It may be winter, but that’s no reason to forget about toning our bods. The holidays and cold weather mean bundling up and eating lots of comfort food. Exercising not only helps boost your mood and immune system, it can also prevent winter weight gain. So even though you’re all covered up, let’s continue to work on sculpting a strong, healthy body through the winter season.
Kill two birds with one stone in this upper body workout that will chisel both your arms and your abs. We’ll target your obliques, rectus abdominus, lats, biceps, triceps and deltoids with multitasking moves. If you spend all day working at a desk, this workout is especially for you because it will help build better posture and balance to your body.
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- Rowing 1– A traditional Pilates reformer move that can be done on the floor with light weights in your hands. Sit up tall with your legs straight out in front of you and toes loosely pointed. Bring your hands together in front of your sternum with your elbows out to the sides. Drop your head, round your spine by hollowing out your abs and lean back as far as you can without losing form. Hold this position and open your arms out to a T. Bend your elbows to bring your hands back to your sternum without moving your torso. Do 3 reps with the arms. Finish with your arms open. Use your abs to bring your nose to your knees and circle the arms back and around until they touch your toes. Roll back up one vertebra at a time until you’re in your beginning sitting position. Do the entire set 5 times.
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- Rowing 2– Similar to Rowing 1, but with different arms. Sit up tall with your arms at 90 degrees, feet flexed, elbows in line with your shoulders and palms facing you. Keep your spine long as you hinge back with a flat back. Hold this position as you perform 3 bicep curls. Squeeze your glutes and lift and lengthen your spine even more to come back up to your sitting position. Present your arms by straightening your elbows, palms facing up. Flip your hands so the palms face down and lower your nose to your knees as you circle your arms behind you, finishing the same way as in Rowing 1. Once your hands are at your feet, roll up into your start position to repeat. Do 5 times.
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- Spider Man Pushups– These pushups will strengthen your chest and arms while targeting the obliques. Get into a pushup position. As you lower down into one pushup, bring your right knee up to your right elbow and look towards that leg.Straighten your arms as you bring the leg back. Repeat on the left side. Do 10 on each side.
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- Side Plank Crunches– These can be done on your knees in a half plank or for more of a challenge, in a full side plank with the legs straight. Sit on your left hip and place your left forearm on the ground. Press up into a plank position either with your knees bent or both legs straight. Make sure your left shoulder is above your left elbow. Holding onto one dumbbell in your right hand, bring your right arm up over your head. Lift your right leg straight up to hip height. Crunch your right side as you bring your right elbow to your right knee without dropping your hips. Do 10 on each side.
- Side Plank Single Arm Fly– Stay in your side plank position. Bring your top arm straight up to the sky while still holding the dumbbell. Hold your side plank as you lower your top arm straight down to chest level and then bring it back up. Do this slowly with control making sure to keep your shoulder blades down and lats engaged the entire time. Do 10 on each side. For more of a challenge, hold your side plank at the end of each set and perform an extra 10-20 little pulses.
What are you doing to stay in shape this winter season?
Also by Crystal: Sculpt An Ethereal Shape With Kate Mara’s Favorite Ballet Bodies Workout
So Busy You Can’t Even? Get Total Body Burn In A Flash With These 4 Combo Moves
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Video: Crystal Chin
