Antoine Dove

Single Leg Squat to Lateral Leg Raise - (2 minutes, 1 minute left leg and 1 minute right leg) standing on one leg, squat down while keeping your other leg slightly bent and not touching the floor.  When you are at the bottom of your squat, slowly stand back up and as you come up raise the non-standing leg laterally out to your side then slowly squat back down while lowering your leg back to the bent position.  If you are wobbly when performing this exercise, you can always use a chair, wall or table as support.  Repeat this exercise for one minute only raising your left leg.  Then repeat this exercise for one minute only raising your right leg.

Hindu Pushups (1 minute) – Start out in a pushup position and raise your butt in the air as though you are trying to form a mountain with your body.  Maintaining this position, you are going to drive your upper body downward so that your nose grazes the floor, then bring your body upward while lowering your butt and arching your back.  **It may take some practice to get the hang of this exercise but I wanted to through something a little different into our routine.   Repeat for one minute.

Bicycle Crunches (1 minute) – while lying on your back, bring your knees to your chest and alternate bringing your right elbow to your left knee and your left elbow to your right knee.  Continue for one minute.

Leg Raises into Explosive Jump Squats (1 minute) – Lay on your back with your feet straight up in the air, slowly lower your feet to the ground over the span of 30 seconds.  Try not to let your feet touch the floor until the 30 seconds is up.  As soon as 30 seconds is up, stand up and while in a squatting position, jump straight up into the air and keep repeating until you have reached a minute.

Have a great Thursday!

Lateral to Forward Arm Raises – 1 minute – standing with your feet shoulder width apart and holding one weighted object in each hand.  Without stopping, raise both weighted objects out to your side while keeping both arms straight.  Try not to raise the objects higher than shoulder height.  Then as you bring your arms back to your side, immediately raise the weighted objects straight out in front of you, again keeping your arms straight and not raising the objects higher than should height.  Repeat for one minute.

Decline Pushup – 1 minute – get into a pushup position and elevate your feet so that your body is at a decline.  Slowly lower your body to the floor then push your body up.  Try to keep your back as straight as possible.  Do as many pushups as you can in one minute.

Tricep Dips – 1 minute – standing in front of a chair, squat down and place the palms of your hands on the edge of the chair behind you.  Your fingers should be gripping the edge of the chair and your body should be slightly suspended above the floor with your weight resting on your feet.  Slowly, let your body drop down to the floor and right before your body touches the floor, push your body back up to the starting position.

Bent Over Rows – 1 minute – while holding one weighted object in each hand, bend over at your waist so that your upper body is at a 45 degree angle.  Let your arms hand freely.  Hold this 45 degree angle and pull both weighted objects to your chest, then relax your arms.  Repeat for one minute.

Kick back repeats – squat down and place your hands on the floor then thrust your feet behind you like a squat thrust.  Once your legs are fully extended, bring your feet back to the squatting position and repeat.  Continue this exercise for one minute.  Unlike a squat thrust you will not be standing up once you bring your feet back to the squatting position.

Have a great Hump Day!

Pillar Jacks – (1 minute) – holding a plank position on your elbows, jump your feet apart and then bring them back together.  Repeat this exercise for one minute.

Lateral Lunge w/ Press (left side only) – 1 minute – standing with your feet together and a weighted object in each hand, step to your left with your left foot while keeping your right foot planted and your body facing forward.  Squat back as you are stepping to your left.  As you stand up from the squat, press the weighted objects above your head and bring your feet back together.  Repeat this exercise for one minute.

Lateral Lunge w/ Press (right side only) – 1 minute – same movement as the previous lateral lunge except you are now stepping to your right.  Repeat for one minute

Wall Squat (1 minute) – standing with your back against the wall, squat down so that you knees are now bent at 90 degrees.  With your back pressed against the wall, hold this squat for one minute.

Reverse Toe Touches – (1 minute) – lay on your back with your legs together and extended straight in the air so that your body forms a 90 degree angle.  Using only your core, reach for your toes with both hands and then relax your upper body.  Continue reaching for your toes and relaxing your body for one minute.

Have an awesome Tuesday!

Twisting Abs – (1 minute) – sitting down on the floor, and with your knees bent, bring your upper body slightly off the floor so that you are at a slight incline.  Twist your upper body to the left and touch the floor with your hands, then twist your upper body to the right and touch the floor with your hands.  Alternate between twisting your upper body to the left and to the right for one minute.  If you would like to increase the intensity you can raise your knees in the air or hold weight objects in your hand while twisting.

Reverse Lunge to High Knee (left leg only) – (1 minute) – step back with your left leg while keeping your right foot planted on the floor.  You should now be in a lunge position.  From the lunge position, drive your right foot into the floor as support and stand up, bringing your left knee above your waist.  Repeat this exercise for one minute.

Reverse Lunge to High Knee (right leg only) – (1 minute) – step back with your right leg while keeping your left foot planted on the floor.  You should now be in a lunge position.  From the lunge position, drive your left foot into the floor as support and stand up, bringing your right knee above your waist.  Repeat this exercise for one minute.

Criss-Cross Legs – (1 minute) – laying on your back with your legs outstretched, raise your legs about 6 inches off the floor.  Spread your legs, while holding them at 6 inches off the floor, then bring them back together, crossing your right leg over your left leg.  Spread your legs again, then bring them back together, crossing the left leg over the right leg.  Continue to repeat this exercise for one minute.

Pushups – (1 minute) – remember to keep your back as straight as possible, and try to get as close to the floor as possible.
 
I hope you all have a Happy Monday!

Perform the following exercises in a circuit format in which you are going to perform each exercise for 20 seconds then switch to the next exercise without taking a break.  After you have gone through each exercise once, take a 30 second rest, then repeat the circuit.  The idea is that you give everything you have during each 20 second round.  Whatever you do, don’t stop moving until you have completed the first round of this circuit!

Butt Kicks - running in place, bring the heels of your feet up to your butts.  If you aren’t able to get your heels to touch your butt don’t worry about it.  Try to get them up as high as you can.

Exploding Jacks – squat down in a wide stance.  Your legs should be a little further then shoulder width apart.  In one motion, explode up out of the squatting position into a jumping jack then allow your body to fall back down into the wide stance squat.  Repeat this jumping jack motion for 20 seconds.

Alternating Lunges – step forward into a lunge using your left leg, then alternate, stepping forward into a lunge with your right leg.  Continue alternating between your right and left leg.

T-Pushups – start in a plank pushup position, engaging your core, turn your body to the side so that you are now supporting your weight on one hand and your feet.  Try to keep your body as straight as possible.  Slowly roll your body back to the original plank pushup position, then turn your body to the opposite side so that you are now supporting your weight on your opposite hand and feet.  Continue rotating between each side for 20 seconds.

Plank Arm Raises – in a plank pushup position, raise your right hand off the floor, then raise your left hand off the floor.  Continue alternating between raising your right hand and left hand for 20 seconds.

Bicycle Crunches – perform these as quickly as you can for 20 seconds.  This is the last exercise before your 30 second break so give it all you have.

Nice work! Way to push yourself on Friday! I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Single Leg Step Ups (1 minute) – With a chair pushed against a wall, put one foot on the seat of the chair and using the opposite leg step up on to the chair.  When both legs are fully extended, slowly lower your opposite leg back to the floor so that you are back at the starting position for this exercise.  Repeat this for 30 seconds, then switch legs and repeat with your opposite leg stepping up in the chair.

High Knees (1 minute) – You will be running in place for 1 minute, except you want to try and get your knees up as high as you can while running in place.  Your goal should be to get your knees above your waist.  If you aren’t able to get them above your waist at this moment, don’t worry about it, try to get them as high as you can and don’t stop for 1 min.

Split Squats w/ weights (1 minute) – standing on one leg w/ the other leg resting behind you on a chair, squat down keeping your back straight for 30 seconds.  After 30 seconds switch legs and repeat the exercise with the opposite leg for 30 seconds.  If you would like to increase the intensity try adding weights in each hand.

Wall Squats (1 minute) – with your back against the wall in a squatting position, hold this position for 1 minute.  Increase intensity by holding weights in each hand. 

Mountain Climbers (1 minute) - Get into a push up position.  With your body raised off the floor bring your right knee up to your chest, then extend your right leg back so you are in the push up position again.  Now bring your left knee up to your chest, then extend you left leg back as you did with your right leg.  Continue alternating the movement of bringing your right knee to your chest, then your left knee to your chest as fast as you can for 1 minute.  Try to keep your body parallel with the floor. 

Today it’s all about the CORE! In order to get the most out of these core exercises remember to keep your core engaged in each exercise by utilizing the “sucking in mechanism.”  Draw in your belly button as though you were trying to pull your belly button to your back.

Marching Plank (1 minute) – Get into a plank position.  You can either choose to do this in a push up plank position or the traditional plank position (on your elbows).  While holding this position, raise your right foot about 6-12 inches of the floor then lower it back to the floor.  Repeat this same movement with your left foot.  Alternate between raising your left and right foot for one full minute.

Side Plank Hold (1 minute) – Starting in a traditional plank position, roll to your left so that your weight is resting on your left side, keeping your body as straight as possible.  Your left arm should be bent at a 90 degree angle directly below your upper body and should serve as a support.  Hold this left side plank for 30 seconds.  At the end of the 30 seconds rotate to your right side, and mimic the left side plank on your right side.  Hold the right side plank for 30 seconds.

Scissor Legs (30 seconds) – Laying on your back, spread your legs a little further than shoulder width apart.  For thirty seconds you are going to alternate bringing your legs together so that your left leg crosses your right leg and vice versa.  Repeat this movement for thirty seconds without letting your feet touch the ground.

Superman (30 seconds) – Laying on your stomach with your arms outstretched above your head and your legs about shoulder width apart.  You are going to raise your arms and legs up in the air so that they are not touching the floor.  Hold this position for thirty seconds.  Control your breathing and engage your core.

Alternating Toe Touches (1 minute) – Laying on your back, with your legs about shoulder width apart and your arms outstretched above your head.  Simultaneously raise your right leg and left arm so that you are reaching for your right toes.  Once you touch your toes with your left hand, bring your leg and arm back to the floor, then repeat this movement with your left leg and right arm.  Alternate between your right leg and left leg for one full minute.

Situps (1 minute) – Try to control your movement with each sit up so that you are truly engaging your core and working your abs.

Nice work! I hope you have a great Wednesday!

Tuesday’s 5 Minute Workout

Elevator Pushups (1 minute) – Starting in a pushup position, drop down to your elbows so that you are in a plank position, then push yourself back up into a pushup position.  Keep your back straight and try not to let your knees drop.  Repeat this exercise for one full minute.  Make sure you are engaging your core.

Squat Thrust (1 minute) – Squat down to the floor, kick both feet back behind you so that you are now in a pushup position.  Bring both feet back to the starting position so that you are now in the squat down position in which you started, then stand straight up.  Repeat this exercise for one full minute.

Explosive Alternating Lunges (1minute) – Lunge forward with your right leg, then explode up in the air, and switch legs so that when your feet touch the floor after exploding in the air, you are now leading the lunge with your left leg.  Repeat this exercise, switching between leading the lunge with your left and right leg.

Bicycle Crunches (1 minute) – Laying on your back with both hands behind your head.  Bring your right elbow to your left knee, then bring your left elbow to your right knee.  Repeat this alternating exercise for one full minute.  Make sure you are engaging your core and not pulling on your neck when extended your elbows to your knees.

Flutter Kicks (1 minute) – Laying on your back, extend both legs straight out.  Alternate between bringing your right and left foot off the ground about 6-12 inches without them touching the floor.  It should look as though you are kicking your feet in mid air.

I hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

In Good Health!

Antoine

Good Morning!

For Monday’s 5 Minute Workout we are going to kick our week off with a 5 minute circuit!  The goal of a circuit is to KEEP MOVING.  Although I encourage you to push yourself and try to complete as many repetitions as possible, in no way is this a race, just do your best not to stop.  Complete as many repetitions as you can for 20 seconds of each exercise.  At the end of the 2:00 minute set, you have a 30 second break, then back at it again for one more 2:00 minute set of 20 seconds of each exercise.

1.  Jumping Jacks
2.  High Knees
3.  Squat Thrust
4.  Decline Pushups
5.  Crunches (knees raised)
6.  Leg Raises

There is nothing like working up a nice little sweat before starting the work week! :)  And trust me I needed it after this vacation from last week.  Have a great Monday everyone!

I do apologize for falling behind a couple of days everyone! I just started my vacation yesterday and Alexandra and I spent the majority of the day traveling. Anywho, here is a “Two-Fer” for you. (Two in One) : )

Wednesday’s 5 Minute Workout!

High Knee w/ Squat Hold - (1 Minute) - Run in place while trying to get your knees up as high as possible for 10 seconds,then squat and hold this squat position for 10 seconds. Repeat for 1 minute. **Push yourself to get those knees up as high as possible

Forward Walking Pushups - (1 Minute) - Bend at your waist and touch your hands to the floor. While bent over, engage your core and slowly walk your hands out in front of you so that you end in a pushup plank position. Then slowly walk your hands back to your feet and stand up. Try to complete as many as possible in 1 minute.

Tuck-N-Press - (1 Minute) - Lay on your back and bring your knees up to your chest. Engage your core and push your legs straight up into the air. Slowly bring your legs back to your chest and extend your legs straight out so that you are in a 6 inch hold position. Without letting your feet touch the floor, repeat this exercise for 1 minute.

Single Leg Squat w/ Lateral Arm Raises - (1 Minute) - Balancing only on your left leg, squat down and as you squat raise your left and right arm simultaneously out to your side. As you stand back up from your squat lower your left and right arm back to your side. Repeat for 30 seconds, then switch legs and perform the same exercise with your right leg for 30 seconds. **If you want to increase the intensity, try holding light weights in your left and right hands as you do your arms raises.

Crunches - (1 Minute) - to increase the intensity, hold your legs in the air with your knees bent at 90 degrees while doing crunches.

Thursday’s 5 Minute Workout!

Tripod Butt Kicks - (1 Minute) - Bend at your waist and touch your hands to the floor. Position your hands and your feet so that your body is in the shape of a mountain. Keeping your core tight, jump your feet into the air as though you are trying to kick the heels of your feet to your butt. Repeat for one full minute.

Hip Extension - (1 Minute) - Get down on the floor on your hands and knees. Engaging your core, extend your right leg straight back behind you, while balancing on your left knee and both hands. After you have fully extended your right leg, slowly bring your right leg back to the starting position without letting your right knee touch the floor, then repeat extending your right leg back for 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, repeat the same exercise with your left leg.

Lateral Walking Pushups - (1 Minute) - While holding a pushup position, use your hands and feet to move your body to the left about 3 ft, then using your hands and your feet move your body back to the right about 3 ft. Repeat this exercise for one full minute.

Tricep Extension - (1 Minute) - sit on the edge of a chair with the palms of your hands gripping the edge of the chair. Slide your body of the edge of the chair so that your body weight is resting on your feet on the floor and the palms of your hands gripping the edge of the chair. Bending your arms at your elbows, slowly lower your body to the floor and right before your body touches the floor, push your body back up using the palms of your hands that are gripping the edge of the chair. Repeat this exercise for 1 Minute.

Single Leg Plank Hold - (1 Minute) - Holding a pushup plank position, raise your right leg off the floor so that you are balancing on your left leg and hands. Repeat raising your right leg off the floor for 30 seconds, then repeat this exercise with your left leg.