Get Fit From Home!

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Get Fit From Home!

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Things Around The House
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Don't feel that just because you don't have any weights at home, that you can't get a GREAT workout! Try using these items for the corresponding exercises. Change them around to increase or decrease the resistance to make it the perfect workout for YOU!

· Backpack Swing- Take a backpack and fill it with books. (this is nice because you can add or take out books based on your needs). Stand holding bag in front of you with straight arms. Let the bag swing down between your legs and behind you a bit. Bend the knees naturally. Swing the bag forward and up, keeping arms straight until bag is overhead. Play with where you hold the bag to make sure you have control of it, especially when overhead. Let momentum happen. This is a fantastic full-body warm-up. *Watch for ceiling fans!

· Milk Jug Bent Over Row- A full gallon milk bottle weighs about 8 pounds. Fill it to make it the weight you desire. Hold in one hand (or you can use 2 containers, one in each hand). Bend at the waist to about 90 degrees and slightly bend the knees. Let arms hang straight down. Pull your elbow(s) up, pulling the jug towards your chest, as if you were starting a lawn mower. This is a great back and bicep exercise! *I suggest using containers with a screw on cap rather than the kind that snap on. Don't ask me how I discovered this!

· Dog Food Squats- Grab a bag of dog food. Hug it close to you. Keeping your back as straight as possible (think "chest up"), bend the knees to about 90 degrees and stand back up. You are working quads (front of thigh), hamstrings (back of thigh), and glutes (butt), as well as abdominals! *Beware of dog!

· Kid Press- Really! If you have a young child, lie on your back while you are holding them on your chest. Press them up until your arms are straight and still over chest. They will LOVE this! If you don't have access to a child, push-ups will do fine! Great for chest and triceps (back of arms). *You may want to use a spotter or at least do it over a soft run or on a couch just in case!

· Kitty Litter Carry- Bag or bucket, scoop-able or not, they all work! If it's in a bag, hug it like the dog food; if it's a bucket, hold it from the handle. Now, simply, walk! Go as long as you can carrying the litter. You can do it inside in a hallway, back and forth, or outside. Great for legs, shoulders, biceps, back, and muscular endurance. *Be prepared to explain rationale to neighbors!

· Laundry Detergent Curls- Hold a box or bottle of laundry detergent and curl it like you would a dumbbell. Arms down straight and by your sides. Bend elbow to brink soap towards same shoulder. Working biceps. *Item can also be used for the "clean and jerk". J

· Couch Dips- Sit on the edge of the couch with your hands face down on the couch next to you. Slide forward so that your butt is hanging over the edge and you are supported only by your hands. Bend elbows to lower butt towards floor. Push back up and repeat! Great exercise for triceps! *Do it doing commercials.

· Overhead Rock Press- Find a rock or large stone outside (or 2); ones that you can hold in one hand. Hold the rock(s) by your shoulders and press them straight up overhead. Lower and repeat! This exercise works the shoulders and triceps. *Make sure rock is not too heavy as you could strain your back!

· Chair Hamstring Raise- Lie on your back with your heels on a chair that's in front of you. Knees and hips are bent at 90 degrees. Pushing down through your heels, raise your hips up towards the ceiling. Pause at the top and lower. Great for hamstrings and low back. *Beware of dog!

· Stair Calf Raise- Stand on the edge of a step so that your heels are hanging off (on the balls of your feet). Let your heels drop below horizontal and raise up as high as you can onto your toes. Great calf work! *May be done one leg at a time.

· Couch Cushion Crunch- Put a couch cushion on the floor. Lie on your back on the cushion with your knees bent so that your feet, butt and low back are on the cushion, but your upper back and shoulders are on the floor. Cross your arms across your chest, and lift your shoulder blades off of the floor. Pause, lower and repeat. For abs of steel! *Put cushion back on couch.

Wes Norris, CSCS
http://www.AllAroundFitness.org
http://www.DesigningExercisePrograms.com

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Geithner likely treasury pick; Clinton 'on track' (AP)

AP - President-elect Barack Obama intends to name Timothy Geithner, president of the New York Federal Reserve, as his treasury secretary to confront the nation's intense economic turmoil, senior Democratic officials said Friday.

Obama keeps low profile in auto rescue talks (AP)

AP - While President-elect Barack Obama publicly sidelined himself during congressional debate over an auto industry bailout this week, he and his top aides quietly prodded congressional leaders to find a solution to rescue struggling automakers.

Neb. lawmakers OK age limit for safe-haven law (AP)

AP - Gov. Dave Heineman signed into law Friday a bill adding a 30-day age limit to a safe-haven law that allowed 35 children Â— including teenagers as old as 17 Â— to be abandoned at state hospitals. The law, approved hours earlier by the Legislature in a 45-3 vote, goes into effect Saturday, and makes Nebraska the 14th state with a 30-day age cap. It had been the only state with a safe-haven law without an age limit.

Germany drops attempt to ban Scientology after 10 yrs of surveillance (AP)

AP - Germany is dropping its pursuit of a ban on Scientology after finding insufficient evidence of illegal activity, security officials said Friday.

Gates would like to add US forces in Afghanistan (AP)

AP - Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday he would like to add significant U.S. forces to the war in Afghanistan before national elections scheduled for next year, and that grim depictions of backsliding in the seven-year-old war are "far too pessimistic."

Fla. teen commits suicide with live Web audience (AP)

AP - A college student committed suicide by taking a drug overdose in front of a live webcam as some computer users egged him on, others tried to talk him out of it, and another messaged OMG in horror when it became clear it was no joke. Some watchers contacted the Web site to notify police, but by the time officers entered Abraham Biggs' home Â— a scene also captured on the Internet Â— it was too late.

Year later, baby ordered back to adoptive parents (AP)

AP - The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday ordered a year-old boy back into the home of an adoptive couple who had to give him up months ago after not telling the biological family the woman was pregnant.

Lavish 1,800 year-old bronze chariot unearthed in Bulgaria (AP)

AP - Archaeologists have unearthed an elaborately decorated 1,800-year-old chariot sheathed in bronze at an ancient Thracian tomb in southeastern Bulgaria, the head of the excavation said Friday. "The lavishly ornamented four-wheel chariot dates back to the end of the second century A.D.," Veselin Ignatov told The Associated Press in a telephone interview from the site, near the southeastern village of Karanovo.

Suspect arrested for greasy imprints in Neb. town (AP)

AP - Police have arrested a man suspected of leaving greasy, graphic imprints on the windows of stores, churches and schools in a small Nebraska town. A 35-year-old man was caught in the act by police early Wednesday morning, Cherry County Attorney Eric Scott said Friday. The man hasn't been charged yet, but authorities believe he is the vandal some townsfolk have dubbed the "Butt Bandit."

Knicks set themselves up for 2010 with 2 deals (AP)

AP - The New York Knicks traded Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford in separate deals Friday, parting with their two top scorers to free up coveted salary-cap space for the summer of 2010. Crawford was sent to Golden State for forward Al Harrington. Hours later, Randolph was shipped to the Los Angeles Clippers along with reserve guard Mardy Collins for Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas.

Obama moves to pick Timothy Geithner for Treasury (Reuters)

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama on Friday moved toward nominating Timothy Geithner as Treasury secretary and charging the respected head of the New York Federal Reserve with helping pull the United States out of an economic nosedive.

Obama may consider Lawrence Summers as Fed chief: Democrat (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama may consider Lawrence Summers as a successor to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, whose term expires in January 2010, a Democratic source told Reuters on Friday.

GM cuts output, jets as U.S. demands turnaround plans (Reuters)

Reuters - Detroit automakers began work on turnaround plans demanded by Congress in return for $25 billion in aid as General Motors Corp said it would cut production more and give up two of its controversial corporate jets.

Citigroup shares drop and CEO plans to keep Smith Barney (Reuters)

Reuters - Citigroup Inc shares tumbled for a fifth straight day on doubts about its survival prospects after its chief executive downplayed speculation the bank might sell major businesses or merge with a rival.

Wall Street stages late rally on Geithner news (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. stocks stormed higher in a late rally on Friday to cap another volatile week as investors welcomed reports that President-elect Barack Obama has chosen his point person to combat the U.S. economic crisis, instilling confidence about the administration's ability to take action.

U.S. eyes "surge" of over 20,000 for Afghanistan (Reuters)

Reuters - The Pentagon is considering a plan to send more than 20,000 troops to Afghanistan over the next 12 to 18 months to help safeguard elections and quell rising Taliban violence, officials said on Friday.

Bush, Hu discuss North Korea ahead of APEC summit (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. President George W. Bush held talks on ending North Korea's nuclear program with Chinese leader Hu Jintao on Friday, the first in a series of meetings U.S. officials hope will lead to a renewal of six-party talks by early December.

Iran rejects U.S. reports it has basis for atom bomb (Reuters)

Reuters - Iran rejected Friday U.S. reports it had enriched enough uranium to make an atom bomb, saying this would require steps it had ruled out like ejecting U.N. inspectors and leaving the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Bush bows out, China assertive at APEC summit (AFP)

AFP - US President George W. Bush began Friday his last scheduled foreign trip, meeting the leader of increasingly important China ahead of a summit aimed at containing a spiraling financial crisis.

Congo demands stronger mandate for UN troops (AFP)

AFP - Congo demanded a stronger mandate for UN troops in the conflict-torn east Friday, while residents of a squalid refugee camp said government soldiers killed a woman during a looting spree.

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