Medicine Ball Workout

The ever-reliable Women's Health magazine provides this whole-body-workout using a medicine ball. This is a weighted ball that you can purchase easily from a Big W, Kmart, Target or sports store. They range from 1kg through to 6kg in gymnasiums so pick a weight that is challenging, but not so heavy that you can't manage to do the workout safely and correctly.
Any questions? Any comments? Visit the Facebook site and share!

Pick Me Up Yoga

Yoga Pick-Me-Up

I'm not going to give hangover cures or encourage you to work off any indulgences. But I am going to offer you a Boxing Day gift! Well, I'm re-gifting it really, because this is the latest Yoga Workout update from Women's Health magazine.

• Four "Pick-Me-Up" poses
• A 15 minute yoga session video

If you are going to do a resistance and/or cardio workout today and you indulged in the bubbles and goodies yesterday - don't try to do your usual hardcore workout and DRINK WATER throughout your workout, before and after!

High Sobriety

Look, I'm not a fan of New Years Resolutions, because as soon as the party is over and the leftover cake has been eaten for breakfast, you realise you're actually not up for that marathon in February after all. Having said that, it is not New Years YET and so you can set a resolution now and date it to begin pre OR post New Years!
I have just picked up High Sobriety: My year without booze by Sunday Age journalist, Jill Stark. She predominantly wrote on mental health, public health policy and alcohol/drug issues. Despite this being her area of expertise, she regularly wrote herself off binge-drinking over the weekends.

Her book examines Australia's alcohol-loving culture, marketing that encourages drinking as a lifestyle choice and the way marketers are targeting teens with insidious creations such as alcopops.

So as I delve into Jill's world and discover whether she makes it a whole year without booze and what that experience is like, I challenge you to think about what particular habit you have that doesn't match up with your values and the lifestyle you want to be living. What are YOU going to resolve to do differently and for HOW LONG?

Let me know on FB - here you can get your hands on Jill's book (Scribe Publications)

Morning Yoga Moves and Obama Arms!

I don't have time!
Are you guilty of saying this? I hear it all the time. You DO have time for a few yoga stretches in the morning to get you energised and in a good mood to face your day though. Yoga guru Tara Stiles features in this video of how-tos:

Arms to love

Since the hot weather has hit Melbourne, here's another video gem on arms that will make Michelle Obama jealous!
Yoga prescription: Daily. Arm workout: Every second day.

Those Buns Are Lookin' Saucy!

Killer buns

I know, I know. Corny. But if one of your jive-talkin pals said this to you (with an awestruck stare, hopefully), you would be thrilled. Don't deny it.
As well as giving you buns of steel, working your gluteus maximus, medius and minimus assists in

1. improving your posture
2. protecting your pelvis and hips
3. protecting against back pain and improving existing aches
4. burning lots of energy (kilojoules) WHILE you're working them AND afterwards!

Hello summer christmas pool parties without a pair of knee-length shorts! Here are glute bridge variations for the home or the gym.

• Keep your feet in line with your hips
• Brace your abdominals, drawing your navel in and upwards
• Raise the hips, squeezing the glutes until there is a straight line from kneecaps to collarbone
• Think about the back of your neck being long - as if you're holding an orange between chin and chest
• Press through the heels and only try the advanced variations when you have mastered the basics!

Glute bridge

Glute bridge toes up

Glute bridge walking