The dead bug is the queen of postpartum core exercises in my book. Want to know my favorite core exercise of all time? The exercise I’d choose if I were on a deserted island and could only do one or I’d otherwise be decapitated by wild pack of wilder beasts?? Daaaa deadbug! I’m giving you […]
Fitness
Best Booty Exercise: Back-Elevated Glute Bridge/Hip Thrust
There is zero point in me recreating the wheel. Take a few minutes to read through Bret Contreras’ article on proper hip thrust mechanics. He will tell you everything you could want to know. After all, he is the “Glute Guy”! I do want to drive home a few points. For starters, begin with and […]
Could your low back pain be mom-hip?
Do you have classic mom hip? It often presents as low back pain and aches and pains. We’ve all seen mom hip in full-blown effect. It can be seen in all its glory on the flustered mom with the toddler perched on her hip, diaper bag draped over her shoulder, as she tries to push […]
Monday Move: Band Pull Apart
This exercise gets a lot of credit for its benefits working the upper back and shoulder, but let’s not forget how effective it is at working the transverse abdominis–those inner most “corset-like” abs. A few things to remember on this exercise. You can adjust the resistance with the band you chose and/or where you hold […]
Monday Move: Wall Plank
I get asked with great frequency if planks are safe postpartum, while pregnant and/or with diastasis recti. My answer is annoyingly vague. If you can do a plank and maintain that tensile strength throughout the movement, then plank away. However, if you are newly postpartum, pregnant and/or have diastasis recti, there is a pretty good […]
Monday Move: Burpee—Breathing and Modifications
The burpee. Holy smokes, there are a lot of ways to break down this movement and improve form. Today though, we are going to focus on breathing and modifications. It is so important to know how to harness your breathing for power and also to protect your core. If you have diastasis recti (abdominal separation […]
Monday Move: Walking Lunges—5 Mistakes and Fixes
Proper form on the walking lunge is imperative to prevent injuring your knee or low back. Here are a few common mistakes and ways to correct this exercise. Mistake #1: Step too wide This can place strain on the low back, put too much of a stretch in your hip flexor, and will likely throw […]
10 Must-Haves for Your Home Gym
In 2012, I was the only Crossfit competitor at regionals who didn’t have a gym affiliation. When I was called to the floor, the announcer, very confused, called out, “Ashley Nowe, Unattaché.” He was utterly baffled and botched the pronunciation of both my name (everyone does that!) and the word “unattached.” I think he thought […]
Monday Move: Push Up Modifications
The push up is pretty straight forward, but if you are pregnant, postpartum, working on healing diastasis recti or an abdominal separation from pregnancy, then learning these modifications and how to use your core throughout the movement are essential. The most common mistakes I see in the push up is simply not modifying when needed. […]
Training to Improve Pull-ups
The elusive pull-up. It takes a great deal of upper body and core strength to become proficient. For this reason, many find it challenging to improve their pull-up performance. Are you at a plateau with your pull-up? Say hello to eccentric training. Eccentric training, otherwise known as “negatives,” is an amazing tool for improving your […]