Just a few days ago, my friend Solum (remember her from Fitness Goals in 2016?) struck up a conversation with me on BBM asking my 3 best work-outs, 3 worst work-outs and the 3 work-outs I kinda love and hate.
At first I thought she was doing some research for her next contribution to this blog and I quickly got excited. Hehehe. Boy, was I wrong!
Anyhoo, the conversation went something like this...
Solum: What are you 3 best, worst and bitter-sweet exercise moves?
Me: The best part is easy; dancing, squats and long walks. For bitter-sweet uhmm... planking and weights I guess. The worst - ab crunches! I usually wuss out on those.
Solum: Really? I can do 100 crunches without anyone holding my legs.
(...but she broke my heart. The meanie! *sniff sniff* I picked myself up, dusted myself off, mended my broken heart and I'm writing it!)
Solum: You're not serious. Just trivia. My best moves are sleep, squats and alternating push-kicks. Worst are jumping lunges and bridge with leg raise. For bitter-sweet; spider push ups. Oh! I hate burpees!!!
Me: LOL @ sleep. Who doesn't like sleep? Ooooh I forgot yoga. I love yoga! Pilates are bitter-sweet I guess. Then I can't even do one push-up to save my life(covering face in shame)
Solum: LOL @ push-ups. Yeah, yoga is sweet but it makes me feel like I'm not working hard enough. Another bitter-sweet of mine is the downward-facing dog with the knee slide and then the scissor crunches.
... and the conversation went on for about 20/30 minutes. That's Solum for you. If you ever need a fitness motivator, find her! Oh... and a motivator on caring for natural African hair too. I swear she even prepared an exam for me on how to care for my hair! I think she might be our very own Jillian Michael on fitness and hair matters. Add her sister - Zom - on the hair thing and your hair will never be the same! Oooh I digress...
Back to fitness... just in case you were lost on the different exercise moves mentioned above (especially the ones Solum mentioned because that babe ehn... LOL!), see some descriptions below. As always, if you have any health conditions, please speak to you doctor first before trying any!
Dancing - Oh come on! Dancing is to dance is to dance is to dance... just get up and shake your booty body. Concentrate on moving the areas you want to target while you're at it. Throw in those bend-down-low moves and twerking and you'll be doing a combo of cardio, squats and side-crunches.
Sleep - Yeup, you burn calories while you sleep. Don't agree? Click here. This isn't to say you should spend all day eating and sleeping. Hehehe... obesity will be waiting for you whenever you decide to wake up! Just be sure to get good sleep every night and you'll be fine.
Ab crunches - AKA sit-ups. If you're looking for a flat tummy with six-packs, this is what you should be doing. To see results though, you first need to burn off fat by doing cardio, otherwise you'll have the toned muscle underneath all that fat. Click here for tutorials
Planking - This is great for strengthening your core and toning your abs. all you need to do is prop your self on your toes and elbows and keeping your mid-region strong. If you have back pain, be sure to speak to your doctor first! Click here for how to do it.
Frog jumps - Have you been to NYSC camp yet? A frog jump is that mean punishment the soldiers make you hold your ears and do when you get on their bad side. It's a combination of squats and jumps that give you a great cardio work-out while toning your thighs, butt and abs. Click here to learn how it's done.
Alternating push-kicks - This is a kicking exercise that targets your thighs and abs. Your arms as well, if you throw in a few punches as you go along. To learn to do it right, click here
Jumping lunges - This is a mix of cardio that targets your arms, thighs, butt and abs. Click here to see how it's done.
Bridge with leg raise - This exercise targets your butt, abs and legs. For tutorials, click here
Push-ups - You know that exercise guys drop down and do to show how macho they are? Yeup, those are push-ups. For Spider push-ups, click here to see how it's done. Great for the arms, legs and abs.
Burpees - This is a combo of squats, push-ups and jumps. Targets the arms, legs, abs and butt. Click here to see it done
Downward-facing dog or pike - This is actually a yoga pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana) as shown in picture >>>>>>>>
With knee slide or leg lift involves moving your legs while in that position. Click here for tutorials.
Scissor crunches - Similar to the ab crunch but your elbows and knees or legs are more involved in the moves. Click here to learn how it's done. Great for thighs, abs and love handles.
Yoga - Yoga poses (or asanas) are moves that will stretch and twist and drag and curl and whip your body into shape. I personally like to go with Shilpa Shetty's videos. Her videos have a way of thoroughly explaining each asana, how to do it right and how it helps you. My favourite is this 40 minutes full body yoga video
Pilates - These are full body work out routines that target different areas of the body. Think of a more intense, fast-paced, repetitive yoga session. I like to go with Cassey Ho's youtube videos - Blogilates. Click here to see some of her routines. She's also on instagram @blogilates
Are you inspired? I hope so! To get that hot body, you've got to put in some work! Hard work! ....but you can have fun while at it. Get some music and legoooooooo!!!
xoxo...
Girlfirends
Back to fitness... just in case you were lost on the different exercise moves mentioned above (especially the ones Solum mentioned because that babe ehn... LOL!), see some descriptions below. As always, if you have any health conditions, please speak to you doctor first before trying any!
Dancing - Oh come on! Dancing is to dance is to dance is to dance... just get up and shake your Sleep - Yeup, you burn calories while you sleep. Don't agree? Click here. This isn't to say you should spend all day eating and sleeping. Hehehe... obesity will be waiting for you whenever you decide to wake up! Just be sure to get good sleep every night and you'll be fine.
Ab crunches - AKA sit-ups. If you're looking for a flat tummy with six-packs, this is what you should be doing. To see results though, you first need to burn off fat by doing cardio, otherwise you'll have the toned muscle underneath all that fat. Click here for tutorials
Planking - This is great for strengthening your core and toning your abs. all you need to do is prop your self on your toes and elbows and keeping your mid-region strong. If you have back pain, be sure to speak to your doctor first! Click here for how to do it.
Frog jumps - Have you been to NYSC camp yet? A frog jump is that mean punishment the soldiers make you hold your ears and do when you get on their bad side. It's a combination of squats and jumps that give you a great cardio work-out while toning your thighs, butt and abs. Click here to learn how it's done.Alternating push-kicks - This is a kicking exercise that targets your thighs and abs. Your arms as well, if you throw in a few punches as you go along. To learn to do it right, click here
Jumping lunges - This is a mix of cardio that targets your arms, thighs, butt and abs. Click here to see how it's done.
Bridge with leg raise - This exercise targets your butt, abs and legs. For tutorials, click here
Push-ups - You know that exercise guys drop down and do to show how macho they are? Yeup, those are push-ups. For Spider push-ups, click here to see how it's done. Great for the arms, legs and abs.
Burpees - This is a combo of squats, push-ups and jumps. Targets the arms, legs, abs and butt. Click here to see it done
Downward-facing dog or pike - This is actually a yoga pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana) as shown in picture >>>>>>>>With knee slide or leg lift involves moving your legs while in that position. Click here for tutorials.
Scissor crunches - Similar to the ab crunch but your elbows and knees or legs are more involved in the moves. Click here to learn how it's done. Great for thighs, abs and love handles.
Yoga - Yoga poses (or asanas) are moves that will stretch and twist and drag and curl and whip your body into shape. I personally like to go with Shilpa Shetty's videos. Her videos have a way of thoroughly explaining each asana, how to do it right and how it helps you. My favourite is this 40 minutes full body yoga video
Pilates - These are full body work out routines that target different areas of the body. Think of a more intense, fast-paced, repetitive yoga session. I like to go with Cassey Ho's youtube videos - Blogilates. Click here to see some of her routines. She's also on instagram @blogilates
Are you inspired? I hope so! To get that hot body, you've got to put in some work! Hard work! ....but you can have fun while at it. Get some music and legoooooooo!!!
xoxo...
Girlfirends
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I can't do push up o but there is "wall push up".So if you can't face the floor, face the wall. All na push up. Meanwhile, I am going to cut this post out and place on my room wall.
ReplyDeleteWall push-up? Okay, I'll have to try that one. Will it give me rock-hard abs? Hehehehe
DeleteLOL! @ cut and paste. Feel free!
Hate Planks......Ild watch the videos tho, need that hourglass figure pulizz
ReplyDeleteHourglass still looking for hourglass? LOL!
Delete