Wednesday, March 3, 2010

get a toned body


Tone up and trim down with this do anywhere workout.

Why wait in line at the gym when you can get the same results at home? This total-body dumbbell workout from Mike Mejia, C.S.C.S., a personal trainer on Long Island, New York, hits several major muscle groups, and if you do one move after the other without rest, you’ll torch serious calories.

Do 6 to 10 reps of each move, then go on to the next. After doing all four moves, rest for 60 seconds, then repeat. Choose a weight that lets you complete 6 to 10 reps of a bent-over row. Do the workout two or three times a week.

Lunge

Lunge

Works lower body
Grab the dumbbells and stand with your feet together, arms at your sides. Lunge forward with your right foot until your right thigh is almost parallel to the floor. Return to start. Next, step back with your left foot and sink into a lunge. Return to start, then do a forward lunge with your left foot, then a back lunge with your right foot. That’s one rep.

Bent Over Row

Bent-Over Row

Works upper back and biceps
Grab the dumbbells and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. With your arms at your sides, bend over from the hips until your back is almost parallel to the floor. Pull the dumbbells up, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Pause, then lower the weights. That’s one rep. Complete all reps without standing up.

Dead Lift

Romanian Deadlift

Works glutes and hamstrings
Grab the dumbbells and stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Position the dumbbells in front of your thighs, palms facing your body. Keeping your knees slightly bent, press your hips back as you bend at the waist and lower the weights toward the floor. Squeeze your glutes to return to standing. That’s one rep. Up for a bigger challenge? Try this move on one leg.

Curl & Press

Curl And Press

Works shoulders, biceps, and triceps
Grab the dumbbells and stand with your feet hip-width apart, arms at your sides. Step forward with your right leg as you curl both dumbbells up to your shoulders. Sink into a lunge and press the dumbbells directly overhead, rotating your arms so that your palms face forward at the top of the move. Pause for 2 seconds, then return to start. That’s one rep.