It’s that time again – Friday Five. Since I don’t think there was a theme I am choosing my own.
This link up is sponsored by Courtney from Eat Pray Run, DC, Cynthia from You Signed Up For What? and Mar from Mar on the Run! Their fitness and running blogs are awesome so make sure you head on over and check them out.
Last week I focused on fitness fashions and this week I am focusing on my favorite 5 exercises. Exercise CAN be fun especially if you are doing what you enjoy so here goes.
Exercise #1: Shoulder press – since I tend to not have a lot of development with my shoulders, I love this exercise because it makes me feel strong! I am up to pressing 30 lbs at once. I typically couple these with a front or backward lunge, walking lunge or squat. That really ups the calorie burn. I LOVE IT!
Exercise #2: Jumping Rope – some call it speed rope, etc. I call it plain old jumping rope. This gets that heart rate UP UP UP! I remember the first time I picked up the jump rope after years of not doing it and my heart rate instantly jumped up to 170 bpm! That is near my max for my age and gender. I enjoy my jump rope. It is an excellent form of cardio.
Exercise #3: Step ups – now I can’t stand lying hamstring curls but I don’t mind step ups. They build the quad and hamstring and when coupled with weights – I feel like superwoman again. Plus my 5 ft 3 frame enjoys standing on top of tall things so I can see over the heads of everyone else.
Exercise #4: Push ups – not a lot of women enjoy this exercise but trust me- once you master it you will definitely feel like a power house. A long time ago I watched a Janet Jackson concert “Velvet Rope” and she looked so svelte and sleek I wanted to look like her. I rolled to the floor and started my push ups on the knees which are typically called modified. As I got better (in 2 weeks) I progressed to standard push ups. You can do these off the wall, off a bench, declined, staggered arms and several other ways. So many options! We are also hosting a 1,000 push up challenge in the month of March. Check the previous posts on this blog for the details!
Exercise #5: LUNGES!!! These get my legs feeling really strong. Considering I run for distance and speed this exercise helps me build those muscles. I know many women who can’t stand lunges of any kind but I honestly don’t mind them.
What are your favorite exercises? Leave a comment and share below
DC Trifecta
12 Replies to "Friday Five: My 5 Favorite Exercises"
becca112971
Twitter: _Everyday_Life_
February 28, 2014 (6:19 am)
Two questions for you one how do you do a proper standing push up to get the best results? Second if you can’t do lunges are squats just as good?
DSTPRL February 28, 2014 (1:07 pm)
1. Proper standard push ups are on your toes vs. your knees, arms shoulder width apart.
2. Squats work slightly different muscles in the lower body but they are a KEEPER as well. They just aren’t my favorite. 🙂
Denise February 28, 2014 (3:52 pm)
I love shoulder presses too! I need to add those back in to my at home workouts.
Mar on the Run!
Twitter: marmaone1
February 28, 2014 (8:32 pm)
ahhh yes, I LOVE shoulder presses!! I’m not a huge fan of push ups but I do them and like how they really hit the mark.
Meranda February 28, 2014 (9:09 pm)
Visiting from the blog hop! I always say i’m going to do more Step exercises But that never happens. Maybe next week!
Amanda H March 1, 2014 (2:08 am)
Hmm I do like shoulder presses but I would much rather squats or leg presses than anything else. And I used to be terrified of them when we were doing them with the big olympic lift bar in college, but I kind of love clean and jerks now too 🙂
Michele
Twitter: apaceofbalance
March 1, 2014 (7:35 am)
I like shoulder presses with a squat. Right now I’m into squats and deadlifts, working on increasing that weight!
Eat Pray Run, DC
Twitter: eatprayrundc
March 1, 2014 (9:43 pm)
Good ole pushups! Love em and hate em at the same time 🙂
Cynthia
Twitter: yousignedup
March 2, 2014 (12:26 am)
Love all these exercises – I love planks lately, and also Pilates stuff I can do at home to strengthen my core.
Shana March 4, 2014 (9:46 am)
Goblet squats with kb! Can’t forget those. Good for the buns….
DSTPRL March 5, 2014 (10:02 am)
Ouch Shana!!!!
Friday Five: Favorite Fitness Activities March 28, 2014 (12:06 am)
[…] Fitness Activities. If you have been tracking my blog you know I did a Friday 5 post about my favorite exercises so you will see some redundancy here but since this is also asking about our 5 fitness activities […]