Classes are no longer in session…
Which means that I’ve got to get my life in order. Mainly, I need to start blogging again (it provides me with the sanity required to successfully pull a productive 18-hour day). I also need to get back in shape (work in progress). With that in mind, one of the hardest body parts to target are the obliques. I’ve dug up a bit if information on how to work ‘em:
There’s tons of oblique workouts on Livestrong.com. Here are my favorites:
Stability Ball Twist
Start by lying face up with the stability ball in the center of your back, feet on the floor and knees at a 90 degree angle. Hold a medicine ball in your hands and extend your arms straight toward the ceiling. Keep your butt stationary on the ball and rotate your torso, while keeping your arms straight and extended, until your knuckles are pointed toward the wall. Repeat on the other side. Do three sets of eight cycles. A cycle means going from the center, to the left, to the center, to the right and back to the center again.
Start with your feet on the stability ball and your arms holding you in a push-up position. Make sure your body makes a straight line from your head to your toes. Bring the ball in toward your right shoulder by bending your knees. This will result in your body being curled up on top of the ball. Repeat this move on your left side. Do three sets of eight on each side.
Medicine-Ball Twist
Start laying on the floor as if you are about to do a normal sit up. Extend your arms over your head on the floor holding a medicine ball. Crunch, or sit up a little, twist and cross the medicine ball over your body so it ends up next to your right hip. Lay back down and repeat on the other side. Do three sets of eight on each side.
Bicycle
Lay on your back as if you are about to do a sit up, then raise your feet so that your calves make a 90 degree angle with your thighs. Put your hands behind your head. Twist your torso so that your right shoulder comes toward your left knee. At the same time bring your left knee in slightly and extend your right leg as if you are peddling a bicycle. Repeat this with your left shoulder coming toward your right knee. Make sure you are actually twisting your torso and not just moving your elbows toward your knees. Do three sets of 10 on each side.
Plank Twist
Start in a plank position. The plank position is the same position you start in before doing a push up. First, lie on your stomach. Then push yourself up so that your arms are straight with your hands on the ground. Your body should make a straight line from your shoulders to your toes. Twist your knees toward the right side so that your hips are almost facing the wall and straighten your legs. Hold the position for three seconds, bring your knees back to the middle and then twist them to the left side. Repeat this 10 times and do three sets.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/166799-good-workouts-to-get-rid-of-love-handles/#ixzz1OHk4in6E
Oblique Knee Raises
Hang from a pull-up bar to do oblique knee raises. Grasp the bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip and let your legs hang straight. Pull your knees up and toward your right shoulder. Hold for a second, lower your legs and repeat to your left side. Alternate back and forth in a steady motion until you’ve done 15 to 20 reps with each side.
Side Crunches (Stability Ball)
Execute a set of side crunches on a stability ball. Position your right hip near the top of the ball, stagger your feet on the floor and place your hands on the sides of your head. Bend laterally over the ball, bend back up by contracting your obliques and repeat. Do a set of 15 to 20 reps and switch sides. Brace your feet against a wall if you are off balance.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/183427-how-to-get-rid-of-love-handles-quickly/#ixzz1OHgNkHho
Funky Pilates Move
Target the oblique muscles underneath your love handles with a Pilates’-inspired move. Sit with your legs extended in front of you, gripping a weighted ball or dumbbell with both hands, holding the weight at shoulder height in front of you. Bend your knees and lift your legs toward your chest. Stop when your thighs and torso are in a “V” position. Twist your torso to your left side, return to the center, then switch to your right side. Lower your legs and arms to your starting position. Repeat three times.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/374560-how-to-get-rid-of-love-handles-with-workouts/#ixzz1OHhInzE1
Windshield Wipers
Execute a set of windshield wipers. Lie on your back and lift your legs straight above you so your body is bent 90 degrees. Lower your legs down to your right side, then lift them up and lower them down to your left. Alternate back and forth in a smooth and steady fashion.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/92882-rid-love-handles-back/#ixzz1OHhlIR5F
Side Plank Raises
Perform a set of side plank raises. Lie on your left side with your feet stacked on top of each other. Place your left forearm flat on the ground, perpendicular to your body and directly under your shoulder. Place your right hand on your side and lift your hips up in the air as far as you can. Lower your body down to a point right above the floor and repeat. Do a set and switch sides. Make sure you keep your hips in line with your shoulders the whole time and focus on using your oblique muscles to do the exercise.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/92882-rid-love-handles-back/#ixzz1OHi7sDc9
You can also try interval training (30-90 seconds high intensity activity such as sprinting, 30-90 second “rest” period of lighter activity such as jogging or walking), which helps kill calories faster than normal cardiovascular activities.
Obliques
Underclassmen: if you see me in the back of Shelly’s or Brister’s class in Tribble next year, just don’t say anything. I’m in complete denial of any events that occurred on or around May 16, 2011.
2:34am. I’m out.
SLS AMG: A real beaut.
The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is, undoubtedly, an amazing vehicle. Of course, as with any worthy car, Top Gear has this beast featured in one of their episodes (click here for the full Top Gear episode). While it is evident from the video that perhaps the handling of the car isn’t quite like it’s track-bred competitors (GT3 RS Porsche and Ferrari 458 Italia), the car still retains exactly what Mr. Clarkson and I both love about Mercedes-Benz: a refined, yet ferocious, sense of luxury. This is especially clear after taking a look at the interior of this lovely machine (below), which is appropriately named the “cockpit” of the SLS.
Take a moment to admire.
(Gull)Wings extended.
SLS "Cockpit"
If you talk the talk, be able to walk the walk.
A tweet sent by UNC’s chancellor, Holden Thorp, is taking off in the blogosphere. Thought I would add my two-cents before I start studying for this massive Spanish Literature test. And here it is: http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/spp+50.
Dear Chancellor Thorp: before you talk about how great and intellectual your students are, make sure you can back up what you say(/tweet). Oh, and Duke: please take out any aggression that may have resulted from this untimely statement on the court tonight. Looking forward to a good game.
The World is sinking…
This post is an update to an earlier post that I wrote, detailing the financial predicament Dubai has created for itself. In that same article, I referenced “The World” (Islands) that Dubai has also created. It has become apparent that these islands have started eroding and sinking. This is clearly a unique situation. A chain of man-made islands, created by dredging sand from the bottom of the ocean to the surface, is once again finding its way back to the bottom of the ocean. The various owners of these islands, such as Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie, and Safi Quarashi, may soon have to face the reality of this sunk cost.
