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From Men’s Fitness

by Cameron McGarr, C.S.C.S.

Perform the workout three days a week for four weeks, resting at least one day between each session. On the weight exercises, choose a load that allows you to complete a few more reps than the prescribed number (you may need to adjust this load between sets as you discover your strength levels). For instance, if an exercise calls for 12 reps, choose a load that you estimate you can perform 15 reps with before having to stop (but complete only 12).

Perform the exercise pairs (marked A and B) as alternating sets, resting 60 seconds between sets. You’ll complete one set of exercise A and rest; then one set of B and rest again; and repeat until you’ve completed all sets for that pair. On your very first training day, perform only one set for each exercise. Progress to two or more sets (as the set prescriptions below dictate) from your second workout on.

1 Front Squat

Sets: 2 – 3 Reps: 8 Rest: 60 sec.

Start with the barbell on the supports of a power rack at about shoulder height. Grab the bar overhand and raise your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Now lift the bar off the rack, letting it roll toward your fingers-this is where it should rest throughout the exercise (as long as you keep your elbows raised, you won’t have trouble balancing the bar) [1]. Squat as low as you can [2], and then drive with your legs to return to the starting position. That’s one rep.

2A Three-Point Dumbbell Row

Sets: 2 Reps: 12 (each arm) Rest: 30 sec

Grab a dumbbell in your left hand and rest the other hand on a flat bench for support. Keeping your back straight and your shoulders level with the floor [1], row the weight up to your chest [2]. Lower the dumbbell to return to the starting position. That’s one rep. Complete 8-10 reps with the left arm, and then switch sides.

2B Pushup

Sets: 2 Reps: 12 – 15 Rest: 30 sec.

Place your hands on the floor about shoulder-width apart and extend your legs straight behind you—your body should form a straight line from your heels to your head [1]. Lower your body until your torso is about one inch off the floor [2], and then push yourself back up. That’s one rep.

3A Single-Leg Bridge

Sets: 2 Reps: 12 Rest: 30 sec.

Lie on your back on the floor and bend one knee so that your foot is flat on the floor [1]. Keeping your opposite leg straight, push your foot into the floor, raising your hips until both thighs are in line with each other [2]. Reverse the motion to return to the starting position. That’s one rep. Complete all your reps on one leg, and then switch legs and repeat.

3B Dumbbell Pullover

Sets: 2 Reps: 12 Rest: 30 sec.

Hold one dumbbell with both hands and lie back on a bench. Press the dumbbell straight over your face [1], and then lower your arms behind your head as far as you can [2]. Pull the dumbbell back to the starting position. That’s one rep.

4 Plank

Sets: 1 – 2 Reps: Hold for 60 sec. Rest: 60 sec.

Get into pushup position and then bend your elbows 90 degrees and rest your weight on your forearms. Keeping your entire body in a straight line, hold the position for 60 seconds. That’s one set.

From MSNBC.com Fit List

By Gregory Joujon-Roche

Many of us are starting to feel the heat from the sun, giving us an early tease of summer coming around the corner. Yes, it’s time to put away those winter coats and start pulling out the beach gear. But wait, you’re thinking, I am not beach-body-ready yet!

Well then it’s time to get moving. Any form of exercise will help — just get the ball rolling and go, go, go!

Once you feel committed to general conditioning, and the soda pop and chips make way for grilled veggies and fish, it’s time to get beach-body specific. This means really working those trouble spots, which usually vary for women and men.

Here are some exercises that can help shape you up for your fun in the sun.

For the gals:

*Triceps. Tone up those triceps with some rear dips. Start by standing in front of a weight bench or sturdy chair and then grab the bench or seat behind you. Lower your body slowly, for 5 seconds, until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, then lift slowly back up. Do as many reps as you can. Aim for 4 sets.

*Buttocks. Tighten that tush with wall squats. Stand with your back to the wall and then lower yourself, using the wall for support, until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Again, down slowly for 5 seconds and then back up for a 5 count. Do as many reps as you can. Aim for 4 sets.

*Lower stomach. Firm up your bikini belly with these ab exercises. Starting by lying down on your back on the floor. Place your hands under your buttocks for support. Slowly lift and curl your legs toward you until your butt lifts slightly off the floor. Stop and squeeze! Remember to go slowly and do as many reps as you can. Aim for 4 sets.

For the guys:

*Shoulders. Buff up those shoulders with 4 triple sets consisting of the military press (10 reps), the lateral fly (15 reps) and controlled punching with dumbbells (use a weight you can hold for 100 reps).

*Obliques. Tighten the love-handle area with some side bridges. Start on the floor on your right side, leaning on your right elbow and forearm for support. Then lift your hips off the ground so your body is straight. Pull in your stomach and squeeze your buttocks. Hold for one minute and then switch sides.

*Calves. Bulk up your lower legs with calf raises. At the gym, you can add weights on the machine for extra resistance. Do 12 slow reps at a heavy weight, and then drop the weight in half and repeat.

And remember, when it comes to being beach-body-ready, attitude counts. So carry yourself with confidence and shine from within. It’s always the distinct extra something in a person’s spirit that makes the rest of us really take notice.

Strengthen your core and improve your posture

From YogaJournal.com
By Richard Rosen

Though it sounds impressive in Sanskrit, Urdhva Prasarita Padasana rendered in English becomes the decidedly clunky “Raised Stretched-Out Foot Pose.” The name is much ado about a fairly simple exercise that has deep benefits, but most teachers just call it by its initials. UPP involves nothing more than lying on your back and swinging your extended legs through a slightly less than 90-degree arc, from perpendicular to the floor to nearly—but not quite—parallel, and back again. This simple movement strengthens a muscle that passes through the very core of your body, which aids your posture, your movement, and even (because this muscle is in close proximity to the back of the diaphragm) the way you breathe. In Light on Yoga B.K.S. Iyengar says UPP is “wonderful for reducing fat round the abdomen, strengthens the lumbar region of the back, and tones the abdominal organs.”

The pose has a well-deserved reputation as an abdominal strengthener, but we aren’t talking about the rectus abdominus, the long, flat muscle that shores up the belly between the pubis and ribs, which bodybuilder types, like California’s governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, transform into cosmetically flashy six-pack abs. But UPP’s real benefit is to a pair of deeper abdominal muscles, the psoas, which Ida Rolf, the originator of Structural Integration (popularly known as Rolfing), deemed “one of the most significant muscles of the body.”

Each psoas lies just behind the abdominal organs and is more difficult to access than the rectus abdominus. It runs a circuitous route: It attaches on the front of the lumbar spine (lower back), then runs along the inner surface of the pelvis and over the pubis to attach to the inner surface of the thigh bone (femur), at a bony knob called the lesser trochanter. Rolf says that the psoas, outwardly a powerful hip flexor, plays an important role in general body structure, in posture and movement, and even in digestion and elimination.
Puppet Practice

The root of UPP’s movement is deep inside the torso where the psoas attaches to the lumbar spine. I find it useful to imagine that the psoas is a puppet string, originating on my inner thigh (lesser trochanter). The puppeteer (what good are puppet strings without a puppeteer?) is sitting on my lumbar spine and holding the other end. She can pull on or release it, depending on whether she’s raising or lowering my leg.

Lie on your back, knees bent, feet on the floor with your heels about a foot away from your buttocks. Focus on your right lesser trochanter. From here, in your imagination, follow the course of your puppet-string psoas through the pelvis and up to the lumbar spine, where your puppeteer is holding its free end.

As she pulls on the string, exhale and watch your right foot lift effortlessly off the floor and your right thigh close in toward your belly. (For now, keep your knee bent.) Pause when the hip is fully flexed, and inhale. As the puppeteer releases the string, exhale and lightly float your foot back toward the floor. But wait! Just as your tippy-toes brush the floor, pause to inhale. On the exhalation, the puppeteer will pull again, and your foot will rise up. Continue this up-and-down swinging for at least a minute. Pause at the conclusion of each movement to inhale; lift or drop your foot only on an exhalation. When finished, return your right foot to the floor and repeat with your left leg.

When each leg has worked solo, try the exercise with your legs together. Be prepared for a bit more challenge, especially if your psoas pair is weak, as it likely is. You can expect two things to happen as you swing your legs: One, you’ll unconsciously assist the psoas by tightening your rectus abdominus; and two, your low back will arch away from the floor. Neither action is desirable. Tightening the abdominal muscle interferes with breathing, overworks your six pack, and also prevents the psoas from assuming its proper role in hip flexion; arching is an invitation to an oh-my-aching-back injury. What to do?

Still laying supine on the floor, rest your fingertips on your lower belly (below your navel) and have your puppeteer lift your feet off the floor. Set your knees over your hip joints (so your thighs are perpendicular to the floor and your heels hang down by your buttocks) and hold this position for a minute or so. Your belly should be firm (neither rock hard nor squishy) and relatively flat (not mounded up), your lumbar spine in its natural, gentle arch.

Slowly lower and raise your bent legs. Your puppeteer may pull with more effort than before. As she goes about her business, mind your lower belly and back. Keep the surface of your belly relatively soft and maintain the natural arch in your lower back. Try not to disturb them with your leg movements. If you feel strain in your low back, protect it by swinging your legs only a few inches through the arc. Continue for a minute or so, then, on an exhalation, release your feet to the floor and rest for a minute.
All Together Now

Now try the full pose, with both legs. You can practice UPP with or without support. If the previous exercise was difficult, use the support of a wall. Lie on your back with your buttocks about 12 to 18 inches from the wall. Exhale, lift your feet, and bring your knees over your hips. Inhale and straighten your knees so your legs are perpendicular to the floor. Separate your feet about 12 inches, inwardly rotate your thighs (so that your big toes are closer to each other than the heels are), press through the backs of your heels, then squeeze your legs together. Exhale and lower your legs until your heels touch the wall. Inhale, then exhale as you bring your legs back to perpendicular.

Take a moment to assess how close to the wall you need to be. Edge back until you find a spot that feels like a challenge but not a strain. Measure your preferred distance from the wall so you know where to plunk yourself down the next time you practice UPP. Four to six repetitions is a reasonable start, and 12 to 15 repetitions a worthwhile goal. Over time, gradually back away from the wall until that wonderful day when you can go into the pose without any support.

The second approach to UPP is to do it unsupported, which I suspect a lot of enthusiastic male readers will attempt even though they shouldn’t. Lower your legs until your abdominals and back start to howl, at which point you should immediately swing your legs back to vertical (bending your knees if needed); or until your heels are 3 or 4 inches away from the floor, at which point you should exhale smoothly and bring your legs back to vertical. Maintain the inner rotation of your thighs and the active push through the backs of your heels.

Gradually build toward a dozen or more repetitions. You’re ready to increase the number when your jaw, tongue, eyes, and back of your neck are relaxed in the pose. When you can swing your legs through a full arc smoothly without locking or gripping the psoas, or holding your breath, you can add more.

It’s easier to do this exercise if you press your palms and arms down against the floor alongside your torso. For a greater challenge, reach your arms overhead along the floor, with your palms facing up. You can also weigh your hands and wrists down with a sandbag.

UPP is great for strengthening the psoas, improving posture, and firming belly bulges. It also teaches you to “root” your legs energetically. When your movements are initiated from the spine, you’ll feel more stable. And you’ll find that UPP is great preparation as you take on more exciting yoga challenges.

From shapefit.com

Exercise Advice: Start in a pushup-like position with your elbows and forearms flat on the ground and your legs stretched out straight, keeping your knees off the ground. Lift your butt upward, putting the emphasis on your abs to do the lifting. Return to the start position and repeat.

From bodybuilding.com

Madonna is very holistic in her approach to health & wellness and by the time you finish this article, you will hopefully have developed a newfound respect for her. Get details about her diet, training, and much more right here!

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By: Jaime Filer

How many of you have Madonna on your iPod? It’s OK, no one is judging you. Is it because her beats are always aggressive, exciting and at a speed that just seems to set the tone for an awesome workout?

Or is it because deep down inside, we hope that if we listen to her songs enough, by some super-human power of virtual osmosis, we’ll get shoulders and arms like her? The woman is about to turn 50, and at a ripe 20 years of age, I would kill to have a body like hers.

So How Does She Do It?

How does she have the time with constant touring, 3 children, and charity work? Much of her fitness is done in the form of cardio, and more specifically, dancing. If you’ve ever been to one of her concerts, you’ll see that she’s more limber, suave and flexible, than most of the dancers half her age.

Madonna is very holistic in her approach to health and wellness. You’ll understand what I mean when you read about her diet and training regimens. By the time you finish this article, you will hopefully have developed a newfound respect for her.

Diet

Madonna follows something known as ” The Macrobiotic Diet.” Macrobiotics means “the way of longevity.” Long-lived traditional cultures drew from Oriental and Japanese folk medicine to create a version of their traditional philosophy of health.

Whole foods, such as brown rice, are central to a Macrobiotic diet. In the 20th century, a few creative and brilliant teachers emerged, such as the Kushis (who immigrated to the United States from Japan), who distilled the wide-ranging ideas and interpreted them for modern, urban, and industrialized life.

The Macrobiotic Diet

Macrobiotics is a dietary regimen that involves eating grains as a staple food supplemented with other local foodstuffs such as vegetables and beans, and avoiding the use of highly processed or refined foods. Macrobiotics also address the manner of eating, by recommending against overeating, and requiring that food be chewed thoroughly before swallowing.

According to Michio Kushi’s book, “Macrobiotics emphasizes locally grown whole grain cereals, legumes, vegetables, seaweed, fermented soy products and fruit, combined into meals according to the principle of balance (known as yin and yang).

Dietary recommendations include whole grains, such as brown rice, and other whole-grain products, such as buckwheat pasta (soba); a variety of cooked and raw vegetables, beans and bean products, such as tofu, tempeh and miso; mild natural seasonings, fish, nuts and seeds, mild (non-stimulating) beverages, such as bancha twig tea and fruit.”

In an interview with CNN’s Larry King she described her typical dinner as “fish, some kind of grains, some kind of cooked vegetable, [and] salad. Simple, but tasty.” For dessert, “When I’m sneaking and I’m having a moment of decadence, I eat toast with strawberry jam,” she told King. Madonna picked up on the Macrobiotic lifestyle, and clearly, it’s working for her.

Cardio

The Daily Mail in Britain reports that Madonna works out two hours a day, six days a week. Her first two sessions are Yoga/Pilates (discussed later in the article), and for her third session, after lunch, she chooses from a variety of options including karate, swimming, weightlifting, running, cycling, and occasionally horse riding (except several years ago, she broke some ribs horseback riding).

The Daily Mail claims she also uses a StairMaster in her office as she takes calls. She supposedly maintained a 45-minute-a-day StairMaster regime until the day before giving birth to her first child, Lourdes. Now if that’s not dedication, I don’t know what is.

Everyone needs some days off though; to avoid fatigue. 1-2 days of the week of doing nothing but low intensity walking, playing with children in the park and activities like that would be excellent “Off day” activities.

Resistance Training

When someone has such limited time, as Madonna does, especially when she’s on the road, it would be advisable to condense one’s workouts. I say, pick 8-12 of your favourite exercises (1-2 per major body part: Chest, Back, Legs, Arms, Shoulders), and perform a circuit with them.

A circuit session consists of a series of exercises or stations performed in succession with minimal rest intervals in between; this cuts down considerably on time, which is probably important to someone with a schedule as busy as Madonna’s.

It works well for developing strength, endurance (both aerobic and anaerobic), flexibility and coordination. So the guidelines of circuit training are: 8-12 exercises, 12-15 reps per station, 50-70% of your one rep max, rest only as long as it takes to get from one station to the next, and 2-3 minutes rest between each circuit.

You can do a total of 1-3 full circuits depending on how much time you have. This full-body routine can be done 2-4x per week. Here’s an example of a circuit workout if you’re in a gym:

Warm up (5-10 minutes of cardio)
Dumbbell lunges
Dumbbell Rows
Dumbbell Flyes
Dumbbell Overhead press
Dumbbell curls

Flexibility/Stretching

She is credited with popularizing the vigorous Ashtanga style of yoga. This method of Yoga involves synchronizing the breath with progressive series of postures-a process producing intense internal heat and a profuse, purifying sweat that detoxifies muscles and organs. The result is improved circulation, a light and strong body, and a calm mind. And her devotion to Pilates is also well known.

As I mentioned before, Madonna works out about three times a day: She starts with yoga at her home gym and then she moves on to a Pilates studio. Her third workout is either a hardcore cardio session or a resistance training workout.

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is a form of yoga that has had considerable influence on many of the modern forms of yoga taught today. This style of yoga is characterized by a focus on a dynamic connecting posture, that creates a flow between the more static traditional yoga postures. The ‘flow’ is a variant of the Sun Salutation, which is another yoga posture.

The whole practice is defined by six specific series of postures, always done in the same order, combined with specific breathing patterns.

The purpose of Vinyasa is to create heat in the body, which leads to purification of the body through increased circulation and sweating. It also improves flexibility, as well as tendon and hard tissue strength, allowing the student to practice advanced postures with reduced risk of injury.

According to Wikipedia, Pilates is a physical fitness system developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates. Pilates called his method Contrology, because he believed his method uses the mind to control the muscles. The program focuses on the core postural muscles which help keep the body balanced and which are essential to providing support for the spine.

In particular, Pilates exercises teach awareness of breath and alignment of the spine, and aim to strengthen the deep torso muscles. No wonder Madonna’s abs are rock solid!

If you don’t have a gym membership, or your gym doesn’t cater these classes, there is an assortment of DVDs out there so that you can do Yoga and Pilates in the comfort of your own home.

Conclusion

So as you can see, Madonna takes great pride in her appearance, and much of her day is devoted to taking care of her mind and body.

I’m not suggesting you workout for 2 hours a day, everyday if you want to look like her, but every little bit helps; so as long as you’re getting out there, and getting active, you will reap similar rewards and benefits. Your own mind and body will thank you.

From msnbc.com The Fit List

By Gina Lombardi

Although we’ve moved our clocks ahead an hour and daylight stays with us a little longer, you still may find yourself doing the same old dark workouts inside the gym. So why not spring forward — right out the door. Taking your workout outside this spring can recharge your batteries and give you a renewed enthusiasm for exercise.

But first, keep some pointers in mind. When transitioning your indoor workout outside, take things a little slowly at first. Aside from bumps in the road and slippery surfaces to watch out for, you don’t want to overdo it the first time you head for the hills or rough terrain. On the elliptical or treadmill machines in the gym you can manipulate the incline and resistance, but outdoors you are at the mercy of Mother Nature, so you may have to adjust your speed or intensity accordingly. Of course, when heading outside also be sure to bring lots of water and wear sun block and dress in moisture-wicking layers of clothing that you can peel off as you warm up.

And if you’re looking for an entirely new outdoor workout to kick off spring, here’s one of my favorites:

*Warm up. Start off with 5 to 10 minutes of walking, light jogging, jumping jacks or jumping rope. Then perform the following series of exercises all the way through and, if you’re up for more, repeat two to three times.

*Jack squats. Squat down while clapping your hands above your head. Bring your arms to the side when standing up. Repeat 20 times.

*Push-up combo. Do 10 push-ups with your hands on a wall or tree, then 10 with your hands on a bench, then 10 with your hands on the ground.

*Jumping jacks or jump rope. Go for 3 minutes.

*Walking lunges. Start standing tall and then lunge forward with your right leg until your thigh is parallel to the ground. Bring your left leg up as you stand tall and then repeat on the opposite leg. Do 15 reps with each leg.

*Planks. Rest your forearms on the ground and lift up on your toes so that your body is parallel to the ground. Elevate one leg up behind you for 30 seconds, then switch legs for another 30 seconds.

*Mountain climbers. Crouch down with your hands on the ground in front of you. Extend one leg back and place one knee in toward the chest, then quickly switch. Repeat for 20 reps each side.

*Standing side crunches. Stand with your hands clasped behind your head, elbows pointing out to the sides. Bring your left knee up and your left elbow down so that they meet at waist level. Return to the starting position and quickly repeat on the right side. Alternate for a total of 20 reps.

*Jogging, running, jumping jacks or jump rope. Go for 3 minutes.

*Sitting V-crunches. Sit on the edge of a bench and grab the back of the seat with both hands. Lean back at a 45-degree angle and extend your legs out in front of you. Then bring your knees into the chest for 20 reps. (No bench? Start by sitting on the ground and placing your hands behind your butt.)

*One-leg squats with forward reach. Balance on your left leg with your right leg slightly behind you. Reach forward with your left hand and touch the ground. Stand and repeat for 15 reps. Then switch sides for 15 reps.

*Power walking, jogging, running, jumping jacks or jump rope. Go for 3 minutes.

*Cool down. Walk slowly for 5 minutes. Then stretch your entire body. Place an emphasis on calm yoga-style breathing while you enjoy the scenery of the great outdoors.

From yogajournal.com

Paripurna Navasana

(par-ee-POOR-nah nah-VAHS-anna)
paripurna = full, entire, complete
nava = boat

Step by Step

Sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you. Press your hands on the floor a little behind your hips, fingers pointing toward the feet, and strengthen the arms. Lift through the top of the sternum and lean back slightly. As you do this make sure your back doesn’t round; continue to lengthen the front of your torso between the pubis and top sternum. Sit on the “tripod” of your two sitting bones and tailbone.

Exhale and bend your knees, then lift your feet off the floor, so that the thighs are angled about 45-50 degrees relative to the floor. Lengthen your tailbone into the floor and lift your pubis toward your navel. If possible, slowly straighten your knees, raising the tips of your toes slightly above the level of your eyes. If this isn’t possible remain with your knees bent, perhaps lifting the shins parallel to the floor.

Stretch your arms alongside the legs, parallel to each other and the floor. Spread the shoulder blades across your back and reach strongly out through the fingers. If this isn’t possible, keep the hands on the floor beside your hips or hold on to the backs of your thighs.

While the lower belly should be firm, it shouldn’t get hard and thick. Try to keep the lower belly relatively flat. Press the heads of the thigh bones toward the floor to help anchor the pose and lift the top sternum. Breathe easily. Tip the chin slightly toward the sternum so the base of the skull lifts lightly away from the back of the neck.

At first stay in the pose for 10-20 seconds. Gradually increase the time of your stay to 1 minute. Release the legs with an exhalation and sit upright on an inhalation.

WebMD Feature from “Natural Health” Magazine

By Marianne McGinnis

These four a.m. exercises (two of which are done in bed) will warm your joints and energize your body.

What’s your first impulse when the alarm goes off on a frosty winter morning? To push the snooze button and duck back under the covers? If so—and if you’re late to work every morning because of it—try some wake-up moves instead. Designed by personal trainer Kathy Kaehler, these exercises improve your circulation and boost your energy. “The moves warm your joints and get your blood flowing, so you’ll feel alert and grounded all day long,” says Kaehler, former fitness expert for Today and author of Fit and Sexy for Life (Random House, 2007). Do this 15-minute routine regularly and you’ll also notice increased flexibility and strength—and fewer aches and pains.

Cat/Dog Stretch
Warms your back and abdominal muscles by gently extending and rounding your spine.

1. Get on your hands and knees on top of your bed—your head should be in line with your neck, and your back should be in a neutral position (neither sagging nor arching). Make sure your wrists are directly under your shoulders, fingers pointing forward, and your knees are directly under your hips.
2. Inhale and slightly arch your back, letting your belly relax toward the mattress while pulling your shoulders back and lifting your tailbone toward the ceiling. Gaze forward, like a playful puppy.
3. Exhale and round your back toward the ceiling while tucking your chin and pointing the crown of your head toward the mattress, like a stretching cat.

Do each move 10 times.

Butterfly Circle
Warms and stretches the muscles of your back, abdominals, shoulders, and neck.

1. Lie on your left side in bed and bend your knees so your legs form 90-degree angles with your torso. Extend your arms in front of you until they’re perpendicular to your torso.
2. Take a deep breath, then exhale and contract your abdominal muscles. Inhale, then exhale and keep your arms straight and your legs bent as you roll onto your back and point your arms and knees toward the ceiling.
3. Without pausing, continue to roll over to your right side and bring your arms and legs down to the mattress. Repeat the move on the opposite side.

Do 10 repetitions.

Bed Dip
Strengthens your shoulders, triceps, and abdominal muscles.

1. Sit on the edge of your bed with your back straight and both feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. (If your bed is too high for your feet to reach the floor, do this move on a sturdy, heavy chair.) Rest your palms flat on the bed next to your thighs, fingertips facing forward.
2. Supporting yourself on your hands, walk your feet forward one to two feet. Then slide your hips off the mattress and support your body with your arms with your elbows slightly bent.
3. Bend your elbows and lower your body, knees slightly bent, until your arms form 90-degree angles. Keep your shoulders back and down, your chest lifted, and your hips near the bed. Hold for one second. Press into your palms and rise back to your starting position.

Do 10 repetitions, rest, then do 10 more repetitions.

Bedroom Wall Sit
Strengthens your thighs, butt, lower back, and abdominal muscles.

1. Stand with your back against a wall and walk your legs out so they’re about two feet from the wall, feet hip-width apart.
2. Keeping your back against the wall, bend your knees and slide down until your thighs are nearly parallel to the floor. Make sure your knees don’t extend past your toes. Hold for 10 seconds, then press your feet into the floor and slide back up to the starting position.

Repeat 2 more times.

Source: American Council on Exercise 

Introduction

For a trim stomach, it’s important to target three main muscle groups: upper abdominals, lower abdominals and obliques. Click on a heading above for workout tips from the American Council on Exercise. Beginners can start with 10 repetitions of each exercise and gradually build up to more reps and multiple sets.

Upper Abdominals

The best exercise to tone and strengthen the upper abdominals is also the easiest: the basic crunch. This exercise is performed with the back flat on the floor and the knees bent. With your arms folded across your chest and the neck relaxed, raise the chest and shoulders several inches from the ground, exhaling as you come up and inhaling as you release.

Lower Abdominals

Lying on your back, bring the knees up toward the chest, forming a 90 degree angle with the body. Using only the lower abdominal muscles and not the legs or hips, bring the knees slightly toward the chest as you exhale. Return to the starting position. This is a very small movement; don’t try to bring your knees to the face.

Obliques

To work the obliques, the muscles on the sides of the stomach, perform a crunch at alternating angles, reaching with the shoulder across the body to the opposite knee. Repeat on the other side.

From Fit List at MSNBC.com

By Kathy Kaehler

Too cold for your usual outdoor routine? Then heat things up with a workout right in your home! Here are some easy ways to break a sweat without ever leaving the house:

1. Take to the stairs. Climbing stairs is a great way to strengthen your heart and legs. Try these variations:

*Take two stairs at a time for one flight and then one step at a time for the next.
*Turn sideways and go up the stairs one step at a time using the leg that faces the top of the stairs. Switch directions on the next flight.
*Start on one side of the steps and as you step up, step all the way to the other side of the next step up, like a zig-zag. Continue this until you reach the top.
*For a more advanced variation, hop up one step at a time.

These are all fun activities and you can do them one after another or just take a few flights at a time throughout your day.

2. Jump rope. This is a terrific exercise that you can do indoors to really work your arms, legs and heart. Skip, hop on both feet, alternate hops right to left, or get fancy and pretend you are a boxer and create some clever footwork. Any way you jump it, your heart rate will soar.

3. Build strength. You don’t need any fancy equipment for these strength exercises. Just grab a sturdy kitchen chair and you can do triceps dips, step-ups, sit-down squats and leg lifts (to the side and back).

4. Do calisthenics during commercials. While in front of the TV you can do this group of exercises to burn calories and tone your muscles:

*Do 25 jumping jacks.
*March in place 25 times.
*Do 25 abdominal crunches.
*Lie on the floor and place your feet up on your coffee table and do 25 hip lifts.

From Fit List at MSNBC.com

By Gina Lombardi

Worried that summer is closing in on you quickly and your abs aren’t in swimsuit-shape? Better start now to get a buff beach belly.

It’ll take more than just doing a few fast and furious moves. In addition to smart nutrition, you’ll need a consistent cardiovascular routine and a targeted strength-training abdominal workout to deflate that spare tire.

To really lose weight, aim to do cardio exercise at least five days a week. Ideally, work up to a minimum of 40 minutes of activity at an intensity that makes you huff and puff but doesn’t make you feel like you are maxed out.

And to firm up, plan to strength-train three days a week. Incorporate these four key abdominal moves into your toning workout:

1. Medicine Ball Reach — Lie flat on your back, knees bent, feet on the floor. Holding a 5- to 10-pound medicine ball (or a dumbbell) in front of you, reach between your knees while doing a traditional ab crunch and then lower. Do 20 reps. Then do another 20 with your feet high off the floor, knees only slightly bent, reaching for your toes with the ball.

2. Plank — Lie face-down on a mat or towel with your elbows bent and close to your chest, palms on the floor. Push up off the floor, rising onto your toes and elbows. Keep your back flat. Contract your abs and hold for 30 to 90 seconds. Then lower and repeat twice more.

3. Seated Abdominal Twists — Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet placed hip-width apart, flat on the floor. Hold the medicine ball out in front of you. Then twist all the way to the left and place the ball behind you. Quickly twist to the right to retrieve the ball. Do this 12 times and then repeat on the other side.

4. Stability Ball Crunch — Sit on a stability ball with your feet firmly on the ground about hip-width apart. Walk your feet forward, rolling your torso down behind until your thighs and torso are parallel to the floor. With fingertips by your ears, curl up into an abdominal crunch. Do two sets of 20 repetitions.