Posts Tagged ‘ten minute workout’
Posted by terrepruitt on September 29, 2012
Squats are great for the legs. The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of a squat is sitting in a chair. So with the legs somewhat close together, the feet about shoulder width apart you then lowering your pelvis/buttocks down as if you are going to sit in a chair. When in reality a squat CAN be with a wider stance. I am vaguely remembering a “conversation” via comments on my blog about squats in Nia. We were talking about Nia squats being different from the squats in my Ten Minute Workout. I believe squats with weights are different from squats without weights. And I think that since I was focused on squats with weights I was not really thinking about side squats. We do side squats in Nia but now I think of that as Sumo Stance. The routine I am looking at right now has many squats in it. The squat works the legs, both front and back. The wider apart the feet the more the movement works the inner thighs. Since I am looking at a routine that has a lot of side squats or sumo stances it had me thinking . . . In addition to squats a way to get the adductors is to do movements where the leg is brought in towards the midline of the body. One exercise you might be familiar with is the inner thigh lift/raise. As with many exercises there are different versions and variations, but the basic of this one is lying on one side of your body with your torso propped up on your elbow. The “top” leg is back behind you with your foot flat on the floor. The other leg is straight down and lying on the floor. Then you lift the leg up toward the sky, keeping it parallel with the earth. So the inner thigh is being lifted toward the ceiling.
Well, this is a great one to use the weighted bar with. I had forgotten about my bar until recently. Then I remembered this exercise. I would recommend using shoes with the bar. I did it without shoes and I had to hold my foot at an odd angle to keep the bar from hurting my foot. I decided to continue my set without putting on shoes – because I didn’t want to stop – but I made a mental note to use shoes in the future.
One end of the bar rests on the foot of your straight leg. The bar runs the length of your body. The other end is up near your hands where you can secure it to the ground. Then you simply lift your leg. Make sure that the bar is resting firmly on your foot so it does not roll off and cause an injury. This exercise really targets the leg/hip adductors, the muscles that pull the thigh towards your body.
As I stated there are variations of this, some could be: dumbbells place on the thigh (and held securely!), instead of using the weighted bar. It can be done without any weights at all. And/or without weight, the upper leg and be in front.
I think it is a great idea to do different exercises to target the same muscles. Especially since when you do a different exercise to target a specific muscle or muscle group there are usually different or additional muscles that end up getting used. So it is nice to switch it up.
Might you switch it up and do thigh raises instead of squats? Are you familiar with the inner thigh lift?
Posted in Exercise and Working Out | Tagged: adductors, dumbbells, inner thigh lift, inner thigh raise, Nia, Nia exercise, squats, Sumo Stance, ten minute workout, weighted bar, weighted squats, wide stance squats | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on August 18, 2011
One of my favorite workouts DVD besides my Nia routines is a ten minute one. It might be considered an old one as it is from 2004, but I love it. They always sell these things as a “Don’t have time to exercise” type of thing, but doing only a ten minute workout all the time won’t get you far. As I have said before when I was sharing my little ten minute workout in June, it is good when that is all you have time for but only every once in a while, honestly more is needed to reach fitness and health goals. This DVD, done by Lara Hudson, has five ten minute workouts on it. It has capability built into the DVD that allows you to play one workout or pick more than one to make a longer workout and they will play right in a row. You don’t have to start one, do it, then manually start another. When you set up the workout you pick the order you want them to play in. You can even pick one workout twice so you can do it two times.
The five workouts are an ab workout, a buns and thighs workout, an arm workout, a cardio workout, and a flexibility workout. There are about 10 exercises per workout — even with the leg workout. The number of times you do each exercise varies from 4 to 12.
I’ve actually only done the cardio workout once or twice because I prefer to do Nia or Turbo Jam as my cardio. I also like to do more than 10 minutes of cardio, but it could be that all of these together would work for you.
Lara has an easy way about her. The instruction is clear and easy to follow. Some times in her instructions she ends the word in a high tone and it never fails to make me laugh. She is pleasant to work out to. She also is very good at reminding you throughout the video to concentrate on each movement. She often says, “Controoool.” in a way that encourages you to keep the movement controlled. Precision is another key to Pilates and she does a good job getting you to remember that, too.
In the ab workout there are various sit-ups and leg lifts. There are roll ups and roll overs. Lara is very clear with her instruction regarding breathing, which is very helpful. This workout is done lying down.
The leg workout is done on the floor also. It contains the usual leg lifts and bridges, and maybe some other exercises that are not so usual. This workout has you do a set of exercises for one leg, then switch to the other leg. Then there is another set you do for each leg. Even though the workout is only ten minutes the pacing is nice and you really are able to get through about 10 different exercises.
They call the arm workout “Sculpting Pilates”. It is bicep curls and triceps extensions. There is shoulder and back work in there too. There might be some exercises in each workout that are new to you, but nothing to drastic. For this workout the basic stance is the Pilates V, heels together with the feet forming a V. At times we separate the feet, but most of it is done standing in the V.
The cardio portion of this DVD is a series of planks, push ups, curls, dipping lunges, leg lifts, swimmers, and mermaids. As with all of the workouts the flow is nice and Lara keeps you moving reasonable pace. Also, as with all the workouts, she gets a stretch in there. It isn’t a long stretch but just enough to help you “reset” if you need to.
The flexibility one consists of the cat and the cow, and other stretches that really get pretty much every part of your body — all in ten minutes.
I think this is a GREAT little Pilates workout DVD. It could even be a nice way to start to doing Pilates. If you have never done Pilates this could give you an idea of what to expect if you were to go to a class. It could help you learn a bit of the concentration and breathing. I really like this DVD. I feel it is a great addition to any workout program. It allows you to do from 10 minutes to 50 minutes in the order you want.
Have you ever done Pilates?
Posted in Exercise and Working Out | Tagged: a buns and thighs workout, a cardio workout, ab workout, an arm workout, bridges, cardio workout, cat and the cow, center, concentration, control, flexibility workout, flow, full body stretch, leg lifts, lunges, Nia, Nia DVD, Nia exercise, Nia routine, Nia workout, Pilates, Pilates exercises, Pilates V, Pilates workout, planks, precision, sculpting exercises, sculpting workout, ten minute workout | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 30, 2011
So you have a list of ten exercises you can do ten times in ten minutes. You might be able to do the whole thing more than once. If not, you will be able to if you keep at it. Try doing the workout for ten days and see what happens. Also, there will be days that you can do it twice and then the next day maybe not. That is always ok. Everyday our bodies are different. If you do it you WILL see improvement. When an exercise gets to easy, try it fast or with more weight, or do more reps. The ten of ten in ten is really just to get you motivated to do more, help keep you exercising when you are really pressed for time, or add to something you are already doing. Yes, I have said these things at LEAST twice before, but I want people to understand I do not believe this is an all-emcompassing-this-is-all-I-have-to-do-for-the-rest-of-my-life-kind-of-workout. But the ten minute workout can work for everyone.
There are many modifications and variations that can be done with these exercises. Some modifications I have presented already in my Without a ball, a band, and a BOSU post. Here are some more.
(#1) Lunges – You can do walking lunges. Instead of bringing the leg you stepped out with back to “center”, bring your other leg out in a step. Keep going.
(#2) Bicep curls – You can do the curls at the same time you walk. Try it. You might be surprised at the different sensation you have. The walking adds an entirely different element.
(#3) Squats – You can try these with weights in both hands. If you have the band and the BOSU as with the original “gym” 🙂 design use that. Since you are already going to stand on the band on the BOSU, use the band while you do the squats.
(#4) Triceps kick backs – Standing on the ground with weights and just doing one arm at a time. If you can get through the workout twice then you can do ten one round and then ten the next. If you can’t do five then switch. Or you could always do ten and ten. Whatever works for YOU. Remember, this is YOUR workout. You have your own goals to accomplish.
(#5) Hamstring curls – Do one leg at a time.
(#6) Sit-ups – Do them on the rounded side of the BOSU or the stability ball.
(#7) Triceps extensions – Use the band or heavier weights
(#8) Push up – Put your feet on the BOSU and push up from the ground.
(#9) Bent over lateral raise – Cross the band holding the left end in your right hand and the right end in your left hand.
(#10) Stability ball pass – When your legs come up with the ball grab it and before rolling back down put it past your legs on one side then the other (or alternate on each pass), then roll down. Then when you come back up before you “give your legs the ball” put it past one side or both, then give the ball to your legs and roll down.
These modifications and variations aren’t necessarily more difficult or easier. They could be different for each and every one of you. The level of difficulty could be exactly the same but it is just something different to do. Or one day it could be easy and the next maybe not. I just know that for me, when I have more than ten minutes after doing my ten minutes I am ready to do more.
What about you? How does doing ten minutes of exercise make you feel?
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: bicep curls, hamstrings curls, lunges, push up bent over lateral raise, sit ups, squats, stability ball pass, ten minute exercise, ten minute workout, ten minutes of working out, triceps, triceps kick back | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 30, 2011
Here it is the end of June. Wow! Can you believe it? Wow! I have taken this month to share with you a workout that can be done in ten minutes. Many exercises and activities can be done in ten minutes. I believe that more activity is required to actually allow you to see a majority of the benefits that come from exercise. I have a previous post about the once suggested thirty minutes. This ten minute workout was shared in the hope of motivating you, because most of us have at least ten minutes we can do some exercises in and if ten minutes is all you have it is better than nothing.
I hope that some of the posts have helped you in some way.
This post is my placeholder so you can check in. I’ll be back later to let you know I did my ten exercises and also to post some additional modifications and variations to the ten exercises.
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June 30, 2011 at 9:50 am
Morning workout—wahoo! I was done a bit ago. But it always takes me another bit to post a comment. I got my ten under my belt and getting on with my day.
How about you? Did you have ten minutes?
And what else do you have planned for the day?
Posted in Ten Minute Workout check-in | Tagged: exercise benefits, ten minute workout, Ten Minute Workout check-in, thirty minutes of exercise | 1 Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 29, 2011
Yeah, I get excited when I have a Nia class. I love to teach Nia. I love to get up in front of a class and show them anyone can move and have fun. So with that in mind, the fact that I have a Nia Class this morning, I will be back to let you know about the Ten Minute Workout.
With yesterday’s post assisting you with ideas on how to do the ten exercises without the exercise ball, the resistance band, and the BOSU, maybe you’ll join me? Why not try it for ten days? It’s ten minutes. Ten exercises, ten times, in ten minutes, for ten days. Now the ten minutes is the time frame, so if you can do more than ten exercises go for it. Well, what do you say? Got ten minutes?
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June 29, 2011 at 6:00 pm
Ok, DONE! And it was pretty funny. I had been out today in my MBTs and I decided to practice the Nia routine Sexi in my MBTs. So after that, I decided to do the ten minute workout in my MBTs. Ha. Fun-ny!
I normally just do the workout in bare feet. So shoes — MBTs in particular — provided different sensations.
You may recall I bought the MBTs because (I’ve always wanted them but couldn’t bring myself to spend that on shoes) I thought they would help me re-learn how to walk properly. Rolling through my entire foot. I was thinking that I could do longer lunges in my MBTs because I could be on the ball of my foot but really rolled to the ball of the shoe. Well, that went as planned. I did the lunges as I originally thought when I put them in the workout.
MBTs on the BOSU . . . . different. It definitely engages even MORE muscles. I had thought of that too when I thought to do the workout with them on. What I didn’t think about was how I would notice the shoes when doing the V sit up.
Anyway . . . I’m done. Just wanted to let you know. I think I should also confess that I almost skipped it today because I had a tentative phone appointment. But I decided that I could do it even after that. But it turned out that feel through so I just did it. I mean, c’mon, it really IS only ten minutes.
Posted in Ten Minute Workout check-in | Tagged: BOSU, exercise ball, MBTs, Nia, Nia class, Nia routine, resistance band, Sexi, stability ball, teach Nia, ten exercises, ten minute workout | 7 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 28, 2011
If you are going to embark on doing the Ten Minute Workout, you can do it without a ball, a band, and/or a BOSU. You definitely don’t need those things. I would think if you were planning on exercising at home you would have at least one set of dumbbells. The issue might be that your dumbbells are too light. Since I do not know your fitness level or your goals, please keep in mind that I am speaking in general and that YOU are responsible for your health and well-being. With your goals established you need to use the proper weight. The following information is to give you ideas on how to do things differently than originally proposed in the Ten Minute Workout, but you are responsible for doing things safely. If you have questions on what to do to help you reach your goals let me know. Listed are the exercises of the ten that required either a stability ball, a resistance band, and/or a BOSU.
Keep in mind it all depends on what you want the results to be.
(#3) – Squats: You can do squats standing on the ground. The BOSU added the extra element of having to balance. If you don’t have a BOSU and you still want to work on balance while you do squats, you could try doing them on an inflatable pool float. Be careful! But you will notice that standing on something with air in it makes you have to balance more than just standing on the ground. If you think about it that is what a BOSU is. It is just plastic filled with air. If you don’t have something inflatable you can stand on, you can still get a little balance work in by holding something somewhat heavy in one hand. Or even try a bottle of water and let the water slosh around. Do five, then switch hands. Or you could just close your eyes. You would be amazed at how much that throws off people’s balance.
(#4) – Triceps kickbacks: For this you don’t want the weight to be too heavy. You should be able to complete the ten, but not necessarily too fast or easy. And don’t have the weight be too heavy that you have to swing it to get the movement done.
(#5) – Hamstring curls: With this you can either lay on your stomach and put a weight between your feet/ankles and pull your feet back to your butt. Down to the ground and back to your butt. Or you can stand and “Kick” your butt, one leg at a time. (Yeah, the same move we used to do in Jazzercise.)
(#8) – Push ups: Use the ground instead of the BOSU. Or something higher (STABLE coffee table, stair, whatever works and can be incorporated into your “gym”) than the ground if you prefer
(#9) – Bent over lateral raises: I actually like these better with a dumbbell. Remember that the details about your shoulders still apply. Hold a weight in each hand, bent over slightly and with a straight back, and open and close your arms. This weight will probably need to be less than the one you are using for your biceps curls. But again, it depends on YOU and your goals. That is not a definitive statement, just a general one.
(#10) – Stability ball pass: Well, without the ball it is really just a V Sit-up. Lay down raise your legs while rising up with shoulders and arms to meet your legs. You body forms a V. Arms over your head while you lower upper body and legs to the ground. If you don’t have a stability ball you would always try using a different ball, but that is up to you. Either way it is a V sit-up.
Does that help? Remember the basic form of the exercise still applies; straight back, only forearms moving, etc. or whatever applied to the original exercise. I am not aware of what equipment you have but there is always something to do without any equipment at all. Even without dumbbells. Body weight exercise are great. If you have any questions let me know. ALSO, please feel free to SHARE what you do use or what you workout with.
Posted in Hamstrings, Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: 10 minute exercise, 10 minute workout, BOSU, crunch. weights, dumbbell, exercise ball, exercise band, hamstring, hamstring curls, Jazzercise, 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 | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 28, 2011
So far I have done twenty-five days out of twenty-seven. Today is the twenty-eighth day. I will do my Ten Minute Workout, but I will go to bed first. It is 12:21 am and I am posting so that you can see that I am still here. And before I go to bed I plan on doing my ten minute workout — at least. So I know if I don’t get to any other exercise or workout at least I have my ten minutes workout done.
For me when I do it in the morning that I don’t have a Nia class I usually have time to do more, but I understand not everyone has the time. That is why I think setting aside ten minutes at least gives you something. I think it would be cool to do it three times a day. Remember that ten minutes probably won’t result in major gains. The ten exercises to do in ten minutes is just something to start you off or to combine with something you are already doing.
Anyway, I will check back in with my “DONE!” and also another post. Tuesday is “regular” post day. What have you got planned today in addition to doing your ten exercises to do in ten minutes? 🙂
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June 28, 2011 at 11:10 am
Ok, I can make that twenty-six days out of twenty-eight days. Got up this morning and did it. Not first thing but almost. It has just taken me a while to get to the computer to comment.
So try this ten minute workout for ten days, twenty-one if you want to make it a habit.
Have Make it a GREAT day!
Posted in Ten Minute Workout check-in | Tagged: Nia class, Nia exercise, Nia workout, ten exercises, ten minute workout, Ten Minute Workout check-in, workout for ten minutes | 3 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 27, 2011
It is a little past midnight, I am putting up the placeholder. I have not yet done my Ten Minute Workout for Monday, but I am hoping you will and you will comment on it. I am rooting for you. I know it is not always easy to find time. I know how beneficial exercising can be. What can happen is you squeeze in the ten minutes planning to do ten exercises ten times and you realize you have time for more. You do more. Then you realize how great you feel and you do a few more.
But you gotta just do it first. Did ya?
I will be back to let you know I did. First I have a Nia Class.
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June 27, 2011 at 7:05 pm
Wow! I think it was the same time last night that I was posted that I had done it. Here I am again, 7:00 pm. But I did it. I almost forgot. I was just about to do it then I got a phone call. Took me another hour to get to it, but I did. And I am glad I did.
After my Nia class this morning another teacher and I went to a park to practice. That was fun. I didn’t have the correct shoes, but I think we still made some progress. We figured out a few things. NICE! Will make it that much easier when I learn the routine.
So how was your Monday?
Posted in Ten Minute Workout check-in | Tagged: Nia, Nia class, Nia exercises, Nia in the park, Nia routine, Nia Teacher, Nia workout, ten exercises in ten minutes, ten minute workout | 3 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 25, 2011
This is number 10 in the Ten Minute Workout or number one if you are doing the set from number 10 to number 1. The Stability Ball Pass is basically a sit up, but you are adding your legs into the mix. So it is a V sit up. You move your body to form a V.
Lie down on your back holding the ball between your lower legs more toward your ankles and feet, raise your legs with the ball still between them, at the same time bring your head, shoulders, upper chest and arms up to meet your legs with the ball. Grab the ball and lower your upper body back down to the ground as your legs go down too. While you are lowering your upper body down you are still holding the ball in your hands, your arms go over your head so the ball lands on the floor. In this ten minute workout that is designed to be “one”. Then lifting upper body while holding the ball to meet you legs, giving the ball to your legs and laying down again is two. When you get comfortable and feel ready you can always call this whole thing “one” and do ten that way.
The ball and bringing you legs up might distract you from your upper body, but don’t let it. Think of doing a regular sit up so your upper body is doing the correct movement, then add the legs with the goal of grabbing the ball.
As with all exercises squeezing all your muscles will help them work to their full potential. If you want when you exchange the ball from legs to hands or hands to legs hold it for a moment with an extra squeeze.
So . . . does this make sense? You got it?
Ok . . . .now you have details of all ten exercises. What questions do you have? Do you want some explanation on how to do any of these with alternate equipment? Or with no equipment? Have you been doing the exercises? Have you had any revelations or challenges? Let me know.
Thank you.
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: exercise, exercise ball, exercise program, regular sit up, sit ups, Sit-up, stability ball sit up, ten exercises in 10 minutes, ten minute workout, V sit up | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 25, 2011
Let’s see what today brings. I know it will bring my Ten Minutes Workout, Nia, and the rest is a mystery. That is more funny than you know.
Well, I’ll be here.
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June 25, 2011 at 4:11 pm
Ok. DONE! I must have done it really fast because I was able to get part way through the fourth exercise on a third round. I obviously rushed through my lunges. But I remember doing the first set slow and concentrating on my right foot. So it must have been by the second round that I was already thinking about all that I have to do.
I procrastinate so when thing come up that I didn’t plan on it makes be rush other things. But I did it. I mean it is only ten minutes. What takes me longer is posting a comment to check in. 
I am also getting ready to post the details on the last exercise in the Ten Minute Workout. Then I will finish out the month with more about the ten minute workout, but not sure exactly what.
Posted in Ten Minute Workout check-in | Tagged: Nia, ten minute workout | 1 Comment »
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