Be Fit Series: Planks

Planks are one of our favorite exercises. Maybe not while we are actually doing them though. lol 

YES, they will definitely force you to bring out that inner beast BUT like every exercise we've featured in our Be Fit series, it is very effective in working out ALL of your core muscles and also your endurance. This is a great exercise for ab toning. A big problem with planks is that a lot of people don't know the proper form and then end up putting strain on all the wrong places. 

Forearm planks:

Start at the top of the push up position. Next, bend your elbows and lower yourself down until all your body weight is resting on your feet and forearms. Hold this pose for 60 seconds. Your body should be forming a straight line from your feet to your head; no sagging at the hips and do not arch your back. Brace your abs (muscles should be contracted, like you're bracing for a punch). Relax your shoulders and try to keep them away from your ears.

If you can't do 60 seconds, try going for 15 seconds, rest, then repeat, Then increase your time and build up to 60 seconds. I always feel so strong at the beginning but by the end, it feels like the last ten seconds are the longest 10 seconds of my life! At this point, if you're like me, it is most important to keep proper form in mind. To challenge yourself once you've mastered the 60 second #plank try lifting a leg off the floor, reducing floor contact, and hold.

Be Fit Series: Push Ups

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Push ups are an exercise you will see again and again in a lot of workout routines because it is so simple yet so effective. This is because it works out most of your core muscles in ONE exercise. While it targets the upper body (chest, arms, shoulder) it also strengthens your abs, lower back and legs. 

Proper form includes: *straight body. Don't sag at the hips or back. Your body should be a straight line from head to toe. *feet are together, hands are a little more than shoulder width apart. Your body weight should rest all on your feet and hands. Place hands on the ground, right under the shoulder/armpit area. Do not place hands too far out so that they are above your shoulders. *lower body to the ground until your elbows are at 90 degrees. Exhale on your way up. We usually do 3 rounds of 10 push ups, resting in between rounds.

There are different modifications to the push up to make it easier or more challenging. Beginners: Do push ups from your knees with your ankles up. Or assume regular position on your feet and then lower all the way to the floor, and then push up from there. BUT once you can do 12 of these, challenge yourself and do regular push ups and don't become complacent. Push ups are meant to be uncomfortable. BUT SO EFFECTIVE. Try going slowly at first and go at your own pace. 

Be Fit Series: Wall Sits

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Wall sits are a great exercise to add to your workout routines. This is an exercise that targets more than one area, perfect for our busy mamas with very little time. It mainly strengthens your quads, where you will feel most of the burn but it also targets a lot of your core (hamstrings, glutes + abs). 

Strengthening your quads can also help prevent knee issues. Runner's knee=weak quads + tight hamstrings and calves. I suffered from runner's knee within the first six months that I started running.  My leg strength could not keep up with my drive and determination.  So no matter what I did that pain really made me hit a wall.  It wasn't until I did a TON of research that I figured out what the issue was: weak leg muscles.  So I did a bunch of different exercises that work out ALL the muscles in the quads so that they are all equally strong and it worked....no knee pain since.  One of those exercises is the wall sit. 

Stand with your back against the wall. As you bend your knees, slide your back down the wall until your knees make a 90 degree angle. Your thighs should be parallel to the floor. Take care that your knee does not go over past your toes; you may need to re-adjust to avoid this. Hold this move for 30-60 seconds. Rest and repeat x3. If you can't hold for 30 secs., try putting your knees at a 45 degree angle and then progressively go lower every week. There are different things you can to do make this even more challenging as well. Hold weights to your chest or rest them on your thighs. Or lift one foot off the floor and hold (this will really work out your calves!).

Be Fit series: Walking Lunges

We've been posting some of our Be Fit series memes lately on our social media pages.  We felt that with any exercise, it is important to know exactly what muscles you are working out so that you know if it is an exercise that is safe for you to do or if it is in line with your overall goals.  Also, we talk a bit about proper form so that you ensure you are working out the right muscles.  We are passing all of this information to you mamas only because we plan to share some workouts that we do at home (ALL created by Christelyn and then tested/used by both of us).  Some of these workouts that she put together were just workouts that she created or learned during her journey.  A lot of them we use when we can't get to the gym because as busy moms, that is not always possible.  And we wanted to share these with you in case you needed some ideas for what kinds of workouts are out there.

Some of the exercises that you see in the Be Fit series will be combined into ONE workout.  The Be Fit series is meant to pass along information so that when you see it is time to do a plank in one of the workouts we share, you already know what we are talking about. 

#Walkinglunges are a great functional exercise because they mimic everyday activities: picking up the baby from the floor, picking up bags of groceries, etc. Like most of the exercises we love to do, this one targets a lot of different muscles, saving us time. It targets all four muscles of the quads and also your hamstrings and its also great for building stability, endurance and strength. 

We add hand weights to increase intensity. You can even add a bicep curl to this to work out your arms. 

Proper form is important so that you don't hurt your knees. Stand straight and then take a step forward. Lower hips to the floor. Your back knee should always face the ground; it should come close to the ground but never touch the ground. Your front knee is directly over the ankle, never veering off to either side; it should not go over the toes. Both knees are almost at a 90 degree angle. Push off with your back foot and come back to start position. This is one rep. Alternate legs, moving forward. Complete 2-3 sets of 15 reps each. 

Stay tuned for more from our Be Fit Series and some Fitness Mama workouts!

#GetitGirl Wednesday: Squats

Did you work out today?  What did you do for exercise?

If you haven't worked out yet there's still time!  Go out for a run right now before getting dinner ready.  Go out for a walk after dinner.  Do something to get that heart rate up!  Even if it's grabbing your kid's jump rope!

After you get your cardio in, do some squats.  Squats are a great way to get your core strong as you use a lot of different muscles in this one move: your abs, thighs/legs and best of all, that backside!  I found that working out your core really prepares you for making real life activities easier.  Do some squats and you'll find that going to pick up toys around the house or picking up the baby out of the crib gets easier!

How do you do a proper squat?  Form is very important as you do not want to injure yourself.  My team is getting ready to do some youtube videos so it'll be easier for me to show you how to do these but in the mean time here's a quick guide:

1. Warm up (Don't skip that walk I was talking about!)
2. Stand with your feet just over shoulder width apart
3. Keep your back in a neutral position, and keep your knees centered over your feet
4. Slowly bend your knees, hips and ankles, lowering until you reach a 90-degree angle
5. Return to starting position -- repeat.  The above workout can be modified based on your fitness level!  If you've never done squats before, don't attempt to do 50 today.  Use your judgement or you might be very sore tomorrow!  :)
6. Breathe in as you lower, breathe out as you return to starting position

Let me know how you guys did!  Are you guys interested in seeing Fitness Mama youtube videos?  What would you like to see on the videos?