Military Workout

Since Monday was Memorial Day, I'm keeping with the "military" theme for the workout today! I've got two moves, one strength and one cardio, that I found on military.com that will get your heart pumping and your arms and legs burning.

Get to it!

Dumbbell Split Squat (with optional bicep curl)

Holding a pair of dumbbells with your arms hanging at your sides, stand in a staggered stance, your right foot in front of your left. Keeping your torso upright, lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Raise yourself back up into the staggered stance and complete a total of 8 repetitions. Switch legs and repeat. For a more advanced workout, do a bicep curl when lowering into the split squat.

Muscles Used

-Quads

-Hamstrings

-Glutes

-Calves (slightly)

-Soleus (slightly)

-Core (slightly-for balance)

-Biceps (if doing a bicep curl when squatting)

Daily Use of Muscles

-running/walking/skipping/jumping

-going up/down stairs

-reaching/picking something up or lowering to ground

-sitting/standing

Things To Remember

-Be sure to keep your weight in the heel of your working leg

-DO NOT let you knee go past your toes

-DO NOT lunge forward; instead, lower straight down

-BREATHE

-For better balance, pull your belly button into your spine

Dumbbell Split Squat

Video of Dumbbell Split Squat

Cross-Body Mountain Climber

Assume a pushup position, your body forming a straight line from your head to your heels. Brace your abs--you'll hold them that way for the entire exercise. Now pull your left knee as close as you can to your right shoulder, without allowing your hips to sag. Return to the starting position and repeat, this time raising your right knee toward your left shoulder. That's 1 rep. Complete a total of 10.

Too easy? Try it with your feet on an elevated surface.

Muscles Used

-Pectoralis (chest)

-Biceps/Triceps

-Deltoids and Trapezius (shoulders)

-Abdominals and core

-Hip flexors

-Quadriceps

-Glutes

Daily Use of Muscles

-Pushing/pulling

-Walking/running

-Going up/down stairs

-Reaching up high/picking up off the floor

-Washing hair

-Driving

Things to Remember

-DO NOT let your hips sag or push up into the air-keep your body in a straight line!

-Breathe!

-Keep elbows slightly bent

-Keep neck in line with the spine by looking at the floor

-If this is too hard, start on your knees (but be sure to use padding under your knees!)

Cross-Body Mountain Climber

Video of Cross-Body Mountain Climber

"I never worry about action, but only inaction"

                                                    -Winston Churchill