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Ahh… Mud is in the air. Well, for dog & horse owners. For normal people, spring is in the air. As the winter season changes to the spring season, we are gifted the opportunity for new beginnings, new routines, and optimistically even more time outside. As we begin spring cleaning here are a couple of tried and true exercises that volunteer as tribute to be swapped out. Plank Challenges There is nothing more cringy than a plank challenge. One of my colleagues said it best, “If someone challenges you to hold a plank for minutes, say ‘No!’” and then run away. It’ll be good for your step goals. Alternating Elbow Single Leg Plank Instructions: 1. Raise your body off the floor on your elbows, resting on your toes. 2. Raise one leg straight up off the floor, keeping your body in a straight line and your back neutral/flat. 3. Hold briefly, then lower back your leg to the floor returning to starting position. 4. Raise the opposite leg. Alternate sides with each rep. Seated Back Row The Seated back row is one of the most effective back exercises, however, anytime you perform an exercise seated that could be performed standing, you miss the opportunity to train the core and hip muscles. By switching to a Single-arm Standing Back Row, you ask the spinal stabilizers of your core and your hips to work harder to keep your body stable as you pull the weight towards you. Single-arm Standing Back Row 1. Stand holding the handle in one hand with your arm straight out in front, your palm facing in and your back flat. 2. Pull the handle straight in to your chest. 3. Return to starting position. Remain upright throughout and do not sway back and forth or twist your wrist. 4. Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other side. The Bench Press The bench, or floor, depending on what equipment you have access to, can limit the motion of the shoulder joints. Switching to the Cable, (or band,) Press, standing or kneeling, engages the abdominal aspect of your core to stabilize your spine while pressing the weight. Cable, (Band) Press Instructions: 1. Kneel on one knee, or stand, facing away from a cable system, or anchor point, holding the rope, or band, in the hand on the same side, elbow bent. 2. Press forward, arm straight. 3. Bend at the elbows returning to starting position. 4. Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other side. The Lunge I love a good lunge, but let’s talk about the Bulgarian Split Squat. I know some of my clients are shuddering as they read this.. BUT The Bulgarian Split Squat demands more of each, individual leg because more of your body weight is balanced on one leg. This in turn asks more of .. you guessed it - your core! Bulgarian Split SquatInstructions: 1. When performing this exercise, ensure that your knee, feet, and hip are in line. 2. With your feet hip-width apart, place the instep of your rear foot on a bench. Your feet should be approximately three feet apart. 3. Lower your hips toward the floor so that your rear knee comes close to the floor. 4. Pause and drive through your front heel to return to the starting position. 5. Repeat and then switch sides. The Shoulder Press By simply switching to a Single Arm Overhead Press we are once again asking more of not only our core, but our hips to drive the movement upwards. Single Arm Overhead Press Instructions:
1. Stand upright holding a dumbbell on one hand at shoulder height, fist away from you. 2. Press the dumbbell overhead, fully extending your arm. 3. Keep your back flat and remain upright throughout. 4. Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other side. Try incorporating some of these into your next workout, your body will thank you. As always, any questions just DM Me. Happy to help.
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 February. National Heart Month. The month dedicated to the heart.
Literally. The month of love. Figuratively. Valentine's. Sweethearts. The hype implies you need someone like a sweetheart to love you. However, just as I rang in the New Year screaming YOU DON'T NEED A DAY TO MAKE SELF CHANGES, allow me to scream the following things you also DO NOT NEED: 1. A Sweetheart or their permission to be loved. 2. A day or month for you to be loved. As a child of divorce and parental abandonment, and not in that order, and then a shitty 1ST Marriage where I was married to a narcissist I had the wildest sense of what I required to love myself. It wasn't until I was separated and far into my 30s that I truly began to love myself. There was a lot of trial and error there too... It's not like I work up one day magically healed from all of my residual trauma. But. Here's what I learned. YOU are your own sweetheart. You are your own hero in your story. If you need permission, then by all means my friend permit yourself this very moment to begin self-love. So how does one begin to love themselves? Begin by setting healthy boundaries. Parent? Sibling? Partner? Friend? If they cannot care about or understand your feelings and need, seek and want too much admiration or attention. Set a boundary. If they see you, their child, as an extension of themselves and not your person. Boundary. If they are usually a selfish person and only think about themselves and not about you, their partner, or your relationship and they expect you to do all the housework. Boundary. If you're reading this and you’re starting to get triggered by a certain person in your life then chances are they are a narcissist, (but I'm happy to refer you to some FREE Self-help links to confirm what you already know.) Set a healthy boundary. Healthy boundaries include being able to communicate your needs and wants, including the ability to say, 'No." They also include honoring and respecting your own needs and wants. If you find you are surrounded by people that do not respect your boundaries then you may find yourself in the next stage of self-love; cutting toxic relationships out of your life. Once you have begun to separate yourself from the cancerous people that prioritize themselves with zero regards for you and your personal growth then and only then can you truly begin to grow. So how do you focus on yourself? Be self-confident. This is the key to success in your health and your life and so many other aspects. Every day look at yourself in the mirror and say, " I AM ENOUGH." Or, "I DESERVE ALL OF MY BLESSINGS." Or pick your own mantra. Practice positivity. Practice being GrateFULL Daily. From your cup of coffee to how well someone you love is doing. Scheduling some "me" time on your calendar. Since I love a good challenge... Literally and figuratively, I'm challenging everyone to love themselves. Here’s a link to my FREE 14 Day Self Love Challenge. As my clients know I love a good themed workout. Enjoy, or don't, this year's NEW Year Workout...each and every single one of the 23, yes, 23 repetitions. Hate it? Love it? Leave a comment. Narrow Grip Bicep CurlInstructions: 1. Placing your hands closer together on a barbell, or holding your bands or dumbbells as close as possible, set your knees with a soft bend, hips back and chest up while you perform the bicep curl. 2. Keep your elbows tucked in while curling. Repeat 23 times. Elbow PlankInstructions: 1. Lie face down on a mat with elbows resting on the floor next to your chest, palms facing up or in a fist position, feet together. 2. Push your body off the floor in a push-up position with your body resting on elbows or hands. 3. Contract the abs and keep the body in a straight line from head to toes. Hold for 30-60 seconds, then lower body returning to starting position. Hold for 23 seconds. Walk OutsInstructions: 1. Start by standing with feet shoulder-width apart. 2. Reach your hands down towards the mat, and slowly walk your hands all the way out to a plank position. 3. While keeping your hips in line, and abdomen tight, walk your hands all the way back up to the standing position. Repeat 23 times. Ys, Is, & TsInstructions: 1. For this corrective exercise, it’s important to keep your shoulder blades back and down. It’s called scapular setting. 2. The “Y” is out at 45 degrees, again put your shoulder blades down. 3. The “I” position is the most challenging, it’s straight up overhead. 4. “T” is at 90 degrees shoulder blades down. 5. To do this exercise, you lie down forward. 6. Set your shoulder blades and lift your arms above the ground. 7. Pick the one that’s suited for you and your capacity to hold your shoulder blades in place. Repeat 23 times. Elbow Side Plank Instructions: 1. When performing the side plank, ensure that your body is in a straight line and your supporting elbow is underneath your shoulder. 2. Squeeze your glutes to keep your hips forward in line with your body. 3. Once in position and you have a nice straight line down your body, hold for 23 Seconds. Ab CrunchInstructions: 1. When performing this exercise, shorten the distance between the top of the pelvis and the bottom of your rib cage while rolling your rib cage up off the mat. 2. Be sure not to strain your neck by moving your head forward. Repeat 23 times. Renegade Push Up Row Instructions:
1. Get into the top position of the push-up, holding on to a dumbbell in each hand with arms shoulder-width apart, arms straight. 2. Lower your body with chest touching the floor. 3. Push your body upwards and straighten your arms. At the top, pull one dumbbell off the floor and push your elbow back, contracting your shoulder blades. 4. Return to starting position. Repeat 23 times and alternate.  t. THIS. This is my *fav* month of the entire year. The second the sun rises the day after Thanksgiving is cue to ask Alexa to play Christmas music and cue to ask Matt to start dragging Christmas totes upstairs. Almost as fast as Disney goes from Halloween to Christmas, the Clancy household is transformed. This is an amazing, exciting, and yes stressful time of year for everyone...
Yes. Stressful. I said what I said. I'm going to try to make it a little less stressful and give you 12 FITMas Gift Ideas for yourself, and others in your life. This way you can get onto the important things.. like ever perfecting those wrapping and bow making skills. PRANA Double Peak Convertible Pant Men's I love these pants so much I'm tempted to buy a men's pair for myself. Sadly this isn't my husband's style. Someone order a pair of these for their SO so I may live vicariously through you. PRANA Women's Essential Headband I have these in 40 different colors. I think everyone needs these in all the colors too. They make great stocking stuffers for yourself and your godchildren. Not that I would know. SPRI Core Board In addition to the holidays challenging your emotional capacity the Core Board challenges your balance, core, coordination and strength, giving you an all around effect. SPRI Total Body Resistance Kit This is one of the 1ST pieces of equipment I ask my clients to invest in. For the cost the exercise options are plentiful. I actually stock these for those of you that have waited until the last minute.. SPRI Fitness Bench If you want something to not only keep you or your SO busy with for hours on Christmas day, (just putting together,) this will also keep you, or them, busy during future workouts. The bench both declines and inclines to really expand upon various exercises. Massage Gift Certificate I may be biased BUT, everyone, (in the Rochester Area,) yourself included, should purchase an Essential Massage By Michelle Massage Gift Certificate. SPRI EVA Full Foam Roller If you live too far away from Essential Massage By Michelle, the foam roller is your next best option. SPRI FILA Cardio Speed Rope Baby, it's cold outside. Why not add another indoor cardio option? SPRI Yoga Mat No one's knees WANT To work on the floor. Give the knees the gift of 6mm of padding. SPRI Slide Board Too cold to ice skate? Try the slide board. In all seriousness this is another great tool to expand upon various exercises. Motivational Water Bottles Besides the motivational time markers, the motivation to drink more and make them lighter to carry is wildly inspiring. TIME No link here.. just time. Give yourself permission to give yourself time to do whatever YOU Want. If you feel like your emotional tank is full and you have some goodvibes to spare.. considering giving your time to someone else. I get all PRANA & SPRI items at cost so please don't hesitate to reach out. I do NOT Charge any upcharge for active clients. Need more suggestions? Or help choosing the right thing for yourself or someone else? Just DM Me. I'm always here to help. 'Tis the season. We live in a world where we go from Halloween to Christmas faster than a narcissist loses their shit over being called out on their actions. It's a wild ride. We are thrown from one extreme to the other so fast that we forget to create space for ourselves and focus on what matters. Gratitude.
'Tis the season for gratitude everyone and it seems that some of you have forgotten that. Well, lemme enlighten you people. If you choose to not be grateful for what you have right in front of you, you are setting yourself up for a world of disappointment, heartache, and a victim mentality. I challenge you to read the rest of this blog with an open mind and try a thing or two. Who knows, by the time you've untassled your tinsel, maybe, just maybe, you'll be less stressed and more blessed. 1. Change the way you think. Ikikik.. easier said than done. Trust me. I KNOW. I understand. I challenge you to begin to shift your focus from lack or, “The Gap,” to an abundance or, “The Gain.” There is a fab book my husband & I started reading called The Gap & The Gain by Dan Sullivan. We started to read it way back when for a multitude of reasons. WE are always striving to be better parents and I am always striving to be a better business professional and coach. We are also both highly ambitious which is both a blessing and a curse. It really drove home that unsuccessful people focus on what they don’t have or, “The Gap,’ while successful people focus on what they do have or, “The Gain.” The book comes complete with homework assignments, and I have one for you.. Homework Assignment: Start a gratitude journal. Each day for one week, write down 1 to 3 things you are GrateFULL For. These 'things' could be things that made you content, happy, or proud. If you feel compelled, also write down how these things came into your life. At the end of the week, create space for yourself to reflect on how you feel. Do you feel less stressed? Do you feel more grateful? Is there a mood shift occurring? 2. Choose a Gratitude reminder. A gratitude reminder is anything you choose that you will see several times a day. It will remind you to be grateful. The gratitude reminder could be artwork, a picture, a sign, again, whatever YOU Want it to be. I am not so secretly OBSESSED With capturing memories/moments with photos, whether I am the photographer or not. Certain photos hold a LOT Of meaning to me. I often have these converted into artwork to be hung around my home. Some of my favorites are obvious; our wedding photo, one of Matty’s Senior photos, and a candid a dear friend captured of my husband and I at my sister’s wedding. I have had these converted and hung around our home and every single day when I see them, I am reminded of how grateful I am to have this family I have. I am reminded why I work so hard and will continue to work hard. Now onto your homework assignment. Homework Assignment: Choose YOUR Gratitude Reminder. Remember; this is anything YOU CHOOSE it to be! If you feel comfortable, share what it is in the comments below or via social media and tag me in it! ..and remember every time you see it think of something that you are grateful for. 3. Meditate The word meditate gets thrown around like confetti on New Year’s. Traditional meditation would consist of finding a quiet place to lie or sit, with your eyes closed, and focusing on your breathing, while you clear your mind, and let your thoughts go for several minutes. I am bad at meditation. Extremely bad. I think my meditation record is about 41 seconds. Then I start thinking about that one time in 2006 when I was 23 and I did that thing and than that one time last month when I said what I said and then I wonder if forgot to pack something for our upcoming vacation... You see why I'm bad at it? Gratitude meditation actually encourages you to actively think. Well. Sign me up because that is precisely what my brain was put on this earth to do. Think. Think more. Over think. This is the time to think about those, ‘things,’ I previously mentioned, but you don’t have to write them down. Homework Assignment: Find a quiet or loud place to lie, sit or stand, with your eyes closed or open, and focus on your breathing or don't, (just keep breathing,) and go crazy with thoughts of gratitude. What big or small, experiences, past or present, people or things in your life are you grateful for? I truly hope you are able to create space for yourself and practice at least one of these gratitude challenges and feel less stressed and more blessed. Life IS Good my friends. The scary part about this workout is how bad!ss you'll feel afterwards. A stability ball, barbell or dumbbells and a mini band is all you need for this killer workout. <--See what I did there? Coach by day, comedian by night. Many of these pieces of equipment, costume included, can be found on Amazon.com. I don't get paid endorse Amazon but I should. For my clients I am able to purchase all fitness equipment directly through the retailers at cost for you. As always, any questions on how to torture yourself more just DM Me. Happy to help. Stability Ball Jack Knife Instructions: 1. Start in push-up position, but with your shins on a fitness ball. 2. Your body should form a straight line from ankles to head. 3. Without rounding your lower back, contract your abs and use your feet to pull the ball toward your chest by bending your knees. 4. Pause, and return to the starting position. Repeat 13 times. Barbell SkullcrusherInstructions: 1. Start by pressing up the barbell with your grip less than 12 inches apart. 2. Slowly lower the barbell towards your head, pause, and raise the barbell again. Repeat 13 times. Dumbbell DeadliftInstructions: 1. Stand and hold a barbell or one or two dumbbells with palms facing in. 2. With your back straight and knees locked, bend your body at your waist and lower down to the floor. 3. Then straighten up while still holding the dumbbells at arms length. This is a very difficult exercise and is not meant for beginners. Repeat 13 times. Mini Band Monster WalksInstructions:
1. Start by placing the band around the ankles of both legs. 2. Soften your knees, and step one foot out to the side, then slowly step your opposite foot in the same direction. 3. Keep an upright posture, and try to avoid dragging your feet. 4. Repeat on the other side. Repeat this for 40 seconds. Once the idea for this blog came together I was wildy excited for an excuse to purchase another Halloween costume to add to my collection. I also had the perfect spot for the creation of the pictures: the spider room. Actually it's my son's game room. It might as well be a spider room because that's were a majority of the population lives. See if you can find any in the pictures below. In addition to spider searching, try theses exercises. As we already know from my blog 4 Core Exercises For Equestrians the Stability Ball Dead Bug can be performed without the Stability Ball. These 4 exercises take less than 8 minutes so you can sneak them into your scary busy schedule. As always, any questions just DM Me. Happy to help. Spiderman PlankInstructions: 1. Support your body off the floor, resting on your toes and elbows. 2. Raise one foot off the floor, bending at the knee bring it to your elbow while remaining in the plank position. 3. Return your foot back to starting position. 4.Repeat on the other side. Alternate sides with each rep. Repeat 13 times. Stability Ball Dead BugInstructions: 1. When performing this exercise, you'll want to keep your abdominal pulled in. Belly button to your spine! 2. If you have a small towel, place it under your lumbar spine. This will help you maintain neutral spine and give you something to push against while performing the exercise. 3. Begin lying on your back while squeezing the ball between your knees and your arms. This will be your starting position. 4. Initiate the exercise by extending one leg, straightening the knee and hip to bring the leg towards the ground. Only go as far as you can to maintain your back against the ground. And move the opposite hand towards the ground above your head. 5. Your lumbar position must be maintained against the towel throughout the exercise. 6. Keep your abdominals drawn in and tight, and return the moving leg and arm to the starting position. Repeat 13 times on each side. Spiderman Push Up Instructions: 1. Start in the top position of a push up with your arms straight. 2. Bend your elbows and lower your body towards the floor while also bending one knee and bringing it to your elbow with your foot off the floor. 3. Push back up to the top position. 4. Repeat with the other leg to the other elbow. Make sure to perform one rep on one side, then switch to the other side. Repeat 13 times on each side - YES 26! Push ups!! Spiderman Lunge Instructions:
1. Start in the top position of a push up with your arms and legs straight. 2. Step one foot forward to your hand, bending at the knee, keeping the other leg straight. 3. Return to starting position. 4. Alternate sides with each rep. Repeat 13 times each side. I coach many equestrians. One of the most common weaknesses I see, whether from the casual pleasure rider or the Grand Prix dressage rider and everyone in between is a weakness in the core muscles. I have put together 4 core exercises that I highly recommend to improve your riding strength These 4 exercises take less than 8 minutes, leaving you plenty of time for barn chores. So no excuses. Any questions, or other riding issues you're having, just DM Me. Happy to help. Front PlankInstructions: 1. Lie face down on a mat with elbows resting on the floor next to your chest, palms facing up or in a fist position, feet together. 2. Push your body off the floor in a push-up position with your body resting on elbows or hands. 3. Contract the abs and keep the body in a straight line from head to toes. Hold for 30-60 seconds, then lower body returning to starting position. Repeat 2 times. Side PlankInstructions: 1. When performing the side plank, ensure that your body is in a straight line and your supporting elbow is underneath your shoulder. 2. Squeeze your glutes to keep your hips forward in line with your body. 3. Once in position and you have a nice straight line down your body, hold for 15-30 Seconds. Repeat 2 times on each side. SupermanInstructions: 1. Lie face down, legs straight, feet together, arms out straight above your head on a mat. 2.Squeeze your glutes to slowly raise your legs and arms, as well as slowly arching your back. 3.Return to starting position. Repeat 15 times. Dead Bugs |
AuthorAjia Clancy coaches YOU to self empowerment while helping you navigate life towards your health & wellness goals. Archives
March 2023
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