No Glutes NO Glory!!

Squat exercises are very beneficial for a variety of reasons!!  Squats provide a total lower body workout as they tone and strengthen the major muscle groups of the butt, hips, and thighs 

Tones the Legs: by thoroughly engaging the quadricep, hamstring, and calf muscles 

Lifts the Butt: a powerful workout of your glutes, helping to tighten and lift the butt

Strengthens the Core: abdominal and back muscles are needed to keep balance during the squat movement, resulting in a tighter, flatter abdomen and a stronger lower back 

Increases joint flexibility: the squat movement utilizes your ankles, knees, hips, and lower back 

It is important to maintain proper form to get the best out of this exercise and avoid injury! Here are the essentials:

1. Stand with your feet hip width apart, toes pointed forward

2. Engage your core by tightening and pulling in your abdomen muscles   

3. Slowly lower your body as if you were sitting down in a chair

4. Stop when your legs are parallel to the floor, forming a 90 degree angle at your knees

5. Pause in this position before you push down through your heels and slowly rise back up to standing position 

6. Give your glutes an extra squeeze when returning to standing position  

Things to remember:

*Make a conscious effort to hold in your abdominal muscles while squatting 
*Slow Down the movement to increase the intensity of the workout
*Breathe! Inhale as you squat down and exhale as you push up through your heels to return to the starting position

Squats are a very versatile exercise, they can be done in almost any location and can be modified in many ways!! 

Adding weights will build your strength, and can turn the squat into a full body workout in one exercise by engaing your upper body muscles 

Medicine Ball Squat

Partner Squat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDGA-vWJ_Cw&feature=youtu.be

Excercise Ball Squat
(with or without dumbbells)

 

Barbell Squat
Make sure to keep the proper squat form, keeping your knees in line with your toes. 

Plie Squat 

Grasp a single dumbbell. Now, take a wide stance with your toes pointing outwards and squat down with the dumbbell dangling between your legs. Lower yourself as far as your flexibility and balance permit, and then drive back up 

Jump Squat 

If you explode upward during a squat and even jump from the ground, you are performing a jump squat. This is a great neurological movement - it will improve explosive and overall strength. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFXDFX8TDSk&feature=c4-overview&list=UUhIEseWMu7UsgyuhEv2Y6Dg

Pistol Squat 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS_kR2KpwgI&feature=youtu.be

When adding weights to your routine, start with lighter ones first and build as your strength increases

Squat exercises are a motion that your body uses often in real life.  Whenever you bend down to pick something up, you will be thankful that, because of your squat routine, you will have the strength and joint flexibility to get the job done!!!

Stay Active Friends

<3 Tight & Tiny  

Buckwheat Pancakes!

So the other day we decided to make something we have wanted to try for a while. We LOVE pancakes but they are not very healthy.... so we found a more health conscious alternative; buckwheat pancakes.  They came out delicious and only took about 20 minutes to make (including prep time). Here is the recipe we used.

Ingredients:

(Serves 6)

2- egg whites

1 tbsp- canola oil

1/2 cup- fat free milk

½ cup- all-purpose flower

½ cup-buckwheat flower

1 tbsp-baking powder

1 tbsp-sugar

½ cup-sparkling water

Directions:

1. Whisk together egg whites/canola oil/milk

2. Combine flour/baking powder/sugar

3. Add egg white mixture and water, stir until slightly moistened

4. Medium hit nonstick frying pan or griddle

5. Spoon ½ cup batter, cook until bubbles appear and edges are lightly browned (2 minutes)

6. Turn and cook until bottom well browned (1-2 min longer)

**Instead of maple syrup, top these pancakes with 1/2 cup sliced strawberries or other fresh fruit full of antioxidants like blackberries and blueberries!!

Regular pancakes are made with white flower, fats, and sugars, more like a real cake. They are lighter, fluffier, and sweeter tasting.

Buckwheat pancakes are more like whole wheat bread cakes, still a little sweet, but much heavier, more grainy texture, and a much "healthier" taste.

• Buckwheat is great for digestion!

“The properties of buckwheat are: Neutral thermal nature; sweet flavor; cleans and strengthens the intestines and improves appetite. Is effective for treating dysentery and chronic diarrhea.”  According to Paul Pitchford in Healing with Whole Foods (1993) 

• Buckwheat is chemical free!

Buckwheat grows so quickly that it does not usually require a lot of pesticides or other chemicals to grow well.

• Lastly... 

Buckwheat is good at drawing out retained water and excess fluid from bloated areas of the body.  

STAY ACTIVE FRIENDS...

<3 TIGHT & TINY