Plie Squat

Plie Squat:  Can be done without a weight for beginners.  With toes pointed diagonally outward, wider than shoulder-width, lower yourself into a deep squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground.  Keep your back straight and shoulders back and down.  Knees should not go past your toes on the 'down' position.  Exhale and come back to starting position.  Repeat.  For extra burn, at the end of your set hold your last squat in the down position for 20 seconds.

Exercise of the Week: 21's

21's: 21's can be done with any muscle exercise. It is commonly done with the bicep curl. To do this exercise, grab a dumbbell weight that is medium heavy. If you use a resistance band, make sure to allow yourself room for full range of movement but tight enough that you will feel the burn! With knees slightly bent, feet shoulder-width apart and abs tight, take the weight in your hand with your elbows in to your side and palms facing forward. Curl the weight up to mid-way - your elbows should be at a 90 degree angle. Lower the weight and repeat for 7 reps. At the 7th rep, keep the weight at mid-way and curl the weight all the way up to your chest/shoulders. Lower the weight back down only to MID-WAY. Repeart for 7 reps. At the 7th rep, lower the weight all the way down again and perform a bicep curl with full range of movement for another 7 reps. You bicep should be feeling the burn by the time you get to this last set and you should have completed 21 reps all in succession.

Exercise of the Week: Stability Ball Wall Squats

Exercise of the Week

Stability Ball Wall Squats: This exercise is so versatile. If you don't have a stability ball then just do it with your back against the wall. With your feet shoulder-width apart, and the ball between the wall and the small of your back, slowly lower yourself into a squat position until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Go even lower to really trigger those butt muscles. Slowly raise back to start position. You can also keep this stationary. Lower yourself into that squat position (with or without ball) and hold that pose for as long as you can. Not as easy as it sounds!!

Exercise of the Week: Calf Raises

Calf Raises: Using a weight of your choice stand with your feet about hip width apart. Keeping your feet parallel, raise up onto the balls of your feet really squeezing that calf muscle. Lower and then repeat. On your next set, point the toes inward (pigeon-toed) to change the angle of the muscle worked. On your third set, point the toes out with the heels in. To make it extra hard, stand on a ledge or step or even a pile of sturdy books to give yourself a higher range or motion. To make it extra extra hard, performe this exercise one leg at a time!

Tricep Dips

Tricep Dips. Sit on the edge of a chair or bench with your palms down on the edge, fingertips facing toward you. Lower yourself down off the bench until your elbow is at 90 degrees. Squeezing your triceps, raise yourself back up and repeat, without sitting back down. The closer your legs are to you, the easier it is. To make it extra hard, raise one leg for a set and switch off for the other. Do three sets of ten, if you can, or do burn-outs (do as many dips as you can until you can't perform another one with good form).