I recently teamed up with Jamie Riccobono, one of the 15 Utah moms competing in the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute's My Heart Challenge: Moms Edition, to demonstrate some of these exercises on Fox 13. You can watch the video below for a demonstration.
Y-T-W-L: This exercise helps with upper-core stability. Run through this routine morning and night to correct bad posture and strengthen scapula retraction. Scapula Retraction is the action of pulling your shoulder blades together towards your spine. Standing tall, move your arms into each of the Y-T-W-L positions. Hold each pose at least 10 seconds.
Plank with the BOSU: Plank is one of the most efficient abdominal exercises you can do. This strengthens all core muscles when done correctly. Start by lying face down in the push-up position. Place hands on the edges of the BOSU, while keeping knees on the floor. Take a deep breath and push up into a pushup. Your body should make a straight line from the top of your head to your knees. Pull your belly button in to your spine and hold for 30 seconds. As you progress, you can increase the length of time, and move from your knees to toes.
Push-ups with the BOSU: Start from the same position as above. Once you push into that push-up position, hold for 2 seconds and slowly lower your chest back down to the BOSU while breathing in. Repeat 10 – 12 times.
Russian Twist with BOSU: Grab a dumbbell or weight plate and sit halfway between the top of the BOSU and the floor. Keep hips and knees bent to 90 degrees. Holding the weight straight out in front of you, and keeping back straight (you should be about 45 degrees to the floor) twist your torso as far to the left as your can, then reverse the motion. That is one rep. Try to complete 8 – 12 repetitions.