Fitness & Feline Friday: Sun Core

☼Sun☼ Rise, Slim Set!

This ☼sunny☼, sweaty ☼summer☼ series continues with our midsection …

Hello Kitty belly button bling ring

… because we want to rock out our abs on the beach …

½ my ♥

… or poolside!

The other ½ ☺

Core Combination

• Standing Knee Raises (lower abs): standing hip-width apart, draw knees up one at a time while bringing bent arms down toward chest ~ 3×20 for each leg
• Plank Side Bends (obliques): leaning on one elbow at a time with feet stacked, bend and press your hips ~ 3×20 for each side
• Side Plank Turns (obliques): leaning on one palm at a time with feet stacked, twist to side plank one side at a time for 10 seconds each ~ 3×5 for each side
• Reverse Plank Dips (core & tris): with palms of hands & heels on the mat/flat surface, pop pelvis upward while bending arms ~ 3×20
• Double Leg Raises (lower abs & back): while laying down, lift both legs up slowly and with control ~ 3×20 alternating sets with legs together and apart

Next up, we’ll hit our lower bod!

Workout Wednesday: Prayer Pose

Maligayang Bati. Mami Aya! * HBD, Nurse Nanay! 

In spirit of the recent Church💒 Sacraments (including my students’ First Communion and Confirmation), how about we put prayer into practice in our workout routines? 

I propose the 🙏Prayer Pose: place palms together in front of your chest, with your elbows bent at 45*

Here are lower bod and midsection moves that you can do in Prayer Pose (as opposed yet similar to Tree🌳 Pose) while standing and maintaining your balance …
During each rep, say something that you’re grateful for👏 (THANKSgiving prayers) or say a full☝️ prayer during a set✌️
3 sets of 12-15 reps
🙏Squats (as opposed to Prisoner👮 Position with hands behind your head): alternate stances between sets ~ wide/plié • narrow • shoulder width ~ drop low [legs]
🙏Lunges (as opposed to Warrior⛺️ yoga🌅 poses): extend one leg in front of you with knee bent at 90* and stretch other leg straight behind you then drop it down
🙏Calf Raises: alternate toe-point directions between sets ~ facing each other • facing forward • facing outward ~ start on tippy toes than lower to balls of feet👣 (calves)
🙏Abductors: with both legs together and toes facing forward, raise one leg outward to hip level; repeat on the other side after each set [inner thighs]
🙏Extensions: with both legs together and toes facing forward, raise one leg forward to hip level; repeat on the other side after each set [quadriceps]
🙏Elevated Curls: with both legs together and toes facing forward, raise one leg backward while bending the knee at 90*; repeat on the other side after each set [hamstrings]
🙏Bun Press: with both legs together and toes facing forward, raise one leg straight backward; repeat on the other side after each set [glutes]
🙏Knee Raises: draw one knee at a time up toward your chest [legs and core]
🙏Trunk Twists: turn your torso to the left, then to the right for one rep [core]

More bonus🌠 moves while laying on a clean, flat surface …

🙏Pray-Ups (as opposed to Pistol🔫 Pose): on your back, with palms together in prayer pose and legs extended straight out, tuck tummy in while bringing arms and legs together [core]

🙏Laying Curls: on your belly, with palms together in prayer pose and knees bent, curl legs behind you [hams]

And another 1 …

🙏Pray Raise (as opposed to Pistol🔫 Pose): either standing or sitting, lift arms up in prayer [chest]