Now a days when you think of the overindulgent cruise ships sailing the ocean you think of endless buffets with passengers on board stuffing their face and laying around all day.  This probably doesn’t appeal to you if you are looking to lose weight or live an active lifestyle.  With more and more people looking to get fit you will be surprised at the many cruising options that will not only allow you to relax but they will encourage you to put your tennis shoes on and start running! You will be cruising alongside other active individuals that share the same passion as you do for exploring new locations with their own two feet.

Cruise

A great example is the Caribbean Islands Marathon Cruise on the Royal Caribbean Cruise line where you will tackle four different islands with four different races along the way. You will be running along side participants from across the country with a variety of experiences. Share your past running stories while seeing a new island every day. Each new run will have different scenery, hills, and distance so you will always be engaged in the run.

Or try Visiting the Hawaiian Islands with the Run – Hawaii Cruise and hit three different islands while you run past beautiful scenery and enjoy days off in between to recover for the next run! A sample schedule can be found here to see what each day would look like on the cruise.  Your family and friends are encouraged to join you and can plan excursions on the trip for each island or they can cheer you on during your run.

If you would prefer to stay closer to the states, join the first marathon cruise down the New England coast and Canada in October of 2011 where you will run in one of the Maine Marathon events and continue on to experience national parks, pubs and group activities while on board. And don’t forget to refuel after your long run with the buffet’s and top notch service on the cruise lines.  Many of the cruise lines now offer exquisite gyms and spas as well as healthy food options for the calorie conscious.

So if you have a love of traveling with an urge to travel – try checking out a marathon cruise that is planned by runners…designed for runners!

Brides - go on a weekend marathon cruise for your bachelorette party and encourage all of your girls to start training together for the runs! Having the social support will help you all encourage each other to get in shape while having fun at night after your long runs on the ship together.  Or plan your honeymoon on one of these marathon cruises and you and your fiance can start training now together.  You can look forward to completing your first marathon together as a married couple.  Your goals of getting in shape and completing a marathon can all come together as you prepare for your honeymoon marathon.  See the world on your own two feet!

I would love to hear from any of the readers who have gone on or considered a marathon cruise vacation before.

Your abdominals, or your core as I like to call it, is one of the most important parts of your body. It is also the number one body part I hear women telling me they want to tighten up and strengthen. Here are a few of my favorite exercises that hit your core in the right spots to help you get those tight abs you have been wanting.  Doing these strength exercises along with the correct amount of cardio each week will start getting you to your bikini ready body for your honeymoon!

Plank/Side Plank

One of my favorite and most beneficial ab exercises is the plank.  The plank targets your deep abdominals and as these muscle strengthen they will help stabilize your spine, improve your posture and make every strength move more stable.  As you are building up your abdominals start with your plank using your knees instead of your full body weight on your feet.  Begin with 20 sec increments of time and work up until you can hold it for a full minute. Once you have conquered your knee plank, fully extend your body so your holding yourself up with your elbows and your toes.  Again, build up your strength starting with short 20 second periods – until you can hold the plank for 1 minute+.

The side plank is just as easy while directly hitting your obliques – and will help whittle your waist smaller!  All you have to do is open up your body so that you are holding yourself up with only one elbow and your other hand is on your hip.  Just as you did the plank, begin in short increments and start building up so you can hold yourself up off your knees and just with your elbow and toes.

There are numerous progressions for these exercises but those will come with strength.  By mastering these two moves you will feel significantly stronger in your core and save yourself from injury down the line!

Dumbbell Woodchop

The woodchop can be executed with dumbbells, medicine balls or any spare soup can you have lying around the house.  This is a great way to dynamically work your full abdominal muscles. Bring the dumbbell or medicine ball down to your left hip and then quickly move it up diagonally to your right shoulder as if you were going to throw it over your right shoulder.  The action in your abdominals that you will use to stop the ball from flying over your shoulder is key to this exercise.

Start this exercise on your knee and then when you feel strong enough move up so you are standing while you are doing the chopping motion.  When you are standing make sure to get your legs into the motion and squat down when you lower the dumbbell and fully extend up when you raise it diagonally to burn the most calories.

V-up

The V up is a more advanced move but can be modified to fit your strength level. Begin with your body lying on a yoga mat or carpet and you will want to pull your legs up and your chest up so that your body forms a V as shown below.  Hold this position for a 3 – 5 second count and then release it back to where you started.

Bicycle Crunch

One of the key parts of this exercise is to maintain your eyes looking up at all times.  People tend to do this exercise with their elbows and not their abdominals which ends up pulling your neck forward and will be painful after awhile.  First, lie on your back with your elbows behind your head so that they are out of your peripheral vision. Keep your elbows pulled back and your eyes looking up so that your neck and spine stay in neutral.  Next, bring your knee to your opposite elbow and hold this for a 1 – 2 second count and then switch – alternating between knees.  You will want to speed this exercise up, mostly to get it over with quicker but I will challenge you to keep it slow and you will tighten your core quicker!

Stability Ball In and Out’s

This is a much more advanced move but it something fun to work up to! Climb onto the stability ball (there is no graceful way to do this) so that your shins are on the ball, your hands are supporting yourself on the floor and your body is in a curled up position as shown below.  Next, you will push your shins out so that your body is fully extended in a plank position. Once you are stable, pull your shins back towards your chest and continue the exercise pushing out and pulling in.

All of these exercises have progressions to make them harder or regressions to bring them to your level. Do 20 – 25 of each of these exercises in a circuit and repeat the circuit 2 – 3 times for your best results. The key is starting with the basic exercises and challenging yourself to go further as you master them!

What are the best abdominal moves that got you ready for your wedding?!

Photo credit: Ace Fitness

A new series on bubbly bride is starting next week and I wanted to let you all know how excited I am for it!

The best time to kick your self in shape is the winter and for 2011 brides I know this is on the top of your mind.  I have spoken with plenty of brides who have their dress picked out and now need to lose the weight, tone the arms or slim down the legs so they can look and feel their BEST!

Follow my 2011 Bridal Fitness A – Z Posts which will outline the best exercises to pinpoint those spots that you want to work!  Send me emails and ask me questions on what you are specifically going through and lets get in shape together for the upcoming wedding season!

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