FIRE HYDRANT EXERCISE

When you’ve only got so much time to exercise, it’s nice to find exercises that work multiple parts of the body all at once! This exercise? It’s a whole body experience! Your arms support your upper body, your core acts as a stabilizer, and your lower body is working the hardest. Let’s get started!

START HERE:

Begin by setting up in a classic tabletop pose - place your knees beneath your hips, and your palms beneath your shoulders. Press your knuckles and heels of your hands into your mat or carpet to provide a stable foundation. Aim for a flat back and draw in your navel for a strong foundation. Stabilize yourself on both hands and your left knee, preparing to lift your right knee off the ground.

MOVEMENT: (B)

Keeping the 90 degree shape of your right leg, lift your right knee off the ground and lift it to parallel with your hip. Using your core to lift your leg to that height, keep your neck long and relaxed with your shoulders away from your ears. Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the left side, for a total of three repetitions for left and right.

Whole body exercises get you stronger in a healthy way that also feels fun! Plus, working out in a group can be a powerful motivator - our classes in Winnipeg are always full of like-minded ladies you’ll enjoy exercising with! Pictured here is me, Emily, the owner of Fifty 5 Fitness, and some of our classes are taught by other talented instructors. Click below to meet us all, then sign up for class so that we can meet you!

INNER THIGH BLASTER

We're back this week with another exercise - this time for the thighs! Here to show you how to tone the thighs is our owner Emily. At Fifty 5 Fitness classes in Winnipeg, we look for ways to improve muscle strength in ways that are low-impact and safe for the knees - and this inner thigh blaster is no exception! This strength training exercise can be done at home with or without weights which makes it a great complement to your aerobic activities on days when you don't attend fitness classes.

Did you know that any standing exercise is also helpful for developing your balance? The Fifty 5 Fitness ladies are getting vey good at their balance work. Seeing how far many of them have come from a year ago since launching Fifty 5 Fitness is incredible! This multitasking exercise will help you improve your balance as you work on your thighs!

Start Here (A)

Stand tall with your feet together and an upright posture holding one dumbbell in each hand. 2-5 pounds would be a great place to start! Engage your abdominal muscles and squeeze your shoulder blades slightly together, letting your arms rest beside your hips. Keep your spine long from your tailbone to the crown of your head. 

Movement (B)

Take a lateral step to the left with your left foot and bend into your left knee. Maintain the slight squeeze in the shoulder blades and bring your arms slightly over to the left - imagine that you're framing your left knee with your arms! Keep your shoulders squared toward the front and split your weight evenly between both feet. For proper alignment, check that your knee stays over your heel and all ten of your toes continue to point forward. Pause for one second, then step your left foot back in line with the right to return back to start. Continue stepping the left foot out while leaving the right foot glued to its original spot!

If you choose to use weights, start with a set between 2-5lbs and try 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions on each side to blast those inner thighs! This exercise increases in difficulty depending on how far out to the side you step your foot. For more strength training thigh exercises, join us at Fifty5Fitness, a gym for women in Winnipeg!