Lucky 13! Any aggression to get worked out today? I gotcha covered. Twisting punches followed by huggers - it's like a therapy session today!
Fast Feet Toe Taps- this is your big cardio move today. The idea is to raise your knee up using your abdominal muscles and then quickly hop to the other foot and raise the other knee. Find a target at the right height for you and lightly tap your toe on it each time. Try to keep light on the balls of your feet and swing your arms as you tap, tap, tap. This is not a "step up" exercise, so make sure you are just touching your foot to the surface and not stepping down with any weight. I don't have a modifications video for this one, but the first way to modify is to pick a lower target (step stool, the bottom step on your stairs, or a stack of books against the wall). The other way to modify is to do this in a marching cadence instead of with the hop. Just slow it down and keep using your abs to lift your knee.
Twisting Dumbbell Punches- a few workouts ago we did dumbbell punches while keep our abs still and tight. Today I want you to rotate your body with each punch. Abs still stay tight and activated, but you will twist right to left with each punch. Be careful not to over extend your punch. Keep a slight bend in your elbow at extension. Use some light weights for an added challenge and modify by using no weights.
Tree Huggers- well, Earth Day and all.... These are chest flys with a really fierce contraction at the top of the move. These can be done on the floor or a bench. Lying on your back, bend your knees and push your lower back to the floor. Extend your weights up over your chest toward the ceiling and slowly open your arms wide. Pull your hands back toward each other and imagine you are hugging a tree. I want you to really squeeze that imaginary tree. When you do this you should feel your chest muscles contract. It's hard to see the "squeeze" in the videos, but I am trying to squeeze maple syrup out of my tree each time I bring my hands up. To modify, just do it without weights. This is seriously a great exercise with or without weights if you hug your tree tight enough.
Happy Earth Day! Thanks for hugging trees with me! You guys are amazing!
~Melanie
Video of exercises
Video of modifications