Core Integrity with Cat

Cat and Gemma spending Tuesday lunch at the barre

2012-02-10T23:34:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, the lovely Gemma and I will be trotting into the city (well, taking the train) to try Body Barre at Barre Body in Flinders Lane. Sure, we may not master the art of looking like ballerinas after one class (maybe Gemma will, she's got the hair and poise mastered!) but we're both excited about mixing the principles of pilates, dance and dynamic stretching. I also understand they have a kickass Vinyasa class - I'd love to hear back from any participants!

What is your WHY?

2012-02-08T14:33:00.000-08:00

Turkish get-up

Morning all - I know this is a bit lazy, but I'd like to direct you to a blog post I found inspiring and I think it is always good to question what you do, how you do it, and why you're doing it. Once you can articulate it, you can remind yourself of it when you're tired, when it gets hard, when you have other things to do, etc.
So! Here is strength & conditioning expert Molly Galbraith's blog post.

Tricep Attack!

2012-02-08T00:02:00.000-08:00

This one is for you Meghan! How to deal with tuckshop arms/bingo wings/insert_nasty_flabby_arm_slander_here. There is no way to spot reduce excess weight, sadly.
So, first of all, clean up your diet so that all this tricep work isn't hidden by donuts.
Secondly, grab a mat, some light to moderate hand weights and a chair or bench.

Tricep kickbacks

1. Bend from the hips, supporting one knee on a bench and brace your abs, lengthening through the spine. Try not to hunch!
2. Hold the weight in an "L-shape", with your elbow close to your torso, in line with your shoulder.
3. Raise the weight so that your arm is long and straight, squeeze through the back of the arm, then return to original position.

Tricep dips

1. Sit on the edge of a chair/bench with your hands close to your thighs.
2. Inch forward until you are only supported by your hands, with feet at hip distance ahead of you (further out than your knees)
3. Lower yourself, keeping your back close to the bench, until you are at a 90 degree angle to the ground, then push through the palms of your hands to rise until arms are almost straight
4. Repeat, without sitting back on the chair/bench until you have completed a set.

Overhead extension

1. Hold a dumbell or weight with both hands over head

2. Frame the face with elbows - trying to keep your biceps close to your ears throughout the exercise

3. Lower the weight behind the head (only your forearms are moving!), then raise the weight to starting point

4. Brace through the abdominals for stability

Chaturanga Dandasana

1. Yogis will know this pose from their regular ashtanga class - for the rest of us, it's basically a tricep push up, where you hold at the lowest point before pushing up to start (or through to upward dog)

2. Keep your elbows in close to your body, shoulders away from ears, abs braced, eyes on the ground and heels pushing back
3. Push through the palms to raise back to start position

4. You CAN do this from your knees, the same techniques apply

TRX - get to grips with it

2012-02-05T00:46:00.000-08:00

TRX suspension training options

If your gym doesn't have one yet, it soon will. The TRX is a great way to add challenge to staple moves like push-ups, rows, prone holds, lunges and...well, you name it. Here is a recent article from Fitness First magazine with ideas and a guide to TRX.

Summer Juice : carrot celery cucumber & ginger

2012-02-04T13:27:00.000-08:00

celery carrot cucumber ginger juice

So now that the sun appears to be sticking around in Melbourne, I've dug out the juicer and I'm making lots of mess and noise. Started my morning with juice. Admittedly, followed up with a strong black plunger coffee (hey, girl needs her fuel! There's antioxidants, ok?)

I got a juicer for under $120 at Good Guys about 15 months back and it does the trick quickly without much setting up or dismantling. Wish there were more cafes doing "green" juice options out there - can't hurt to ask your local to consider adding it to the menu!

SUMMER BREAKFAST JUICE

2 x carrots (peeled or unpeeled/beheaded!)
4 x celery sticks (leaves attached/unattached)
2 x green cucumbers (the big ones, NOT continental or lebanese)
chunk of ginger (amount up to you)

Throw it all in the juicer and adjust quantities to suit your taste. More ginger = better I say!

Aerobic Cleaning: The New Zumba?

2012-02-03T23:05:00.000-08:00

There was an article in WSJ recently on aerobic housecleaning (Exercise in Utility: Cleaning House the Aerobic Way for Fun and Profit). Stevie Markovich, 57, incorporates squats, lunges, high-kicks and couch lifting into his regular fitness regime.
So, initially, I thought Good on you, buddy! How resourceful! But then I thought, there are just too many things that can go wrong here. What if you're on your own and you get trapped under the couch while trying to bench press it? What if you are actually really weak through the core and you're only worsening all those vulnerable back issues just waiting to cause you permanent aches, pains and injury? So what I want to know is, how can you avoid gym fees and spandex, and stay fit SAFELY? My vote goes with:

hitting up the library for some fitness dvds (yoga, boxing, salsa dancing!)
going for a jog in the local park and then challenging yourself to a round of chin-ups on the monkey bar and tricep dips on the bench
joining any free local council fitness classes, running groups or postnatal exercise groups
using the skipping rope that is getting dusty behind a pile of old tax returns (guilty)
using your bike to get from A to B when it REALLY isn't worth driving!

Got more? Let's hear them!

Hi!

2012-02-03T14:33:00.000-08:00

Happy Saturday morning all. I figure it's about time I got on this whole blogging/multimedia bandwagon! I hope you'll join me and feel welcome to give me feedback, suggestions and ideas. I'm intending to post all sorts of goodies on pilates, fitness trends and challenges, juice and food recipes and ideas and style/fashion gear too. Stay tuned. xx