One of the most common misconceptions about getting super sexy abs is the idea that you only have to do crunches or ab exercises. False! To get that sleek front side, it’s also important to take care of its opposing muscle: the back.

Your core is comprised of your back and abs, so if you want a strong core (and more body stability) you gotta work everything. In addition, if you have any back pain (from sitting over a computer all day….or doing other things that I won’t ask about), strengthening those muscles will get rid of those problems! Plus, with all these awesome backless dresses and cute bikinis coming out, we can’t neglect these lovely muscles. I mean, backs are sexy!

So here are some easy exercises to really get ready for summer, no gym required. In fact, these moves are so basic you can even do it when you’re passed out on the floor on Saturday afternoon.

Although it’s not swimsuit season anymore (moment of silence…..), you don’t have to give up on those 6-pack dreams. Sure, your thick-knit sweaters will be keeping 90% of your body covered up for the next 6 months, but by keeping up your workout routine now, you’ll eliminate that bathing-suit-shopping-dressing-room-meltdown later. Plus, bathing suit or not, 6-packs are hot. Even if you’re the only one seeing it.

And with this easy to follow guide, you can get one…from the privacy of your dorm room! Print it out, tack it to your wall and crunch away. Read More »

“For this workout you’ll need a roman chair, a set of 5 pound weights, 10 pound weights, and 12.5 pound weights, a Bosu ball, an incline bench, a cable machine, a pull-up bar, two resistance bands, a mat and a partner.”

WTF?

Whenever I see workouts in magazines/online that tell me that I need 23,494,201 pieces of equipment to get a full-body workout all I think is, “I’ll stick to the elliptical thankyouverymuch!” But while the elliptical is a great cardio workout, it’s not enough to get into shape and stay healthy. A girl’s gotta lift some weights.

But where? And how?

Typically, the weight room on college campuses is the “man’s domain” (as we control the cardio machine kingdom), so walking in there – never-mind actually using different machines while frat guys look on with tongues hanging out – seems less than appealing for many women. You think I’m gonna do some squats while that meat head looks on? No thank you.

And that’s pretty much why I designed this workout. The routine hits all the important areas of the body and doesn’t require a lot of time, equiptment, or beefy guys staring at you as you fumble with the inner/outer thigh machine. All you need is one flat bench and a set of weights, anywhere between 5 and 15 pounds depending on your strength level.

I recommend starting with the biggest muscles (legs) and then moving on from there, but the order is totally up to you! Read More »

So you’re determined to get those rock-hard, washboard, Jessica Alba abs. And you even stepped up the intensity of your workout by increasing those crunches and sit-ups to ensure that your stomach is flat in no time.

Well, its time to stop that.
Right now.

Turns out, crunches are not good for you.

I know you’ve spent your whole life thinking those painful and annoying little exercises were getting you one step closer to a Britney body (circa 2001), but, sadly, the main thing that crunches do is crunch your spine. And yes that really is as bad as it sounds. According to and article in the New York Times, the way to visualize this concept is to “think of the spine as a fishing rod supported by muscular guy wires. If all of the wires are tensed equally, the rod stays straight.” However, focusing only on the deep abdominal muscles can cause the spine to buckle. To avoid this, it is important to strengthen the entire core. Read More »