Ease up while you tone up with this
new combo plan by Lindsey E.
The plan how it works: Three to five
times a week, do each move in order. To increase the challenge, repeat the
entire circuit. You’ll need a foam roller.
Don't just lie - there to maximize the
effectiveness of that ubiquitous foam roller, start moving! Shifting back and
forth as you apply pressure, a form of self-myofascial release, helps loosen
the connective tissue around your muscles. "It boosts flexibility, which
results in deeper muscle contractions during strength moves, making it easier
for you to get sculpted," says Ashley Borden, the Los Angeles-based
trainer who designed this routine. A recent study confirmed this, finding
that a roller session can increase range of motion without diminishing power,
as pre-workout stretching has been shown to do. And though it hasn't been
proven in a lab, Borden swears that the technique also minimizes the appearance
of cellulite. (Hey, it's worth a shot!) During this plan, you'll use that same
tool to do strength exercises, upping the challenge without adding any weight.
Ready to rock the roller? Turn the page for eight feel-great moves.
Foam
rollers
Prep work
Perform the quads and Glutes rollouts for a
minute apiece before any cardio workout to help warm up your muscles.
1. Quads rollout
Get in plank position with thighs on a
roller (just below hips) and forearms on the floor, elbows under shoulders
[shown]. Angle toes toward each other and walk forearms forward until roller is
just above knees. Walk arms back to starting position. Do 10 reps. Next, angle
toes out and do 10 more reps.
Quads
rollout
2. Squat hold
Works legs, butt, shoulders, back, and abs
stand with back against a roller placed vertically against a wall, feet shoulder
width apart and a couple of feet in front of you. Extend arms at sides, hands
in fists with thumbs up. Squat until thighs are parallel to the floor. Raise
left arm overhead [shown], then switch arms. Continue for 1 minute, holding
squat as you alternate arms.
3. Glutes rollout
Sit on a roller with knees bent, feet on
the floor, and hands on the floor a foot or two behind you, fingers facing
back. Cross right ankle over left thigh. Slowly shift weight to the right side
of your butt [shown] then return to starting position. Do 10 reps. Switch sides
to complete set.
Glutes
rollout
4. Works butt, legs, and core
Place roller horizontally against a wall,
and lie face up in front of it with knees bent, feet hip-width apart on the
roller and heels on the floor. Place hands behind head, elbows out to sides
[a]. Press hips up until body forms a line front knees to shoulders [b]. Lower
to starting position. Do 20 reps.
Works
butt, legs, and core
5. Upper-back rollout
Lie face up with upper back (just below
neck) on roller, knees bent and feet on the floor. Place hands behind head,
elbows out to sides. Lift hips until they're in line with shoulders [shown].
Slowly move torso up (away from your feet) until bottom of shoulder blades are
on the roller, then return to starting position. Do 10 reps.
6. Give me a "W"
Works shoulders, back, and chest lie face
up on a roller placed vertically down your spine, knees bent and feet on the
floor. Bend elbows over chest, forearms parallel to body and palms facing each
other [a]. Slowly lower elbows out to sides, forming a "w shape with arms
[b]. Return to starting position. Do 20 reps.
Give
me a "W"
7. Hamstrings rollout
Sit with a roller under your butt, legs
extended in front of you. Place hands on the floor behind you, fingers facing
back. Move hips back until roller is just above knees [shown], then return to
starting position. Do 10 reps.
8. Row
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding
one end of a roller in each hand, arms extended at chest height in front of you
[a]. Lunge left leg to the left, bending knee 90 degrees and pushing butt back.
Bend elbows, drawing roller toward your chest [b]. Extend arms and step back to
starting position. Repeat on opposite side to complete 1 rep. Do 20 reps.
Row
