Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Exercise of the Day - Mountain Climbers

This exercise is on top of every trainers To-Do-List out there!

Mountain Climbers literally work EVERY single muscle in the body. Your starting position of plank alone gets all your muscles fired up and ready to work, then you add the motion! :) Get ready to get that heart PUMPING (after all, this month is alllllllllll about heart health!) and burn some major calories with this dynamic move:


1.) Start in PLANK POSITION (exhibit A). Wrists, elbows, and shoulders should all be in alignment. Keep your abs engaged (think: pulling your belly button to your spine) the entire time. Supporting you core is crucial in this exercise for benefit and safety. INHALE.
2.) As you EXHALE, pull one knee in towards your chest and tap your toe on the ground (exhibit B).
3.) INHALE and return your that foot to starting position - plank.
4.) EXHALE and pull your opposite knee in towards your chest and tap your toe on the ground.
5.) That is one repetition.
6.) I prefer to do this exercise as a time challenge - 20 seconds on: 20 seconds off (or slower) for at least 4 minutes total - but set a goal for MAX! :)


* Start this movement nice and slow so you can learn the movement and feel all your muscles engaging. But don't waste too much time though, speed this move up and get Burning!!!!!!!!!! :) Here's a quick video on this move:

 

Beginners - you have the option to start like this if you're finding you're having pain/weakness in your shoulders and/or wrists. 


After you master the basic move - Add an extra punch by pulling your knees across the body (as shown below) at an angle to really work your oblique muscles!!!

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous - What's so funny?

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  2. Thanks red this was really informative and can't figure out what's so funny either mountain climbers are no joke

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  3. does watching her exercise ...count as exercise for me? I wish.

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