Tag: core

12 Minutes with the Band

Yo. Hi. I did a super fun workout recently that I thought would be a good one to share here because it looks like you all like my quick-hit workouts. I get it. The day is only so long and working out shouldn’t take up a significant portion of it. So here it is!

Warm-Up:

Foam roll those legs. Get the quads, glutes, calves, IT bands, and hammies. Hurts so good, don’t it?

12 Minutes with the Band: Start off by pulling the resistance band around your mid-thigh. You can move it up or down to increase or decrease resistance. Note that you do not NEED a resistance band for this, but it will significantly increase the quality of the workout. Here is a good, cheap pack of bands available through Amazon Prime.

  • Hip Lifts (x30) – Lie on your back with your knees bent. Squeeze your glutes to lift your hips up as high as you can go. Activate your core as well, for stability.
  • Lateral squat walk (x30) – Stand with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart and drop down into a squat (keep your weight in your heels). Holding this form, walk laterally. Again activate your core as you move.
  • Plank w/ twist (x30/side) – Get into proper plank position,
    on your elbows. While keeping a tight core (and continuing to breath) twist from your mid section, bringing your hip almost to the ground before slowly returning. If you start to feel fatigued and your form is struggling, you should stop. You can seriously injure your back or shoulders with sloppy form.
  • Side leg raise with oblique crunch (x30/leg) – Lay on your side with your arm supporting your head. Simultaneously lift your top leg while crunching up to the side. As you’re doing this, try to focus on keeping your quad and glutes engaged, as well as your obliques.

Repeat the entire thing three times through. Aim to focus on form, not speed. Then, move on with your day. Hooray. Good job. You did it. Yay. Go you.
loveB

by Categories: Becca Payne, Becca's Workouts, gear, Gym, Motivation, Strength Training, UncategorizedTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

12-Minute Workout: Whole Body

Today, my alarm went off for my run. Last night, I stayed up way too late. Today, I hit snooze roughly 2,347,834 times. Today, I missed my run.jM2LoC8FitV4c

But never fear! I was able to get my booty outta bed and into my makeshift home gym (in reality it’s a dining room that currently hosts my bike, an extra couch, my desk and all of my workout equipment but zero dining room furniture). I was very short on time and didn’t really want to focus on any one muscle group. So, on-the-fly, I came up with a fun little workout that I found to be just tough enough! Check it out:

Warm-Up:

A brisk walk with my dog followed by some quality time with my foam roller.

Now I’m Ready:

  • Single-arm bicep curl with balance (15/arm) – Stand on one leg and use a dumbbell (or a bottle of wine, a candle, whatever) to do bicep curls with the opposite arm. Tip: To isolate your biceps, keep your shoulders down and pulled back, keep your elbow locked to your side.
  • Hip lifts with a band (1:00) – Lie on your back and pull a resistance band up around your quads. With knees bent, squeeze your glutes to raise your core off the ground. Tip: Make sure the lifting is coming from your glutes, you don’t want to hyper-extend your back.
  • Leg raises with weight (30) – Lie on your back, holding a weighted object (in my case an Ugi ball) above your head. Raise your legs and your arms to meet in the middle, directly over your face. Tip: Focus on keeping your back flat on the ground, don’t let it arch. Also never forget to breath!
  • Back hypers (1:00) – Lie on your stomach with feet spread about hip-width apart, bend your arms and hold your hands just to the side of your head (face down). Now squeeze your glutes and back muscles to raise your shoulders and quads off the ground at the same time. Tip: Squeeze to raise up smoothly, then release slowly back down.

Repeat the above exercises three times through. This may not be the savior of a workout that will shape your beach bod like no other, but it was a very quick, hard-hitting, enjoyable full body routine. Give it a try and shoot me a note if you want better explanations for certain activities!

loveB

by Categories: Becca Payne, Becca's Workouts, gear, Gym, Motivation, pet, Running, Strength Training, UncategorizedTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Planks Planks Planks

Y’all, planks are the shit. They’re so so so great for your core. They require no equipment, and can be done almost anywhere. To top it off, you don’t ever have to get bored with them because there are a million variations.

Despite being a simple exercise, most people actually do not plank correctly. Improper form is a problem because, at best, you are not toning the muscles you desire, and at worst, you could get hurt.

Common Mistakes:

  • The Arch: Many people arch their shoulders and upper back as this helps distribute weight to your arms. With this improper form, you’re not getting the workout you desire. Instead you’re allowing your shoulders and neck to hold the majority of your weight as opposed to your core.
  • The Dip: Don’t let those hips sag! Tighten things up by squeezing your abs, glutes and hamstrings. This mishap could seriously injure your lower back.
  • The Vanity Strain: You’d be surprised how many people I see at the gym holding plank while looking up at themselves in a mirror. If you need to check your form, steal a glance, but then put that head back down. Keep your gaze down at the ground, keep your neck and spine in a straight line. Correct neck alignment will prevent injury to your neck and shoulders.
  • Hips in the Air like You Just Don’t Care: Just as you don’t want your hips to sag, it’s easy to get lazy and stick that booty up in the air. This, my friends, is not accomplishing anything except a weird hybrid of plank and down dog. No bueno.

Proper Form Checklist::

  • Keep your whole body tight. Flex everything.
  • Focus on pulling your shoulder blades together to prevent arching in your back.
  • Tuck your booty, but don’t sag your hips.
  • Suck in your stomach while you’re flexing.
  • Play around with the distance between your feet. You may find positions that are more difficult than others.
  • If you start shaking, you’re probably doing it right. Keep going. You rock!

loveB

 

 

 

Arched Shoulders
Sagging Hips
Head Up
Hips in the Air
by Categories: Becca Payne, Becca's Workouts, Gym, Strength Training, UncategorizedTags: , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment