The final move is for your upper back, lower back chest and hamstrings. When you combine them and do 3 sets, you get a total-​​​​body muscle workout in just 15 minutes! Perform move 1-​​“Six Part Plie Squat” and 2– “Wings, Thighs and a Six Pack” as previously described.

Do move 3 — Superman Push-​​up

Start by laying flat on the ground on your stomach (what we trainers call supine position). Place your arms out away from your body extended at shoulder level, so your body forms a “T.” Keep your arms and legs straight and lift everything off the ground except your stomach, keeping your neck in line with the spine by looking at the floor and squeezing your shoulder blades together to engage your upper back muscles. Lower back to the ground and place the hands under the shoulders by bending the elbows.
Superman Pushup

Next, push the hands into the ground and keep your core tight as you push-​​up into a plank position. Lower back down and do the superman T. Repeat 20 times to complete your first set.

Go back and do move 1, move 2 and move 3 twice more for a total of three sets.

Pack these three moves into your gym bag or file them with your home fitness equipment. Any time you need to squeeze in a quick, 15 minute workout without thinking too hard, do my full-​​body Triple Threat routine!

Fitness – fit it in! Nikki

The next move (move #2) hits your triceps, outer thighs and abs.

Lay on the floor on your left elbow and forearm. balancing on your hip, and bend your bottom leg under you. Hold a 5–8 pound weight in your right hand and lift it above your shoulder with the elbow pointing to the sky. Lift your hips off the floor along with your top leg. and right hand. Lower the right leg to the floor and the weight behind your neck, all the while keeping your elbow pointing to the sky and keeping the hips off the ground. Do 15–20 reps for one set.

Three Moves One Workout

Next week I will demonstrate the final move for your glutes, upper back and lower back. When you combine them and do 3 sets, you get a total-​​body muscle workout in just 15 minutes!

Fitness – Fit it in! Nikki

Move 1: Six Part Plie Squat (Works glutes, quads, inner thighs, biceps, shoulders and calves)

Start holding two heavy weights with arms straight, in standing position with your legs wider than shoulder-​​width apart. Squat so that your knees are over your ankles and your hips are almost in line with your knees.

On count 1, straighten your legs and as you stand, raise your arms with palms facing in, into a hammerhead biceps curl.

Then on count 2, push the arms overhead into a shoulder press while rising up onto the balls of your feet to work the calves.

Lower weights back to shoulders on count 3.

On the final count of the four-​​count, lower weights back toward the floor by straightening arms and squatting into a plie, where you began. Repeat 15 times.

Complete Muscle Workout

Tune in next week for move #2 to work your triceps, outer thighs and abs.

Week 3 will work your chest, upper back, lower back and, hamstrings and glutes.

Fitness — fit it in! Nikki

The Lunging Ladder begins with two medium weights in your hands. Step your left foot back into a lunge, far enough away that your right knee is directly over your right ankle and your left heel is off the ground. Lift your right arm overhead and drop the weight behind your neck by bending your elbow. The elbow should point up to the sky. This is set position.

Get moving by straightening the legs and coming forward to balance on the right leg. Bring the left knee up to hip level to activate the abs, while lifting your left hand into a hammer curl for the biceps, palm facing the center line of the body, and lifting your right hand to the sky into a French press for the triceps. Bend the knees again to lower, and lower both arms to the set position. Repeat up and down together for 15 reps.

Switch the position so your right leg is back, and left hand is overhead and repeat on the other side.

Lunging Ladder

You’ve just climbed the ladder to looking more like Spiderman in less time than it takes to throw a web. Next up: climbing buildings!

This combo move fits great with any workout song because it is set to four counts of eight… the normal 32 beat count that workout songs go by!

• First eight count: Start off with two lunges. If you want to make it more challenging do four jumping lunges. (This works the glutes and quads while getting the heart pumping.)
• Second eight count: Burpee/Squat Thrust by placing hands down on the floor next to your feet and jumping back into a plank pose. Lower down like doing a pushup, then lay on the floor and put your arms out at shoulder level reaching away from you. (Works arms, chest and abs)
• Third eight count: Do two lower back airplane moves by squeezing your shoulder blades together, and lifting your hands, elbows, head, shoulders, chest, knees and feet off he ground (your belly is about all that stays down. Place hands back under your shoulders and perform a solid push-up off the ground. (Works upper and lower back with chest and arms.)
• Fourth eight count: Jump the feet back up towards the hands by engaging your core. Jump up to standing with feet leaving the ground, and do two jumping jacks. (Works chest, arms, abs, quads, glutes, calves and cardio!)

Repeat the combo as many times as you can. Lunge, lunge, down, jump back, lower to the ground, 2 airplanes, push-up, jump in, and up to two jacks!

Amazing! What else can you do that quickly without any equipment to tone all of your major muscle groups and burn the fat over the muscles with cardio? Ask any trainer, this workout is like magic for the number of muscles you get moving in such a short amount of time.

Products that will help you spring into shape this year. Tested by Nikki and approved for you.

Listen

http://​www​.fitmixpro​.com — (Pictured above, middle) Get the workout music that fitness class instructors like me use, from the largest music site for pro fitness. Fit Mix Pro has custom mixes for fitness professionals with original artist music. You can select your favorite genres, artists, songs, EVEN music speed, or make is slow to fast to slow as your workout builds then cools down. All the songs blend into one another and the BPM (beats per minute) selection ranges from warm-​​up and zumba to the fastest spin cycle you can imagine! It’s like having a DJ in your headphones! When I feel sluggish about my morning run, I throw on my fastest mix and I am done before I know it. Price depends on length of the playlist.

Earbuds: www.Aerial7.com These are the lightest and best-looking earbuds I have found. Comfortable enough for jogging and even plometric intervals, but classy enough to wear on your commute to work. My favorites are the Neo style in “Chino” – the beige, white and gold mean you don’t even need earings to get a little bling.

Fuel

www​.bearnaked​.com – I like my nutrition bars, cereals and trail mixes to be natural, low in fat, and low in additives. I like to see the nuts, grains and fruit. That is why Bear Naked brand makes my palpitations Faves list. They “thoughtfully craft unique recipes by considering what each ingredient bring to the party – unlocking the natural energy you need and real nutrition, to strip away the clutter and let mother nature shine.”

There is nothing on the ingredient list that you can’t pronounce and they add lots of great ingredients like flax seeds. I especially love their Bear Naked Fit Granola, low in fat and high in goodness, protein and fiber. Try the Vanilla Almond Crunch! They are so nature-​​friendly that you can even return the bags once they are used!

Energize

www​.Get24K​.com – I gave up drinking coffee because it gave me hot flashes and heart palpatations., but I miss the focus it provides and the energy for workouts. I would never use “4 hour energy” for fear of the same bad side effects. So when I heard about a drink that is natural and gives you sustained energy and focus, without the highs and the crashes, I tried it. They call it 24k “Healthy Energy” You can either refrigerate it or try it room temperature. They say it has a “tropical flavor with a bit of a spicy finish” but to me it tastes like medicine. Luckily there is not much to drink, and I don’t mind the taste because it works. Each mini is 2 servings (1 oz per serving). I take 1 oz mid morning and sometimes another shot before my workout. With no caffeine or other stimulants or sugars, you won’t get any jolt or crash. I’ve noticed my energy is sustained throughout the day and my mental clarity is sharp, with lots of energy for exercise. See website for pricing.

Hydrate

www​.evamor​.com – Dr. Oz’s favorite water is now on my shopping list as well — it even claims to help fight acid reflux! The western diet has become more acidic over the years as packaged and processed foods use chemicals that create more acidity in foods. Acidic foods also increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease and many other illnesses. mostr Alkaline water has a naturally high PH of 8.8. Water PH goes from acidic to neutral to alkaline, so this puts Evamor water at the other end of the spectrum, where mosts waters fall either neutral or naturally acidic.

To that end, Evamor water supports HealthCorps who, along with Dr. Mehmet Oz, spends time and money mentoring kids around the country about nutrition, diet and exercise. One of their goals is to remove all soda from schools. A healthy lifestyle starts at youth, and I like the idea that by hydrating, I help Evamore and HelathCorps teach this in our schools… while doing something good for my own health as well.

Inspire

www​.shopviewsport​.com and www​.viewsport​.us – I love the quote that “sweat is fat crying,” and jumped at the chance for me to see what those tears had to say. Luckilyt clothes are “Motivation as Perspiration” because when you sweat, a message is created on the back of your shirt, like “I am the competition” or “follow me.” Granted, I don’t sweat as much during a workout as a lot of my friends do, so I didn’t get the whole message when I ran 4 miles in 84 degree heat on a beach in Mexico, but maybe you can get the message. If you want to give it a try, I recommend the “beast mode” shirt because of its military color. $25.00

Protect

www​.​g​-form​.com Price: $39.99  (Last photo above) G-​​Form elbow, shin and knee pads make you look as fierce as your workout! They offer the “first flexible, molded impact pad designed specifically to flex with your joints and become rigid upon impact.” The Reactive Protection Technology™ provides a flexible fit while still guaranteeing the ultimate impact absorption. I love that they make you look like a superhero, in yellow or black. If your workout is extreme enough to need body armor, you must be doing something right.

Slim

wwwMPGsport.com – (First photo above) Aside from working out with NikkiFitness DVDs, you can get a slimmer look by wearing a new brand of workout clothes. I discovered these at an NYC Fashion event and had to get them. The “color blocking” slims your arms, thighs and waist, and I love their bright colors for spring. The orange pull-over, purple pullover jacket with thumb holes, and stripped tank with color blocked sides and built-in bra are my new go-to for teaching class, jogging or making TV appearances. Check out the sports bras as well for a comfortable, stylish fit with some “lightly padded coverage” for those cold spring days.

Stretch

www​.tomuno​.com – I recently had to get a new yoga mat, because my beloved purple and white flowered friend was worn out and getting dirty after years of support. Luckilly, I discovered an eco-​​friendly yoga mat company called Tomuno. These this, solid-​​colored mats are sold in places like Sports Club/​LA and leading yoga studios around the country. Best of all, they are ‘green.’ I like the idea of switching from plastic yoga mats to natural rubber (the rubber is harvested from actual rubber trees). Best of all, the grip is fantastic and help my warrior poses strong! Tell them Nikki sent you. $69.00

Tighten

www​.closetomagic​.com – The “ultimate body applicator that wraps your way to a better body” has come to my attention as a way to tighten your shin after having a baby, or losing weight. It’s called “It Works” and I have seen people who try it get good results when belly and thigh skin was loose and droopy. If you’ve worked hard to lose weight but feel like your skin isn’t shaping up like it should, you might want to try these wraps made with natural ingredients like seaweed, ivy, green tea rosemary and B5 to name a few.

Fitness – fit it in to listen, fuel, tighten, energize, hydrate, stretch, protect and inspire! — Nikki

It’s the time of year when winter seems like it has gone on forever. The dark, cold days make you tired and sometimes depressed. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a serious condition and there are ways that doctors can treat it, with light therapy for example.

If you feel tired and just need a winter workout that heats you up and gives you a “cardio high” try my winter-​​themed cardiosulpt moves like:

–Nordic Track
–Scissor Ski Lunges
–Snowflakes
–Snow Angels
–Mountain Climbers
–Moguls

Watch the 2 minute demo video here! http://galtime.com/multimedia/health/46591/24755/exercise-lift-your-spirits-winter#axzz1krKdIPDj

Fitness — fit it in for a bright, warm spring!

1-Old Fashioned: the traditional move with arms wider than shoulder distance, so that when you lower, your elbows stack over the wrists

2-Traveling Push-Up: do the old fashioned, but after the first one, come back to plank, and cross the right hand over the left and then open the left up so that you have traveled a few feet to the left. Do a push-up here. Then cross the hands again and push-up at center. Cross again farther to the right and do a push-up, then cross the hands and push-up in the center. Repeat to the left, center, right and center.

3-Triceps Push-Up: same as the old fashioned, but put the hands much closer lined up under the shoulders and hug your elbows to your rips as you lower down. This will work the triceps and shoulders more.

4-Alternating Push-up:

5-Push-up Row: do a push-up with your hands on two heavy weights. At the top of the move, when at plank, lift the right weight off the floor and raise the right elbow to the sky (a row). Put the weight down and repeat on the left, then perform another push-up and repeat.

6-Side Step Push-Up: get into plank with your right hand on top of a step or a block. Do 20-30 push-ups here, then repeat with the other hand on the higher surface.

7-Spiderman Push-up: do a push-up but on the way down, pull your right knee toward your right shoulder (same side). Press back up and repeat on the left. This also works the obliques.

8- Knee Twist Push-up: Working the other set of obliques, you do a push-up and then twist your right knee toward the opposite (left) elbow. Push-up and repeat with the left knee toward the right elbow.

9-Diamond Push-up: put your hands together under your heart to form the shape of a diamond. These are hard as diamonds!

10- Push-Up Side Plank: do a push-up, then a side plank, balancing on your right hand, then push-up and plank on the left. Repeat.

11- Push-Up with Glute Raise: do a push-up balanced on the right toe, with the left leg lifted (keeping the knee straight) and pulse it once at the top of the move. Switch to balance on the left toe, do a push-up then pulse up the right leg up.

12-Incline Push-Up: do an old fashioned with your upper body elevated on a step, bench or stability ball.

13-Decline Push-Up: do an old fashioned with your legs elevated on a bench or a stability ball.

14-Down Dog Push-Up: Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder width in plank. Lift your hips up to the sky so your body forms and inverted V (like the yoga pose) with head between the elbows and your gaze on your knees. Bend the elbows so that the crown of the head almost touches the floor and return to down dog. This move with work the tops of the delts (shoudlers) more.

15-Airplane Push-Up: Do a traditional push-up but lower all the way to the ground and then extend the arms out to the sides so your body forms the letter “T.” Lift your head, shoulders, hands, knees and feet off the ground, balancing on your belly. Lower back down to the floor and place the hands under the shoulders to return to a push-up plank. This works the upper and lower back more to balance out the pecs.

It is critical to balance out your muscles and work the opposing group – your trapezius and rhomboids muscles in your upper back with this last airplane move, and also dead rows, reverse flys, and machines. Some great hard core yoga poses like the wheel, wheel push-ups, forearm stand and handstand will work the opposing muscle groups. For my upper back moves, email nikki@nikkifitness.com

Fitness – fit it in with power. Nikki

In honor of February as heart health month and Valentine’s Day, I’ve created a yoga flow with poses to protect your heart and attract love into your life.

Often our posture and inner emotional state give off vibes that propel love and opportunity away – we seem emotionally or physically closed off. This practice will help to reverse that and bring love of self and the love of others, while improving cardiovascular health because of increased heart rate during practice, while increasing relaxation and reduced stress come with the full repetitive yoga breathing and greater lung function.

Yoga practice and it’s breathing, holding poses, flowing vinyasas, mediation, imagery and focus have been proven to:

–make you feel more in control

–increase feelings of positive mood

–better posture

–make you breathe easier, not shallow

–increases the body’s ability to respond to stress more flexibly

–provide better body image

–increase more thoughtful eating habits, caring what you put into your body

–allow you to appreciate the now and live in the moment

–facilitates deep relaxation and helps practitioners sleep better

–detachment from negative situations

–provide strength, flexibility and better blood flow, helping your love life in the bedroom

Poses: cobra, upward facing dog, camel, triangle, fish, chest expansion, wheel, bridge, yoga mudras like lotus, savasana with block under shoulders.

The series:

Begin your practice with your hands cupped in yoga lotus mudra. Breathe deeply and focus the mind. Begin having an affair with your closest soul mate, yourself. Think of the ways that love and happiness exist in your life. Be grateful for them. Make the shift from looking only externally for love, and begin treating yourself like the love of your life, you’ll find your heart more open, feel more forgiving with yourself, and become more available to love others. You become stronger and more independent, more able to attract healthy real love. You look at love from others as a gift, but not something that your life depends on. Other’s choices won’t affect you as powerfully because you already have everything you need.

Open your eyes and begin sun salutations with chest expansion in mountain. After forward fold, chest expansion lunge, down dog and plank, lower to the mat for a heart opening cobra pose, later in the series it will be come upward facing dog, and other heart opener. These poses can go deep into the chest cavity to expose your heart and emotional, authentic self that you might not show to others. Move back to down dog, lunge, and open the heart with arms wide, on the opposing leg. Forward fold and then end in mountain with hands in prayer at heart center.

Next find camel’s pose with hands behind you below belt level and open through the chest into an upper back bend for several breaths. Forward fold to counter-​​stretch. Flow into a few warriors and then go into triangle and open the chest with the top hand spiraling open to the sky. As you open the space in your heart, you infuse your body and mind with loving thoughts, carrying that throughout your day.

After warriors and triangle on the other side, practice a standing posture like dancer, to bring joy into your life.

Next come to the floor for shoulderstand and heart-​​opening fish, as well as bridge and wheel.

End in savasana over a block (place it under your shoulder blades and rest the head back on a blanket). Either bend the knees or open the legs into bound angle. Focus on receiving the benefits from your practice. Through heart opening yoga poses, you practice giving your mind, body and soul the love it needs. This invites love to come to you from the outside. Happy Valentines Day. Namaste.

Fitness — fit it in this February.- Nikki

Your first course of action is to present some fitness ideas to your doctor and get his/​her advice.

Here is my SENIOR prescription for staying in great shape even late in life.

S — stretching workouts like Yoga help with balance (reduce falls), detox and ease constipation.reduce body fat, lower blood pressure, help you sleep better, help with functional moves we do in our daily lives, and help your posture. inversions in yoga help blood flow and lessen wrinkles, as long as your doctor approves moves that are inversions. Try YogaFit Seniors DVDs at www​.yogafit​.com

E — Exercise your face! Facial exercises help with sagging skin, a double chin, drooping eyes and wrinkles in the forehead, while plumping the cheeks. Google workouts for neck, eyes, forehead, cheeks and jaw, for the many online classes, books and instructional routines.

N — Nightclubing! Instead of waiting in line with a bunch of 20 year olds waiting to go deaf with a loud DJ, opt for a night out of dancing. Find a supper club, a jazz bar, flamenco performance, or a dance school. There are also many dance classes in fitness centers where you can try Zumba and other styles. Dancing helps with balance, coordination, builds strong bones, posture and confidence.

I — In the pool. Swimming is great for non-​​impact when you have arthritis, and it tones the arms, core, back and legs. Your building, a local Y, or fitness center can give you free swim hours or sign you up for a water aerobics class. My advice is practice at home, then go on vacation somewhere you can swim in the water under some palm trees.

O — Outside walking with friends, your pet, your spouse, your grandkids helps prevent dementia and weight gain and increases endurance whether you are just starting out or recovering from an illness or surgery. Start slow and build from there. Work up to jogging and cycling for memory, endurance, cardiovascular health, fat loss, emotional pick me up and better sleep. Studies show that fresh air workouts boost your mood even more than working out indoors.

Resistance — Leg workout like wall-​​assisted lunges and squats over a chair, as well as standing calf raises for circulation, reduced swelling, and better tone/​strength. Weight lifting to fight Osteoporosis, a curved spine, fractures, broken bones, and falls. 90 minutes a week total is all you need to help with balance, functional tasks and coordination. Use free weights or your own body weight for arm and leg workouts that increases muscle mass, boost metabolism, and burn more calories than non-​​resistance workouts. You will look more toned and feel younger before you know it.

Fitness — fit it in for anti-​​aging! Nikki