Top 10 Thursday: Top 10 Favorite Sculpting Exercises
By admin
Thursday, wow… that means tomorrow I am on the road to the Myrtle Beach Half! Can’t wait to be reunited with this girl!
I have missed having Sarah as my running partner, so it will be great to spend the weekend with her (she’s driving in from DC)! So we’re making a whole weekend out of the run.
Yesterday I had my final workout and whoa was it a goodie! It went something like this:
Part 1: OTMEM (on the minute, every minute)
- Barbell clean and squats x 6 reps
Basically, I set my timer for 5 rounds of 1 minute. During the minute I would complete 6 rounds and get to rest until the minute was up. At the start of minute 2, it would begin all over.
It was tough! Even with just using a bar with 5 lbs on each side. (55 lb total)
Part 2: 3 Sets Of The Following
- 15 Walking lunges (holding 2 30-lb dumbbells)
- 15 Bent over rows (15-lb dumbbells/hand)
Part 3: 3 Minutes Repeating The Following
- 10 Russian twist (holding 10 lb plate)
- 5 Leg raises on bench (going below parallel to the ground)
- 20 Walking lunges (body weight)
Part 4: 4 minute Bicep Concentration
4-minutes straight of using 5 lb dumbbells to do different bicep curl variations. Holy cow this was so hard after the first 90 seconds!
So yes, I am sore and I love it! Luckily I have plenty of time to let my body recover before Sunday’s rest so I am in tip-top shape!
But if you’re looking for a good workout give that a try! 
Talking about workouts, that’s what I want to focus on for today’s Top 10 Thursday! My top 10 favorite exercises! Some of these are made to not only work your muscles but bring your heart rate up really fast!
If any of these are new to you, give them a go! And as always I want to hear from you… let me know what should be on the list!
Top 10 Best Body Sculpting Exercises (My Favorites)
Spiderman crunches.
These hit my abs immediately! The trick to make sure you feel the exercise is to concentrate on keeping your butt low, shoulder over wrists and really “crunch” into the move. After 3 reps, you’ll know if you’re doing it correctly!
Push-ups.
Yes, I love push-ups! If you ever have the chance to visit a boot camp of mine or do a workout from Fit Women’s Weekly, you’ll discover my love. But there are so many variations and ways to change things up so you’re not just doing boring, run of the mill push-ups. I love scorpion push-ups the most because they hit your chest differently, and but more emphasis on the shoulders. Do it by simply lifting one foot of the ground and arching it up (like a scorpion tail) as you lower into a push-up.
You’ll feel the burn immediately!
Ninja Jumps.
Notice the top of your feet on the ground, don’t curl your toes in.
These are tough! Which is why I love them so much, I feel like a badass doing them. They are a plyometric move (jumping) starting from your knees and getting to your feet. It takes core, momentum and serious commitment to get it right. I say commitment because it can be intimidating to give it a go. Either go for it, or don’t.
Burpees.
Oh burpees, I feel so bad for you. Burpees get a bad wrap, no one likes to do them but you’ll be hard pressed to find an exercise that works as many muscles and burns as many calories as the oh so hated burpee. Make the burpee your friend, you know you want to. Plus, just like push-ups there are so many variations to make it a bit more exciting! 1-legged burpees, long jump burpees, tuck jump burpees, side push-up burpees… well you get the idea.
Frog Squats.
I have taken recent pictures and video but can’t find them… boo. But this guy does a good job.
These look so easy, but they aren’t!
Keep your head in place, shoulders don’t move up or down either. The only thing that changes is the bend in your knees.
V-sit Scissors.
Ab work is relaxing to me, even while my core is burning I feel I get to catch my breath. These are awesome for accomplishing both! Lay on the ground, pull both feel slightly off the ground. Then begin to sit up while bringing one leg up towards your chest. Clap between legs. Lower back down (keeping feet of the ground) and repeat with other side.
Mt Climbers.
Sorry for the old video, but now you can watch the move
Core toning, but toning, arm toning… they rock, the end.
Plank Up/Downs.
Some call these “hell raisers” but I think they are too great for such a negative name! The trick is to start at the top of a push-up position, lower down to forearms and push back up. Just make sure to alternate which hand pushes you up first with each rep.
Surfers.
These are so much fun! I guess you could say they are a burpee variation but I think they deserve a spotlight of their own. Start on your stomach and explode up off the ground and land as if you’re on a surfboard. Then put your hands on the ground in front of your forward foot and jump back to your belly. Repeat with the other foot coming up in front.
Lunges.
Nothing special to say about these, we all know what lunges are, but that doesn’t mean they don’t work. They do. Do them. Today.
Side plank rainbows.
These are tough but efficient! You need a very light dumbbell and your body. Get in a side plank, with the upper arm grab the weight and extend it straight out in front of you. Lower it to the ground and then keeping your arm straight, bring it up be perpendicular to the ground, lower back down and repeat all reps on one side before switching. Tough but good!
So there you have it!
My favorite bodyweight toning moves!
- What would you add or take off the list?
Have a great day! Tomorrow I will be sharing my big pre-race prep with you since a lot of you seem interested and many of you are getting ready for a big race too!