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!

SAFE KNEE EXERCISE: BRIDGE

We know that all of you 55+ ladies have concerns about your knees, so we strive to make all of our classes and exercises knee-safe. What does that mean? All aerobic and strength training exercises are low-impact so that you can feel confident you won’t accidentally worsen or create an injury. Today’s exercise is energizing and strengthening - you’ll be able to feel your quads and back getting stronger!

Start Here (A)

Start lying down on your mat or carpet with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Walk your heels towards your hips and keep all of your toes pointed straight ahead. Lay your hands down at your sides and press your palms into the mat. Maintain a long neck and leave your chin in a neutral position. 

Movement (B)

Engage your core muscles (yes, just about everything is a secret core strengthener!) then press into your heels and lift your hips off the ground. Be mindful to hold some of your weight in your hands, the rest of your weight in your feet and none of your weight in your neck. Maintain this posture by continuing to lift your hips off the ground and visualize the front of your body in one line. Keep your front body and back body engaged to strengthen your hamstrings, back, quads and core!

Hold this pose for 30 seconds to start, then gradually hold bridge for longer when it becomes easy. Try bridge in 3 sets of 30 seconds to begin and increase as your body becomes stronger. For more back strength training exercises, join us for Fifty 5 Fitness classes for women in Winnipeg!

PLANK PARTY!

It has been about a year now that I have been working almost exclusively with women 55+. The one eye opener that I have noticed working with ladies in this age group is the lack of upper and lower back strength. One of the best exercises for developing strength in these areas is the simple plank. Want to join our plank party? Many of our clients have questions about this fantastic full-body exercise, so Emily is going to show you the dos and don’ts for beginners and advanced students alike!

BEGINNER VERSION

Bring your knees together on the mat and set your hands directly below your shoulder blades. Press both hands equally into the mat and leave some space between your shoulders and your ears! Engage your abdominal muscles and reach the crown of your head away from your tailbone. Hold plank for 30 seconds to start, or until your posture starts to weaken.

ADVANCED VERSION

Similar to the beginner option, core engagement is key! In this version, the legs are straight and toes are tucked under. Press your heels backwards and engage your thighs, glutes and calves. Imagine that your body is in one long line - like a plank of wood!

BE CAREFUL NOT TO...

Arch Your Back

Let Your Hips and Lower Back Sag

FIXING HUNCHBACK POSTURE

Did you know that poor posture can put strain on your body (especially the spine) and can actually impair your balance?  Whether you sit all day, stand all day, or practice a combination of both, there’s no denying the importance of good posture. As you’re getting older, correcting your posture is one of the best favours you can do for yourself and your overall health. Our owner Emily is a stickler for good posture - that’s why she’s here demonstrating an exercise that can help you to fix hunchback posture and strengthen your postural muscles. Click play on the video and start fixing that hunchback posture today!

Click to Play!

It can be challenging to correct your own posture. That’s why we recommend trying this out in front of a mirror or attending an exercise class. What makes our group classes stand apart is that you always get that one-on-one instruction. Our certified instructors are always circulating the room to make sure you are completing each exercise properly and safely. Better posture and safe exercising at any age is what we call a win-win!

Stop by the Fifty 5 Fitness studio in Winnipeg if your goals are to improve your balance, lose weight, feel healthier and gain strength - you’ll be glad you did!

BACK TO BIRD DOG

The 55 is one of the main classes we offer that encompasses cardio, strength training, stretching and balance work in a single class. And this is an exercise that strengthens the back and the core at the same time! When we’re providing fitness for women in Winnipeg, we look for ways to help you get the best bang for your buck with each exercise! This strength training exercise can be done at home on a yoga mat, a rug or carpet. 

Start Here (A)

Start in a tabletop pose with your shoulders directly above the wrists, and the hips overtop the knees. Tuck in your toes to help you find stability, and draw your belly button towards your spine. Holding onto your core is key in this exercise so keep your focus right there! Keep your neck neutral and look a little bit ahead while pointing the crown of your head forward and your tailbone back.

Movement (B)

When you feel ready, reach your left arm forward at shoulder height at the same time as you stretch your right leg back at hip height. Reach the fingertips forward to engage the muscles of your arm, and point your toes ballerina-style or let them point down towards the floor. Your glutes help you maintain the lift in your leg so make sure to keep them engaged! It’s common to accidentally turn your toes out to the side or lift the leg too high, so checking in a mirror is always a great option.

Hold this for 5 seconds before switching to the other side. Alternate sides - that means next time you’ll be raising the right arm and stretching your left leg back. To make this exercise even more challenging, increase the length of the hold to 10 seconds or more as you feel ready. Continue alternating until you’ve completed each side 10 times. For more back strength training exercises, join us for Winnipeg strength training at Fifty 5 Fitness!