February 16, 2010

The whole Sweaty Family is back from a fun Family Day weekend in Ottawa. The sweaty grandparents live there, so we try to make it up when we can. Right now in Ottawa, the amazing Winterlude festival is on and a HUGE Yummy Mummy weekend-long party ensued.

We had a ball meeting the mummies on the Rideau Canal. The grandparents were supposed to join us but couldn’t, so I ended up carrying Sweaty Baby around in his sling, clutching Sweaty Hubby’s arm and desperately trying not to fall on my ass. Sweaty Kid has never been on skates before and Sweaty Hubby didn’t feel confident enough to keep her on her feet when he hasn’t skated in ages...

So we walked around on the ice like crazy people. Did I mention it was Ottawa? Did I mention it was freezing?

While I envied the childless women as they sped by on fancy ice skates and gave me queer looks for walking on the ice in my boots with an infant strapped to my stomach, I thought about my years of skating. I took figure skating lessons for years when I was a kid. I wasn’t Olympics-bound, that’s for sure... but it was great exercise and, like all martial arts, dance and sports, gave Sweaty Sister and me some good discipline. Plus probably got us out of my mother’s hair a couple of times per week.

Inspired by our walk on the Canal and my memories of little-kid skating classes, here is a workout to give you a butt as buff as a skater’s. And in just 16 minutes! Throw a jog, bike ride or brisk walk on the end of this workout for an additional 15-30 minutes and you’re golden.

Equipment: stair case, sturdy chair/bench, 5-10 lb dumbbells

Alternate between the two exercises in each superset for one minute each, for a total of 4 minutes per superset.

Superset 1
(a) Stairs - Walk up the stairs, one at a time, and jog down.
(b) Jumping Jack - Begin standing with feet together & arms at sides. Jump out to a wide stance as you raise arms up to the sides and overhead until they touch; jump back into starting position.

Superset 2
(a) Step up – Stand facing chair with dumbbells in hands at sides. Place entire left foot on chair and step up, pressing down through your heel. Balance on left foot and lift right knee until right thigh is parallel with floor; hold briefly, then step down. Alternate right & left.
(b) Decline plank – Assume a push up position with feet in front of sturdy chair (ensure chair will not slide or is up against wall). Place on foot, then the other, on the chair and hold plank position with hands shoulder-width apart on floor, toes on chair. Check out description and photos of the plank.

Superset 3
(a) Squat with front raise – Stand with feet hip-width apart, dumbbells in hands at sides. Keep abdominal muscles contracted and eyes up as you squat until thighs are parallel with floor. As you squat, raise arms straight out in front of you until dumbbells are at eye level. Pause, then stand straight up and lower dumbbells.
(b) Speed skater (30 seconds per leg) – Stand on one leg with hands tucked behind back. Keep abdominal muscles contracted and supporting knee slightly bent. “Skate” other leg back diagonally, back and slightly to the side, by squeezing your butt. Bring leg back in to tap supporting leg before skating back again.

Superset 4
(a) Stairs – Walk up the stairs, two at a time, and jog down.
(b) Clamshell (30 seconds per leg) – Lay on your side with knees bent and stacked. Rest head on lower arm and place top hand in front of you on the floor to prevent leaning back. Keep abdominal muscles contracted as you squeeze your butt and lift top knee as high as possible without separating feet or leaning back. Hold briefly & lower.

A little public service message here: There are risks with any kind of exercise.  If you are unsure, I always recommend you ask questions first, shoot later.  You can shoot me an email at dara[at]fitfamily[dot]ca if you have a question about these or any other exercises.
 

Labels/Tags: Dara Duff-Bergeron, Sweaty Mummy, Belly Bootcamp, Fit Family, Personal Trainer Toronto, Pre Postnatal Fitness, exercise, women's fitness, Rideau Canal, Winterlude, Ottawa, figure skating, glutes, lower body workout, home fitness

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