Featured Exercise of the Month

May 2006 - BOSU One Leg Pelvic Raises

Client Model = Gina C.
Age = 35

Gina has been training with me for only a few months and is completely new to weight training and fitness. She wants to share her story with you in her own words:

"Hi everyone, I'm Gina. At my highest weight I was 293 lbs. and had no "get-up-n-go". Last November I looked into Weight Loss Surgery and had my operation on January 16, 2006. I started losing weight, but it wasn't enough for me. I didn't just want a flabby thin body and then I met Deb. Since April, with Deb's help, I have lost 24 inches! And while I have not met every goal I have set for myself, I have gained things I had not expected. I am stronger, more confident, and I can finially do push-ups!! I have muscle tone that I can see now. It is great to lose weight, but truly amazing to see your body change into what your mind always thought others would have but not you. It is not easy. I sweat. I get sore. But I go back for more. Who needs therapy, I have Deb and her workouts!!"

It honors me to have such great clients. I feel really blessed. Thanks Gina!

It also surprises me that so many women come to their fitness consultations wanting to know what they can do to ADD muscle and reshape their backside as they turn around and point in horror to their flat jiggly butts. I am a firm believer in working the gluteal muscles as stability of the pelvis and gluteal strength is sooooo important in walking, running, going up and down hills and stairs and even something as simple as getting on and off the toilet! ALL of my clients work their glutes HARD.

Gina is demonstrating for you a great glute shaper - pelvic raises on one leg. I like to incorporate the use of the BOSU as it provides an unstable surface and thus involves lots more muscles in the core and lower leg to balance and provide stability to the pelvis. My motto is "why cause pain in only ONE part of the body when you can work three or more at the same time!" This exercise primarily targets the gluteus maximus (your butt cheeks), and the long and short heads of the biceps femoris (hamstring group which is the back of the thighs).

If you do not have access to a BOSU, you can perform this exercise on the floor (more stable), an AIREX balance pad or by placing your foot on a medicine ball (most unstable). Try all three!

Position 1 - Start Position

initial position for the BOSU pelvic raises on one leg

Position 2 - Press Through Heel and Lift Glutes from Floor hips lifted in finish position of BOSU pelvic raise using one leg - a great butt and glute exercise

1) Place BOSU on floor with dome side up. Lie on your back with arms alongside the body, palms down, with buttocks a few inches from the BOSU. One knee is bent with the foot on the top of the BOSU, the other leg extended forward, preferably in line with the bent knee.

2) Inhale and raise your butt from the floor, pushing as hard as possible through the foot on the BOSU. Make sure you DO NOT arch your back and transfer the work from your glutes to the muscles of your low back!

3) Maintain the top position with gluteals contracted for a count of two, then slowly lower the pelvis towards the floor as you exhale. Do not let your butt touch the floor however! Inhale and repeat again.

4) Repeat for two to three sets of 25-50 reps on each leg depending upon your strength. You can complete your full set on one leg before switching or alternate legs to rest your glutes after each 8-10 reps.

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