Day 2 #FitIn5 March Madness 29 Day Challenge

Day 2 is about core strength! Great start to the week so let’s keep it moving. Day 2/5 exercises.

1. High Knees Front 10 Side 10

2. Mountain Climber 20

3. Plank Leg Circles Out 10 In 10 Right Leg

4. Plank Leg Circles Out 10 In 10 Left Leg

5. Plank Ab Activation (credit for this exercise goes to Stacie Clark with Women’s Health Magazine)  

Remember to tag me on IG at @nthefitzone or post on my facebook page to let me know how it goes.

I did a few of these in Pilates today and this is the look I got. 😀

This is the workout! Real Time!

Comment and let me know how it goes 🙂

Consult your physician before beginning any new exercise program.

Pilates For Runners, The Standing Leg Lift/Leg Circles

November is a month full of running and racing, so for all of you runners who have been following my Pilates for runners series, this is one of my favorites. The Standing Leg Lift/Leg Circle. This exercise works the leg, the important stabilizers, the core and increases hip mobility.

I stand in Pilates stance engaging my hamstrings, abdominals, and inner thighs. I keep my arms up and parallel to the floor with my shoulders back and down. I then lift my left leg out to the side keeping my knee facing forward without locking it out. I am inhaling and exhaling as I lift and lower my leg about 8-10 times. I then hold my leg up and balance as I work into leg circles, first clockwise about 8-10 times, then counter-clockwise about 8-10 times. I release back to center in Pilates stance and then repeat on the other side.

The six principles of Pilates can definitely apply to running. They are concentration, centering, control, breathing, precision and flow. Runners need all of these to run efficiently and with less risk for injury. So, I have always said that cross training is very beneficial for many sports. I know Pilates is an excellent choice for runners to incorporate into their training to strengthen their “powerhouse” and to reduce the risk of injury so they can run faster and with more control.

Piper loves being on camera any chance she gets. Sorry for the butt angle though. Have you tried the standing leg lift before?

Always check with your own doctor before beginning any new exercise or exercise program.

Pilates For Runners, The Shoulder Bridge

This is part two of the Pilates for runners. I hate getting sidelined by a stinking injury so I try to do exercises to keep my quardriceps, hamstrings, glutes/piriformis and calves strong. Strength in these areas will help decrease my chance of knee injuries and instability.

This exercise is called The Shoulder Bridge which strengthens the areas mentioned above. I was reading a great article at www.ideafit.com about this exercise. I do it often so I thought it would be a good one to share. First, I come into supine position walking my feet close to my butt and I try to align my heels with my knees and my arms and shoulders are by my side.  As I inhale I lift my back off the floor one vertebrae at a time until my hips are as high as possible. I exhale. I then support my hips with my hands, engaging my glutes as I inhale the bridge a little higher. If I need to modify, I just stay in the first bridge position with the arms and shoulders by my side inhaling and exhaling as I lower and lift 6-8 times. If I want to progress further, I add the single leg lifts. I inhale one leg up and exhale back down to be parallel with the other thigh. I do each side about 6-8 times before slowly lowering the bridge down to the floor. I transition slow and controlled and I always focus on maintaining length in my spine throughout the movement. I engage my inner thighs to make sure my knees do not open.  I finish by bringing my knees to chest to relax.

Beginning/Modification:

Shoulder Bridge with single leg lifts/advanced:

I will continue this series of Pilates for runners later this week, so be sure if you are interested to check in again. I know there are a lot of fun races going on this time of year, so these might be exercises you may want to try. Always check with your own physician if you are starting any new exercise program. I do recommend if you have never done Pilates that you find a qualified teacher to get you started.

Hey runners, what do you think of color runs? I am thinking of doing one.

Pilates For Runners, The Hip Circle

Hello all of you runners in the world. As a runner, I know that a strong core is essential for good running form. With all of the races going on this time of year, I thought I would share a couple of moves this week that may inspire you to give Pilates a try. Pilates, when done correctly, and progressed with proper form is great for strengthening and gaining power in the core. This is one of my favorite moves which strengthens the core. The hip circle. I start in supine position and lean back to my elbows, keeping my back straight, shoulders rolled down and back, I keep my chest lifted. I scoop through my belly as my legs are extended in “pilates stance”. I circle both legs clockwise 3 times and then counterclockwise 3 times and repeat. I am inhaling through my nose and exhaling through my mouth throughout the exercise. I usually do this 8-10 times. Below is a photo of the hip circles.

Check back this week for more Pilates for runners. Hey runners, have you tried Pilates? If so, how did you like it?