Any exercise — be it for your arms, abs, or heart — is going to help make you leaner, stronger, and healthier. But only certain exercises can burn more fat than a teenage line cook at a burger joint.
These moves, designed by Gregory Florez, spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise, torch extra calories because they work several major muscle groups at the same time. And when you combine them into one 30-minute workout, they tap your cardiovascular system, too, keeping your heart rate revved and your metabolism cooking.
Body Burners
Do two to three sets of 15 reps for each exercise. (Increase the reps or the weight when that gets too easy.) To keep your heart rate up, rest for only 45 seconds between sets.
Stability Ball Back Extension
works back and glutes
Lie facedown on a large stability ball so it supports your pelvis. Keep the balls of your feet on the floor and rest your hands at your sides. Next, tighten your glutes and gently lift your chest. Hold for 3 seconds, then lower back to start. If this is too easy, clasp your hands behind your head for more of a challenge.
Standing Body Bar Split Jump
works legs and heart
Stand with your knees slightly bent, gently holding a 6- to 9-pound body bar at the back of your neck. Drop your hips and jump slightly so that your right leg lands about 3 feet in front of your left leg. Repeat with the left leg. Work up to a total of 30 jumps. Start slowly and don't sink all the way into a lunge.
Wobble Board Balance and Sit
works legs, core, glutes, and lower back
Stand on a wobble board with your knees slightly bent and try to balance for 5 seconds. Next, lower your hips, keeping your back straight. If you can, lower enough to perform an actual squat and hold for another 5 seconds. Return to start and repeat. If balancing is too hard, try this move on a Bosu or foam pad first; once your body is more stable, return to the wobble board.
Stability Ball Chest Press
works chest, shoulders, and core
Grab a pair of 8- to 15-pound dumbbells. Lie on a stability ball (positioning it underneath your mid to upper back) with your feet flat on the floor, knees bent about 90 degrees, and abs pulled tight. Hold the dumbbells by your chest, palms facing forward, and press them straight up toward the ceiling. Lower the weights and repeat, using your abs to keep your body still.
Weighted Bicycle Crunch
works abs and thighs
Lie on your back with your knees bent. Hold a 5- or 6-pound medicine ball directly on your chest. Curl your upper body and right leg, and at the top of the crunch rotate your torso so that your left elbow meets your right knee. Extend your left leg at the same time, as if you're pedaling. Return to start and repeat on the other side.
Seated Ball Stabilizer
works abs, back, and hips
Sit upright on a stability ball with legs hip-width apart and feet flat on the floor. Slowly lower your torso about 6 inches forward, keeping your back straight. Tighten your glutes as you lower and return to start. Then, keeping your abs tight, slowly lift your right leg off the floor. Hold for 3 to 4 seconds and release. That's one rep. Repeat the whole sequence, lifting your left leg next. Alternate until you complete your set.
Side Stepup with Triceps Kickback
works thighs, core, and triceps
Stand sideways next to a step, holding 5- to 8-pound dumbbells with arms in a relaxed position and elbows slightly behind your body. Next, step laterally onto the step. At the top of the step, tighten your abs and lean forward slightly. Press the dumbbells behind you and straighten your arms. One stepup and press counts as one rep. Step down and repeat for a complete set before switching sides.
Traveling Lunge with Biceps Curl and Shoulder Press
works legs, biceps, and shoulders
Holding a pair of 5- to 10-pound dumbbells, step forward with your left leg into a lunge. Make sure that your left leg is parallel to the floor, keeping your knee behind your toes. Curl the dumbbells to your chest as you sink down, and as you rise, rotate your wrists so that your palms face forward and press the dumbbells overhead when you are in the standing position. Bring your feet together. Then repeat, stepping your right leg forward. Do one set (two if you're fit).
Walk Away
How to power up your pace
Long, low-intensity cardio sessions with more intense intervals are a surefire way to burn fat (it takes at least 30 minutes of continuous aerobic exercise to really dip into your fat stores; the longer you go the better), and walking is the easiest way to do it. Plus, daily walking has less risk of overuse injuries than more intense activities. Use these three items to get the most out of your strides.
Pedometer
Studies have shown that pedometers can help motivate because they hold you accountable and keep your goals visible. The New-Lifestyles NL-2000 pedometer ($65, New-Lifestyles) not only monitors your steps, it also tallies the total number of calories you burn each day. Plus, it can determine your basal metabolic rate based on your input (your age, gender, height, and weight), so you'll know how many calories you burn at rest.
Weighted Vest
It adds a strengthtraining component to your walk, so you're forced to work harder and burn more calories. We like the Resistance Wear F2PRO weighted vest ($80, Resistancewear) because it looks like a sports bra instead of a bubbled life preserver. The removable 1/2-pound weights are nearly invisible. Each vest comes with 4 pounds, but it can hold up to 10.
Sturdy Shoes
Tired feet will shorten your workout, so wear ultrasupportive sneakers. The Nike Air Max Imum walking shoes ($80, Nike) are built with extra cushioning (that's not too squishy) to comfort your feet during long-distance jaunts. A special stabilizing rail system allows your foot to rock easily from heel to toe during every mile.
Up for the Count
These moves, designed by Gregory Florez, spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise, torch extra calories because they work several major muscle groups at the same time. And when you combine them into one 30-minute workout, they tap your cardiovascular system, too, keeping your heart rate revved and your metabolism cooking.
Body Burners
Do two to three sets of 15 reps for each exercise. (Increase the reps or the weight when that gets too easy.) To keep your heart rate up, rest for only 45 seconds between sets.
Stability Ball Back Extension
works back and glutes
Lie facedown on a large stability ball so it supports your pelvis. Keep the balls of your feet on the floor and rest your hands at your sides. Next, tighten your glutes and gently lift your chest. Hold for 3 seconds, then lower back to start. If this is too easy, clasp your hands behind your head for more of a challenge.
Standing Body Bar Split Jump
works legs and heart
Stand with your knees slightly bent, gently holding a 6- to 9-pound body bar at the back of your neck. Drop your hips and jump slightly so that your right leg lands about 3 feet in front of your left leg. Repeat with the left leg. Work up to a total of 30 jumps. Start slowly and don't sink all the way into a lunge.
Wobble Board Balance and Sit
works legs, core, glutes, and lower back
Stand on a wobble board with your knees slightly bent and try to balance for 5 seconds. Next, lower your hips, keeping your back straight. If you can, lower enough to perform an actual squat and hold for another 5 seconds. Return to start and repeat. If balancing is too hard, try this move on a Bosu or foam pad first; once your body is more stable, return to the wobble board.
Stability Ball Chest Press
works chest, shoulders, and core
Grab a pair of 8- to 15-pound dumbbells. Lie on a stability ball (positioning it underneath your mid to upper back) with your feet flat on the floor, knees bent about 90 degrees, and abs pulled tight. Hold the dumbbells by your chest, palms facing forward, and press them straight up toward the ceiling. Lower the weights and repeat, using your abs to keep your body still.
Weighted Bicycle Crunch
works abs and thighs
Lie on your back with your knees bent. Hold a 5- or 6-pound medicine ball directly on your chest. Curl your upper body and right leg, and at the top of the crunch rotate your torso so that your left elbow meets your right knee. Extend your left leg at the same time, as if you're pedaling. Return to start and repeat on the other side.
Seated Ball Stabilizer
works abs, back, and hips
Sit upright on a stability ball with legs hip-width apart and feet flat on the floor. Slowly lower your torso about 6 inches forward, keeping your back straight. Tighten your glutes as you lower and return to start. Then, keeping your abs tight, slowly lift your right leg off the floor. Hold for 3 to 4 seconds and release. That's one rep. Repeat the whole sequence, lifting your left leg next. Alternate until you complete your set.
Side Stepup with Triceps Kickback
works thighs, core, and triceps
Stand sideways next to a step, holding 5- to 8-pound dumbbells with arms in a relaxed position and elbows slightly behind your body. Next, step laterally onto the step. At the top of the step, tighten your abs and lean forward slightly. Press the dumbbells behind you and straighten your arms. One stepup and press counts as one rep. Step down and repeat for a complete set before switching sides.
Traveling Lunge with Biceps Curl and Shoulder Press
works legs, biceps, and shoulders
Holding a pair of 5- to 10-pound dumbbells, step forward with your left leg into a lunge. Make sure that your left leg is parallel to the floor, keeping your knee behind your toes. Curl the dumbbells to your chest as you sink down, and as you rise, rotate your wrists so that your palms face forward and press the dumbbells overhead when you are in the standing position. Bring your feet together. Then repeat, stepping your right leg forward. Do one set (two if you're fit).
Walk Away
How to power up your pace
Long, low-intensity cardio sessions with more intense intervals are a surefire way to burn fat (it takes at least 30 minutes of continuous aerobic exercise to really dip into your fat stores; the longer you go the better), and walking is the easiest way to do it. Plus, daily walking has less risk of overuse injuries than more intense activities. Use these three items to get the most out of your strides.
Pedometer
Studies have shown that pedometers can help motivate because they hold you accountable and keep your goals visible. The New-Lifestyles NL-2000 pedometer ($65, New-Lifestyles) not only monitors your steps, it also tallies the total number of calories you burn each day. Plus, it can determine your basal metabolic rate based on your input (your age, gender, height, and weight), so you'll know how many calories you burn at rest.
Weighted Vest
It adds a strengthtraining component to your walk, so you're forced to work harder and burn more calories. We like the Resistance Wear F2PRO weighted vest ($80, Resistancewear) because it looks like a sports bra instead of a bubbled life preserver. The removable 1/2-pound weights are nearly invisible. Each vest comes with 4 pounds, but it can hold up to 10.
Sturdy Shoes
Tired feet will shorten your workout, so wear ultrasupportive sneakers. The Nike Air Max Imum walking shoes ($80, Nike) are built with extra cushioning (that's not too squishy) to comfort your feet during long-distance jaunts. A special stabilizing rail system allows your foot to rock easily from heel to toe during every mile.
Up for the Count
Enhance your calorie burn and improve your mood with at least 30 minutes of cardio three times a week. Here's how many calories per half-hour each of seven popular activities burns for a 130-pound woman.
| Rock climbing (ascending) | 296 |
| Running at 6 mph | 266 |
| Elliptical machine | 218 |
| Bicycling at 12 to 13.9 mph (moderate) | 206 |
| Stationary rowing (moderate) | 178 |
| Hiking at 3.5 mph | 148 |
| Walking at 3.5 mph | 82 |
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Last Updated: 12/01/2006 09:18:26
