
You know it’s coming: The great holiday binge. But hours after stuffing your face with turkey and pie, the guilt, bloat and indigestion sets in. You can banish that in less time than it took you to scarf down that third full plate of food. Long Island fitness pros shared quick and easy post-pig out workouts.
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Workout #1
Submitted By: BodyRite Training of Jamesport
Air Squats
What it targets: Core, legs and heart
Why it works: “Your whole body is involved,” said BodyRite head trainer Michael Carrozza. “Your abdominals keep your torso erect. Your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calves all have to work in unison to power you down.” It all helps get the heart pumping.
How to do it: With feet slightly wider than hip width apart, extend arms out in front. For a challenge, hold them behind the head. Drop your butt straight down so that the hip joint descends below the knee joint. Push knees out to the side as you drop down to activate abductors and adductors (muscles in the butt and thigh). Once you are as far down as you can go, drive back up. Repeat 20 times.
Reverse Lunges With Knee Lifts
What it targets: Core, legs and heart
Why it works: Similar to the squat, multiple joints are working in unison as you lunge back and then drive back up with a knee lift.
How to do it: Stand straight with feet erect. Step far enough behind you so that when you drop the knee to the ground, your torso is erect and at a 90-degree angle. Both knee joints should also be at 90-degree angles. Stand back up and immediately begin to lift the knee to the chest while raising hands behind the head. “Raising the hands elevates your center of gravity, making the move harder on your abdominals,” said Carrozza. Repeat 10 times.
Burpees
What it targets: Full-body
Why it works: “Do [I] even have to explain?” laughed Carrozza. “Combining the lower and upper body into one move makes for a killer heart-pumping, easy-to-do-anywhere, make-you-want-to-throw-up-that-second-piece-of-pie workout.” Translation: Burpees are a cardio-centric move and work the arms, legs and core, which burns calories fast.
How to do it: Reach hands down in front of toes. Place palms flat on the floor. Jump feet back behind you so the torso is stable over hands as you absorb your bodyweight into the ground. Push up and jump the feet back together underneath the torso, ending with a jump with the arms overhead. “If you have knee issues, ditch the jump as the impact can irritate them,” Carrozza advised. Repeat 10 times.
Pro Tip: “On the way down, don’t slow down your descent,” Carrozza said. “Use your hips to hit the ground first, like it’s 1985 and you’re doing the worm.”
Knee Strikes
What it targets: Arms, abdominals and cardio
Why it works: It builds tricep and shoulder strength and works abs to boot. “Your abs are used to ‘fire’ the knee to the opposite elbow, creating an anti-rotational effect for your torso.”
How to do it: Start in a push-up plank position. Bring the right knee across the torso and try to touch it to the left elbow. “Most people do not have the flexibility to do this, so you are just aiming for the elbow, not actually touching it,” Carrozza said. Repeat on the opposite leg. Do 20 reps on each side.
Plank With Shoulder Touches
What it targets: Abdominals, arms and chest
Why it works: “Traditional planks can get pretty ugly and aren’t always effective in terms of true core strength,” Carrozza said. “This variation keeps you honest and teaches true abdominal bracing.”
How to do it: Step in in a traditional push-up plank position but have feet wider than hip width to displace bodyweight. Place hands directly closer than shoulder width apart until you gain more strength in the move. “When you master this move, you can play around with feet and hand placement to increase difficulty,” Carrozza said. After setting up, take the right hand and slowly touch it to the left shoulder. Repeat on the opposite side. Do 10 reps on either side.
Workout #2
Submitted by Mary Beth Lessing, owner of Surfiest Long Island, Bay Shore
Equipment: In class, Lessing and her clients use a Rip Surfer X board. But don’t worry—these moves can be done on the floor.
Why it works: “Every exercise…is designed to engage your core and stabilizer muscles and shock the system to take your workouts to a new level,” Lessing said.
Warm Up: Paddle/Push-Ups
What it targets: Shoulders, back and core
How to do it: Begin in a prone position laying down on stomach (picture a surfer paddling on a surfboard). Lifting shoulders up, start paddling and kicking as if you are heading out to the break. Alternate four times on each side, then press up into a high plank position and do four pushups (for a modification, do knee push-ups). Do this series of four paddles and four push-ups eight times.
Cardio Combos: Surf Squats/Surf Toe Reaches and Wave Runners/Cross Waver Runners (Mountain Climbers)
What they target: Quads, hamstrings, core, shoulders and back.
Why they work: “This is a series of full-body moves that are sure to get that heart rate cranking and debloating going,” Lessing said. “You’ll be sweating out that gravy in no time!”
How to do the Surf Squats/Surf Toe Reaches: Begin with legs in surf position (a straddle position about hip width apart). Press the weight onto the heels. Squat, lower and lift, tapping the board or floor with both hands at the bottom and raising hands overhead coming up. Repeat 16 times. On the last squat, stay low, bring hands to the board and lift the left hand above the head. Alternate hands to the board by rotating through the core. Repeat 16 times on each side.
How to do the Wave Runners/Cross Waver Runners: Begin in high plank position with a nice straight body line from head to heel. Shoulders should be over wrists and core should be tight. Start driving the knees forward and alternate sides. Do 16 times on each side. Then, drive the knees, crisscrossing and ripping through the wait. Repeat 16 times on each side.
Repeat the cardio combo series three times with one minute of recovery between each set.
Strength: Step Back Lunges and Starfish Crunches
What they target: Strength, balance, core and flexibility
Why they work: Building strength helps metabolism and burns calories hours after a workout is complete.
How to do the Step Back Lunges: Standing in a stand-up paddleboard position (upright with shoulders, hips and ankles in alignment facing forward on the board), take a step back with the right leg, drop the knee to the board and push through the front heel. Bring the back leg through to the front, balancing on one foot. Repeat 16 times. On the last step back, remain in the lunge position and do 16 small pulses. Then hold low for five seconds. Repeat on the opposite side.
How to do the Starfish Crunches: Lay on the board or on your back with arms and legs spread out to the side in an X. Contract the core in an explosive motion and pull the arms and legs into a ball on the top of the board or floor. Slowly lower everything back in a slow controlled motion. Repeat 16 times.
Repeat the strength series three times.
Workout #3
Submitted by Orange Theory
Jumping Jacks
What it works: Full-body
Why it works: Jumping jacks elevate the heart rate and help people burn fat at a rapid rate, promoting weight loss.
How to do it: Start with feet together and arms at sides. Jack feet out to a wide stance, bringing arms over head. Return to the start position. Repeat 20 times.
Squats
What it works: Full-body with a focus on the thighs, hips and butt
Why it works: You tone the whole leg and build muscle, which helps to burn fat more efficiently.
How to do it: Keep core tight and stand tall with feet hip width apart. Keep weight heavy in heels as you drop the butt towards the ground as if you were going to sit on a chair behind you. Keep chin and chest up. Make sure to keep knees behind toes. Repeat 10 times.
Push-Ups
What it works: Chest, shoulders, triceps and core
Why it works: Push-ups use body weight as resistance, working the upper body and core at the same time.
How to do it: Get into a plank position. Hands should be stacked under shoulders, core tight and head in line with the spine. Bend at the elbows and bring the chest to the ground. Keep the body in a plank position throughout the exercise. Repeat 10 times.
Mountain Climbers
What it works: Core, legs, shoulders, heart and lungs
Why it works: The body has to work to provide oxygen to the muscles and cardiovascular system. The explosive movement helps develop power in the lower body.
How to do it: Get into a plank position, exactly as you did for the push-up. Bring one knee into the chest and extend back out. Repeat on the opposite side. Make sure to keep the core engaged—the hips should not rise up or fall below a plank position. Do 20 reps on each side.
Lunges
What it works: Hamstrings, quads and calves
Why it works: Lunges correct imbalances and challenge smaller muscles in the ankles, feet and hips.
How to do it: Stand up tall, keeping the chest up, core tight and feet hip-width apart. Be sure to keep an upright position as you step back and extend the back leg into a 90-degree bend. The front leg should also be bent at 00 degrees. The knee should not extend over toes. Repeat 10 times on each side.
Leg Lifts
What it works: Hip flexors, rectus abdominis and internal and external obliques
Why it works: It strengthens the core and hip flexors, getting those six-pack goals back on track.
How to do it: Lie on the ground with back flat. Legs should be raised at 90-degree angles. Slowly lower the legs, making sure to keep the core engaged and movement controlled. The legs should hover 6-8 inches off the ground. The lower back should stay flat against the front. Repeat 10 times.