Hello everyone and thank you again for your continued patience with my intermittent posting to my nutrition series lately. There are a few big life changes going on for me right now that have lead to me deciding to put this series on a hiatus for the rest of May and the entire month of June.
Here is what is going on (in a nutshell):
1. I am working hard to finish up my Pilates teacher training program.
2. We recently had two coworkers quit at work and I’m working seven days a week to help fill in shifts. This has left me with zero time for myself to do the things I normally enjoy doing- like the nutrition series.
3. In June I am moving to a different home and am currently spending what little free time I do have packing.
4. In June I am going on a business trip for five days and will not have access to my computer or the internet.
So as you can see life is a little hectic for me right now. My goal is to jump back into my nutrition series once these life changes are complete and I can refocus on doing the things that I love.
Thank you again for your patience and understanding!
Hello and welcome everyone to another edition of Fey Fitness! In this video we are exploring an intermediate level exercise called a Plank Knee Pull In. But not to worry, you don’t have to be perfect at this exercise right off the bat, practice makes perfect as we strive for proper form and achieve stronger, toned muscles in the process. If you find your shoulders feeling weak or aching as you perform this exercise, you can always place your hands on a sturdy, elevated surface such as a chair, bench or coffee table to keep the upper body elevated off the ground and make the move easier.
Why Do a Plank Knee Pull In?
• Motor control is increased in the body by strengthening the hip adductors. This means that your body moves more smoothly and effectively when performing bilateral and unilateral movements, such as lifting weights, rearranging furniture in the living room, or getting in and out of bed.
• Improve your balance. You all know by now that I love exercises that increase balance, because it is so useful in our everyday lives. From simple tasks like getting out of bed in the morning, to walking down stairs, better balance means a better quality of life.
• The hip flexors and hip abductors will get a slight workout from this exercise, which will make them stronger for activities like running, walking or getting out of chairs.
• Motor control is also increased in the body. This means that your body moves more smoothly and effectively when asked to perform movements, such as lifting weights, rearranging furniture in the living room, or getting in and out of bed.
• Work multiple areas of the core at once. This move target the rectus abdominis, the transverse abdominis and hip flexors at the same time- so you get more accomplished during your workout.
• Working on these muscle groups helps you build stability, strength and power in your upper body. This will allow you to have more functional mobility in your everyday life.
• This exercise emphasizes strength in the body and helps create toned muscles.
• Also the gluteus maximus, a prime muscle for hip extension, gets a good workout from this movement. The gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in the body, and the one most people are looking to shape and strengthen with the squat and deadlift. So just remember, strong glutes equal a shapely booty!
How to Perform a Plank Knee Pull In:
1. Grab two furniture gliders or fitness gliders and place one under each foot.
2. Come up into a plank.
3. Moving at the same time, bring both knees in to your chest.
4. Trying to move seamlessly, and keeping the rest of the body still, extend the feet back out to the starting position.
5. Continue moving in this manner for 12-15 reps and be sure to repeat for 3-4 sets total.
My goal is to empower you to feel confident and informed so you can get the most satisfying workout possible. So please let me know how I can better help you achieve that goal. As always, please like and subscribe to this channel to stay up to date on new content, and head on over to Instagram (@fey_fitness) to give me a follow or to my website at FeyFitness.com .
My Patreon page is now live, so please go show some love there as well. I’d like to make some upgrades to my videos to enhance your viewing pleasure, and any support would be greatly appreciated!
For those of you who have been following along with my weekly nutrition series and seen that on some recent weekends I’ve had to postpone writing blogs for a professional development opportunity- the end is officially in sight! I’ve just got about four (4) more weeks of this left and then I’ll be done with my Pilates teacher training program and can get back to normal postings!
Please bear with me a little while longer while I finish up final reports, tests and observations.
Your patience and understanding of this process has been greatly appreciated!
Hello and welcome everyone to another edition of Fey Fitness! In this video we are exploring an intermediate level exercise called Airplane in Pilates. This exercise is amazing for your abdominals, obliques and erector spinae muscles.
Additionally, this exercise is perfect for those of us with Atrial Fibrillation, as it will not spike our heart rate during the movements. Just be careful getting down onto the ground and back up again if you have severe AFib, or problems with your blood pressure. Remember, slow and steady wins the fitness race!
Why Do Airplane?
Work multiple areas of the core at once. This move target the rectus abdominis, the transverse abdominis and obliques at the same time- so you get more accomplished during your workout.
Improve your balance. You all know by now that I love exercises that increase balance, because it is so useful in our everyday lives. From simple tasks like getting out of bed in the morning, to walking down stairs, better balance means a better quality of life.
CORE STRENGTH! CORE STRENGTH! CORE STRENGTH! A strong core also helps us with the rest of our fitness lives. A well-conditioned core helps keep us steady and our posture safe during weighted squats, during an Arnold Press, or when performing back exercises.
How to Perform Airplane:
Sit on a box or other elevated, solid surface.
Place the outer leg under a heavy strap or against a solid surface to brace yourself against and feel safe.
Keeping your hips and spine in a neutral alignment, place your hands in your hair. PRO TIP: Never place your hands on your head, as you may tug or pull on your head and hurt your cervical spine (neck).
Side bend over to your full range of motion.
Rotate your thoracic cavity away from the leg in the strap while keeping your neutral spinal alignment.
Optional: Open the arms wide like an airplane.
Use your core to slowly return yourself back to the starting position.
Continue moving in this manner for 12-15 reps and then switch to the other side to balance yourself out. Be sure to repeat for 3-4 sets total.
My goal is to empower you to feel confident and informed so you can get the most satisfying workout possible. So please let me know how I can better help you achieve that goal. As always, please like and subscribe to this channel to stay up to date on new content, and head on over to Instagram (@fey_fitness) to give me a follow or to YouTube at Fey Fitness.
My Patreon page is now live, so please go show some love there as well. I’d like to make some upgrades to my videos to enhance your viewing pleasure, and any support would be greatly appreciated!
Hello and welcome everyone to what would normally be another article in my nutrition series! Today I’m starting my three day training program, so there won’t be any nutrition article today. In case you missed my first post on the topic, I’ve been awarded an opportunity through the studio I work at to take a professional Pilates instructor course!
I am thrilled and feel so blessed to be given this amazing experience to progress my professional career as a trainer. This scholarship is only presented once a year to employees who show merit and a passion for fitness, so it was a dream come true to be given such a rare gift. It’s an amazing feeling, and one I am currently finding hard to put into words.
The only downside to this program is that every three weeks I won’t be able to post my normal nutrition blog because I’ll be away from the internet and in training.
Not to worry, the rest of the month will remain unscathed, and you can expect blog entries on the regularly scheduled time and format.
Thank you for your patience with this wonderful growth opportunity I’ve been blessed with, and I look forward to posting another entry next week as life returns to normal.
My Patreon page is now live, so please go show some love there as well. I’d like to make some upgrades to my videos to enhance your viewing pleasure, and any support would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers,
Lunges are some of my favorite lower body exercises. They work the entire lower body and can be learned in under five (5) minutes. Additionally, the core gets a nice workout from keeping your upper body nice and straight during the descent in the lunge motion. Today’s lunge is a take on a basic stationary lunge, with a twist! We are using a foam roller under the reversed leg to add an element of instability to the move so we can also work on your balance and stability while working your legs.
Why Do an Intermediate Lunge with a Foam Roller?
A Stationary Lunge is a low-impact lower body exercise. Meaning that when you perform this exercise with good form there is little pressure exerted on your knee joints.
It works the entire lower body. By lowering and raising your body through the motions of the Stationary Lunge you work your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, glutes, core and low back.
These lunges work your balance and stability. When lowering and raising yourself in a Stationary Lunge your back leg has to balance on the foam roller and the front leg balances on the heel of the foot, this causes the body to engage stabilizer muscles and balance itself while in a position that might be new to you. Thus, your overall balance and stability will increase and lead to better mobility in your everyday life outside of the gym.
As long as you are breathing throughout the exercise the heart rate should stay within a safe range and you can perform this exercise even if you live with Atrial Fibrillation.
How to Perform an Intermediate Lunge with a Foam Roller:
Stand tall on a yoga mat or other surface that is level and won’t hurt your feet.
Step backwards into a wide stance with one leg in front of your body and the other leg behind you on top of a foam roller.
With the leg in front of you, keep the weight of your body on the heel of that foot. For the leg extended behind you, keep the weight of your body light so you don’t hurt your shin.
Keep both sides of the hip pointed forward and in line with the rest of your body.
Tighten the core to keep your upper body nice and straight throughout the exercise. Keep your chest up and look straight ahead.
Engage the quad of both your front and your rear leg to lower yourself down as low as you can go with the foam roller moving up your shin on the reversed leg.
Now engage the front quad and push through the heel of your front foot to bring your body up and back to the starting position.
It’s that easy! Now repeat this motion in the same position for 10-15 reps, then switch the positions of your legs and repeat steps 1-7 on the other side.
My goal is to empower you to feel confident and informed so you can get the most satisfying workout possible. So please let me know how I can better help you achieve that goal. As always, please like and subscribe to this channel to stay up to date on new content, and head on over to Instagram (@fey_fitness) to give me a follow or to YouTube at Fey Fitness.
My Patreon page is now live, so please go show some love there as well. I’d like to make some upgrades to my videos to enhance your viewing pleasure, and any support would be greatly appreciated!
Hello and welcome everyone to what would normally be another article in my nutrition series! Today I’m continuing my Pilates training program by attending a weekend workshop hosted by a special guest instructor my company flew into our area, so there won’t be any nutrition article today.
In case you missed my first post on the topic, I’ve been awarded an opportunity through the studio I work at to take a professional Pilates instructor course! I am thrilled and feel so blessed to be given this amazing experience to progress my professional career as a trainer. This scholarship is only presented once a year to employees who show merit and a passion for fitness, so it was a dream come true to be given such a rare gift. It’s an amazing feeling, and one I am currently finding hard to put into words.
The only downside to this program is that every three weeks I won’t be able to post my normal nutrition blog because I’ll be away from the internet and in training.
Not to worry, the rest of the month will remain unscathed, and you can expect blog entries on the regularly scheduled time and format.
Thank you for your patience with this wonderful growth opportunity I’ve been blessed with, and I look forward to posting another entry next week as life returns to normal.
My Patreon page is now live, so please go show some love there as well. I’d like to make some upgrades to my videos to enhance your viewing pleasure, and any support would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers,
