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Another In-Home Exercise Program to Get You Through a Grand County Winter

Jackie Wright / The Fitness Trail
Grand County, Colorado

This week we feature the third in a three part in-home exercise program series. Make certain to warm-up before and cool down/stretch following each program, consult your physician before beginning any exercise program.

Cardiovascular Exercise Segment

– Choose a safe and effective exercise DVD/video featuring a step, kickboxing or boot camp format for 30-45 minutes that will suit your fitness needs and limitations. (Check out www. CollageVideo.com)



Muscular Strength Training Segment

Hip Extensions with heels on a bench (works the gluteal, hamstrings and core muscles)



– Being lying supine on the floor with your heels on top of a 6- to 8-inch-high bench with the toes facing toward the ceiling, the buttocks up against the base of the bench, the head/arms resting on the floor, and the navel pulled toward the spine.

– Driving your heels into the bench, lift the hips off of the floor creating a lower body bridge, keeping the buttocks clenched and the lower spine in neutral.

– Lift the hips toward the ceiling and then lower the hips back toward the floor without touching the floor with the buttocks.

– Perform two-three sets of 8-12 repetitions, slow two counts up/down; two-three times per week.

– To increase the intensity of this exercise, rest dumbbells/barbells on the hips.

Tricep Dips (works the triceps and the core muscles)

– Sit on an 8- to12-inch-high bench with the hands on top of the bench and the fingertips facing the buttocks.

– Slip the hips off of the bench with the feet on the floor and the hips right next to the top of the bench.

– Legs should be at approximately a 90 degree angle at the knee and hip joints.

– Engaging the triceps, lower the body toward the floor flexing the elbow joint to approximately 90 degrees and then using your triceps, press the body back up to the beginning position, extending the elbows.

– Avoid locking the elbow joints or using the legs to press the body up/down.

– Perform two-three sets of 8-12 repetitions, two slow counts up/down; two-three times per week.

Lateral Flexion from an exercise ball (works the external/internal obliques and other core muscles)

– Lie on your right side on an exercise ball.

– The thighs should be parallel to one another and stacked, the right leg flexed back from the knee joint approximately 45 degrees and the left leg straight with a soft knee.

– The right arm should be “hugging” the ball so that the torso is a straight diagonal line from the top of the head to the left foot.

– Place the fingertips of the left hand by the left ear and engage the muscles that lie along the side of your torso lifting the body off of the ball.

– The right arm will extend as the body lifts, but avoid pushing off with that arm.

– Avoid leading with the head/neck. Focus upon the left side of the torso, driving the rib cage into the hip bone, then return to the beginning position.

– Perform this exercise on both sides, one set of 8-12 repetitions; two-three times per month.

Next week we begin a six-week series on how to stay fit and healthy during the holiday season.

” Jackie Wright can be reached at her e-mail address: NSFGL@comcast.net or her blog at skyhidailynews.com.


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