Core Stability

When it comes to running, many people assume that it is all legs. While it's true that your legs are bearing the majority of the load, they are not doing all the work. Have you ever tried to run while keeping your arms stock still? Seriously, it's challenging, and that's because your arms propel you forward, set your cadence, and help keep you loose while maintaining your rhythm. Another 'hidden' helper on your runs are your core stabilizing muscles [abs] and if your core is strong you can run further, harder, longer, and over unstable grounds. My little brother Dallin competed on the a university cross country team last year, making it all the way to Nationals, and was gracious enough to share his teams abs routine with me. This routine is a SERIOUS workout for your core, and should be enjoyed with a days rest in between sessions. Give it a go - this routine will not disappoint!

Killer Abs Routine

1 minute Alternating Toe Touch [lay on your back, kept limbs straight while raising left leg and right arm. Touch leg foot with right hand, then lower to ground. Repeat with opposite leg and arm. Keep all movements controlled.]

1 minute Crunches

1 minute Leg Lifts [lay on back, place hands under bum, and keeping legs straight (and glued together) raise them into the air until they are at 90* angle to hips. In a controlled pace, lower legs to floor, then raise them back to 90* without resting feet on floor.]

1 minute Bicycle Crunches

1 minute V-Sit [ lay on floor, with arms above head, resting on floor, and legs straight and locked together. In one fluid movement, raise arms up, while crunching to a siting position, lifting legs off of floor. Every ten minutes, lower to starting position, rest for two seconds, then raise back up.]

1 minute Side Plank [lay on floor, resting on your right side. Place your right hand under your right shoulder. Keeping body in a straight line, push up, holding yourself up with your right hand, and the side of your right foot. Hold this position for one minute, then lower to starting position, roll onto your left side, and repeat.]

1 minute Plank [lay on the floor on your stomach, with your hands directly under your shoulders, and toes tucked under. Keeping your body in a straight line, push up with your arms, and hold yourself in a straight line from head to toe.]

1 minute Reverse Plank [same as above, however, starting position is on your back.]

1 minute Combo [ lay on the floor on your back, pull up into a V-Sit, crunching at the top, and lay back down. Without resting, pull up into another V-Sit, and do a Bicycle Crunch on both the left and right side, then lay back down. Repeat for one full minute.]

If you're not shaking after this workout you're a whole lot stronger than me! probably needing to tweak your form, so pay close attention to contracting your abs, holding each move for the full minute, and getting stronger!

Abs, Chest & Back

How's your 30 DAY challenge going? Haven't started yet? See this post to get going! If you're six days in like me, great work - let's keep it up!

As I was reading my June issue of Oxygen Magazine (if you haven't subscribed yet, do it now! You can get a great deal through amazon, but for some reason I'm not able to link it right now, so you'll have to just look it up) I found soooo many great workouts. Needless to say, I was excited! Today I tried out the ABS and Chest workouts (found separately in the issue) and I am sooo sore... especially since I followed up my workout with land clearing the likes of our ancestors settling in waist high grassed prairies weeding Mom's garden. I seriously don't think I needed an actual workout before heading out to the garden (in retrospect), but the one-two punch to my muscles definitely has me feelin' it!

ABS
Do three sets of the following:

8 reps of Stability Ball Roll-up with a Twist

(start in the position pictured above. Then, not moving anything but your hips, twist your hips to the left. Now roll the ball in towards your chest, keeping your hips twisted through the entire move. Return to neutral, and repeat on the left side. That's one rep.)

20 reps of Bicycle Crunch

(The lower your legs, the harder this move will be.)

12 reps of Stability Ball Leg Lift

Chest
 Do three sets of the following, completing each move before moving onto the next (rest 1 minute in between):

8 reps Barbell Bench Press with 20lbs 

8 reps Dumbbell Decline Flye with 10lbs

8 reps Machine Chest Press with 40lbs

10 reps Machine Pec Flye with 40lbs

8 reps Push-up

I intend to do these workouts at least twice a week for the next three to four weeks to get my base strength back up. It shocked me to find out that the sit ups in this workout were the most challenging part. I was seriously faster at the burpee box jumps - no joke. So, my abs are needing some lovin' - and that's just what I intend to give them!

Is there a chink in your armour?