Fitness Thursday #4 Diva Derriére

If only we had South American ancestors...

For those who aren't loving the French inspired post, Derriére is another word for your buttocks, gluteals, bum etc etc I am currently nursing just below my hip bone as I have pulled mine badly, so badly I needed ibuprofen gel this morning. Nevertheless, you don't get a bikini bum without a fee pulled or sore muscles along the way - pain is gain! (but don't over do it please! I just went a bit mad on weights)

Ok, so I am not a big fan of squatting, I was in Summer and I tried that 30 day squat challenge and it gave me stretch marks!! Squatting only targets one area of your glutes so you need to mix it up a bit. Here are my favourite exercises to get an incredible derriére - the sooner the start the less you will need to do in your panic workouts two weeks before you go on holiday!

Top Tip - hover over the pictures to save to Pinterest to take with you to the gym!

6-8 Reps 3 Sets

WIDE LEG DEAD LIFT

Wide Leg Dead lift
 Select a weight suitable to your strength
(in hamstrings and glutes, somewhere between 4kg and 9kg)

With legs wide, bend at the hips only, not knees,
stand up using just hips
You should feel this in your bum and back of your legs.

CROSS BACK LUNGE

Cross Back Lunge - Select a 3kg-7kg medicine ball
 (can do exercise with out weights)

Step back with one leg, push weight through front heel, bend both knees

JUMP WOOD CHOPS

Complete for 1 minute (30-50) - 3 sets 

Stand with legs together, weight above head (4kg ish)
Jump into a sumo squat whilst taking weight between legs
Jump back up to legs together with weight above head 

OPPOSITE ARM LEG SUPERMAN

Great for back, abs and bum

Lie on your front and lift opposite arm to leg into the air, hold for 5 seconds,
 release and repeat on the other leg for 10 times on each side

If you don't have weights, do more reps and sets - till you can feel the burn basically! 

Do this routine for 15 minutes after 20 minutes of cardio for best results. Please stretch before and afterwards (we don't want Boots to run out of ibuprofen gel as I need it all) 

Happy toning!

RHS x

Fitness Thursday #1 Get that bikini bum!

Lets get straight down to it (squat girl, squat)

1. HIP LIFTS 

-Lie on your back with legs bent, feet slightly apart

-Lift hips as high as you can 

-SQUEEZE your gluteus (backside) as hard as you can 

-Release 

DO: 30 reps, 3 sets 

keep shoulders on the floor

2. SQUATS, WITH WEIGHTS (3-6kg)

-Stand in an upright position, weights by your sides

-Squat low so that your thighs are parallel to the floor

-Squeeze

Do: 15 reps, 3 sets 

keep back straight and chest up, don't look down

3. WOOD CHOP 

-Stand with legs wide apart, hold dumbbells down

-Bend at hip, keep back flat 

-Stand and repeat

Do: 15 reps, 3 sets

keep legs straight the whole time 

4. 1 LEG CLOCK SQUAT 

-Stand on one leg, the other bent at the knee

-Squat with one leg to 10 o'clock

-Stand, Squat with the same leg at 11 o'clock

-Repeat for 12, 1 and 2 

Do: One set on one leg and then repeat with the other leg x2

Squat slowly

5. MODIFIED SIDE PLANK LEG LIFT

-Enter a side plank position as shown with the bottom leg bent

-Slowly raise the top leg, hold and lower

Do: 12 reps on each leg x2 

 Repeat these exercises at least 5 times a week for the best results!

Happy Squatting!

RHS x

Fitness Thursday #1 Fat burn and Abs

Here we are, the 1st of August. 

Pinch, punch... 

Now, if you're like me and still are yet to get away from the homeland of England you're still trying to get "summer body" 

- Whatever that is nowadays. 

Anyway, as a very VERY (too) keen fitness fanatic (I did warn you) I have put together some of my favourite exercises to tone every area of the body (I know, I'm amazing, thank me later)

These really aren't quick fixes though, although after a week or so you will find that after each session you will notice a difference because your muscles are tense, however this does wear off after an hour or so...

So if you know you're hitting the beach - fit a few planks in before you head down! 

The best way to burn fat 

Interval training. Thats it. Its quick and its really easy for beginner to advanced levels; I always do interval training as part of my cardio routine. 

the red band is Athletic Conditioning (152-190 bpm), Orange is Endurance Training (130-152) - the AC band is what you want to aim for for Fat Burn, endurance will also burn fat but not as quickly

(PLEASE NOTE: YOUR MAXIMUM HEART RATE IS 220 - YOUR AGE. THEN YOU WANT TO AIM TO WORK BETWEEN 60-80% OF THIS - DO NOT OVER DO YOUR HEART!) 

The other day I was on the bike and the above picture shows my heart rate as I changed levels and speeds. 

You can see how when I worked hard my heart rate dropped a lot and quickly (this depends how fit you are), then I started hard and fast again. 

An example bike exercise:

• 5 minute warm up (effort level 3-5) 
• 1 minute either at a very high level so you cycle slow or a low level put really push your reps high (Effort level 7-9)
• 1 minute - 1.5 minutes rest (this doesn't mean stop - slow down, let your heart rate fall - effort level 4-5)
• 45 seconds hard/fast
• 1 minute rest 
• 30 seconds hard/fast
• 1 minute rest
• 45 seconds hard/fast 
• 1 minute rest
• 1 minute hard/fast
• cool down/rest and repeat 

I did a similar routine to this, when I measured my heart rate and burned nearly 200 calories in 20 minutes! 

This is also very good for the Treadmill too, as long as you increase your effort levels (run) and rest (walk) several times fat will melt - training on the treadmill will burn more calories than the bike. 

MEDIEVAL ABS 

- this is what Davina McCall calls it on one of her abs - its because the first time you do them its flipping hard! but bare with it and you'll be baring your abs. ahhh haha. 

plank - keep hips low, elbows under shoulders

1. PLANK - better than crunches because this targets your inner and outer abdominals 

This is Jeanette Jenkins from The Hollywood Trainer (From Nike Training Club App) 

Hold for at least 30 seconds - 1 minute (or as long as you can)

make sure lower back stays in contact with the mat

2. ALTERNATING LONG LEGS WITH ROTATION

A bit like bicycles - this will really tackle lower tummy, 

Lie on your back with your legs extended in the air, 

Lower one leg at a time and twist the opposite elbow to meet the knee, 

Inhale and bring everything back to centre and swap sides - 1 minute 

keep back straight to avoid strain 

3. RUSSIAN TWISTS (not vodka, unfortunately) 

Again, these are very good for lower abs - you don't need a medicine ball just ensure the correct position 

Steady yourself in a seated position with your feet off the mat, twist side to side - moving whole shoulder gurdle - 1 minute

4. TOE TOUCHES 

curl shoulder blades off the mat

These are great for upper abs (for wearing those summer crop tops!) 

Lie on the mat with legs extended up in the air, bring medicine ball (or dumbbells  or 2 tins of soup) to meet toes - contract with abs.

Release shoulders back to floor - repeat. Always keep legs straight up in the air - 1 minute 

- Repeat the circuit as many times as you can - aim for 3 - abs recover very quickly! 

Please do not overdo your workout, always warm up well before cardio and stretch before and afterwards - 

Listen to your body! Trust me - it will tell you when its had enough!

Later I'll be posting about toning legs and bums, making the best power smoothies and finding the perfect playlists.

Happy workouts!

RHS x