As you know if you’ve been reading my posts, I’m a big believer in getting the most bang for your buck when working out. Below you can see short videos of me and my friend the great nutritionist Martha McKittrick doing four awesome exercises that will increase your core strength, endurance, strength, and burn lots of calories all at once!
- The Statue of Liberty.
This full-body exercise is great to start with. Use a dumbbell that you can hold with a straight arm and a relaxed shoulder for a total of 12 lunges on each leg. Do one side first, then switch legs and arm. As you can see from the video, you lunge backwards with the leg on the side of the arm holding the weight. Complete two to three sets each leg/arm. Be careful not to bend your arm throughout each set!
2. The Inchworm.
This is a great exercise to give you everything that the above does in addition to a great dynamic stretch for your back, hamstrings, and calves. What’s not to love about that? Martha is showing you how to do an inchworm in place first, then traveling ones. Do ten in one direction, and then ten in the other. Repeat two or three sets.
3. The Ultimate Sit-up
Now that you’re warmed up, do the ultimate sit-up that I’m doing in the video below. You will not only strengthen all of your abdominals, but you will also burn lots of calories while doing this exercise. Do ten with each leg/arm.
4. The Eagle.
Finish this workout with a cardio boost by doing the eagle! As you can see, Martha is alternating legs with each lift. The key to this exercise is to use momentum instead of lifting up the weights with the arms. Try pushing off with the foot you’re lunging forward with and it won’t be as hard to get your “wings” up. Try twenty lunges using three to ten pound dumbbells. The more you bend forward, the more of your back is involved in the exercise.
Julia Derek 