Hump Day Booty Move: Resisted Clams

If you're a person who sits all day at work and/or suffers from lower back pain regularly, this exercise - which can be done without the resistance band! - should be a staple in your regimen. This movement strengthens the top of your booty, your gluteus medius and minimus, which help support your lower spine. So while my fierce females may do this more regularly, the fellas need to consider this exercise too. It can save you a lot of pain in the long run! It can also make you a beast when you hit the squat rack - if you're into that :)

As you can see, I finished out my set by picking up the pace of my last few reps. That's optional. You can keep the slow pace, just do a quick pace, or do like I did and perform your reps half controlled, half quick.

Notes on form:
- Lay on side with knees in 90 degree angle. Be sure your feet are pulled forward and not tucked way back under your thighs.
- The hip you're moving should stay stacked directly on top of the hip you're laying on. Be sure that top hip doesn't rock back and forth with the movement of your knee.
- Your feet stay together for the entire movement.

Perform 10-20 reps at a time, on each side, for 2-4 sets.

You can do higher reps and more sets your first time doing this - if you're not using a band. If you're trying this for the first time with a band, keep your reps low, or do less sets, so you can see how your body responds - you may end up more sore than you'd anticipate!

Let me know how many reps you got done before you started to feel the burn on IG/TW @cassiebstrong #BStrong!

B Strong,

Cassie B.

Hard CORE: Table Top Twist & Shoot

As shown in the video, this is a no excuses exercise that can be done anywhere you can plop that booty on the floor! However, it can be progressed by holding a dumbbell, med ball, baby (yeah, I'm talking to you new momma's!), kettlebell or anything to add resistance!

Perform 10-20 repetitions for 3-5 sets.

Notes on form:
- Feet can be on the floor if you're a beginner or are prone to lower back pain.
- Focus on keeping upper spine straight.
- Squeeze your glutes to tuck your tailbone and round your lower back to support your lower back. Your lower back should not arch!
- For Russian Twists, twist your spine so your chest faces the walls to your right & left. Don't just flop your arms (and the weight you're holding) side to side. It's Russian "Twist" for a reason!
- For leg extension, squeeze your butt even tighter to protect your lower back and squeeze your quads and lock out your knees to support your hip flexors.
- BREATHE! Inhale as you twist, exhale as you extend & retract your legs.

Let me know how many reps you're able to complete in 1 set on IG/TW @cassiebstrong #BStrong!

B Strong,

Cassie B.

Momma B: Chew On This

Are you chewing your food or are you inhaling it? Did you know that chewing your food is just as important as the food you are eating?  Digestion begins in your mouth. When you don’t take the time to chew your food properly, your body won't digest as efficiently and you may experience all kinds of discomfort. The digestive enzymes found in your saliva begin the process of breaking the food you eat down, and preparing the nutrients for absorption. Chewing your food thoroughly is important for the maximum absorption of all the vitamins and minerals present in the foods you eat. When your food isn’t properly broken down, it can remain undigested and cause gas, bloating and indigestion. 

On average, most of us are only chewing each bite 8-10 times. This is not enough! We need to chew each bite at least 30 times.  This may sound like a lot, but the benefits you will get from one simple act is worth the extra time. This can help aid your digestion, boost nutrient absorption and help you maintain a healthy weight.

Aren't sure whether or not you're chewing enough? Start paying attention next time you eat to how many chews you do before you swallow. If you're far below 30 chews, make changes slowly: increase by 5 chews until you reach 30 for each bite. 

Here are more tips to help you improve your digestion by chewing:

- Put your fork down between bites. This way you don’t put more in your mouth while you're already chewing.

- Savor each bite. It's worth it! The more we chew the sweeter our food becomes.

- Turn off the TV and put away other electronics. Just focus on what you're eating. 

- Be kind to yourself! Creating new habits takes time. As long as you're not using your fork as a shovel, you're making progress :)

Hard CORE: Plank Gliding Knee Tucks + Sandbag Pull Through

This movement is a great way to engage your entire body to burn as many calories as possible as you sculpt your shoulders and core! While this isn't the best option for beginners, it's the perfect exercise to work your way up to because it's far more interesting than beginner movements once you've earned your solid foundation of strength. Even without the Lynx board, you can use Gliders, paper plates or towels on a smooth surface. And even without the sandbag, you can use a Kettlebell instead.

Notes on form:
- To keep lower back fully supported, hold your hips at shoulder level both during knee tuck and pull-throughs.
- Also keep lats engaged by pulling shoulders down away from ears and making neck as long as possible.
- When you lift your hand for a pull-through, be sure that hip doesn't lift above or drop below the other hip.
- Squeezing your glutes and lower abdominals tight will also help keep your hips stable and square to the floor.

Perform this movement for intervals of 20-60 seconds with 10-30 seconds of rest in between, or add it to a HIIT circuit, for 3-5 rounds of work.

Are you ready to get on this Hard Core level?! Tell me how it goes on IG/TW @cassiebstrong #BStrongHardCore!

B Strong,

Cassie B.

Turn Up Tuesday: Stretch 2-3-4

This was my warm-up song for Body Fix at the launch event at BFX on Sunday. If you were there, I bet you could move along with it again without skipping a beat! I honestly don't know if a more perfect warm-up song were ever made - give it a listen!

"Work 2-3-4, stretch 2-3-4..."

Kick off your perfect workout playlist with this song and tell me how your workout goes on IG/TW @cassiebstrong!

Turn Up!

DJ Cassie B.

#DJcassieB