Raises - Calves, Not Your Salary!

1. Stand with your feet flat on the floor.

2. Keeping knees soft, not locked, lift your heels up so you are on your toes, hold for a count of 2.

3. Slowly lower your heels back to the floor.
4. Repeat until it hurts (please refer to our disclaimer from our first post).
5. For an added challenge, as our model is demonstrating, select two books (from the book weight chart, January 25, 2014) to hold in each hand. Keep your hands by your side and repeat steps 2-4.

Raises - Legs, Not Your Salary!

1. Sit forward on a wheel-less chair with your left leg bent and your left foot flat on the floor.
2. Extend your right leg, resting your right heel on the floor.

3. Flexing your right foot toward you, raise your leg about 10 to 12 inches above the floor.

4. Hold this position for a count of 2 and then slowly lower your foot back to the floor.
5. Complete 10 to 15 repetitions per leg.
6. Do 1-3 sets.
7. For an added challenge hold a book (refer to the book weight chart, January 25, 2014) on your thigh to increase the difficulty of the movement.

R & R with Rachel (Rants and Raves with Rachel): 10,000 Steps

Hi! From time to time I (Rachel), will be posting an entry written just by me.

We all know the importance of exercise but I keep coming upon statistics that are staggering. Last night I read an article (from: The Training Edge Spring 2014 issue) that said an estimated 86% of full-time American workers sit all day on the job! 86%! That is crazy! With that in mind, today I will be writing about walking 10,000 steps a day.

Suddenly walking 10,000 steps a day seems to be all the rage in the fitness world. To me, it sounds a lot easier then the 30 Day Plank Challenge that I tried last month. I made it to a 3 minute plank (day 23) and then started having elbow pain. Totally not worth it! But walking is something I can do! So, being curious, I looked up just how far 10,000 steps translated to in distance and discovered it is approximately 5 miles. Hmmm, that is far, but I am up for this challenge! To help me along I have downloaded a pedometer app called "Steps" onto my phone. I am not sure if it is the perfect app but it was free (there are many free ones on the market) and so far it seems to be accurate. I hope the weather will cooperate but I also plan on trying to get up and walk more often at work. Instead of calling a co-worker with a question I am going to actually walk over to their office. Won't they be surprised!

For more incentive I joined "Jenna’s fitness challenge: Take 10,000 steps in the right direction." Jenna, being Jenna Wolfe from NBC. Click on this link if you want more information: 30 Days to a Better You: Are you up for Jenna's challenge?

So I leave you today, with this cartoon. Walk on my friends, walk on!

Hip Abductors with Arthur

We never know who is going to come into the library. Today we had a celebrity sighting, and much to our delight he agreed to model for our blog.

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart.
2. Keeping posture upright, gently touch your desk or a bookshelf with your right hand for balance.
3. Place all of your body weight onto your right leg.
4. Lift your left leg directly out to the side about 12 inches from the ground.*

5. Hold for 1-2 seconds and bring back toward the right leg without actually touching the ground.

6. Repeat 10-12 times to complete 1 set.
7. Switch sides.
8. Do 1-3 sets on each side.


*For an added challenge, as Arthur is showing in the top picture, try not holding on to anything.

Get in Shape at Your Desk

Stuck at your desk all day? We all know that too much sitting is linked to obesity and heart disease. Try fitting in these exercises during your day (on your break of course).

Seated Crunches
Targets: Abdominals

1. Sit up straight in your chair.
2. Grab hold of the armrests.
3. Tighten your abdominal muscles and then bend your body forward.

4. Stay in this position for 5-10 seconds before returning to the start position.
5. Repeat 25-30 times.
6. If your break is not yet over complete 2 sets and then go to the next exercise!

The Desk Pushup*
Targets: Arms and Shoulders

1. Stand up and face your desk.
2. Place your hands, shoulder-width apart.
3. Step back so you’re about three feet away from the desk.
4. Keeping your back and legs in a straight line, lower down until your chest almost touches the desk.

5. Push yourself back up.
6. Repeat 15-20 times completing 2 sets.

*This exercise can also be done while standing at the copy machine!

Farewell to Arms (or Rather Fat Arms)

Single Arm Side Raises
1. Standing with feet hip-width apart hold a book (please refer to our book weight chart entered on our blog on Saturday, January 25, 2014 for the proper weighted book).
2. Hold the book in your left hand with your left palm facing your body, resting at your side.
3. Without leaning back, slowly lift your left arm slightly to the left as shown below(so it is not directly to your side or your front).
4. Hold for a count of two then return to starting position.
5. Repeat 10-12 times to complete 1 set.
6. Switch sides.
7. Do 1-3 sets on each side.

Upright Row
1. Standing with feet hip-width apart hold a book in your left hand in front of your body with your palm facing your thighs (please refer to our book weight chart entered on our blog on Saturday, January 25, 2014 for the proper weighted book).
2. Slowly bend your left arm at the elbow and bring book up to chest level so that your arm is parallel to the floor and level with your shoulder.
3. Slowly bring it down to starting position.
4. Switch book to your right hand and repeat steps 2 and 3.
5. Do 10 on each side for a total of 20 repetitions.
6. 1-3 sets on each side is a good start.

Pain in the Neck - As Promised**

The following are 5 exercises that you should do everyday to help decrease neck strain. All of these exercises should be done sitting or standing with an upright posture.

Shoulder Shrugs
1. Raise your shoulders up toward your ears.
2. Hold for a count of two.
3. Lower your shoulders back down.
4. Repeat 15-20 times.

Ear to Shoulder Tilt
1. Tilt the left ear toward the left shoulder. Your shoulder should remain stationary.
2. Hold for a count of two.
3. Alternate sides, for a total of 15-20 repetitions.

Neck Rotation
1. Keeping your body in an upright forward position. Rotate your head so you are looking over your right shoulder.
2. Hold for a count of two.
3. Alternate sides, for a total of 15-20 repetitions.

Shoulder Blade Pinches
1. Roll the shoulders back.
2. Pinch the shoulder blades together.
3. Hold for a count of two.
4. Repeat 15-20 times.

Isometric Forehead Push*
1. Place the heel of one hand on your forehead.
2. Push your hand against your forehead while trying to keep your head stationary.
3. Hold for a count of two.
4. Repeat 10 times.

*Isometric means a static exercise, or one in which the muscles contract but there is no movement at a joint.

**Our model for this entry isn't really a pain in the neck, she just wanted to have her picture on our blog.