The stability ball bridge is the third exercise in our bridge video series. This exercise really helps you to isolate and work on the glute muscles. If you have been following along you have completed the cook hip lift and the floor bridge so far.
Now some people may argue that the stability ball bridge should come first before the other two exercises, there really isn't a right or wrong answer - I am presenting the bridge series in the order I use with my clients.
I like to insert the stability bridge into the progression third because you have had time to build up some core stability and therefore feel a little more comfortable on the ball. You have also started to understand what it feels like when your glutes fire, so you are not just going through the motions you are actually using your glutes to bridge you up, and as I said earlier you can really isolate the feeling.
Start out with 1 or 2 sets of 12 and try to work your way up to 20 reps. I like to do my reps for time, usually 1 minute, that way I can concentrate on firing my glutes not counting reps. Give it a try and see how you like the exercise. I will have number 4 for you next week.
Stay Motivated,
Karen
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I recently had someone ask "what is the best way to take care of my bones, the doctor told me I need to keep them strong?" Depending on who you talk too the answers may vary.
However, two important things remain the same – adequate calcium and vitamin D in the diet and a combination of impact and resistance 
training in the exercise routine.
Impact training refers to exercises like running and jumping - impact is important, in fact, the higher the impact the better. Jumping rope, team sports such as basketball, kick boxing and other high impact aerobic classes are all good examples of impact training.
Swimming, biking, and elliptical machines are not good choices for maintaining bone density.
Weight training will also work it places and external load on the bones. Most experts agree that for weight training to impact bone density to loads need to be relatively high.
With all that being said, most people want strong bones to help prevent broken bones as they age, but one thing that can help prevent breaks even more is adequate balance.
If your balance is poor start off just trying to balance on one foot before you move on. Try it with eyes open and closed and with shoes on and off. Once you can do that you can move on to the Single Leg Toe Touch.
Stay Motivated,
Karen
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Welcome to Secrets to Living a Healthy Lifestyle. I am in the process of changing my blog so if you are visiting you will see all of my old posts that are being transferred, come back in a few days when everything will be current.
Stay Motivated,
Karen
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I have a special treat for you today. Instead of having to read my rambles I have a guest blogger. One of my clients who has been with me for a while (and is doing great) participated in the Great Urban Race a couple weeks ago.
Here what she has to say about taking chances:
"It's hard to believe just last week I was running around DC participating in the Great Urban Race, a scavenger hunt type game very close to a small scale version of the Amazing Race. I did use the verb running, didn't I? You see almost two years ago I started with Karen to change my eating habits and to be a good role model for my two small children. When I completed my nutrition portion, I decided that I wanted to continue with the training so that I could lose fat and firm and tone those oh so giggly parts. When filling out the questionnaire about the types of exercise I would absolutely not do, I wrote the word, "run". I always said I'd have to be chased by a pack of wolves to ever run. Since that time I have completed a 5K and am currently training for another one at the end of this month.
As part of the Active site where I register for the 5K races, I receive emails on upcoming events and that is how I found out about the Great Urban Race. I looked at it, thought about it, shared with a friend of mine and then put it out of my mind. Then I kept coming back to the email and decided to really talk to my friend about doing the race with me. She agreed, we registered, and became a team, Moms on the Run. At the start of the race you are given 12 clues. With the help of a phone a friend, expert Googler, we were able to find the answer to all the clues, now it was just a matter of getting to all the locations in the allotted time. This meant using the Metro and RUNNING. We ran and ran. At one point we got off at the wrong Metro spot and had to run blocks to get to a martial arts gym and proceed to do several exercises. When we got there, out of breathe, they said come in and do the following: 10 push- ups, 20 squats, 10 body builders, boxing punches and high knee lifts. The most amazing thing during this whole time is that the thought running through my head was not, "is this man crazy?" but "what else you got for me? This is easy". I was absolutely amazed that not only had I just run several blocks but now I could do the exercises as well.
It's been almost 2 years and I can finally put myself in some kind of "fit" category. I am no longer a couch potato eating whatever I want and praying to be thin. I have done something about it. I am working hard and enjoying every minute of it. I am so happy that when events like this come up, I know I can do them instead of wishing I could while watching someone else do it. I am looking forward to the new adventures to come."
Beth
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Last week we talked about low back pain and I had you start out with the Cook Hip Lift, the idea was to get the glutes firing again. If you did your homework you should be ready to move on to the next exercise - the floor bridge.
This exercise takes you back to using both glutes at the same time. When doing the exercise hands can be placed anywhere. Generally it is a good idea not to have them on the floor, you do not want to use them to help push off. Keep the low back neutral and try not to let it arch.
Start out by doing 1- 2 sets of about 20 reps. As you advance you can move up to 1 – 2 sets of 1 minute.
Stay Motivated,
Karen
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