Fitness Friday :: Week Five
Welcome to Fitness Friday. Each week I share an exercise that I’ve found really and truly works.
The exercise for this week is the bridge. You’ll feel this working your core, back, glutes, and legs.
Start with your back on the floor and knees bent.
Push your hips up so that your body forms a diagonal line. Engage your core and squeeze those glutes.
Simply holding this position is a great exercise.
To make it harder, try this arm variation:
Another variation is to start in the original position, come up and hold for a few seconds, and then come back down but pause so that you are still engaged and your bottom is not quite on the mat. Pause for a few seconds…
And then slowly come back up…. Hold…and then go back down….
If you want more of a challenge, rise to the bridge position, hold, and then alternate raising your legs toward the ceiling.
Hold. Bring your leg down to the original bridge positions. Hold. Then repeat with the opposite leg. (In the picture below, my hips should be up more. My photographer took the picture as I was lowering down while holding my leg up.)
On a side note, can I tell you how much I love the two tops that I am wearing? They are the same top, one in pink and one in black. What I love about them is that they have completely flat seams and the built in shelf bra is only one piece of fabric instead of the usual two pieces with elastic. If you are interested, both tops are on sale. (Warning – if you are large busted, this top wouldn’t give you enough support.)
Happy Exercising!
I’ve done that one before in dance class…I remember liking it b/c you really have to balance when you put one leg up! 🙂
Okay, this is a new one for me. I’ll give it a try. I’ll add this one in, although I think I’ll do it at home and NOT at the gym. It’ll save me some embarassment when I fall over trying to lift my leg. 🙂 I’m NOT very coordinated.
Um, just for the record, your legs are amazing! Remind me not to ever stand close to you in shorts. That’s a comparison I don’t think my self esteem could take. 🙂
My future butt thanks you for the new work-out! Have a great weekend!
You make it look so fun and easy. One of these days I’ll stop reading and start doing…keep ’em coming!
Oh my! I’m sure looking forward to getting back to the gym and feeling normal again. I will be checking back weekly for new ideas. Thanks Paula!
xoxo,
Kim
Paula, thank you again for all the ideas and photos. We would all love to have your trim, muscular, pretty body! Great series.
Donna
Girl, you must be so proud of those muscular legs…mine look like chicken legs…sometimes I wonder if there is a muscle even in there?
This series is excellent- I need to get back on my strength training! Love the bridge though- it is such a great exercise! BTW your legs are simply awesome!