A great article from our monthly column writer Jennifer Wilkins. Most subscribers will be familiar with these helpful articles that appear on a monthly basis but for those who aren’t here is a taste of the JW Method!
What you will need:
Loose pants or shorts
6-20lb. weight
Starting Position
Stand next to the pole. Raise your inside leg up and rest the pole behind your knee. Squeeze the pole with your leg to increase grip. Be sure that only skin is touching the pole to avoid slipping. Position your outside stable foot directly underneath your hip to create proper alignment.
Side Hold Twist
Complete the starting position. Hold weight on each side and extend arms directly in front of your body at shoulder height with palms facing inward. Keeping your shoulders square, slightly lean away from the pole until you can feel your obliques tighten. Slowly twist the weight in the direction of the pole as high as you can to the ceiling. Do not raise your body up. Stay at the same level with each twist to create an isometric hold. Return weight back to starting position. Do not let weight drop lower than the outside shoulder. Keep your arms straight until the exercise is complete.
Complete 20 twists on each side (40 twists in total) to equal 1 set.
Side Sit-up with Weight
Complete the starting position. Hold weight with your outside arm. Keeping your shoulders square, slowly lower your body away from the pole. Let your outside arm hang loose. Try to touch the weight to the floor. Slowly raise your body up toward the pole until you are in the starting position. Continue this motion until reps are complete.
Complete 20 Side Sit-ups on each side (40 in total) to equal 1 set.
Side Sit-up Windmill
Complete the starting position. Hold your arms extended straight up over your head with or without weight. Keeping shoulders square, slowly lower your body away from the pole. Twist your shoulders toward the floor and touch the floor with both hands as flat as you can. Lead with your right arm extended straight and raise your body back to the starting position.
Complete 20 Windmills on each side (40 in total) to equal 1 set.
Tips:
Only use weight if you can complete the workout with ease and experience minimal soreness in the following days.
Be sure that your stable knee does not experience any sharp pains or aching. This means that your leg is at a slight lean inward or outward and needs to be adjusted. Do not push through the pain!
Find the position that works best for you. Adjust your body as needed and be sure to never lock at the knee.
Stay in proper body alignment and allow your stable knee to bend slightly when lowering your body away from the pole.
Complete 3 sets of each exercise to shred your obliques and improve your stamina when performing your handspring and any other move that requires strength in your sides.
