This Series of Flexibilty Exercises Activates Muscle Fibers You Didn’t Know You Even Had. It’ll Make Your Entire Body Feel Younger, Calmer, and Sexier.
In the past decade, women have been flocking to yoga and Pilates classes. Smart women. These increasingly popular forms of exercise take a full-body holistic approach to fitness, and they make you feel fabulous afterward. The great news is that yoga and Pilates are strong medicine, and you can reap their benefits even if you don’t have the time or the inclination to sign up for a regular class. The workouts here will improve your posture, eliminate muscle aches and soreness, and leave you with a lean, lithe body all in just 15 minutes.
Most of the moves you’ll find in this chapter are considered dynamic stretches, meaning they stretch your muscles in various positions while your body is in motion. Dynamic stretches wake up your central nervous system and boost blood flow to your tissues. That makes them ideal warmup exercises for any physical activity. But you can do them anytime to stay strong, limber, and injury-free.
STRETCH INTO A HOT BOD
After a strength-training workout, you should:
A) take a shower
B) stretch
C) down a protein drink
All three are great post-exercise ideas but only one is likely to triple your muscle strength. That would be stretching. In a study reported in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, volunteers followed a strength-training regimen three times a week. Half of the group added two stretching sessions to the back end of their workout. After 8 weeks, the group that ended workouts with stretch routines almost tripled their muscle strength. Why? Because stretching, like lifting weights, causes tiny tears in your muscle; as your body repairs them, the tissue becomes stronger, explains study coauthor Jason Winchester, Ph.D., of George Mason University. That’s a good reason to tag one of the stretch routines in this chapter onto your strength workouts when you have the time.
Get ready to rev up your fat-burning muscle fibers and sculpt a sexier shape with this superfast yoga routine.
START HERE:
Complete the moves in order, first on your right side, then on your left. Hold each pose for five to 10 breaths. Then do the series again, holding each pose for one breath. Repeat the one-breath series for a total of six sets. Finally, return to the long holds (five to 10 breaths), alternating sides for three sets.
A
• Start in a pushup position, then lift your hips and move into the down-ward-facing dog pose, keeping your legs straight and pressing your heels into the floor.
B
• Lift your right leg straight back and up, keeping your right foot firmly flexed.
• Imagine you are pressing your foot into the ceiling. This will be the position you return to after each move.
• Raising your leg straight toward the ceiling will open your hips.
• From down dog split, lower your right leg and bend your knee in to the outside of your right arm as you raise your chest and shift your weight forward.
• Keep this move slow and controlled.
• Make it harder: Move your shoulders in front of your wrists, bend your elbows, and try to lift your left foot off the ground as much as possible.
TIP: To lift your left foot off the ground, press your right knee into your right upper arm.
• From down dog split, slowly lower your right leg as you raise your stomach and hips, round your back, and bring your knee toward your forehead, keeping your toes pointed and core engaged.
• Tuck your chin toward your chest, and extend your upper back forward through your shoulders.
• Lift your hips.
• From down dog split with left leg elevated, put your left foot between your hands. Raise your arms off the ground and shift your weight onto your left foot as you raise your right leg.
• At the same time, bring your torso forward until it’s parallel to the floor, reaching your arms forward. Flex your right foot, pointing toes down.
• Pointing your back foot down will ensure square hips.
Get ready to melt fat as well as boost strength, flexibility, and focus with this challenging sequence of moves that call upon every little sinew in novel ways.
START HERE:
Hold each pose for five deep inhales and exhales, unless noted otherwise, then repeat the entire sequence on the other side. Then repeat, so you hit each side twice.
• Get on your hands and knees. Tuck your toes under and straighten your legs so you’re in a horizontal line.
• Bring your shoulder blades together, extend forward through the top of your head, and reach back through your heels.
• For strong and sexy shoulders, bring your shoulder blades together to force your upper body to work harder.
• Reach the backs of your legs up.
• Keep your elbows straight but not locked.
• From plank, spread your fingers wide on your mat, lift your hips up and back, and extend your legs. Press your shoulders toward the floor and relax your neck. Press your palms against the floor.
• Walk your feet back, pull up through your hips, and press your heels down.
• If your heels rise up, try to lower them by walking your feet forward a few inches.
• Press your shoulders toward the floor.
70
The percent reduction in low-back pain that study participants reported after attending a weekly yoga class and practicing at home for 3 months.
BREATHE RIGHT
To get the most benefit from yoga poses, master proper breathing. Breaths should be long and deep versus short and quick. Practice by inhaling to a four-count through your nose: Allow your belly to rise first and count one; fill your lungs up through your ribs, two and three; and your upper chest, count four. Hold for two counts, then slowly exhale. Repeat. Focusing on your breath will help you hone your mental focus and keep stray thoughts from taking hold.
• From down dog, step forward with your right foot.
• Bend forward from the waist and press your fingertips to the floor on each side of your right foot.
• Bend your knees slightly and step back with your left leg into a low lunge. Push through your left heel and sink your hips low.
• Your left leg should be straight and your right leg deeply bent.
GO WITH THE FLOW
Vinyasa, which is Sanskrit for “flow,” is a more challenging style of yoga because you move quickly from one pose to the next. Studies have shown that moving through a series of poses can catapult your heart rate into the coveted aerobic zone and burn up to 9 calories a minute.
• Reach your left arm forward and your right arm back, and turn your torso to the right.
• Relax your shoulders and look back over your right hand.
• Lower the fingertips of your left hand to the floor outside your right foot. Open your shoulders to the right and extend your right arm up.
• Bring your left foot forward about 12 inches and press your heel down so your toes point a little out to your left side. Straighten your legs.
• Pull your right hip back and press your left hip forward.
Ever wonder how dancers get those incredibly toned bodies? Rather than banging out big moves like squats in the weight room, dancers practice small concentrated movements that place each tiny muscle under tension for a long time. The result is strong, lean, long, and flexible muscles, especially through the core, hips, butt, and arms, with zero bulk.
START HERE:
These moves are intended for a dance barre, but you can do them with a chair or counter. Do each move for the prescribed amount of time with each side of your body before moving on. If you have time, repeat the circuit once or twice.
• Place your hands on your barre (or chair or table), feet in a narrow V.
• Extend your right leg behind you (point your toe to 5 o’clock), lifting your foot off the floor. Slowly lift your leg up and down by an inch for 30 seconds.
• Repeat, smaller and faster, for 30 seconds.
• Next, make small circles—as if your toe were tracing a quarter—for 30 seconds, then reverse the circles for 30 seconds.
• Repeat the entire sequence with your left leg (toe pointing to 7 o’clock).
• Lie on your back with shoulders and feet raised, right leg extended up, and hands behind knee.
• Slowly curl up and down by an inch for 30 seconds.
• Continue, smaller and faster, for 30 seconds. Next, bring your left arm up to your ear and curl for 30 seconds.
• Then reach your left arm toward your right ankle, curling for 30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat the sequence.
• Stand next to your support, and extend your right leg in front of you, keeping your left knee slightly bent.
• Slowly lift and lower your raised leg by an inch for 30 seconds.
• Repeat, using a smaller, faster motion, for 30 seconds.
• Next, make small circles with your leg (as if your toe were tracing a quarter) for 30 seconds, then reverse the circles for 30 seconds. Switch legs and repeat the entire sequence.
• Place your forearms on your support and rest your head on your arms.
• Lift your right leg, foot flexed, and bring your heel toward your butt. Press your heel up and down by an inch for 30 seconds.
• Continue, only smaller and faster, for 30 seconds. Extend your leg and slowly lift up and down by an inch for 30 seconds.
• Continue, smaller and faster, for 30 seconds. Repeat the sequence on the other leg.
• Sit with your knees bent, holding the backs of your thighs.
• Round your back and lower it toward the floor, contracting your core.
• Slowly curl down and up inch by inch for 30 seconds. Then bend one arm to bring it up so you can lightly touch your ear with your fingertips. Continue curling for 30 seconds.
• Switch arms and repeat. Finally, bend both arms and lightly touch your ear with your fingertips as you curl up and down for 30 seconds.
• Stand next to your support, feet in a narrow V.
• Rise onto the balls of your feet. Bend your knees, bringing your butt down.
• Slowly move down and up by an inch for 30 seconds. Repeat, using smaller, faster up-down movements, for another 30 seconds.
• Stand next to the support, feet more than shoulder-width apart, toes turned out.
• Lower your body about 6 inches.
• Slowly move down and up by an inch for 30 seconds. Continue, smaller and faster, for 30 seconds.
• With knees bent, rise onto the balls of your feet, then lower your feet; continue for 30 seconds. Repeat, faster, for 30 seconds.
Pilates is fabulous exercise but classes can be expensive. This program will help you achieve a tight tush, abs, and lean legs for much less money. Created by Lauren Piskin, owner of Physicalmind Studio in New York City, it is to be done with a Pilates ball, which mimics the resistance of the reformer machine used in studios.
START HERE:
Starting with the first move, do eight to 10 reps of each exercise with little to no rest between exercises.
A
• Sit with the Pilates or medicine ball at your left side, and bend your left leg in front of you, your right leg behind you. Place your left hand on the ball, elbow slightly bent, and extend your right arm out to your side at shoulder level.
B
• Brace your core and roll the ball out to the left as far as you can while reaching your right arm over your head.
• Hold for 2 or 3 seconds, then roll the ball back toward your body and return to the starting position. That’s 1 rep. Finish all reps, then switch sides and repeat.
REPS: Do 8 to 10 on each side.
A
• Lie faceup on the floor or an exercise mat with your arms at your sides, palms down, legs straight.
• Lift your legs until they’re perpendicular to the floor, feet flexed.
B
• Keeping your shoulders relaxed and legs straight, brace your core and raise your hips, slowly reaching your legs behind your head as far as you possibly can and pointing your toes behind you.
• Slowly reverse the movement to return to the starting position. That’s 1 rep.
REPS: Do 8 to 10.
A
• Lie faceup, arms by your sides, palms facing down. Bend your knees and place the balls of your feet on top of the ball, heels together and toes pointing slightly outward in a small V shape.
B
• Engage your core and contract your glutes to lift your hips an inch off the floor, then roll the ball away from you until your heels are on the ball.
• Pause, then bend your knees to roll the ball back to the starting position. That’s 1 rep.
REPS: Do 8 to 10.
A
• Lie facedown with your legs extended shoulder-width apart behind you, feet slightly off the floor. Position the ball under your chest and rest your forearms on the floor, palms down, elbows close to your body.
• Keep your core engaged throughout the movement to prevent putting pres-sure on your lower back.
B
• Bring your shoulder blades back and down, press your palms lightly on the floor, and slowly lift your head and chest as you lengthen your spine.
• Hold for 2 or 3 seconds (imagine trying to create as much space between your ears and toes as possible), then return to the starting position. That’s 1 rep.
REPS: Do 8 to 10.
A
• Sit with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor about hip-width apart. Extend your arms straight in front of you, palms up. Your back should be straight, your chest up.
B
• Brace your core, curl your tailbone under, and slowly lower your upper body to a 45-degree angle.
• At the same time, bend your arms to bring your elbows close to your body, closing your hands into fists and pulling them toward your shoulders at chin level.
• Pause, then reverse the motion to return to the starting position. That’s 1 rep.
REPS: Do 8 to 10.
A
• Sit with your legs extended straight out in front of you, feet flexed. Hold the ball in front of you at shoulder level, arms straight. Keep your chest up and your back straight.
B
• Contract your core and glutes, then slowly roll back until your back is flat on the floor and the ball is directly overhead.
• From that position, bring your chin to your chest and slowly roll back up to the starting position. That’s 1 rep.
REPS: Do 8 to 10.
A
• Sit on your left hip with your left leg flat on the floor, knee bent 90 degrees, and your left palm on the floor.
• Bend your right knee toward the ceiling and place your right foot flat on the floor in front of your left foot; rest your right arm on your right knee.
B
• Shift your weight onto your left arm and straighten both legs to raise your hips toward the ceiling while extending your right arm directly over your head.
C
• From this position, twist your torso down and to the left, reaching your right arm underneath your body.
• Reverse the movement to return to the starting position. That’s 1 rep. Finish all reps on that side, then switch sides and repeat.
REPS: Do 8 to 10.
A
• Lie faceup with your hips and knees bent 90 degrees; hold the ball with both hands, arms straight.
• Bend your elbows and lower the ball toward your chest, pressing your hands firmly against the ball.
B
• Brace your abs, extend your arms in front of you, curl your shoulders off the floor, and straighten your legs.
• Hold for 1 or 2 seconds, then reverse to return to start. That’s 1 rep.
REPS: Do 8 to 10.
Having poor posture can wreck your waistline (your belly pops out when your shoulders are droopy and your hips are slumped) and can even sabotage your workout results. (Structural imbalances compromise your muscles and cause pain.) This workout strengthens your upper back and shoulders and opens up your chest and hips.
START HERE:
Do the following routine—which borrows from dance, Pilates, and yoga as well as traditional strength and stretching moves—as a circuit, moving from one exercise to the next without rest. Repeat the circuit three times total.
A
• Lie back along a 3-foot foam roller so that it runs the length of your spine. Bend your knees and rest your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands next to your hips, palms up, with your arms straight.
B
• Without raising your shoulders, slowly—take 15 seconds—drag your hands along the floor (as if you’re making a snow angel) until they’re above your head or they lose contact with the floor.
• Hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Take another 15 seconds to drag them back to the starting position. If you feel tightness in a particular spot, pause there for 10 to 15 seconds, then keep moving.
• You can also do this move lying back on a Bosu.
REPS: Do 3 to 5.
A
• Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Brace your abs. Keeping your shoulders down, raise both arms overhead.
B
• Bend forward, reaching your hands in front of you while keeping your back flat. Go only as far as you can without losing your form.
C
• Brace your abs again, stand up, and, with arms still raised, arch backward slightly.
INSTANT UPGRADE WHAT TO DO IN A TIGHT SPOT
Spend twice as much time stretching your tight muscles as your limber muscles. “Focus on problem areas instead of muscles that are already flexible,” says Bill Bandy, PhD, a professor of physical therapy at the University of Central Arkansas. Typical problem areas for women: hamstrings, shoulders, and lower back.
REPS: Do 8.
A
• Lie on your stomach with your arms and legs extended, forming an X.
B
• Brace your abs and relax your shoulders. Inhale and lift your arms and legs off the floor, making sure your legs go no higher than your arms. Exhale, bending your elbows toward your waist and pulling your legs together.
REPS: Do 6 to 8.
A
• Grab a 5- to 15-pound dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet about hip-width apart.
B
• With your arms at your sides, lift your shoulders toward your ears. Hold for 5 seconds, then lower.
REPS: Repeat for 1 minute.
A
• Stand with your feet about 4 feet apart and turn your left foot out about 90 degrees.
• Keeping your back throughout, extend your arms, palms down, at shoulder height.
B
• Bend your left knee until it’s over your ankle. Flex from the waist to the left and place your left hand outside your left foot (or your hand on the inside of your foot or ankle if you can’t reach the floor).
• Reach your right arm over your ear and turn your chin toward your right armpit.
• Look up and take five slow breaths. Return to standing and switch sides. That’s 1 rep.
TIP: Do this move with your back against a wall to make it even more effective.
REPS: Do 5.
If you work out long enough, eventually you’re going to get stuck, literally. Your muscles will develop adhesions—knots that make you stiff and sore. Foam rollers can untie those knots; they’re like a massage you give to yourself. They break the adhesions and stretch muscles for instant relief (and they’re a lot cheaper than a masseuse).
START HERE:
Follow these directions, rolling each body part over the foam roller five to 10 times. If a spot feels extra tender, try this: Start below the area, work up to it and hold for a few seconds, then roll through it.
A
• Sit on the floor with your legs straight out, hands on the floor behind you supporting your weight. Place the roller between your knees and upper calves.
B
• Slowly roll along the back of your legs up and down from the backs of your knees to your ankles.
REPS: Do 5 to 10.
A
• Sit with your right leg on the roller; bend your left knee and put your hands on the floor behind you.
B
• Roll up and down from your knee to just under your left butt cheek.
REPS: Do 5 to 10 on each leg.
A
• Lie facedown on the floor and place the roller under your hips.
B
• Lean on your left leg.
C
• Roll up and down from your hip to your knee.
REPS: Do 5 to 10 on each leg.
A
• Sit on the floor with the foam roller behind you. Lace your fingers behind your head and lean your upper back onto the roller.
B
• Tighten your abs and glutes and slowly move up and down the roller from shoulders to midback.
• Avoid rolling on your lower back.
REPS: Do 5 to 10.
A
• Lie on your side with the roller under your left hip.
• Cross your right leg over your left for support.
B
• Bracing your abs and glutes for balance, slowly roll down from your hip to your knee. Switch to the other leg and repeat.
REPS: Do 5 to 10 on each leg.
A
• Lie on your left side with the roller under your armpit.
B
• Brace your abs and glutes for stability, and slowly roll down from your underarm to the bottom of your rib cage. Switch sides and repeat.
• Cross your right leg over your left for support.
REPS: Do 5 to 10 on each leg.
A
• Sitting on the foam roller, cross your left leg over your right knee and lean toward the left hip, putting your weight on your hands for support.
B
• Slowly roll one butt cheek over the roller. Switch sides and repeat.
TIP: The piriformis muscle lies deep behind the gluteals and is responsible for the external rotation of the hip joint. When muscle becomes too tight, it can impinge the sciatic nerve, causing pain and numbness in the low back or legs. This stretch can help.
REPS: Do 5 to 10 on each leg.