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. Curl the Core and Press the lower back flat
5. Lift the ribs
6. Push knees out towards little toe
7. Arms positioned with palms up and thumbs twisting back as far as
possible, push elbows forward (pull elbows 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. Lower your traps, No shoulder earrings!
* Front Lift/Touches
1. Lift left knee towards left shoulder going waist high <or higher>. Keep toes
pointed and maintain straight line from shoulder to knee to ankle. (Right
knee should remain bent in KLT position)
2. Keep your butt tucked and lower back pressed flat as you lift your left knee
< shoulders should stay in alignment with hips at all times> and keep the
ribs lifted
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 curling the core as left knee lifts up) maintain shoulder-hip
alignment with ribs lifted
2. Maintain tucked butt position as left knee lowers and toe touches the floor.
3. Do not allow your core 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 NK awareness
and 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 and adds the aerobic benefits, as it balances your hormones, gets rid
of mental fog, rids you of that high carb dinner, and drop glucose levels.
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. Curl the Core and Press the lower back flat
5. Lift the ribs
6. Push knees out towards little toe
7. Arms positioned with palms up and thumbs twisting back as far as
possible, push elbows forward (pull elbows 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. Lower your traps, No shoulder earrings!
* Front Lift/Touches
1. Lift left knee towards left shoulder going waist high <or higher>. Keep toes
pointed and maintain straight line from shoulder to knee to ankle. (Right
knee should remain bent in KLT position)
2. Keep your butt tucked and lower back pressed flat as you lift your left knee
< shoulders should stay in alignment with hips at all times> and keep the
ribs lifted
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 curling the core as left knee lifts up) maintain shoulder-hip
alignment with ribs lifted
2. Maintain tucked butt position as left knee lowers and toe touches the floor.
3. Do not allow your core 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 NK awareness
and 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 and adds the aerobic benefits, as it balances your hormones, gets rid
of mental fog, rids you of that high carb dinner, and drop glucose levels.
HoeDowns