If you want to kick your metabolism up a notch, you need more muscle on your bones! Why? Because muscle burns about three times more calories than fat. The problem is that aging makes your body lose muscle, so you need to act now. The key is to add targeted weight training or body-resisted exercises to your life by focusing on the large muscle groups like Chest, Shoulders, Back, Glutes and Thighs; this is where we begin to build your foundation. Once we have achieved a great base, then we begin to isolate the smaller, kinetic, stabilizing muscles teaching them how to fire optimally enhancing the efficiency of those large muscles and pulling it all together for a tighter, leaner, stronger and sexier you!

So what are some of your best options? As a Master Personal Trainer for the last 13 years, Yoga & Pilates Instructor for 9 years  I have trained many different bodies at various ages and with varying goals but there are a few things that remain consistent:

  1. Key ‘base’ exercises like push ups, planks, squats, rows and lunges continue to rank #1 as my ‘Foundational Pieces’ for any client.
  2. Small muscle groups/stabilizers like the glute med/glute min, adductors and medial part of the quads get hit with a specific series (clams, 1/2 hydrants, press backs, double leg kick etc) of high volume,  isolating exercises that focus on form and progressive overload to build endurance, strength and extreme lift and firmness in the lower body.
  3. Yoga and Pilates are the core elements of any routine that I create. I fuse yoga, pilates and strength training using mainly the body weight as resistance or a small medicine ball or therapy band as my tools to strengthen, reshape and retrain the body to be that of a vital, energized and butt-kicking-happy individual.

Yoga CAN and WILL reshape your entire body if you choose the right type of yoga. You need to align your practice with your goals. If your goal is better stress management and relaxation then choose a class that moves at a slower pace and offers more support, if your goal is to CREATE a sweaty, drippy CORE INFUSED practice that will ignite you from the inside out then you need a Vinyasa Flow or Ashtanga based class. Here at Simplicity we call it CORE YOGA FLOW ~ and it ROCKS your yogi socks off as well as some extra inches and pounds!!

This would be my ideal schedule and what I would love to see for overall balance (keeping in mind this is for the person looking to get strong, boost their metabolism and shape up!)

Monday – 15 minutes of strength training incorporating the moves I listed above, plus 1 hour of yoga

Tuesday – 30 minutes of brisk walking or jogging outside plus 45 minutes of pilates

Wednesday – 1 hour of yoga

Thursday – 40-60 minute circuit combining strength, yoga, pilates and cardio

Friday – 10 Sun Salutations, 5 min

Saturday – Your choice 1 hour

Sunday – 30-40 minute brisk walk outside or relaxing with the family, a warm drink and a good book:)

You didn’t read incorrectly, I have put something down for everyday of the week; it is essential to keep this body moving. I am not asking you to take one of my Core Yoga Flow or Sculpted classes 7 days per week, I am simply encouraging you to do something…anything!

If you need to figure out a way to train 3 or 4 days per week instead (which is the MINIMUM i ever recommend) then choose 1 strength, 2 yoga, 1 pilates and 2 cardio but spread over the 3-4 days ex:

Day 1 – 1 hour Yoga, 25 minutes cardio

Day 2 – Yoga/ Pilates Fusion

Day 3 – 15 miuntes strength, 25 minutes cardio

Day 4 – 1 hour yoga

Start somewhere, start with something and let me know how it goes?

All I ask is that you give yourself the chance to FEEL better – you are so worth it!

Posted in Exercise/Personal Training, yoga/pilates and tagged , , , , ,