Drop Two Sizes
Page 12
RAMP 7: Scapular Pushup
START: Get in a pushup position with your body in a straight line, hips down and core engaged, and arms straight.
MOVEMENT: Keeping your arms straight and your spine long, push your body up by protracting your shoulder blades (taking them farther away from your spine). Then retract your shoulder blades by pulling them toward your spine and feel your body lower again without bending your arms. Repeat, making sure not to let the tension creep up into your shoulders and neck.
RAMP 8: Toe-Raised Ankle Mobility
START: Fold up your mat or a towel or use a weight plate to raise your toes up about an inch high with your heels on the floor.
MOVEMENT: Keeping your heels on the floor, slightly bend your knees over your fourth and fifth toes to stretch your ankles and calves.
RAMP 9: Forward/Backward Jump
START: Stand with your feet together. Imagine a line running horizontally in front of you.
MOVEMENT: Jump over the line, landing on both feet. Then jump backward over it to the start. Keep the jumps small and pretend the floor is hot. This exercise will really wake up your nervous system!
RAMP 10: Alternating Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
START: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
MOVEMENT: Shift your weight to balance on one leg with a slight bend in the knee of the standing leg. Bend at your hip, reaching your free leg back as you reach your arms forward and feel the movement of keeping your hips square to the floor as you bend from the hip. Return to the start position and repeat on the opposite side, alternating back and forth.
RAMP 11: Lateral Jump
START: Stand with your feet together. Imagine there is a line to your right.
MOVEMENT: With both feet, jump up and over the line and land on both feet. Pretend the floor is hot so you will land and immediately jump right back over to the other side of the line. Keep your knees bent the entire time, exploding back and forth. Wake up your nervous system!
RAMP 12: Cross-Behind Lunge
START: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides.
MOVEMENT: Cross your left foot over your right and step about 2 feet to the right of your right foot. Bend both knees, in a movement very similar to a curtsy. Keep your hips facing forward. You should feel a stretch across your left hip as you lunge. Return to the start position and repeat on the other side.
RAMP 13: Dynamic Lunge with Overhead Reach
START: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands shoulder-width apart.
MOVEMENT: Step forward into a lunge with your right leg while you raise your arms straight overhead until they're in line with your ears. You'll finish in a full lunge position with your arms extended overhead. From this position, think about driving through the heel of your right leg and using your leg and glutes to push off and back to the start position. Alternate legs.
RAMP 14: Lateral Shuffle
START: Stand with your feet facing forward, wider than shoulder-width apart, and knees bent.
MOVEMENT: Shuffle one foot to the other, moving laterally while keeping your knees bent, staying low with feet facing straight forward. Always keep at least a foot between your feet while moving. Don't let your feet come together. Continue in one direction for 3 to 5 shuffles and then switch directions.
PHASE 2 :
Strength
Workout 1
Remember to do the Get Moving RAMP exercises to warm up! Then perform the following exercises as described in the chart.
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Speed
Rest
CORE
1 TRX Fallout
1-2
8
Mod
45 secs
POWER
2 Push Press
2-3
8
Fast
1 min
STRENGTH
3A Offset Dumbbell
Front Squat
2-4
8-10,
alternate
sides
each
set
Mod
1 min
3B Bench Plank
Single Arm
Dumbbell Row
2-4
8-10
each
side
Slow
None
3C Marching
Hip Bridge
2-4
8-10
each
side
Mod
None
4A Single Leg
Romanian Deadlift
2-4
8-10
each
side
Slow
1 min
4B Pushup
2-4
8-10
Slow
None
4C Toe-Raised
Ankle Mobility
2-4
8-10
Mod
None
FINISHER
5 Lunge
Step Over to
Isometric Lunge
2-4
20 secs
work
20 secs hold
20 secs rest
1 TRX Fallout
This exercise may not look like much, but you’ll feel it in your core tomorrow.
START: With your hands holding a TRX, reach your arms straight out and drop your hips so that your hips, back, shoulders, and head are in a straight line and your arms are extended overhead next to your ears. This is the “end” position, but it works best to start here so you know your range of motion.
MOVEMENT: From that end position, maintaining a neutral spine and keeping your body as stable as you can, bring your arms down to the top of a pushup position, keeping them straight. Return to the start position and then repeat.
OPTION: If you don't have access to a TRX, you can do this exercise with your knees on a ball. Another option, if you don't have a TRX or a ball, is to go back to the plank exercise from Phase One and lift alternating arms in the plank position.
2 Push Press
This exercise looks like an upper-body exercise, but you are actually lifting a weight that you need to use your lower body to explode up and lift. This is all about generating power from your entire body. And as the weight lands overhead, your core must switch on to support it. So your upper body, lower body, and core will all benefit! Plus, you’ll feel your heart rate pumping from the explosive movement.
START: Stand holding two dumbbells on your shoulders.
MOVEMENT: Using the momentum from your legs, start with a small bend and then explode up and push the dumbbells overhead. Return to the start position and repeat. This is an explosive movement and should be done with a weight that you could not simply press up with your arms alone.
3 A Offset Dumbbell Goblet Squat
Carrying something on one side of your body is a part of life. We very rarely lift and carry something with two hands. Usually we lift a bag of groceries and carry it on our hip as we open a door or carry a kid on one side or lug around our purses that weigh about 20 pounds. It is important to train movements we will do in our real lives. This is one of those movements.
START: Hold a dumbbell in one hand. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly out, and core engaged with good posture. Bend your elbow so the dumbbell is resting at shoulder height with your wrist straight to support the weight.
MOVEMENT: Bend your hips and knees to lower into a squat, keeping your body centered by fighting the offset load. Your weight should stay even on both legs, and your heels should stay down. Try to get your hips below parallel. Then return to the start position. Perform all on one side, and switch sides on your next set.
3 B Bench Plank Single Arm Dumbbell Row
Here’s that “plank” position again. With all these planks your core is going to be so strong. Did someone say “flat tummy”
?
START: With one hand on a bench or step and the other hand holding a dumbbell, walk your feet out so your body is in a straight line, creating a plank position with your shoulders, hips, and ankles in line and the dumbbell hanging straight down.
MOVEMENT: Keeping your body stable and your shoulders down, row the dumbbell by pulling your elbow up alongside your body. Think about using your upper back to pull the weight up by pulling your shoulder blade back and down. Lower the dumbbell back to the start position and repeat. When you have finished the repetitions, switch sides.
3 C Marching Hip Bridge
Perform as previously described .
4 A Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
This is one of my favorite exercises for working your butt and the back of your legs. You are also getting the added benefit of strengthening your core and the shoulder of the arm holding the weight.
START: Practice the movement first without holding a weight by balancing on your left leg with a slight bend in the knee. Bend at your hip, reaching your right leg back and grazing the floor as a kickstand, reaching your right hand toward the floor while keeping your back neutral. Feel the movement of keeping your hips square to the ground as you push back into your hips. Once you are able to do this, hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in your right hand.
MOVEMENT: Keeping your hips square and your back neutral (do not round your back), balance on one leg and slowly lower the dumbbell toward the floor by bending at your hip. Return to the start position. Repeat. Switch legs.
4 B Pushup
Perform as previously described .
OPTION: Perform the pushup on an incline, either on a TRX or on a bench or step.
4 C Toe-Raised Ankle Mobility
Perform as previously described .
5 Lunge Step Over to Isometric Lunge
This one will burn your legs. Commit to maintaining good posture, keeping your body as upright as you can, and keeping the working leg under tension without taking a break. Mind over matter with this one. Enjoy!
START: Get into a lunge position with your body upright.
MOVEMENT: Stay low with your legs under tension and bring your back leg through to the front to lunge with the opposite stance. Bring it back through to the start. Your standing leg is your working leg and should stay under tension the entire time without standing up to rest. Next, hold the bottom of the lunge position for 20 seconds. Then rest and repeat on the opposite leg.
OPTION: If the standard exercise is too difficult, hold on to a TRX to take some of your body weight off to make it easier by de-loading the exercise.
PHASE 2:
Strength
Workout 2
Remember to do the Get Moving RAMP exercises to warm up!
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Speed
Rest
CORE
1 Half-Kneeling
Halo
1-2
5
each
direction
Mod
45 secs
COMBINATION
2 Alternating Clean
to Squat Thrust
2-3
4
each
side
Fast
1 min
STRENGTH
3A Rear-Foot
Elevated Split Squat
2-4
8-10
each
side
Mod
1 min
3B Single
Arm Standing
Overhead Press
2-4
8-10
each
side
Slow
None
3C Hip Flexor/
TFL Stretch
2-4
30
secs
each
Hold
None
4A Suitcase
Deadlift
2-4
8-10
each
side
Slow
1 min
4B TRX
Inverted Row
2-4
8-10
Slow
None
4C Bent-Over
Reach to Sky
2-4
8
each
side
Slow
None
FINISHER
5 Body Weight
Squat with
Isometric Squat Hold
2-4
20
secs
move
20 secs hold
20 secs
1 Half-Kneeling Halo
This is a really fun core exercise!
START: Get into a half-kneeling position, which you learned in your Get Moving RAMP Workout: Balance on one knee with the other foot in line with your back knee in a “Will you marry me?” pose. Your posture should be upright, with your core engaged and your hips stacked under your shoulders. Hold a dumbbell or a kettlebell in front of your chest with both hands.
MOVEMENT: Continuing to hold the weight with both hands, bring it around to one side, then behind your head and back to where you started to form a full circle. As you perform the movement, keep your body still with your core engaged and your glutes switched on. Alternate sides, performing 5 reps in each direction, and then switch legs.
2 Alternating Clean to Squat Thrust
This combination move is both strengthening and cardiovascular. It will really get your metabolism going.
Perform the Alternating Kettlebell Clean , but as you set the weight down, place your hands on the floor and kick your legs out into a squat thrust. Stand back up from the squat thrust and repeat the single arm clean on the opposite side.
3 A Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squat
This is one of the most hated but most effective exercises in my gym. I usually tell my clients to "hate me now, but love me later when you're wearing jeans that are two sizes smaller!" This exercise works the entire leg while giving the other leg an excellent stretch. As the exercise gets easier hold dumbbells to make it more challenging.
START: Stand with a bench behind you. Place your right foot on the bench and your left foot about 2 to 3 feet in front of the bench. You will be in a modified lunge position with your torso upright.
MOVEMENT: With the bulk of your body weight on your left leg, bend your left knee until your thigh is below parallel and your right knee is grazing the floor. Keep your weight on your left leg. Don't sit back and put weight on your right leg—that's cheating. Pause in this position and then return to a fully upright position. Repeat for the desired number of reps and then continue on the opposite side.
3 B Single Arm Standing Overhead Press
Build some shoulders while you shrink your hips. Any time you press a weight overhead, your core is working. With the offset load on this exercise, it will be working overtime.
START: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hips right underneath your shoulders. Hold a dumbbell in one hand resting at shoulder height.
MOVEMENT: Press the dumbbell overhead, keeping your butt and abs tight to keep your body stable. Resist the urge to lean to one side. Extend your arm all the way up overhead and then lower under control back to the start position. Repeat for the desired number of reps on the same arm. Then switch sides.
3 C Hip Flexor/TFL Stretch
Perform as previously described .
4 A Suitcase Deadlift
START: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with a dumbbell or kettlebell in one hand at your side.
MOVEMENT: Bend down, keeping your shoulders even. Lower down as far as you can while maintaining a neutral back. Stand up straight as though picking up a suitcase. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
4 B TRX Inverted Row
Although this exercise focuses primarily on working the muscles of the back in the rowing movement, it is a great total body exercise. It
is one of those most bang for your buck exercises I mentioned earlier. You’ll feel your legs, butt, core, and upper body working hard.
START: Hold the handles of your TRX and walk underneath so you are hanging your body weight from the TRX with your feet straight out and your body in a straight line. Lift your hips so your body is completely flat. Your position should look like an upside-down pushup. If this position is too difficult, walk up higher to have less of an incline.
MOVEMENT: Perform a rowing motion, using your upper back to pull your body up by pulling your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades back and together. Keep your body completely straight throughout the entire motion. To progress the exercise, position your feet farther under the TRX until you are almost on the floor. To continue progressing, put your feet up on a step or bench.
4 C Bent-Over Reach to Sky
Perform as previously described .
OPTION: If you don’t have a TRX, you can perform an inverted row with a bar securely placed on a squat rack. Lying on the floor, hold on to the bar and pull yourself up. If that’s not an option, you’ll have to substitute a different rowing motion, such as a Bent-Over Dumbbell Row.
5 Body Weight Squat with Isometric Squat Hold