Reach a plateau in your weight loss efforts? It is time to turbo-charge your workouts. Tom Holland, M.S., an exercise physiologist in Darien, Connecticut suggests overloading your muscles to keep them guessing. During this change, work every muscle three or four days in a row. Perform each set with little rest in between.
Execute 8-12 reps of each exercise. Repeat the routine three times. You can rest for two minutes at the end of each circuit. Choose dumbbells that will fatigue your muscle by the 10th or 12th rep. This fast-paced circuit will get rid of your plateau in no time.
Pushups - Get on your hands and toes (or knees) on the floor. Hands flat on the ground shoulder-width apart. With fingers facing forward or slightly turned in, lower body toward the ground, elbows flared out just a little. Keep your abs tight and push up until arms are fully extended. Keep your head aligned with your spine. Do not bend from the waist and do not allow your lower back to sag.
Forward Lunges — Stand with feet together, hands to your sides. Step forward with left leg into a lunge. Concentrate on sinking hips toward the ground rather than pushing hips forward. Keep your back straight and lower your body until the left thigh is parallel to the ground. Firmly push off with your right leg and return to start position. Switch to the right leg and repeat. 8-12 repetitions per leg.
Chest Press on stability ball — Sit on a stability ball. Grab a pair of dumbbells and walk feet forward until your head and shoulders lie on the ball. Keep your feet flat on the floor with your knees bent at 90 degrees. Squeeze your glutes and abs tightly throughout the exercise to stabilize your body. With your palms facing forward, bring the dumbbells around chest level. Drive weights up over chest, and lower back to start position.
Squats - Stand with feet shoulder-width apart toes facing forward or slightly out. Hold a pair of heavy dumbbells on each hand. Arms hang straight down. Sink hips toward the ground rather than pushing hips forward and bend knees until thighs are parallel to the floor. Back should be straight at roughly 45 degrees from hips. Eyes looking straight ahead. Extend legs and straighten up to standing position.
Dumbbell rows — Place one knee and one hand on a workout bench, stability ball, or a large chair. Your back should be parallel to the floor. Align head with your spine. With your free hand, lift the dumbbell straight up to your torso. Keep the elbow close to the body and point it slightly toward the ceiling. Concentrate on your back muscles. Hold for 1 second before slowly lowering the weight to a dead hanging position. Switch to the other side after 8-12 reps.
Crunches on Ball — Sit on a Swiss ball and slowly lean back and roll on the ball until the curve of your back lies on the ball. Place hands behind your ears. Tighten abs as you exhale and slowly raise head and shoulders toward the ceiling. Lower shoulders and repeat. Do 15-20 reps.
Lunges with curls and shoulder press - Hold a pair of dumbbells on each hand palms facing forward. Step forward with your right leg into a lunge. See instructions above on proper lunges. Keep elbows to your sides while you curl the dumbbells to your chest as you dip. As you rise, turn wrists so that palms face forward, push the dumbbells overhead and return to the standing position. Bring feet together and lower arms. Repeat, stepping with left foot forward. 8-12 repetitions per leg.
Combine any of the following to pep up your circuit:
1) Immediately after an exercise, add plyometric drills that works the same muscle group. For example, after a set of squats, perform 10 squat jumps (start in the squat position, then jump up and stretch out arms overhead, land gently with your knees bent and arms dangling behind you).
2) Add 30 seconds of intense cardio, such as jumping rope or high knee lifts between sets of the weighted exercises above. This burns a higher percentage of calories from fat. Go for at least a minute if you do less intense cardio, such as jogging in place.
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