(page 60) FEBRUARY 2015
HEALTH TREND BY STACEY NIEWENHUIS
February is American Heart Month, so it’s time to give your heart a little more love. Find more detailed cues on each exercise at 605magazine.com.
Did you know?
I B ME! HEART HEALTHY HIIT
The heart is a muscle. It needs to be trained too. As the heart becomes stronger, the heart rate lowers because fewer beats are required to pump the same amount of blood. Try something new and include a heart-pumping workout, HIIT style, to your routine. High Intensity Interval Training alternates bouts of all-out effort (for your fitness level) and short recovery periods for a specific number of sets. Here’s what I love about it – it’s an efficient and effective workout that involves a number of muscles simultaneously and gives you maximum calorie burn by metabolizing fat for fuel and KEEPS burning calories well after your workout is over. In honor of American Heart Month, here’s my twists on a few well-known exercises.
Side Lunge Hop Hinge at hips, sink hips back, spine aligned.
Push off outside leg, hop, drive knee to ceiling.
1.
2. Glute Bridge Punch
Feet hip width apart, strong arms in guard position.
Press hips to ceiling, punch fist past shoulder to floor.
1.
2.
Froggy Burpee Start standing, legs parallel.
Hop back into a plank, keep core tight.
Drive elbow to ceiling, squeeze shoulder blade.
1.
2.
3.
Hop back feet wide at a 45 angle.
Press through the inner thighs, feet back to parallel.
4.
5.
Stand or hop, repeat other arm.
6.