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By NikkiFitness, July 1, 2010

Everyone knows about push-ups, their convenience and effectiveness.… but what about the opposing muscle group?

Working your upper back, trapezius and rhomboids, usually requires machines, correct body alignment, free weights or tubing and a personal trainer forcing you to do them. Everyone from military men, to desk job devotees, to new moms tend to get the back slump that comes from either overdoing the push-ups without working the upper back, over-stretching the upper back in a computer or car slump position, or holding a baby all day.

The wheel push-up (from my Fit Travel Workout DVD) is my favorite upper back move because it requires no equipment and I always feel the muscles getting sore and stronger afterward. If you’ve done the regular wheel in yoga class, this will feel familiar. If you have never done a wheel, I will walk you through it.

1– Lay on the floor on your back, looking up at the sky. Bend your knees and place your feet on the ground. Flip your hands so that they are on the ground next to your ears, fingertips pointing to your feet. Try to lift yourself up with your arms gently onto the crown of your head. Hold there without putting pressure on the head or neck, and then slowly lower down and counter-stretch your back by hugging the knees to your chest for 10 seconds.

2– If you feel strong enough, perform the move again, and this time lift off the head and straighten the arms and legs as much as you can, as if someone tied a string around your waist and is pulling our belly to the sky. Hold this arch (the wheel) for 2–10 seconds, and repeat the counter-stretch above.

3– If you are ready for the wheel push-up, go back through the first 2 progressions, and once in the wheel position with arms and legs straightening into the arch formation, start bending the elbows to just barely tap the head to the floor and then straighten the arms again. That is one push-up. Work up to doing 15 at a time and always counter-stretch between sets.

No equipment needed and just as effective as a pectoral push-up. If you still need a trainer forcing you to do it, print this article post it in your workout area!

Fitness — fit it in. Nikki

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By Nikki Fitness, June 2, 2010

Workout for new moms and dads — part 2.

Last month, I told you that my baby is my own little personal trainer because the moves that stop his cries big motions like squats and lunges. Even my babysitters know that a sitting session with him is like a trip to the gym.

I get many emails from other new moms asking for workout tips when they can’t fit in a workout because of taking care of the little one. So I created the Baby Bootie Camp workout to soothe baby and slim and sculpt mommy (and daddy!) while soothing the baby. The DVD is available starting June 1! Part one — lunges and squats with the baby– was the topic of my last blog.

Part two explores “Rocking Outer Thigh” and “Glute Kickback Squats” you can do with the baby, or if he/she is napping or you are just not comfortable with working out with your baby, you can also use free weights to perform the sets.

Rocking Outer Thigh

Start standing up and holding baby with your arms or a secure shoulder carrier like a Baby Bjorn.
Squat and rock your weight to your left leg. Stand up on your left leg and lift your right leg to the right with a flexed foot, noticing the contraction in the right outer thigh. Rock back to the middle and squat low (like sitting back in a chair) and the stand on your right leg and lift the left leg out to the left. Trainer’s Tip: for added stability, hold on to a wall or piece of furniture while performing the move. Perform 20 on both sides for one set. Do 2–3 sets depending on your time and energy.

Glute Kickback Squats

This is the same squat move with the baby but instead of kicking the leg out to the side, instead kick it behind you with a straight knee and flexed foot to contract the glute muscle and tone your backside then squat again and kick the other leg back. Perform 20 repetition of both sides for one set.  Perform 2–3 sets with the rest of the Baby Bootie Camp moves.

I’ll introduce arms and back later in the month. Next time your baby cries… feed, burp, change and sweat!

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By Nikki Fitness, April 8, 2010

If given the choice, my baby would probably prefer a whistle in his mouth to a pacifier. He is my own 4-month old personal trainer. When he is fussy, he doesn’t like small jiggle moves or swinging back and forth, instead he calms down when I hold him and perform large up and down motions – like lunges and squats!

So I created the Baby Bootie Camp workout to soothe baby and slim and sculpt mommy (and daddy!).

To get on the waiting list for this new (the 5th) NikkiFitness DVD, go to www.nikkifitness.com and sign up for the free e-mail list (no spam, just new once- weekly workouts or tips).

Here is part one – standing leg workouts with a baby.

1) Inner Thigh Squats

Either holding the baby in front of you, or in a harness like a Baby Bjorn, separate your feet in a wide plie stance, so that your knees are directly over your ankles when you bend them at 90 degrees. Toes point 45 degrees out to the sides, not directly in front of you. Stand to straighten legs for one rep. When my baby cries, this is his go-to move to bring quiet and calm.

2) Lunges

Separate your feet bringing the right in front and left behind, but to ensure good balance holding the baby, separate the feet so that they are not standing on a tightrope, in line, but instead, picture standing on two railroad tracks. You can also hold onto a piece of furniture for added balance. Lower towards the ground so that the front knee lines up directly over the ankle and then rise up to straighten the legs again. Do 15 reps on this side and then switch legs to bring the left in front.

3) Calf lifts

Give your quadriceps a break and stand with feet shoulder width apart. Rise up onto the balls of your feet 20 times to work your calves and keep baby happy and moving.

4) Squat and Lunge Combo

Combine move one and two, slowly, by performing one inner thigh plie squat down and up, with toes pointing 45 degrees out. Then left your right heel and pivot on the ball of the foot, turning to face your left and perform one left lunge down and up. Pivot the foot back for another inner thigh plie squat. Lift left heel and pivot on the ball of that foot to turn to your right for a right lunge, then turn back to center. That completes one rep. Perform 10 inner thigh squats, left lunge, inner thigh, right lunges altogether.

Next week we’ll introduce “Rocking Outer Thigh” and “Glute Kickback Squats” and then move onto arms, abs and back later in the month. Better get moving, the baby says GO!

Fitness, Fit it in. Nikki

Nikki Crunch Manhattan Group Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer