Our bodies are basically the most complex and amazing tools out there and with some effort we can train them to do almost anything! To reach your full athletic potential you have train in a variety of ways. When you incorporate different training methods into your fitness routine you grow fast AND strong AND stable AND flexible. In this series with Christine Bullock we are, one by one, working to improve your essential elements of strength. So far we have covered FOUNDATION with an articulate Pilates workout and POWER with some serious high intensity training. This week is all about BALANCE. Add this yoga move to your series and check back next week for the fourth and final element.
Balance – Balance is the ability to stabilise movement, allowing us to move gracefully and with ease. Yoga and stability training will sculpt those strong flexible muscles that keep you in balance. The body awareness that you gain from yoga will give you the willpower and control to power through any fitness challenge. Additionally, yoga dramatically increases flexibility, promotes better sleep, reduces your risk of illness, and improves your respiratory and circulatory health.
Complete this 20 minute Balance workout by performing exercises 1-4 for 1 minute each. When you have completed 1 round, take a 1 minute water break. If you would like to increase the challenge skip the water break and try the Bonus EvoAb exercise from the Bonus Evolution 20 workout. Repeat the circuit 4 times for an Evolution 20 20-minute Balance workout!
Begin in a down dog, feet hip width distance apart, heels pressing toward the ground, arms shoulder distance and core braced. Extend your right leg straight up behind you. This is your starting position. Draw the body forward to a single leg plank, while drawing the right knee into the nose. Press into the arms and lift the hips up and back to a single leg down dog, re-extending the right leg. Repeat on one side, alternating sides each complete circuit.
Begin on your stomach with arms extended overhead. Engage your core, then float your arms, chest and legs off the ground. This is your starting position. Reach the arms wide and then back along the body as you bend the legs at the knees. Try to touch the ankles or shins. Then extend the legs and arms to start position. Repeat.
Begin in plank position, hands shoulder distance, feet hip distance and core braced. Float the opposite arm and leg, drawing the right knee into the chest. Now try to touch the foot of the right leg with your left hand. Replace the arm and leg to ground. Alternate sides.
Begin in plank position, arms shoulder distance, feet hip distance and core braced. Now keeping the spine and legs long walk your legs in toward your chest as you lift your hips to the sky. This is a pike position and it is your starting position. Now stabilizing this pike, bend your arms lowering your forearms down to the ground with control. Press into the hands and re-extend the arms to pike. Repeat.
Bonus! Begin in a seated position, lean back floating the arms forward parallel with the floor. Now float the legs to table top. This is your start position. Draw the core up and in, lengthening through the spine as you begin to lower the upper and lower body extending through the legs. Lower a few inches off the ground. Now brace the core and lift the upper and lower body to the start position. Repeat.
“To learn more about Evolution 20 – my new 60-day fitness and nutritional program, visit http://www.evolution20.com
*Photo Credit Kathryn Page