Hone and tone your bottom with this exercise!

Who wants to try one of the best exercises for great glutes (bottom) and build athletic speed and power whilst you are there! Red Hot Personal Training just loves this move for the great results it gets with clients. We featured this exercise in a previous blog last year and positive feedback was received from readers who gave it a try!

A step up from the 'Glute Bridge' exercise. This move adds an additional core challenge and increased range of motion. 

1. Sit on a stability/swiss ball. Slowly walk feet out until head and shoulders are resting on the ball, positioning feet hip-width apart under knees and place hands onto your hips.

2. Lower hips toward the floor, (try not to let your knees travel forwards) stopping a few inches above the ground. Pause, then engage abs and press up through the glutes and down into the heels to lift hips up in line with knees. Try no to hyperextend (don't lift up to high) Pause for 2 seconds squeezing your glute muscles (bottom).

3. Lower hips to start position. Try 3 sets of 10 reps.

(Remember to perform the exercise carefully and listen to your body, really focus on using your glute muscles to do the work). 

If you would like the help of a personal trainer please contact Red Hot Personal Training.

Sculpt those Abs with this swiss ball exercise

Wow, you will really feel this move working your abs.  Its a tricky move so take it slowly.

1. Start with the swiss ball in front of you.  Place your mid-section on the ball and roll forwards until your hands reach the floor. Walk out with your hands until the ball is underneath your ankles.  Your hands should be just wider than shoulder width. (Keeping the spine in a nice neutral position throughout the move).

2. Hold this push-up position and keep your core mid section) nice and tight. Bend at the knees and pull the ball up towards your arms bringing your knees towards your chest. Keep the move nice and smooth and don't be tempted to drop your hips.

3. Extend your legs carefully back to the start position. Try doing two sets of 10 repetitions (2 x 10) with a small break in between.

Feel those abs working! 

If you would like to benefit from 1-2-1 Personal Training with Red Hot Personal Training with personalised training and nutrition, please get in touch. x

Lets work those legs with a further great swiss ball exercise

Want to tone those quads and really feel them working hard?  Give this swiss ball exercise a try.

Wall squat

One of Red Hot Personal Trainings favourite exercises using a swiss ball is the wall squat.  Looks easy, but it is anything but simple!

1.     Crouch with your back pressed against the swiss ball against the wall, knees at 90 degree angles (feet as far away from the wall as you can get them without slipping forwards) and place your hands on your hips.

2.     Raise yourself up by extending your legs and slowly lower yourself back after a short pause

3.     Breathe out while raising yourself up and breathe in while returning to starting position. 

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Great exercises to try on a swiss ball

Yes we have all seen them lurking in the corners of the gym or even have one collecting dust behind the sofa! We are talking about swiss balls. (Also known as a balance ball, body ball, fitness ball, gym ball, stability ball, therapy ball or yoga ball). So many workouts can be enhanced with a Swiss ball.

The ball can help improve posture, increase flexibility and tremendously increase core strength including those deep abdominal muscles.

The key thing about a Swiss ball is that it’s unstable. When you sit on one, your core works overtime just to keep you upright. (Try using a ball instead of a chair and notice how you constantly activate your core muscles).

Over the next couple of weeks we will give you some great exercises to try out.

Swiss Ball Ab Rollout (Target those deep abdominal muscles)

1. Kneeling upright on a matt, place a Swiss Ball in front of you.
2. Place your hands in a fist on the ball.
3. Contract your abs and keep your core tight and controlled while rolling the ball out in front of you, until you come out to a half plank. (make sure your back does not sink down too low).
4. Hold for 2 seconds and make sure your elbows are kept below your shoulders. Then roll the ball back until your are full upright again on your knees with the ball in front of you again. Perform 10 times.

Next week we will show you another great exercise using just a swiss ball.  Be sure not to miss this and future blogs by signing up to our FREE newsletter.  (See homepage for details).