Superwoman | Moves for a Fit and Fab Me
December 17th, 2008My new moves… hopefully for a fit and new me. Upon looking at the picture, at first I thought is was just that simple. And, to my surprise, I felt that my core is really weak. I really can’t lift both my legs and arms longer than 5 seconds. But I love how it feels when I am stretching my body. So hopefully, with continuous exercise, it can help strengthen my core.
According to what I’ve read these are exercises physiologist Richard Cotton calls max-muscle, min-time exercises. Not only do these moves save time, they also burn plenty of calories and mimic real life more accurately than the standard bicep curl. So continue reading for our 5 exercises you can do at home with a pair of dumbbells. Once you notice the difference it makes in how you look and you’ll be hooked.
Pose 1 : Superwoman
A: Lie flat on your stomach with arms and legs extended flat on floor.
B: Lift both legs and arms a few inches off the floor; hold 5 seconds and lower. Repeat 10–15 times.
Practice this pose to strengthen the muscles in your core, while reducing your risk of lower-back ijury.
Too much, too soon? Lying on your stomach, arch legs upward and place hands along-side face to support your body weight. As you progress, do the move with hands placed near your armpits. In time, alternately lift your extended right arm off the floor while lifting your extended left leg; then left arm, right leg. Finally, do the full Superwoman.
Why do it now? Your lower back, along with the abdominal, hip, and lateral trunk muscles, make up your core. According to a study of college athletes, “when you have weakness in these muscles, there’s a greater tendency to get injured,†says Irene Davis, PhD, a professor of physical therapy at the University of Delaware. “Women are closer to the injury threshold because they tend to be weaker in the core than men.†Strengthening your core helps your entire lower half function more efficiently, and it reduces your risk of lower-back injury.
Back to 5 Move to a Fit, Fab You
(by: By Sarah Bowen Shea from living . health .com)