Matching Your Fitness To Your Love of Fashion: Kick Off Your Fitness Routine Spring 2016 Style
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In case you haven’t heard, shoulders and thighs are going to be majorly exposed next season thanks to multiple high slits and off-shoulder tops. I get that we’re just beginning the fall season (and the holidays.) That’s why it’s a perfect time to start a consistent workout plan that can tone up the spots in time for the new season.
I teamed up with NYC and Hamptons-based fitness trainer and owner of Bond6 Fitness, Blair Small, to develop this workout. It’s not only a calorie-torcher for the holiday season but also focuses on the areas that will be more exposed come next spring and summer. The only thing you will need is a jump rope. If you don’t have one, use an “imaginary” jump rope when performing the jumping exercises. I used a TKO Soft-Grip jump rope for these exercises.
You can do the circuit once if you’re short on time, or repeat it to push yourself. The exercises are all designed to keep up your heart rate while engaging and building lean muscles.
1. Jump Rope for 60 seconds.
Purpose: Calorie-Torching Cardio
2. Squat, Side Lunge to the right, Squat back in the center, Side Lunge to the left. Repeat for 10 total lunges and 20 total squats (5 lunges per side, alternating.)
Purpose: Works entire lower body
3. Mountain Climbers for 30 seconds. Get in plank position, hips slightly raised. Bring left knee up to the chest, go back to the starting point and repeat with the other side. Keep on “climbing.”
Purpose: Works core and arms
4. Jump Rope Hurdles for 20 reps (10 each side.) Make a U-shape on the floor with the rope and start on the right. Jump in with right foot into the center of U, and then follow with the other foot. Quickly hop the right foot over to the left side of the rope and bring the left leg over, pausing with leg raised before repeating same motion toward the right side.
Purpose: Calorie-Torching Cardio
5. Plank with Alternate Leg Raise for 20 reps (10 each side.) Start with a regular plank on elbows, and raise each leg up toward the ceiling by contracting the glute.
Purpose: Works glutes and core
6. Rope Skipping for 60 seconds. Instead of jumping up and down, alternate legs and “skip.”
Purpose: Calorie-Torching Cardio
7. Single Leg Bridges, 12 each side. Lay down on the floor with knees bent and palms of hands on the floor beside you. Heels should be about 1 inch away from the fingertips. Contract the left glute while raising hips up toward the ceiling and straightening the right leg up. Repeat with the other side.
Purpose: Works glutes
8. Push-Up with Opposite Leg/Arms Raises, 6 per side, alternating. You can do a full push-up or a modified one with knees on the floor. Do a push-up, and then raise the right leg and left arm off the floor, extending with fingers and toes. Go back to starting position, push-up and repeat with opposite side arm/leg.
Purpose: Works arms, upper back, and core
9. Lateral Line Jump for 20 jumps. Lay down the jump-rope on the floor in a straight line. Stand with the rope on your right side and jump to the left, then to the right, and continue for 20 reps.
Purpose: Calorie-Torching Cardio
10. Jump Rope for 60 seconds.
Purpose: Calorie-Torching Cardio
11. Burpees for 10 reps. You know the drill: Jump up in place, put hands down in front of you and jump feet back into a plank. Jump feet back to hands and stand back up to repeat the exercise!
Purpose: Total Body Workout with Calorie-Torching Cardio
12. Cobra for 15 reps. Lay down with forehead on the floor, arms extended beside you and thumbs facing your body. Squeeze between your shoulder blades and raise your upper back slowly while looking straight down still. Rotate your hands and arms out as you’re coming up to raise thumbs toward the ceiling. Hold for a brief moment and lower down while rotating arms and hands back to starting position. Repeat.
Purpose: Works upper back
About Blair:
Favorite Snack: Fresh figs, some raw dark chocolate, and black coffee
Favorite Fitness-Base Retreat: Going to the beach in the late afternoon when the sun is about halfway down and going for a run, swim, and doing some yoga.
Favorite NYC Spot: Gimme Coffee on Mott street. Best coffee on the planet.
Favorite Winter Activities: Going to a Knicks game at The Garden is always fun. Trying a new restaurant as well.
Favorite Summer Activities: Surfing, tennis and beach-bumming.
How You Motivate Yourself: If you want something bad enough, you will do the things necessary to achieve it. And once you have it, the fear of losing it will drive you forever.
More Info: bond6.com
Follow Blair on Instagram: @bond6fitness
