la palmero

I jumped in on my first workout(s) today!  Gosh, I miss training with those girls.  Track is such a wonderful community to be a part of.  I really miss the camaraderie among workout groups.  So I should be able to start working out again and hopefully continue to eat healthy.  My eating habits have slipped a bit, but I feel I have done a decent job maintaining some level of health in my eating habits.  Just have to get back to where I was in the early fall.  It's just so hard when I have a long commute to work and long days.  It will happen!

In honor of my return, I am posting a FANTASTIC ab workout, named La Palmero, after our old cross coach.  Here it is:

For each exercise, do a set of 15 (or 15 each way).  Between each exercise do 3-5 pushups.

Superman
     flat on stomach and raise chest and/arms feet off the ground
Alternating Superman
     alternate arm and foot lifted
45's
     like regular leg lifts, but only raise legs to 45 degrees
Plank
     60-90 sec
6 inchers
     hold feet 6" above grounf for 30-45 sec
Suitcases
     lay flat on back and simultaneously raise chest and legs to each other...bend knees and fold
     together...like a suitcase!
Lateral elbow stand with leg lift
     think side plank on your elbow and then, keeping leg straight, raise top leg 10-15 times.  repeat
     with other leg
Lateral hand stand with leg lift
     same, but with your hand supporting you, not your elbow
Prone elbow stand with leg lift
     think plank position.  raise each leg 10-15 times
Prone hand stand with leg lift
     same, but with hands supporting you
Supine elbow stand with leg lift
     reverse plank position, chest facing the ceiling and lift each leg 10-15 times
Supine hand stand with leg lift
     same, but with hands supporting you
V-ups
     lie on your back.  keeping body straight, bend at the hips to reach for your toes
Rock, Paper, Scissors
     lie on your back.  bring knees to your chest, then extend them straight out so your body is in a
     straight line, then separate your feet into a v [like scissors], keeping your ankles ~6" off the
     ground

It doesn't seem too bad...especially the push ups, until you get the end.  If you want a challenge, you can up the reps to 20 and push ups to 5-10.

xoxo,

anne