Hoe Downs are such a power packed move! I have included form tips this
month to help us sail through the holidays. Did you know that Hoedowns:
* Blast the blues away
* Increase mental clarity
* Help control hormonal mood swings often experienced with PMS and
menopause
* Drop glucose levels quickly. (From 62 to 85 points upon completion and
an average rate up to 100 points at 10 minutes post completion
* Burn off excess glucose before it converts to fat.
* Optimal brain balance, because hoedowns involve simultaneous
left/right brain cognitive processing. Because of this, initial coordination
doing the single count lift/touches from front to side can be challenging,
but within a week cognitive processing significantly improves. It is
important to exercise the brain as well as the body for quality of life in
senior years.
Hoedowns are really aerobic AND they work your legs, butt, core, lats and
abs all at once, (and if you're really twisting those thumbs back and getting
your elbows forward you'll feel it in your arms as well!) So try Hoe Downs
once or twice a day and see what they do for you.
* Beginning Position
1. Feet hip width apart
2. Toes forward
3. Bend both knees deep to the end of toes
4. Tuck butt
5. Align shoulders over the hips
6. Push knees out towards little toe
7. Arms positioned with palms up and thumbs twisting back as far as
possible, push elbows forward (elbows are in close to the body) at same
time hands move back in alignment with shoulders. (elbows and wrists
level) You should feel activation of upper back muscles. (Try to maintain
this upper body position at all times)
8. Lift up from your rib cage, and lower your traps.
* Front Lift/Touches
1. Lift left knee towards left shoulder going waist high or higher. Keep
toes pointed and maintain straight line from knee to ankle. (Right knee
should remain bent in KLT position)
2. Keep your butt tucked as you lift your left knee and shoulders should
stay back in alignment with hips at all times
3. Then lower left knee until toe touches floor
Repeat 4 times.
* Do not allow knee to aim towards center of body or allow foot to aim
towards center of body
* Side Lift/Touches
1. Bring left arm across body at same time lifting left knee to side
(Concentrate on tucking butt as left knee lifts up) maintain shoulder-hip
alignment
2. Maintain tucked butt position as left knee lowers and toe touches the
floor.
3. Do not allow your butt to release the tuck or the left knee to come
forward
Repeat 4 times.
* Hoe Down Sequence
4 left knee lift/touches to the front, 4 left knee lift/touches to the side,
REPEAT 4 front lift/touches, REPEAT 4 side lift/touches.
2 left knee lift/touches to the front, 2 left knee lift/touches to the side,
REPEAT 2 front lift/touches, REPEAT 2 side lift/touches.
1 left knee lift/touch to the front, 1 left knee lift/touch to the side, REPEAT for
a total of 4 single lift/touches front and side.
Rest 4 counts and repeat entire sequence other side lifting right knee.
Rest 4 counts and repeat with left side, Rest 4 counts and repeat right
side.
Try this: On your first set, go really slowly and do them in front of a mirror.
The purpose for doing this slowly is to really begin to develop muscle
memory. Then as you speed it up, you keep that same good form. The
second set feels so much easier after you've just gone to your max slowly.
month to help us sail through the holidays. Did you know that Hoedowns:
* Blast the blues away
* Increase mental clarity
* Help control hormonal mood swings often experienced with PMS and
menopause
* Drop glucose levels quickly. (From 62 to 85 points upon completion and
an average rate up to 100 points at 10 minutes post completion
* Burn off excess glucose before it converts to fat.
* Optimal brain balance, because hoedowns involve simultaneous
left/right brain cognitive processing. Because of this, initial coordination
doing the single count lift/touches from front to side can be challenging,
but within a week cognitive processing significantly improves. It is
important to exercise the brain as well as the body for quality of life in
senior years.
Hoedowns are really aerobic AND they work your legs, butt, core, lats and
abs all at once, (and if you're really twisting those thumbs back and getting
your elbows forward you'll feel it in your arms as well!) So try Hoe Downs
once or twice a day and see what they do for you.
* Beginning Position
1. Feet hip width apart
2. Toes forward
3. Bend both knees deep to the end of toes
4. Tuck butt
5. Align shoulders over the hips
6. Push knees out towards little toe
7. Arms positioned with palms up and thumbs twisting back as far as
possible, push elbows forward (elbows are in close to the body) at same
time hands move back in alignment with shoulders. (elbows and wrists
level) You should feel activation of upper back muscles. (Try to maintain
this upper body position at all times)
8. Lift up from your rib cage, and lower your traps.
* Front Lift/Touches
1. Lift left knee towards left shoulder going waist high or higher. Keep
toes pointed and maintain straight line from knee to ankle. (Right knee
should remain bent in KLT position)
2. Keep your butt tucked as you lift your left knee and shoulders should
stay back in alignment with hips at all times
3. Then lower left knee until toe touches floor
Repeat 4 times.
* Do not allow knee to aim towards center of body or allow foot to aim
towards center of body
* Side Lift/Touches
1. Bring left arm across body at same time lifting left knee to side
(Concentrate on tucking butt as left knee lifts up) maintain shoulder-hip
alignment
2. Maintain tucked butt position as left knee lowers and toe touches the
floor.
3. Do not allow your butt to release the tuck or the left knee to come
forward
Repeat 4 times.
* Hoe Down Sequence
4 left knee lift/touches to the front, 4 left knee lift/touches to the side,
REPEAT 4 front lift/touches, REPEAT 4 side lift/touches.
2 left knee lift/touches to the front, 2 left knee lift/touches to the side,
REPEAT 2 front lift/touches, REPEAT 2 side lift/touches.
1 left knee lift/touch to the front, 1 left knee lift/touch to the side, REPEAT for
a total of 4 single lift/touches front and side.
Rest 4 counts and repeat entire sequence other side lifting right knee.
Rest 4 counts and repeat with left side, Rest 4 counts and repeat right
side.
Try this: On your first set, go really slowly and do them in front of a mirror.
The purpose for doing this slowly is to really begin to develop muscle
memory. Then as you speed it up, you keep that same good form. The
second set feels so much easier after you've just gone to your max slowly.
HoeDowns