If you have children, you have surely watched in amazement how they can play or run around for hours and seemingly never get tired. My daughter never stops- never! I was watching the other day as she would jump from toy to toy tirelessly while playing with the neighbor. I was worn out just watching her, but then it hit me. She is doing stations.

Naturally, she did not think about it and there was no rhyme or reason to what they were doing, but they were doing stations. She would ride her bike chasing her friend, then they would jump rope, play hopscotch, chase each other in a game of tag, get back on the bike, and on and on. I decided to revisit my youth and do a toddler fitness session.

My cardio stations

To best simulate this I figured three exercises were mandatory: biking, jump rope, and suicide sprints. These were to simulate their playing with the jump rope and bike being obvious. The sprints were to simulate the back and forth of chasing one another in a game of tag.

These sprints are where you choose a distance you want to travel. For example, the length of my yard (30 meters or so). Then you cut it into sections by thirds or fourths. I would start at my fence sprint one fourth of my yard, touch the ground and sprint back. Then immediately I would sprint to the halfway point, touch and return. Then three fourths and then the entire yard. This is one rep.

My routine was to bike around our block (@ .33 miles) as fast as I could. Then return to my house and jump rope for five minutes. Next bike again. Then do three suicides. I repeated this whole process three times.

My neighbors had to think I had lost my mind, but who cares. I honestly felt like a kid again.

It was a fairly decent workout and worked well for me because there is not much traffic on my block. If you are on a busier street or really have nowhere to ride, get one of those bike stands that allow you to turn your bike into a stationary one and go for about two minutes. Or maybe you have a stationary bike or elliptical or some other machine already. Two minutes at a high intensity should simulate the same.

If you have the desire to feel like a kid again, this is the workout for you. I will definitely incorporate this into a cardio rotation.

(Photo courtesy of Sanja Gjenero)

Finding workouts that strengthen the muscles in your shoulders can feel like quite a challenge. Your back, torso, and arm muscles often take up the slack for your shoulders in full body workouts. You must use movements that directly target the muscles in your shoulders to gain strength in that area. Here are three fun exercises to add to your routine to develop strong shoulders in just a few months. (*Pro tip: a playground is a good option when traveling and away from your gym.)

Tetherball

This throwback from elementary school can actually help you tone the muscles in your shoulders with very little effort. Tetherball is a fun, competitive game you can play alone or with others. You will want to isolate your shoulder muscles by performing overhead pitches and quick batting movements. Make sure to solidly plant your feet to avoid losing your balance while making fast upper body movements. Try to tighten up your core muscles while hitting the ball for an increased challenge. Moving toward the outside of the ball’s rotation space can also make it more difficult to send the ball flying at a good clip.

Monkey Bars

Your upper body strength will grow in leaps and bounds after spending some time traversing the monkey bars. You will need to support your full weight while moving from one side of the bars to the other. You can experiment with different grips and speeds to slowly increase the challenge and build strength in your shoulders. Do not allow your weight to hang from the shoulder joints, however. Instead, tighten up your shoulder muscles and use them to propel you from bar to bar. You can also tighten up your core and swing your body a bit to gain momentum. Evaluate how you feel after each pass to see if you should continue back across.

Wall Ball

Bring your own foursquare ball to the playground to play a round of wall ball. You can easily play this game alone to increase demand on your cardio system and upper body muscles. You will need to swing quickly to keep the ball from escaping past you after each rebound off the wall. The harder you hit the ball, the faster it will sail toward you. Brace your lower body and swing your arm firmly using your shoulder muscles to give it a good hit. Make sure to bounce the ball off the ground before it hits the wall to keep the game going.

Honing Your Routine

In order to make sure these activities keep your heart rate up, perform each one at a high intensity. You can start off and end your activities at a slower pace to warm up and cool down, which will prevent injuries from occurring. However, after that, it is important to keep your heart rate in the target range throughout your workout. Always strive to increase the challenge of your routine by changing up the order of your exercises, upping the time you spend working out or improving your speed or effort.

The holidays are fast approaching, and that means holiday weight gain is also on the horizon. The average American gains between 5 and 10 pounds during the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas. With parties, family events, cookies, leftover Halloween candy, pumpkin spice lattes, eggnog lattes, and anything else that may tempt you. But if you start turning up a notch on your workouts, you may be able to keep the battle of the bulge to a minimum. Here are some of my favorite cardio workouts to sweat off those calories.

1) Insanity

This is one of my favorite ways to burn calories quickly and efficiently. You can get a really intensive workout in less than an hour and really see improvement in your stamina after just a few weeks. If you are uncertain, try out the Fitness Test and gauge where you are today. Then you can redo the test after a few weeks.

2) Fitness tracker

These tools are a great way for you to keep track of how much you are burning and moving compared to the amount of calories you are taking in. As the holidays grow closer, it can be a good idea to increase the amount of steps you target for each day. If you jump from 10,000 steps per day to 15,000, it will help you burn a few extra calories every day. That gives you more room to consume. By adding an extra twenty-minute walk to your routine, you can get this in easily. I add a walk around my neighborhood at lunchtime, a great way to get some much-needed sunshine and get a bit of energy.

3) 30-day habit

There are a few different theories out there that say if you keep something up for a certain amount of time, it becomes a habit, and thus easier to commit to. This is a great time to commit to a new exercise habit, the best chance to see long-term results. By adding 20 minutes of cardio exercise to your day you can really see some major changes. This can be in addition to your regular exercise program, or just as an introduction to exercise.

Check out some of the 20-minute videos on Fitness Blender or YouTube. It’s best to find something that has a bit of flexibility, so you don’t have to do the same routine every day. Remember to take at least one day off every week so that your muscles can recover. And take it easy if you are under the weather. You want to build up your cardio fitness, not over-train and injure yourself.

There is no shortage of exercises you can do to help tone up your legs and improve your leg strength while building your cardio. It can be tricky to find a type of cardio exercise that won’t also risk causing repetitive injuries and overuse injuries if you don’t follow a proper training regimen. Here are a few exercises you can switch between to help prevent overuse injuries. Remember to wear proper foot wear at all times, so that you protect your legs as much as possible.

1) Plyo

Tony Horton calls Plyometrics the mother of all p90X workouts, and there is a good reason for that. Working Plyo is a great way to develoep your cardio and leg strength, because you will be jumping, jumping and jumping. By the end you should feel exhausted and your body spent, but one hour of Plyo cannot be beat. You can find Plyo classes at local gyms, on DVD, or online. My local gym calls their Plyo class “Alpine Ski Prep”, so if you cannot find a class at your gym, ASK! You might be missing it.

2) Trampoline

I’ve said it here before, but I love my mini-trampoline as a workout tool. It is a great way to build up your leg strength with somewhat less risk for injury, because the impact is softer. I call it my poor man’s treadmill because I can pop in a movie and jump or run on the trampoline just like I would on a regular treadmill. And even better, my knees won’t complain about it later.

3) Speed Walking

I have a neighbor who speed walks. Before I met him, I only saw speed walking on the Olympics. It looks a bit bizarre, and let me tell you, he walks faster than I run. Speed walking is actually a great way to build your cardio and strengthen your legs. You need to be careful of your form so you don’ t hurt yourself. Otherwise it manages to target some of those leg muscles you don’t use that often and give you a good workout while doing so!

4) Stairs-squats-stairs

This is a killer combination I took with me from my soccer playing high school days. It hurts, but it is effective. First you will need some stairs, or if you have a high school or field nearby, the stands are the ideal place, but any steps will do. Run up to the top of the stairs and down again five times. While you are catching your breath, do a set of ten squats. Pause and repeat the squats, also five times. You can repeat this series if you can.

Footwork is key for many activities, including walking. If you want to keep your body up to snuff and get in an effective workout, then getting a hold on your footwork is very important.

It is obvious that footwork for a fencer is different than a runner, but you may not realize that walking is more than muscle memory. Walking as a workout will require you to pay more attention to your foot and how you are stepping through them. If you think of it, you should try to apply good practices in your casual walking habits as well! This will allow you to make your cardio walking workouts more autonomous, so you can work on other aspects of your walk and not just focus on your feet.

Let’s get rolling

The key to walking is to walk in a rolling motion. When you are taking a step, your heel should be the first part of your body to contact the ground. From there, you should roll from your heel to your toe as you work through the step. After that, push off with your toe. Okay, now it is time to get going with the other leg! You should now be taking your back leg and bringing it forward.

This might seem trivial to you, but the next time you go for a walk, think about the motions you are making. Actively make yourself roll through from heel to toe. Does it feel any different than your normal step? You should be keeping your arches strengthened and supported. How is your balance? Are your shoes allowing you to roll through your step? If you are not able to roll through your step, your shoes might not be flexible enough. Try looking into a pair of shoes that are less stiff.

Take it in stride

Once you have your step mastered, it is time to start thinking about your stride. If you are trying to get a workout in, you should know that taking longer steps is not the way to get to your destination faster. Overstriding can be harmful to your body, and it is also inefficient. Instead of overstriding, you should take more, smaller steps. This will also give you a better workout. The quicker your stride and the more steps you put in, the more work your body will be doing!

The majority of your stride should be behind your body. In other words, the distance between where your back leg is pushing off the ground to your core should be further than from your core to your front leg. Remember, the power comes from your back leg, not your front one. The quicker you walk, the more power you will get because you will be getting more use out of the back part of your stride.

Getting back to the basics when you are walking is extremely important in order to get the most effective workout in.

If you want to shape your butt while improving your overall fitness levels, consider focusing on cardio exercises that utilize your glutes. Push yourself to make the most of each cardio session. At max effort, the muscles you use to move your body strengthen and tone up. After several months of performing the following routine two to three times a week, you’ll notice a big difference in your body composition, especially in the butt area. Read on to learn how to get started.

Spinning

You can obtain a spin bike and follow along with workout videos to create a home routine. Make sure the videos take progress into account, so you continually up the ante as you go. If you have trouble motivating yourself, join a spin class at your local fitness center to work out alongside your peers. Spin instructors push their classes to start out slow and gradually increase their speed and effort.

As you gain strength, you can turn up the resistance on the bike to increase the difficulty of your workout. Since your glutes provide the majority of the power for pedaling your spin bike, that’ll be the first area that tones up and shows the results of your hard work.

Kettlebell Swings

Fitness fanatics have been training their bodies with kettlebells for more than 100 years. Thekettle bell design challenges your muscles by keeping the weight slightly off center. Performing kettlebell swings will train the muscles you need to perform squat reps in the future. Eventually, you want to work your way toward performing deep squats to perfect the shape of your butt.

Start with the five-pound weights and work your way up the ladder until you reach thirty pounds. Perform enough reps to get your heart pumping into the target range to turn this lift into a cardio routine. For the best results, keep your heartbeat in the target range for a few minutes, and then take a break to bring it back down before performing the next rep.

Deep Step Ups

Perform step-ups by using a raised leg on your porch, retaining wall or a sturdy bench. Alternate your legs to use both sides of your body equally. You can perform deep step-ups with or without additional weight on your shoulders or in your hands.

At first, you will want to start by using just your bodyweight alone. Work on going through the reps as fast as possible while keeping your form perfect. Tighten up your body to maximize muscle activation in the core, back, legs and butt areas.

Putting It Together

In addition to working your glutes, the above exercises activate the muscles in your back, core, legs, and arms for a full body workout. To make the most of your time and effort, increase the speed while riding your spinning bike or performing the step-ups. In addition, gradually increase the weight of your kettlebells to continue toning your muscles. Remember to take before pictures, so you can easily measure your progress as you go.

Some days it is really hard to find enough motivation to get a regular workout in. As much as I love running, the occasional workout video, and long walks with the dog, some days, when it is raining, all I really feel like doing is sitting on the sofa and watching some really bad TV and eating popcorn. That is why I have put together my “lazy day” workout. It is my routine for those days when I would rather skip, but know that my smartphone apps are going to criticize me for skipping a day, and I will lose points on my leader board (Gotta love those apps!) Here is my lazy man workout.

March

This is when I am always happy that no one can see my lazy man workout. I put on my favorite show on Netflix, strap on my running shoes, and march in place for a good 10-15 minutes. This is a great way to warm up, and after awhile, my blood starts circulating and I don’t quite as bad about working out than I did before I started.

Jumping jacks

Once my blood is pumping a little bit, I set the timer on my phone for 1-2 minutes and do jumping jacks for that period of time. This is a great way to help get you moving, but you can still vegetate in front of the TV.

Walk it out arm swings

When you are finished with your jumping jacks, take a few minutes to just walk it out. As you walk it out, swing your arms around like a windmill, first forward and then back. This is a good way to keep your heart rate up a bit, but not to tire yourself out too much.

Rinse and repeat

Repeat the whole routine once more (or twice if you are so inclined).

Jog around the room

I know some people who run in place, but I find this really ends up hurting my calves the next day, so one little thing I kept from my Wii fit workouts, is jogging in little circles around my living room, when the weather is too crappy out and I don’t want to pull out my trampoline. You can do this silly routine during commercial breaks or set the timer on your  iPhone for a few minutes. And if you don’t want your neighbors watching, be sure to close your taupe curtains.

Skip around the room

I know, this looks ridiculous, but no one is watching. Alternate between skipping and running around the room.

At the end of the day this is not an ideal workout, but it is one you can do without fancy equipment while watching re-runs of the West Wing, and some days that kind of exercise is better than none.

After taking a long vacation, it’s often difficult to fall back into your cardio routine without a hitch. You might feel out of breath, weak or just unmotivated while working back up to your normal effort levels. To prevent this situation, you can work cardio-based sports into your vacation days. Gyms and local pick-up games have all of the equipment you need to participate in fun sports activities. Check out the following three best sports options for your vacation time.

Basketball

Although many gyms have basketball courts for their visitors to use, you might get more enjoyment out of joining a local pick-up game. You can find games nearby your vacation destination by going to this website. (Or download the associated app.) From there, just head down to the indicated court and ask to join the game.

Most people will allow you to jump right in. Although if the court is full, you might have to wait for someone else to drop out of the game. Basketball is an excellent cardio exercise since your heart rate stays in its target range whether you’re playing offense and defense. When playing basketball, you’re always on the move with very little downtime between plays.

Racquetball

If you prefer to spend your time playing sports alone in a gym, try racquetball. Although you can play this sport with friends, it translates to a single player game quite easily. Instead of smacking the ball between players, simply use the wall as your opponent.

You’ll find yourself running briskly from side to side to keep the ball bouncing against the wall. Since you continuously hit the ball off the wall, you do not have a moment’s rest while playing this sport. Be sure to plan regular break periods to help your heartbeat stay in its target range, and get the most out of this fun cardio routine.

Tennis

If you cannot get to a gym, find a hotel that features several tennis courts and equipment. You can ask people on the court to join you for a game, bring in your travel companions, or request tennis opponents or lessons at the hotel’s front desk.

You’ll find your mind and body responding to your workout, as you try to calculate just where the ball will land after each shot. You can either play a leisurely game of tennis or a high-impact one by talking with your opponent beforehand. Since tennis games get quite heated, remember to warm up before starting the game.

Reap the Benefits

You’ll come back from your vacation just as energized and limber as before by working these sports games into your daily activities. You only need to participate in the games for an hour each day to burn more than five hundred calories while keeping your mind and body accustomed to the exertion. Once you return home, you’ll be able to return to your cardio workouts without missing a beat. You might even want to add sports to your workouts after experiencing the benefits while on vacation.

If you’re traveling for work or pleasure, you might be wondering how to avoid losing your progress while you’re away from the gym. This is especially true if you want to go out to dinners and enjoy cocktails without dealing with a severe caloric deficit. Continuing your cardio routine can free up extra calories, so you can go have fun without the guilt or loss of progress. Here is one fun routine that only takes about thirty minutes to complete each day.

Jumping Jacks

Begin by stretching, and then warm up your body by doing a series of jumping jacks. This exercise can start off slowly and increase in difficulty as you go. If your arms are sore or tired, consider doing half-jacks until they warm up. The half-jacks only use a halfway-extended arm movement combined with a full jump.

You can also increase the intensity and speed in which you jump as you go. Jumping jacks will drive your heart rate into its target zone within just a few minutes. However, you should complete 20 to 50 reps, depending on your fitness level.

Wind Sprints

After you warm up from the jumping jacks, take a moment’s rest before heading into the wind sprint routine. You should perform wind sprints at full intensity all the way down and back again. Pick an isolated area to perform this exercise, so you don’t have to stop for passersby or limit your speed to avoid running into anyone.

At first, you might only perform a sprint or two before feeling extremely winded. Later on, you should sprint five to ten times before this happens. Listen to your body to see how many reps you need.

Jump Rope

Take another short rest period, and then head straight into the jump rope workout. You can match the intensity of the wind sprints at first, and then slowly work your way down to a reasonable pace. Continue jump roping at a pace that keeps your heartbeat in its target range without exceeding its upper limits.

Time your jump roping session, and aim for at least ten minutes to start. You can increase this limit as your body grows accustomed to this exercise. Try out different jump rope variations to change up your arm and leg movements.

When you get to the end of your workout, slow your jumping speed to start the cool down period. Finish this session with some more stretches to protect your muscles, tendons and ligaments from injury.

Continue On

If you enjoy this routine, there’s no reason you have to stop after returning home. Substitute this routine whenever you cannot make it to the gym or simply want to get outdoors for some exercise. As you practice these sessions, you might feel inclined to up the difficulty by trying out new jumping jack, sprinting or jump roping styles. You can also compete with friends and family to improve your edge and make these sessions even more fun.

When vacationing, it’s tempting to leave all of your worries, and exercises, behind until you return home. If you do that, however, you might find your progress taking a sudden backslide. Fortunately, you can integrate cardio routines into your vacation days without taking away from the fun. In fact, many cardio activities really add to the excitement found in your vacation destination. Upon returning home, you’ll enjoy maintained progress in your intensity and speed. Here are three ways to work cardio exercises into your vacation days.

Run to Destinations

If you obtain a hotel in the city center, most of the attractions might be located within a few miles. You can pick one destination a day that you can travel to on foot. Although it might take a little longer to get there, you’ll be able to soak in all of the sights up close. You can take time to stop and take photographs or just gaze upon the wonders before you.

If you’re not worried about getting a little sweaty, you can even jog or run to that location. While jogging or running, you’ll raise your heart rate into the target area and keep it there for the duration of your run. For a bit more motivation, you can use jogging or running apps that help you keep up your pace or record your run for future review.

Go Dancing

If you prefer to travel to local attractions by car, consider spending your evenings dancing it up to get your cardio in. You can take dance lessons or just hit the local nightclubs during your vacation stay. Dancing burns between 300 to 600 calories per hour, depending on your body type.

You should try out different dance steps throughout the night to work different muscle groups in your body. Hip-hop dancing integrates your core and arms into the routine, while rumba steps work your legs from hips to toes. If you plan on dancing the night away, think about stretching before and after to reduce soreness in the morning.

Plan Swimming Breaks

Your vacation might be filled with hours lounging near the pool or beach, so take the time to jump into the water frequently. You can swim laps or simply tread water to get your heart rate up into the target range.

Keep your intensity up to get the most out of this workout type. Swimming for just an hour burns more than 500 calories, depending on your intensity and range. Try out the front crawl, breaststroke, and butterfly stroke to workout your arms while you swim around. The cool water will keep you from sweating like crazy while you exercise. You’ll likely stay in the water much longer due to its refreshing nature.

Join in the Fun

You can usually convince friends and family members to perform the above cardio exercises with you to make the routines even more fun. Having other people to work out with usually makes it easier to stick to the plan during vacation.

Strength and endurance are two of the most important factors in becoming a successful kayaker. The simple motions of the paddle when kayaking are enough to work entire core muscle groups and build six-pack abs in no time. While amateur kayakers may not be able to race for miles, they can still gain all of the core strength building benefits that kayaking can provide. Moreover, kayaking is a fun summer activity that is easy to learn and can be done by people of all fitness levels. For an amazing and fun core strength workout this summer, be sure to try kayaking.

While it is beneficial to begin strength training before actually starting to kayak, it is not necessary to have a successful kayaking excursion. Professional kayakers train for hours in order to maximize their output and to build core speed. Professional kayakers put a lot of weight in the idea that building a strong core will not only maximize the benefits of kayaking, but will also prevent injury.

Even for those without previous athletic training, kayaking is an easy activity to learn. Simply find a kayak, put on a life jacket, and start paddling. Whether it be on a cool lake, a babbling creek, or a lazy river, kayaking feels more like relaxation than a workout. It is easy to forget that the gentle paddling motions are actually strengthening the trunk of your body.

When kayaking, core strength is built through the resistance from the water on the paddle. The back and forth motion of the body’s mid-section actually will help to build strong abdominal muscles, as well as tone the back and shoulder muscles. Amateurs should begin kayaking in calm waters, but experienced kayakers can paddle strong bodies of water for added resistance and added strength building. The resistance of the water will also build strong arm muscles. Amateur kayakers should not stay out on the water for longer than thirty minutes, even if they feel like their muscles can handle more. Kayaking can become so fun that many fail to realize the intense workout for the core muscles.

The paddling motions of kayaking provide a great core workout. The back and forth motion will surely sculpt abs in only a few months. When kayaking during the hot summer months, be sure to wear plenty of sunscreen and stay hydrated. Kayaking is such an enjoyable activity that many forget to drink adequate amounts of fluids and be sure to replenish your body with plenty of good calories. For a fun and somewhat intense core workout this summer, be sure to try kayaking.

The back is one of the most important areas of our entire body. It is so often ignored in many ways, and this leads to the back issues we see as we progress in years. Simply adding a little focus toward the back will certainly pay dividends in the future.

“It is not a bad back, it is a weak back” are the words trumpeted from my father. He theorized that the millions of sufferers of back pain and back problems were due to those who ignore it. Those who slouch, those who sink in their chairs putting their backs at awkward angles, and those who do not work with their back in general are who he was referring to. Sure there are those with pain due to nerves or stemming from an accident. However, I tend to agree with this theory and have seen it come to fruition in my life. I can see the correlation every time my back starts to act up with how little I have been paying attention it. Like a toddler.

To strengthen the back there is not a lot that needs added to your normal routines. For most people, there is not a need to spend a whole workout on just the back. I do occasionally, but if you already do dead lifts, planks, and run routinely, you just need to add a couple more exercises that can be worked in during any routine.

Dead lifts work the deltoids, planks the lower back, and fast twitch fibers and running helps to stabilize the core while the body is in motion. That is why only a few more exercises are required to get there.

The two exercises

The first is a lat pull down. These work the same muscles as pull ups or chin ups do, but you can control the weight more. Most people cannot do three sets of ten pull ups on their own, so lat pull downs are essential. It is important to do these because most objects you lift in your daily life use the same muscles worked here. You want to do them more justice than just a few pull ups once a week.

The next exercise is back extensions. Most gyms have an apparatus that allows you to lock in your legs and hang at the stomach. From there you straighten your torso as if you are doing a reverse sit up. This works those lower back muscles that give the majority of people pain each day.

By adding just these two exercises to one or two of your workouts each week will not only strengthen your back, but save you lots of back issues in the future.

Back strength is vital to having less pain and a better future overall. It is vital to build a stronger back and there are many ways to do this safely and still keep it interesting. This article is going to cover a couple ways to accomplish this.

I do not think I have ever written an article on back exercises without beginning with my rant of how important it is to exercise these muscles. Many people focus on firming up and bulking up on the chest and abdominal muscles because they are show muscles. Having a muscular back is not all that exciting. However, it is vital to the long-term health of your skeletal system. A bad back is usually linked to a weak back.

To avoid this there are lots of things that can be done like pull ups, chin ups, planks, the back machines at the gym, etc. Sometimes, we simply get tired of the monotony of these and want to change things up a little bit. The good news is that there are some ways to do this. For example: running.

Running and your back

Running is not usually associated with building a stronger back. However, after a running a couple miles you can feel something in your back. Is it a normal pain or an awkward pain? The awkward pain usually indicates that you are slouching while running. The constant impact coupled with a slouch will give you some pain.

To strengthen your back while running push your hips forward. At first it feels weird, like when you force yourself to sit with proper posture because your mom is looking. Same feeling. When you run with proper posture you are engaging your fast-twitch muscles (the smaller, fibrous muscles), and they are getting stronger. They in turn assist your bigger muscles and strengthen the structure. Essentially you are tightening the screws on a shaky chair.

Punching and your back

Another way to tighten these screws is to do some punching. Get into a wide stance with your legs spread further than shoulder-width apart. You should look like you are riding a horse and sitting on the saddle. This is actually called a horseback stance. From here, ensure your back is perfectly postured once again. Then throw punches in front of you at a punching bag or just into thin air. It does not matter. The important thing is to keep them going and to keep your back straight. Do this for a time period of five minutes, then take a break and repeat for a total of three sets.

Backs need loving. They get this when you strengthen the muscles. Not only do you need to work the major muscle groups of the back, but also the smaller ones as well. When you do, your structure will be much stronger and you will have better long-term back health.

I have been involved in fitness and the study of the body since I was about ten years old. Twenty-five years later and I still maintain a few simple truths that I understood back then: the core is key and the back is best.

This workout routine will touch on both of those areas and take roughly seven minutes out of your busy day.

Without a strong core (meaning your abs, lower back, and oblique muscles) you will not reach your fitness goals. The core is the foundation of your entire muscular system, and without it technique and form will suffer. The back is the most important muscle group following your core. If your core is the foundation, your back is the frame. The current lifestyle of most of us punishes the back, and a weak back equals back pain in the future.

This simple workout only requires a chin up bar and some motivation. In just seven minutes and 50 reps, you will work your core a little and your back a lot.

Start with set one. This is going to be a set of chin ups using a normal grip where the hands are roughly shoulder width apart. The goal is five reps. Afterward, take a very short break not exceeding 20 seconds and do the same in between each of the seven sets.

Set two affords you the opportunity to get in touch with your inner super hero. This exercise is called the Superman. You lay on your stomach and stretch your hands and arms straight out in the front of you as if you are seeing how long you can become from toe to fingertip. Then you are going to raise your arms and legs up as if you are trying to fold yourself in half backwards. You end up looking like Superman flying through the sky as only your core remains on the ground. Do ten reps of these.

Set three takes you back to the bar for some narrow grip chin ups. Here your hands are about head width apart. Again the goal is to complete five reps.

Set four takes you back to the skies for ten more reps pretending to be Superman.

Set five is the wide grip chin up. For wide grips you need to place your hands more than shoulder width apart. The further apart you can get them the better. No surprise here: five reps.

Then fetch your cape for set six (almost done) and knock out ten more reps in the Superman position.

For the final set, you get to choose any style of chin up you would like and then complete five more reps.

When you are done, you will have a pretty good sweat going and your muscles will be screaming!

The past several years have caused me to think of new ways to workout to challenge myself and to maximize my limited time. It is not always an easy task to find ways to accomplish this. However, I have found a great one to work my arms to exhaustion in 15 minutes.

In a previous article preparing for the summer, I discussed that it would suit most people who do not have spare hours to spend in the gym to try three whole body workouts and two cardio (at least two) each week instead. This is the best way to get in shape in a short period of time of eight weeks or less. To reach this goal for myself, I have been trying to mix up the routines as best as I can to keep them exciting and still prioritize one muscle group each session. This week my focus is arms.

While researching whole body workouts over the winter, I discovered an interesting article that called for timed sessions. The way they work are that you choose an exercise and do it for five minutes. For example: lat pull downs. Select a weight that you would normally use for a 10 rep set. Start your five minute timer. Do a set of 10, and then rest as briefly as you can, and move on to the next set. Continue this cycle until the five minutes is over. I have to admit I was skeptical at first, but this was an amazing workout that pushes you in a very different way.

My first 15 minute arm workout

At the end of my last workout I applied this principle to my arms. I chose some dumbbells that I could do curls with for 10 reps. Set up the lat pull down machine with a rope to complete tricep extensions. Grabbed a bench bar (45 lbs bar) and left the weights off.

I set the five minute alarm on my phone, and began to do my dumbbell curls. First, I did 10 reps and rested for maybe 15 seconds and then started again. I did my best to keep the breaks short, even if it meant only doing six reps or whatever I could squeeze out.

After the alarm went off I did a short water break and moved onto the tricep extensions. I worked it the same way as the dumbbell curls. Again, another water break and to the long bar curls. This time I did each set until failure. The first set I did about 25 curls, and then took a short break and started over. By the end of five minutes, I was struggling to get one.

Getting ready for the beach this summer, or just being fitness minded in general, requires a lot of work. Those men and women who grace the covers of fitness mags usually do more than just the elliptical and a few crunches before work each morning. They alter their entire lifestyle to fine tune their bodies… This includes a disciplined diet.

I have read before that diet is 40% of the workout. I am not sure where the statistic came from or its accuracy. However, diet is extremely important. The food you place in your body is the same as the fuel you put in your car. If you stop at the Quickie Mart before a long road trip, your MPG will account for this. If you fill your body with junk, you will feel it during the workout.

Now, I am not talking about a diet that you do for a few weeks and then you’re done. You need to change the way you eat if you want a healthy body. Have you ever worked out on a day after you had a big greasy burger and extra large order of fries (with a Diet Coke, of course)? I have, and my workout was very weak. I could not wait to get done because I felt horrible. Contrast that with having a well balanced meal, and you will be a beast in the gym.

Make a plan

Fad diets will help you lose some quick pounds and give you the early gratification. But once it is over, you gain it all back and the body is worn out from the sudden shifts. Look at professional fighters who have to worry about weigh-ins. These guys are already about 5-8% fat, and they can lose 15 pounds overnight! Then, after they weigh-in they gain it right back. However, the younger or less experienced fighters suffer after this shift, and it shows in the ring.

To do it right, you need to research the calorie mix and quantity you need to reach your goals. If you are bulking up, you may need to add some more carbs and higher numbers of calories. Most of us are getting rid of extra body mass and need to cut back on certain areas.

Many websites offer a calorie count that is best for you. You just input your lifestyle and desired weight goals and they spit out a number. Most allow you to track your calories for free online or via an app.

The last part requires a touch more research. Look for calorie breakdowns to meet your goals. What percentage of different proteins, carbs, fats, etc., should you be eating to meet your fitness goal?

It took me three months to drop 15 pounds. The weight stayed off, and my body was not shocked by the shift.

Once you have the plan…follow through.

The summer is right around the corner, and that means bathing suit weather, which means bathing suits. If you are like me, there is still a lot of work to do before hitting the beaches. Have no fear, because full body workouts are here.

When thinking about the upcoming summer and how late I am starting my tone phase, I realized I do not have enough time for my usual routine. Typically, I work a couple of muscle groups at one time. For example, chest and triceps; back and biceps; legs and shoulders; or even push muscles and pull muscles. The problem with this is that I only hit each muscle group once per week. This gives me roughly eight workouts per group before the it is time to apply the suntan lotion. That is simply not enough.

The best option is a full body workout. This is where I do some exercises that cover all of the muscle groups, and I do this routine three times per week.

The exercises

The exercises are barbell deadlifts, military presses, bench press, tricep push ups, chin ups and crunchy frogs.

Even though many of these sound intimidating, anyone at any fitness level can do them. Simply add or remove weight to make it work for you.

Barbell Deadlifts – Start this exercise with very little weight and ensure you are sticking to proper form. Do 10 reps and three sets after your initial warm up set.

Military Press – This can be done with a barbell or dumbbells, but again start with light weight until you get the motion just right. Again perform 10 reps and three sets after your initial warm up set.

Bench Press – 10 reps and three sets after your initial warm up set.

Tricep Pushups – Do as many as you can and then move to crunchy frogs. After you finish them, come back and do another set of as many as you can.

Crunchy Frogs – This is my favorite ab exercise from P90X. Lie on your back and do a sit up while bringing your knees to your chest. As your knees touch your chest give your legs a hug and go back to the starting position. That is one rep. Do 15 reps and three sets.

Chin Ups – This last exercise is to be done in three sets. The goal is to do 10 reps per set, but that takes some time to work up to. Do as many as you can per set until you can do 10. You can substitute this exercise with cable rows if they are too challenging.

Do this workout three times a week with at least one day in between, and you will be toned and ready for the summer sun.

Every athlete and fitness aficionado has the same love-hate relationship with abs. It is almost as if each of our bodies has a secret code to crack in search of a flat stomach. An ab Rubiks Cube, if you will. Well, planks are the magic formula for a vast majority of us.

With just three plank variations done three times a week, you will have a stronger core in no time.

Plank 1

First, I want to clarify what a plank is. There are different ways people like to do them and that is okay. However, when I say plank this is what I mean.

• To do this exercise get into a push up position.
• Now, instead of using your hands to form the base, lower yourself onto your elbows.
• Keep your back extra straight and hold this position.
• The goal of this is to reach a time target.

This is a great exercise for the core because it works your lower back, obliques, and your entire core. For this workout, we will call this stance our home base.

Plank 2

To start, get into the plank position, and hold it for 30 seconds. Next, we are going to do some planken-jacks. They are basically jumping jacks while in the plank. Keep your elbows in place and your back straight. Then take your feet and jump them to shoulder width apart. Then jump back to the starting position. Next, jump them twice your shoulder width and back to the start. This is one complete repetition. Do 15.

Go back to 30 seconds of plank, and then 15 more reps. Do this one more time for a total of three sets of planken-jacks and one minute and 30 seconds of planks. Then take a 30 second break.

Plank 3

Now, it is time to attack the obliques. Here we are going to get back into the plank. Hold it for ten seconds and then twist our body, raising our left arm into the air. Our right elbow is still on the ground and feet in the same position. Our left arm should be pointing straight to the ceiling. Hold this for three seconds, and then go back to the starting position.

Do a five second plank and then raise the right arm. Again, hold for three seconds and return to the start. This is one complete rep. Do ten total. After your last one hold the plank stance for 15 seconds.

This is a great series to do while watching tv in the evening or when you first roll out of bed.

We all dream of having six pack abs. Why, then, do so few people have them? Getting a flat, muscular stomach is more than just doing some exercises; it is a lifestyle change.

All of the programs out there, like P90X and all of the others, are great and offer incredible workouts. Many do offer diet plans and advice on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but they all fail because the novelty wears off and the reality comes to the surface. It takes a lot of time to do an hour workout each day and prepare all the meals needed to maintain the program. For most body parts deviations are acceptable. However, abs play by a different set of rules.

The solution is to incorporate variety. Just like our financial advisers suggest diversifying, your body wants the same thing. Our abs and core are a very complicated muscle group. There are not exercises that work every single core muscle at once. This means that doing the same programs with the utmost discipline will not sustain a healthy core.

To get a six pack, the first thing you need to do is get your diet under control. Just like a financial budget, you need to watch how many calories you are taking in and how many you are burning. You will never win the battle of the bulge if you can’t complete step one.

Next, morning exercise is vital. When you do something that gets the heart pumping and muscles flexing early on in the day, your body continues to work throughout the rest of the day. It has been proven that when you do morning exercise, your metabolism spikes and your body will continue to deplete its fat stores for up to 36 hours later. I would suggest finding a 15-minute yoga routine. It will focus your mind and run your muscles through their paces first thing. Just do a search for 15-minute yoga routines, and you will have plenty to choose from.

Even these two things will not get you to your goal. Next, there need to be ab specific exercises three times a week that push your core to failure. P90X’s ab ripper program is my favorite system to accomplish this when I can’t make it to the gym.

Lastly, after all the dieting, morning exercise, ab specific exercise, there is one more key ingredient and that is cardio. A solid cardio routine of three days a week for at least 25 minutes each time helps your body to better process those calories. A strong heart keeps the oxygen flowing to your recovering muscles.

Abs are one of the hardest muscle groups to get toned, but with a lifestyle change you will get there in time.

Thankfully, we are becoming a more fitness minded society. What better way to keep this momentum going than with your partner. More and more cities are creating bike lanes and running trails. There are more and more fitness classes and gyms opening all the time. You should take advantage of this as a couple.

Date nights do not always have to be about movies and dinners. Why can’t they involve some fitness? What better way to bond than through physical activity? When you sweat together, you stay together.

Workouts for two

There are a few simple suggestions to start with. Sign up for a dance class at a local studio or recreation center. Try yoga together. You can even do a revolving fitness program. For example: every Monday, try something fitness related, like dancing one week, kickball another, etc. It is easy to find these classes and events; just look at a local paper and many of them are even free or have a free trial.

Just going for a walk or a leisurely bike ride is nice, but this is missing the point. When we do something like this we are not pushing ourselves. That is why we need to do something that will cause us to push each other past the Sunday stroll mentality. Save those events for quiet time together.

To really get going

Then there are the more adventurous activities, like kayaking or rock climbing. I learned there are a few places in my hometown that have rock climbing walls, and all you have to do is schedule a time to go. I have not tried this yet, but I am going to surprise the wife with a different kind of date night soon. Sometimes these choices could be more costly as you have to buy or rent the equipment.

For those extremely serious about fitness can join a gym together. It is great motivation to go as a couple. And if you start to stray, you can force yourself to go when you see your spouse getting into shape and you are only getting rounder. My wife has been working out more lately, and it has really lit a fire under me.

There are lots of options for unique things to do as a couple, and it gets boring planning a dinner at a new restaurant or simply going to a movie. Make a fun date night, and get into better shape as a couple. Not only is it better for your long term health, it is surprisingly fun.

There are many workouts out there today to help increase the metabolism burning abilities of your body. Some are looking at the Tabata research and high intensity interval training (HIIT) programs to burn fat. These are excellent concepts and they are so successful because they push your body to such a limit that it still thinks it is working out for the 24 hours.

This article is going to tell you how you can combine these techniques to get you ready for the holidays. We all increase our caloric intakes during the holidays and pack on a few extra pounds. However, if we get our bodies ready for the calorie flow, we can get ahead of the game.

The trick is to push the heart rate. This may require getting a heart rate monitor. It is a great idea to have one anyways while you are doing cardio, because it is smart to know where you are.

When your heart rate is in the maximum zone of 90% or more, your body goes into over drive. The shock of this demands other parts to step up their game too and this calls for more fuel. Your body taps into these reserves and continues to do so for hours after you have stopped to repair and prepare.

The way to get your heart to this level is through interval running. I personally like to go off of distance instead of time, but time is the most beneficial way to reach this goal.

You want to do a nice leisurely jog for about five minutes and then you want to do a full sprint for 30 seconds and then a slow jog for the next 90 seconds. During the 90 second window you want to keep moving and focus solely on your breathing. Take deep controlled breaths in, hold it, and slowly exhale. Then it is time to sprint again for 30 more seconds. Repeat this for 10 total intervals and then another five minute cool down.

If you are going the distance route, I do a quarter mile sprint and half mile break. I do this because time does not motivate me as much as distance covered.

At the end of this, you will be exhausted and actually feel your body working overtime for the next hour or so.

Iâ€m so over ‘fat talkâ€.  I work in the fitness industry, and for 30+ years, I have been listening to women berate themselves for what they perceive to be too much fat.  Seriously.  It doesnâ€t matter if she is a size 18 or a size 2.  Itâ€s the norm for a woman to “feel fat”.  Well, I want to address this issue head on with a few key points.  Hold on, this might piss you off if this has been your mode of conversation lately, or always.

Point 1: Fat is NOT a feeling.

Instead of calling your feeling FAT, call it what it really is.  Uncomfortable?  Unhealthy?  Unmotivated?  Lethargic?  Not your best?  Because when you can get at the root at what youâ€re really feeling, you might be closer to finding a way to NOT feel that way!

Point 2: Youâ€re not fat, you HAVE fat.

Fat is more correctly known as adipose tissue.  Itâ€s a substance, stored by the body when activity levels are not adequate to burn calories ingested.  Our bodies have favorite hiding spots…abdomen, thighs, back of arms to name a few.  Itâ€s helpful to see ourselves as a whole, living, loving being and see our fat storage spots as just that.  Then we can get real about what we want to do with them.

Point 3: Itâ€s true; too much body fat weighs you down.

Itâ€s like carrying around a heavy backpack.  Or, wearing winter clothing in the summer.  So lose it – in a healthy way.  Move your body more.  Consume more fruits, veggies, whole grains and lean meats (or other proteins).  You know it’s true.  When youâ€re eating the good stuff and moving more, you feel energized, hopeful and happy.

Point 4:  What is on your body doesnâ€t make you who you are.

Think of your best friend.  Take a second and write down the top ten things you love about them.  I bet you a dollar not one of those things has anything to do with their body fat, or lack of it.  In fact, their looks are probably insignificant to you.  You love them for who they are, and for how you feel when youâ€re with them.  Guess what…the people who know you feel the same way about you!

Point 5: You are what you THINK

If you go through life calling yourself fat, do not be one bit surprised if you keep seeing yourself that way.  And donâ€t be surprised by your inability to change your patterns.  Start thinking the thoughts a healthy person would think.  “I am strong.  I might have more body fat than I would like, but I also have muscle.  I work out every day to gain more muscle, which in turn burns more fat.  Iâ€m on my way to being my healthiest self!”

Now…how do you feel???

Many people are turning to yoga as a way to heal and strengthen their body. Yoga helps us tune in, and listen to the subtle messages our bodies are trying to send to us. But often, we allow the ego to take the lead, and the wisdom of our body takes a back seat. This is where we open ourselves to the possibility of injury. Nowhere do I see this at work more than with the knee joint. Letâ€s look at the structure of the knee joint and consider the impact that yoga can have on either hurting, or healing this important body part.

Knees are made for stability, more than for mobility. The knee is a hinge joint, much like the hinge on a door. There is very little rotation or lateral movement at this junction. Deep inside the knees are the cruciate ligaments that allow the knee to bend yet prevent the femur from sliding off the Tibia. These can be easily damaged or torn by sudden twisting movements and are difficult to heal because of limited blood flow to the ligaments. The medial and lateral menisci are fibrous pads of cartilage that cushion and facilitate the smooth gliding movement of the Femur over the Flexing the knee even a little bit sideways can cause damage to these pads as can a variety of sports. Students with stiff hips who force their legs into Padamasana (Lotus Pose) or Eka Pada Kapotasana (Pigeon Pose) can easily cause permanent damage to the menisci and this damage may never heal. There are modifications and props that students can, and should use to prevent Here are some suggestions to help keep your knees happy in yoga practice:

1) In kneeling postures a folded mat or blanket may be used under your knees for comfort.

2) Warm up with postures that work to loosen the hips before moving into poses that place additional stress on knees. Hip circles, and externally rotated poses like Baddha Kosanana.

3) Place a block under the buttocks in Virasana (Hero Pose) to prevent extreme knee flexion.

The last thing a mom needs on Motherâ€s Day is more guilt.  We all know we should be getting exercise, and we know weâ€re better at everything, including being the MOM, when we make the time for a workout.  But letâ€s face it.  A mom doesnâ€t really have the same 24-hour-day that the rest of the world has.  Well, maybe she does, but she has to share her 24 hours with everyone else.  So what youâ€ll find here are 10 ideas, 10 ways to sprinkle little healthy habits throughout your day, especially on the days that a trip to the gym is about as much a reality as a day at the Spa.  Check out my “10 Minutes to a Healthier Mom” list:

1. Get up and do 60 seconds of stretching first thing in the morning. Raise your arms over your head, reach side to side and take a few deep breaths.  Clasp your arms behind your back and open your chest.  I always picture this stretch as a “Heart Opener”, literally opening my heart to all who need my love and attention today.
2. Take a good multi-vitamin with a glass of OJ.  Youâ€ll be getting an insurance policy just in case you donâ€t get all of the nutrients you need today from food.  And you also get your first (of at least five) servings of fruits and veggies.
3. Take one minute to cut and wash some fresh fruit to add to the family breakfast table.  Even the most on-the-go kids will grab fruit if itâ€s prepared for them.  While youâ€re at it, sneak in enough for yourself to make up your second serving of the day.
4. After you get the kids out the door, do one minute of push ups before your shower.  Try to do them on your toes, even if that means taking your feet out wide and/or sticking your butt up in the air.  When you get tired, just hold the push up position for the remainder of the time.  Youâ€ll be doing your age in push ups in no time!
5. Take a minute to jot down a short list of the things you really want to accomplish today.  Prioritize.  Itâ€s amazing what we can accomplish when we can actually see what it looks like on paper.  Plus, there is great power in crossing something off your list for a later date.
6. Do one minute of sit ups before lunch.  Bend your knees and stick your feet under a couch or heavy chair.  Or ask a toddler to sit on them, they love helping you count.  Cross your arms over your chest and roll up to touch your elbows to your thighs.  Thatâ€s one.  See how many you can do, and try to increase that number over time.
7. For lunch, take one extra minute to add a serving of fresh veggies to your meal.  Baby carrots, spinach salad, sliced tomato.  Third serving…check!
8. After dinner, take sixty seconds to write down everything you ate today.  Donâ€t worry about numbers or calories, just put it on paper.  Look at your fruit and veggie intake.  Did you get in at least five servings?  Are there things you ate that you could do without?  Seeing it on paper is so empowering, and gives us a chance to plan ahead for tomorrow.
9. Get in the habit of journaling every night.  Mental health professionals believe this is one of the most important things we can do to become more aware of who we are, and what we really want to contribute to life. Time yourself for one minute and just write the first thoughts that come out.  Even one paragraph of the highs and lows of the day is so helpful.  It gets thoughts out of your head and down on paper.
10. This one will sound crazy.  Stand on your head for one minute right before bed.  For thousands of years, Yogis have taught that inversion, or being upside down, is the fountain of youth.  And it is believed that any version of a headstand is a calming activity.  Start easy, by kneeling of a soft surface next to a wall.  Place your forearms on the floor, with hands clasped.  Put your head on the floor, just behind your hands.  You can stay on your knees, or curl your toes under and stay there with your hips up and your head down.  Before attempting a full headstand, get instruction from a yoga teacher that can make sure youâ€re doing it safely.

There you have it.  10 minutes a day.  Ten habits, that done over time, will make you a healthier, happier mom.  Happy Motherâ€s Day!  For more fitness and yoga tips, check out my website at www.DeniseDruce.com.

Editorâ€s note: Though Motherâ€s Day has passed for this year, it can be Motherâ€s Day every day with this advice.