ExerciseTV‘s Holly Perkins is back for our fourth and final installment of Resolution Solution. Each week, Holly — a personal trainer and New Balance Fitness Ambassador — has offered tips and info related to this four-week exercise plan designed to help you shed pounds and tone up this winter. This week’s routines are focused on weight loss — just what we need with swimsuit season creeping up on us. And remember, always consult your physician before starting any new exercise plan.

Rebecca ()
Editor

Hulu: What makes these exercises great for someone looking to shed pounds?

Holly: These exercises will help you lose weight because they are “big” movements that involve every major muscle group in the body, therefore stimulating the metabolism and calorie expenditure. Here, you will get an effective system that will help to maximize your results for the time spent. By stimulating the musculature, you will increase the need for energy (calories). This burns calories from stored body fat, which means you will lose weight if you consistently follow this workout. Combine this workout with 2-3 days of cardiovascular exercise every week and you will maximize fat burning.

What sort of cardio do you recommend to supplement these workouts?

To maximize your results and keep your cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory (heart and lungs) systems healthy, it is important to incorporate cardio workouts each week in addition to these workouts. All of these ExerciseTV workouts will help to build your cardio ability and health, but it is advised to include separate, cardio-only workouts each week. The easiest — and maybe even the best — for most people is brisk walking. Get outside and walk for 20 to 50 minutes, depending on your fitness level. You can also walk or jog on a treadmill, or try other cardio-based machines such as elliptical-type trainers, stationary bicycles and step machines. Check out a cardio-based class or spinning at your local gym. And if you prefer to stay home (the most “green” option!), check out more workouts from ExerciseTV.

Which exercises are the ultimate full-body workouts, where you’ll see great results fast?

Try the 180 Power Lunge, Figure 8 Squat, Tight Torso and Side Plank. These exercises are amazing because they involve so many muscle groups throughout the entire body. This kind of exercise causes an overall systemic demand which increases the metabolism, heart rate, breathing rate and cardiovascular training. You will be using your legs (hamstrings and quadriceps), glutes, pelvic stabilizers, spinal support muscles, core and abs, chest, arms (biceps and triceps) and shoulders. If you are going to exercise, why not maximize your time and train your whole body in one or two movements? Try it!

Do we need any special equipment this week?

Some exercises will require 3- to 10-pound dumbbells, depending on your experience level. For some exercises such as the 180 Power Lunge and the Figure 8 Squat, you might want to try to use a 6-pound medicine ball. Marco Reed and Michael Carson use dumbbells, which is the alternative if you do not have access to a medicine ball. Either works great. You will also need an exercise mat or comfortable flooring. And don’t forget high-quality athletic shoes that are less than 6 months old. Supportive footwear is extra-important for exercises that require jumping or plyometric movements such as the 180 Power Lunge. New Balance makes excellent shoes for men and women that cater to all foot-width sizes.

Now that our month is up, how should we proceed?

After completing the entire Resolution Solution program, take one full week of “active recovery” and begin the series again from the start. Active recovery is any light physical activity that doesn’t stress the body too much, such as easy walking, playing with kids, or yard work. When you begin this series for the second time, consider adding a heavier dumbbell to the appropriate exercises. If you used no weights the first time through, try adding 3- or 5-pound dumbbells this time.

What’s your favorite workout in this list?

From a trainer’s perspective, this workout series is great because it is super challenging and brings great results rather quickly. The challenge is to get you to love these as much as we do! Unfortunately, most of my clients dread many of these exercises because they are hard. But, as my client Adrian Grenier says: “If we’re going to do it, let’s do it.” In other words, if you are going to show up for your workout, it makes sense to put up your best effort and use the exercises that accomplish the most in the time spent. My picks from these exercises — because they are so effective — are the 180 Power Lunge, Tight Torso and Side Plank.

It’s the third week of getting back in shape here at Hulu. In the past two weeks, our partners at ExerciseTV have helped us focus on strength and toning and abs and core with Resolution Solution, a four-week collection of workout videos. The exercises they’ve chosen this third week can be used altogether as a total body workout.

Once again, personal trainer Holly Perkins is back to tell us about some of the exercises. And remember, if you’re new to exercise, consult your physician before starting any of these routines.

Hulu: In week three, we tackle a little bit of everything. How much time does this total body workout require?

Holly: The beauty of this workout and series of videos is that it will take less than 30 minutes to complete a full-body workout. For best results, aim for two to three workouts each week and you should begin to see results in three weeks. Imagine changing your body and seeing results in just 90 minutes each week. Try substituting 90 minutes of internet and TV time each week for 3 of these workouts. You’ll be amazed at the changes that you’ll see in your body.

Hulu: How often should we focus on total body?

Holly: Assuming that you are not performing other strength-based workouts, you should aim for two to three full-body workouts every week. For example, complete this workout on Monday, Wednesday and Friday every week. On these days, you can also complete some cardiovascular exercise such as running, walking or elliptical training for a well-rounded complete program. Another option is to complete your cardiovascular training on Tuesday, Thursday and/or Saturday each week depending on your time availability.

Hulu: How do you suggest incorporating this workout with the fitness videos from weeks one and two?

Holly: A unique and exciting aspect to all of the ExerciseTV videos is that they can be mixed and matched for endless workouts. You can combine any exercise from this week’s workout with an exercise from week one or two as long as you alternate body parts. For example, if you select Very Sexy Arms from this week, you should choose an exercise that does not focus on the arms, such as the One-Legged Squat from Week 1 or Quick Abs from Week 2. Continue alternating exercises like this until you have selected six to eight different exercises. The rule of thumb is to alternate through all of the major body parts: legs, arms (biceps and triceps), shoulders, chest, back, and abs/core. It is appropriate to choose two different exercises for the same body part as long as they don’t follow each other in the workout. Try it. It’s a liberating and creative approach to exercise.

Hulu: What kind of equipment/gear is needed this week?

Holly: An exercise mat or comfortable flooring, 3- to 8-pound dumbbells, and a willingness to work learn something new and work hard!

Hulu: Who are these exercises targeted toward?

Holly: These exercises are suitable for all levels: Beginners should start slow, learn the exercises and progress over a few weeks using little or no weight. Advanced exercisers can add 5- to 10-pound dumbbells where appropriate and complete additional sets of these workouts and exercises. Start conservatively for a week or two, then progress to higher-weighted dumbbells when the exercises begin to feel easy.

Hulu: What’s the secret to the Belly Bulge Blast?

Holly: The secret to the Belly Bulge Blastis to work very hard for perfect technique. Listen to Cindy’s directions and notice the alignment from knees to shoulders. Perfect form and technique is the secret to almost all exercises. Any plank exercise is a little challenging, so practice and refine your movement so that it is precise. If you can do this, and draw inward with your abdominals, you will find this exercise to be your new secret weapon.

Hulu: What about the Quick Fix Butt Lift?

Holly: The secret to the Quick Fix Butt Lift is to be certain to keep your hips raised high. In general, your hips should be raised so that they are in line with the knees. At the top of the movement, look downward towards your hips. Your hips should be in line with the knees or slightly below. This alignment causes full contraction of the gluteal muscles while simultaneously stretching and opening the front of the hips. Performing this movement with the hips high will also cause you to engage the high hamstrings — the key to that nice separation of the butt and thighs.

Hulu: The Full Body workout recommends a “plyo” for better results. What is it? How does it work?

Holly: A plyometric movement or “plyo” is when a muscle group is loaded in a preparation phase before it is contracted in the action phase. A simple example is a squat jump similar to Cindy’s in the Full Body video. In the preparation phase, you will be lowering slightly so that when you jump up (action phase), you will have more explosive power. Plyometric movements challenge the muscular system in a new, unfamiliar way, causing rapid fitness progress and an increase in explosive power. This movement is excellent for athletes and runners.

Hulu: What’s your favorite workout from this week?

Holly: I use all of the movements from the Toned Triceps workout with Jenna Phillips when I am training one of my female celeb clients.

And there you have it We’ll have one more Q&A with Holly next Monday as we embark on the fourth and final week of Resolution Solution. Check back for more of her great insight!

Rebecca (),
Editor