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Health and Fitness Tips

Working Out At Home In The Rain

Mother nature has been brutal this Spring and although many of my clients make it to workouts with me, they are skipping the gym on rainy nights. So I was thinking how can I duplicate a few of the exercises that we do in the gym for them at home, without the equipment.

So here is what I suggest. To warm-up, pop in a DVD of warm-up exercises, and light aerobic cardio. Do about 10 minutes of warm-up exercises and 20 - 30 minutes of cardiovascular.

Pec-Deck Machine works the pectoral muscles. The clear machine-free alternative is the Dumbbell Flye, which involves the same movement you perform on the pec-dec, only lying on your back instead of sitting up. Visualize “creating a circle” or “hugging a tree” with your arms to help promote proper form.

Get on the floor in standard push-up position, then place your feet on an elevated, secure surface such as a bench or set of stairs. Starting with a wide grip (about 4 - 8 inches outside shoulder width) perform a push-up, extending your arms fully and lowering your body to a point where your chest is about an inch from the floor. After the initial set of wide push-ups, narrow your grip and repeat. Continue to move your hands closer together with each successive set until you have completed a full range of wide and narrow push-ups.

Cable Pressdown targets the triceps. The bench dip is great replacement when you don't have a cable-cross over machine. Place your hands on a flat bench and your feet up on a chair and perform the dip motion. For added resistance, have someone place a weight plate on your lap. As you fatigue, you can lose the plate and continue as if performing a drop set.

A unique variation of the cable pressdown you can also do at home is Dumbbell Skullcrusher. Hold two dumbbells with a hammer grip and lie faceup on a flt bench. Position your upper arms beside your head and extend your arms straight over your chest. Lower the weight by bending your elbows to bring the dumbbells back toward the top of your head, then reverse the motion to return to the start position. If you don't have a spotter, you can perform this exercise one arm at a time and spot yourself with the nonworking arm.

So when rain encourages you to stay at home - pop-in your favorite warm-up and cardio DVD, and get to work. Ab-work is also easy to do on the floor of the living room. Remember that May is a very rainy month in Colorado!

Rick Gusler is a certified personal trainer and diet nutritionist who serves his clients through Gusler Body Sculpting Fitness Center in central Denver. To schedule a free consultation, or to learn more about the Gusler method of body sculpting, spin yoga, or Rick's Boot Camp, please contact him at 303.860.7131 or online at www.guslerbodysculpting.com.

Gusler Body Sculpting Fitness Center, LLC
459 Acoma Street · Denver, Colorado 80204 · 303-860-7131
Hours: Monday-Friday: 6am-8pm · Saturday: Closed · Sunday: Closed

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