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Of all the questions we get, we
especially like those that reveal your fashion sense. During last
week's online chat, one participant sought counsel on a short,
non-jolting workout she could do in the morning that does not
"require me to put shoes on, change out of my pajamas, or leave my
living room."That eerily mirrors my career
goals, but enough about me. With the days growing as short and cold
as North Pole elves, now's a great time to stockpile workouts you
can do in the comfort of home. We took the question to Michael
Seril, of Whittier, Calif., who was recently named personal trainer
of the year by the National Strength and Conditioning
Association.He laid out the following
20-to-30-minute morning routine for a whole-body strength and light
cardio workout. He recommends doing it three days per
week.First comes the warm-up (don't
let the pajamas fool you; you still need to ease into exercise to
avoid injury): Walk around the house for a few minutes to get some
blood moving. Then it's one minute of
high-stepping, bringing your knees up to waist level. (If people
live below you, please do this on a rug). Then one minute of torsal
rotation, twisting side to side (not too severely) with feet
planted about shoulder-width apart.Now comes the real work. Seril's
got you down for five exercises and a cool-down. Ye of moderate to
high fitness should do the following moves with a five- to
eight-pound medicine ball; others can use no weight and still reap
benefit.1. Power Squat: Holding the ball to
your chest, do a squat. Proper squat technique: Abs engaged, back
fairly straight (not hunched), feet shoulder width. Sit into the
squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Make sure knees
do not extend beyond toes. Then come back up.Seril's version entails raising
the ball overhead as you come up, then bringing it back to chest as
you sit into the next squat. "This engages the whole body," he
says, particularly working the gluteus (butt), quads and abs.
(Raise your hands overhead if you're not using a ball.) Do one set
of 20. Too hard? Count to 20 by two's. Then it's directly on to . .
.2. Back Lunge With Rotation: Standing
and holding the ball to chest, step straight back about three feet
with your right foot, and rotate to the right. Do 10 reps. Now
switch sides, stepping back with your left foot while turning to
the left. These work your quads, calf muscles, obliques and glutes.
If you find yourself tipping over like a drunken scarecrow, shorten
the back step.Return to that joyous squat
position, but instead of raising the ball overhead, toss it as you
rise up and catch it as you go back down. Do 20 of these; if you
accidentally hurl the ball through your ceiling, calmly retrieve it
and resume exercising.3. Side Bridge: Lying on your side,
prop yourself on elbow, forearm on floor and perpendicular to your
body, then bring your hip up off the floor to achieve a straight
line from armpit to ankle, with only elbow and side of foot
touching the ground. Hold for 30 seconds on each side. (Rest at 15
seconds if needed).4. Straight-Ahead Bridge: With chest
facing floor and back held straight, prop yourself on forearms and
toes, engaging the abs and glutes -- for 30 seconds. Feel good? We
thought so. So let's do numbers 1 through 4 again! --with this one
difference . . .5. Crunch time: On the second
go-around, swap the side bridges for 90 seconds of crunches -- legs
raised and soles of feet facing ceiling -- ball held to chest for
added resistance. Phew, you're done.Cool down by repeating the
warm-up.Done in rapid succession -- with
30-second breaks between sets -- this workout will tax you. Newbies
can extend the warm-up and take longer between sets. By John Briley-
orginially appeared in his column, Moving Crew, in the Washington
Post(October '06) |
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Certifications:
Bachelor of Arts in Health Administration
Certified by American Council on Exercise
Service Area:
Southwest Houston
Hours of Operation:
Monday–Friday,
6 a.m.–6 p.m.
Saturday, by Appointment Only
We are looking for clients who want a workout that will challenge them physically, stimulate them mentally and leave them feeling energized, less stressed, and confident that they are on the path to total fitness.
HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGIATE ATHLETES,TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR OFF-SEASON CONDITIONING PROGRAM.
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