Buns-Burner

Try this exercise to tone those buns!!!

Lie on your back
Bend your knees
Lift your buns off the ground (like you're pushing up into a bridge except your shoulders remain on the ground)
Hold for 30 sec. - 3 times
*increase time according to strength

Variations...
1 - Raise and lower those buns 30 times - 3 sets.
2- At the end of the 30 seconds, raise and lower those buns 10 times.
3- Keep one foot on the ground and raise other foot up.

Treadmill Training

fig. - www.nordictrack.com

As this past Labor Day weekend turned a cold cheek it got me thinking that I may be starting my indoor running routine earlier than planned. I much prefer to run outside as I find running on a treadmill can get tedious and monotonous so these are a few tricks I've learned to curb the boredom.

Sprint Intervals - For 30 sec. - 1 min turn up the mph for a speed burst. Repeat several times through-out your run. Some treadmills have a pre-set program for running intervals or one touch speed change.

Incline Intervals - Increase the incline for a brief period of time.

Research has shown that varying the intensity of your treadmill exercise and your corresponding heart rate increases the body's metabolism more than running at the same pace for a long period of time. So in order to burn fat efficiently you should vary the speed of your treadmill belt accordingly.

Here's a workout example- increase or decrease intensity as needed.

Warm-up: 5 minutes @ 5 mph

Run: 15 minutes @ 7 mph

Speed intervals: 10 minutes - rotate 2 minutes @ 6 mph with 30 sec. @ 9 mph

Cool down: 5 minutes @ 3 mph at 7% incline.

Plyometrics

If you've been trying to lose weight or increase your running speed and have hit a plateau, then give plyometrics a go!

Fig. - Runnersworld.com

Plyometrics is a type of explosive training that involves exercises that enable a muscle to reach maximum force in the shortest possible time.

Add these exercises to your running routine to help improve your leg muscle's power and explosiveness. Studies have shown that these jumping drills can lead to an improvement as great as 8%. That's 96 seconds off a 20 minute 5k!(1)

1. Bounding for Distance - Pretend there are tires on the ground a few feet apart; your goal is to land in the center as you spring forward with each stride. There should be a feeling of floating in the air between each bound. Go for about 30 yards.

2. High-Knee Carioca - Step sideways with your left leg, behind with your right, side-step with the left, then step in front with the right, raising your knee to your waist. Repeat for 30 yards, then switch sides.

3. Single-Leg Hop - Jump forward, aiming for distance, five or six times on one leg. Switch to the other leg. Variation: Do them for height.

4. Skipping - Explode off the ground, skipping as high as possible and minimizing time on the ground. Keep your thigh parallel with the ground. Skip for about 30 yards.

5. Double-Leg Hop - Jump six to eight times in a row, trying to get as much height as possible. Jumps should be consecutive, without rest between each one. Variation: Do them for distance instead of height. (1)

These are just some basic plyometric drills you can add to your routine to help peak performance. For some additional (and higher level) exercises visit...

http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/plyometricexercises.html

Have FUN!!!

1. Keystone, Ed; The Fast Lane - Training Advice for Peak Performers.http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238---12559-0,00.html