Motivation: Michelle Obama's Arms

Regardless of your personal opinions and feelings about the President and what he is or isn't doing, one thing is for sure....his wife has great arms!! Lol.The number of upper arm plastic surgery operations has increased over 4,000% since Michelle bared her arms. Instead of spending lots of money on surgery and days, if not weeks, in recovery, opt for a brief daily workout that will give you those lean strong arms. There is a winning combination: strength building exercises and cardio to burn fat. Strength building can be as easy as doing push-ups off of your wall and cardio can include a brisk walk or climbing stairs. If you are into something with more intensity, include jumping jacks, crab kicks or jump roping, and push ups off the floor.

Here is a basic 9 minute workout to get you started. Read < > for intense level.

You have 9 minutes!!

So, stretch and set your timer to 9 minutes.

YOU CAN DO THIS!!

Minute 1: SOLIDER WALK: Walk in place like a solider, lifting your knees as high as you can.

Minute 2: PUSH-UPS: Find a wall and stand far enough away that your fingers barely touch it. Keep your back flat and lean forward, without moving your feet, towards the wall so your hands are finally laying on the wall. Do as many push-ups as possible during the time. Pause if necessary but try to continue right after. If you need to stop, then stop, after you add 1-2 more.

Minute 3: SOLIDER WALK: Repeat walking with high knees.

Minute 4: CRUNCHES: Lay on the floor, lift your chin off of your chest and keep the space of an apple or orange between your chin and chest. Your hands should be flat at your sides near your hips. Lift your shoulder blades off the floor and try to reach for your knees. Lower. Do as many crunches as possible during the time. Pause if necessary but try to continue right after. If you need to stop, then stop, after you add 1-2 more.

Minute 5: SOLIDER WALK: Repeat walking with high knees.

Minute 6: CHAIR SQUATS: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart in front of a sturdy chair. If necessary, place the chair up against the wall for added support. Extend your arms out in front of you for balance. Sit back into the chair and as soon as your buttock touches the chair, stand back up! Clench your glutes muscles as you rise to get maximum muscle effort. Do as many chair squats as possible during the time. Pause if necessary but try to continue right after. If you need to stop, then stop, after you add 1-2 more.
Minute 7: SOLIDER WALK: Repeat walking with high knees.

Minute 8: CALF RAISES: Stand with legs shoulder width apart. Rise onto your toes, using your chair or wall for balance. Lower back to flat feet. Repeat and try to get as high as possible. Do as many calf raises as possible during the time. Pause if necessary but try to continue right after. If you need to stop, then stop, after you add 1-2 more.

Minute 9: SOLIDER WALK: Repeat walking with high knees.

GOOD JOB!!!

 That was a 9 minute full body workout with strength building and cardio!

Beginners repeat 2-3x/wk, Intermediates: 3-5x/wk & Advanced: Daily. 

REMEMBER: You can't workout and then feed your body junk. It needs the right foods and drinks to maintain, change and get stronger and healthier. Increase your vegetable and fruit intake, increase your water intake and decrease your intake of sugary or white starchy foods.

(BONUS: Put on music and get the kids involved. Nine minutes to a healthier you and them.)

The Power of 50

Doing 50 of any exercise is usually enough to exhaust that muscle and give it the full workout it needs to get stronger and burn fat.

Here is a list of 10 exercises that you can select from.
Beginners: Pick 1-2 and do 50 of each daily, moving to the next 1-2, until you complete the list.
Intermediates: Pick 3-4 and do 50 of each daily, moving to the next set of 3-4 exercises, until you complete the list.
Advanced: Do 5-10 and do 50 of each daily, moving to the next set the following day, until you complete the list.

Lunges

Squats

Push-ups

Chair Dips

Crunches

Jumping Jacks

Mountain Climbers

Leg Raises

Calf Raises

Burpees

Keep track of how long it takes you to complete your sets with proper form. In the future, you can try and beat your time.

Stop it...You HAVE 9 minutes!

Here is an effective 9 minute work-out that anyone can do, at their own level.

You have 9 minutes! NO. MORE. EXCUSES.

Stretch…

Then, set your timer for 9 minutes.

You are going to work for 30 seconds, push yourself as much as you can and then rest during the next 30 seconds.

You are going to repeat this pattern for 3 rounds.

The math: 30 seconds rest, 30 seconds work= 1 minute per exercise x 3 exercises= 3 minutes, 3 exercises x 3 rounds= 9 minutes

When the timer starts get ready, at the 30 second mark, start:

*Wide Squats with Hip Thrust ( standing with feet turned out and wider than hip width apart, squat down and stand and clench the buttocks)(Challenge: add a small jump when you come up, Sumo Jumps)

*Jumping Jacks (Challenge: Touch the floor between each jack, Explosive Jacks)

*Plank (hold body flat as a plank of wood and keep feet shoulder width apart and arms lined up with shoulders) (Challenge: Bring your knees one at a time up to the coordinating knee, Plank Crunch)

Squats: legs, buttocks ~ strength training

Jumping Jacks: whole body ~ cardio

Plank: arms and core ~ strength training

8 Minute Workout: PUSH YOURSELF

If you don't think you have any time to workout consider this 8 minute workout from Women's Health Magazine. As with any workout the goal is to do as many repetitions as you can in the time allowed but with good form. Doing an exercise the wrong way can not have as effective an effect on your muscles and can even cause injury. For proper techniques, take the time to look up any of the moves below on youtube so that you can have a visual guide as to what to do and more importantly, what not to do.
So, try these 8 exercises for 50 seconds each. Give yourself a quick 10 second rest and move onto the next one. The goal is to push yourself, challenge and confuse your muscles, and get it done in a shorter amount of time. It's only 8 minutes and when it is done, you will be glad that you did it!
Pick a date and a time and make it happen.

1- Power Squat aka Squat Jumps



2-Bucking Hop aka Plank Jumps

3-T-Rotation aka Plank Twist

4- Hip Extensions

5-Judo Pushup aka Dive Bomber

6- Duck Walk

7- Plank Walkups

8-Speed Skater Hops

For more details of each workout click here: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/body-weight-power-squat?workout=36119