30 Minutes to Fitness
Written by POC Staff Writer
By Benjamin Ballinger
Being a busy mother often means there aren't enough hours in the day and let’s face it, when push comes to shove, you're the one who loses out on doing things for yourself (such as working out). Parenting OC expert, Benjamin Ballinger, owner of 2BFit located in Newport Beach, offers a great alternative to the typical gym workout and all you need is 30 minutes.
30 Minute Vixen Workout
Warm Up – 5 minutes, light jogging and stretching
Total Body Blast Circuit
60 sec Burpee
60 sec Knee Push-Ups
60 sec Superman
60 sec Walking Lunges w/ Core Rotation
60 sec Hindu Push-Ups
60 sec Bicycle Crunches
60 sec High Knees Jogging in Place
Cool Down – 5 minutes, fast walking and stretching
After your warm up, perform the Total Body Blast Circuit 2-3 times, depending on your level of fitness, with a 60 second rest break in between rounds.
Exercise Instruction
Burpee: Begin in a standing position with feet shoulder-width apart. Bending at the waist, bring your hands to the floor near your feet and hop your feet all the way back so that you are in a push-up starting position on your hands and toes. Immediately hop your legs back up to where your hands are and explosively jump in the air with your arms extended above you. Be sure and land in the starting position.
Knee Push-Up: Begin on your hands and knees with your hands 1.5 times shoulder-width and your hips forming a straight line from your shoulder to your knee (rather than stuck up in the air). Begin by lowering your chest to the ground and bending your elbows back at a 45° angle (not straight out to the sides). Pause briefly about 3 inches from the ground and push yourself back to the starting position.
Superman: Lay on your stomach on the ground, with your legs and arms extended in a straight line. By activating your butt, lower back and shoulders, lift your chest, arms, thighs and lower legs off of the ground simultaneously so that only your waist is still touching the ground. Pause briefly and lower yourself back to the starting position.
Walking Lunges w/ Core Rotation: Begin in a standing position with your palms together in front of your chest, arms extended in front of you. Take a deep step with your right leg, ensuring that both knees bend at a 90° angle and lower yourself till your left knee lightly touches the ground. At the bottom of the movement, rotate your torso and arms to the right and then back to center. Straighten your right leg and bring your left foot forward back to the starting position. Repeat with the other side, rotating to the left this time.
Hindu Push-Ups: Begin in an upside down "V," with your feet wide, butt up and head looking back at heels (similar to a "Downward Facing Dog" pose in Yoga). Keeping your knees straight throughout the movement, lower your hips and bend your arms so that you "scoop" your upper body towards the ground. Finish with your head and chest up and your back arched, similar to an "Upward Facing Dog" pose in Yoga, with your hips almost touching the floor. Now, keep your arms straight and push your butt, shoulders and head back to the starting position.
Bicycle Crunches: Lay on your back with your hands clasped behind your head, elbows out. Raise your legs about a foot off of the ground, and bring one knee towards your chest while keeping the other leg straight out. Rotate your torso so that your opposite elbow makes contact (or as close as you can get) with the bent knee, and then return to starting position. Repeat with the other side, using the opposite limbs this time.
High Knees Jogging in Place: Simply run in place, making sure to bring your knees up to waist height with every step, to land on the toes and to move your arms from the shoulder (not from the elbow). The faster you can step while maintaining proper knee height, the better.
For additional information
Benjamin Ballinger
949-705-8663
www.2bfitoc.com