Best Back Exercises, I'm Bringin' Sexy Back!

These are my personal trainer picks for the best back exercises......singing "I'm Bringing Sexy Back!" That's the hot hotness right there. It is so essential to have a sexy back view, so make sure you incorporate these great back exercises into your workout.

Having an amazing back is essential for looking good in summer attire & W-earing your summer attire well. From getting a detailed back, to shaping the back of your arms, to better posture, to helping burn a lot of calories.......bringing sexy back is a must.

Exercise Tips:
3 sets of each exercise for 15 reps.
For total body training incorporate 1-2 back exercises 3-5 times per week in your workout routine.

Wide Rows: Detailed Upper Back

1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart
2. Tilt forward at your hips to a 45 degree angle
3. Let your arms hang straight down from your chest, palms facing your body
4. Use your upper back muscles to drive your elbows out the the side, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top

In this Exercise Video I incorporate a leg exercise to burn more calories.

Rear Delt Flys: "You have G-Reat posterior delts!" A compliment I would definitely dish out!

Shoulders can really change your shape & it's even better when your shoulders have great shape from the front all the way to the back. As we get older the back of the arms really need to be worked to keep a great shape and this exercise helps to give that cut to give you that diamond shape on your shoulders.

1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart
2. Tilt forward at your hips to a 45 degree angle
3. Let your arms hang straight down from your chest, palms facing each other
4. Swing your arms out to the side, palms still facing each other, until your hands raise higher than your shoulders.

Tips: Imagine your arms like a door that hinge and swing out from your shoulder......don't bend and pull your arms back.

In this Exercise Video I incorporate the hyper exetension chair to incorporate even more back muscles.

Narrow Rows: Inner Back

1. Using a fitness band stand with your feet shoulder width apart
2. Grab the band with your palms facing each other
3. Use your inner back back drive your elbows straight back, squeezing your shoulder blades together

In this Exercise Video I incorporate Lunges to Tone my legs at the same time.


Pullups: Looking good between your shoulders and your waist!

1. Hang with your arms straight
2. Make sure you shoulders are down & chest is out
3. Use your back muscle to drive your elbows down into your sides
4. At the top squeeze your elbows into your sides

In this Exercise Video I used a fitness band to give added assistance so I could focus on form.




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Get Great Legs With These Thigh & Butt Exercises!

Get great legs with these thigh and butt exercises! Shorts, dresses, & skirts are all things you will be rocking out with your toned legs. It's essential to shape up those legs & target them with the most effective exercises. These are my top 5 exercise picks for getting the in shape legs that you want.

Basic Leg and Butt Exercise Tips:
1. Squeeze and contract your glutes with each repetition.
2. Press through your hips.
3. Good form is more important than going deep.
4. Get the exercises just right, by clicking on the links of videos of me demoing the the exercises for you & providing more instruction.

Recommendations:
You can add these exercises into your current workout or for rapid progress combine all these exercises together 3x per week!

1. Lunges: I have Skirts and Dresses to Rock!

Do 3 sets of 15 on each leg, 3x a times

The leg that is in the front is the leg that you are targeting. Before you start make sure that you take your feet far apart so that your back heel is raised. When you lunge you want your weight even between both feet. It's important to keep your chest up and hips pressed flat......don't tilt forward as you go down. A great way to do this is to hold a fitness band for support (shown in the video link above). It is more important to keep your chest up and have good form than it is to go all the way down. As you get stronger you will be able to go deeper and deeper with good form. Deep lunges with bad form is a waste of time!

2. Glute Lifts: The Round Booty Bubble!

Do 3 sets of 15-25, 3x per week

This is an Amazing Butt Exercise! Lay on your back with glutes close to an elevated surface, place your feet on the elevated surface with your knees bent. Press down on your feet and lift your hips into the air. As you lift contract your low abs & glutes to fully extend your hips flat in the air. The higher your hips go the better. Keep your knees and feet pressed together during the entire exercise.

3. Swiss Ball Hamstring Curls: "She's Got Hamstrings!" Get The Double Bubble!

Do 3 sets of 15-25, 3x per week

Lay on your back with your claves and heels on a exercise ball. Place your arms down by your side and lift your hips in the air. While your hips are lifted roll the ball in, and as you do your hips should raise higher. Squeeze your heels into your glutes as your hips are high. As you roll the ball back out keep your hips will drop, but keep them as high as you can.

4. Squats: Make Your Legs Look Great in Shorts!

Do 3 sets of 15-25, 3x per week

To really work your legs you HAVE to bend your hips first not your knees, otherwise you are just placing a lot of pressure on your knees. You want the pressure on your leg muscles not your knees, so bend those hips.

When you squat keep your toes facing forward and make sure to bend in your hips first.....not your knees. Sit down on a bench that is low enough to make a 90 degree bend in your knees. Place your hands to the side of your head with your chin up and elbows out. Press down and up through your hips and heels. Make sure you contract your glutes when you are standing.

5. Step Ups: You Have Great Legs!

Do 3 sets of 15-25, 3x per week

Use a chair, bench, or raise surface that when you put your foot on top of it your knee is even with your hip. Keeping your chest up and your hips pressed flat stand up on the surface and switch feet. Make sure to press down in your heel and feel the contraction through the back of your leg and into your glutes. Remember to squeeze your glutes when you are standing on top of the box.



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Get Toned Abs With This Abdominal Workout

Get toned abs with this abdominal workout routine! Everyone wants that flat ab workout for that trim waistline. I have taken some very basic ab exercises and made them much more effective with my trainer tricks to speed up your progress.

Ab workout plans should include exercises that target your entire stomach: upper abs, lower abs, & obliques. Ab exercises that engage your upper half of your body, your shoulders & chest, are working your upper abs. Ab exercises for your lower abs incorporate your pelvis & legs. Ab exercises that focus on your obliques or sides are those that incorporate a twisting motion or side crunch. Training your abs is not only for looking great it's also a great way to improve your posture, balance, & prevent low back pain.

When doing an abdominal workout it's important to do high repetitions & train them frequently. During your ab exercises work to feel the burn, depending on your abdominal strength I recommend 3 sets of 15 repetitions for beginners to 50 repetitions for the more advanced. You can include your core strength exercises in every workout, 3-5 days a week.

Abdominal Workout Design
This Ab workout is designed to help you target your upper, lower, & side abs. I made the exercises very basic so that you could focus on my form tips to help you target your abs more effectively & get those toned abs faster!

1. Do each exercise for 15-50 reps depending on your ab strength.
2. Do 1 set of each exercise in a row, after 1x through all 5 exercises rest 1 minute.
3. Repeat 3 times through.......Go Get That Flat Stomach!

Abdominal Workout Form:
Remember to keep your chin off of your chest & hands are never interlocked behind your head. Focus on squeezing your abs during every repetition. The movement of your body is initiated through the contraction of your abs not from the swinging of your lower body or pulling on your neck/upper body.

Abdominal Exercises:
1. Full Sit-Up: Put your feet under something for support. The wider your feet are apart the easier the exercise will be. If you are unable to do a full sit-up just lift your shoulders off of the ground as you get stronger your range of motion will increase. Soon you will be doing a full sit-up. You can place your hands in front of you or for more of a challenge to the side of your head. When you sit up don't aim to bring your elbows to your knees lift your chin up and sit up over your knees. Remember to roll down through your spine on the way down.

2. Bicycle: Lay on your back with shoulders and legs elevated. Hands to the side of your head alternate your knees in while at the same time rotating your elbows in opposition.... legs are moving just like you are riding a bike. It isn't necessary for your knees to touch your elbows. It's more important that your elbows stay out away from your face and for your torso to twist your upper half so that you twist not crunch in.

3. Single Leg V-Up: Let on your back with your hands by your waist for beginners or over your head for more advanced. Keeping your legs and arms straight reach both your hands as you elevate one leg in the air while the other leg remains on the ground. Your goal is to make the letter V with both your arms and one leg. If you are a beginner just lift your shoulders off the ground. For more advanced lift your entire back off the ground to balance on your glutes.

4. Full Sit-Up w/ Twist: Follow the directions from your first exercise. At the top of the motion keep your elbows wide and sit over your knees and twist your torso. Don't keep your elbows narrow nor do you want to pull your elbow to your knee. Twist as you are sitting up, don't wait till you are all the way up to twist. Remember to roll through your spine on the way down.

4. 90 Degree Crunch: Lay on your back with your elbows out & your knees and feet lifted in the air to make a 90 degree angle. Keep you knees over your hips and your feet up even with your knees. Dropping you feet low or crossing them makes the exercise easier. Keeping your lower half stable crunch your upper body towards to ceiling not towards your knees.



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