Exercise of the Week - Week 3

With two weeks under our belts, ARE WE READY FOR WHAT WEEK 3 HAS FOR US?

Good ole Push-ups!  Do you remember those?

I'm sure you do, but as a reminder I've attached the step by step instructions as well as a video with a few modified versions.  If your experiences in the past with push-ups have been difficult, I encourage you to  try one of the modified versions.

Step 1

Starting Position: Come to a hands and knees position (quadruped) on the mat with your hands directly under your shoulders; fingers facing forward, or slightly inward and knees under your hips. Engage the abdominals and pull the shoulder blades down your back.

Step 2

Reach one leg out and away followed by the other leg, bringing you to plank position. Keep the abdominals/core engaged to brace the torso. Your head should be aligned with your spine. Your feet are together with your toes tucked under and your heels reaching toward the wall behind you.

Step 3

Downward Phase: Slowly bend the elbows, lowering your body toward the floor. Keep the torso rigid and the head aligned with your spine. Do not allow your low back or ribcage to sag or your hips to hike upward. Engage your butt (glutes) and thigh (quadriceps) muscles to help maintain stability and a rigid body. Try to lower yourself until your chest or chin touch the mat or floor. Your elbows should stay close to the sides of your body or be allowed to flare outwards slightly.

Step 4

Upward Phase: Press upward through your arms, straightening the elbows. Keep the torso rigid and head aligned with your spine. Imagine pushing the floor away from you. Do not allow your low back to sag or your hips to hike upward. 

Step 5
An alternative position is to keep your fingers facing forward and your elbows close to your sides during the downward phase. This shifts the emphasis from the chest muscles onto the triceps and may reduce stresses in the shoulder joint.

Favorite TV show + Push-ups during the commercial breaks = Happy muscles


Love you guys to Health

Mrs. Nez

Exercise of the Week - Week 2

 I hope you found time to plank over the past week.  I'm sure your abs thanked you for it.
Well here we are at week 2 ready and excited about what's next - RIGHT?  I found the perfect exercise for us :). This exercise will really get you up and moving. It's sure to leave you breathless. It might just require you to keep a glass of water nearby. What is it you say?... Mountain Climbers.

I have listed a few precautions below for your safety.

Pre-cautions:

• Work at you own pace and intensity (between somewhat hard and hard).
• If you begin to feel dizzy, light headed, or short of breath STOP.
• Avoid flopping back on the couch after you finish the exercise. Walk in place for a few moments to slow down your heart rate a bit.
• I suggest using the arm of the couch to raise the upper body.

Steps provided by www.acefitness.org

Step 1 Starting Position:  Come to a hands and knees position on the floor (arm of couch) with your toes pointed toward the floor, abdominals engaged, and shoulders strong. Your hands should be slightly ahead of your shoulders and your fingers pointing forward.  Bring your left foot forward and place it on the floor under your chest.  Your knee and hip are bent and your thigh is in toward your chest.  Lift your right knee off the ground, making your right leg straight and strong.  Your right toes are tucked under, heel up.  Brace your abdominal muscles to stabilize your spine. Pull your shoulder blades down and back.

Step 2

Keeping your hands firmly on the ground (arm of couch). Jump to switch leg positions. Both feet leave the ground as your drive your right knee forward and reach your left leg back.  Now your left leg is fully extended behind you and your right knee and hip are bent with your right foot on the floor. Step 3 Exercise Variation: If you have limited range of motion in the hips, place hands on a step or platform. Keep your weight evenly distributed on both legs. Do not shift all your weight forward into your front foot. Mrs. Nez

I'm In ... check it out!

Did you think I was going to let you have all the fun?  Yes I am in this too!

I had my daughter to record one of my commercial breaks just to prove it (excuse some of the background noise).  In the video I will give you a few reminders to breath, keep your position tight, and contracted.  I have also added music behind my video for you listening pleasure in celebration of my favorite singer Whitney Houston.

If you get more pumped having music playing, it's OK I want you to use everything you find motivating to your advantage. As a matter of fact if it motivates you to get moving - Use IT! I do encourage you to have the music on stand-by before you get started. You would not want to waist your 2 minutes looking for it.

 I don't know about you but I can't get away from change even in small tasks. Once I began exercising during the breaks I realized that I needed to make a few changes. I noticed that commercial breaks was not just used for sitting, but I used them to do things like get my children's baths, showers, and clothes ready for the following day. Now I have to  be intentional to get these things done before or after.

It's not too late there are still four more days left in this week and hours worth of TV to be watched :)

SO GET IN!!!!!!!!!

Live Well
Mrs. Nez

Exercise of the Week - Week 1

OK All this is week 1, are you ready to get this thing started?  For our first exercise I choose the Front Plank. This exercise is not overly intense but guaranteed to increase your core (ABS & back) strength.  Everyone loves the idea of having a six pack - Right (well we better not get ahead of ourselves haha)? Maybe I should say we all want stronger ABS right? 

Are you ready? Here we go. 

Read through the directions below and remember the length and number of times you perform the exercise is decided by you.  If while performing the exercise you begin to lose your form rest a bit and try again. You get about 5 commercial breaks (2 minutes each) to work on improving your hold time.

The photos and step by step instructions is provided by www.acefitness.org you can check out the site satisfy any or all of your exercise needs. 

Step 1

Starting Position: 

• Lie on your stomach on an exercise mat or floor with your elbows close to your sides and directly under your shoulders
• palms down and fingers facing forward. 
• Engage your abdominal/core muscles. It should feel like you are tightening a corset around your ribs, waist and lower torso. 
• Contract your thigh muscles to straighten your legs strongly and flex your ankles, (tucking your toes towards your shins).

Step 2

Upward Phase:

• Slowly lift your torso and thighs off the floor or mat. 
• Keep your torso and legs rigid. 
• Do not allow any sagging in your ribcage or low back. Avoid hiking your hips into the air or bending the knees. 
• Keep the shoulders away from the ears (no shrugging). 
• The shoulders should be directly over your elbows with your palms facing down through the entire exercise. 
• Continue to breathe, keeping the abdominal strong while holding this position. 
• Try holding this position for 5 seconds or more.

Step 3

Downward Phase: 

• Keep the torso and legs stiff as you slowly and gently lower your body back towards the mat or floor (try not to flop).
• If you experience any pain in the low back with this movement, stop the exercise immediately and consult with your doctor.

Enjoy the fun

Mrs Nez

Hey all, 

We have just a few more days before the first post for the weekly exercise challenge goes up. 

Have you chimed in? 

If not I hope this video post would motivate you ... in just the right way.

It's just 6-8 weeks - come on GET IN!

Mrs. Nez

Exercise of the Week Challenge ... Are You In?

I got it! You want to do something- anything.  Well alright so let do something!


I plan to post an exercise of the week for the next 6-8 week and I am wondering if you would like to get in? I will provide some simple cardio, strength and core building exercises including photos and videos to ensure you have what you need for proper technique. The exercise should be performed during the commercial breaks of your favorite TV show. It will be fun.

Following an hour long show you will have put in a total of 10 minutes of exercise. For those like me who's favorite show is b-ball, expect your workout to be a little longer - 20 minutes depending on the number of time outs or overtime.

By the end of the 6-8 weeks you will have increased your exercise commitment and time to 10 or more consecutive minutes.

If you are a consistent exerciser already and want a challenge, perform more repetitions during each commercial break. "You are the master of your fate" and  the outcome of this venture will totally depend on the effort you give.

Are you in????????

OK to sum it up:

1. I will provide an Exercise Of The Week (6-8 weeks).
2. We will perform the exercises during the commercial breaks of our favorite TV shows.
3. By the end we would have learned enough exercises to perform a 20 (or more) minute workout.

So what do you do if you don't have a consistent TV show you watch? You could still participate by jumping off your computer or whatever you're doing 5-6 times in an hour for a 2 minute workout.

Check back for that 1st exercise.

Something is better than nothing

Mrs. Nez