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Move It Mountain View: The 'A-B-C' Edition
The answer to weight loss and sculpted abdominal muscles is more cardiovascular exercise and core strengthening. Today's moves are simple, fun and target the entire body.
As a personal trainer, I hear a lot from clients about the struggles they have with achieving lasting weight loss and getting stong abdominal muscles.
Typically, the answer to these issues is always to increase the amount or the intensity of your cardiovascular exercise and follow a well-developed strength training routine for the entire core. (This means doing more than just crunches!)
With this in mind, I headed to to bring to you this workout inspired by the ABCs. Each of these exercises is meant to get your heart rate up while engaging the core stabilizing muscles in your abdomen, back, hips and glutes.
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Alphabet Legs: Standing tall with feet planted firmly in the ground, lift one leg so that your knee is at hip height. Arms should be extended straight out to the side, palms facing downward and still, as if the upper body is locked in a block of cement. Extend the foot of the lifted leg straight out in front of you and paint the letter A with your big toe, as if your foot was a paintbrush. Return to starting position and then repeat motion with the letter B. Paint the letters A-M with one foot and then paint letters N-Z on the other foot.
Burpees: Standing tall, hinge forward from your hips and place your palms on the ground. Jump or step your feet straight out behind you so that you are in a plank position, body forming a long straight line from head to toe. Bring the feet back into their starting position and then stand back up to complete a jumping jack. (Add a push up after your plank to increase the challenge of this exercise.)
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Alphabet Arms: Lower the body into a squat position, with the knees and toes turned outward. Holding a weight or a medicine ball straight out in front of you, paint the letter "A." Bring the weight back into your chest and then repeat the motion with the letter "B." Continue through to the end of the alphabet. (Take a break in the middle or lift up out of your squat if you need to.)
Add these exercises to last week's to boost your calorie burn even further. Or, for the ultimate challenge, add on the exercises from the (for a total of nine different moves), and you're sure to get a great head to toe burn. Remember that, weather permitting, you can do these at any local park too. So get out and move it!
Have a terrific workout!
