ROSIE - Toning exercises

Last week I blogged on muscles and toning and promised you some ace exercises to tone up. Remember the FITTA principle? Apply that to this group of exercises and you'll be lean and mean in no time at all - but remember the Adherence part, the most important of all!

1) Shoulder press
Take a dumbell in each hand, stand feet shoulder width apart. Hands start above your shoulders. Holding the abs in, push the weights up to the ceiling to arms straight. Breathe out as you push up, breathe in as you control them down.

2) Tricep dip
Sit on a bench with your hands either side of your bottom. Feet are flat on the floor, the straighter your legs are the harder it is. Keeping your bottom close to the bench, drop it down and lower to the ground. Keep those elbows tight in behind your back and don't let your bottom drift away from the bench.

3) Side/front raise
Don't take too heavier a weight with this, it's deceptively hard! Stand feet shoulder width apart, abs in. Arms hanging by your side, bring the weights straight up to shoulder height to the side, drop them back down to your thighs and repeat to the front. Make sure you touch your thighs in between each rep. Breathe out as you bring the weight up, in as you take it down.

4) Bicep curl
Feet hip width apart, abs in. Hold the weights with the backs of your hands touching your thighs. Bring them up to your shoulders, bending your elbows, control back down. Breathe out as you bring the weight up, in as it goes back down. Make sure you touch the weight onto your shoulders and thighs each time to get the full range of movement.

5) Lunges
Stand with your feet apart, one in front of the other. It's vital that you get a big step (bigger than usual) to get a good range. Bend your knees down to the floor, and then straighten. If you look at yourself in the mirror, a good guide is that you should have a right angle at each knee at the lowest point, with one knee almost touching the floor. Try this with a weight in each hand and it bumps it up, by pulsing on the last rep for 10 it should finish you off!

6) Squats
Stand with your feet apart, wider than shoulder width. Abs in, shoulders high, chest up, lower down as if you were sitting into a chair. Bring yourself up to straight. If you look in the mirror from the side, your thighs should be almost parrallel to the floor when you're at the lowest point. Again, add a weights and that pulse to the last rep and feel the burn on the thighs.

7) Push up
The old favourite! Using your own body weight is the most natural weight you can use and should be achievable, having said that I STILL can't do many full press ups... not something I should admit probably. If you want to make it easier, do it on your knees; but feet or knees, make sure your body is in a straight line all the way, no bottoms in the air. Try and get as low to the floor as you can.

8) Tricep extension
Take one weight in both hands and take it straight above your head. Abs in, shoulders relaxed, drop it down behind your head. Your forearms should be the only thing moving; keep the upper arm fixed. Try and touch the weight on the top of your neck (gently!) and take the arms straight at the top.

The general rule for ALL of these exercises is; abs in, shoulders relaxed. Breathe out on the effort in each case.

Good luck!