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Fitness

My Bridal Blog Post: Health & Fitness

sosueme exercises

Hi guys!

As part of this week’s bridal blog, I decided to focus on fitness and at-home exercises, because I honestly believe exercise is the best way to fight stress and keep your head clear especially when you’re in the midst of a lot of pressure, i.e planning a wedding!

I’m not in an exercise program myself at the moment and I have to say, I really miss it. Back when I exercised regularly, I always found that it cleared my head and completely de-stressed me. Whether it was 20 minutes, half an hour, or an hour, that little slice of time I set each day for exercise was what I called ‘me-time.’ It was a distraction from the pressures of the day because I was always completely focused on the exercises I was doing. It also left me feeling so refreshed and energised.

exercise

It can be hard to drum up the motivation to go exercising after a long day – trust me, I know that feeling only too well! – but the hardest part is the first day or two. Once you establish a routine, you will start to feel the results and before you know it, you will find yourself actually looking forward to your exercise time. Yes, one of the benefits to regular exercise is a healthy toned figure, but the main benefit is the positive effect it will have on your mental health.

As you know, Dylan is as qualified personal trainer so I have asked him for some of the best, most effective exercises brides-to-be can carry out at home.

He has given me five essential home exercises that not only target the main areas women regularly complain about but also give you an intensive workout. (If you want to find out more about why high-intensity exercise is so much more effective for burning fat and toning up, then check out this post Dylan wrote.)

Enjoy Dylans post:

1. Burpees

Burpees are SO beneficial because they work a number of muscles in the body as well as strengthen all the major muscles too. They also help increase your overall metabolic rate so that you burn calories faster. Burpees are quite intense so even performing 10-20 of them consecutively can keep your metabolism going long after your workout.

exercise

To perform a burpee, all you have to do is:

1. Start from a standing position, then lower into a squat position with your hands on the floor in front of you.

2. Kick your feet back so that you are now in the push up position.

3. Kick your feet forward again before returning to the start position.

4. Finish with a jump with your hands reaching over your head.

2. Squat

If you want toned legs and bum, there is only one way – squats!

Squats target a lot of different muscles, such as your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves, so even though you will find them quite tough at first, the main thing to remember is that your hard work will pay off.

To carry out a squat, all you have to do is:

1. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Sit back as if you’re sitting into an imaginary chair.

3. Ensure you keep your chest pushed out and heels on the floor throughout the movement.

4. Once your hips are as low as your knees, stand back up into your starting position.

5. You can use a pause at the bottom of the exercise, or even a jump at the end, to make it harder.

squat joke

3. Mountain Climbers

Like burpees, mountain climbers are also considered high-intensity, but this makes them a wonderful exercise for burning fat. Dylan says mountain climbers are a great exercise for shedding any unwanted body fat, but it’s vital that you learn how to correctly carry them out first.

To carry out a mountain climber, all you have to do is:

1. Get into the plank position. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders and shoulder-width apart. Your feet should be hip width apart, and keep your arms and legs straight. Keep your core tight and your back should be in a nice straight line with no arch.

2. Once you feel stable and in a nice athletic position, bring your right knee under your abdominal muscles and then return it to the plank position. Repeat this with your left side.exercise

3. As you get more comfortable with the exercise, speed it up. Aim to do 20 on each leg when starting off.

4. Lunge

There’s many variations of lunges, including walking lunges, stationary lunges, and reverse lunges, so if you feel the need to challenge yourself, you can always switch things up a bit. You can even add in weights if you wish! Lunges are perfect for hitting the quads, glutes, and hamstrings, and will also call your abs into play to help you maintain balance.

To carry out a lunge, all you have to do is:

Dumbbell-Lunge

1. Place hands on your hips, standing tall with your chest out.

2. Take a big step forward with one leg.

3. Lower your hips until your back knee is almost touching the floor.

4. Push through your front leg, and return to starting position.

5. Repeat on opposite leg.

5. Plank

Planks are a great starting point for people who are new to exercise but don’t be fooled by their simplicity. They may look easy but they are hugely beneficial as they work a lot of muscles!Plank-exercise

Just make sure you pay close attention to the directions so that your plank technique is 100% correct.

To carry out a plank, all you have to do is:

1. Starting with the push-up position is the easiest way to get into the plank.

2. Lower both your forearms to the ground so that both your elbows and fists are flat to the ground. Your palms should be balled up, and directly underneath your shoulders.

3. Curl your toes under and engage your abs by tilting your pelvis and pulling your belly button toward your spine.

4. Straighten your body but keep your neck and spine neutral. Imagine that you’re a plank of wood, and that you’re as straight as an arrow.

5. Flex your abdominals and squeeze your glutes. These are the two major muscle groups you’ll be working out in this exercise.

6. Hold this position, also known as the plank, until after the burning begins. Keep your eyes on the floor in front of you. Avoid raising your behind. Your body should make a straight line from your heels to the back of your head.

If you prefer to work towards a particular time, then try to hold a plank for the length of your favourite song!

 

fitness-pic

The routine 

Use the above five exercises as a circuit style workout. This means you will go from one exercise straight in to the next one until you have all five done. Once you have completed the five, take a one minute break to re-hydrate and concentrate on your breathing, before then repeating the lot. Aim to do the routine five times.

1. Burpees (x 10)

2. Squats (x 20)

3. Mountain climbers (x 20 each leg)

4. Lunges (x 20 each leg)

5. Plank (hold for 30 seconds)

Aim to carry out the program of exercises at least 4-5 times a week, and before you know it, you will be surprising yourself with the results.

This routine is tough, but that’s why it will give you results. The good news is the more you carry out this program, the more your body becomes more accustomed to it, and as such, it won’t knock as much breath out of you as it did in the beginning.

The most important thing to remember is that this is just a guide. Fitness levels can vary greatly from one individual to the next, so adjust the exercises to suit your own capabilities, and then work your way up. For instance, some people will be able to do less reps and time than others, so just establish what you are capable of at first, and then aim to get a little bit better each day.

There you go brides-to-be, a guide to get you started! 

Pic credit: Pinterest
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