1. Kneel on the floor with your elbows and forearms flat on the floor. Keep your elbows directly below your shoulders, and your knees directly below your hips.
2. Straighten your right leg behind you, toes rested on the floor. Keep your back flat, your abs tight, and your hips square. Keeping your right leg straight, use your buttocks to lift the entire leg up. Slowly lower it back to the floor and repeat twice. Do not arch your back. The movement should be slow and controlled — powered by the squeeze in your bun area — not momentum.
3. Repeat for two sets of eight to 12 repetitions per leg. Rest for 15 seconds between sets. Once you get this thigh-and-tush-tightener down, you can add ankle weights to increase the challenge!

It’s the last day of August, so get out there and celebrate the “almost-end” of summer. Enjoy the day, enjoy your ability to move, and enjoy your opportunity to move.

//www.marilu.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/01 You Run Away.mp3

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Go easy at first if you’re a tad past your prime. It’s embarrassing for a middle-aged person to be waiting in an emergency room holding a pogo stick.

If you have kids, get them acquainted with these activities. They’re way more fun than video games.

Remember the “good old days” when we all walked to school? Okay, maybe we took the bus – but our parents and grandparents probably walked to school. And it didn’t hurt them to get that exercise every day.

So – if your kids live within a mile of their school, why not have them walk?

Now, we know it’s a different world. There’s a lot more traffic, and there are definitely dangers out there we don’t want our kids anywhere near. But what about a group walk? With adult chaperones (you see where this might be going for you, right?)?

In a town we know, the Walking School Bus is a very successful community fitness program. Retired folks have taken on most of the escorting, getting to know the kids in their neighborhood, and allowing the kids to get to know some of “those old people” who live nearby. The not-a-bus starts at the farthest point from the school where adults wait for the first kids to gather. As they walk toward the school, and past more homes, other kids join in. It’s kind of like a neighborhood carpool – without the car.

There’s safety in numbers. There are adults present to manage intersections. There’s community building. And there’s fitness. (And a way to get the wiggles out each morning and afternoon!)

So this song, Gotta Move by Barbra Streisand, isn’t about pushing your chair back, moving your eyes away from the monitor, and exercising to increase your heart rate. Instead it reminds us that any change takes movement, action, and maybe even the idea of a direction.

Push your chair back, move your eyes away from the monitor, and start exercising anyway. Use the energy of this song to create a new way of looking at your world – the way an athlete looks at the world.

Get going. Take action. Create your new life.

//www.marilu.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/06 Gotta Move.mp3

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Get your child involved in team sports. There are lots of options for all kids in school. Let your child try different sports this year, if last year’s sport wasn’t a good fit.

The lessons of teamwork are important, and so is the regular discipline of practice, drills, and playing the sport! Even sports that sound like individual efforts like cross-country running, tennis, golf, skiing, and track all have team components.

Volunteer as an assistant coach, or be the team parent who organizes healthy snacks. And be sure to show up for all the games.

Add some dancing to your regular workouts. You don’t have to become the Dancing Queen or the Disco King. Find dancing that you enjoy – ballroom and Latin ballroom dancing, square dancing and folk dancing, hip-hop and crunk will all give you moves on the dance floor at the next wedding or street dance. Plus, you’ll still be doing your regular workout – so you have a net gain in fitness (and the fun) time.

You don’t usually need a partner to take beginner classes, and most community centers, park and rec departments and community education districts offer beginner classes. Take a class with a bunch of friends or neighbors, or gather an all-ages group for even more fun. It will be practice for an upcoming wedding dance.

Let’s get everyone dancing!

Here’s some music to dance (and laugh) by.

//www.marilu.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/04 You And Me.mp3

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What’s your fitness goal for August?

Although you’ve heard it a thousand times, setting a goal can really make a difference when you’re trying to get in shape. A goal can be as small as progressing from “girl” (knee) push-ups to regular push-ups, or as big as running your first marathon. Make your goal as specific as you can, using numbers to define what you want to do – in minutes, miles, reps, sets, weight, etc.

Keep a record of your goals and track your progress. Make a vision board with your fitness goals. Discuss your goals with friends and supporters (members have great fitness support on the Marilu.com message boards!). All of these activities will help you keep stay focused on achieving them.

The easiest for you and baby is taking daily walks. Use a regular stroller or a jogging stroller – just get out in the fresh air and push that extra weight as you get in a workout. Pulling a wagon works, too, but can bang up your ankles a bit more easily.

If you love bicycling, try pulling one of the baby/child carriers behind you. Bring your bike to the shop and try it out before you buy. (You can even buy somewhere else, but do try it first.)

Sign up for a “baby-and-me” fitness class. Check your local gym, Y, community education and park & rec department for opportunities.