Tone up, burn fat and stay lean in a fast and effective way doing 2 in 1 exercises. This type of training can cover legs, bums, tums, arms, waist and more.
It shows better results because you're working more than one muscle group at any one time. These exercises will help give more shape and definition to all those areas we want tightened and toned.
1. Squat and Press
The squat works lots of areas; your legs, your thighs, calves hips and bum. The shoulder press is great for your arms ESP (back of you're arms called our triceps) and the shoulder press obviously works our shoulders too.
A few pointers:
- Pick up two dumbbell hand weights
- Stand slightly wider than hip-width apart
- Make sure your tummy is tucked in and you back is neutral
- Keep your head up and looking outwards
- Squat down bending your knees and push your hips to the rear
- Sit down through your heels and bum out (as Nicky’s trainer says "Ass to Grass"!)
- Your thighs are parallel to the ground
- Ensure you're knees don't travel over your toes
- Start with your weights at ear level and palms out
- Inhale going down
- Exhale as you come back up and are pushing up carrying out a shoulder press
- Push the weights up over your head whilst your palms are facing out
- It's important to keep your tummy tucked in and keep your head, neck & shoulders in line
- Always remember that slow, controlled movements are important.
2. Lunge and Bicep Curl
Again using small hand weights, the lunge is great in particular for the front of your thighs bum and calves. The bicep curl works your biceps.
A few pointers:
- Start with arms by your side with dumbbells in your hands and palms facing forwards
- Back straight, tummy muscles tight
- Step forward with one leg first, so your thigh is parallel to the ground and one foot firmly on the mat
- Bend your rear knee until it's 4-5cm from the floor and push the ball of your rear foot into the ground
- Keep your knee in line with your hip
- Return to starting point and repeat with opposite leg
- As you lunge forward you also carry out a bicep curl - as you raise the dumbbells towards your shoulders have your palms up, remembering to keep your upper arms and elbows close to your body, then alternate to the other side
3. Lunge with Ball Twist
This will work your lower body and waist. You will use a medicine ball for this exercise; these also come in different weights so choose a low one to start until you're familiar with the exercise.
A few pointers:
- When you lunge and come down, slowly twist your body to one side
- If you lunge forward with your right foot, slowly twist your upper body to the right side
- Make sure you don't lose your lower body alignment; knees facing forward and in your static lunge position
- Keep your tummy tucked in and back straight
- Push back up and alternate
4. Plank & Knee-in Combo
As I’ve said before, the plank is a great all over body workout and is effective if carried out properly. It's very easy to do it wrong, but when you have the correct body alignment it helps focus and develop your core strength and improves your balance and posture. Not only does it work your tummy, but also your body, lower back and upper body. Bringing your knees in to your chest and alternating them adds more to the workout and further works your legs and tummy too.
A few pointers:
- Lie on your belly looking down to the floor with your forearms down on the mat
- Keep your hands either side of your shoulders and your feet hip-width apart
- Keep your body in line and stabilised at all times
- Contract your tummy muscles when lifting up onto your forearms
- Raise yourself up from the floor as you exhale
- Hips should be level with your shoulders
- Keep your legs straight and your spine lengthened
- Keep shoulders down and shoulder blades down into your back
- Hold for a few seconds, and as you improve you can hold for longer
- Repeat a few times
- Breathe in as you lower yourself down
Always check with a trainer first for correct alignment to make sure you don't do any damage and ensure you don't have any injuries already that do not allow you to carry these exercises out in your workout.
It's a good idea to carry out 12-15 reps of each exercise and do 2/3 sets. As you improve, you can increase your reps, sets or weights when appropriate.
Have fun, keep moving! :)
G xxxxx
