Core Strength, Do the Two Minute Tooth Brush Tone Up.

One Step Further and My Back Will Break.

pop quiz: the lyric above is from what song and artist? clue: George and Andrew seek the perfect girl!

There never seems to be enough time in the day to prepare your body for the ski season. Then, three days into your ski holiday, you wish, more than anything else, that you had managed to find a bit more time to develop your core strength.

Now, I’m not saying this series of exercises is enough, but at least four minutes a day, you do brush your teeth at least twice a day don’t you?; done every day, at a time when you are usually just staring at yourself in the mirror and trying to decide whether or not you are getting wrinkles, has got to be better than nothing.

So, if you haven’t got one, get yourself an electric tooth brush with a two minute timer, or grab your phone or a simple kitchen timer, and go for the ‘two minute tooth brush tone up’ at least two times a day.

I’ve shared other ski exercise routines and will be featuring demonstrations of these core strength exercises in the future, but you all know them, you just forget to do them; here goes…

A Week of Two Minute Tooth Brush Tone Up Exercises.

Day 1.

• am – Grab hold of your left leg with your left hand and pull your foot towards your bum. Hold your stomach in and your pelvis down – hold for two minutes; easing your foot to your bum. Brush your teeth with your right hand.
• pm – Grab hold of your right leg with your right hand and pull your foot towards your bum. Hold your stomach in and your pelvis down – hold for two minutes; easing your foot to your bum. Brush your teeth with your left hand.

Day 2.

• am – Stand on your right leg and wrap your left foot around your right ankle, move up on to your right toes holding your stomach in and your pelvis down – hold for two minutes; use a finger from your left hand on the wall to balance if necessary. Brush your teeth with your right hand.
• pm – Stand on your left leg and wrap your right foot around your left ankle, move up on to your left toes holding your stomach in and your pelvis down – hold for two minutes; use a finger from your right hand on the wall to balance if necessary. Brush your teeth with your left hand.

Day 3.

• am – Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, bend your knees, keep your body upright, your stomach in and your pelvis down – hold for two minutes; ease your bum towards the floor without bending at the middle. Brush your teeth with either hand.
• pm – Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, bend your knees, keep your body upright, your stomach in and your pelvis down – hold for two minutes; ease your bum towards the floor without bending at the middle. Brush your teeth with either hand.

Day 4.

• am – Stand on your left leg and place the sole of your right foot into your inner left thigh with your knee out to the side, inline with your body. Lift your left arm straight up above your head. Keep your body upright, your stomach in and your pelvis down – hold for two minutes. Brush your teeth with your right hand.
• pm – Stand on your right leg and place the sole of your left foot into your inner right thigh with your knee out to the side, inline with your body. Lift your right arm straight up above your head. Keep your body upright, your stomach in and your pelvis down – hold for two minutes. Brush your teeth with your left hand.

Day 5.

• am – Lie on the floor, lift your body onto your elbows and toes – plank position, twist your left shoulder and hip towards the ceiling, leaving your weight on your right elbow and right foot – keep your body in a straight line and hold for two minutes. Brush your teeth with your left hand.
• pm – Lie on the floor, lift your body onto your elbows and toes – plank position, twist your right shoulder and hip towards the ceiling, leaving your weight on your left elbow and left foot – keep your body in a straight line and hold for two minutes. Brush your teeth with your right hand.

Day 6.

• am – Stand with your feet wide apart, left foot facing forwards, right foot at 90o. Keeping your left leg straight, bend your right knee and bring your right elbow to rest on it. Keep your whole body in line, focus on right foot, right knee, bum, shoulders; hold for two minutes. Brush your teeth with your left hand.
• pm – Stand with your feet wide apart, right foot facing forwards, left foot at 90o. Keeping your right leg straight, bend your left knee and bring your left elbow to rest on it. Keep your whole body in line, focus on left foot, left knee, bum, shoulders; hold for two minutes. Brush your teeth with your right hand.

Day 7. Core Strength feeling Stronger.

• am – Sit crossed legged on the floor, place your right hand on your left knee; twist your body, looking over your left shoulder, keep your body upright, stomach in; ease into the twist without slouching, hold for two minutes. Brush your teeth with your left hand.
• pm – Sit crossed legged on the floor, place your left hand on your right knee; twist your body, looking over your right shoulder, keep your body upright, stomach in; ease into the twist without slouching, hold for two minutes. Brush your teeth with your right hand.

…and repeat next week! Your core strength will thank you.

pop trivia: “One step further and my back will break” from Wham’s 1984 hit ‘Everything She Wants’.