Fey Fitness

Intermediate Pilates Core Exercise: Airplane

April 30, 2019 feyfitnessLeave a comment

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!

Cheers,

Fey

Fitness Videos

Intermediate Lunges with a Foam Roller

April 23, 2019April 23, 2019 feyfitnessLeave a comment

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 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,

Fey

Fitness Videos

Single Leg TRX Mountain Climbers (Intermediate Exercise)

April 2, 2019April 2, 2019 feyfitnessLeave a comment

Hello and welcome everyone to another edition of Fey Fitness! In this video we are exploring an intermediate level exercise called a Single Leg TRX Mountain Climber. 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.

Why Do a Single Leg TRX Mountain Climber?
• 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 Single Leg TRX Mountain Climber:
1. Lower the straps on the TRX strap to mid-calf.
2. Come onto your hands and knees in a quadruped position and slip one foot into both foot cradles of the TRX strap with the top of your foot against the bottom of the foot cradle so the bottom of your foot is facing the sky. The other leg will remain out of the straps.
3. Come into a plank position on your hands with your foot in the TRX straps. The other leg will have to hover and support itself without the assistance of the straps.
4. Trying to move seamlessly, and keeping the rest of the body still, bring the knee (the one not in a straps) in towards your chest and then pause for a moment before extending the leg back 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 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,
Fey

Fitness Videos

Fey Fitnes: Double Leg Taps for Core Strength

February 5, 2019 feyfitnessLeave a comment

Hello and welcome everyone to another edition of Fey Fitness! In this video we are exploring an intermediate level core exercise called a Double Leg Toe Tap. This move is a more advanced version for the Single Leg Toe Taps I taught you a few weeks ago, so when you are ready to take this move to the next level this is how you will do it!

Why Do a Double Leg Toe Tap?

By tensing your core muscles you keep the back in proper position to protect it during abdominal exercise. So basically, you are working your abs while keeping the back safe.
Performing this movement helps correct the pelvic tilt seen in people who sit for long periods of time.
Lumbo-hip-pelvic stabilizer muscles are also engaged to strengthen the hips and protect the back.
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.
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 adductors and quadriceps will get a slight workout from this exercise, which will make them stronger for activities like running, walking or getting out of chairs.
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 a Double Leg Toe Tap:

Lay down on your back with your shoulders rolled back and your shoulder blades firmly planted on the ground beneath you.
Move your hips into either neutral or imprint, depending on what feels best for you.
Knit the ribs down and inward to engage your deep core muscles.
When you are ready, bring both legs up into table top.
Slowly lower both legs in unison to tap the heel or toe on the ground.
Moving just as slow, return the legs to table top.
Continue moving in this manner for 12-15 reps and for 3 sets total.

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,

Fey

Fitness Videos

Staggered Stance Pushups for Stronger Pecs, Shoulders and Triceps

January 1, 2019January 1, 2019 feyfitness2 Comments

Hello and welcome everyone to another edition of Fey Fitness! In this video we are exploring an intermediate level chest exercise called a Staggered Stance Pushup. I like to save this exercise for clients to transition them out of regular pushups and into something a little more advanced as the movement allows for lots of variation depending on skill level and strength.

Why Do a Staggered Stance Pushup?

This exercise emphasizes strength in the body and helps create toned muscles.
Staggered Pushups are more advanced forms of a pushup because they require more core, shoulder and triceps stability in order to complete the movement.
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.

How to Perform a Staggered Stance Pushup:

Come down into a normal pushup position with a straight back and toes firmly planted on the ground with your heels pointing towards the sky.
Depending on skill and strength level, bring one hand up towards your head and the other hand down towards your waist- but continue to keep both hands shoulder-width apart.
Lower yourself down as though you were performing a normal pushup, and press firmly through your hands to press yourself back into the starting position.
Repeat this motion 10-15 reps on each side for 4 sets total.

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,

Fey