Get Fit and Firm At Home

By Liz Neporent, Prevention

Prevention

There's proof the best workout in town starts by pressing play. A new study found that doing fitness DVDs can burn a whopping 480 calories an hour. We sweated through over 40 new releases to bring you our five faves: workouts that are effective, easy to follow, and fun. Whether you want to drop a size, shrink stubborn belly fat, or just start exercising, we have the plan for you.

Prevention tested: Five new DVDs we love

Pick just one, mix and match, or follow our customized plans designed to help you achieve your fitness goal

1. "10-Minute Solution: Quick Tummy Toners"

Focus: Targeted toning

Why We Love It: The five fast, doable routines—from calorie-torching standing exercises to mat-based whittlers—beat boredom and firm your abs from every angle.

You'll need: Yoga mat

2. "6-Minute Quick Blast: Total Body Calorie Blast"

Focus: Cardio and toning

Why We Love It: Whether you have six minutes or an hour, you'll get a heart-pumping cardio blast plus intense sculpting to reshape trouble zones like the butt, thighs, and abs.

You'll need: Yoga mat, dumbbells

3. "Prevention Kick-Start Your Metabolism"

Focus: Cardio and toning

Why We Love It: Prevention fitness pro Chris Freytag will teach you to punch, jab, and kick your way to a firmer body—no experience needed. You'll melt up to 680 calories an hour while having a blast.

You'll need: Yoga mat, dumbbells

4. "Exhale Core Fusion Pilates Plus"

Focus: All-over toning

Why We Love It: Carefully controlled movements target each muscle group with laserlike precision. Gentle stretches end each segment to ease your body and mind.

You'll need: Yoga mat, stretch belt, or towel

5. "Dance Off the Inches: Dance It Off Ballroom"

Focus: Cardio

Why We Love It: You'll peel off pounds as you gracefully twirl around your living room with these easy-to-follow routines featuring samba, cha-cha, and jive.

Goal No. 1: "I need to start exercising."

If it's been a while since you've worked up a sweat, this is the program for you. Starting with a manageable 18 minutes a day, you'll safely build an exercise habit you can stick with. The short bouts of high-energy toning can be broken up throughout the day to fit into even the busiest schedule. And the anyone-can-do-them dance moves will make working out fun (no partner required).

One week at a glance:

	Monday	Wednesday	Friday	Saturday
DVD	Total Body Calorie Blast	Total Body Calorie Blast	Total Body Calorie Blast	Dance It Off Ballroom
Play	Total Body A (6 min), Mind Body A (6 min), Quick Abs Blast (6 min)	Total Body B (6 min), Mind Body B (6 min), Quick Abs Blast (6 min)	Total Body C (6 min), Mind Body C (6 min), Quick Abs Blast (6 min)	All (42 min)
DVD	Dance It Off Ballroom
Play	1st week: Step Guide (18 min). Subsequent weeks: Samba and Jive (10 min each)
Total time	18 min	18 min	36-38 min	42 min

Goal No. 2: "I want to flatten my belly."

We've enlisted a three-tiered flab-fighting fix: Cardio to melt fat, targeted toning to shrink your waist, and yoga to de-stress.

One week at a glance:

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
DVD	Dance It Off Ballroom	Kick-Start Your Metabolism	Dance It Off Ballroom	Dance It Off Ballroom	Dance It Off Ballroom	Kick-Start Your Metabolism
Play	1st week: Step Guide (18 min). Subsequent weeks: Samba and Jive (10 min each)	Fat Blast (15 min), Ab Attack (15 min)	Cha-Cha (10 min), Samba (10 min)	Samba (10 min), Jive (10 min)	Cha-Cha (10 min), Samba (10 min)	Fat Blast (15 min), Ab Attack (15 min), Body Sculpt (15 min)
DVD	Quick Tummy Toners	Quick Tummy Toners	Quick Tummy Toners	Quick Tummy Toners	Quick Tummy Toners
Play	Crunch-Free Abs (10 min)	Yoga Abs (10 min)	Bikini Belly (10 min)	Ab and Waist Definer (10 min)	Yoga Abs (10 min), Sporty Abs (10 min)
Total time	28-30 min	40 min	30 min	30 min	40 min	45 min

Goal No. 3: "I need to jump-start my weight loss."

A precise mix of fat-melting cardio and sculpting moves is just the recipe for shedding pounds. This routine obliterates calories with kickboxing and dance, then sculpts metabolism-boosting muscle. Shave 250 calories per day from your diet and you'll be about a size smaller in 30 days.

Weeks One and Two

One week at a glance:

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Saturday	Sunday
DVD	Kick-Start Your Metabolism	Dance It Off Ballroom	Kick-Start Your Metabolism	Dance It Off Ballroom	Dance It Off Ballroom	Kick-Start Your Metabolism
Play	Fat Blast (15 min), Ab Attack (15 min), Body Sculpt (15 min)	All (42 min)	Fat Blast (15 min), Ab Attack (15 min)	All (42 min)	Cha-Cha (10 min), Jive (10 min)	Fat Blast (15 min), Ab Attack (15 min), Body Sculpt (15 min)
DVD	Dance It Off Ballroom	Core Fusion Pilates Plus	Core Fusion Pilates Plus	Core Fusion Pilates Plus	Core Fusion Pilates Plus
Play	1st week: Step Guide (18 min). 2nd week: Samba and Cha-Cha (10 min each)	Thigh & Gluteus (10 min), Flat Back/Round Back (10 min)	Upper Body (10 min)	Thigh & Gluteus (10 min)	Upper Body (10 min), Flat Back/Round Back (10 min), Pure Core (10 min)
Total time	63-65 min	62 min	40 min	52 min	50 min	45 min

Weeks Three and Four

One week at a glance:

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Saturday	Sunday
DVD	Dance It Off Ballroom	Kick-Start Your Metabolism	Dance It Off Ballroom	Dance It Off Ballroom	Kick-Start Your Metabolism	Kick-Start Your Metabolism
Play	All (42 min)	Fat Blast (15 Min), Express Kick-Start (10 min)	All (42 min)	All (42 min)	Fat Blast (15 min), Body Sculpt (15 min)	All (67 min)
DVD	Kick-Start Your Metabolism	Core Fusion Pilates Plus	Core Fusion Pilates Plus	Core Fusion Pilates Plus	Core Fusion Pilates Plus
Play	Ab Attack (15 min)	Thigh & Gluteus (10 min), Flat Back/Round Back (10 min), Core Flexibility (10 min)	Upper Body (10 min)	Pure Core (10 min)	Thigh & Gluteus (10 min), Flat Back/Round Back (10 min), Upper Body (10 min)
Total time	57 min	55 min	52 min	52 min	60 min	67 min

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Posted in: Exercise,Fitness

Split fingernails: What causes them?

Split fingernails are often caused by repetitive or prolonged contact with water.

From MayoClinic.com

Q: What causes split fingernails? Can the splitting be prevented?

Becky / No state given

Split fingernails are typically a result of repetitive or prolonged contact with water — think dishwashing and tub baths, for example. Nail polish remover also can contribute to split fingernails. Split fingernails usually aren't a sign of vitamin, mineral or other nutritional deficiencies.

To prevent split fingernails, treat your nails gently:

• Wear cotton-lined rubber gloves when using soap and water for prolonged periods or when using harsh chemicals.
• Avoid long soaks in the tub.
• Repair fingernail splits or tears with nail glue or clear polish.
• Use nail polish remover no more than twice a month. If you polish your nails, touch up the polish in the meantime. When you do use nail polish remover, avoid those that contain acetone.
• Limit manicures.
• Rub moisturizing lotion into your fingernails after washing your hands and after removing nail polish.
• Keep your fingernails neatly trimmed. Round the tips in a gentle curve.

If the splitting doesn't improve or you're concerned about your split fingernails, ask your doctor for additional suggestions.

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Posted in: hair,Skin Care

Food Cures That Add Up

Make easy meals that heal with these simple additions.

By Winnie Yu, Prevention

Healthy eating is all about math: subtracting fat, counting calories, dividing portions. But let's not forget adding: It's the little things we toss in the pot that often yield the biggest benefits. "Adding just one food to another can make a tremendous difference in your total nutrient intake and offer significant health gains," says Tara Gidus, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

With benefits ranging from stronger bones and better eyesight to a healthier heart and improved immunity, here are 15 of our favorite quick pairings for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks—even beverages—that taste great, take seconds to make, and add up to amazing health.

Whole grain cereal (any kind) + sunflower seeds for better immunity

Sprinkling 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds into your morning cereal provides more than 100 percent of your day's requirements for alpha-tocopherol, the most active form of vitamin E. As an antioxidant, vitamin E protects cells from damage caused by destructive free radicals that can lead to cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Scrambled eggs + red peppers for smoother skin

Tossing in 1/2 cup of chopped red peppers delivers more than 100 percent of your daily vitamin C need—which spells good news for your skin. Researchers in the United Kingdom looked at vitamin C intake in 4,025 women and found that those who ate more vitamin C had less wrinkling and dryness.

Smoothie (any kind) + wheat germ for faster healing of cuts and bruises

One-quarter cup of wheat germ packs nearly half of your day's requirements for zinc, an essential mineral that helps repair cells and strengthens the immune system. Even a slight deficiency can reduce your immunity, making it harder to heal.

Sandwich (any kind) + spinach leaves for decreased risk of night blindness

Stacking only three small leaves of spinach on your sandwich satisfies at least 20 percent of your day's vitamin A requirements. Vitamin A helps you see in the dark, but it also protects your eyes from age-related macular degeneration, which can lead to vision loss.

Garden salad + canned wild salmon for healthier brain and heart

Adding 3 ounces of canned wild salmon to your salad provides half of the weekly recommendation for healthy omega-3 fats. The fatty acids found in canned salmon are linked with improvements in heart and brain health. Choosing wild lowers your exposure to dioxin, which is a cancer-causing contaminant found in the feed given to the farm-raised variety, says Evelyn Tribole, R.D., author of The Ultimate Omega-3 Diet(McGraw-Hill, 2007).

Stir-fry (any kind) + kale for stronger eyes

One-half cup of kale delivers at least 12 mg of lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids found in dark leafy greens that help combat cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Results from the Eye Disease Case Control Study found that people who ate the most of these nutrients—as much as 5.8 mg a day—had a significantly lower risk of AMD than those who ate the least. Stir-fry is the perfect way to throw it into the mix; if you're not a kale fan, other leafy greens such as Swiss chard and spinach offer similar benefits.

Salsa + chickpeas for lower body weight

Adding chickpeas to a light dip like salsa adds bulk without lots of calories and boosts your intake of protein, so you fill up faster and feel fuller. Eating chickpeas regularly may also improve your overall food choices. An Australian study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that people who ate 1/2 cup of chickpeas a day weighed a pound less and ate less food overall.

Low-fat pudding + nonfat powdered milk for less PMS

Sprinkling 1/3 cup of nonfat powdered milk into pudding satisfies 40 percent of your day's calcium and 50 to 100 percent of your vitamin D requirements, depending on your age. Research shows that the combination of calcium and vitamin D reduces the risk of developing PMS.

Green tea + lemon for lower cancer risk

Green tea is already rich in antioxidants, but a study from Purdue University found that adding citrus juice led to a fourfold increase in disease-fighting catechins. Lemon juice in particular preserved the most catechins, while orange, lime and grapefruit juices were less potent but still effective.

Water + unsweetened cranberry juice for fewer cavities

Unsweetened cranberry juice prevents the buildup of Streptococcus mutans, the bacteria behind most cavities, by preventing them from sticking to the tooth's surface. The unsweetened juice also interferes with plaque formation. Mixing it with water helps dilute the juice's tartness.

Strawberries + nonfat Greek yogurt for more muscle

Greek yogurt packs twice the protein of ordinary yogurt, and protein is essential for building, repairing, and maintaining muscles, which burn more calories than fat. Strawberries add a burst of natural sweetness.

Pasta (any kind) + parsley for stronger bones

Topping a pasta dish with just six sprigs of parsley offers a fresh boost of flavor and delivers a full day's supply of vitamin K, says Marisa Moore, R.D., an Atlanta-based nutritionist and ADA spokesperson. Vitamin K is important for bone health—studies show that it helps prevent fractures and may guard against bone loss.

Burger + ketchup for decreased cancer risk

A tablespoon of this condiment supplies you a healthful dose of lycopene, an antioxidant that guards against various forms of cancer by blocking cell-damaging free radicals. Eating processed tomatoes (such as those in ketchup and tomato sauce) is best; cooking releases lycopene inside the plant cells, making it easier to digest and absorb, reports Steven J. Schwartz, Ph.D., professor of food science at Ohio State University.

Soup (any kind) + pinto beans for lower cholesterol

Adding 1/2 cup of beans to soup lowers both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol—the unhealthy kind that contributes to the buildup of arterial plaque—according to researchers at Arizona State University at the Polytechnic campus. They found that people who ate 1/2 cup of pinto beans a day lowered both their total and LDL cholesterol by about 8 percent. (Beans are high in fiber, which decreases levels of LDL by reducing its absorption.) One-half cup of black, kidney or pinto beans supplies about one-third of your day's fiber needs. (The heat from soup cooks canned beans through, and they add heft to a lighter broth).

Seltzer + grape juice for a healthier heart

Grape juice contains a phytochemical called resveratrol found in the skin of red and purple grapes. Research links resveratrol to lower blood pressure, reduced LDL cholesterol, and fewer blood clots.

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Posted in: Diet

Volumetrics Can Help You Lose Weight

By Margaret Furtado, M.S., R.D. 

As a registered dietitian/nutritionist working in the field of weight loss through bariatric surgery (an operation designed to cause weight loss, often by reducing the size of the stomach), I often encourage my patients—especially those who had their weight-loss surgery years ago and whose weight may be inching upward again—to increase not only their fiber intake, but also the amounts of "free foods."

"Free foods" are those that help you get more bang for your buck because they contain a lot of water, fiber, and flavor, which fill you up without a lot of calories. This idea, which is not new, was the premise behind Volumetrics, a bookpublished in 2000 by Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., and Robert A. Barnett. Rolls is a researcher at Penn State University whose doctorate is in nutrition.

While I generally don't advocate diets per se, in my opinion, Roll's theory of volumetrics is a classic because it's geared toward allowing people to eat more food (particularly fresh fruits and vegetables, which are usually 80 percent to 95 percent water), while at the same time keeping the calories down and hunger pangs at bay. Rolls, who backed up her theories with promising research done back in 1998 and 2000, suggests eating a higher proportion of fiber-rich foodsalong with adequate portions of lean protein (think skinless chicken breasts, low-fat cheeses, and low-fat veggie burgers) and healthy fats from fish and other sources.

Here's how to incorporate the volumetrics concept into your meals:

Choose very low-density (aka, low-calorie) foods

• Load up on fresh fruits and vegetables. Try shopping at your local farmer's market for the freshest, most delicious fruits and vegetables at a reasonable cost.
• Limit starchy vegetables like corn, peas, and butternut squash since they're higher in calories (although they do pack a great nutritional punch).
• Drink nonfat or 1-percent milk only.
• In your cooking, use clear soups or broths, without added fats.
• Consume lean proteins: low-fat cheeses and vegetable protein, skinless chicken breast, broiled or grilled fish (no skin), 93-percent lean (or leaner) ground turkey or meat.

Limit high-density (aka, higher-calorie) foods

• High-fat chips. Even the baked varieties are high in calories and do little to satisfy hunger.
• Cookies. You know it: high in both fat and sugar.
• Chocolate. Dark chocolate has antioxidants and therefore some health benefits, but try to limit yourself to a few small squares per sitting, especially if you're working on weight loss.
• Nuts. Again, these have health benefits but also a lot of calories per ounce, so use them sparingly.
• Butter. Lite butters are better choices, but watch the amounts you use of those too.
• Oils. Even though olive oil is very heart-healthy, like all other oils it packs about 120 calories per tablespoon, so again use sparingly.

Although the long-term effectiveness of the Volumetrics plan remains to be seen, its basic premise revolves around a healthy way of eating, with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and lean protein and fiber. Why not give it a try? It may just help you lose a little weight, without those hunger pangs!

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Posted in: Weight loss

Foolproof Ways to Battle Anxiety

By Rebecca Ruiz, Forbes.com

Forbes

If the Dow just closed after a dismal day of trading and a tightening sensation is beginning to spread through your chest, stop and try this exercise:

Instead of focusing on the money you've already lost or obsessing over future losses, try zeroing in on the present moment. Let go of distractions like a looming bill or the record unemployment rate and concentrate on your breath. Take in all the air you can, pause and then release.

"It's actually totally boring concentrating on your breath," says Dr. Michael J. Baime, director of the Penn Program for Stress Management at the University of Pennsylvania Health System. "Lifting a barbell is totally boring too, but it's exercising a muscle." After 10 repetitions, he says, you should start to feel some degree of calm.

In Pictures: Nine Ways to Battle Anxiety

Though anxiety is the body's natural response to a threat, that alarm system sometimes sounds unnecessarily, cluttering the mind with the chatter of negative thinking. The breathing exercise helps divert the mind's attention elsewhere.

Controlled breathing isn't the only strategy for anxiety relief, either. Others include engaging the brain and body, cognitive and behavioral adjustments, and meditative techniques.

The origins of anxiety

If it's difficult to understand why you are plagued by certain anxious thoughts, don't take it personally—it's a phenomenon that still eludes scientists. What is known, says Dr. Sonia Bishop, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, is that anxiety involves responses in two parts of the brain: the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex.

The amygdala is responsible for the fight-or-flight response, while the prefrontal cortex controls executive functions like decision-making and planning. A human foraging for berries, for example, would use the prefrontal cortex to decide which berries to collect. If a predator suddenly jumped from the bushes, the amygdala would sound the alarm.

Scientists don't fully understand why certain individuals are more prone to anxiety, but some theories suggest varying levels of neurotransmitters—the chemicals that relay signals between neurons and cells and affect how well the amygdala and pre-frontal cortex function—may play an important role.

What interests Bishop, however, is how the anxiety-ridden can reverse course regardless of pre-disposition. That's why she recently conducted a brain-imaging study with 17 participants, some of whom had "high trait anxiety," which was determined using a standardized measurement.

While being monitored by an MRI that tracks changes in brain activity, each participant had to engage the pre-frontal cortex by identifying certain letters and ignoring others. When the task increased in difficulty, both groups did well on recruiting that region of the brain. But when the task was easy, those with trait anxiety did a poor job. This was particularly telling, says Bishop, because the participants were not exposed to any anxiety-triggering threats.

The results have led her to believe that the anxiety-prone may have difficulty preventing the mind from lingering on distractions when performing easy, day-to-day tasks.

Though not yet tested by other scientists, Bishop's conclusion seems to reflect what works well in other successful techniques for battling anxiety: meaningful distraction.

Overcoming anxiety

You could try informally testing Bishop's theory by doing a crossword puzzle instead of watching TV. More commonly accepted remedies for curbing anxiety include socializing and exercise, the latter of which can increase levels of dopamine, the body's naturally occurring, mood-boosting chemical. Such distractions are most effective, though, when paired with a real effort to switch your focus.

In the simplest terms, that's what Dr. Israel Liberzon, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Michigan, tries to teach his patients. Using cognitive and behavioral techniques, Liberzon shows patients—many of whom suffer from anxiety disorders—how to change the way they deal with their worries.

Often he advocates for reconsidering what you associate with anxiety, trying to judge perceived threats using a more rational scale or creating an emotional distance from certain fears. In other words, putting things in perspective.

But since that reaction is hardly intuitive, Liberzon recommends seeking out professional help. In addition to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, a nonprofit organization that provides information on anxiety treatments, Liberzon says support groups and local universities with anxiety and stress research centers can serve as useful resources.

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Posted in: Stress Management

The Wake-Up Workout

Sculpt your body in 8 easy moves—starting in bed.

By the Editors of Prevention

Everyone dreads those dark winter mornings when you wake up so zonked that even hitting the snooze button makes you tired. "Because your core temperature is at its lowest, physical performance is worst in the morning, especially when it's cold," says Michael Deschenes, Ph.D., a professor of kinesiology at the College of William & Mary. "When your muscles are cool, they don't generate as much force and are more susceptible to strain and injury."

Whether you're a committed early exerciser or not, it's worth it to get up and get moving because it will make mornings easier. "As your core temperature rises, hormones and endorphins are released, making your limbs feel looser and improving your mood," says Deschenes. That's why we asked Juel Bedford-Rossi, a fitness instructor and wellness consultant in New York City, to create this extragentle routine to energize you—even when all you want is to stay warm and cozy all day.

Workout basics

These exercises emphasize light stretching and toning, ideal for mornings when you feel groggy. The workout takes about 15 to 20 minutes and requires a book, bath towel, and washcloth.

Upper-Body Fan

Warms torso and facilitates breathing by opening shoulders and upper chest.

A. While lying on back with arms outstretched to sides and palms up, bring knees up and roll them to right side. Turn head to left. Try to keep both shoulders touching bed.

B. Sweep left palm in 180-degree arc over chest to touch right palm, letting head follow arm, then slowly reverse move. Repeat 10 times, then switch sides.

Gentle Crunches

Warms and tones the core.

Remove pillow and start by lying faceup. Bend knees and plant feet on bed. Press palms into mattress near hips.

Tighten abs and lift both shoulder blades off bed.

Hold for a complete breath, then lower. Repeat 10 to 15 times. (If your mattress is soft, do this move on the floor.)

Rise and Shine Leg Extensions

Warms lower body by enhancing circulation between lower extremities and heart.

A. Lie faceup on bed with knees bent, arms outstretched to sides, and palms down.

Pull knees in toward torso, pressing heels together, toes apart.

B. With heels still touching, straighten knees and extend legs straight into the air, pressing inner thighs firmly together.

Pause. Bend knees back toward chest.

Repeat 10 times slowly.

Seated March

Gets heart pumping without your having to stand up.

Sit on side of bed and extend arms in front, palms up.

Clench fists and bend elbows (like "putting up your dukes").

Then, keeping back straight, raise left knee while twisting and pulling right elbow to left knee.

Then raise arms while tapping left toe to floor.

Repeat 10 times on left side, then switch sides.

Dress-Up Squats

Strengthens and tones quads, hamstrings, and glutes.

Stand with feet hip-width apart, toes forward.

Extend arms in front, holding your clothes for the day.

With weight on heels, sit back and down as if sitting in a chair. (Don't extend knees beyond toes.)

In this position, slowly set out an article of clothing.

Return to standing and repeat until you've laid all your clothes on bed.

Big Book Swing

Tones and strengthens arms, legs, and torso. (Omit if you have lower-back problems.)

A. With legs apart and knees slightly bent, press a dictionary-size book between palms. Straighten arms and lower book to outer left ankle.

B. As you stand, sweep book diagonally to upper right (like a golf swing), lifting heel of left foot and pivoting toes inward. Slowly twist back down. Repeat 10 times, then switch sides.

Arm Yawn

Stretches deltoids, triceps, and chest; improves flexibility in shoulders.

Hold one end of washcloth and raise arm up, bending elbow behind head.

Bend other arm behind to clasp washcloth. Pull gently in opposite directions. Hold for five breaths and release.

Switch arms; repeat.

Towel Lats

Tones arms while improving flexibility in back and shoulders.

Stand holding bath towel taut at both ends, arms extended overhead. Flex back and shoulders and pull towel down behind your head, lowering it to neck level. Return to start and repeat 10 times.

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Posted in: Exercise,Fitness

Switch To Cable

By the Editors of Men's Health

Men's Health

Avoid gym lines and head straight to the cable crossover station. With this fast, full-body routine, you'll train on every plane of movement.

The result: You'll "build bigger muscles and a more athletic body," says Robert dos Remedios, C.S.C.S.

Sculpt picture-perfect muscles with these four simple exercises.

Squat and Row

Attach a rope handle to a low-pulley cable and grab with both hands.

Stand facing the weight stack, your elbows bent and your hands next to the sides of your torso.

Lower your body by bending at your hips and knees as you allow your arms to straighten in front of you.

When your thighs are parallel to the floor, reverse the movement back to the starting position.

Punch and Pull

Grab the handle of a low-pulley cable with your left hand, and the handle of the opposite high-pulley cable with your right.

Face the low pulley and stagger your feet, left foot forward.

Hold your right hand next to your shoulder, keeping your left arm straight.

Pull your left hand back as you punch your right hand forward. Do all your reps, then switch arm and leg positions and repeat.

Split Squat and Press

With the weight stack to your left, grab the handle of a low-pulley cable with your left hand and bring it to your shoulder.

Stagger your feet, right leg forward. Bend at the knees and lower your body as you press the weight overhead and bend your torso to the right.

Do all your reps to one side, then switch arm and leg positions and repeat.

Woodchopper

With your left side toward the weight stack, grab the rope pulley of a high-pulley cable with

both hands.

Keeping your arms straight, bend your knees and rotate your hips as you pull the rope down and across your body until your hands are just outside your right knee, then reverse the motion.

Finish your reps before switching sides and repeating the movement.

Perform three or four sets of eight to 12 reps of each exercise, resting 30 seconds after each set.

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Posted in: Exercise,Fitness