Workin' On My Fitness

I rencently (well, it aired a couple weeks ago, but I am behind) watched an Oprah with Gwyneth Paltrow and they did a segment on how she works out with Madonna's personal trainer, Tracy Anderson. It' looks unconventional, but fun at least. Here are some of the highlights:

How to start: First make sure you have 30 minutes of your favorite songs on your iPod. Then find yourself a treadmill. Sprint for one song, skip for one song, and gallop for one song. Work up to a 30-minute work-out. Then move on to toning (below). Start with 10 repetitions and work up to 100 - these should be done every day.

Toning Exercises:
-Arm Raise: Using 3lb weights, stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly move arms together straight up into a V above your head. Elbows and wrists are bent slightly. Then gently lower your arms back down to your sides and without pausing go straight back up again. Work up to 100 reps.
-Single arm overhead pulse: Using 3lb weights, stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides. Raise one arm above your head with your elbow slightly bent and then straighten your arm completely over your head. Pulse like that, up and down. Work up to 100 reps on one side and then the other.
-Ballet Grand Plies: Stand with heels together, toes slightly apart. With a straight back, bend at the knee as low as you can, then go back up again. Work up to 100 reps.
-Abdominal Crunches: Lie on the floor with arms at your side, your legs in front of you. Raise yourself slightly until you feel a "crunch" in your abs and then lie back down. The key here is to do it with your legs straight out in front of you, as that will really work your stomach without bulking it up. Work up to 100 reps.
-Piking: Lie flat on the floor, arms at your sides. Lift straight legs up to ceiling to 90 degrees and then gently lower. Without pausing, lift them back up again. Your upper body should remain flat on the ground. Both arms and legs should be straight with your toes pointed. Work up to 100 reps.
-Advanced Piking: Lie on the floor, legs straight out in front of you with your arms on the floor stretched out over your head. Hold onto a 3lb weight and bring your hands up to meet your legs when you raise them to a 90-degree angle and lower your arms and legs back down to the floor at the same time. Both arms and legs should be straight with your toes pointed. Work up to 100 reps.

www.tracyandersonmethod.com