Archive for the ‘Training and Exercise’ Category
Posted by terrepruitt on June 14, 2011
In putting together the exercises for a Ten Minute Workout, I wanted to get a quick “full body” workout. I understand that this ten minutes might not target the ENTIRE body, but it gets most of it. Plus I was trying to use the exercise equipment that I have. I was bothered by the fact that I had these toys and I didn’t use them. So I was thinking of exercises that utilized them. Although, all of these exercises can be modified to be done without the equipment. This Hamstring curl uses the stability ball.
Lie on your back with your calves/ankles on the stability ball. Push your hips up into a bridge. Pull the ball, rolling it towards your butt so your feet end up on it and your knees are up. Then roll it out. Your arms can be wherever they are most comfortable. Arms can be used to help stabilize your body. It could be at first that your body has a tendency to roll to one side or you feel as if you are going to tip over. 
That is part of the exercise. You are using your hamstrings to pull the ball back, but you might be engaging your arms a lot to stabilize your body as you learn this exercise. Eventually your legs will be able to control the ball AND your balance without really USING your arms.
Each time the ball rolls towards your butt count that as one.
How is that for you? What questions come up?
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: 10 minute exercises, 10 minute workout, exercise, exercise ball, exercise equipment, exercise program, full body workout, Hamstrings, phsyio ball, stability ball, ten exercises in 10 minutes, ten minute workout, ten reps, ten/ten/ten | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 11, 2011
This is a pretty common triceps exercise. I would bet that you have seen it even if you have not done it. It is often done with a dumbbell but for my Ten Minute Workout I opted for a resistance band on the BOSU. Since this workout is a timed ten minutes, it is best to set it up before you begin the ten minutes. As you can see in my picture in my Terre’s Ten Ten in Ten I have it all set up before hand. The resistance band is on the flat side on the BOSU. For this triceps kick back you stand on the band on the flat side of the BOSU. Your stance is hip width apart or whatever is comfortable to allow you to balance on the BOSU. Hold one end of the band in each hand. Crouch down a little: you are bent over a little bit – knees bent and back straight. Upper arms and elbows pull back behind your ribs. Cricket style. (Your arms would be the cricket legs.) Then pull the band straightening your arms. Only the elbow joint moves. Everything else is stable and still.
You’ve done those before, huh? They are pretty common. We are just doing it a little different because of the BOSU and the band. So how was that? What questions come up when you do this exercise?
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: arm exercise, BOSU, dumbbells, resistance band, ten minute workout, Tricep exercise, triceps kick back | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 9, 2011
Squats are good for the legs, especially glutes and quadriceps. There are a lot of ways to do a squat. For my ten minute workout we are just doing a non-fancy squat. The original design of this exercise in the workout is to do it on a BOSU. The rounded side of the BOSU is on the ground and you stand on the flat side. Adding the BOSU in the mix allows for more work to be required of the full leg and ankles. It is great balance practice. A squat is a lowering of the entire body as if you are going to sit down. Only lower down to about sitting-in-chair height. Butt “reaching” back for the “chair”. Then come back up to standing. For these squats have your feet from hip-joint-width to shoulder width apart.
I feel it is important for one to be able to sit and stand without having use your arms to support yourself. Squats are one way to ensure you can move up and down without help.
What do you want to know?
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: BOSU, butt exercises, glutes, hip width, leg exercise, Quadriceps, squats, ten minute workout, thigh exercises | 10 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 7, 2011
A biceps curl is where you hold your upper arms at your side then with palms facing up pull your fists towards your biceps “curling” your arms. There are many ways you can do curls, but for the Ten Minute Workout I kept it simple so that is how this post will be. Stand comfortably, straight spine all the way through the pelvis, knees soft. Using two dumbbells, one in each hand, bring your hands to your biceps. Use a weight that allows you to complete ten curls in a row, but not too light.
Some things you want to keep in mind while doing biceps curls, keep your upper arms “still”. The idea of keeping them stuck to the sides of your body might help. The only portion of your body that should move during a biceps curl are your forearms. Your back should remain straight and stable. Your arms or your body should not swing in order for you to complete the curl. If you are swinging try slowing down, If you cannot do the curl without swinging use a lighter dumbbell.
Questions? Comments?
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: bicep, Bicep Curl, biceps, biceps curls, dumbbells, strong arms, swinging arms, ten minute workout, upper arms | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 4, 2011
We do lunges in Nia all the time. We call them the “bow stance”. Different Nia routines have different “lunges”. Sometimes we do them fast, sometimes slow. Sometimes the music allows us to do a deep lunge, sometimes it might just be a shallow or a high one. Lunges are great for the quadriceps and glutes. In my original design of my Ten Minute Workout I wanted the concentration to be in the glutes, so I decided to do a long lunge. A long lunge gets the backside more.
Holding weights down at your sides adds to the work your leg and butt muscles have to do. Standing up from the long step requires much more effort. As a reminder only step as far as will allow you to stand back up. Also be certain that in addition to being able to stand back up you are stable, so your legs are wide enough that you cannot be easily pushed over.
As you step out also remember that it is a controlled step. The foot that is stepping out should land softly and not in a stomp. These do not need to be done fast. When including this exercise in the ten minute workout I was thinking of a long controlled step. The movement is solid and fluid.
The foot that remains stationary ends up with the heel raised (completely vertical if you can get there), weight on the ball of the foot and toes. Since this is a long lunge, the stationary leg could end up with the knee almost on the ground or on the ground.
The idea is to step one leg out then back, then the other leg steps out then back. Alternate legs, each step out is “one”. There are other ways to do lunges, modifications that can be made, but for now, this is the explanation of the exercise chosen to be included in this ten minute workout. Eventually I will post some information on different ways to do the lunges.
What questions do you have about the long lunges?
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: Ball of foot, bow stace, butt exercises, butt muscles, deep lunge, glute exercise, glutes, leg exercies, leg muscles, long lunges, lunges, Nia, Nia routine, quadricep exercise, Quadriceps, quads, stable stance | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 2, 2011
Here is the Ten Minute Workout with some explanation. Questions and comments welcome.
1 – Long lunges: lunge with a long step with a dumbbell in each hand down at your side then come back up to standing. Each “step” is one.
2 – Biceps Curls: hold a dumbbell in each hand, keep upper arms still bring dumbbell to bicep and then down.
3 – Squats: lower down as if you are going to sit in a chair then stand up while standing on the flat side of the BOSU.
4 – Triceps kickbacks: each hand holding one end of the resistance band, arms are pulled back with elbows back (past your ribs), pull the band back straightening the arm (only forearms move) while standing on the band on the flat side of the BOSU in a slightly bent over position. Keep a straight back.
5 – Hamstring curls: lie down legs on the stability ball (the ball is about half way up the calf) and pull the ball back rolling it towards your butt and then roll it back out while in bridge position.
6 – Sit ups: knees up feet on floor lift shoulders off the floor, then lift more, somewhat more of a crunch.
7 – Triceps Extensions: weights in hands behind your head (hands are close together or even holding both weights), elbows pointed to the sky, lift weights to the sky only moving at the elbow straightening your arms.
8 – Push ups: using the BOSU (round side on ground).
9 – Bent over lateral raises with band: each hand holding one end of the band, open arms out to side while standing on the band on the flat side of the BOSU in a slightly bent over position. Keep a straight back.
10 – Stability ball pass: lie down hold ball between your feet/ankles raise your legs holding the ball while rising up with shoulders and arms to meet your legs (as in a V sit-up) grab the ball bringing it over your head to the floor. Lift up back up lifting legs and give the ball back to our legs. (Count “one” at each ball touch down)
As with ANY exercise or exercise program, be careful and be sure you are able to safely do the exercise you engage in. If you need doctor’s clearance, be sure to get it.
Do ten repetitions of these ten exercises in ten minutes. Repeat if time allows.
What questions do you have? Let me know.
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: 10 minute exercise, 10 minute workout, BOSU, crunch. weights, dumbbell, exercies band, exercise, exercise ball, exercise program, hamstring curls, long lunges, resistance, resistance band, sit ups, Sit-up, specificity, stability ball sit up, ten exercises in 10 minutes, ten minute workout, ten reps, ten/ten/ten, tricep, triceps, Triceps kick backs, twenty exercises in ten minutes, workout for 10 minutes | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 31, 2011
There are a lot of 10 minute workouts. Ten minutes is really not a long time, it probably won’t get you to any lofty fitness goals, but that is where specificity comes in. If your goal is to run a marathon or bench press 200 pounds then 10 minutes of working out won’t get you there. You need to train specifically for specific goals. Ten minute workouts are good for other things. If you are really pressed for time and just need a quick fix. If you are new to exercising. If you are doing another form of working out and just want to add a little something more. If you are recovering from an injury. If you are just learning a new exercise. If you have ADD. There are a lot of good reasons and ways to incorporate a ten minute workout into your day.
There are also different ways you can do a workout for ten minutes. Again, how you do it depends on why you are doing it. If you are pressed for time sometimes just getting through it is what you need to do. That ten minutes will just help you feel like you did something good for yourself even if the rest of the day is jammed packed with a lot of other stuff. If you are just starting an exercise program it could be that getting through ten minutes is all you can do . . . it depends on the workout. If you have a great program that you do, say cardio, like Nia, but you want to add in a little training with weights or additional stretching a 10 minute workout could be perfect. And if you are recovering from an injury it could be that 10 minutes is all that you can do safely. When learning a new exercise it could be that 10 minutes is all that your brain can take at a time. Again, it all depends on why you are doing it AND what you are doing.
Before I hurt my foot, I had come up with a little 10 minute workout I felt was a good way to get a quick workout all over. I designed it to be done with the workout tools and toys I have. I only did it a few times before I hurt my foot. Since I really was having to concentrate on teaching my classes, I pretty much stopped doing everything else. So now I am feeling that a ten minute workout would be great for me because of a few of the reasons I stated above.
The list/workout is what you see pictured here. It is nothing revolutionary it is just 10 exercises that you do 10 times each in 10 minutes. In my next regularly scheduled post (Thursday) I will explain the list. In subsequent regularly scheduled posts (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays) I will give more detailed explanations of the exercises, modifications, and various things that come up related to this 10 minute workout. And everyday, I will post when I have done it. I will actually be doing some of the exercises in a modified fashion because of my foot. I have to modify my activity based on my teaching schedule and daily activity.
Anytime you want you to can do this list. Post in the comment that you did it too. Ask questions and I will either answer them in the comments or in a separate post. I think this is a great way for me to share some exercises with you. I hope you will join me in this 10 minute workout. Really 10 minutes isn’t that long. Ten exercises done 10 times each in 10 minutes. Ten Ten in Ten. You can do it. And you can let me know when you’ve done it. Ok? What do you say? Are you in?
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts), Working Out | Tagged: 10 minute workout, bands, bent over lateral raises, biceps curls, BOSU, exercise, exercise program, fitness goals, hamstring curls, long lunges, lunges, modified activity, modified exercise, Nia, Nia exercise, Nia workout, push up, recovering from an injury, run a marathon, sit ups, specificity, squats, stability ball pass, stability ball sit up, ten minute workout, triceps, triceps extension, Triceps kick backs, workout | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 1, 2011
I told my Nia Sister Jill that I wanted to post some exercises one can do with a weighted bar. Her comment on my one of my last posts helped encourage me. A couple of ways to use the weight bar is triceps extensions. You can stand or sit down, grasp the bar in an over hand grip, then carefully raise it over your head until your elbows are pointed towards the ceiling and the bar is behind your head, push the bar up. Concentrate on keeping your elbows pointing up at the ceiling. Don’t rock, sway, or use momentum to get the bar up and back down (behind your head). Be sure that the movement is smooth and controlled. Your core is tight. Abs contracted to assist in protecting your lower back. The movement is just from your elbows and you are moving your forearms. Your head does not move, the bar does not touch your head or your shoulders/neck.
This same thing can be translated into a lying down exercise. Elbows pointed up, forearms move. The triceps do the work do not let momentum move the weighted bar. In this position your core is still tight. Abs are contracted even while lying down. Also be careful not to let the bar hit you in the head.
You hands can be about shoulder width apart or close together. I like to adjust the width depending on how I am feeling. Another way to do this, depending upon the weight of your bar, you can rest one end of the bar on the ground. While this allows for the ground to assist you with the weight, I find that it requires me to have my wrist bent at an odd angle. Be very aware of your wrist if you are allowing one end of the bar to rest on the ground. You want to make certain that you are not injuring the rest. So experiment to find a comfortable position that does not put too much stress on it.
These are the same exercises that you might have done with dumbbells. Using the weight bar is just a different way of doing them.
Posted in Training and Exercise | Tagged: dumbbells, lying down exercise, Nia, Nia exercises, supine triceps extention, triceps, triceps extensions, weight bar, weighted bar | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 24, 2011
In Nia classes we have the opportunity to experience flexibility AND mobility AND agility AND strength AND stability. Depending on the starting point we can either be increasing or maintaining. I also believe it is good for people to participate in a weight training program. I believe it is good to use weights to keep strength or build strength. I think having muscle strength in important. Most people do not have to concern themselves about getting big and bulking up. I have heard women say they don’t lift weights because they don’t want to do either of those things.
First of all, as a reminder, weights are not the only way to build strength, any type of resistance can work muscles. Depending on your starting point different things can be used, for example body weight alone without the use of weights is a great place to start. The use of resistance bands or tubing can be a great way to work muscles without having to deal with storing the weights. Working with weights (resistance) is a great way to stave off the aging process.
I think it might help people who are afraid of building big muscles to know how it happens. Basically if you want to build big muscles you have to work really, really, really hard at it. It doesn’t happen from going to the gym two or three times a week doing a few exercises at 8 repetitions each. Hypertrophy (muscles getting bigger) occurs when heavy weights are lifted in a specific way . . . more than the average person is going to lift (75% to 85% of what you can absolutely lift), more exercises than the average person takes time for, and with less rest time than most people take in the gym. It really takes work and concentration. It is very stressful on the body and people often don’t like to be sore. The type of lifting required to cause hypertrophy is not something the average woman is going to do. Doing 8 to 12 repetitions of a few exercise two or three times a week will enable your muscles to stay toned or it might even build some strength, but it will not make the muscles really big. If you want to increase your strength add more resistance or more reps.
What could actually happen if you start working with weights is the shape of the muscle might adjust and it you might think it is bigger because you actually start sensing it. I would recommend you measure your limbs with a flexible tape measure before you start a weight regimen. After a couple of weeks measure again, see if there is actually an increase in size. I’ll be waiting to hear . . . .
Posted in Training and Exercise | Tagged: agility, anti aging, flexibility, hypertrophy, Mobility, muscle building, muscle tone, muscle toned, Nia, Nia Classes, resistance training, stability, strength, strength building, strength training, weight training | 5 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on November 13, 2010
The Fall weather, sometimes winter conditions upon us now–at least in my area — the San Francisco Bay Area —it is the perfect time to try out some indoor exercise. With the weather being unpredictable it is nice to have a class that you can count on. If you can find an indoor class that you can participate in three times a week that is great. It is often recommended to do a type of aerobic or cardio exercise three times a week — depending upon your goals. If you are doing cardio for weight loss or for cardiovascular health it requires consistent and frequent sessions. Sometimes it can be a matter of just having that class available three times a week so when the weather doesn’t cooperate with any other plans you might have you have the option of going to a class.
I believe that you need to find something that you like, no matter what it is be it Zumba, Jazzercise, Cycling, or Kickboxing or a cardio workout that engages your body, mind, and spirit like Nia. Whatever you find that you like you need to do it and not let the weather — the cold-I-want-to-sit-on-my-couch-in-sweats weather — sit you down. What is so great is that you have all of these things available to you. If you live in San Jose or around San Jose anywhere in the Bay Area you have all of the aforementioned classes and more available to you. I myself lead Nia classes three times a week. That alone gives you at least three opportunities for you to move, groove, and get your cardio on.
I look forward to you joining me for at least one cardio session a week! So yes, I am using this post to promote my classes, but I am so excited to have added a third class, I just can’t help it. I had one student say to me, “This is perfect because I was just thinking about adding a third day of cardio to my routine. I am so glad to have three days of Nia.” Perfect timing. I hope you will think of it as perfect timing too and take the opportunity to come to Nia, one day, two days, or even all three days.
What do you do when the weather turns cold? Do you have an exercise you turn to for the cold winter months?
Posted in Nia, Training and Exercise | Tagged: aerobic exercise, cardio exercise, Cycling, fall exercise class, Jazzercise, kickboxing, Nia class, Nia exercise, Nia San Jose, San Francisco Bay Area Nia, San Jose exercise class, San Jose Nia, winter exercise class, Zumba | 4 Comments »
Terre Pruitt
