Hoop Strength Core - Stability Ball Yoga

To round out my Stability Ball month, we tried out doing yoga with the ball. It was different to hold poses rather than do reps, and having chill music was nice too. The whole routine was based off of this youtube video. I just rearranged the order of things and added a reclining "jellyfish" savasana.

Then some fun hula hooping! I am so proud of my ladies - the amount of body awareness they have gained just since the new year has been huge!

My students have requested that we try something focused on upper body & core BUT NO PUSH-UPs. So that's my next challenge...

Get Going - Let's Go Motown

I chanced upon a great classic Motown album at the library To Mum Love Motown that inspired this week's class & playlist.

song - by - artist

Car Wash - Rose Royce
Celebration - Kool & the Gang
Please Mr. Postman - The Marvelettes
How Sweet it is  (To Be Loved by You) - Marvin Gaye
My Guy - Mary Wells
Reach Out I'll be There - The Four Tops
You Keep me Hanging On - The Supremes
It Takes Two - Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston
Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
River Deep Mountain High - The Four Tops & The Supremes
I'm Still Loving You - Kim Weston
I Second that Emotion - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
I'll Be There - The Jackson 5
Endless Love - Diana Ross & Lionel Ritchie
My Girl - The Temptations

We worked with the Therabands today (those are the flat bands) focusing on strength and endurance.

Hoop Strength & Core - Stability Ball "Cardio"

Its really easy to integrate the Stability Ball into a workout as a way to make your core work because it has to stabilize the ball when you put weight on it. Its different when you think about using it because its just plain big and awkward. Moving normally becomes a challenge - so that's how I came up with today's workout. That and I saw this video while perusing Youtube and thought it kinda ridiculous.

1. Dribbling Travel : front, back, diagonals
2. Karate Kickover : alternate legs, then 4 per side
3. Rainbow Hi Knee > Rainbow Squats
4. Lunging Pulses > Side Lunging ~ do both sides
5. ButtKicker Dribble
6. Classic Kettle bell Swing
7. Around the World (optional - ankles crossed) ~ do both sides
8. Mountain Climber OR Single Hi Knee
9. Ball Jax - lower body
10. Ball Jax - upper body
11.Wall Squats : toe taps, heel taps, foot lifts, groovy arms
12. Booty Scoots : side to side, repeat 4 each side, tail tuck & pulse
13. Wall Ball Tuck & Reach ~ do both sides
14. Reclining on the Ball : toe taps, heel taps, march, foot fire - wide & narrow
15. Reclining on the Ball Crunch: front, left, front, right
16. Square Peg, Round Hole
17. Side Lying Lower Leg Lifts ~ do both sides
18. Reclining "Catch"
19. Teddybear Ball Hug
**Hula Hooping**
Stretches
Wall Sit Lateral Stretch,
Calf Stretch,
Figure 4 (wall or reclining), 
Hamstring Stretch (butt against wall or reclining)

Here is today's retro-inspired playlist (yes - I am on an 80's kick):

song - by - artist
Lazy Jesus - pomDeter
We Will Rock Your Galactic Pindin - RM C.U.T.T.
Pure Cardio 80's Edition - Steady130
Sisters are Doin' it for Themselves - Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin
Got to Give it Up - Marvin Gaye

**We had a great time sweating it up, and had ANOTHER fresh face join us who was really excited to see the possibilities of what the hoop can offer and we had a bunch of success with overhead Halo and even a few attempts at Vortexes too! I am SO PROUD of how far you guys have come!

As "homework", choose 3 sets of 2 exercises and get your kitchen timer. In classic High Intensity style, aim to work at 60- 90% intensity but keep it consistent for ALL of the sets. You can do it!
Set 1: Do both exercises back to back for 45 seconds. Rest for 45 seconds.
Set 2: Do the next exercises back to back for 30 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds.
Set 3: Do the last exercises back to back for 15 seconds. Rest for 15 seconds.

I am hoping to create little videos to go along with each workout AND homework, so you can see modifications on form and technique AND get some cheering to keep you going. 

Be kind to yourself today - YOU are FABULOUS!!

Seniors Get Going class - Yoga Experiment

So as you might imagine, the ladies in my Get Going class - while not all seniors, many of them struggle with issues that make them feel out of place in a regular exercise class. Some of them feel that yoga is completely out of their reach, and I thought that they might enjoy a taste of yoga, because its not all bendiness and standing on your head - Mindful breathing and body awareness are skills that benefit everyone.

We modified Sun Salutation A and the standing series so we could all sit in our chairs. There was a modified standing series with a mudra-esque shoulder opening. We even tackled Downward Dog & Chaturanga while standing behind the chair, with some beginner Tree poses!

At the end for our Savasana, we placed our calves on the seat of our chairs and I led them through the Three-fold breath (Guru's Breath).

Most of the ladies loved it, though their typical giggly conversation was replaced by soft goodbyes and sweet compliments. They were in a very different frame of mind than usual. Only one new face this week, but steadily growing all the same!

Pretty much everything that I played today was from Cantoma's first album (its self titled). Its has this wonderfully bright and relaxing sound that makes me feel like I'm on vacation. Enjoy!

Hoop Strength & Core - Stability Ball "Homework Circuit"

Today's class was really outstanding! Great energy and another fresh face came for the first time. Hooray for the class growing!
Some of out group have Stability Balls at home that are just collecting dust, so I created a little circuit they can do at home that will work up a sweat and strengthen the core along the way.

Be sure to do a good warmup and have your water bottle nearby.
45seconds on each exercise - 12 exercises (1 where you have to do both sides!)
Rest in between as needed or challenge yourself to move quickly between them like a High Intensity Interval. You choose. Good Form is always more important than quantity of reps. As you get stronger, you will be able to do more.

1. Wall Squats

2. Prone Supported Push-up

3. Prone Back Extension (Incline Crunch)

4. Reclining Plank Heel Tuck (Hamstring Curl)

5. Prone Supported Tricep Push-up

6. Reclining Supported Crunch

7. Prone Plank Knee Tuck

8. Prone Froggy Glute Press

9. Side Abductor Leg Lifts *do both sides!*

10.Reclining Inner Thigh Squeeze

11. Reclining "Atlas" Walking

12. Reclining "Catch"

Here is a link to today's super fun playlist from Steady130 that rocked us with old school 80's rock.

Seniors - Get Going "Awesome 80's" Bender Ball & Theraband workout

The Playlist:

Huey Lewis & The News - Hip To Be Square
Safety Dance (Glee Cast Version)
Power Music: Awesome 80s Step 128BPM
Roll With It.
Let's Hear It For the Boys
Our House
Broken Wings
Lay All Your Love On Me
I'll Tumble 4 Ya
Hot Hot Hot
Break My Stride
Human
True Colors (Glee Cast Version)
Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy

One of our ladies had her birthday that week, (she was turning 83) and she thought it was hilarious that it was 80's week.