The Women's Health Big Book of 15-Minute Workouts: A Leaner, Sexier, Healthier You--In 15 Minutes a Day! (23 page)

A

• Grab a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.

• Hold the dumbbells just above your shoulders, palms facing each other.

B

• Press the weights up until your arms are straight overhead.

• Hold for 1 second, then take 3 seconds to lower the dumbbells back to your shoulders.

REPS:
Do 6 to 8.

ONE DESSERT, TWO FORKS

A couple that diets together is more likely to lose weight. In a recent Israeli study, researchers taught couples about healthy eating, but assigned only the men to various kinds of eating plans. After 6 months, the women had also shed weight. The study authors say that sharing dishes and eating together helps dieters stick to their plans and resist temptation.

Rotating Triceps Kickback

A

• Stand with your knees bent and lean forward slightly, holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms in.

• Bend your right elbow and bring the right dumbbell up by your side to make your upper arm parallel with the floor. Don't round your lower back.

B

• Next, press the dumbbell back, and as you straighten your arm, rotate it so that your palm faces the ceiling. Keep your upper arm still and parallel to the floor.

• Rotate it back so that your palm faces in and return your arm to the bent position.

REPS:
Do 12 to 15 with each arm.

Pike Walk Pushup Combo

A

• Stand with your feet together, arms at your sides.

B

• Bend over (it’s okay for your knees to be slightly bent) and place your hands or fingertips on the floor in front of you. Keep your neck in line with your spine at all times.

C

• Walk your hands forward until you are in a pushup position and then do 1 pushup.

• Keeping your hands in place, walk your feet forward until they’re as close to your hands as possible. That’s 1 rep.

• Continue moving forward until you’ve done 5 or 6 pushups.

REPS:
Do 5 or 6.

Airplane/Superman Extension

A

• Lie facedown and extend your arms out at shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly bent and your palms on the floor.

B

• Pull your shoulder blades together and lift your arms, torso, and legs off the floor.

C

• Holding that position, bring your arms in front of you, hold for 1 count, and then move them back to shoulder height.

• Lower yourself to the floor. That’s 1 rep.

REPS:
Do 10 to 15.

Crescent Lunge and Row

A

• Grab an 8- to 12-pound dumbbell in your right hand and stand with your feet together, arms at your sides.

• Lunge forward with your left leg until your left knee is bent to 90 degrees.

• Lower your torso as close as possible to your left knee as you raise your left arm out to the side to shoulder height, palm down. Allow the dumbbell to hang naturally.

B

• Row the dumbbell straight up until your right elbow passes your torso. That’s 1 rep.

REPS:
Do 12 to 15, then reverse sides and repeat for the same number of reps.

T Pushup

A

• Get yourself into a pushup position with your hands on the floor directly below your shoulders.

• Lower yourself to the floor.

B

• As you push yourself up, rotate the right side of your body upward, lift your right hand, and roll onto the outside of your left foot.

• Straighten your right arm so your fingertips point toward the ceiling. Hold for 1 second before returning to the down pushup position. Repeat, this time rotating left and reaching up with your left arm. That’s 1 rep.

REPS:
Do 5.

JIGGLE-FREE TRICEPS WORKOUT

Women are particularly prone to “bingo wings,” those flaps that hang down from the backs of our upper arms and wiggle when we wave. That’s because unlike curling muscles (the biceps), which get regular use, our pushing muscles (the triceps), see very little action. Women also have a tendency to deposit fat in this area, which compounds the problem. The fix is in this workout.

START HERE:

Do these moves one after another with no rest in between. Then repeat the circuit for a total of two times, with a minute of rest between circuits.

Bench Dip

A

• Sit on the edge of a flat exercise bench and place your hands, fingers facing forward, next to your thighs. Place your feet on the floor in front of you, knees bent to 90 degrees.

• Keeping your arms straight, scoot forward so your butt is hovering in front of the edge of the bench.

B

• Inhale, bend your arms, and lower your butt, stopping when your upper arms are parallel to the floor.

• Exhale and push yourself back up, straightening your arms.

REPS:
Do 10 to 12.

Balance Row

A

• Grab a dumbbell in each hand and let your arms hang at your sides, palms facing in. Stand with your feet hip-width apart.

• Bend forward while extending your right leg straight behind you until your body forms a T. Let your arms hang straight down, palms facing each other.

B

• Squeeze your shoulder blades together and bring your elbows toward the ceiling, raising the weights to each side of your chest.

• After completing all the reps, stand on your right leg, lift your left and repeat the exercise.

REPS:
Do 5 or 6 on each leg.

KNEE THERAPY:
Exercises that test your balance are the most effective technique for preventing ACL injuries, according to Australian researchers.