The Fat Burn Revolution (33 page)

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Authors: Julia Buckley

BOOK: The Fat Burn Revolution
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close grip bent-over row

Every ounce of effort and every drip of sweat will be more than worth it

target area
back, arms & core               

 

This exercise is very similar to the standard bent-over row from Phase I. By holding the dumbbells closer to your body you’ll be working the muscles
of the mid-back a little harder as well as firing up the biceps in the front of the upper arm.

1
Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Plant your feet firmly on the floor shoulder-width apart, bend your knees slightly then hinge the torso forward from
hips, keeping your back straight and core muscles tight. Let your arms drop down towards the floor holding the dumbbells with palms facing your legs.

2
Bend the elbows towards the hips as you pull the weights in, brushing the sides of your ribcage with your arms as you lift.

3
Lower the weight back down in a slow and controlled motion to return to the starting position.

 

TIPS

Inhale as you lower the weights and exhale as you perform the pulling movement

Maintain a straight back and keep your neck in-line with your spine, you should be looking diagonally down to the floor in front of you

Lift and lower the weights in a slow and controlled manner

Keep the elbows in, do not allow them to flare out from the sides of the body in this type of row

airplane

A strong core gives much more than awesome ab definition.

target area
chest, upper back, shoulders               

 

This move is awesome for fat burning because it activates lots of muscles, plus it helps firm the bum, strengthens the core and improves posture and
balance. You may wobble or even take a tumble at first, so it’s best to do these on a soft floor. Prepare for take off!

1
Start on your hands and knees. Knees should be directly below your hips. Your palms should be on the mat with your wrists directly beneath your
shoulders. Look down at the mat, keeping your neck in-line with your spine. Engage your core muscles and ensure your back is straight, not arching up or bowing downward.

2
In a slow and controlled motion, raise and extend your right arm until it is straight out beside your head, parallel to the floor. Once your right
arm is in place, extend your left leg straight out behind you until that is also parallel to the floor – so that you are in the Superman position. After establishing your balance in this
position, slowly bring your arm out to the side of your body level with the shoulder and your leg out to the opposite side as close to perpendicular to the body as you can get it without losing
balance.

3
Return your arm and leg to the Superman position. This is one repetition. Do not return the arm and leg to the floor between reps. Once your reps
are complete on side, switch to the other.

 

TIPS

This is a progress of the Superman exercise (
here
), so only try it once you have mastered that move

Keep the core tight, taking shallow breaths from the top of the chest

Control the movement as much as you can, don’t jerk the arm and leg up and do not lift higher than parallel to the floor

Maintain a straight back and tight core as you slowly move the leg and arm out to the side and back again

box jump

You deserve to be proud of your body

target area
legs, bum & core               

 

This is an intense, high impact move, which torches calories and builds explosive power in the legs. It’s a tough exercise to perform, but has
outstanding fat-burning potential.

1
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart in front of your step, head up, arms by your sides.

2
Bend your knees and lower your hips to prepare to jump. Make sure to keep your back straight and your head up at all times.

3
Power yourself up off the floor in an explosive movement as you jump up onto the step, keeping the knees bent as you land. To soften your landing,
the mid-foot should land slightly before the heels come down.

4
Come back down from the box, either by stepping the feet down behind you, or if you really want to go for the burn, jump back down. Repeat without
pausing.

 

TIPS

This is an advanced plyometric exercise and it is only suitable for people with strong legs and healthy joints. If you have knee or hip problems or don’t want
to perform it for any reason, simply do the step-up move (
here
) instead

Inhale as you prepare and exhale as you leap

Keep your back straight and flat, core tight and head up

Always land as softly as possible, with bent knees, hips back, mid-foot first

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