As Seen on TV: Men's Desires -- The Work Out You've All Been Waiting For!

I had the the pleasure of being on WCIU's, You and Me This Morning with Aly Bockler discussing how to strengthen specific body parts to increase your sex appeal.  It occurred to me around the Valentine's Day holiday, we often exercise to make ourselves look more attractive.  For who?  Sometimes it's just for you, which is great!  And sometimes it's for that special someone in your life.  If it is for that special someone, you should at least know what that person really finds attractive on your body.  Then you will be able to focus some energy on strengthening those specific body parts.

Click HERE to watch the video!

We asked three men what body parts they found most attractive on women and they said, legs, abs, and booty!  Here are the exercises (with progressions) I chose to focus on:

To strengthen legs and calves a great exercise to do is the, Plie Squat with a heel raise.

Stand shoulder width apart
Slightly turn your feet and legs out so that your knee caps and toes are in one line
Lower yourself as if you were in between to panes of glass (making sure you keep your knees in-line with your toes)
Hold and lift both heels off the floor
Try to hold for a second to work on stability
Raise up keeping your heels lifted
Lower your heels down back to your starting position
 
Modification:  If you have a hard time balancing try holding on to the back of a chair.

Progression:  Add weight either holding a kettlebell, dumbbell, or medicine ball at the center of your chest.  Or you can add two kettlebells in rack position or two dumbbells in front of shoulders.

Complete 2 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 (if you add weight you may need to reduce your repetitions).
 
To strengthen the abdominal muscles the exercise I think is most beneficial for your time is the, Side Plank.

I know most people don't like to do planks.  Well have you tried them moving?  I love moving planks because I too get bored just holding a plank for time.  However, we all have to start with a good foundation.  I recommend being able to hold side plank statically for 2 sets of 30-45 seconds before you progress with movement.

Proper set-up is key so you don't feel all of the weight in your shoulder.  This seems to be one of the common complaints.

Place your elbow or hand directly in-line with your shoulder
Look down your body and make sure everything is in one line.  Your hips should be stacked, feet stacked or heel to toe with top leg in front
Now lift your hips off the floor (You may use your top arm to help lift you up into the side plank.  Try to take it away as soon as you feel stable.  You can lift your arm straight up, lay in along your side, or place on your hand on your hip)
Keep a good abdominal contraction, legs contracted, and make sure you don't sink in your supporting shoulder
 
Modification: drop lower knee to ground bending your knee to 90 degrees or bending both knees. Making sure to keep knees back in line with your hips.

Progression: lifting one leg up and reach arm, adding a elbow to knee tap, moving off your forearm to hand with a straight arm, add arm reach and leg lift then elbow to knee tap.

Start with just holding the side plank for 2 sets of 30-45 seconds.  Once this becomes easier add movement.  When moving your can again do this for time or switch to repetitions.  I recommend starting with 2 sets of 10 on each side.

And last but certainly not least, the Booty!  This is my personal favorite and an area I find most people don't strengthen enough.  I suppose out of sight, out of mind.

Today I have chosen a great booty isolator, the Stability Ball Bridge with a yoga block between knees.

If you don't have access to a stability ball, no problem.  You can place your head and shoulders on the edge of a couch. Of course, the beauty of the exercise is that with the Stability Ball you are recruiting more muscles to maintain stability.

Start seated on the stability ball, walk your feet out until you have just your head and shoulder blades on the ball
Make sure your yoga block is close enough for you to grab it and place it between your knees
Place your hands on your hips
Keeping a good squeeze in against the yoga block, lower your hips toward the floor (you may or may not actually touch the floor depending on your flexibility and stability)
Now lift your hips back up to start focusing on engaging your booty muscles as you lift

Modification: Take it off the ball. Lay on the floor, bend your knees, keeping your feet flat on the floor.  Place the block between your knees make sure both your knees and feet are hip width apart.  Lift and lower your hips keeping a good squeeze on the block and emphasizing a good booty contraction on the way up.

Progression:  Take your hands off your hips and reach them up toward the ceiling or over your head.  This will create more instability and move your center of gravity up.  Make sure to keep your abdominals engaged the entire time to prevent from over arching your back.

Perform 2 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions.

Complete all these exercises daily and you will be on your way to a more sexy and stronger body!

For more information check out www.victoridgray.com