I have eventually got my Fit Flops! Yay, and waiting paid off as FitFlop released the Rebel mid summer and these are by far my favourites. I took the original gym bunny (my mum!) along for fitting advice and style advice too (ok and a bit of financial help!) They are a really flattering shade and look great on tanned legs. Available at Sweaty Betty (http://www.sweatybetty.com/) in selected stores and online too.
See you around
Gym Bunny Blog
When I can’t get to the gym I try to keep up with my summer toning regime by working out at home and with the help of Zest magazine (more on that later) and a bit of ingenuity I have some pretty good exercises down. I used to have dumbbells at home but they just added clutter and didn’t really warrant the space for how often I used them but I still have my trusty Swiss ball which whilst not pretty is useful! I use the ball the most for situps, the following are some of the best exercises that I have come up with:
Oblique crunches: Lie with your mid back on the ball, hands behind your head for support. Then raise your shoulders off the ball whilst bringing one leg off the floor and bring your shoulder to meet the opposite knee. Alternate doing this and aim or at least 20 (I aim for 50 at the moment).
Ball Pikes: Warning this is killer! Rest your upper legs on the ball placing your hands on the floor for support, then roll the ball towards your hands, keeping your legs straight and trying to raise your butt into the air so you make an upside down V shape. Try and do this ten times… then another set later.
Side plank: Lie on your side, propped up by your elbow then raise yourself so you are lying in a side plank, you can either hold this to work your waist muscles or drop your hip back to touch the floor, then bring yourself back into the plank position. Hold the first one for 30-60secs or repeat the dips 10-15 times per side.
Pilates crunches: lie on your back with your knees bent at 45 degrees and your calves parallel to the floor. Raise your shoulders off the floor and keep your arms off the floor by your side (keep your shoulders off the floor at all times during this exercise). Now alternate reaching your arm for the opposite ankle by bringing one knee in and raising your shoulders to reach at the same time- the other leg should be straightening as you do this. Try to repeat this 50 times (i.e. 25 each side). Keep your stomach and core muscles engaged throughout- as with all abs exercises. These plus the previously mentioned exercise with the medicine ball (see https://thegymbunnyblog.wordpress.com/2010/05/17/mixing-it-up/) are my favourite exercises and never really fail to hurt the next day.
Besides Abs I also do tricep dips from the sofa (remove the seat cushion to get a firm base) which is a perfect height, also for triceps I use a heavy book like an atlas to raise it from behind my back (start with arms straight above head then bend elbows to lower it down your back and raise back up – repeat). To balance out my arms I always also do push ups and depending on my energy level sometimes dynamic push ups (pushing myself up so my hands leave the ground – although I can’t clap without risking falling on my face!)
I mentioned at the start of this post that I often get ideas from Zest magazine (I have a subscription- a present from my mum, the original gym bunny!) and it is often full of diet and work out tips plus ideas for new fitness classes or ideas to try and always has an at home section too – quite often I just use these ideas in the gym as well. Anyway it is a great magazine and definitely a good motivator to tie up your trainers and get into the gym! Happy working out
Gym Bunny Blog xx
Back to the gym with a bang this week after kicking the bug into touch – with the help of the antibiotics (so lots of probiotics to kick the antibiotics into touch!). Before the bug from hell hit I had picked back up with boxing, something that I started last summer. Before I moved I was boxing with my personal trainer and it has to be the best workout I have ever had, it gave me a new found respect for professional boxers, you really need stamina!
Having picked up the skills I needed to use the bag when I trained with my personal trainer I can now train on my own at the gym. I try to do at least 15mins on top of my other cardio workouts and I think my arms really benefit from it as well as my CV fitness. I have tried classes like body combat before but these just really don’t cut it compared to working out with a trainer or with a bag. For one thing you don’t get the weight of the bag to hit which adds to the fatiguing and toning of your muscles and if you have lower back problems (as I do) then the kicks and twists can do more harm than good. The boxing also motivates me to get to the gym as I really enjoy it and use it as a reward to get me through the rest of my CV work! If you need extra incentive then it is also a great fat burner…thought that would do it! I wouldn’t suggest just weighing in (pardon the pun) without any advice from a trainer, however, as if you don’t know how to punch properly you can really hurt your wrists and if you don’t know how to stand and punch through then you wont be maximising your workout. Also if you have the chance to train with a trainer then you get to punch at them (with pads!) which adds a good competitive streak to the session and makes sure you are motivated!
If you really get into it you could try joining a boxing club, they are more female friendly than you would think, as you will pick up loads of tips to improve your technique, meet new people and get to do more than bag work. I have considered it but the area I live in is more pilates studios than boxing studios and as I already have to commute for 40mins to get to my gym (it’s by work not home- dedication huh?) I don’t want another commute to get to a boxing gym but maybe when we move again I will find one close by!
Final words of advice on the boxing do buy your own gloves! You really don’t want to be using gloves that someone else has sweated in (yuk!). I got my black and white Reebok ones from Argos and they are great for what I want to do. Just make sure when you get them that you get gloves not mitts, gloves will protect your hands and wrists more as they are more cushioned (mine are 14 or 16oz I don’t remember but don’t go lighter than 14oz). So come on what’s stopping you? Get the gloves on!
See you in the ring
Gym Bunny Blog
After a killer gym week last week where I managed to go 4 times (I made 4 times my goal for summer) I have been struck down by some horrid bug and even the thought of the treadmill is exhausting. I did think yesterday (day 1 of bug) that I would make it in today and just do some weights and sit ups but waking up today nothing was less appealing! So my routine for the rest of the week is cough syrup, saline solution and throat sweets. Hopefully I will be hitting the treadmill again by Monday though! Fingers crossed!
Gym Bunny Blog
The Gym Bunny Blog 