Crab Walks

The Spine Stretch Forward: Sit tall on your mat with your legs extended and your feet flexed and hip-width apart. Extend your arms out in front of your shoulders parallel to the floor, reaching toward your feet with your fingers. Without moving your hips or lower back, exhale and lower your head as if diving through your arms. Round your upper back forward and curl your chin toward your chest. Now, inhale and slowly return to the starting position. Repeat this exercise 5 times. As you stretch, pull your navel toward your spine and aim the top of your head toward the mat, reaching forward with your fingers and neck. Keep your legs as straight as possible. The Spine Stretch Forward works your abs.

resting as little as possible between exercises. You'll need 8 or 10-pound dumbbells for these exercises. Alternating Forward Lunges: You'll need a set of 8 to 10-pound dumbbells for this exercise. Start with your feet hip-width apart, and weights in each hand. Lunge forward with your leg, bending both knees. Now, step your foot back. Repeat this move, alternating lunges to complete 8 to 10 reps for each side. When you lunge forward, align your knee over the ankle of your front foot. Be sure to keep your torso perpendicular to the floor. This move targets your glutes , quad, and hamstrings. For a bigger challenge, try rotating your torso in the opposite direction of your lunge. In other words, twist your trunk to the left as you step forward with the right leg. Dumbbell Squat: You'll need a set of 8 or 10-pound dumbbells for this exercise. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart, and the weights by your sides. Squat down as if you are going to sit in a chair, keeping your weight back over your heels. Now, squeeze your glutes to return to the start position. Do 15 to 20 reps. As you continue these squats, keep your weight in your heels, making sure your knees do not pass forward of your toes. The Dumbbell Squat targets your abs, quad, hamstrings, and glutes . For a bigger challenge, try doing it without the weight, but as you return to the standing position, jump explosively, and land softly in the squat position. Rotation Lunges with Dumbbells : You'll need a set of 8 or 10-pound dumbbells for this exercise. Pretend you're standing in the middle of a clock face with your feet shoulder-width apart. Step out behind you with your right foot to 5 o'clock. Now, come up and step back with your left foot to 7 o'clock. Continue alternating sides for 8 to 10 reps. Remember to keep your torso perpendicular to the floor as you lunge back. Bring your back knee almost to the floor, and be sure to keep your front knee over your ankle. The Rotation Lunge targets your glutes , thighs, abs, and hamstrings. For a bigger challenge, try lifting your front knee when you come forward and balance on 1 leg for 2 or 3 seconds. Deadlifts: You'll need a set of 8 to 10-pound dumbbells for this exercise. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, your knees slightly bent, holding the weights in front of your thighs. Contract your abs and lean forward slightly at the weights, lowering the weights toward your shin, shifting your hips over your heels. Come back up and repeat 15 to 20 times. Be sure to keep your head and spine in a straight line. Deadlifts work your hamstrings and glutes . For a bigger challenge, try doing this move while balancing on 1 leg. Switch leg after 8 to 10 reps. Core exercises:

down into 5 circuits: upper body strength, lower body strength, core exercise, cardio , and relaxation. Try to do each circuit once a week and pick 2 nonconsecutive days for cardio . Upper body strength circuit: Repeat this 4-move strength-building circuit for 20 minutes, resting as little as possible between exercises. You'll need 5 or 8-pound dumbbells for some of the exercises. Push-ups: Get into a modified push-up position, with your knees on the floor and your abs engaged.

12 reps. Standing Rows: You'll need a set of 5 or 8-pound dumbbells for this move. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Lean forward and extend your arms, holding the dumbbells with your palms facing each other in front of your knees. Bend your elbows 90 degrees, keeping them close to your side

make this move more difficult, try alternating your arms. Overhead Press with Dumbbells : You'll need a set of 5 or 8-pound dumbbells for this exercise. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Hold the weights at shoulder level with your

in phase 1, do 30 seconds of push-ups. Then hold the push-up plank for 30 seconds, contract your abs and squeeze your inner thighs together. To make this more difficult, add an alternating leg plank . Do 30 seconds of floor push-ups, as in phase 2, and then hold the push-up plank position with 1 leg lifted off the floor. Keep your head and spine in a straight line and your abs engaged. After

flowing out of your head and your heels as you squeeze your inner thighs together, and exhale strongly through your mouth to contract your abs. When you're ready for a greater challenge, assume a full push-up