“Love Your Back” Valentine’s Day Workout

10 Dumbbell Pull Overs

• Lie flat on a bench with a dumbbell raised straight up over your chest— hold it so that your palms are pressing up on the top disc.
• Keep your core tight and lower the dumbbell behind your head, slightly below the height of the bench.
• With your arms straight, contract your lats and pull the the weight up back to start. Repeat. You can also do pullovers on a stability ball, or perpendicular do a bench with your hips raised (it’s more difficult and engages the core more).

20 Supermans

 

• Lie flat on the ground with your arms extended in front of your face.
• Raise your legs, chest, and arms off the ground and squeeze your lower back.
• Hold the squeeze for 10 seconds and lower back down to start.

30 Renedgade Dumbbell Rows

• Assume push up position with two dumbbells (neutral grip).
• While keeping your core tight and back flat, powerfully row your right arm up until it’s slightly above your torso. Don’t rotate your body.
• Hold the contraction for 10 seconds, return to the bottom and repeat for the opposite arm.

20 Tricep Kickbacks

• Hold a medium weight in both hands and bend over until your torso is at a 45-degree angle or parallel to the floor (more advanced). Bend the knees if needed and keep the abs engaged to protect the lower back.
• Begin the movement by bending the arms and pulling the elbows up to torso level.
• Holding that position, straighten the arms out behind you, squeezing the triceps muscles.
• Bend the arms back to starting position and repeat.

10 Chest Flies

• Lie on the floor, bench or step. Hold weights over the chest with the palms facing each other.
• Keeping the elbows slightly bent, lower the arms out to the sides and down until they're level with the chest.
• Keep the elbows in a fixed position and avoid lowering the weights too low.
• Squeeze chest to bring the arms back up as though you're hugging a tree.
• Repeat.

7 Simple Things You Need For Your Home Gym!

Since I ditched my gym membership and built my own gym at home, I have:

• saved money on gym memberships
• saved money on gas
• enjoyed the convenience
• enjoyed the privacy
• been able to workout as a new mommy
• not been pressed for time or rushed
• not worried about others hogging gym equipment
• been more motivated to actually workout
• been able to multitask
• and the list goes on..

Sure, it did cost a little bit up front, here and there, but the benefits are so worth not having to go to a gym and pay for the membership fee! Over time, all of that money builds up.

Here are 7 pieces of gym equipment that I have in my home gym currently that I couldn't live without and they are all from one place called Unique Fitness Concepts: 

1. Yoga Mat: I use my yoga mat for just about anything and everything! Sure, I use it for yoga and pilates, but I also use it for crunches, burpees, mountain climbers, and pretty much any ground exercises. I love the brand Manduka Yoga-their mats are pretty high quality!

2. Medicine Balls: I actually own two medicine balls-each are different weights so that I can enjoy a variety. I use medicine balls when I squat and for ab work such as with Russian Twists. It is such a versatile piece of equipment to own.

3. Kettlebells: I personally own two kettlebells for the same reason of owning two medicine balls-different sizes and having a variety to choose from.To me, a kettlebell is like a dumbbell, on steroids. You can use twice the power and twice the muscle during your workouts to burn more calories.

4. Jump Rope: Jump ropes are wonderful to have and do not cost much at all. They are perfect for HIIT or for a warm up to your routine. There are even fat burning exercises specifically for jump roping out there! It will get your heart pumping in no time.

5. Resistance Bands: Resistance bands are super affordable and easy to take with you on the go. I throw mine in my purse or pack it away in my luggage to do my resistance band training even while on vacation in my hotel room. It creates a resistance using your bodyweight during an exercise which make your muscles work harder.

6. Dumbbell Set. A standard dumbbell set is great, in case you need it. You can do a variety of exercises with them including bicep curls, renegade row, and straddle press. Having a set will give you a large variety of weights to choose from and to allow you move up or down to meet your comfort level. You can use these to add a little extra weight to any move. However, anything undle 5lbs in a waste in my home gym. 

7. Fitness Stability Ball: I have one of these and it saved my life during pregnancy by improving my posture and body alignment. You can also use a fitness ball for crunches, to sit on while doing dumbbell curls, and so much more! Plus, they are very afforable and pretty durable.

For more of your home gym needs, be sure to check out Unique Fitness Concepts.

"Love Your Booty" Valentine's Day Workout

10 Sumo Squats

• Stand with your feet 6-12 inches wider than your shoulders and point your toes outward at around a 45° angle.
• Keeping your weight in your heels, slowly lower your bodyweight down.
• Make sure that your knees do not go over your toes.
• Lower your hips until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground (or as close as you can get), then slowly return to a standing position.
• You may use a dumbbell or weight for more of a challenge.

15 Alternating Bridge Extensions

• Lie on your back with your knees bent so that your feet are flat on the ground.
• Press up through the feet to go into a “bridge” so that your bodyweight rests in your feet and shoulders.
• While in this position, extend one leg completely before placing it back down on the floor while lowering your body from the bridge.
• Alternate which leg extends each time you go up into the bridge.
• The backs of thighs (hamstrings) and glutes are the main targets during the bridge, while you will feel the leg extension in your quadriceps.

25 Split Squats

• Stand with hands on hips or clasped in front of your hcest. Position feet far apart; one foot forward and other foot behind you-either on a weight bench, sturdy chair, or flat on the floor.
• Squat down by flexing knee and hip of front leg.
• Allow heel of rear foot to rise up while knee of rear leg bends slightly until it almost makes contact with floor.
• Return to original standing position by extending hip and knee of forward leg. Repeat.
• Continue with opposite leg

10 Glute Circles

• Get on hands and knees and extend one leg, bent at roughly a 90-degree angle.
• Now draw a circle with the foot of the leg that is lifted.
• You will feel this in your glutes – this is a butt lifting workout as it targets and tones the glutes from multiple angles.
• Do 10 circles in each direction, on each leg.

60 Second Glute Bridge

• Lie on your back on an exercise mat or the floor in a bent-knee position with your feet flat on the floor.
• Place your feet hip-width apart with the toes facing away from you.
• Gently contract your abdominal muscles to flatten your low back into the floor.
• Gently exhale. Keep the abdominals engaged and lift your hips up off the floor.
• Press your heels into the floor for added stability. Avoid pushing your hips too high, which can cause hyperextension (arching) in your low back.
• Hold for the suggested amount of seconds.
• Inhale and slowly lower yourself back to your starting position.

Click the image below for the Booty Bootcamp Workout program that features 10 best yoga poses for booty building, diet, recipes, and a 5 day booty workout plan.

Bye, Bye Back Fat: 6 Moves to a Sexier Back

The back is one of the most neglected areas that women tend to work on. 

Honestly, it's just not a part that we see everyday so it often goes unnoticed.

Here are 6 perfect exercises to strengthen and tone your lower back and decrease the presence of back fat:

1. Supermans

1. Lie face down on your stomach with arms and legs extended. Keep your neck in a neutral position.
2. Keeping your arms and legs straight (but not locked) and torso stationary, simultaneously lift your arms and legs up toward the ceiling to form an elongated “u” shape with your body — back arches and arms and legs lift several inches off the floor.
3. Hold for two to five seconds and lower back down to complete one.

2. Deadlifts

1. Grasp a bar using an overhand grip (palms facing down). You may need some wrist wraps if using a significant amount of weight.
2. Stand with your torso straight and your legs spaced using a shoulder width or narrower stance. The knees should be slightly bent. This is your starting position.
3. Keeping the knees stationary, lower the barbell to over the top of your feet by bending at the hips while keeping your back straight. Keep moving forward as if you were going to pick something from the floor until you feel a stretch on the hamstrings. Inhale as you perform this movement.
4. Start bringing your torso up straight again by extending your hips until you are back at the starting position. Exhale as you perform this movement.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

3. Stability Ball Back Extension

1. To begin, lie down on an exercise ball with your torso pressing against the ball and parallel to the floor. The ball of your feet should be pressed against the floor to help keep you balanced. For more of a challenge, place a weighted plate under your chin or behind your neck. This is the starting position.
2. Slowly raise your torso up by bending at the waist and lower back. Remember to exhale during this movement.
3. Hold the contraction on your lower back for a second and lower your torso back down to the starting position while inhaling.
4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions prescribed in your program.

4. Knee to Chest

1. Start off by lying on the floor.
2. Extend one leg straight and pull the other knee to your chest. Hold under the knee joint to protect the kneecap.
3. Gently tug that knee toward your nose.
4. Switch sides. This stretches the buttocks and lower back of the bent leg and the hip flexor of the straight leg.
5. Then hold both knees to your chest.

5. Bent Over Barbell Row

1. Bend knees slightly and bend over bar with back straight.
2. Grasp bar with wide overhand grip
3. Pull bar to upper waist.
4. Return until arms are extended and shoulders are stretched downward. Repeat.

6. Hug a Ball Stretch

1. Sit down on the floor.
2. Straddle an exercise ball by wrapping your arms around the ball and lower your hips toward the floor.
3. Hug the ball and adjust your legs so that your feet are flat on the floor.

Image: BodyBuilding.com, Women's Health Magazine

My Valentine's Day Picks