Get Your Body Healthy

Reach a plateau in your weight loss efforts? It is time to turbo-charge your workouts. Tom Holland, M.S., an exercise physiologist in Darien, Connecticut suggests overloading your muscles to keep them guessing. During this change, work every muscle three or four days in a row. Perform each set with little rest in between.

Execute 8-12 reps of each exercise. Repeat the routine three times. You can rest for two minutes at the end of each circuit. Choose dumbbells that will fatigue your muscle by the 10th or 12th rep. This fast-paced circuit will get rid of your plateau in no time.

Pushups – Lower yourself to your hands and knees. Hands flat on the ground shoulder-width apart, with fingers facing forward or slightly turned in. Straighten arms and legs and tighten abs. Slowly lower body toward the ground elbows flared out slightly. Press up until arms are fully extended. During the entire exercise, keep head aligned with spine. Do not allow lower back to sag or bend from the waist.

Forward Lunges – Hands on your sides, stand with feet together. Step forward with right leg into a lunge. Focus on dropping hips toward the ground rather than driving hips forward. With back straight, lower body to a comfortable position, until front thigh is parallel to the ground. Firmly push off with your front leg to return to start. Switch legs and repeat. 8 to 12 repetitions per leg.

Chest Press on a Swiss ball — Sit on a Swiss ball. Grab a pair of dumbbells on each hand. Walk feet forward until head and shoulders rest on the ball. Keep feet flat on the floor, knees bent 90 degrees. Squeeze glutes and abs tightly throughout the set to stabilize the body. Palms facing forward, bring dumbbells around chest level. Push weights up over chest, and lower to start position.

Squats – Stand with feet shoulder-width apart toes facing forward or slightly out. Hold a pair of heavy dumbbells on each hand. Arms hang straight down. Sink hips toward the ground rather than pushing hips forward and bend knees until thighs are parallel to the floor. Back should be straight at roughly 45 degrees from hips. Eyes looking straight ahead. Extend legs and straighten up to standing position.

Upright rows — Position left knee and left hand on a workout bench or a large chair so that back is parallel to the floor. Keep head aligned with your spine. With right hand, lift the dumbbell straight up to torso level, keeping the elbow in and pointing it slightly towards the ceiling. Feel the back muscle contract. Hold for 1 second and slowly lower the weight to a dead hanging position. Repeat, then switch to the other arm after 8-12 reps.

Crunches on Swiss Ball — Sit on a ball. Walk feet forward until the curve of your back rests on the ball. Place your hands on your chest. Tighten abs as you exhale and gradually raise head and shoulders towards the ceiling. Lower shoulders and repeat. Do 15-20 reps.

Lunges with curls and shoulder press – Hold a pair of dumbbells on each hand palms facing forward. Step forward with your right leg into a lunge. See instructions above on proper lunges. Keep elbows to your sides while you curl the dumbbells to your chest as you dip. As you rise, turn wrists so that palms face forward, push the dumbbells overhead and return to the standing position. Bring feet together and lower arms. Repeat, stepping with left foot forward. 8-12 repetitions per leg.

Combine any of the following to pep up your circuit:

1) Directly after each set, add plyometric drills that work the same muscle groups. For example, after a set of squats, execute 10 squat jumps. Start in the squat position then jump up while you extend your arms overhead. Land carefully with your knees bent and arms swinging behind you.

2) Add 30 seconds of intense cardio, such as jumping rope or high knee lifts between sets of the weighted exercises above. This burns a higher percentage of calories from fat. Go for at least a minute if you do less intense cardio, such as jogging in place.

Grace Soong, owner of Xtreme Health and Fitness Center & a certified personal trainer in Rochester. She has over 3 years experience in Rochester weight loss programs

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