DUMBBELL HINGED ROWS

Our 55+ ladies always show up so excited to work hard in class! We love watching them get stronger every class - and this exercise is always a favourite. A huge strength builder for those shoulders, try 2 sets of 12 hinged rows at home for double the strengthening fun!

START HERE (A):

Stand with your feet hip width apart, and bend your knees. Drawing your shoulder blades together and away from your ears, hold onto two dumbbells that are a comfortable weight. Keep your neck long and hold your gaze onto a spot on the floor about three feet ahead, while holding your elbows at a slight bend.

MOVEMENT: (B)

Engage your abdominal muscles and draw your elbows up and back, squeezing your shoulders together slowly. Each squeeze is one repetition, and this week, we’ll have you aiming for 2 sets of twelve. We know you’ll agree: strengthening exercises are beneficial as we age. Our The 55 class has exercises that provide the perfect challenge: if you’re in Winnipeg, come give it a try!

LYING DUMBBELL TRICEP SKULL CRUSHERS

Okay… we know this one sounds really tough, but we’re about to make it super easy for you! Lying Dumbbell Tricep Skull Crushers are the perfect exercise to tone those arms. Grab a pair of dumbbells or even a couple of cans or water bottles, and let’s get started.

START HERE (A):

Lay on your back with knees bent, feet slightly wider than hip width apart. Press your tailbone and lower back into the ground, drawing your navel in for a strong core. Relax your shoulders away from your ears and keep your chin in a neutral position. Grasping onto your dumbbells, begin to bend your elbows at 90 degrees to find the starting posture.

MOVEMENT: (B)

Using the strength in your triceps, slowly straighten your arms and extend the dumbbells upwards. Keep your gaze neutral and notice if your shoulders begin to hunch up towards your ears. Keep that core engaged to make this into a nearly full-body exercise! Bend into your elbows to return to start, then repeat for 3 sets of 10 presses.

Even using a light weight, you’ll notice your arms start to get stronger quickly with this exercise. Add this into your workout routine to get toned arms in no time! Wanting a little more strength training? We offer a class called The 55 Strength that would be perfect for you! Check it out here:

FOAM ROLLING ANGELS

An exercise that’s as fun as it is challenging! Our Foam Rolling Angels will help you loosen up your chest and shoulders - this makes it an ideal exercise to try out after a challenging class. All you’ll need is a foam roller. Haven’t got one? A plain and tall roller is most versatile - check your local sports supply store, Walmart, Winners or similar and you’ll find one quite easily!

START HERE (A):

Set up your foam roller perpendicular to your mat or carpet, so that it will line up with your spine when you recline. Sit onto the roller and guide yourself down so that the roller rets between your upper shoulder blades. Raise your arms over your head and allow your shoulder blades to drop down on either side of the roller. Draw in your abdomen to press your lower back into the roller and engage your core.

MOVEMENT: (B)

Then, bring your hands to either side of your hips by drawing a large circle with your hands. Move slowly so that you can feel the stretch in your shoulders and chest. Straightening your arms a little more and extending through your fingertips will give you an even better stretch! Move mindfully and take your time, completing 10 circles each round for 3 total rounds.

Some movement while you’re in exercise recovery mode is very beneficial. If you exercise regularly, taking the time to stretch is something that your body craves! Our Sweat & Stretch class has the best of both worlds: if you’re in Winnipeg, come give it a try!

DUMBBELL SHOULDER PRESS

Spring Session registration opens today for current clients, and next Monday, March 11 for new clients! Tieranni, Jacquie, Erica, and Emily are excited to keep sweating it out with all of you this Spring. No one ever says “I feel horrible" after a great workout - and Fifty 5 Fitness classes are no exception. To start preparing those muscles for class, why not try this week’s exercise?

START HERE:

Start standing with feet at hip width apart with slightly bent knees, while pressing your feet down into the floor. Align your hips directly over your heels, and your shoulders directly over your hips. Holding a weight in each hand, carefully lift your arms to shoulder height with a 90 degree bend to the start position. Glance over each shoulder to see that the weight is centered on top of each elbow and not leaning forward or back.

MOVEMENT: (B)

Engaging your abdominal muscles and keeping your chin level with the floor, start to straighten your arms slowly and lift both weights towards the ceiling. Repeat this movement ten times in three sets, with a weight just heavy enough to start to feel too challenging on the last few repetitions. If you’re an exercise beginner, you can also try this move without weights or with a water bottle in each hand to start building up that strength!

WHAT NOT TO DO:

Be careful not to arch your lower back or have your hips pressed forward. To fix this posture, bring your hips back into alignment with your heels and straighten your upper back. Release your shoulders away from your ears and look straight ahead.

We can help you with your posture if you join us at class! Our group classes are designed for you to build strength and have fun at the same time - we believe working out in a community is so much more fun! You’re just in time for our Fifty 5 Fitness Spring Session in Winnipeg, where you can start to exercise in a safe environment and make connections with other women your age. Join us this Spring to start feeling great!