BB Challenge for March 31st!!

Welcome to our last week of new balance ball exercises!   Next week we’ll step up the challenge by combining exercises into workouts!   Today’s exercise is the split squat.  For this exercise you’ll need your balance ball and your mat.

To do this exercise….

Place your ball behind you with one of your legs extended behind you, resting the top of your foot on the ball.

Slowly, drop into a single leg squat, while rolling the ball behind.

Return to your starting position.  Repeat this exercise on the other side.

Work your way up to 4 sets of 10 reps for this one.

BB Challenge for Friday March 28th

It’s Friday!!!!!  Our last exercise of the week is the single arm extension.  For  this exercise you need your mat, your balance ball and one dumbbell.

To do this exercise…

Sit on your balance ball with your feet shoulder width apart on the floor.  Holding the dumbbell in your hand, point your elbow toward the ceiling and drop the weight behind you head.

 

Extend your arm toward the ceiling.

 

Repeat on the other side.

Work your way up to 4 sets of 10 reps…and have a fantastic weekend!!

BB Challenge for Thurday, March 27th

It’s Thursday!!  Today’s exercise is the row.  For this one you’ll need your mat, your balance ball and two dumbbells.

To do this exercise…

Sit on your balance ball with your feet shoulder width apart on the floor. Bring your arms up to the sides, parallel to the floor.

Extend your arms forward.

 

Work your way up to 4 sets of 10 reps.

BB Challenge for Wednesday, March 26th

Welcome to Wednesday, we’re almost half way through the week!  Today’s exercise is the bicep curl.  For this exercise you’ll need your mat, your balance ball and two dumbbells.

To do this exercise…

Sit on your balance ball with your feet shoulder width apart on the floor, holding the dumbbells to your sides.

Keeping your elbows stable and to your sides, curl your arms.

 

Work your way up to 4 sets of 10 reps.

BB Challenge for Tuesday, March 25th

 

It’s Tuesday!  Our exercise for today is the pull over.  For this exercise you’ll need your mat, your balance ball and one dumbbell.

To do this exercise…

Roll back on your ball with your bottom just slightly off the edge (again, think crunch position).   Holding the weight in both hands, raise your arms straight up.

Lower your arms over your head.

 

Work your way up to 4 sets of 10 reps.

BB Challenge for Monday, March 24th

Welcome to Monday, our exercise for today is the overhead press.  For this exercise you’ll need  your mat, your balance ball and two dumbbells- see, I told you we’d need those at some point!

To do this exercise…

Roll back on your ball with you bottom just slightly off the edge (think of the crunch position).  Extend your arms out to the sides with your elbows bent at a right angle.

Raise your arms up above you head, bringing the dumbbells together at the top.

 

Work your way up to 4 sets of 10 reps.

March 21st - Friday's Challenge!!

It’s Friday, woo hoo!!!  We’ve come to our last exercise for the week!!  Today we’re going to work on our obliques with the Rotation to Overhead Lift.

To do this exercise…

Stand with the ball to one side, twisting down to your hip.

Rotate to the other side, lifting the ball up as you do.

 

Repeat on the other side.

Work your way up to 4 sets of 10 reps on each side for this one.

Like this exercise?? Comment!!

March 20th - Thursday's BB Challenge!!

It’s Thursday, we’re getting there!!  Today’s exercise is the Squat with Reach.  For this one, you’ll just need your mat and your ball.

To do this exercise…

Stand with feet shoulder width apart, holding your ball in front of you.

Lower into a squat, keeping ball out in front of you.

Raise back up and repeat.

Work your way up to 4 sets of 10 reps for this one.

Like this exercise?? Comment!!

March 19th - Wednesday's BB Challenge!!

So it’s Wednesday and we’re almost to the halfway mark of the week!  Today we’re going to challenge ourselves with a Plank with a Swimmer’s Kick.  Again, you’ll just need your mat and your ball for this one.

To do this exercise, find your balance in plank pose. (I'm starting this one out with a modification with my elbows on the mat while I work my way up to full plank)

 

Keeping your legs straight, lift one leg off the ball while you squeeze your backside and lower.

You can choose to do 10 with one leg and switch to 10 with the other leg or alternate legs.

Work your way up to 4 sets of 10 reps on both sides.

Like this exercise?? Comment!!

March 18th - Tuesday's BB Challenge!!

It’s Tuesday!!!  What more could we ask for, right?!?!  Our exercise for today is a basic Deadlift.  If you want to add a challenge to this one, add a squat at the end.  I don’t have a pic of that right now but maybe I should add one!!!  For this exercise you just need your ball and your mat.

To do this exercise…

Start in a standing position, holding the ball at shoulder level.

Hinge at the waist, keeping your back straight and lower as far as you can without bending your knees or hunching your shoulders.

 

 

 

Work your way up to 4 sets of 10 reps of this one.

Like this exercise?? Comment!!

March 17th - Monday's BB Challenge!!!

 

Welcome back from the weekend!!  Are you ready to get back to the challenge??  Of course you are!!!  Today’s exercise is the Plank to Knee Curl.  For this one you’ll need your mat and your ball. 

To do this exercise…

Start out in plank position on the ball.

 

Slowly, and with control bend your knees, curling the ball toward you.

Return to the starting position.

 

Work your way up to 4 sets of 10 reps of this one.

Like this exercise??  Comment!!

BB Challenge: Friday, March 14th

It’s FRIDAY!!!!!!!!  Our last exercise of the week is the side leg lift (this is one of my all time favs!!).   For this exercise you’ll need your BB and your yoga mat. 

To do this exercise

Kneel next to your BB, placing your forearm of your arm closest to the ball on your BB.  Drop your other arm in front of you (think first position in ballet) and extend your leg that is farthest away from the ball to the side.

 

Slowly and with control, lift your extended leg off the ground and drop it slowly back to the ground.

Repeat this on the other side.

Complete 4 sets of 10 reps on each side for this exercise.

Now, have a fantastic weekend!!!!!

Love this exercise?? Comment!!

BB Challenge for Thursday, March 13th

Welcome to Thursday, we’re getting there!!  Our exercise for today is roll up.  For this exercise you’ll need your BB and your yoga mat…I promise, you’ll need those dumbbells soon, just not this week!!

To do this exercise…

Lay flat on your back with your BB in your hands, positioned above your head

 

Slowly roll up one vertebrae at a time, lifting your BB above you

Reach your BB toward your toes

Reverse the exercise

Complete 4 sets of 10 reps of this one.

Love this exercise??  Comment!!

BB Challenge for Wednesday, March 12th

Welcome to Wednesday, the week is almost half way gone!!!!  Our exercise today is the plank.  For this exercise, you’ll need your BB and your yoga mat.

To do this exercise…

Position you ball under legs at the point that feels most stable. Hold this position for 10 seconds and repeat this 4 times.

Just a quick note, the closer your ball is to your feet, the less stable (and more challenging!!) this exercise becomes.  If you’re just starting out, you may want to position the ball closer to your hips.

Love this exercise?? Comment!!

BB Challenge for Tuesday, March 11th

 Welcome to Tuesday’s challenge!!  Our exercise for today is ball crunches.  For this exercise, you’ll need your BB and your yoga mat. 

To do this exercise…

Position yourself so your backside is just off the edge of your BB, lay back and clasp your hands behind your head

 

Roll up, engaging your abs

 

And roll back down to starting position.

 

For today, try 4 sets of 10 reps of these!!

Love this exercise??  Comment!!

Balance Ball (BB) Challenge...Monday, March 10

So here we are!!!  Are you ready to learn 20 new BB exercises that can (and will, if you do the work) transform your body?  Of course you are!! 

Our first exercise is the Rotating Knee Raise.  For this exercise, you'll need your BB and your yoga mat.  To do this exercise....

sit on your ball with your back straight and your knees at a right angle and lift your arms out to your sides

rotate to one side and as you do, lift the leg on the side you are rotating toward

Repeat on the other side

A special shout out to my camera man and all around great guy, my husband Jim:)

Love this exercise?? Comment!!!

Balance Ball Challenge, are you picking up what I'm throwing down?!?

Why a balance ball challenge?  Balance balls are amazing, relatively inexpensive pieces of equipment that can transform your body, no lie!  Just a few of the reasons I love balance balls. 

• No matter what exercise you're performing on the ball, you're working your core!
• They enhance your stability and balance (ummm, it's right in the name silly!!)
• They are relatively cheap.
• They don't take up a lot of room at home.
• I think it's a fun workout, and I'm a pro;)

So here are the details for this challenge...

Time frame:  Monday through Friday for the next six weeks

Outline: For weeks one through four, I will introduce a new exercise each day.  For weeks five and six, I will will introduce combos using the 20 exercises introduced during the first four weeks.

What you should do now:

• Make sure you have a yoga mat, a stability ball and a couple of light weight dumbbells.
• Take your before measurements (waist at the narrowest part, hips across the hip bones at the widest part, and thighs, 10 inches above the kneecap)
• Take your before picture.
• Figure out how you're going to log your challenge.  This can be on a Word doc, in a notebook, in a smashbook, whatever works for you.
• Log on the blog each day!!!

The legalize...you are highly encouraged to consult with your physician before beginning this or any other fitness routine to make sure your are healthy enough for exercise.  All participants enter this challenge accepting the inherent risk of physical activity.  The creator is not responsible for any injury that may be sustained through participation. 

So here's the deal....

....I was full steam ahead on this balance ball challenge when life intervened late last week and my tendency (partially because of my life, and partially because of my inability to schedule myself like I'm a mere mortal and not some kind of caped crusader) to over schedule myself and my burning-the-candle-at-both-ends ways caught up with me.  This usually means blood pressure problems...which means rest and re hydrating so that's what I've been focusing on the last few days.  With this time on my hands, I've had the opportunity to think about how I could reset the balance ball challenge and I I've got exciting stuff planned!!!  I'll be back tomorrow (or who am I really kidding, I'll probably get back on tonight because in the end I do fancy myself a caped crusader) to post the details of the new challenge!!!  I'm totally stoke about it (now that I'm rested...kind of, and hydrated...mostly)!!!! 

Stability Ball Challenge: Day Four

So I woke up this morning feeling like I had swallowed a box of razor blades.  I've been battling something for a few weeks and seriously burning the candle at both ends and I think it finally caught up with me so although today isn't going to be a total day of rest, I am going to cut back to two exercises.  We're back to working our abs so today we're going to focus on floor crunches and ball crunches.  All you need today is your mat and your ball.  (spoiler alert, tomorrow you'll also need light-weight dumbbells so get those today if you don't have them). 

Ball Crunches

Floor Crunches

 



Work your way up to 4 sets of 10 reps of those.  If you're like me, you may need to take breaks between sets to stretch out your abs.  See you back here tomorrow, I'm going to gargle salt water....meh...

Stability Ball Challenge: Day Three

 

Time to check in!!!  How did those leg lifts in plank work for you?  Me, not so much!!!  I ended up modifying and holding plank for 10 secs for 4 sets.  I will own those by the end of this challenge!!! 

Have you taken your before photos??  Me neither!  I work a full time job during the day and I’ll admit I haven’t had the energy or desire to take them by the time I get home from work.  Tomorrow, I swear.  I did take my measurements so I’ll report those…waist: 30 ½, hips: 38 ½ ; thighs: 22. 

Are you ready for today’s workout??  Of course you are you rockstar!!!  Today we’re going to focus on our core, which will promote balance and stability.  To tell the truth, I’m wanting to focus on my core because it has been a brutal winter here in MN and I’m hoping to hit the slopes Saturday night.  My snowboard misses me so I must go riding…I’m not the greatest rider in the world (give me a break, I just started at age 40 so I think that’s pretty badass) so I need a strong core, because I fall…a lot.  One of my favorite parts of my scope of practice is functional fitness for athletes, meaning training folks that like to do sports in ways that can improve their performance and working my core is definitely an example of functional fitness for snowboarders. 

But I digress (which I will do from time to time, you haven’t seen anything yet…) on to our workout for day three.  Our exercises are plank, plank with leg curls and we’ll revisit the floor bridge to stretch out those screaming abs.  Again, all you’ll need today is your ball and your yoga mat.

Plank (the picture shows a modification with your forearms on the floor, if you’re up to the challenge, go ahead and do full plank)

 

Plank with Leg Curls

Floor Bridges

 

Work your way up to 4 sets of 10 reps of these exercises, completing them in a circuit. 

I just did 3 sets of 10 reps and I’m wiped….

Stability Ball Challenge: Day Two

Ok, I’ll admit it, day one kicked my ass.  I had to modify those jack knifes to regular sit ups with the ball and my cobra was more of a sphinx because I needed to keep my hands on the ball.  So that brings up the topics of goals.  By the end of this challenge, I will own those jack knifes and those cobras. 

On to today’s challenge…

Today we’re going to focus on our legs and give our belly’s a rest.  Again, all you’ll need is your stability ball and your yoga mat.  Our exercises are single leg lefts, lateral leg lifts and leg lifts in plank.  (Sorry about the lack of diagrams, still working that out!!!)

Work your way up to 4 sets of 10 reps in a circuit.

Single Leg Lifts

Roll your ball under your back with your feet flat on the floor and your knees at a 90 degree angle.  Straighten one leg and drop it slowly to floor.  Lift that same leg up toward the ceiling.  Drop it slowly toward the floor.   Do 10 reps on each side.

Lateral Leg Lifts (do 10 reps on each side)

Drop to your knees and place your ball next to you on your mat.  Rest your elbow and forearm closest to your ball on the stability ball and your other hand on the ball for extra stability if needed.  Extend your leg furthest away from your ball out to the side.  Raise your extended leg to the side, squeezing those glutes as you do then slowly lower it back to the floor.  Do 10 reps on each side.

Leg Lifts in Plank.

Roll your stability ball under your shins and hold your arms in plank.  Squeeze your glutes and raise one leg off the ball, raising it up as high and you can.  Slowly lower back to the ball and repeat.  Do 10 reps on each side.

Work your way up to 4 sets of 10 reps of this exercise.  See you tomorrow!!!!

Stability Ball Challenge: Day One

 

Your tasks for today, should you choose to accept them (and I know you will!!!) are…

Make sure your equipment is in good shape.  Is your ball inflated fully and free of leaks?  What shape is your yoga mat?  Now is the time to invest in new equipment if you need too, safety first!!!  The good news : my stability ball workouts require minimal equipment that’s inexpensive.   For today, you’ll need a stability ball and a yoga mat.  Later on in the challenge, you’ll need some free weights (those rubberized dumbbells you can get at any Target will do!!)  You can do this workout barefoot, wearing yoga socks (my favorite because I’m pretty much completely in love with my new Gaiam Yoga Socks), or in athletic shoes, whatever you’re most comfortable in. 

Create some kind of journal to chart your workouts and progress.  This can be a word doc on your laptop, an old notebook, a smash book, whatever works for you!!

Take before measurements of your waist (smallest part), your hips (largest part), and your thighs (10” above the top on the knee).  This challenge is going to work our core so these are the “hot” spots where we’ll see change!

Take before pictures!!  Have fun with this, strike a pose!!!

Now let’s get to work!!  Today’s workout has three exercises, The Jackknife sit-up, Floor Bridges, and Cobra’s.  Aim at completing 4 sets of 10 reps of each.  You might find it more manageable by completing the exercises in a circuit fashion (do one set of each exercise, working your way through all three exercises, completing this circuit four times).

Jackknife Sit Ups

Floor Bridges

 

Cobras

 

Now your last task is to feel stronger and proud!!!!!  Have a great rest of your day, I’ll meet you back here tomorrow!!!!

Ginormous Announcement!!!!

Ok, I have a degree in English so I'm pretty sure ginormous isn't actually a word but it was the only thing I could think of to describe this challenge I've had noodling around in my brain the last fews days.  The pieces weren't quite fitting together until I was at work today at the Y, and BAM-O (another word I'm pretty sure can't be found in the OED), it all came together...I'm going to launch a stability ball challenge!!!  Balance and stability are my areas of practice so I'm super stoked (this one might actully be in the dictionary, though perhaps not in this context) about this challenge! 

Here's the quick and dirty, each day I will be throwing out a stability ball mini workout (10- 15 minutes to complete) that you can do along with your usual resistance and cardio training, or just on it's own.  We'll do this through Easter (April 20th) which will be 7 weeks.  I'm planning on taking before and after pics, you should too if you want!!!  I KNOW YOU'RE PICKING UP WHAT I'M THROWING DOWN!!!  See you tomorrow!!!

Welcome to my blog!!

Welcome to my blog!!  I just began my personal training career with the YMCA a few weeks back and I'm pretty sure I have one of the coolest jobs in the world.  OK, maybe being an astronaut would be cooler, but being a personal trainer is pretty close (also, I think I might be to old to be an astronaut). 

So here's what this blog will be about...I'm new to this whole fitness industry thing.  I was an athlete when I was younger, sort of got derailed a little bit when it came time to raise my family and finish my college degrees, then found my way back to fitness after said derailment resulted in a 60 + lb. weight gain (for real, I'll post pics someday...).  Working out was part of shedding those extra pounds for me and long story (really, it's kinda long so I'll share it in bits and pieces over the next weeks in subsequent entries) short, I've changed careers and am embarking on this new journey that I could not be more excited about!!  As a personal trainer, I get to help people identify, plan and achieve their fitness goals, what could be more fun than that?!?! Plus, I get to wear yoga pants to work!  I hope you'll join me as I figure things out!!