Monday, December 30, 2013

No Crunch December: Compound Plank


To do a motion exercise that works the entire core, we can combine the standard elbow plank with the side plank.The motion forces you to work more, and get your entire abdominal region. If you are anything like me, sometimes you prefer to move than to do exercises that require you stay in place.


Cheers Eights & Weights!

Sunday, December 29, 2013

No Crunch December: Six Inch Leg Raise



So remember how I said exercises that force you to balance are the key to building core strength? Here is another another. People know this by different names, but I like to call it the "Six inch leg raise" because it reminds me that the lower I go, the more effect this has.

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Merry Christmas!!!



I wish you a happy, healthy, restful, and all around beautiful Christmas with your families. Hope you get something beautiful from Santa :)

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

My Gluten Free Trial Month



In November, I decided to go gluten-free for a month. Let me preface this analysis of my gluten-free trial by saying that a lot of people do this as a fad just like with many other diets. Some people do it because it makes them seem fancy, and some do it because people around them are doing it. But what does it really mean to live a gluten-free life? What is gluten?

Monday, December 23, 2013

No Crunch December: The High Plank and the Pushup


We're still on getting those abs this December without doing those darned crunches. Let's talk about two exercises that we presume only focus on the arms, but really target the core as well.

High Plank
This is very similar to the regular elbow plank we regularly do. However, the difference is that you are on your palms rather than your elbows, like you are when you are trying to begin a regular push-up. 

Friday, December 20, 2013

Friday Inspiration: Quit Comparing Yourself



Yoga pose: Reverse Plank.

Inspiration: Too many days are wasted comparing ourselves to others and wishing to be something we aren't. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, and it is only when you accept everything you are - and aren't - that you will truly succeed.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

PS. This is random, but if you are in Lagos or Abuja, Nigeria, and are looking for a great food delivery service, have you heard of HelloFood? They have so many restaurants, and you can search by who delivers to your general area. Healthy food? Yep, they have restaurants with that as well! Have you tried the service? Check it out and let me know what you think.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Let Verizon Help You With Your New Year's Fitness Goals


New Year’s is quickly approaching, and yep, I'm pretty certain that losing weight or exercising will be among the top resolutions for 2014. But did you know, according to Forbes, that just 8 percent of people achieve their New Year's resolutions?

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

No Crunch December: Russian Twists


In case you haven't got the message yet, the obliques are a really important part of overall core strength, and of course your abs. The Russian Twist is another one of those exercises that works the obliques a lot, but also works all of the abs muscles. 

How do you do it? Sit on your butt, and lift your upper body off of the floor. You may also choose to lift your legs of the floor or keep your heels on the floor. Keeping your chest up, lower your upper back until you feel tension in your abs. Slowly rotate from left to right, touching the fingers to the floor and turning your head to look to that side as you go. Watch the video for a demo.


Cheers Eights & Weights!

Monday, December 16, 2013

No Crunch December: Kick-Outs


The Kick-out is one of the favorite core exercises because it pushes me hard. I struggle a lot with it, but I see the improvements in my core strength as well. See the video below for details. Note that you can do it with your palms on the floor on either side of your bum, or you can lift your palms off the floor if you are strong enough.

Sit on the floor, lift your legs in the air, and put your palms beside you. Pull your knees close to your chest and pull your chest towards your knees using your core strength. The release your knees forward without your feet touching the floor. Repeat.


Cheers Eights & Weights!

Saturday, December 14, 2013

No Crunch December: Spider Plank


Today's routine looks pretty easy, but can actually be quite tough. I call it the "Spider Plank" but it's also known by many other names. This works your obliques.

How do you do it? Start in an upper plank position with your palms on the floor. Balance on your left toes and lift your right knee to meet your elbow. As you do this, slightly bend your elbow so you are leaning in. Do this on the other side as well. 

For a visual demonstration, check out the video below.


Cheers Eights & Weights!

Friday, December 13, 2013

Friday Inspiration: How Was Your Body Designed to Feel?



I skipped Friday Inspiration last week! Well, not to worry, let's get back on track. 

Yoga: Today's yoga pose is called the "Pistol Squat". It is usually done on the whole foot, but I am doing a variation on my toes.

Inspiration: "Most people have no idea how good their body is designed to feel" - Kevin Trudeau.

Do you know how your body was designed to feel? Everyday I exercise, I feel stronger, even on the days I feel weak. Exercise, yoga, and a good diet help me feel better than I have ever felt. I have a long way to go, but this experience right now? It is amazing.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Thursday, December 12, 2013

I'm In! The 2014 New York City Marathon



Yay! I've worked hard on this all year so I'm really happy I'm finally in. Yes, I still had to pay a hefty sum, but I'm walking on clouds so it's okay...lol. I'll be raising awareness for a Nigerian charity as part of my run campaign, so if you know any charities you think I should know about, please reach out :)

Cheers Eights & Weights! 

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

No Crunch December: Side Planks



You know by now that your abs come from core strength, and that includes the front, back, and sides (obliques). Well, today's exercise really works the obliques for those curves in your sides.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

No Crunch December: The Boat



There are many ways to do the Boat, but the key takeaway is that you lift your legs and upper body off the floor so that only your bum is on the floor. This forces your core to carry the rest of your body as you balance. Remember that the key to core strength is balance exercises?

Thursday, December 5, 2013

No Crunch December: Bridges


Focusing on core strength is really the focus of this month because I like people to understand that you need a strong core for great abs. But you should not focus on just crunches because they mostly only work one group of abs muscles (the front). 

The bridge is one of those exercises that is amazing for not only the abs, but the bum, and the obliques as well. It forces you to balance and that's what develops that core strength. You can either choose to hold the position for as long as you can (target a minute or more), or turn it into a motion exercise.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

No Crunch December: Reverse Plank with a Knee Lift


As I always say, exercises that force you to balance tend to work your core. And a strong core is key to better abs. Watch this video for a demonstration of how to do the "Reverse plank with a knee lift". The imbalance really forces your abs to work hard.


Cheers Eights & Weights!

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Want Better Abs? Join the December Challenge!



This month's fitness challenge is all about the core. We're going crunch-less and learning about other exercises we can do to strengthen the core and get those "oh so rock hard" abs. Remember that in addition to this, you still need cardio and a good diet to build a great midsection!

Cheers Eights & Weights!
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