Exercises: In 90 Seconds

When you are doing exercises to try to slim down, sometimes the thought of having to do three sets of each exercise can be daunting. So much so, you actually lose interest in your goal. Peter Secou, an American coach, has discovered a great way to solve this problem. He has developed a short and effective fitness program to help those that have lost their momentum: each exercise needs to be done in a minute and a half. Now, it is much easier to get slim!

Exercise number 1

Exercises to tone your legs

Take a pair of 2-5 pound dumbbells, holding one in each hand. Stand straight with legs shoulder width apart. Pull your arms apart and bring your shoulder blades together. Move your hands up and down for 30 seconds (pull down to 2 cm, then raise them up with effort). In 30 seconds, place your palms up and rock it again (forward, backward for 30 seconds). Don’t stop! Do oscillatory movements with palms up – do not stop yourself! This exercise strengthens your arms muscles (get to know about a full-blown exercise set for beautiful arms) and back as well.

Exercise number 2

This exercise was developed to strengthen your hips and buttocks. Stand straight with legs shoulder width apart; pull your hands apart so they are counterpoised. Start squatting – do not lower yourself down quickly – slow down in the middle and don’t move for 10 seconds. Go back to the initial position and repeat exercise within a minute and half. Bear in mind that your muscles won’t feel fatigued so you should do more complex exercises for buttocks.

Exercise number 3

Lie on the back and spread apart your arms with your palms facing down. Pay attention to your legs – straighten them out and place them together. Raise your legs a few inches from the floor, turning them slightly to the left.  Hold them in this position for 10 seconds. Then, turn them to the right remembering to include your feet; hold for 10 seconds. Alternate turns within 90 seconds. This workout helps to strengthen back muscles.

Exercise number 4

To perform this exercise you will need a fitball (Learn how to tone you press muscles with a fitball) and 2 dumbbells. Lie on the fitball so your head and shoulder-blades are on the ball; arms with dumbbells in hands are stretched out, legs are bowed, forming a right angle. Raise your hands above the head, then start to lower them down slowly until they are back in the initial position. Stop them each 5-7 seconds every 15 cm. Then lift your hands up again and pull them down slowly. This exercise trains your triceps, thigh and breast muscles; as well as strengthening the hamstrings.

Exercise number 5

This workout is for legs muscles. Put you left leg behind the right at a distance of 50 cm and with dumbbells in each hand, pull your arms down along the body. Bend your legs, so you are in a squatting position. The left knee should be stopped in 15 cm from the floor. Stand still for 10 seconds, then let yourself down for 10 cm more, as it shown in the above photo, stopping for another 10 seconds again. Go back to the initial position. Try to repeat it as much as possible within 90 seconds.

Exercise number 6

Take the usual push-up position: the body weight is on straightened arms and toes; the back is straight. Go down slowly by 5 cm and stand still for 10 seconds in this position; then perform the same exercise: 5 cm down and do not move for 10 seconds. Keep going down till you reach the floor. This exercise strengthens your arms and tones your breast (read more about useful exercises for your breast).

Exercise number 7

To perform the last exercise, you will also need a fitball and dumbbells. Take a prone position on a fitball: your toes are set against the floor; arms are down. Raise your arms to form a straight line with shoulders. Hold yourself in this position for 10 seconds. Bring your arms back to the initial position, pull them apart and hold for another 10 seconds. Repeat it within a minute and half.