Sonia's Strength & Endurance VIII: A Balancing Act

Equipment: 2 sets of dumbbells, Sprie band or Dyna-band tied in a circle, and a Stability Ball.

One set of dumbbells should be 1 to 2 pounds heavier (HW) than what you would usually use. The other set should be 1 to 2 pounds less (LW) than your average.

Set 1

Supine bridge position on the ball with HW:

• 16x, Hands at shoulders, press weights straight up over the chest, palms facing (64)
• 16x, Chest fly with HW (64)

Seated on the ball with LW:

• 16x, Weights are in front of the chest with the ends touching, elbows pointed to the side. Pull the elbows back using a 4/4 count. Really feel the squeeze between the scapulae (128)
• 16x, Same move with a 2/2 count (64)

Set 2

• Single leg wall squats: with the left side to the wall place the ball near your waist and slightly back (rib cage area). Cross your arms over your chest and lift the left foot off the floor to the back. An option is to keep the left toes lightly on the floor.
• 16x, squat 4 counts down and 4 counts up (128)
• 16x, switch sides and repeat (128)

Note: this will be a smaller range of motion squat as you still need to keep the knee over the ankle.

• With Sprie band around ankles and no weights do 8 knees, 8 hams, 8 knees, 8 hams (128)
• Reduce to 4 of each for 64 counts
• Reduce to 2 of each for 32 counts.

Note: Use 2 up/2 down count on all.

Set 3

Seated on the ball:

• 16x, Military presses HW, 4/4 count (128)

• 16x, Rows at waist height, LW, 4/4 count (128)
16x, Rows at waist height, LW, 2/2 count (64)

Set 4

Seated on the ball, no weights. Straighten the legs to the front with heels resting on the floor. Lift the left leg (straight out or bent) and lift both arms to the side. Option of keeping fingers lightly on the ball:

• 8x: Keeping the left leg lifted, bend the right knee to roll the ball forward (4) and then push to roll back. Use either 4/4 or 8/8 count depending on your music speed.
• 8x, Switch the leg that is lifted and repeat.

Roll to Supine on the ball, no weights:

• 16x, crunches with right leg lifted 4/4 count; leg may be straight or bent. (128)
• 16x, crunches with left leg lifted (128)

Note: option of both feet on floor.

Set 5

Seated on the ball:

• 16x, Triceps salutations with HW:
• Place the weights in front of your forehead, palms facing the front with the elbows open to the side, shoulders, relaxed, scapulae retracted. Extend the weights out until the arms are straight (V-shape), bend back in. Upper arm stays still. 4/4 count (128)

Triceps hold: no weights. Place your hands on each side of the ball near the top, fingers forward. Walk your feet out slightly. Lift the body off the ball and hold for 32 counts. May repeat the hold or walk the feet out and offer triceps dips instead of the hold. Repeat as desired.

• 32x, Biceps with LW (seated on the ball), movement is from waist to shoulders, 2/2 count (64)

Set 6

Place a Sprie band around the ankle of the left foot and the instep of the right foot. Lie prone over the ball, either kneeling or up on the toes with hands under shoulders.

• 8x, press the right foot up and down keeping the knee bent at 90 - come no higher than hip height, 4/4 count (64)
• 8x, switch band position and repeat (64)

Keeping the band around the ankles, roll forward over the ball so legs are extended at the hip and hands are under the shoulders. Open the legs slightly so there is a little tension on the band and repeat this sequence 2x:

• 8x, open the legs wide, bring legs to start (64)
• 8x, with the legs closer together, lift the straight legs up-do not tip the body forward (64)
• Repeat sequence with 4 of each (32)
• Then with 2 of each two times through (32)

Set 7

Roll back to knees and pick up heavy weights. You are leaning on the ball with the upper arms resting on the front of the ball:

• 16x, biceps curls (128)

Get rid of the band and the weights. Come to a side lying position on the ball.

• 16x, with the left side against the ball do oblique crunches (128)

Before switching sides stretch sideways over the ball. Come up resting on the ball and do a right quad stretch.

Move to a split seated position on the ball with the thighs on each side of the ball; the feet are back and you are up on the toes (like riding a horse bare back). There should be a straight line from the hip to the knee to the floor. Do inner thigh squeezes to varying tempos for at least 1 minute.

Switch to the other side (right side against the ball) and repeat the oblique crunches, and the stretches.

Email with comments, questions, or suggestions!

Sonia

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