I'd like to share with you one of my favorite total body exercises. It works the shoulders, chest, back, arms, legs, butt, and abs. Whew! This is a stabilization exercise which improves your posture by challenging the body's stabilization ability. Stabilization exercises are ideal for beginners, but veteran fitness enthusiasts should include them in their workouts now and then as well.
1. First off, position a stability ball against the wall even with your lower back.
2. Stand with your feet wide, toes pointed out.
3. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
4. Perform a squat, with your upper and lower legs at 90-degree angles.
5. Perform a lateral raise, with your arms raised to about shoulder height out at your sides, into a "T" formation, then lower your arms back down to your sides.
6. Rise out of the squat.
7. Repeat for the desired repetitions.
For a more complete workout that will also make your legs burn even more, add two more movement combos, as follows:
8. Position your feet shoulder-width apart.
9. Perform a squat to 90 degrees and hold.
10. Perform a 45-degree shoulder raise--kind of like a "Y" formation--to about shoulder level, then lower your arms back down to your sides.
11. Rise from the squat.
12. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Then:
13. Put your legs and feet together, feet pointing straight ahead.
14. Perform a squat to 90 degrees and hold.
15. Perform a front shoulder raise to about shoulder level, then lower your arms back down to your sides.
16. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Notes:
- Beginners should choose a light weight to start and perform 1 to 3 sets of 12 to 25 repetitions
- Use a moderate tempo. Don't rush it.
- If the weight is too heavy, switch to a lighter one.
- If you can easily perform the exercise repetitions, increase the weight.
- Avoid leaning against the ball. Use it only as a guide.
- Keep your back straight. Avoid arching.
There! You're done! How does it feel? Let me know. I'd love to hear from you. Comment below or send me an email at iwrite41@yahoo.com
Check out my website www.makingfitnessfun.com for more information on exercise and nutrition, and more about me, my fitness philosophy, and my background in fitness. There's lots of stuff on there, so feel free to explore the site. You can subscribe to my free Fitness Fun newsletter from the home page, as well. Hope to hear from you soon. Take care.
Happy Monday, All. I hope you had a fun, active weekend. My husband and I hosted a summer celebration party. Oh my goodness, so much food! But we did our best to make healthy dishes. We used turkey instead of beef in some casseroles and other favorites. We also had sugar-free, fat-free, and gluten-free offerings. We usually eat healthy and we're finding that more and more of our friends are, too. It's a good idea when planning a party to take this into consideration, including food allergies and special diets. You don't have to make everything gluten-free or sugar-free, but make an effort to provide a couple different choices for those on special diets. They'll appreciate it. We burned off some of the calories with two rousing rounds of Charades. Lots of laughs and great memories. What is your favorite healthy dish to serve at a get-together? Share with me via the comments here or via email (iwrite41@yahoo.com). Wishing you happiness and health.
