Best Core Exercises
Having a strong core is paramount in having good posture, ensuring you don't injure your back and having all over strength. When people think of core we often think of crunches, which actually aren't the best exercise because of the amount of flexion it puts on the spine! Here are 6 exercises that are way better and more beneficial then the typical crunch to add into any exercise regime.
1. Pikes *can be performed with shins on stability ball
Place feet in TRX start in plank position, push hips and bum up into the air and then slowly lower back into plank position. Do not let hips drop down from plank position! 10x 3 sets.
Difficult
2. Ab Roller
Start from knees (cushion underneath them), start with roller under shoulders and press out away from body. Lower slowly so you are in a hovered position, then bring roller back under body so you're in starting position. This is a difficult move! Requires shoulder stability 10x 3 sets
Difficult
3. Supported Rotation
Back and neck are supported on the ball, hips are high in line with the ball. Have the weight extended directly over you keep core tight, arms straight, lower weight to one side without dropping or moving hips. Bring back to middle position and out to the side. This is a great oblique and transverse abdominal move 10x per side 3 sets
Intermediate
4. Deadbug with Stability ball
Arms are extended ball supported between arm and legs, knees are bent as picture. Lower right arm, and left leg so they are both straight and in line with your body. Keep core super tight, repeat and do other side. 10x per side 3sets
Intermediate
5. Ball v-sits
Start with ball in between hands and then bring upper body towards lower body keeping a straight tight core. Pass ball to feet and lower down slowly. 10x 3 sets
Intermediate
6. Plank on ball Circles
Plank on ball with forearms, make little circles with forearms in one direction and then change directions. 10x per side 3 sets
Intermediate (put knees on ground to make it beginner)
Recipe: Pesto Shrimp Pasta
I don't know if anyone noticed, but I eat shrimp a lot. Well, that's only partially true, I eat a boatload of chicken, as most fitness aficionados do since it packs a good punch of protein while being lower in fat. However, there comes the time every week where I'm so over chicken. Like, if I see another chicken breast no matter how its disguised (sauce, baked, broiled, bbq's whatever) I will snap. So that's when I make shrimp! And it is always a fun and nice break from CFC (chicken fucking chicken, as one of my clients so cleverly says)
Ingredients:
1 bag fresh pea pods
1 contained baby tomatoes
1 jar basil pesto
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb shrimp (I used pre coooked/peeled)
1 container whole wheat pasta
1. Heat up oil in pan, don't need much as there is some in the pesto as well. Add chopped up peas, tomatoes and 4 tbsp of pesto to the pan. Have water boiling for pasta while doing this
2. Add in shrimp, let this all simmer together until pea pods are still a little crunchy
3. Mix all together, add some fresh basil or Parmesan to top this off.
Dreamer
Outfit: Dress-Noul, Jacket-Forever 21, Bag-Coach, Shoes-Aldo, Necklace-Stella & dot, Rings-Noul & Vintage
I bought this slip dress way back in February, and I have been dreaming of the day I could pair it with a simple denim jacket. In my mind that would be a perfect combination for summer. And it actually was, I love when what you have in mind actually works out! This dress is so incredibly lightweight that I've worn it over wool tights and under heavy sweaters in the winter and now just as is in the hotter months. Gotta love pieces that are that versatile don't ya? Now if I had only bought it in every colour......
Jenna
Recipe: Tex Mex Salad
I eat this salad so much, I think it tricks me into believing I'm having something more fun than salad because of the guac and crunch from the tortilla chips. It's super easy and can be dressed up with by adding more to it or keeping it simple. Also this tex mex mix is the bomb with barely any sodium!
Ingredients:
1 pkg ground turkey
2 TBSP tex mex mix
1/2 can black beans
2 tbsp salsa
2 tbsp homemade guac
6 baby tomatoes
7 tortilla chips
1. Sautee turkey on medium heat with olive oil, add in the mix
2. Mix everything else together, can add fresh cilantro to top it off and vegetarians can replace the meat with chickpeas for their protein boost.
Cool Summer
Outfit: Blazer-Dynamite, Tee-Miss Boss, Jeans-Zara, Flats-F21, Bag-thrifted, Rings-The bag, Vintage, Necklace- Stella & Dot and gift in vancouver
This summers weather has been weird. Its rained basically every day since May 15th, some days are hot humid and we get a crazy thundershower while others are cool and almost reminiscent of fall. ITS JULY. Summer, please get your shit together so I can have nice memories of lounging by the pool when its inevitably -30 in 5 months, k thanks.
If you catch me running errands in between clients this is basically what a version of what I wear, ripped jeans, plain tee, sometimes a blazer and flats. I like to swap out my gym wear for street clothes, it makes me feel a bit more together and less like Im still at work. Also, these gyms are super comfy and give me a nice break from the spandex. A good relaxed tee is the staple of any wardrobe and I'm so happy to find a line at Miss Boss that I love, they're incredibly soft and hang just right!
Jenna
Foam Rolling 101
Foam rolling (also known as, self myofascial release-SMR) is actually a HUGE part of any workout, and is a crucial component to your warm up. So why foam roll?? Well when we exercise or do any sort of repeatitve movement our muscles shorten and tighten up. In order to have a full range of motion, proper flexibility, proper strength production we need to ensure these muscles go back to their original length. Whether youre a dancer, runner, or weight lifter if your muscles are too tight or short they will cause problems!
Foam Rolling 101:
1. Get the tools of the trade, a hard roller, a trigger point ball for the trickier spots (or lacrosse ball works well)2. When you foam roll you place the tool along the muscle roll until you feel an area of discomfort or pain and then HOLD. The biggest mistake is to roll back and forth over it, you need to apply pressure for about 30-60s before the muscle will release at all! There are receptors in your muscle that only respond to sustained pressure, these are the ones which cause the muscle to relax!
3. Repeat! Day in day out, before a workout followed by a dynamic warm up (movement based not static stretching) & after a workout.
Some key areas a lot of people find tight:
1. Hips and glutes (butt). Lay on your side with foam roller placed under side glute hip area. Find the spot, hold 30-60s or until the pain lessens. I often use the ball to get into the deep glutes
2. Calves (or baby cows, as I refer to them), place ball under calf in the belly of the muscle, put our body weight on it and hold. This one kills me, my poor cows are so tight all the time.
3. Latissimus Dorsi, aka the lats. Lay on your side, with the roller under the arm and relax your weight onto the roller, and move so you're laying on it more than pictures too.
4. Upper Traps, this is a serious area of tightness for most people, especially when you sit or use a computer. Lay on the ball with it on either side of your spine (not directly on the spine!) and when you find the spot hold it. Works best on the ground so the ball doesn't bounce away
5. Pectoralis major. Again when you sit a lot you tend to round the shoulders and the pecs shorten up. Place ball between pec and the wall, its a bit close to the armpit, hold it their and let it relax.
Recipe: Shrimp Tacos
Fact: Tacos are the BOMB. No one can argue with that, and my favourite type are shrimp tacos. I've had this recipe under my belt for 4 years and it never gets old. I probably make it once a month. SO GOOD.
Ingredients:
1lb shrimp
1-2 peppers
1 onion
2 tomatoes
1 lime
Spices: 2 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp paprika, 1 tbsp cayenne pepper, 1 tbsp onion powder, 1 tbsp chilli powder
1. Heat olive oil at medium in pan, add in peppers, onions, and all spices. Add shrimp in and sautee until done. Add fresh squeezed lime on top
2. Get tortilla, load up with the mixture, add some fresh tomatoes and top off with fresh homemade guacamole
3. ENJOY!
Kimono
Outfit: Romper-Forever 21, Shoes-Winners, Kimono-Noul, Bag-Vintage, Rings- Noul, oak and fort and vintage
When its hot and muggy here in the summer it can make getting dressed a little tricky. What I want to be able to do is layer, but usually layers means more clothes and more clothes means more heat. Thats why this little kimono from Noul has been a godsend, its so lightweight and goes with everything. Like this floral romper, also made out of chiffon like material for those hot hot summer nights. Best part of rompers, is they make your legs look so long and at 5 2 I will take full advantage of that! I cant wait to pack this one up for my vacation later this summer.
Outdoor Workout, Round 2
1. Side Plank Dips
Ensure hips are level, can be on one forearm or from hand as in the photo. Extend the other arm overhead or have it resting on hip. Lower hip down and contracting obliques bring hip back up. Repeat 10x per side
2. Plank Taps
plank from hands, ensure you are level from head to toes. Core is tight and glutes are contracting, put weight into one hand and tap opposite shoulder. Try your best not to shift weight between hips, keep them level! Go back and forth between shoulders. 10 taps per side
3. Up downs.
This one is great for the shoulders, start from a high plank position and lower yourself onto your forearms and then back into a high plank position. You can do this from your knees also! 5 per side
4. 1 leg glute bridge.
Laying on your back, 1 leg on the ground close to your bum and squeeze your bum to lift your hips up. Lower back down slow and controlled. 10x per leg.
5. Jumping Jacks.
Ensure that when you're jumping, knees do not fall in. 20x
Repeat this circuit 4-5x, resting 1 minute between sets.
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