SHORT CIRCUIT

Everybody knows the holidays put stress and sometimes stretch on our waistlines. That’s why the perfect workout routine for the last two months of the year should be short and effective.

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Everybody knows the holidays put stress and sometimes stretch on our waistlines. And with seasonal celebrations coming hard and fast, it’s difficult to find the same amount of time we usually devote to exercise. That’s why the perfect workout routine for the last two months of the year should be short and effective. Our lactate circuit routine is tailor-made for the demands of the season.

The idea behind lactate circuits is to complete the repetitions of all the exercises in the shortest period of time, without a defined order. If a muscle has reached its fatigue point, another exercise must be performed. In this manner, the body is pushed to work as hard as possible. The measuring stick is the time of completion for all the repetitions. Shorter times mean better conditioning.

LATERAL LUNGE WITH BAND ROTATION

Prime movers
Hip adductors/abductors

Assistive Movers
Hip extensors and abductors

Common Errors
Excessive hip translation. Insufficient hip flexion.

Teaching cue
While standing, grasp a band handle with both hands. Take a broad step forward and to the side, and flex the lead hip and leg while rotating the trunk. The arms should be extended and the rotation should be consistent with the speed of the hip action. Return to the start position by pressing back with even rotation.

PUSH-UP TO REACH

Prime movers
Pectoralis major, triceps

Common Errors
Poor trunk management. Excessive hip rotation.

Teaching cue
Begin from a push-up position by flexing the arms. Once at the lowest position, press the body upward quickly by simultaneously extending the arm and contracting the chest. Using the momentum of the press, rotate the body and reach outward and upward so the shoulders and arms align. Stabilize the position and return to the starting point, alternating each side in a controlled rebound action.

More great exercises, like the lateral rotation on a physioball, can be found in the November/December 2009 issue of SOBeFiT Magazine.

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