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2nd core exercise in our top Four...
Start the video from 1min 12secs.
DYING BUG:
This is an awesome drill for core activation. The video pretty much says it all. I use this daily with clients and it's a great follow on exercise from the previous breathing drill. Also, don't forget to BREATHE throughout this drill! Exhale as your leg is lowering. Holding your breath is a cheat ;-)
Give it a go :-)
Next time you plan to have take-out sushi, why not take in a tupperware/steel/glass container with you to put your sushi in and save on all that plastic being manufactured.
The best way to avoid all this plastic waste is to purchase toilet rolls that are packaged in recycled brown paper such as the brand, "Safe", which can be found in most supermarkets. This concept is relevant to all products that are packaged.
Remember...paper is better than plastic!
I know we can't always be quite as prepared as we'd like to but we can certainly make a lot of effort to prepare as much as we can to avoid creating more waste as well as creating more of a hole in our pockets. It doesn't take long to cook up some food on a Sunday to store in glass jars in the fridge, ready for the week ahead. Depending what you cook for dinner you can sometimes just do double the amount and have leftovers for a few days. Time better spent than in front of the telly ;-).
I find glass jars so much better for keeping things fresh than plastic or cling film (both of which we want to try and reduce usage of).
The accumulative cost of purchasing lunch every day as opposed to making it at home and bringing it in is quite substantial, both on your wallet and on the environment. Not to mention saving yourself from low quality, preservative-filled food options. Most lunches are also packaged in plastic or polystyrene and these are the two materials we need to make more effort to reduce.
Re-think your thinking...
Have you thought about how you could reduce the amount of plastic related to your spices? A great way to do this is to have a spice rack with glass bottles and to purchase your spices from a bulk shop so you can refill the glass bottles. This will avoid the need to purchase many plastic refill bottles or plastic refill sachets as you would at the supermarket.
Having a large range of spices stored in glass bottles can also be useful to create your own mixes of spices such as curry powders etc.
Re-think your thinking...
Someone's been a Bizzy Bee this month, finding out and putting into practise all sorts of weird and wonderful ways to reduce the amount of waste we create in our household.
One of my favourite finds so far has to bee these awesome Beeswax Wraps, the perfect answer to cling film!
These gorgeous looking wraps (they can be found in all sorts of different patterns and colours, depending where you buy them from) are made from 100% organic cotton; organic beeswax; tree resin & jojoba oil. It sticks amazingly to itself and can be wrapped around the top of a bowl; around a sandwich; around a block of cheese; around vegetables for storage or made into a little bag to put snacks in...the opportunities are endless. The wrap itself does not feel at all sticky, it's genius!
Read more about them here or just google them and there are a few places that make different ones.
If you are interested in learning how to make these yourself then there is an event happening in Adelaide on 23rd July where you will learn how to make a beeswax wrap; a cotton fruit and veg bag and a jute scrubber all to take home with you and the workshop only costs $10 to attend.
Click here for details.
One part vinegar to three parts water, you can even add some essential oils such as lemon or lavender for scent.
I have been using vinegar as a cleaning product for years now and it cleans better than anything I've used in the past. It's super cheap and means you don't have to go through so many plastic bottles. Or use horrible cleaning products that are possibly full of chemicals that aren't so great for the environment. You can even find some places that sell white vinegar in bulk so you can keep re-using the same vinegar bottle ;-). Goodies & Grains in Adelaide Central Market sell bulk vinegar as well as just about every food item you can think of in bulk.
These awesome bins come with a recycle and non-recycle compartment with separate bin bucket which can be lifted out of the bin and carried to the outside garbage bin, emptied and put back each time.
Recycling right means minimising what goes into your garbage bin. If food waste is kept separately in a small bench-top food scraps bin then your waste bin should stay relatively clean (and relatively empty), eliminating the need for a plastic bin bag.
As mentioned in the previous Sit-up posts, you all know (unlike most personal trainers), I am no fan of traditional sit-ups. So here is the third of 4 alternatives that will hit your abs hard and give you that burn that you probably desire. As well as increase the function of your core area if done correctly.
3. STIR THE POT:
This is a killer exercise for your abs and core!
Find a fitball, assume the plank position with a wide stance at the feet to begin with as this will be more manageable at first. Elbows on the ball but aim them to be just underneath the shoulders and about shoulder width apart.
SQUEEZE your gluts, PUSH your elbows into the ball to lift your body away from it. Make sure your butt isn't sticking in the air or lagging towards the ground (think good plank position).
If this is challenging enough then just start with a plank hold and work your way up to achieving 60seconds. Once this is manageable only then attempt the STIR THE POT.
Now you are ready to begin...whilst maintaining as close to zero movement through your torso as possible, gently make small circles with your elbows. Aim for around 6-8reps one way and then repeat the other way. You can then build on the reps as you get stronger or go for time instead.
This is a great exercise for training your abdominal region to stabilise your pelvis and lower back. If you find your pelvis is rotating with this exercise and you are struggling to control it then maybe go back to the pallof press for a while as it may be a sign that your obliques are not in good working order.
Fitball and TRX rollout exercise. A great way to functionally train your abs and improve core stability!
As mentioned in the previous Sit-up post, you all know (unlike most personal trainers), I am no fan of traditional sit-ups. So here is the second of 4 alternatives that will hit your abs hard and give you that burn that you probably desire. As well as increase the function of your core area if done correctly.
Using either a fitball or a TRX, kneel down, if using a fitball then place your hands on the ball about a foot or two in front of you. If using a TRX then grip the TRX about hip level. Slowly reach out (either rolling the ball out or letting the TRX push forward) whilst locking out your hips (you should feel your gluts & abs engage) so your knees; hips; shoulders are in a straight line.
Only go as far as you can without feeling any discomfort in your back, if you do, then back off a bit. Don't think you have to rollout all the way, start small and progress. You should be feeling it in your abdominal region.
Roll out and then back again for 1 rep, see how you go with the reps to determine where to start...don't push it at first though, only do what is comfortable and build on that. I'd suggest holding a good breath on the way out and breathing out as you come back to the start position.
Give it a go! :-)
