My Own Total Gym: Chuck Norris Not Included
19 03 2008So tired. Long day. Nuff said.
Still managed to get a workout in though, even though it was in my living room while watching Biggest Loser. Just FYI, Jillian bothers me. But she could snap me in half over her knee, so I will be civil.
My at home workouts are always different, and I just do a lot of random stuff. The only equiptment I need is a stability ball and two 8 pound dumbells. Nothing fancy; nothing expensive.
So today I did:
-
3 Sets of 10 Pike up, Push ups. Works the abs, shoulders, chest, biceps, core. You need a stability ball.
-
2 Sets of 15 Heels Tucks (see this post for instructions) Works the glutes, hammies, calves, core. You need a stability ball
-
2 Sets of 20 Sumo Jump Squats (as shown here; except I did them without the weight and kept my hands on my hips) Works the quads, hammies, inner and outter thigh, calves, glutes
-
2 Sets of Dumbell Twists (as shown here; except I did them sitting on the floor with my feet raised in the air, knees bent. So I was balancing just on my butt.) Works the abs, obliques
-
2 Sets of 10 One Legged Squat to Heel Raise on both legs (Shown here except when I come back to standing I go up on the ball of my foot to do a calf raise) Works the quads, hammies, glutes and calves
I couldn’t find an example of Pike up Push ups, so I had the boy record me doing some right here. I just woke up so I look like crap and just ignore the dog barking in the background. We had to lock him in the bathroom as to not compromise the shot. Because its Oscar quality for sure.
If you can’t pike up you can bend your knees and roll the ball in like this:
It was mainly a lower body day today, as it usually is, but I’ll do more arms at the gym tomorrow. I stick to lower body because it is my “problem area” which just means I would like it to be a bit firmer (don’t we all.) My upper body is fine, so I just work it out to maintain it, which doesn’t take as much focus.
You can really do a lot of great exercises at home, you just need to experiment and research. I like old school stuff that really burns, but if you like Self and Shape magazine workouts thats completely ok. Just really try some new stuff every once in a while so you don’t get sick of your routine.
nice these exercises seem great. thanks!
You definitely look like a gymnast doing those pike up push ups
coming from the gymnastics world, it made me smile….yet is still not something I completely miss.
The new blog is great!
ok for some reason that sent before I even asked my question and I just realized it. BUT anyway…
SINCE I did competitive gymnastics for 11 years and I ran track in HS/College, my thighs are a little thicker than I’d like. Almost all muscle, but I’d like to be a little leaner. I mean I’m freaking short anyway, bulky-ish thighs only make me look shorter. I now instruct spinning, but I’m really good about pretending to turn the tension wayyyyy up for the sake of my students, and really not doing that . I do NOT need to add more muscle!
Have any workout suggestions?!
yeah i second that. i would love to have some work outs for debulkin ma thighs
too bad chuck norris wasnt included
Hi Kelly (we are both Kelly’s)! How many reps do you do in each set?
Ha- yeah, Im not gunna lie, I don’t miss gymnastcis very much either. I only liked competeing, I didn’t like the travelling/practices/injuries/missing out on my life.
I hate to say it but there really isnt any way to “de-bulk” your thighs. Some women just develope muscle that way and I guarantee you that, unless you are an avid heavy-weightlifter, some of it may be fat. which isnt a bad thing, you need fat, but the only way to tone them down would be to lose that. Other than that, just be proud of them. I would kill for more muscular legs. But everyone wants what they don’t have, right?
Kelly- I wrote how many I did of each (10 pike up push ups 3 times, etc) i forgot to write down for the ab twists. i usually do 20 at a time, with right, then left, counting as one.
Hi Kelly,
Thanks for your post about your motivation to workout! What’s funny is, I was looking to find the post I had left the question under, and then realized you wrote a whole post answering me! I have a few questions for you. I had a session with a personal trainer a long time ago and he told me I was doing the calf stretch incorrectly. I forgot what he said I was doing wrong, but I never feel a stretch in the back of my calves and I’m not very flexible. Is there a common mistake that people make when doing the calve stretches ( I do the typical one where you lean against a wall with one leg behind the other).
My second question is what is a good exercise for the lower abs? I have tried doing reverse curl but never feel it because I know I am doing it wrong! Is there one that is easier to get the movement correct with that also doesn’t kill your back. Some of those low ab workouts really are tough on the back!
Thanks and love your blog!
marcy- hmm maybe you are not leaning forward enough? if you still dont feel it, maybe you can bend your back leg just a tad. This stretched the soleus (the calf muscle under the one that sticks out) but is still a good calf stretch.
People do lower ab exercises incorrectly because they let their lower back pull away from the floor, which defeats the purpose. a good way to build these up is lay on the floor legs straight up in the air. rock your hips backwards so you lower back is flat against the floor. then lower your straight legs towards the ground and only go as far as you can until you feel your back start to arch, then pull your legs back to start. Your goal is to be able to lower them further and further without your back pulling away. Once you get a handle on that you should be able to to do lower ab exercises properly. a lot of people try to do exercises they arent ready for, expecially because the lower abs are notorious for being weak. Just work up to them.
Oh, I do those pike push up things! I do them! I thought I made them up!
I’ve only been doing two sets of ten though.
I’ll try harder.
whats with us thinking we made stuff up? Is that some kind of tell tale sign about our personalities? i hope its a good thing but if not atleast im in good company.
I laugh how alike we are from the 415 wake up to the more OLD SCHOOL stuff ( I love my arnolds encyclopedia of bodybuilding for exercises) to the fact that jillian bugs the heck out of me as well.
M.
haha, i love my arnold book too! i didnt use a stability ball until about 4 monthes ago. I thought they were too girlie. Enjoy the blog!
This is nice routine. I also like trying different things at home. The stability ball has been a life saver. Sometimes when I need to refocus I just do a few exercises with the ball and get my mind off of all my other duties with the kids and school and the gym….so much to do so little time but there’s always time for a quick workout!!