Two-for-one deals are always a great find, but does anything beat an ab exercise that doubles as a booty-burner? Well, Gabrielle Union just shared the ultimate way to multitask at the gym in order to get the best of both worlds.
Instead of just doing the standard up-and-down approach to core-strengthening leg lifts, the actress added a resistance band to her ankles to fire up her glutes as well, simply by pressing her legs apart at the top and bottom of each leg-lift rep. The modification definitely makes the move more challenging, but it also ups the ante on effectiveness.
“The leg lift exercise is a great core move to stabilize the spine and strengthen your abdominal muscles,” certified personal trainer Lisa Wheeler told Self.
If you want to give these upgraded leg lifts a try at home, just make sure of one key detail: that your lower back remains firmly planted on the floor throughout the exercise.
“Many people feel challenged trying to keep their low back flush to the floor because their core gets disengaged when the legs get close to the floor,” certified personal trainer Raphael Konforti told Self. “The key is to stay focused on keeping the abs tight or contracted through the entire range of motion, and avoid resting the feet on the floor.”
Being able to perform 10 leg lifts with proper form is much better for your body than doing three times that many without control. Even the smallest set will make you feel the burn.
This is the one-word mantra Gabrielle Union uses to get enough sleep every night. Or, check out the celebrity couples that prove sweaty is the new sexy.
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