The first race of the year!

So if you have been following this blog for a while, you know I like to run, and I like races because they push you to do better than you usually would. Springtime is a blessing for me because it means the start of running season!

 

This past Sunday, I ran a 4-miler, and it felt really good. Maybe it is the feeling that the weather is getting better and outdoor running will become the norm in my life again. Or maybe sunlight just gives me joy. But I felt very happy.

I finished in about 31 minutes, beating my previous time on this particular route. Of course, I didn't win a medal of anything (there were professional runners that finished in like 20 minutes), but I'm really proud of myself.

My next race will be in a couple of weeks, and I can't wait!

Have you started running outside in this beautiful weather?

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Crunch-Free Ab Exercises

I don't know about you, but I pretty much hate laying there doing repetitive movement trying to get to a 100, and creating tension in my neck in the process. Don't get me wrong, crunches work if they are done as part of an overall training routine. But doing crunches every day can get boring. Thankfully, the cruch is not the only way to work your abs. So let's try some other movements.

Knee Lift Twist

Lift your knees like you're running with just high knees. Each step should see your knee coming up to your waist-level. As you lift each knee, don't lean back. Use your core to lift each knee up so it's like you are doing a crunch in the standing position. As you lift your knees, put your wrists in front of your chin and rotate your waist to the same side as the knees you are lifting. This means your elbows should be almost touching our knees.

Oblique Twist with a Reverse Hook 

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Squeeze your wrists and fingers like you're ready to punch. Leave the left arm beside you, but move the right arm in front of your chest and parallel to the floor. At the same time, move your upper body to the left using just your waist. Punch out straight with the side of your right wrist. As you are punching, move your upper body to the right side. Switch hands and repeat on the left. See the photo below for guidance. You should definitely feel this in your obliques (the sides of your abs).

Scorpion plank 

Get into a plank position. And then bring your right knee towards your left elbow. Repeat the same motion with your left.

Pulsing plank 

Start in a plank position. Then simply start to pulse your pelvic region (small pulses), while you keep your abs tight. You'll notice how much more of a core workout you get from this.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Photo credit: Exercise.com, Shapemag.co.za

The Battle of the Elliptical vs. the Treadmill

The question always comes up: Which form of cardio is the best? The two forms of cardio that have people riled up the most are the elliptical and the treadmill. They are probably the two most common cardio machines you would find in any gym, and they are thought to be somewhat similar in the type of motion required.

Because everyone is different, what exercise works for each person is also different. So it is key to understand what is most important to you as you determine what works. Here are a few key differences between the elliptical and the treadmill to help you decide:

Calories burned

Well, I had to start with this one! When we talk about cardio, we are usually looking for what burns the most calories in the least time, and with the least effort! Ummm... you're seeing things. I did not say that last part. 

Okay, so how does the elliptical compare to the treadmill? Of course it depends on your weight and your speed. But on average, a 150 pound person usually burns about 600 to 700 calories on the treadmill if they run for about an hour. The elliptical is also about 600 to 700 calories an hour, unless you're pushing harder and putting in more effort one way or the other. 

Effort required

Which leads to the next point. How much effort is required to burn the same number of calories on the treadmill vs. the elliptical? It looks like the elliptical takes this one. Again, unless you are pushing harder, the elliptical usually requires less effort than the treadmill to go at the same speed. Why? With the treadmill, you are lifting and dropping your whole body and so it feels harder. With the elliptical, you are pushing and pulling rather than lifting and dropping.

Impact on your joints

If you lift and drop any object consistently, there is bound to be some damage. Your body operates in the same manner. Whenever you drop your legs as you run, you put a lot of impact on your knees and ankles. And so the surface on which you run is pretty important. Treadmills and race tracks were created with materials to minimize the impact on your joints. However, there is still some impact. The elliptical on the other hand does not involve lifting and dropping and so the impact to your joints is very minimal.

Flexibility of the exercise

If you were raised by humans, you probably know how to run. It is naturally built into our genes. Thus, perfecting your run, and introducing different types of training to your runs would be more natural than trying to figure out how to mix up your training on the elliptical. On the treadmill, you can do interval training (speeding up for a short interval, and slowing down for a short interval) to burn more calories, or do power exercises like side shuffles. The treadmill is a more flexible machine if you get bored easily.

Volume of muscles reached

Running is a great overall body workout. It is difficult to compare it to anything else. If you look at any runner, their leg muscles and core muscles are usually toned. However, with the elliptical (depending on the type of elliptical), because you are using your arms as well, you end up building both your upper and lower body muscles. Can someone say "Hello upper back"? Plus, the elliptical allows you to do reverse spins, or squat as you push, which means you'd be working different muscle groups that you wouldn't ordinarily reach in a forward upright motion.

Endorphin rush

Maybe this is just me, but when I finish time on the treadmill, I feel an amazing endorphin rush that I don't get from the elliptical. That is not to say I don't get an endorphin rush from the elliptical. I do, but it's not comparable. Could it be because I sweat more? Maybe. Or because it feels like more of an accomplishment? Maybe. It may be a different feeling for you.

Given all of that, I would still pick the treadmill over the elliptical. However, there are tremendous benefits of choosing the elliptical over the treadmill, especially if you are older, have been injured before, or if you are concerned about your joints.

Which would you choose?

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Photo credit: Treadmilltips.com, ThatsFit.com

 

Jumping Jacks: Eights & Weights Video

There are very many types of cardio: running, swimming, aerobics, etc. But if you're not the kind to throw on earphones and take off for a half hour, you could put together some cardio moves and still break a sweat. One of these types of moves is the jumping jack.

All you need to do is continuously jump while opening your legs and raising your arms, and closing your legs and dropping your arms. Sound confusing? Watch my video below to see a full illustration. If you're not breathing hard after a few minutes, you're not done :)

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Pole Dancing: Yes, I Did It!

Pole dancing has been gaining popularity in the media lately as a form of exercise because a lot of celebrities are beginning to be interested, and a lot of women are beginning to see it as empowering. As you are aware, it has been pretty much associated with strip clubs in the past, and so it is still sort of a "taboo" topic in some circles. But pole dancing is more than just shaking your bum and grinding in a man's lap.

In fact, in places like China and India, they have different forms of pole dancing that is predominantly performed by men, and is a very intense sport. In many other countries, including the US and the UK, pole dancing was a competitive sport before it became the thing you did in strip joints. However, most pole dancing fitness classes offered to women incorporate a lot of the sexy bit as well.

Why did I give you a little of that history? To lead into my next point. Pole dancing is not easy. You require a ton of upper body strength, flexibility, and the ability to endure pain. Why the last bit? Because you need that to use various parts of your body to grip the pole.

Usually, you start by learning basic little teasing moves, and then it gets a little harder as you learn strength moves, and how to grip the pole to hold yourself steady. At my first class, for a beginner like me, it was a little confusing to focus a lot on strength moves before the class started, mostly because I didn't know how much upper body work was required. But I followed on anyway, secretly wondering if we were going to ever touch the pole.

And then the instructor showed us the first spin. My mind was blown at something so basic. How was I supposed to spin around the pole without my legs touching the floor? This was the first class, no? But after trying and trying, I realized that just like any exercise, the bulk of the process is getting comfortable doing it. So after a few tries, I did the basic spin well.

Spinning!

We did a few other kinds of spins as she showed us how to place our hands and feet to make it easier, and not to hurt ourselves. By the end of my first class, I thought I was getting the hang of it, and my arms and core were starting to feel the burn, until the instructor said "Okay, it's time to climb the pole". Huh? I thought I was in a beginner class? I seriously did not believe there was any way I was climbing a slippery pole without falling on my butt. But I was determined to give it a shot. 

So I lifted my right knee so that my foot was on one side of the pole, and my knee was on the other (pressing my shin against the pole and grabbing it with the upper part of my foot). And then as the instructor said, I jumped up and put my other leg on the front of the pole so that I was cross-legged and the pole was now between my knees and ankles. And then I gripped the pole with both hands. And then she said to climb up the pole like a caterpillar. So basically, you grip with your knees and slither up one step at a time. And yes, I did it! That was probably my proudest moment in her class :)

Oh, but that wasn't all. Once we were up, we had to figure out how to stay up and then slide down sexily. We had to grab the pole between our inner thighs and just sit there that way. It may sound easy, but this is probably the part of all the classes I've taken that hurts the most. Gripping on to a steel pole with your inner thighs is not easy at all. Imagine the friction!

I'm smiling but it hurts!

I must admit, the funnest part of class is the humor of the pole dancing instructors. They are a lot of fun. I couldn't believe it when my instructor was training us to the "My Neck, My Back" song. A couple of us couldn't stop laughing. And then when they do some poses and you see how flexible they are, you come back down to planet earth.

Pole dancing has been a great experience and I will definitely be doing more. If you haven't tried it, you should. It is a good strength workout. You may not sweat too much because there is not too much cardio involved, but you build a lot of upper body strength, core strength, leg strength, and endurance. There are several classes being offered in different cities now so use Google, Groupon, Living Social, or one of those sites, and you'd be sure to find one near you.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Photos by Oby Enyia

Cycle Your Bum Away

Yesterday, my friends and I decided to cycle around lower Manhattan, across the Brooklyn Bridge, and around Prospect Park in Brooklyn. It was an awesome experience. The funniest part of the trip was right after our break. We stopped at a little Mexican spot close to the Brooklyn Bridge on our way back for some drinks and some dinner, and then got back on our bikes. None of us expected the burn our thighs were feeling after we had sat down for a bit. I mean, what did we expect after 3 hours of cycling?

Like running, or any other cardio exercise, you get a full body workout and burn tons of calories by pushing your body in a repetitive motion. Beyond burning calories though, cycling helps strengthen the muscles in your legs and butt because you're constantly pushing on the pedals to propel your bike forward, especially if your going uphill. 

Beyond just your bum, your legs and thighs also get a great workout. Your quads tone up from the forward leg motion, your hamstrings tone up from the backward leg motion, and your abs tone up from constantly keeping yourself upright on the bike. To get an even better workout, make sure your heels lower towards the ground on whatever foot is lower. That way, you work your calves as well.

Granted, cycling at a steady pace does not burn as many calories as running at a steady pace, which is why it is important to include hills in your route. The hills also help build muscle strength and stamina. And you need that stamina to push yourself as you climb up that hill.

If you're looking for a cardiovascular exercise, and running just isn't for you, look into cycling. The great thing about it is that you could buy a bike and cycle everywhere. If you live in a cosmopolitan city, chances are that your city has good bicycle routes and lanes to make it easier for cyclists. Take advantage and burn your way to your summer weight. I woke up today with post-workout burn in my thighs and butt, but it was totally worth it.

Cycle your cities and share photos with us.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Donkey Kicks - Eights & Weights Video

You have not worked out your full body in the summer if you have not got your bum in order. And how do we help you do that? Make some bum toning videos!

The video below is the donkey kick. What does it involve, kick your legs like a donkey :) The form is pretty basic:

Kneel with your knees under your hips and your palms directly under your shoulders. Pick up one foot and kick back, using your butt to lift your leg straight backward. Keep your lower back straight (Tighten your abs to help you do this). As you extend your leg, also tighten your thigh muscles like you are trying to draw them close together. That works your inner thighs as well.

Try it at home and let us know what you think. See the video below for better detail:

Please note that you can put our videos together for a quick workout. So far, we've seen the pushup, the side plank with a twist, the squat, sit-ups, the roundhouse kick, the lunge, and the mountain climber. You can check out all our videos here: http://www.youtube.com/user/EightsandWeights. Your feedback is much appreciated.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Pulsing & Crunching Abs Workout

So you know the basics: the crunches, the v-sits, the sit-ups, planks, etc. An additional way to work on your abs is while you are doing other tasks like sitting at your computer or driving in your car. You can do a little pulsing motion, tightening and releasing your abs as you breathe in and out.

I figured that you'd probably have times when you literally have a couple of minutes, and just want to get something in. You can combine the two things I mentioned above (the abs exercises with the pulses) to get a quickie. I found the video below on Youtube that combined the two. Use it for your quick abs exercises. We will be releasing some more Eights & Weights videos soon.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Exercise and the Importance of Proper Form

Sometimes, it seems like fitness professionals are always yelling about keeping your core tight, your shoulders down, and your knees behind your toes when you do exercises. It's not just because we like yelling (I know you thoroughly doubt this statement but just go with it), but because your posture is very very very important to your exercise routine.

Why? Because posture could be the difference between hurting yourself or not getting the most out of your exercise, and staying fit. What are the most common form flaws?

Shoulders up: When we run, do yoga, or do other exercises that require an upright position, many people tend to spend their energy unconsciously lifting their shoulder to their ears. If could be because most of us are now used to slouching over computers or because we feel it reduces pressure on other muscles, but it really makes us use less of our energy in the right place because we are busy using it in the wrong place. Think about it. The next time you exercise, just roll your shoulders back and out and your chest out, and feel the difference. We don't even realize we are doing it.

Core tight: To keep your body upright, you need great core muscles. A lot of men do exercises with a slouch, and a lot of women do exercises with our butts out, both putting pressure on the lower back. To maximize your output, always keep your core tight. It helps build those great abs too!

Knees in front of toes: Now, it is important to be really really careful about this one.A lot of folks bounce up and down in their squat without paying attention to where their knees are. If your knees go beyond your toes, you are putting a lot of pressure on those knees, and not working your bum enough. And that's supposed to be the point, right?

Landing hard on the heels: When you run or do plyomteric exercises that require a lot of jumping, it is easy to just let your feet fall on the ground with each step. But it is important to make sure you land on the balls of your feet, and not on the heels or the sides. Landing badly can hurt your ankles in the long run. In the short term, it reduces the impact to the right places (like your legs), and puts all the impact on the places you don't really want to be working hard (like your ankles and knees). Additionally, about a third of runners get hurt at least once in their lives, so it is important to be careful so you don't become one of that third.

Overstretching the knee: Have you heard your yoga instructor say "Don't lock in your knees"? What they mean is that you should always keep an internal softness around your joints. Don't jerk into positions because rather than give your muscles a workout, you are giving your joints a workout. Muscles need that contraction and relaxation motion to get the maximum effect, but it you are over-jerking, you are not allowing them get that motion, and you could potentially hurt your joints.

There are many other form mistakes people make, but these are the biggest ones I've seen. Stay safe folks! If you aren't doing it right, you're probably not getting the most out of it.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Photo credit: Ratemyarms.com

5 Low Calorie Cocktails

Fact: Most people like alcohol. Even if you don't, you probably have a few drinks when you are in a social setting. With food, it is a little easier to gauge your calories because we have been taught that certain things are healthy and others are not. However, with alcohol, it is a little more difficult.

Cocktails can be particularly difficult because it all depends on what the bartender or mixologist decides to put in the drink. And most cocktails contain some form of syrup and a lot of alcohol. Syrups are predominately sugar-based, and of course, the more alcohol anything contains, the more calories it contains as well. 

To make sure you are staying within your caloric goals, the best way to approach this is to be prepared before you head to the bar. That means you should already know what drinks work for you. Let's look at 5 cocktails today that contain fewer calories that many of the others.

Infused vodka: A shot of 80 proof vodka (1.5 fluid ounces) contains about 100 calories. Yes, that's similar to a glass of wine. It is this way because the alcohol content in vodka is much more. And the more the alcohol, the greater the calories. However, vodka is drunk in less quantity than wine. Now, think about the vodka cocktails. They not only add in vodka, but they also add in some flavored syrup which can multiply the calories quickly. One way of minimizing the calories is to just get infused vodka. You could make your at home with all sorts of fruits or peppers, or you could ask for some at bars. Some companies like Absolut do make vodka infused with peppers, with lemon, etc. The infusion itself usually does not add many calories to the drink so you could remain in the 100 calorie region.

Rocket's Red Glare: This drink is made of 1 oz of TY KU Soju and 1 oz of 100% cranberry juice. Soju is an Asian distilled spirit that is smoother and lower in calories than vodka. Granted, you may not find it in every bar you go, but if you do find it, it is a great option. Soju itself only contains about 60 calories in a shot, and when you mix it with the cranberry, it comes to about 95 calories. Not bad huh?

Sake Sunrise: In Japanese restaurants, they usually serve a whole jar of sake. However, to make it into a cocktail, you really only need about 1.5 oz. That contains about 80 calories. To make the sake sunrise, mix the sake with about 2 oz orange juice for a total of about 105 calories.

Gin and Tonic: You can't go wrong with the old G&T. A regular-sized gin and tonic is about 4 oz (1 oz gin and 3 oz tonic) totaling about 105 calories. Who doesn't love that?

Champagne cocktails: Mostly, a 4 oz serving of champagne only contains about 90 calories. This means you can serve your champagne with a whole host of fruits in it and still say around the 100 calorie mark. Flavor it like you would do a sangria (chop up some fruits in it), or just put in a dash of 100% juice (and I mean a dash), or set some olives or cherries at the bottom of your glass.

I hope that helps as you go to summer parties! We don't want you wondering why your waistline is expanding though you've been eating the right things :)

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Photo credit: Sandiegomagazine.com

Proper Squat Form - Eights & Weights Video

I got a chance to make a video for my favorite exercise! Today, we're looking at the proper form for a squat. As you know, this exercise works out your bum, thighs, and even your core if done right. Here are a few points to note with the squat:

• Keep your knees behind your toes. If your knees are going beyond your toes, you're not working your bum as hard and you could hurt your joints.
• Keep your upper body as upright as possible with your shoulders down and core tight. You get a core workout if you do that as well.
• For balance, you can straighten your hands out as you lower in to the squat. Otherwise, keep your arms beside you.
• Squeeze your bum as you lower down and as you come up. You get an even better workout that way.

So I've told you how to do it, and now I'll show you how to do it. I put together the video below. Watch and enjoy.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Proper Pushup Form - Eights & Weights Video

Another day, another video :) I promised I would make a few more videos showing the proper form for popular exercises because the last few ones I did got a lot of positive feedback.

Today, it's the dreaded pushup. Most people that start a fitness regimen don't start being able to do multiple pushups, and definitely don't start being able to do it absolutely right. But the pushup is one of the best exercises out there because it works so many muscle groups (they call these types of exercises "Compound exercises") - the arms, shoulders, upper back, and core. Not only does it work many muscle groups, it also helps you to gauge how far you've come from when you started working out.

So here are some key tips:

• Lower yourself as close to the ground as possible without compromising your form. Even if you don't get too far down, you are still working out.

• Use your abs to hold your body up for a core workout.

• Do not sag your butt down or raise your butt up. Try to keep your body straight.

There you have it! And a video to help you out! I would love your feedback on the videos so I can give you more tips that help you. I know the quality of the one below is not that great, but we'll continue to work on that. While you are checking the video out, check out our other exercise videos on our Eights and Weights Youtube channel.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Can you Make Vegetables Unhealthy?

People always say to me "But I eat my greens and I'm not losing weight!". But the way we eat our vegetables has just as much to do with the fact that we eat vegetables. In fact, when a lot of our mothers said eat your greens, they weren't necessarily eating them the right way either.

Deep fry errthang?

(That was my attempt at a southern slur) So if you've ever been to a street fair where they served fried Oreos and fried butter (I prefer not to think about it), you know that you can technically cover anything in batter and fry it. Indians can also testify that because a cauliflower is supposed to be good for you, a lot of people think if you fry it and make it into a fritter, it is still good for you. No no no. Fried foods are full of oil and whatever processed batter you used as a coating, which can add hundreds of calories to a simple piece of broccoli. Plus, you kill the great nutrients that the vegetable initially had. Vegetables are best uncooked or as close to uncooked as possible.

Butter is healthy, right?

Uhhhhhhh... I think you know the answer to this one. If deep frying is bad, butter is probably not the best additive for your veggies as well. This means you might have to find a new way to cook those Brussels sprouts if you are trying to stay healthy. Although Paula Dean begs to differ, there are other ways to make your veggies tasty without adding tons of calories from butter.

Where are the greens? 

So you started with green beans, added some ham to "give it some flavor", added some potatoes and curry to give it color, and before you know what, the veggies are overcooked and lost in the whole dish. Try to make your vegetable a side dish on its own, or make it the center of the meal. Hiding it or pushing it to the background usually leads to overcooking, less veggies, and more everything else.

Can I dunk it in cheese?

Ever bought one of those party trays for a football game at your friend's house in an attempt to be the healthy one? And then you opened the pack and realized that the blue cheese dip that came with it was just screaming your name? Or have you ever bought a salad, thought you were being so good, and then when they asked what dressing you wanted, you picked the creamiest thing on the menu? Yes, that's how they get us :( Kudos for trying to eat your veggies raw, but sometimes, the dressing we choose could nullify our efforts. Skip the cheese and go for the vinaigrette or just a dash - and I do mean a dash - of olive oil.

Oh, that's not a veggie?

No, corn is not a veggie. Neither are potatoes nor plantains. Some things are usually served as side dishes and we begin to assume they fall into the vegetable food group, but they don't. Look for leafy foods, sprouts, flowers, peppers, that sort of thing. And when in doubt, Google is your friend :)

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Photo credit: Thekitchn.com

Eights & Weights Challenge: Squat Jump Tucks

It is summer, and we do like to work hard and fast to get our bodies in shape. So I thought I should challenge you to try another difficult exercise this week: The Squat Jump Tuck.

If you have knee troubles, you should respect your injury and probably not try these. If you don't, give it a shot and see how many you can do. This exercise is both cardio and strength working your butt, abs, thighs, and your legs. It works your abs because you are using your abs to lift your legs, not your upper body.

Alright, here it is. Images speak louder than words.

1. Start in a squat

2. Jump  with the power coming from your abs. As you jump, lift your legs up in the air keeping your upper body up, and tap your knees to your open palms. So it is like you're raising your lower body to meet your upper body.

3. Jump back down into a squat and repeat.

I can't get over the second image. I look like I'm literally on the wall behind me :) Let me know how it goes. 

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Train Like an Olympian: Running

So we talked about swimmers, but you know that the Olympics would never be complete without the runners (Or is that the voice in my head trying to make me feel good?). Runners are usually fit, both mentally and physically, because it takes a great deal of "Yes, I can" to achieve running goals. I mean, of course most people don't start by being able to complete 26 miles or being able to do in in 2 and a half hours (sick!).

The difference between training as a runner versus a lot of other sports is that different distances require different types of training. A short distance sprinter has very different goals than a long distance runner. Short distance races tend to be less about the distance because most people, apart from folks with physical limitations, can run short distances. So the goal is more centered around building enough strength to propel yourself forward faster than your competition.

With long distance runners, the first goal is the ability to cover the desired distance, and then once that is achieved, speed comes into play. but there is no use thinking of how fast if you haven't built the endurance to run for a few hours straight. 

However, every individual runner is also different. Some runners have found it works best to push hard for a couple of days back to back and then take a couple of days off. Other runners switch between running intensely one day and taking it easy the next. Whichever way you choose, it is still a climb and runners must set short term and long term goals. For example, if you want to run 10 miles in 4 months, that is your long term goal. Your short term goal to get there may be the weekly distance increases. 

Runners still have to build strength though, especially in their legs. And so running in itself is not all runners do. Strength training also helps to reduce some of the impact of running on the joints (knees and ankles), and strengthen the lower back to keep the posture and reduce the energy wasted in holding the body up. Exercises like squats, deadlifts, and lunges for your legs, and of course the superman for your lower back are really popular among runners.

Olympic runner Allyson Felix adds that besides training, some of the following are important:

Music: Yay! Someone agrees with me. Music is pretty important to keep you motivated because it affects our emotions more than we think.

Comfort: You are performing a repetitive motion and so it is easy to lose focus. If you are not physically comfortable, you start thinking about what you are wearing, how your contacts are getting dry, etc.

Let me also add that your diet is very important with any sport. First off, you need to stay hydrated as you run because you lose a lot of water. However, because you sweat a lot (especially for long distance runners), it is important to keep your iron levels stable. This means getting in a lot of green vegetables and beans. Carbs are also more important for runners than protein to keep your energy levels high. Slow-releasing energy can be gotten from whole grain carbs. Lastly, you do need some protein as well to repair your muscles after you consistently break them down, and I would suggest getting this protein from beans and lean beef (kill two birds with one stone with the protein and iron).

I love talking about running as you can tell, so if you have any questions, let me know and I'd be sure to answer :)

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Photo credit: Voanews.com

Plyometrics: Ski Jumps

So maybe it's the Insanity workout I've been doing, but I suddenly realized ski jumps are hard! In natural fashion, when I find a difficult exercise, I like to share with you guys :)

We have talked about some plyometric exercises in the past, and the basis behind this type of workout. Basically, the concept is to do cardio, but do it with power so you're both burning fat and building muscle. The ski jump is one of these types of exercises. It is really good for your butt, your legs, and even your abs because you use them to keep yourself up. 

So how does it work? If you've ever seen someone ski, it is that simple. You keep your upper body straight and your knees together as you squat and then jump from side to side. So stand, jump to the left into a squat, stand, and then jump to the right into a squat. As you squat, your arms should be swinging back like you're holding ski rods. Keep your abs tight and spring from your heels, not your upper body.

To make sure you are getting enough power as you jump from side to side, you may put an item in-between like in the picture above. It makes you work harder when you have something to focus on. That isn't a real ski jump, but I wanted to demonstrate the towel that she jumps over.

Was that confusing? I figured so I got you a video :) Watch and enjoy, incorporate into your workouts to build that beautiful bum, and then let me know how it goes.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Photo credit: kcapture.wordpress.com

Fitness Gadget Review: The Body by Jake 'The Solution'

Are you totally into whatever the new fitness gadget fad is? Do you watch infomercials on the weekends and swear you would be able to get your body into the shape of the guy in the ad if only you had that tool he was advertising? Well, you'd like the new Eights & Weights segment: Fitness Gadget Review.

How did this come about? Well, I was sitting in the gym and looking at this 'The Solution' gadget, and I thought "The Eights and Weights readers would love to know if this is worth it." So here we are.

Okay, so maybe you don't even know what The Solution is. Like many of its counterparts out there, its makers claim it shreds fat and builds ab muscles because you are doing more than just the regular crunch. They even put Mario Lopez (in all his ab glory) in the infomercial. Watch it below if you haven't seen it:

The basis is that if you are moving your upper and lower body towards your abs you must be doing something terrific to give you rock hard abs and lose the flab.

So I'm guessing you already know where I stand on this. No one ab machine is going to give you abs; the same way that no number of crunches will give you abs unless it is part of a whole workout and nutrition program. Cardio burns fat, and strength training tones muscles, and while there are exercises that can incorporate both (like plyometrics), The Solution isn't it. It will help build those ab muscles, and you will feel it in your belly area when you are done, but the repetitive motion of squeezing your knees and torso inward does not seem to be more than doing a jack knife or v-sit on the floor. It will not get rid of the flab covering the muscle.

Hopefully, that didn't burst your bubble. But I feel that we get caught up in targeting losing fat in one area, which the body does not allow, rather than work on the whole body. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with this gadget, but it does not seem to be more functional or work better than doing different kinds of ab exercises. And of course, it is definitely not the 'be all and end all' of you getting great abs.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

10 Minute Workout: Arms

To round up the 10 minute workout series, today we'll focus on arms. The arm muscles are pretty hard to tone, and as you grow older, people start to talk of the 'arm jiggle'. I found this video from the Mel B workout DVD. It is great because it does not require weights; you can use basic items around you. She uses bottles of water. Plus, you can see her sweat as she exercises. I get pretty bothered with workout DVDs where the instructors do not sweat and do not breathe hard. It feels like they are pulling one on me.

Anyway, enjoy this arm workout video. Try it, and let me know what you think!

Cheers Eights & Weights!  

10 Minute Workout: Buns and Thighs

Interested in those short shorts or just want strong legs and a tush you could bounce a quarter off of? Well, you'll like today's workout. Continuing with our 10-minute series, this workout is quick and effective. Don't be fooled by the short period of time; you will feel your buns afterwards. 

Exercise TV does have videos available for free in some hotels as well, so if you are ever travelling and don't have a gym nearby, check your TV.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

10 Minute Fat Blaster

In the spirit of the quick summer workouts, I thought I'd share this 10 minute fat blasting workout I found today. Well, I didn't find it; it was actually recommended by an Eights & Weights reader (Thanks Etoile!). I watched it, and loved it, and I'm definitely going to be trying it out. You can too :)

The routine is from PopSugar TV and though it may not look too hard initially, it is constant motion, and I am sure it is pretty difficult. Let me know what you think.

Cheers Eights & Weights!