Stoke Your Metabolic Furnace With These 10 Moves!

Do you keep doing the same traditional exercises over and over?  Are not seeing results so much anymore?  Are you ready to mix it up a little with some new versions that will work those 'target' zones that we ALL want to work on?  Here are 10 exercises to mix it up a bit... do it a little different...  stoke that metabolic furnace by switchin' it up!!  I have a few exercises utilizing stability balls.  I have given optional exercises if you don't have the ball.  But I do believe that the stability is my favorite peice of equipment you can have in your home.  Check out a previous post of mine that I put up about the ball:  http://stayfitwithjudi.blogspot.com/2011/01/if-you-could-have-one-piece-of.html

 Let's start at the bottom and move up the body!

1:  Quadriceps: Offset Dumbbell Lunge: WHY IS THIS LUNGE DIFFERENT??? Well, when you do this exercise, you are holding a weight on just one side of your body increases the demand placed on your core to keep your body stable. The result: Your hips and abs have to work harder, and you'll also improve your balance. And better yet, you'll burn tons of calories. **YOU CAN ALSO HOLD THE WEIGHT WITH YOUR ELBOW BENT, WEIGHT AT YOUR SHOULDER**  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFhGm9t96QA

2.  Hamstrings:  Single-Leg Dumbbell Straight-Leg Deadlift: Besides targeting your hamstrings, this exercise works your glutes AND your core!  It also helps create muscle balance between your legs, reducing your risk of injury. AND as another bonus, this exercise can improve the flexibility of your hamstrings, because it stretches these muscles every time you lower the weight.  **YOU CAN ALSO KEEP THE BACK LEG IN A STRAIGHT, EXTENDED POSITION.  TRY BOTH WAYS AND SEE WHICH TARGETS YOUR HAMSTRINGS BETTER ON YOUR BODY!!**   http://www.ehow.com/video_4982051_singleleg-dead-lift-exercise.html  

3.  Thighs, hips and abs:  Dumbbell lunge and rotation: Place a dumbbell  that is parallel to the floor in both hands in front of your body and follow this example:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz9-z090VQY

4.  Glutes:   I am giving you 2 exercises for the glutes.  One with a stability ball and one without...
     1.  WITH STABILITY BALL:  http://www.5min.com/Video/Bodyweight-Leg-Curls-Glute-Hamstring-Workout-94038265
     2.  WITHOUT STABILITY BALL:  This will also target your lower back.... once again we are targeting more than one muscle group, creating more of kickstart to your workouts!!  There are 2 variations shown in this video.. try them both!!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cOwbPutIXs

5.  Abs:  Mountain Climbers... With or Without a Stability Ball :  VERY effective for tightening the tummy!  BEST with the stability ball!!! DO BOTH EXERCISES IF YOU HAVE THE BALL!! : )
     1.  WITHOUT STABILITY BALL: This is an aerobic version of the exercise.  You can not run/jump it, but take knees in to chest in a slower manner.  Work up to the version you see here:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHjdc2QVRUQ
     2.  WITH STABILITY BALL:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXrR_2G30cc

6. Back:  Once again, I will show exercises with the ball and without.
     1.  WITH THE BALL:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WYfYkQ0W5Q
     2.  WITHOUT THE BALL:   http://www.monkeysee.com/play/1761-intermediate-pilates-back-extensions  These are PILATES based...  great to strengthen the back!!


7. Biceps:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MNE9ZE6Yao&feature=relmfu  You can do this exercise in a deep wide sumo squat as well, anchoring your elbow into the inner thigh area.

8.  Triceps:  1.  Hinged over tricep kick backs...  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXjFruZxk8k (there are also deltoid exercises on this video...
                     2.  Crab Walks...  fires up many differnet muscle fibers, but really targets triceps, expecially if you keep your hands with your fingers facing forwards!!!   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXjFruZxk8k

9.  Shoulders:  Scaption and Shrug: When you raise the dumbbells to start this exercise, you are targeting the front of the shoulders, as well as your rotator cuff.    But why the shrug??  This part of the move helps better balance the muscles that rotate your shoulder blades. The end result: great-looking shoulders and better posture.  This shows the scaption exercise:  NOTICE HOW SHE CORRECTS HER FORM... SHE HAS IS INCORRECT AND THEN CORRECTS IT... THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW TO PROPERLY DO THIS EXERCISE!   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2FFWNEMe5s
AT THE END OF THE SCAPTION MOVEMENT, JUST SHRUG UP YOUR SHOULDERS, THEN BRING THE SHOULDERS BACK DOWN TO A RETRACTED POSITION...  THAT IS ONE REPETITION..  TRY 3 SETS OF 10

10.  Core/full body... intense on obliques!:  SPIDERMANS:  This exercise is a moving one... do in where you have a bit of room... it's same elbow to same knee, same elbow to same knee... watch the video!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG3XoLSqD0Y