Find yourself through fitness! Congratulations ladies, on taking the first step to a healthier you. Think of Women’s Health Week as the beginning of a journey where you will not only get healthier, but find balance in your life too. I have developed plans specifically for women, addressing the components of fitness which will make a difference not only in your physique, but in your health and well being as well. There is so much information about fitness that it is sometimes difficult to navigate what is best for you. That is why as a woman, I developed the following balanced plan to meet your specific needs.
I would be remiss not to mention my own fitness success story. In 1997, I weighed 340lbs. Through diet and exercise, I was able to achieve my goal of losing nearly 185lbs. My transformation affected me so much that I became a trainer and instructor so I can help others like you reach their goals. The below basic plan consists of those qualities which help me stay healthy and maintain my weight loss. You should consult with a trainer to progress through various areas of fitness including: cardiovascular training, strength training, as well as a mind/body component of yoga and Pilates. Remember to add in some cardiovascular activity at least 30-40 minutes three times a week in addition to the following plan.
STRENGTH ROUTINE
(You should do two sets of 10-15 reps for each exercise, unless otherwise specified.
Rest 1 minute between sets.)
BACK
Band Lat Pulldown
Hold band overhead with arms straight up. You can adjust hands closer to increase tension. Contract the back and pull the band out while bringing the elbows towards the rib cage. Decrease tension slowly, while raising arms back up and repeat.
BICEP
Band Bicep Curls
Stand on the band and hold handles with palms facing out. Keeping abs in and knees slightly bent, bend arms and bring palms toward shoulders in a bicep curl. Position feet wider for more tension. Return to start and repeat.
SHOULDERS
Band/Upright Row
Step on band securely with both feet. Hold handles in an overhand grip and row upwards, bringing elbows to shoulder height.
LEGS
Ball Squats
Place ball on a wall directly behind mid-lower back. Lean against the ball (slightly) and bend knees, lowering the body until knees are at a 90 degree angle. Push back to starting position.
CHEST
Ball Chest Press
Hold Ball in hands, elbows bent and close to your sides. Squeeze ball, creating compression and press forward, bringing arms straight out, then back to the starting position.
TRICEPS
Band Side Tricep Extension
Hold the band in both hands at shoulder level with right arm bent so that it's in front of the chest, left arm straight out. Keeping the left arm straight to hold tension on the hand, contract the triceps to straighten the right arm. Return to start and repeat before switching sides.
INTRO TO YOGA
Sit/Easy Position - Sukhasana
Sit cross-legged with hands on knees. Focus on your breath. Keep your spine straight and push the sitz bones down into the floor. Allow the knees to gently lower. If the knees rise above your hips, sit on a cushion or block. This will help support your back and hips. Take five to10 slow, deep breaths. On the next inhale, raise your arms over your head. Exhale and bring your arms down slowly. Repeat five to seven times.
Extended Cat – bidalasana, chakravakasana
Start on your hands and knees, with your hands just in front of your shoulders, your legs about hip width apart. As you inhale, tilt the tailbone and pelvis up, and let the spine curve downward, dropping the stomach low, and lift your head up. This move should be done gently. As you exhale, move into cat by reversing the spinal bend, tilting the hips down, drawing the spine up and pulling the chest and stomach in. Repeat several times, flowing smoothly from dog into cat, and cat back into dog. Repeat five to seven times
Mountain - Tadasana
Lift your toes up and fan them open, then push them down into the floor. You should feel all points of your in contact with the floor. Tilt your hips slightly forward and raise your chest up and out, while pushing your shoulders back and down. Be careful not to round your shoulders. Imagine lifting up from the top of your head while creating length in the neck. Stretch your hands towards the floor. Contract the front of your thighs as you push into the floor. Breathe and hold the posture, relaxing the body. As you inhale, imagine the breath coming up through the floor, rising through your legs and torso and up into your head. Reverse the process on the exhale and watch your breath as it passes down from your head, through your chest and stomach, legs and feet. Repeat five to seven times
Forward Bend or Extension - Uttanasana II
Raise the arms overhead. Exhale, bend at the hips, bring the arms forward and down until you touch the floor. It's okay to bend your knees, especially if you're feeling stiff. Either grasp your ankles or just leave your hands on the floor and breathe several times. Repeat three to five times. On your last bend, hold the position for five or 10 breaths. To come out of the pose, curl upward as if pulling yourself up one vertebrae at a time, stacking one on top of another, and leaving the head hanging down until last. Repeat five to seven times
Cobra
Lie down on your stomach. Keep your legs together, arms at your side, close to your body, with your hands by your chest. Inhale slowly raise your head and chest as high as it will go. Keep your abdominal muscles tight to protect your lower back. Keep your head up and chest and heart out. Breathe several times and then come down. Repeat as necessary. When you've gone as high as you can, gently raise yourself up on your arms, stretching the spine even more. You should only go as far as you are comfortable. Your pelvis should always remain on the floor. Breathe several times and come down.
Repeat five to seven times
Corpse Pose - Savasana
Think of this pose as a “reflective reward” for the good you just did your body, mind and soul. This pose serves to relax the brain, body, and breath. Lie on your back, extending you legs out a little wider than hip distance apart, arms relaxed and out to the sides. Focus on your breathing with full inhalations and exhalations. Work to promote natural alignment as you relax into each breath. After a few moments (about three to four minutes) progress out of this pose. Slowly roll over to your right side, knees bent mindfully pushing your body up into a seated position.
Breathing
You first need to establish a mind/body connection through breathing. Start by lying on your back, knees bent, hands wrapped around your ribcage, just underneath your chest. Breathe in through the nose, expanding the ribcage left to right and front to back. Exhale through the mouth, feeling the ribs move closer together and pulling the navel to back to the spine.
Neutral Alignment
Lie flat on your back, legs extended. Place the bottom of your palm on your hip bones, making a triangle with your pointer fingers. Where your pointer fingers meet, think of that as a lower belly button. Again, breathe in deeply through the nose expanding your ribcage and belly. Exhale through the mouth pulling your belly button and “lower belly button” back to the spine. Repeat six to10 times.
Scapular Retraction
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on floor. Make sure your shoulders are not hunched close to your ears. Your head should be a natural extension of your spine. Extend both arms up to the ceiling. Breathe in, reaching both arms towards the ceiling allowing shoulder blades to come off the floor. Breathe out as push the shoulder blades back towards the floor. Repeat six to 10 times.
Bridges
Lie on your back and anchor your palms and shoulder blades into the mat. Bend your knees aligning them with your hips, feet flat on the floor. While maintaining neutral spine, inhale and engage your glutes as you lift up through the heels. Use your glutes and abs together, as you lengthen your tailbone toward the back of your knees. Exhale as you roll back down to the ground, articulating the spine to the mat as your upper back, mid back, low back, and finally tailbone comes back to the mat. Repeat six to10 times.
Opposite Arm/Opposite Leg Lift
Lie on your belly with your arms and legs extended. Maintain neutral spine while keeping hip bones in contact with the floor. Inhale, then exhale while lengthening and lifting right arm and left leg a few inches off the floor. Repeat six to10 times each side.
Cat
Kneel on all fours, hands aligned directly under shoulders, knees aligned under hips. Inhale, then exhale and bring chin towards chest rounding spine. Inhale, then exhale and return back to center.
Rest (A Little Piece of Heaven)
Kneel on all fours, hands aligned directly under shoulders. Exhale and pull your navel in toward your spine. Round your back and shift your weight back onto your heels, keeping your arms extended overhead.
Joanne Sgro is a Television Fitness Expert, Certified Personal Trainer and Sport Nutritionist. She is Certified in Pilates, Pre-natal/Post-Partum, Yoga and Senior Fitness. She specializes in Weight Loss, Post-Rehab and Post Cancer Training. Joanne's fitness plans and recipes are available globally on her website www.fitnessanswer.com. She resides in the Phoenix, AZ area with her fiancé, where she runs her personal training business, Fitness Answer, LLC.