Hey, y'all! Next weekend is Memorial Day, which starts off the unofficial grilling season. Hopefully the weather will be nice where you are, inspiring you to get those arms working flipping your food of choice on the barbie! So, let's get those arms and shoulders ready for action next weekend, what do you say?
This week, I will focus on variations (with a range of difficulties) on one exercise, the reverse plank. This exercise works the shoulders, the triceps, the legs, the buns, and the whole trunk. Get ready to tone everything!
I will start off by describing the most basic variation, and progress to more challenging levels from there if your body is ready. Sit upright on your mat with your legs out in front of you, knees bent toward the ceiling and feet flat on the floor. Your knees and feet should be hip-distance apart. Place your hands on the floor behind your hips, about 2-3 inches behind your hips. Depending on wrist comfort, your fingertips may point either toward your feet or angle slightly outward. Be sure to glide your shoulders away from your ears.
To perform this exercise, on an exhale, push through both your hands and your feet to lift your hips off of the floor until they are level with your knees, keeping your knees right over your ankles. On your inhale, smoothly lower your hips back down. Perform 8 to 10 repetitions of this movement.
If you'd like a greater challenge, go ahead and try the "reverse plank" version of this exercise. (The one as described above is technically a "reverse tabletop".) In a reverse plank, the movement pattern is the same, but rather than knees bent, perform the movement with your legs straight. If this proves too challenging, you can do this with partially straightened legs, as a more intermediate variation.
From either position -- the tabletop or the plank -- you can choose to hold for several breath cycles in the "up" position as another challenge. To increase difficulty from there, with hips lifted, raise and lower alternating legs (basically marching your feet) while keeping your pelvis stable. This is a huge challenge on the arms and upper body, too!
Try this one out this week, and I promise you your shoulders and forearms will be grillin' ready for next weekend! And they'll look pretty darn good in your summer clothing, too. :)
Enjoy!
— Brooke :)