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New Year, new you: Week six
This is the week six of an eight-week fitness program designed by Sherri McMillan, owner of Northwest Personal Training. If you have missed any of the previous weeks of the eight-week “New Year, new you” program, you can access it at www.columbian.com/new-you.
Tri-pod training. Start by getting down onto your hands and knees. Position your arms directly under your shoulders and your knees directly underneath your hips. Keep your abdominals contracted and your spine completely stabilized. Your back should be completely neutral and it should feel like a straight line from your tailbone to the top of your head.
Start the exercise by lifting one arm from the shoulder and reaching it out in front of you. Simultaneously, lift the opposite leg. You should attempt to really stretch the arm and the leg outwards and lift upwards while maintaining the abdominal contraction and spine stabilization. Think more about reaching the arm and leg rather than lifting so high that you have to arch your back. While you lift onto one leg, be sure to not shift all your body weight to the side that is supporting you. Try to stay completely stabilized. Do this five to 10 times each side.
Overhead shoulder press. Grab a set of hand weights and position them to each side of shoulders with elbows below wrists and palms facing forwards.
Press hand weights until arms are extended overhead and palms face inwards. Lower and repeat eight to 20 repetitions.
Calf stretch. Stand facing a wall. Place one leg close to the wall and the other farther away. Keep the heel of the back leg positioned firmly into the floor. Be sure that both feet face forward. Feel the stretch in the back calf. Now move the back foot in a few inches. Keep the back foot firmly planted into the ground but now slightly bend the back knee and hold the stretch.
Plank table tops. Lay on your stomach propped up onto your elbows. Position your elbows so that they are underneath your shoulders. Now lift your body up so your weight is completely supported on your elbows and toes.
