KANSAS CITY, Mo. — If you think you don’t have time to exercise — think again. There are lots of fun exercises you can squeeze into your schedule.
Jenn Zerling of JZ Fitness appeared on Monday’s FOX 4 Morning Show to demonstrate some of the exercises you can do with a partner.
Plank Hockey
It`s time to be a kid again. Grab a hand-sized bean bag and both of you should make your way into a plank position. Your hands go directly under your shoulders and balance on your toes with a wide stance (feet wider than hip distance apart for better balance). Decide who takes the bean bag in their possession first and then use your arms as a hockey goal as you both aim to score points by sliding the bean bag through the arms. Be sure to block the play with your hands. First person to score 10 points wins that round. This exercise is so much fun and it works every muscle in the body from
head to toe, including your mind.
Side Plank with Bean Bag Pass
Starting in a side plank with your backs together, place the bottom hand directly in line with your shoulder for a strong foundation. Drive your shoulder down your back to create length in the neck. Stay on the knife edge of the bottom foot while taking the top leg and crossing it in front creating a ‘kickstand’ for better stability. Lift your hips high to the sky creating a curve under your side body, igniting your obliques and core muscles. With your bean bag, reach up all the way and give your partner the bean bag while slightly externally rotating through the top shoulder to hand the bag to your partner. Once your partner grabs the bean bag, reach underneath your bottom arm to get the bean bag back and repeat the exercise for 7 or 12 reps before switching task order (have your partner now pass the bean bag up top to you while (s)he reaches underneath to grab it again).
Push Up to High Five
Pushups are one of the most standard exercises in any fitness program out there. If you cannot do a single pushup, no worries; drop to your knees and start there. Pushups are a closed chain exercise since they keep your hands connected to a surface. When executed correctly, this is highly beneficial for your shoulder girdle muscles along with your back, chest and core muscles. The pushup is performed followed by a high five with your partner. If you cannot do the full set, stay in plank position and take out the pushup. Wait for your partner to join you in the high five. Keep your shoulders down and away from your ears and belly tight the whole set.
Patty Cake in Static Squat
Get into a deep squat with your booty back and knees aligned over your ankles. Make sure the knees track in the same direction that your toes point to help protect the knees. Lift your chest up slightly so that you can see your partner, but keep your core super tight the whole set. Staying in a static squat, reach contra-laterally (across the body to the same hand of your partner) and hit hands 15-25 times while remaining in a static squat with good body alignment.
Check out Zerling’s website where you can find out more about her new book Breaking The Chains of Obesity.
