Welcome our new column “This Week” where I’ll talk about five of my latest fitness obsessions!
Starting with…
1. Laura London’s Killer Ab Workout
Why: Bored of your usual crunches and bicycles? Typical ab workouts often fail to hold my attention, and in my experience, new, innovative moves that don’t kill your lower back are difficult to find. Enter: Laura London. Laura’s eleven minute ab workout video, which can be found on Youtube, demonstrates unique, challenging exercises in short sets of 15 reps. Laura takes you through frog, V-up, and Russian twists before encouraging you to do the video again (and again!) By challenging your oblique muscles, upper abs, and lower abs, you get a thorough core workout. At the end of eleven minutes, it’s impossible to not feel stronger, leaner, and more sculpted!
Demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acVU6HGmyVk
2. LuLu Lemon’s “Flip Your Dog” Bra
Why: Gripper elastic inside the wide band under the bust ensures that your girls stay in place whether you are running, doing head-stands, or folding into Downward Dog position. The details of the adjustable straps prove to be just as cute as they are functional, and mesh paneling inside the bust allows for optimal airflow. The back of the sports bra makes for an interesting aesthetic and allows you to show off your sexy, toned shoulders and back. Multiple colors are available.
3. Crow Position
Why: This intermediate yoga position is both beautiful and challenging. To get into crow position, start with your hands and feet on the floor. Squeeze your inner thighs to lift your heels off the floor. With fingers spread wide, slowly move your body forward until your weight is balanced over your hands and your toes are off the floor. Draw your abs inward (belly-button to spine) in order to lift your hips up higher while keeping your face forward. Hold the position for 5 to 10 breaths.
4. Barre Class
Why: Barre workouts help you sculpt a ballerina-like figure by working groups of small, supportive muscles throughout your body with a type of exercise called Isometrics. While the movements and weights used are small, you quickly feel the burn as you work through this different style of working out. Barre classes typically utilize a ballet bar and target problem areas like your glutes, inner and outer thighs, and underarm areas. Who doesn’t want to tone and trim these areas? For a more svelte, sculpted figure, try a barre class at Rolf’s or find a barre workout on Youtube! Bonus: Excessive sweating is not on the workout agenda, and you can wear cute dance-inspired workout clothes.
5. The Pilates Ring
Why: This ring just may be the fitness tool you’ve been missing in your workouts! The versatile ring allows you to stretch our your hamstrings simply by lying on your back, holding the ring above your head, and hooking one foot into the ring with the other leg flat on the floor. Pull gently to stretch muscles and increase flexibility. The ring can also be place between your palms while in a seated position. Stretch your arms out and squeeze the ring between your hands in a pulse-like motion for a bicep-tricep challenge. Finally, lie back on a mat with your feet on the floor and place the ring between your thighs, calves, or ankles to target different muscle groups. Curl your head and neck upwards toward your knees while you crunch your abs. Lift your feet off the floor and pulse the ring between your thighs for an inner and outer thigh (and abdominal!) workout. Place the ring between your calves and ankles, and stretch your legs out long for a greater abdominal challenge while you pulse the ring between your legs. The possibilities are endless with this workout wonder.