Thursday, August 8, 2019
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
3 Ab Exercises You’re Not Doing, But Should Be
These calorie-burning moves need to be part of your core routine.
After a sculpted stomach, but having trouble making progress? Too often, we work our core in one direction (think: crunches, sit-ups, leg raises). But the ab moves below challenge the muscles in new ways, says Ashley Borden, a celebrity fitness trainer who has worked with Reese Witherspoon, Mandy Moore, and Ryan Gosling. Mix them into your workouts or do them in this order as an ab circuit; do three sets of each.
RELATED: 5 Ab Exercises That Blast Belly Fat
Plank to Knee Tap
Start in a forearm plank with body in a line from neck to heels (A). Touch both knees to the floor (B), then straighten legs again. Do 20 reps.
Single-Leg Hip Raises
Lie on back, knees bent and feet planted (A). Squeeze glutes and lift hips so they align with knees; extend right leg (B). Hold and lower, then repeat on other side. That’s 1 rep. Do 20 reps.
Standing Dumbbell Rotation
Hold a dumbbell with both hands at chest height, arms extended, feet shoulder-width (A). Twist torso left (B) and hold, then twist right. That’s 1 rep. Do 10 reps.
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Why This Celebrity Trainer Recommends Sleep Over Working Out | Real Simple
Finally, a piece of fitness advice we can all get behind.
This just in: Sleep is not for the weak. According to Reese Witherspoon’s fitness trainer Ashley Borden, making sure you get those extra Zzs is crucial to tackling your workout.
“I always tell my clients that I would rather them get sleep instead of working out on four hours of sleep,” Borden told mindbodygreen.com. “Studies have shown that between 7.5 and eight hours of sleep every night helps the body repair itself and regulate inflammation in the body.”
Borden, who has also worked with the likes of Christina Aguilera, Mandy Moore, and Ryan Gosling, said sleep also affects your metabolic process.
“[Not getting enough sleep] produces a higher amount of the inflammatory stress hormone, cortisol,” she said in the interview. “Cortisol has its time and place in our bodies, but not at night. Cortisol heightens our alertness, the last thing we need when we crave sleep.”
Aside from sleeping in, Borden also recommends that her clients avoid sugar and load up on greens.
“Sugars are inflammatory and trigger more sugar cravings, along with increasing inflammatory cortisol levels, which cause belly fat,” she said. “Choose vegetables that are all the colors of the rainbow and focus on dark green veggies, too. These give us phytonutrients, which have many antioxidant assets that can put a stop to cell damage, which helps strengthen our immune system, prevents cancer, has a positive effect on our hormones, and improves our overall health and vitality.”
And even though temperatures are dropping, Borden says it’s important to take your workout outdoors.
“Getting outdoors for even 10 minutes provides the body with a natural dose of vitamin D,” she said. “Being outside also provides amazing mental stimulation.”
One way she gets her clients moving? An outdoor workout that sounds like something Witherspoon’s Wild character, Cheryl Strayed, would approve of.
“I have taken clients out for power walks with a backpack full of mini bands and bands with handles to create a hillside neighborhood circuit workout,” she said.
Ashley Borden Full-Body WAFF Workout
You will definitely be shaking by the end of this workout.
Want to crank up your workout? Check out the Waff Mini, a balance and stability training tool that aims to improve core strength and motor control. Here, Ashley Borden shows us how to do a series of moves using this challenging piece of fitness gear.
Staggered Squat
Stagger your left leg in front of your right as you balance on two Waff Minis, and lower into a deep squat.
Plank With Toe Taps
Get into a plank position with your hands on either side of the Waff Mini. Alternate moving your feet out and in, tapping your toes back and forth.
Hamstring Sit Backs
Kneel on the Waff Mini, and sit your hips and glutes back as you reach your arms forward.
Snow Angels
Lie on two Waff Minis, one under your stomach and another under your thighs. Keeping your toes on the ground, extend your arms in front of your head. Move your arms backward and forward like you’re making a snow angel.
RELATED VIDEO: Get Stronger Abs in 30 Minutes With This At-Home Pilates Routine
Teaser Holds
Sit your booty on the Waff Mini and keep your legs in a V-up position. Hold this difficult position as you work on your balance.
Push-Ups
With your hands on one Waff Mini and your toes on another, take your time as you perform a series of push-ups.
If you’re looking to improve your balance and take your exercise routine to the next level, these Waff Mini moves will certainly do the trick.