase strength/endurance and improve heart health.

Do each exercise (10 repetitions) one after the other with little or no rest between exercises. Rest 2-3 minutes and do the circuit 2 more times. Here is a good athletic bodyweight workout:

--Bodyweight squats, moderate pace
--Medicine ball soccer throw (pictured above), full speed
--Pushups, full speed
--Walking lunges/Side Lunges/Tranverse Lunges, moderate pace (one for each circuit)
--2-Handed medicine ball chest pass, full speed
--Squat jumps, full speed
--Back extensions, moderate pace

Use correct form and get after it!

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Tabata Bodyweight Workout Burns Fat

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:10:00 +0000

A Tabata bodyweight workout is a good way to burn more fat and change up your workout routine. If you're looking for a way to break out of your fat loss plateau, try a Tabata bodyweight workout.

Tabata is a very intense interval training technique. It is a great way to burn more calories and fat during and after your workout! You will need one bodyweight exercise (like squat jumps) and 4 minutes! Yes, only 4 minutes!

Tabata bodyweight training works this way:

1. After a 5 minute warmup, choose a bodyweight exercise.

2. Do as many repetitions as you can for 20 seconds.

3. Rest for 10 seconds.

4. Repeat this cycle for 4 minutes! Make sure to maintain correct form as you get fatigued! You will be exhausted at the end!

As you progress, you can add more time but keep the 2-to-1 work to rest ratio. For instance, you could do a 30 sec./15 sec. work to rest ratio. You could also speed up your repetitions to make Tabata bodyweight training even more intense!

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Bodyweight Exercise Series: Hanging Leg Raise

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 19:44:00 +0000

The bodyweight hanging leg raise is an advanced abdominal exercise.

There is a reason you see more people doing ab crunches instead of hanging leg raises! The hanging leg raise and its variations is very tough to execute. In fact, it is the gold standard for abdominal exercises! Gymnasts have been doing hanging leg raises for decades. A person needs core strength, arm strength and grip strength to perform the exercise correctly. If you can't do one hanging leg raise, you need to strengthen your core, back, arms and grip.

1. Hang from a bar using an overhand grip with arms straight and shoulder-width apart. Let your legs hang straight down.

2. Contract your abs and make sure that your back remains neutral with natural arch. Keep your head still and looking straight ahead. Raise your legs to the midpoint of your body using your abdominal muscles. Don't swing your legs up and use momentum to do the exercise. This is a controlled strength exercise.

3. Hold for 1 to 2 seconds and slowly lower your legs. That is one repetition.

Beginning exercisers can start by trying to bend the knees up to the chest. Intermediate exercisers are able to do a straight leg raise up to the midpoint of the body. Advanced exercisers can usually raise straight legs up to the head or "windshield wiper" bent knees to the left and right.

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Bodyweight Exercise Series: Pullups

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:29:00 +0000

You must include bodyweight pullups in your exercise routine! The pullup is one of the best exercises you should be doing! If you haven't done a pullup since grade school, you need to bring the pullup out of your workout closet! If you can't do any, start doing 1 pullup and progress (assisted pullup machine or a spotter are also options).

Image credit: philipmak

The pullup is not just a back muscle exercise. Pullups work your lats (and other back muscles), core, shoulders, arms, chest, biceps and improve grip strength. That's why you should be doing pullups!

1. Hang from a pullup bar with your palms facing away from your body, your arms straight and your feet crossed together with legs bent about 90 degrees. Pull yourself up until your chin passes the bar.

2. A wider grip (greater than shoulder width) will work your lats more. A closer grip (shoulder width or less) will work your middle back muscles more.

3. If you lack grip strength, you can use straps to help.

Use proper technique when doing a pullup:

1. Don't jut your chin out (it strains your cervical spine).

2. Don't swing. It makes the pullup easier by using momentum. You need to pullup, not swing up.

3. Don't let your chest collapse because that puts too much stress on your shoulders.

4. Don't arch your lower back too much. You want your abdominal muscles to be engaged when you do the pullup. Keep your torso braced (as if taking a punch to the gut) during the pullup.

5. When you start the pullup, drive your shoulder blades down and squeeze them together. This will engage your shoulder stabilizers more.

Don't be afraid of the pullup exercise! Pull it out of the closet and start doing them!

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Bodyweight Exercise Series: Burpees!!

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:25:00 +0000

The bodyweight burpee exercise sounds kind of gross but it burns body fat like crazy and its good for you! Burpees! Ughhh! Seriously, always do burpees under control with good technique.

You know I don't like fitness gadgets, gimmicks, weight loss pills/powders/patches or any quick weight loss scheme.....

If you need to change up your high intensity interval cardio routine, here is a great choice----do full speed burpees for 20 minutes.....trust me, it is a great full-body exercise that will increase your strength endurance, power and anaerobic conditioning (remember, aerobics is an exercise done for more than 2 straight minutes).

Exercises like sprints and jumps are anaerobic. Research has proven that anaerobic conditioning will give you superior fat loss and heart health.

You can use the burpee exercise as an interval cardio routine to ramp up your fat-burning and conditioning:

--1 minute full speed burpees
--2 minutes walk or jog
--Do this routine for 20 minutes and you're done!

From a squat position with your hands on the floor, kick your feet back to a pushup position. Quickly return your feet to the squat position and jump as high as you can from the squat position. Repeat this exercise at full speed for 1 minute! Whew! Walk or jog for 2 minutes and burpee again!

Go for it!

Train hard and safe!

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Bodyweight Exercise Series: Bridge For Your Back

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:12:00 +0000

Use the bodyweight bridge exercise to strengthen and stabilize your lower back muscles. Many people develop low back problems because too little time is spent strengthening the muscles of the lower back.

1. Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your hands by your sides.

2. Lift your body off the ground into a straight line and brace your torso (like taking a punch to the gut). Don't let your body sag. Hold for 3-5 seconds and repeat for 12-15 repetitions. Do 2-3 sets.

Other great core exercises that will strengthen your lower back muscles are cobras, stability ball plank, supermans and back extensions.

Don't neglect to strengthen your lower back muscles! You will pay with pain and injuries if you ignore training your lower back!

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Bodyweight Exercise Series: Back Extensions

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 23:56:00 +0000

Do bodyweight back extensions to protect your spine and build back muscles. Do you have lower back problems? The low back pain might have been avoided by doing the back extension exercise.

Strengthening your back muscles are very important for obvious reasons. Seventy to 80% of Americans have back pain (many times low back pain) at some point. The way to protect against this is to strengthen your body's core. To specifically protect your spine, you should do back extensions (with weights for the advanced).

Back extensions target the erector spinae muscle group surrounding the spine. Your hamstrings also contract strongly during the back extension exercise and assist the erector spinae.

It is important to perform this exercise correctly or you will end up with the very thing you are trying to avoid----BACK PAIN OR INJURY. The technique error I see most in those doing back extensions is hyperextension of the back. Hyperextension happens when you continue lifting your upper body past the point of a straight line (your back, hips and lower legs should line up).

The picture shows correct technique. Hyperextension will compress your vertebral discs. This important exercise should be included with your other back exercises such as rows, inverted rows, bridges and lat pulldowns.

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Visualization Leads To Weight Loss

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 06:59:00 +0000

Visualization can help you lose weight, burn fat and get the lean and toned body you want. Visualize exactly what body you want, obtain the tools and information you need to succeed and work hard (never quitting) to acheive healthy weight loss and fat loss.

Visualize yourself with the body and health you always wanted. BE SPECIFIC. And then (actualization) actually take steps to make it happen (you might need some professional guidance). And, it will happen. Don't be afraid to set high, realistic weight loss goals. Research has proven that low goals or no goals usually leads to very little, lasting weight loss and fat loss success.

Here is an example of visualization becoming reality from last night's NFC Championship football game won by the New Orleans Saints.

The kicker who made the winning field goal, Garrett Hartley, visualized (the previous night) making a 42 yard field goal from the right hash mark. He called his dad the night before to tell him about his "vision" of making the winning field goal.

The winning field goal was 40 yards from the right hash mark!

Athletes use visualization all the time to imagine themselves making a particular play. Didn't we visualize all the time in our backyards growing up....remember hitting the game-winning homerun in the bottom of the ninth inning?

Start today visualizing or re-visualizing your weight loss and fat loss success. Start making it happen.

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Bodyweight Exercise Series: One-Legged Squat

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:39:00 +0000

The bodyweight one-legged squat is a high-level exercise that will improve your lower body strength and dynamic balance. You might have to work up to doing this exercise by using a bench or chair for support.

The one-legged squat is one of the best exercises out there (and tougher to do than you think). It builds strength (including core strength) and stabilizes the legs and hips. It is important to perform the exercise correctly. One-legged squats will also help improve your speed because it works the same muscles involved in running (quads, hamstrings, glutes, abductors/adductors). One-legged exercises forces each leg to develop at the same rate (one leg can't compensate for weakness in the other leg).

There are many variations of the squat exercise. There is no doubt that the squat should be a part of your regular exercise program. But, you don't have to "max out" on the squat exercise for it to be effective.

Do the one-legged squat this way:

1) Stand with your feet hip width apart with knees slightly bent and toes pointing forward.

2) Start position: Lift one foot off ground and extend leg forward. Extend arms forward at hip level.

3) Lower your body by bending at the hips and knees. Be sure to “sit back” so that your knees stay over the feet. Keep your head and back straight in a neutral position (hyperextension or flexion may cause injury). Keep your weight over the middle of the foot and heel, not the toes. Keep your abdominals tight throughout the exercise by bracing your torso.

4) Once your thigh is slightly above parallel to the floor, return to the start position. That is one repetition.

Challenge yourself with the one-legged squat exercise!

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Bodyweight Exercise Series: Sprinting Burns Fat!

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:28:00 +0000

Sprinting burns fat like crazy folks! Sprinting is one of the best ways to get your total body lean and toned. It is probabaly one of the least used exercises done by general exercisers. And, you don't have to be fast, just run as fast as you can! To avoid injuries, always sprint on surfaces like grass or sand and never run on hard surfaces like concrete or asphalt.

Athletes are forced to run sprints because of their particular sport. As a former college football player, I can remember running as many as 50 consecutive 40-yard sprints on the Monday after a Saturday game! Running sprints was the total practice for that day. Either way, sprints will lean and tone your body like never before (combined with full body strength training).

You see, sprinting activates your bulkier, shapely fast twitch muscle fibers. These fast twitch muscle fibers lie dormant when you do slow-paced cardio sessions (hint). Sprinting will really burn the fat on your butt, hips, thighs, hamstrings and lower legs. Fat will also be burned on your upper body.

It is important to properly warmup before doing sprinting intervals. A proper warmup is a dynamic warmup such as doing 5-10 minutes of jogging, walking lunges, half-speed sprints and three-quarters speed sprints. Do static stretches after your workout to bring your muscles back to normal length.

To sprint efficiently and avoid injuries, you need to master correct running mechanics. Most people that I see at gyms need to work on running mechanics. Running the right way really does make running easier (and vice-versa)!

A 20-minute sprint interval workout is very simple---and tough! Do it this way:

--Run a 50 to 60 yard sprint
--Walk back to start line
--Run a 50 to 60 yard sprint

Do this rotation for 20-minutes and you are done (exhausted)! Do this type of workout no more than 2 times a week. This will allow your body to recover from this intense form of exercise.

A sprint interval workout will also give you superior heart-health.

Ready, set, go!

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Bodyweight Exercise Series: Good Lunges, Bad Lunges

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:38:00 +0000

Use bodyweight lunges as part of your dynamic warm-up or as a strength exercise. Bodyweight lunges are great for adding muscular balance and dynamic balance to your lower body because you work one leg at a time (stronger leg can't compensate for weaker leg).

You also need adequate core strength to keep your body upright during the lunge. Walking lunges improve your speed because you use the same pathways it takes to run fast.

The picture above is an example of a good walking lunge and a bad walking lunge. The person doing the bad walking lunge doesn't have adequate core strength to keep his body upright.

When you do the walking lunge, don't let your front knee go past your foot and don't let your back knee touch the ground on the descent. Also, don't let the front thigh go past parallel to the ground.

To work your hamstrings more, lunge out further with the front leg. A shorter lunge will work the quadriceps more. Most people need more hamstring strength to prevent injuries.

Include this walking lunges, forward lunges, reverse lunges, clock lunges and side lunges in your workouts!

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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"Pants On The Ground" Because Of Weight Loss

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:25:00 +0000

Yes, I want your pants to fall to the ground because you have achieved weight loss, fat loss and lost inches!

Of course, the "pants on the ground" phrase is a take on the newest rage on American Idol...I don't really watch American Idol (really!) but that video has been on television about every other commercial on FOX TV. And the "pants on the ground" video was a big hit on YouTube the day it was released (over 1 million views already).

So, how do you get your "pants on the ground with weight loss?" Here you go:

1. Get a healthy meal plan and start following it...most of your fat loss and weight loss success will be due to you eating right. One good way to start breaking bad habits is to make progress with small changes. An example would be to severely limit sugars from your diet. This one change will help you burn belly fat!

2. Get your body movin' again! All movement burns calories. If you have been inactive, start walking every day for 30 minutes and work your way up to exercising regularly (weight training, cardio) for at least 30 minutes a day.

3. Don't let setbacks keep you from continuing with your exercise program. Remember, it is your healthy lifestyle that you want to continue, not a weight loss program.

4. Get help from a professional fitness trainer if needed. A workout partner also would help you stay on track.

5. Take steps today! Procrastination is the biggest hindrance to starting something new and challenging (especially if you have failed in the past).

Start working on "getting your pants on the ground!"

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"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Bodyweight Exercise Series: Step Ups

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:16:00 +0000

The bodyweight step up is one of the best leg toning and strengthening exercises available to you. It will help you burn more fat in your legs.

Step ups will also improve your dynamic balance. Its not that easy to balance all your weight on one leg (with good form) while stepping up onto a platform.

1. Face a bench or platform (knee high) and put your right foot on the bench. Your knee should be bent 90 degrees. Don't do this exercise with dumbbells until you have mastered the bodyweight version.

2. As you lift your body on your right leg, keep your body erect (don't bend over) and look straight ahead. Balance on your leg for 1-2 seconds and descend. Don't let your left foot touch the platform.

3. Do all required repetitions on the right leg and switch to left leg.

You may have to start with a platform lower than knee-high. Your hamstrings and butt will be worked more with a higher platform.

Exercises like the step up are important because it uses the same pathways that it takes to walk or run. Plus, one leg cannot compensate for weakness in the other leg. If your left leg is weaker, it will be forced to "catch up" to the right leg. Muscular balance is important to avoid injuries.

Step up to your next workout!

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Bodyweight Exercise Series: Mountain Climbers

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:19:00 +0000

Do bodyweight mountain climbers if you're serious about taking your workout to another level. The mountain climber is a versatile exercise in that you can do it on level ground, on an incline, knee-across-your-body, as a warmup, as cardio or as a speed exercise. I like to include mountain climbers as part of a bodyweight cardio session.

You will burn more abdominal fat and overall body fat by doing mountain climbers.

Either way, include mountain climbers in your workouts more often. It is one of the best and toughest exercises out there. It is a compound exercise in that it works the calves, quadriceps, glutes, back, chest, triceps, abdominals and shoulders. You will need high levels of core strength to do this exercise the right way for each set.

Do mountain climbers this way:

From a push-up position, keep your back flat (do not let your back bow) and pump your legs as fast as possible (if doing as a speed exercise) like you are running in place. Don't scrape the ground with your shoes as they run forward. And, don't let your glutes "sag to the ground" when you are fatigued.

If you feel low back pain when doing mountain climbers, stop immediately. It is impossible to do this exercise the right way if you have a bad back.

Include mountain climbers more in your workouts---you'll be glad you did!

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Bodyweight Exercise Series: Pushups, Pushups, Pushups!

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 04:02:00 +0000

Close-grip pushups, pushups on stability ball, power pushups, regular pushups, incline pushups, decline pushups, uneven pushups....take your pick! Pushups are one of the all-time best bodyweight exercises.

The pushup on medicine ball is a tough exercise that not everyone can do! Case in point: I was at the health club one day and a former marine was working out. I started to talk to her about the pushup on medicine ball and she tried the move (of course!). She was shocked to find out that she couldn't do one pushup on the medicine ball!

I'm guessing that she has progressed to the point that she can probably do a few of them now! In true marine-like fashion, she vowed to "conquer" the pushup on medicine ball!

How to do the movement: Put both hands on the ball at arms length. Keep your body straight and torso braced (as if taking a punch in the gut) throughout the movement. Keep your head in line with your torso at all times. Lower your body down to the ball and back to starting position. Repeat as required.

This type of pushup requires adequate core strength to do it properly. The pushup on medicine ball will build your upper body stabilizer muscles (chest, arms, shoulders, core, etc.) needed to increase your bench press or other upper body strength exercises.

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Bodyweight Exercise Series: Prisoner Squats

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:48:00 +0000

Add bodyweight prisoner squats to your exercise routine. You can do prisoner squats anywhere, anytime (as a warmup exercise also).

As a matter of fact, go ahead and do regular bodyweight squats, one-legged bodyweight squats and Y bodyweight squats. They all work to burn fat and sculpt your body.

Besides the obvious strength benefits for your glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps, prisoner squats also help to realign your shoulder blades.

1.Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart with your toes pointing slightly outward.

2. With your hands behind your head, keep your chest up and shoulder blades down and back throughout the range of motion.

3. As you descend, push your glutes back as if sitting down, bending at the hips and knees. Keep your knees aligned with your toes (don't let the knees "cave in" or protrude outside the feet). Also, don’t let your knees pass over your toes and stay back on your heels.

4. Don’t lean forward, maintain the natural arch in your back and keep your core braced (as if getting ready to take a punch).

5. As you ascend, contract your glutes.

Bodyweight prisoner squats are a good variation from the traditional bodyweight squats.

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Bodyweight Exercise Series: Inverted Rows

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:39:00 +0000

Include bodyweight inverted rows in your workout routine to work your back muscles in a different way. Doing different exercises for a specific muscle group can give you faster results or help you break through a plateau. I will see many people doing barbell rows and dumbbell rows but very few people doing inverted rows. And, inverted rows strengthen much more than just your back muscles...

Inverted rows build strength in your upper back, shoulders and arms. Your core muscles are also engaged during the movement. Inverted rows also improve your stabilizing strength in the low back, glutes and hamstrings. And, when you superset the inverted row with the pushup, you will get better muscular balance between the frontside and backside of your upper body. Muscular balance is critical for athletes to perform at peak levels.

1. Hang from the bar of a Smith Machine (back to the floor but not touching) and pull your chest up to the bar.

2. Keep your body in a straight line throughout the movement and brace your abs. Also, keep your head in line with your torso. Don't drop the head or jut it forward.

Add inverted rows to your exercise routine!

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Bodyweight Exercise Series: Planks And More Planks

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:43:00 +0000

Planks are a bodyweight exercise that should be in your routine. Many times, people will begin to work on superficial core muscles (such as your six pack or rectus abdominis) before strengthening and stabilizing deep core muscles.

There are many variations of the plank exercise such as prone plank, side plank, plank with leg raise, plank with leg abduction and plank with knee tuck. Start with the plank exercise you are ready for. If you are a beginner, the prone plank is the place for you to start. And, an exercise like plank with leg abduction works your hips as well.

The stability ball plank is a great core exercise to advance you from the prone plank exercise on the floor.

The ball plank strengthens and stabilizes your deep, foundational core muscles even more than the regular plank. Balancing on the ball while holding the plank position is not easy! Your deep, foundational core muscles are more important than your "six pack abs!"

1. Place your elbows on the ball and balance on your toes while keeping your body in a straight line.

2. Hold the plank position for a count of 5-10 seconds without moving. The ball will move, so it is a challenge to hold the right alignment. This will obviously improve your balance. Your abs and shoulders will also work much harder.

Keep your head in line with your torso and brace your torso (as if taking a punch to the gut).

Enjoy your planks today!

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Bodyweight Exercise Series: Jump Rope Now!

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:30:00 +0000

Jump rope now with your bodyweight to burn more fat, improve your heart health and better lean and tone your body!

Jumping rope will also help improve your balance, coordination and overall core strength.

I was talking to a friend the other day about jumping rope to burn fat. She said, "I can't jump rope, I'm too uncoordinated!" What? Who didn't jump rope as a kid for fun and games? Everybody can jump rope!

Buy a jump rope and practice for 5-10 minutes every day and soon you'll be jumping for 20-30 minutes. I can make you a promise if you will jump rope for about 20 minutes a day, 4-5 days a week: your body will burn fat and get leaner like never before!

Just do intervals for 20 minutes when you jump rope such as jumping for 1 minute and walking for 1 minute. As you improve, you can begin to jump faster and faster and burn more and more fat!

Just be sure to look straight ahead, keep your body erect, your core braced (as if taking a punch to your gut) and use your hands/wrists to propel the rope. Keep your arms and body as still as possible as you jump. Land on the balls of your feet and not your toes.

Oh yeah, have fun jumping rope!

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

Bodyweight Exercise Series: Squat Jumps

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 23:18:00 +0000

Use the bodyweight squat jump exercise to better sculpt your body and burn more fat and calories during your workout. Squat jumps remain one of the best exercises to burn fat and help you lean and tone your body because of the high intensity.

If you're having trouble toning your butt, hips and thighs then you need to do more squat jump exercises in your workouts.

If you are into sports, squat jumps will also help to increase your speed and power for sports like track and field, soccer, lacrosse, tennis and basketball.

To do the squat jump, descend into your squat, swing your arms back and forward and jump up explosively (reaching upward with your arms) and repeat for the required repetitions.

It is important to learn proper jumping and landing techniques before doing squat jumps. Read this post about jumping and landing techniques. If you have knee and low back problems, high-speed squat jumps are not for you.

Get My Fitness Hut's Fat Blaster Bodyweight Workout Books individually or as a total package!

"SCULPT YOUR BODY FOR LIFE OR SPORTS!"

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook!