Sports Spine Specialist Chiropractic Team: Athletes strive to achieve their body’s maximum performance by participating in numerous training regimens consisting of strenuous exercises and physical activity and ensuring they meet all of their body’s nutritional requirements. Through proper fitness and nutrition, many individuals can condition themselves to excel in their specific sport. Our training programs are designed for athletes that look to gain a competitive edge in their sport.
We provide sport-specific services to help increase an athlete’s performance through mobility, strength, and endurance. Occasionally, however, the excess workouts can lead many to suffer injuries or develop underlying conditions. Dr. Alex Jimenez’s chronicle of articles for athletes displays in detail the many forms of complications affecting these professionals while focusing on the possible solutions and treatments to follow to achieve overall well-being.
Lucila Pineira aka Lucy or P.
I�ve been a member at Bullstrong since it opened on July 29, 2013
I was born and raised in El Paso, TX!
Currently in a relationship
I am a mommy of four kids whom are 10,7,3,1.
My typical day involves dreading hearing my alarm at 415am, then realizing it�s
the best way to start off your day at a 5am CrossFit class. After that it consist of
showering, getting my kids ready, feeding them, heading out to school/ work
which involves me being a TEACHER. After my work day it involves me going
back to CrossFit at 4/5pm to work on my goats (weakness in CrossFit skills).
After that, it involves picking up my four kids, making dinner together, talking
about our day, getting them ready for bed, then finally sitting down or laying down
in my bed.
Where do I even begin to describe my biggest accomplishment at Bull Strong. I
would have to say one of the biggest accomplishments I have had at the facility
was GAINING my dedication, motivation and determination in becoming a better
version of myself. I have always been over weight, low self esteem and even
more after having my kids I lost a lot of self confidence. Now that I�m fully back
after having my miracle baby, it�s been a reminder of how dedicated, determined
an motivated I am to be a better version of myself. Bull Strong coaches and
members have given me that confidence that I am capable of reaching goals that
I never saw myself accomplishing. My biggest weakness in life has always been
trying to exercise and having others tell me what to do, I�m the type of person
who had the mentality of MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY, but thankfully it�s
completely different now. Now I allow myself to hear others advice and allow
them to show me and tell me how to do things correctly. Bull Strong has definitely
been a life changer and I wouldn�t change facilities for anything.
Where do I even begin to mention my favorite WOD! I would honestly have to
admit that as much as we all hate every movement I honestly LOVE them all.
Reason being because the more we work at them the better we get at them.
Even though I might not have every movement down or lift a lot of weight, I�m
slowly getting up there and I�m slowly starting to truly enjoy this way of staying fit.
Definitely a unique and amazing way of getting your body moving.
Honestly my goal in CrossFit is to one day become a CrossFit Kids Coach. I truly
enjoy teaching kids. Teaching is honesty my true passion in life and to be
surrounded by kids, what a better way to accomplish more goals then by showing
kids different ways to stay fit and also learn new things. Kinesthetic learning is
the new way of learning. I would love to embrace this type of learning into
workouts to show kids that learning can also be completely adventurous and fun.
Ohhhh my alarm at 4:15am is the one who tells me to get up and workout daily.
That�s how it�s become a routine in my life. I started going 3 times a week then
5/6 times a week, it�s just part of my daily routine. Don�t get me wrongs, there�s
days I am dead tired and sleepy, but I still remind myself that the only person who
can change, is myself.
I don�t think I have an ultimate favorite experience/story in CrossFit because
honestly everyday is AMAZING! So if you ask me, to me everyday is my favorite
experience, everyday I learn something different about CrossFit but better yet
everyday I�ve learned something about myself and how to improve myself.
Regular exercise is potent medicine for older adults with heart disease, a new American Heart Association scientific statement says.
Physical activity should be a key part of care for older adults with heart disease who want to reduce their symptoms and build their stamina, said geriatric cardiologist Dr. Daniel Forman. He’s chair of the panel that wrote the new statement.
“Many health-care providers are focused only on the medical management of diseases — such as heart failure, heart attacks, valvular heart disease and strokes — without directly focusing on helping patients maximize their physical function,” Forman said in a heart association news release.
Yet, after a heart attack or other cardiac event, patients need to gain strength. Their independence may require the ability “to lift a grocery bag and to carry it to their car,” said Forman, a professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System.
“Emphasizing physical function as a fundamental part of therapy can improve older patients’ quality of life and their ability to carry out activities of daily living,” he added.
And, no one is too old to get moving. “Patients in their 70s, 80s and older can benefit,” Forman said.
Cardiac rehabilitation is a crucial tool for elderly patients, providing exercise counseling and training to promote heart health, and manage stress and depression. But Forman said it’s not prescribed often enough.
“When treating cardiac patients in their 70s, 80s and 90s, health-care providers often stress medications and procedures without considering the importance of getting patients back on their feet, which is exactly what cardiac rehabilitation programs are designed to do,” he noted.
Daily walking and tackling more chores at home also can be helpful, Forman said. Resistance training and balance training can help prevent falls. Tai chi and yoga employ strength, balance and aerobic features, he explained.
The statement also outlines ways for heart doctors to assess patients’ levels of physical functioning.
The statement was published March 23 in the journal Circulation.
Heart disease in older Americans is a growing concern because the number of people 65 and older in the United States is expected to double between 2010 and 2050.
News stories are written and provided by HealthDay and do not reflect federal policy, the views of MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Exercise Beats Weight Loss At Helping Seniors Hearts
Seniors who want to give their hearts a healthy boost may want to focus on exercise first, a new study suggests.
The research found that getting active may do more for cardiovascular health in older adults than losing weight does.
“Any physical activity is positive for cardiovascular health, and in elderly people of all weights, walking, biking and housework are good ways to keep moving,” study author Dr. Klodian Dhana said in a news release from the journal European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. The findings were published in the journal on March 1.
In the study, Dhana’s team tracked 15-year outcomes for more than 5,300 people. Participants were between 55 and 97 years old, and free of heart disease when the study started.
Over the 15 years of follow-up, 16 percent of the participants developed heart problems.
In this group of older people, the researchers found no link between their body mass index (BMI) alone and heart disease. BMI is an estimate of body fat based on weight and height — the higher the number, the more fat.
However, the study did find that physical activity was tied to a lower risk of heart disease, no matter what a person’s BMI was.
“Overweight and obesity is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and it is recommended to lose weight,” said Dhana, who is a postdoctoral researcher at Erasmus University Medical Centre in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
However, “in the elderly this is slightly different because weight loss, especially unintentional, is associated with muscle loss and death,” the researcher explained.
She said the study’s authors aren’t refuting the idea that overweight and obesity can raise heart risk in the general population.
But, “our results show that physical activity plays a crucial role in the health of middle age to elderly people,” Dhana said. “Those who are overweight and obese without adequate physical activity are at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease.”
Expert guidelines currently recommend 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity physical activity to decrease the risk of heart disease, she said.
News stories are written and provided by HealthDay and do not reflect federal policy, the views of MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Cancer isn’t inevitable, but many Americans don’t know that several lifestyle factors affect their risk of developing the disease, a new survey finds.
Only one in two Americans is aware that obesity can raise the risk of cancer. And fewer than half understand that alcohol, inactivity, processed meat, eating lots of red meat and low consumption of fruits and vegetables are linked to cancer risk, the researchers said.
“There is a clear crisis in cancer prevention awareness,” said Alice Bender, head of nutrition programs at the American Institute for Cancer Research.
A larger percentage of Americans mistakenly believe that stress, fatty diets and other unproven factors are linked with cancer, according to the institute’s 2017 Cancer Risk Awareness Survey.
“It’s troubling that people don’t recognize alcohol and processed meats increase cancer risk,” Bender said in an institute news release. “This suggests the established factors that do affect cancer risk are getting muddled with headlines where the research is unclear or inconclusive.”
Factors Affecting the Risk of Cancer
Highlights of the survey findings include:
Fewer than 40 percent of Americans know that alcohol affects cancer risk.
Only 40 percent know that processed meats are also associated with cancer risk.
Fifty percent of Americans are aware that being overweight spurs cancer risk, up from 35 percent in 2001.
Nearly one-third of common cancers in the United States could be prevented through diet, weight management and physical activity. That increases to half when factors such as not smoking and avoiding sun damage are added, according to the institute.
Research has linked alcohol to at least six cancers, including colon, breast, liver and esophageal. Studies have also shown that bacon, hot dogs and other processed meats may raise the risk of colon and stomach cancers.
Only half of Americans know that obesity increases the risk of several cancers and that a healthy weight is the second most important way — after not smoking — to reduce cancer risk, the researchers said.
“We know a lot of healthy people do get cancer and sometimes it’s easier to worry about genes or uncontrollable things rather than your everyday choices,” said Bender. “But the research says that being physically active, staying a healthy weight, and eating a plant-based diet has the potential to prevent hundreds of thousands of cancer cases each year,” Bender aded. “It’s a powerful message.”
SOURCE: American Institute for Cancer Research, news release, Feb. 1, 2017
News stories are written and provided by HealthDay and do not reflect federal policy, the views of MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
Additional Topics: Whole Body Wellness
Following a balanced nutrition as well as engaging in regular physical activity and sleeping properly are all proper lifestyle habits which can help increase and maintain overall health and wellness. Many common complications associated with improper lifestyle habits, such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer, however, the risk of developing these can be prevented with a few lifestyle changes. In addition, visiting a chiropractor and receiving chiropractic care can help maintain and improve the overall health of the spine as well as its surrounding structures.
People who want a healthy heart should be mindful of not only what they eat, but when they eat, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA).
The report is a response to the growing evidence that timing matters when it comes to heart disease risk, said Marie-Pierre St-Onge, the lead author of the statement. The various organs of the body have their own “clocks,” St-Onge explained, and that may affect how we handle food at different times of the day and night.
“For example, later in the evening, it’s harder for the body to process glucose [sugar], compared with earlier in the day,” said St-Onge, an associate professor of nutritional medicine at Columbia University in New York City.
The new statement highlights what’s known — and what’s not — about meal timing and heart health. The statement lacks specific rules, such as “Never eat after 8 p.m.,” or “Everyone should eat breakfast.”
It does, however, suggest that people spread out their calories over a “defined” period of the day — as opposed to either eating a lot over a short period, or grazing from morning until night. Based on the evidence, the AHA says, it’s probably a good idea to get a large share of your calories earlier in the day.
“A long fasting duration at night is better than a long fast during the day,” St-Onge said.
But there’s no declaration that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
The evidence, St-Onge said, is just not clear enough to make specific recommendations on breakfast.
A number of studies have found that breakfast eaters are generally healthier than breakfast skippers: They tend to weigh less, have better blood pressure and cholesterol numbers, and have lower risks of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, according to the AHA.
The problem is, those studies don’t prove that breakfast deserves the credit. And few trials have actually tested the effects of “assigning” people to eat breakfast, the AHA says.
Based on what studies have been done, adding breakfast doesn’t seem to aid weight loss, the report said. Of course, if breakfast skippers simply add an extra meal to their day, they’ll gain weight, St-Onge pointed out. A few small trials have, however, suggested that breakfast can help regulate blood sugar and insulin levels, according to the AHA.
Sonya Angelone is a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. And she was clear in her support of eating breakfast.
“I think it’s very important to eat breakfast every day,” Angelone said.
Just as important, she said, is to hydrate after a long liquid-free night. Coffee does “count,” she noted, but a glass of water is better. According to Angelone, breakfast is critical because it’s hard to get all the nutrients you need in just two meals a day — even if you snack.
That raises another question: Should people eat “three square meals,” or is it better to stick with small, but more-frequent meals?
That’s not clear, according to the AHA.
Studies that track people in the real world have found that those who eat more often during the day have a lower risk of obesity and better cholesterol levels. On the other hand, the AHA says, small trials that have tested the effects of altering meal frequency have mostly come up empty. When daily calories are kept constant, meal frequency may not affect people’s weight, levels of “good” HDL cholesterol or other factors that affect heart health.
Of course, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to eating, St-Onge said.
Some people, she noted, do well with “grazing” throughout the day — as long as the food choices are healthy, and they do not keep grazing until midnight.
“If you’re someone with good control over your diet, maybe grazing is a good idea,” St-Onge said. “But if it’s difficult for you to stop eating once you start, it’s probably not a good idea.”
According to Angelone, frequent eating may not be wise for people with resistance to insulin — the hormone that regulates blood sugar. Insulin resistance is seen in people with type 2 diabetes or “pre-diabetes.” If those people eat often, Angelone explained, their insulin levels may never have a chance to drop. In general, St-Onge said, “mindfulness” is critical. Often, people eat not because they’re hungry, but to deal with emotions, she said.
“Ask yourself why you’re eating,” St-Onge said. “Is it because you’re stressed or sad or bored? Ask yourself whether you’re really hungry right now.”
The statement was published online Jan. 30 in the AHA journal Circulation.
SOURCES: Marie-Pierre St-Onge, Ph.D., associate professor, nutritional medicine, Columbia University, New York City; Sonya Angelone, M.S., R.D.N., spokesperson, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Chicago; Jan. 30, 2017, Circulation, online
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Additional Topics: Weight Loss Eases Back Pain
Back pain and symptoms of sciatica can affect a majority of the population throughout their lifetime. Research studies have demonstrated that people who are overweight or obese experience more back complications than people with a healthy weight. A proper nutrition along with regular physical fitness can help with weight loss as well as help maintain a healthy weight to eliminate symptoms of back pain and sciatica. Chiropractic care is also another natural form of treatment which treats back pain and sciatica utilizing manual spinal adjustments and manipulations.
Getting overweight adults to adopt new heart-healthy eating habits is an uphill battle. But giving them a handout about nutrition may be better than nothing, new research suggests.
“There’s an urgent need for innovative approaches to support the implementation of current dietary advice,” said Dr. David Jenkins, lead author of the new study from the University of Toronto. To prevent chronic disease, U.S. nutrition guidelines recommend diets rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, plus foods that lower cholesterol such as oats, barley, nuts and soy.
Jenkins, who is chair of nutrition and metabolism at the university, and his team tried three ways of encouraging these healthy habits. The researchers randomly assigned more than 900 overweight adults to one of four groups.
Encouraging Healthy Eating Habits
One group received advice about diet through phone calls. Another got a weekly food basket but no advice about diet. The third group got both advice and food baskets. A fourth group, used as “controls,” did not receive advice or food baskets. Everybody in each group got a “food guide” handout about diet.
Six months later, participants overall had only slightly increased their consumption of healthier foods like fruits and vegetables, regardless of group. The researchers said the only consistent increases were seen in the group that received both food and advice. And by 18 months, that slight increase in healthy eating was dwindling, the investigators found. Still, weight and blood pressure dipped a bit in all the groups, including the control group, according to the study.
The results were published Feb. 27 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
“These data demonstrate the difficulty in effectively promoting fruit, vegetable and whole grain cereals to the general population using recommendations that, when followed, decrease risk factors for chronic disease,” Jenkins said in a journal news release.
But the author of an accompanying journal editorial suggested looking at the results as a “glass half-full.”
“Each country and scientific society must prioritize the strategies best adapted to local customs and regulations,” wrote Dr. Ramon Estruch, an internist at the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, in Spain.
“However, it appears that simply giving a copy of healthy dietary guidelines causes small changes in the right direction. Perhaps we should start with this extremely simple, no-cost procedure at schools, workplaces, clinics or sports centers, while the other strategies are slowly developed and implemented,” Estruch suggested. Jenkins disclosed grant funding from several food-related companies.
SOURCE: Journal of the American College of Cardiology, news release, Feb. 27, 2017
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Additional Topics: Weight Loss Eases Back Pain
Back pain and symptoms of sciatica can affect a majority of the population throughout their lifetime. Research studies have demonstrated that people who are overweight or obese experience more back complications than people with a healthy weight. A proper nutrition along with regular physical fitness can help with weight loss as well as help maintain a healthy weight to eliminate symptoms of back pain and sciatica. Chiropractic care is also another natural form of treatment which treats back pain and sciatica utilizing manual spinal adjustments and manipulations.
TUESDAY, March 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) — High-intensity exercise may help older adults reverse certain aspects of the “cellular” aging process, a new study suggests.
It’s no secret that regular exercise is healthy for young and old alike. But researchers said the new findings point to particular benefits from “high-intensity interval training” for older adults.
That’s the type of workout that combines brief bursts of vigorous exercise with periods of moderate activity: A person might, for example, go all-out on a stationary bike for a few minutes, ease up for the next few, and then start again.
In this study, older adults who performed that type of exercise showed greater changes at the cellular level, compared to those who worked out more moderately.
Specifically, interval training gave a bigger boost to mitochondrial function in the muscle. Mitochondria are the “powerhouses” within body cells that break down nutrients to be used for energy.
The training also revved up activity in more genes related to mitochondrial function and muscle growth.
What does it all mean?
The study findings suggest that interval training can turn back the clock in ways that moderate aerobic exercise and strength training do not, according to lead researcher Dr. K. Sreekumaran Nair.
But, he stressed, the findings do not mean older adults should jump into a vigorous exercise regimen.
“If you’re sedentary, you should talk to your doctor before you start exercising,” said Nair. He’s an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
“And then,” he said, “you can start with walking, and build yourself up to a fast pace.”
For older adults who want to progress to a more-intense regimen, Nair said, it’s best to start with supervision. But he also stressed that intense exercise is not a must. “Any regular exercise will bring health benefits — absolutely,” he added.
This study demonstrated that, he pointed out. Even though interval training had the biggest effects on aspects of cellular aging, other types of exercise boosted older adults’ fitness levels and muscle strength.
The study, published recently in Cell Metabolism, involved 72 younger and older adults who were sedentary.
Nair’s team randomly assigned each of them to one of three supervised exercise groups.
One group did high-intensity interval training three days a week: They pedaled on an exercise bike at their maximum speed for 4 minutes, before easing up for 3 minutes; they repeated that process four times. They also worked out more moderately — walking on a treadmill — twice a week.
A second group performed moderate aerobic exercise — using an exercise bike at a less-intense pace — five days a week, for 30 minutes. They also did some light strength-training four days a week.
The third group performed strengthening exercises only, two days a week.
After 12 weeks, all of the groups were showing positive changes — younger and older exercisers alike, the researchers found.
People who performed moderate aerobic exercise boosted their fitness levels — the body’s ability to supply blood and oxygen to working muscles. And the improvement was greater for older adults, who generally started out with lower fitness levels than younger people.
Meanwhile, people who performed strength-training — alone or with aerobic exercise — increased their muscle strength.
The interval-training group showed only small gains in strength. But the training improved mitochondrial function in the muscles, especially among older adults.
Dr. Chip Lavie is medical director of cardiac rehabilitation and prevention at the John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute in New Orleans.
He said this is a “great” study that demonstrates the benefits of different forms of exercise.
According to Lavie, it adds to other evidence that high-intensity interval training is “probably the best form of exercise.”
Many studies, he said, have found that interval training beats moderate aerobic exercise when it comes to improving fitness and the heart’s structure and function.
“It would be ideal to get more people to do high-intensity interval training,” Lavie said, “and it’s possible for more-motivated individuals.”
But, he added, the reality is, many people may not have the motivation or ability.
In that case, Lavie advised finding a moderate regimen you can live with — such as 30 to 40 minutes of walking or using an exercise bike or elliptical machine most days of the week.
SOURCES: K. Sreekumaran Nair, M.D., Ph.D., professor, medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.; Chip Lavie, M.D., medical director, cardiac rehabilitation and prevention, and director, exercise laboratories, John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute, New Orleans; March 7, 2017, Cell Metabolism
News stories are written and provided by HealthDay and do not reflect federal policy, the views of MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Ashley Graham is definitely about that gym life. And we know this because the 29-year-old model has been posting her sweat sessions on Instagram as of late. Her workout of choice: hitting it hard with Dawin Peña, co-founder and trainer at The DogPound, a boutique training studio in NYC.
Thanks to a recent Instagram story posted by the America’s Next Top Model judge, we happened to get a glimpse into one of Graham’s evening exercise routines. Let me tell you, it is a killer upper-body circuit that hit the triceps, biceps, chest, and back. And she finished off with some core work.
The best part: it only took Graham 2 minutes and 48 seconds to get through these moves. (Yep, I timed her). Granted, you have to take into account that she probably rested here and there, and did a few more sets and reps than she let us in on, but even with those considerations, this is still a great workout option for when you are short on time.
Our suggestion: Cycle through this 11-move circuit 3 times. If you do that, you are looking at about a 10- to 12-minute upper body blaster that you can knock out the next time you are in the gym. Oh, and you also might want to download the playlist Graham was rocking too—Sean Paul’s “Gimme The Light,” Mr. Probz’s “Waves,” Kid Cudi’s “The Pursuit of Happiness,” Eddie Money’s “Take Me Home Tonight” and Future’s “Real Sisters”—because it was kind of fire!
Now get that upper body (and those abs) in shape…because summer is coming!
Rope Triceps Extension
Stand with feet hip-width apart, hinge forward slightly and grab each end of the cable ropes; palms face in. Keeping upper arms straight and close to body, pull down using forearms, lowering the rope until arms are fully extended and at either side of legs. Pause and then slowly return back to start. (Graham did 10 reps.)
Overhead Triceps Extension
Stand with back to cable machine, feet staggered, one foot in front of the other, and knees slightly bent; hinge forward. With arms overhead and bent backwards to about 90-degrees, hold cable rope in each hand; palms face in. Keeping elbows close to ears, pull ropes down until arms are fully extended. Pause and then return to start. (Graham did 9 reps.)
Rope Biceps Curl
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, legs bent slightly and end of cable ropes grasped between hands; palms face in. Pull ropes up toward shoulders using forearms; upper arms stay fixed. Lower back down to start, and then repeat. (Graham did 9 reps.)
Start seated on a bench with legs wider than hip-width apart, feet planted, and arms extended up on a diagonal with ends of cable ropes grasped between hands; palms face in. Squeezing back, pull ropes down towards torso; keep arms close to body. Pause and then slowly return to start. (Graham did 8 reps.)
Seated One Arm Row
Start seated on a bench with legs wider than hip-width apart and feet planted. Place left hand on hip while right arm is extended up on a diagonal with cable handle grasped in hand; palm face down. Squeezing back, pull rope down towards torso, twisting hand out so that palm faces in; keep arm close to body. Hold, and then slowly return back to start. Repeat on opposite side. (Graham did 7 reps.)
Seated Lat Pulldown
Start seated with back straight, knees under knee pad and bar in hands (overhand grip) slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Without moving torso, pull bar down to chest while squeezing shoulder blades together. Pause, and then slowly return to start. (Graham did 7 reps.)
Lie faceup on a bench with feet planted on floor and a dumbbell in each hand. Extend arms straight up over chest; palms face in. Keeping a slight bend in elbows, slowly open arms out until they are in line with chest and hands are parallel to floor. Pause and then raise arms back up to start. (Graham did 6 reps.)
Standing Biceps Curls
Stand with feet wider than hip-width apart and knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of body; palms face up. Bend elbows and curl the right hand up toward the right shoulder. As you slowly lower the right hand back down, begin repeating the motion with the left hand. Continue alternating. (Graham did 4 reps per arm.)
In & Out
Start seated with arms behind you and hands on floor; fingers facing feet. Lean back, raise legs and bend knees. With abs tight, extend legs straight out as you lower back down slightly. Pull legs back in and lift torso back up. Continue repeating. (Graham did 17 reps.)
Lie faceup with arms and legs extended straight out. Simultaneously raise your right leg and left arm as you crunch up, bringing the two together over the stomach. Lower back to start. After desired number of reps, repeat with opposite arm and leg. (Graham did 10 reps.)
Crunches
Lie faceup with legs extended straight up, a light bend in knees, feet crossed at the ankles (left over right) and hands lightly on back of head. Crunch up and then lower back to start. Repeat. (Graham did 15 reps.)
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