Train Like A Tennis Star! 5 Exercises To Strengthen Your Arms & Core

Summertime is here, which of course means more time spent outdoors doing the sports we love. If you know me well, tennis is one of my favorite sports that I love to play. The athleticism and drive we see in tennis players is always so inspiring through their performance and physique! Whether or not you will be stepping onto a court, you can still get upper-body strength and beauty, like the pros.

This workout is geared to tone the shoulders, chest, back and arms, which will give you the strength to swing a racket with conviction or rock that new sleeveless dress you’ve been dying to wear. Get ready for a defined, dazzling upper body in no time!

Perform each exercise at a moderate pace, focusing on form. Perform 3 rounds of the entire routine. This workout can be done 3 times per week.

T Raise

Stand with you feet hip-width apart, holding a set of dumbbells at your hips. Deeply bend both knees, shift your hips back and bring your torso parallel to the ground. Engage your core the entire time. Lift the weights up to shoulder height, arms extended straight.

Draw your shoulder blades together as you lift. Bring the weights back down to your starting position and repeat the movement.

Perform 10 reps.

Side Plank With Lateral Raise

Come onto your side with your feet stacked and your right forearm on the floor. Make sure that your right elbow is underneath your shoulder and that your hand is directly beneath your elbow.

Press your hips up toward the sky, lifting as high as possible. Hold one dumbbell in your left hand, extended straight out from the shoulder.

Lift up directly above your shoulder with the arm extended. Come back to center and repeat the movement. Perform 10 reps each side.

Triceps Pushup To Mountain Climber

Come into a straight-arm plank with your wrists under your shoulders and legs extended to straight. Deeply bend both arms as you bring your chest toward the floor. Keeping your body as straight as possible, press back up to straight arm plank.

Then, draw your right knee toward your chest, keeping your hips down and level. Come back to center and bring your left knee toward your chest. Return back to your starting position (your straight-arm plank) and repeat the entire movement. Perform 10 reps (1 pushup and 1 mountain climber is 1 rep).

Biceps Holds

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in both knees. Hold a set of dumbbells in each hand.

Bend your elbows and bring your weights up, forming two 90-degree angles with your arms.

Keep your shoulders down away from your ears and core strong. Try to remain as still as possible, engaging the biceps the entire time. Hold this position for 30 seconds.

Opposite Arm And Leg Reach

Come into a straight-arm plank with your wrists under your shoulders and feet slightly wider than hip-width. Engage your legs and core as much as possible. Once you feel steady, lift your right arm up to shoulder height.

As you lift right arm, lift left leg up to hip-height. Come back to center and switch sides.

Move at a controlled pace, while keeping your torso as still as possible. Continue to alternate lifting your opposite leg and arm.

Perform 10 reps each side.

Note: If you feel more comfortable lifting just your arms or just your legs please do so.

Time to Level Up

I hope you are enjoying the noticeable shift in energy with the season. Warmer weather, longer days, travel starting to open up…we are officially moving in an exciting direction! With beach season right around the corner, let’s get a head start on the core conditioning. This week, we will focus on our core for more reasons than just vanity (although toning and tightening is always a nice added benefit). 

The top 5 reasons to incorporate core conditioning into your daily routine: 

1. Reduce the risk of injury:

A strong core gives the body the ability to perform movements in all planes of motion. In order to perform daily activities, sports or even lifting kids without pain, it's essential to have a strong core. By strengthening the abdominals and hips, the body naturally can protect the spine. This takes pressure off the low back and negates the effects of sitting all day. 

2. Improve posture:

A strong core translates to an upright body. You'll stand taller and be less likely to hunch over with a strong foundation. The muscles in the core support the spine, lower trapezius and glutes – all contributing to great posture.

3. Workout anywhere:

Core workouts such as planks are a great go-to move while working from home or traveling. You don't need any equipment or much space, and if you're short on time, you can still get an amazing workout in just a few minutes. 

4. Improve balance:

A solid core increases stability in the entire body. It's essential for balance and coordination. If the core is weak, it'll be much more difficult to find equilibrium. There's a reason yogis have great balance — their core supports every movement they perform and keeps them in alignment.

5. Tone and tighten the stomach:

Core exercises are targeted and allow you to see definition in a short period of time. Strong abs will not only benefit overall wellbeing, but will be evident in the physique. 

I am thrilled to share new workouts that can be done in less than 10-minutes, while working from home. The routines below specifically target the core and glutes. I have also included an overall mobility workout that will negate the effects of sitting. You can stack the workouts to do back to back, or simply incorporate one each day. Each routine can be done in the comfort of your own home with no equipment, and open to all levels. 

8-Minute Core Conditioning #1

https://www.dropbox.com/s/u5xvzagdht27t7c/GSO%20VIDEO%20%231.mp4?dl=0

8-Minute Core Conditioning #2

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6a0uh7md5nezbcj/GSO%20VIDEO%20%232.mp4?dl=0 

10-Minute Glutes Workout 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xxid9lirsd3y5oa/GSO%20VIDEO%20%233.mp4?dl=0 

10-Minute Mobility Series 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jqrj8i5yczl4wf0/GSO%20VIDEO%20%234.mp4?dl=0 

The top 5 abs power picks to speed fat burning

1. Avocados 

• Avocados provide 66% of daily vitamin requirements of vitamin K. This nutrient is essential to help regulate sugar metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Avocados also provide an array of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients essential for healthy weight management, including 14 grams of fiber, keeping hunger at bay.  

• High in monounsaturated fat may, which helps to prevent body fat distribution around the belly by down-regulating the expression of certain fat genes. 

• High in antioxidants that can help neutralize free radicals for a variety of health benefits and crucial to metabolism and weight management. When cell function is out of balance due to free radical scavengers, metabolism runs less efficiently and the body holds onto fat. 

1. Macadamia Nuts 

• Macadamia nuts are one of the only food sources that contain palmitoleic acid (a type of monounsaturated fatty acid that may speed up fat metabolism, thus reducing the body’s ability to store fat). 

• Contains both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, which helps you feel full while removing toxins from the body and assisting in proper digestion. 

• High in copper, which helps with the utilization of iron and aids in the functioning and protection of the thyroid (very important for proper weight management)

1. Dark Chocolate 

• Dark chocolate contains healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, which help speed up metabolism. A study from the University of California, San Diego found that adults who ate chocolate more frequently had lower BMIs than those who didn't eat much chocolate.  

• High in flavanols, which are plant-based nutrients that not only lower inflammation but can have a positive effect on the waistline. These powerful nutrients help lower blood sugar and decrease body fat. 

• Eating dark chocolate increases serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain, which helps lower stress levels. This is crucial for a slim stomach since high cortisol (stress hormone) stores abdominal fat. 

1. Berries (blueberries, raspberries and blackberries) 

• High in fiber, which helps the body feel full longer as well as absorb fewer calories from other foods. The fiber traps food particles and shuttles them out of the system before they're fully digested. 

• High in antioxidants which among many other benefits improve blood flow. This is beneficial for defined muscles in the stomach. Improved blood flow can help muscles contract more efficiently, which leads to more profound results.

• Low sugar and low calorie food with high levels of vitamin C, potassium and powerful antioxidants. These compounds fight free radicals, which lowers inflammation. High inflammation can have the appearance of weight gain. 

1. Cucumbers

• High in flavonoid antioxidant quercetin, which reduces swelling.  

• High water content of 96%, which flushes out the body’s toxins and prevents bloating.  

• Support the digestive tract by removing accumulated toxins and waste materials from the blood and gut. 

• Natural diuretic food, which helps speed up the process of carrying out toxins and waste.