Tag Archives: stability ball

Chest, Shoulder, Tricep Workout

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Hey everyone!  It’s time again for another Home Workout of the Week.  I hope you were able to try out the Tabata workouts over the last couple of weeks and have been feeling good and energized.

We’re going to switch things up a bit this week and focus on three muscle groups that work together with every exercise…Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps!  You will get an intense muscle pump when combining these three muscle groups due to the fact that one or more of the muscles will be a secondary mover to the prime mover.  In a pushup for example, the prime mover doing the most work are your chest muscles but assisting with the pushup are the muscles of your shoulders and triceps…these are the secondary movers.  Combining these muscle groups in a superset will therefore give you a greater pump and work the muscles more to the point of fatigue than doing them separately.

There are many great combinations of muscle groups to consider when designing a workout and the key is to change things often to keep your body guessing and in a constant state of growth and adaptation.

So, give the Chest, Shoulder, Tricep Workout a shot and let me know how you do!

Chest, Shoulder, Tricep Workout

Warm-Up

  • 30 seconds of Jumping Jacks
  • 10 Spinal Rotations for each side
  • 10 Shoulder Circles for each arm
  • 10 Pushups

Superset 1

Rest for 60 to 90 seconds then repeat the superset 2 more times

Superset 2

Rest for 60 to 90 seconds then repeat the superset 2 more times

Superset 3

Rest for 60 to 90 seconds then repeat the superset 2 more times

Lower Body/Core Tabata Workout

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Hey everyone!  It’s time for another Home Workout of the Week!  This week I have a Lower Body and Core Tabata workout for you to try.

Tabata’s have been gaining popularity in the fitness industry over the last while due to it’s effectiveness at revving up your metabolism and ability to burn massive calories in a short amount of time.  They are also great for increasing your cardiovascular endurance as your heart rate will remain fairly high throughout.

If you’re not familiar with Tabata’s, they are short bursts of activity followed by short rests with as many sets as you see fit.  Tabata’s are really great for busy people who don’t have time to do an hour workout.  A Tabata workout can be done in as little as 10 minutes

For this week’s Tabata workout however I have 6 pairs of exercises for you to do with 4 sets of each.  Combined with the warmup, this workout should take you approximately 30 to 40 minutes to complete.  If you’re short on time, just pick a couple sets of exercises and you can complete this in as little as 10 minutes.

So give it a shot and get ready to sweat!  Also note that the rest time between each group of exercises is 1 minute.  If this is your first time doing a Tabata workout, you may need to rest a bit longer until your cardiovascular endurance improves.

Lower Body/Core Tabata Workout

Tabata Protocol – 20 seconds of as many reps as you can do followed by 10 seconds of rest; 4 rounds of each pair of exercises followed by a 1 minute rest before moving on to the next pair of exercises

Warm-Up

  • 30 seconds of Jumping Jacks
  • 10 Spinal Rotations for each side
  • 10 Shoulder Circles for each arm
  • 10 Pushups
  • 12 Spiderman Climbs

Tabata 1

Tabata 2

Tabata 3

Tabata 4

Tabata 5

Tabata 6

Stability Ball Plank

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Get your core fired up with this Home Exercise of the Week!  The Stability Ball Plank is a more advanced version of the regular plank and it will challenge your balance as well as your core.

The Stability Ball Plank is an isometric exercise that targets your abdominals and lower back muscles.  It also works muscles in the upper body and legs.  Doing the plank on the stability ball increases the difficulty and forces your core muscles to work more to keep you steady.

It’s important to keep good form and your body steady during this exercise otherwise you could run the risk of falling off and injuring yourself.  Let’s take a look at the key points to performing the Stability Ball Plank safely and effectively.

  • rest your forearms on the ball with your elbows directly underneath your shoulders
  • step back with both feet until your body is perfectly straight and you’re resting on your toes and forearms
  • make sure your head is in line with your spine
  • keep your foot stance wide if this is your first time doing the exercise.  This will greatly increase your stability.  As you get more comfortable with the exercise you can bring your feet together.
  • pull your belly button in towards your spine to keep your abdominals contracted throughout the plank
  • hold for 30 to 60 seconds breathing normally throughout

So there you have the Stability Ball Plank.  It’s normal to feel a bit wobbly if this is your first time doing this exercise but over time your core strength will improve and your balance will get better giving you a nice steady plank on the ball.  Add this in to your abdominal routine or in to a superset with other exercises in your routine.

Happy planking!

 

Jackknife

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I have another core exercise for you for this weeks Home Exercise of the Week.  It’s called a Jackknife and it’s one of the more challenging ab exercises but once you get the hang of it you will feel how effective it is!

The Jackknife works all areas of your core as well as your hip flexors and at the same time it isometrically works your upper body muscles.  This exercise can put a lot of strain on your lower back if not done correctly so let’s take a look at the key points to doing it properly.

  • getting on the stability ball can be challenging so the best way is to put your hands on the floor and one leg up on the ball first then put your other leg up.  Your shins should be resting on the ball.
  • it is very important to keep your abs contracted by pulling your belly button in towards your spine.  This will help keep your hips from sagging down which will put a lot of pressure on your lower back.
  • once you have stabilized yourself, pull your knees slowly in towards your chest squeezing the abs and then return slowly to the starting position
  • if you find it hard to do this exercise with your hands on the floor, try using a bench to rest your arms on.  This raises you up a bit and can take some of the pressure off your upper body

So there you have the key points to doing the Jackknife effectively.  Add this to your routine and you will be well on your way to a strong and toned core!  If you want an extra challenge and some extra upper body work, try adding a pushup in between each roll in.  You can also do a side roll to target your obliques more but that is a video for another day! 🙂

Stability Ball Pushup

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I have a challenging exercise for you today for the Home Exercise of the Week!  If you’re a fan of pushups, the Stability Ball Pushup will add something new to your routine.  If you don’t like pushups, well then you’re probably thinking wow I didn’t know they could get any worse than they already are!

Whether you like pushups or not, the Stability Ball Pushup is a great exercise that will work your chest, shoulders, and triceps.  Since you are doing this exercise on a ball, you will also be working on your balance, core muscles, and all the little stabilizer muscles to keep you from flying off the ball.

If this is your first time trying the exercise, I recommend placing the ball against a wall which will make it easier to balance.  As you get more comfortable with the exercise you can place the ball freely in the room.  Also, you can start with a modified pushup from your knees if needed until you get stronger.

Some tips when performing the Stability Ball Pushup:

  • grab the ball on the sides and squeeze it as you move down to increase the contraction in your pectoral muscles
  • make sure your hands are in line with your chest throughout the movement
  • keep your ab muscles tight at all times by pulling your belly button in towards your spine
  • a wide foot position will increase your stability and if you feel that’s too easy then bring your feet together to work your core and stabilizers even more (at this point you’re probably thinking “yeah right Craig, let’s start with getting on the ball first!”)
  • at the top of the movement, stop just before your arms are fully extended to keep tension on your pectorals throughout

So there you have the Stability Ball Pushup!  Add this great exercise to your routine and you might impress people so much with your acrobatic feats that you get asked to join the circus!