Thursday 19 March 2015





culled from:cosmopolitan.com

When you find yourself in a fitness class that's harder than expected, let the rest of the class sweat it out while you power through with some subtle modifications to make the moves easier to do. You'll still reap some benefits — like survival, among other things — without totally embarrassing yourself. Just follow the lead of CosmoBody trainer Astrid McGuire, an instructor at Barry's Bootcamp in West Hollywood, California:

High Knees




 








How you're supposed to do it: (Above left) Stand up straight with your feet about hips-distance apart and your elbows bent. Keeping your weight in the balls of your feet, drive your right hand and left knee straight up. Immediately drop your left foot and drive the right knee and left hand up into the air. Continue alternating from side to side in quick succession.

How you can do it SO IT'S EASIER: (Above right) Stand up straight with your feet about hips-distance apart and your elbows bent. Raise one knee and the opposite arm. Place them back on the ground. Raise the other knee and other arm. Place them back on the ground. Continue to alternate sides at your own pace.

You'll still feel it in your: Arms, legs, and abs.




Planks






How you're supposed to do them: (Above left) Balance on your palms and toes with your body in a straight line between the top of your head and your heels. Your wrists should be underneath your shoulders, with your elbows and knees locked, your hips square to the ground, and your neck neutral. (If you're doing a forearm plank, the same general rules apply. Just place your forearms on the ground and keep your elbows underneath your shoulders.) Hold — and avoid these epic plank mistakes.

How you can do them so you don't want to die: (Above right) Get into the plank position described above. When you get tired, gently lower your knees to the ground for a break. Then then lift them and come back to a raised-plank position, at your leisure.


How you're supposed to do them: (Above left) Balance on your palms and toes with your body in a straight line between the top of your head and your heels. Your wrists should be underneath your shoulders, with your elbows and knees locked, your hips square to the ground, and your neck neutral. (If you're doing a forearm plank, the same general rules apply. Just place your forearms on the ground and keep your elbows underneath your shoulders.) Hold — and avoid these epic plank mistakes.

How you can do them so you don't want to die: (Above right) Get into the plank position described above. When you get tired, gently lower your knees to the ground for a break. Then then lift them and come back to a raised-plank position, at your leisure.

You'll still feel it in your: Abs, arms, chest, and back.

Burpees



How you're supposed to do them: (Above left) Bend both knees and place both palms on the ground in front of your feet. Jump both feet back into a plank position. With control, bend your elbows to lower your entire body in one straight line to the floor. Lift your palms off the ground. Place your palms back on the ground. Press into your palms and engage your core to jump both feet forward to frame your palms. From this position, explode straight up into a jump. That's one rep.


How you can do them so you don't hate your life: (Above right) Bend both knees and place both palms on the ground in front of your feet. Step one foot back into plank position. Step the other foot back to plank position. With control, bend your elbows to lower your entire body in one straight line to the floor. Lift your palms off the ground. Place your palms back on the ground. Press into your palms to extend your arms and come up to plank position. Step one foot back to starting position. Step the second food back to starting position. Stand up to complete one rep. (No jump.) That's one rep.




Side Planks



How you're supposed to do them: (Above left) Lie on your left side and place your left forearm on the ground with your elbow directly underneath your shoulder. Keeping your hips, shoulders, knees, and feet stacked, brace your core as you lift your hips up toward the ceiling to form a straight line between your heels and the top of your head. Hold. Repeat on the opposite side.

One way to do them so you don't fall over: (Above right, top) Lie on your left side and place your left forearm on the ground with your elbow directly underneath your shoulder. Stagger your feet so one is a few feet in front of the other. Keeping your hips and shoulders stacked, brace your core as you lift your hips and knees off the ground to form a straight line with your body. Hold. Repeat on the opposite side.

You'll still feel it in your: Obliques, arms, and legs.

Another way to do them so you're not shaking: (Above right, bottom) Lie on your right side and place your right forearm on the ground with your elbow directly underneath your shoulder. Keeping your hips, shoulders, and feet stacked, brace your core as you lift your hips up toward the ceiling to form a straight line between your heels and the top of your head. Gently drop your bottom knee to the ground for support. Hold. Repeat on the opposite side.


Mountain Climbers





How you're supposed to do them: (Above left) Get into plank position with your shoulders over your wrists and your legs straight. Drive one knee in toward your chest. As you release it back to starting position, immediately drive the other knee in toward your chest. Continue alternating in quick succession, hopping from foot to foot.
How you can do them and still keep up: (Above right) Get into plank position with your shoulders over your wrists and your legs straight. Drive one knee in toward your chest, then extend it back to starting position. Drive the other knee in toward your chest, then extend it back to starting position. Continue to alternate at your own pace.
You'll still feel it in your: Abs, arms, and legs.


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