The Burpee Exercise Routine

I have heard the term "burpee" before but never knew what it actually meant until I saw and video about it. But whay is burpee anyway?

Burpee is an exercise routine mostly done by athletes and army for strength training. It is named after Royal H. Burpee, an American physiologist who developed this rigorous routine to assess the fitness level of the army recruits in terms of agility, coordination and strength.

This full-body exercise targets plenty of muscles in the body like the mid-core, arms, legs and shoulders. It is a cheap and effective method of work-out to burn fats and build muscles.

The burpee is done by doing the following:

1. Start in a standing postion
2. Do a squat and put your hands on the floor in front of you
3. Push back your feet and legs in one swift motion into a plank position and do push up (the push up is an added variation and increases the intensity of the training)
4. Quickly return to the squat position
5. Return to the upright position and jump (the jump is an added variation for a more intense workout)
6. Repeat the cycle again and increase the speed of movement as you go along.

You can do this exercise as much as your body (and will power) can. I have been doing 10 counts for the past 3 days and my mid-core is really screaming PAIN! I think this exercise is really worth it. I'll come to know and see the changes in my body after a month's time.

So, do the burpee exercise for a quick and intense work out and cardio.

Thinner Thighs

Isn't this a common dream of the other half of the female population who are born with fuller figure? I dream of having thin thighs too but in a healthier vision of "thin." I think I must term it aptly as "toner thighs."

I used to be very thin before hitting mid-30's. I could fit in a size 0 or 1 jeans even after delivery. I was that skinny but things changed in my body. I got rounder and flabby. My thighs grew like big logs and I didn't know why and how. I just knew that one day, I could not fit into any of my normal jeans. I had to buy a bigger size now.

However, don't despair if you're in the same boat as I am. There are ways to slim and trim your flabby thighs but you have to commit to a regular exercise and proper eating habits.

1. Run or go for regular walks
Endurance sports build certain muscle fibers which does not bulk up. It makes your legs toner and firmer. Start your regular walk and then progress into jogging later on as you build up your endurance.

2. Do squats
If you are seated most of the time in the office, take a breather and stand. Use the back of your chair as support and do squats or side lifts. I normally do this in the office without a care.

3. Engage in Pilates
These workouts are designed to stretch and tone the muscles minus the bulky part.  However, doing Pilates alone cannot make your thighs slim. Combine this with other cardio routines and proper nutrition.

4. Weight Training
Adding this routine to your workout will help tone and firm your thighs especially if you concentrate on the leg areas. Body fat is burned during exercise and adding weight training to your exercise can speed up the fat-burning process and will help in making your thighs leaner and more shapely.

5. Eat properly
Remove junk food in your eating equation and replace them with healthier options like fruits, vegetables and lean meat. Minimize the intake of sodium and drink more water to eliminate water retention.

6. Climb the stairs
Use the stairs often than the elevator if you can. Lightly running up and down the stairs help burn out fats and will make your thighs firmer and leaner.