Stability Ball Improves More than just Posture

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The students in one elementary school in West Chester, PA, have the right idea when it comes to incorporating fitness into the day. Robbi Giuliano, a fifth grade school teacher, has her students complete their assignments while sitting on a stability ball and not a stationary chair. Not only are the children working their core and balance as they learn, they are also experiencing better productivity.

John Kilbourne, a professor of movement science at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, is studying the link between physical activity and better learning. He believes that physical activity aids with concentration and alertness. The ball has also helped children who suffer from attention disorders or autism by allowing them to move more freely without disrupting class.

Stability balls are traditionally used in Yoga and Pilates. You may have seen a stability ball workout or stretch here on H3Daily or used one during a core class at H3. We also encourage those who sit behind a desk for long periods to work from a stability ball instead of a chair to help keep the muscles active throughout the day. Stability balls promote better posture, engage the core, strengthen back muscles, improve balance and are just plain fun.

We may be able to learn something from Ms. Giullano’s fifth graders. Invest in a sturdy stability and you might just see your work improve as you exercise your core too!

Drums ALIVE!

By Jeff, H3 Program Intern

When it comes to health and nutrition (or your stay at H3), the top action to take is to step out on a limb and try something new!  We’ll never know what type of exercise or healthy food we’ll enjoy most until you experience everything that’s out there.  Who knows?  We may never have another shot at participating in that class or eating that entrée for the rest of our lives!

As a young kid, I never wanted to eat my vegetables and I was extremely apprehensive of trying new foods, it turns out I was really missing out.  Not only was I not fueling my body appropriately, but man – fresh fruits and vegetables make you feel spectacular!  When it comes to changing our lifestyles, it’s important to try everything and really find your niche.  To put it simply, the best exercise program or meal plan is something we’ll stick with for the long-run. Therefore, in order to find the right lifestyle program we must break out of our shells and venture out!

Getting to the point, H3 has just launched a new fitness class!  The class is called Drum’s Alive and it is certainly something that cannot be experienced just anywhere. A new and amazing opportunity for all of our guests, Drum’s Alive will be instructed by one of H3’s finest, Linda Lisko.

So of course you want to know a little bit more about Drum’s Alive before you take that leap, right? To depict the class best, it involves drum sticks, a fit ball, risers, and a whole lot of powerful beats. 

Drum’s Alive is fun and energetic, combining the dynamic movements of aerobic dance with the pulsating rhythms of the drums. The group class is not only a total body workout, yet provides benefits to the mind and spirit, reducing stress and improving mental balance. If you don’t believe me, check it out for yourself:



 

H3 is looking forward to the premiere of Drum’s Alive (as should you) and figure the class will be a big hit among our guests!  It is without a doubt new to the fitness scene and one of those opportunities we’ve been talking about to break out of the shell.

Move it Monday: Workout of the Week

Welcome to Move it Monday!  Every Monday, we will feature a workout of the week – complete with cardio, strength training and core exercises. 

Incorporate this into your routine at least 2-3 times per week, on non-consecutive days.  Check back next Monday for the Workout of the Week feature!

 

What You Need: a FitBall, a set of dumbbells (5-10 pounds), resistance band and a bench or stair

Cardio: Walk or jog for at least 30 minutes.  You can choose to walk on the treadmill, or take advantage of the beautiful fall weather and take it outside.



 

Now, for the LOWER BODY STRENGTH TRAINING!  For the next 3 exercises, complete 2 sets each of 12 repetitions.

1) Squat - Stand with arms next to your side. Lower your body until thighs are just past parallel to floor. Extend knees and hips until legs are straight. Return and repeat.  Keep head forward, back straight and feet flat on the floor; equal distribution of weight throughout forefoot and heel.  Knees should point same direction as feet throughout movement.





 

2) Lunge -  Stand with arms by your sides.  Lunge forward with first leg. Land on heel then forefoot.  Lower body by flexing knee and hip of front leg until knee of rear leg is almost in contact with floor.  Return to original standing position by forcibly extending the hip and knee of the forward leg.  Repeat by alternating lunge with opposite leg.  Keep torso upright during lunge.





 

3) Step-Up -  Stand facing the side of a bench.  Place foot of first leg on bench.  Stand on bench by extending the hip and knee of the first leg and place the foot of second leg on bench.  Step down with second leg by flexing the hip and knee of first leg.  Return to original standing position by placing foot of first leg to floor.  Repeat first step with opposite leg alternating first steps between legs.





 

4) Deadlift - Grasp dumbbell (or barbell) with a shoulder width or slightly wider overhand or mixed grip.  Stand with a shoulder width or narrower stance.  With knees straight, lower dumbbell (or bar) by bending hips until hamstrings are tight, or just before lower back bends. Lift the dumbbell (or bar) by extending hips until upright. Pull shoulders slightly back at top of lift if rounded. Repeat.





Ready for some CORE EXERCISES!  Perform 2 sets of 20 repetitions for each.

5) Modified Bicycle Crunch - Lie face up on the floor and lace your fingers behind your head.  Bring right knee in towards the chest and lift the left shoulder blade off the ground without pulling on the neck.  Straighten the right leg out while simultaneously turning the upper body to the left, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee.  Switch sides, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee.  Continue alternating sides.





 

6) FitBall Basic Crunch - Sit comfortably upright on the ball with legs flat on the floor and knees bent approximately at right angles to the floor.  Place your hands across your chest or alternatively behind the head while ensuring you do not push the head too far forward.  Keep the head and neck as still as possible when you do the exercise. Lean backward so that the ball slides slightly forward while you maintain your feet flat on the floor in the same position. Tighten the abdominals as you control the rollout back and forward.  Repeat.





 

Finish each workout with 5-15 minutes of Stretches.

 

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Breaking the Routine

Everyone has fallen victim to a routine. It’s easy to find something that works and continue to do it over and over again. The problem though is that you get bored and so do your muscles. After boredom sets in, motivation begins to drop. Not to mention your workouts become less effective. The key is to keep your muscles and your mind guessing. We encourage you to try new things and keep that dreaded word “routine” out of your vocabulary.

With this month’s Trainer’s Palette we begin a new video series that does just that. With each video, a new group of muscles will be worked using a variety of equipment. Changing equipment is a great way to add variety to any strength training program. This month’s video will focus on the Back and Biceps. We will show you different ways to train these muscle groups using dumbbells, a resistance band and a Fitball.

This is just the beginning of the Breaking the Routine video series. Join Adam Martin, H3 Fitness Director, as he takes you step-by-step through each move. So let’s fight boredom and try some new exercises!





*The Trainer’s Palette is a feature in our monthly e-newsletter, Living the Healthy Lifestyle. You can sign up to receive these emails here.