DAILY ROUTINES

Follow this plan for the next 4 weeks.     *Routine is the same as month 2   Get the Defy Your Age: Month 1 Fitness Plan.    Get the Defy Your Age: Month 2 Fitness Plan.    See the entireDefy Your Age Challenge.  [pagebreak]

THIS MONTH’S YOGA POSES

Repeat this series for 25 minutes (about 5 times through). Finish by holding Child’s Pose for 10 breaths. Then move into the Legs Up the Wall pose from months 1 and 2. Hold for 5 minutes    

  1. Mountain Stand with feet together, toes forward, and arms at sides, palms in. Lift chest and roll shoulders back and down. Look straight ahead and breathe deeply for 1 minute, pressing feet into floor while lifting from crown of head.

  2. Forward Bend From Mountain pose, inhale and raise arms out to sides, palms up, circling them until palms meet overhead. Exhale and lower arms out to sides, palms down, as you hinge forward from hips, folding forward until hands reach thighs, shins, feet, or floor. Bend knees slightly if you feel any strain. Inhale as you flatten back and lift head to look forward. Exhale and round back to look at legs. Hold for 3 breaths. Inhale to stand up, raising arms out to sides and overhead, pressing palms together when they meet. Exhale and pull hands down to chest height. Repeat 3 more times, but don’t stand back up the third time through. Instead, move into the next pose.

  3. Crescent Lunge From Forward Bend, if hands aren’t on floor already, bend knees and place hands on floor alongside feet. Step left foot back into a lunge (right knee over ankle, left heel lifted off floor, and both feet pointed forward) and raise arms overhead, palms facing each other. Hold for 3 breaths. Keep chest lifted. If this is too difficult, lower left knee to floor.

  4. Plank From Crescent Lunge, bend forward and place hands on floor at sides of front foot. Step right foot back next to left one and balance on hands (which should be beneath shoulders) and on toes and balls of feet. Hold for 3 breaths.

[pagebreak] 5. Cobra From Plank, bend elbows and slowly lower body to floor as in a push-up. With toes pointed and palms on floor in front of shoulders, inhale and gently lift upper body off floor as far as comfortably possible, opening up chest. Use back, not arms, to lift. If you feel any strain in back, don’t lift so high. Press tops of feet into floor. Hold for 3 breaths. Lower as you exhale.

      6. Downward-Facing Dog Release Cobra and come onto hands and knees. Press into hands and lift hips, keeping abs tight, so body forms an inverted V. Exhale and lift hips higher by pressing back from hands, lowering heels toward mat as much as possible. Hold for 3 breaths. Step left foot forward and press up into Crescent Lunge (see pose 3, but with left leg forward).

      7. Tree From Crescent Lunge, put feet together and lower arms. Place left foot on inside of right calf or thigh (not knee) and balance on right foot with arms overhead, palms together. Hold for 5 breaths. Lower foot to floor and palms in front to chest. (Balance on opposite leg when you repeat the series.)

 

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THIS MONTH’S CARDIO ROUTINES

Steady-Paced Cardio       EASY: You can easily carry on a conversation   BRISK: Somewhat breathless and able to talk only in short sentences   FAST: Breathless and can say only a few words at a time       Interval Cardio This month, you’ll up the intensity by recovering for only 1 minute.      

THIS MONTH’S STRENGTH ROUTINE

Over the next 4 weeks, you can adjust your workout to fit your fitness level. Keep doing the 20-minute strength routine from month 2. If you’re ready for something a little tougher, add a 3 to 5 pound dumbbell to each move or turn it into a balance challenge by making the modifications below.   1 . Woodchop – As you stand up, raise knee (the one closest to the anchor point) to hip height. Lower as you do the next rep.   2. Hinge & Row – Place band under one foot only and raise the opposite leg behind you as you lower to perform a one-leg hinge.   3. Seated Overhead Press – Perform the move seated on the floor with legs bent and feet in the air so you’re balancing on your sit bones.   4. Lunge & Curl – As you lower hands at the end of the move, lift heels off floor and raise up onto balls of feet and toes. Hold for a second, then lower heels before beginning next rep.   Download the Defy Your Age Fitness Plan.