Aug 22, 2007

Maria Sharapova Shares Her Workout

Finally, a celebrity workout I actually believe may be true! And when I say celebrity, I mean the highest paid female athlete, 20 year-old pro tennis player, Maria Sharapova. She may still have the advantage of a speedy metabolism and a job that requires exercise at least 6 days a week but still, there's no doubt this 6-foot-2 female looks healthy and fabulous.
Sharapova graces the cover of the September issue of Shape magazine. After reading the Q & A, you feel like it requires effort for her to not stay strong and skinny. Here are the main points that you could use:
-Playing tennis everyday can become boring. Maria switches up her exercise whenever she can like doing Yoga or going for a bike ride. Her new love is salsa dancing.
-She does not diet. She eats three big meals a day, always making sure to have a balance of both carbs and protein. She snacks on fruit along with a slice of ham or some other lean protein. She never denies herself a sweet if she wants it.

-To get her grand slammin body, her trainer recommends a workout that requires a a resistance tube, a stability ball, and an 8 pound weight ball.

I will not attempt to give you her workout, however the only reason I am doing this is mainly because it is kind of unique in the sense that he recommends more sets and reps than most fitness routines you find in these magazines or for any celebrity workout which is why I am claiming, this might actually be a real workout Sharapova does. It's very interesting to me. I'm used to 2-3 sets, with 10-12 reps. Here he pushes that notion. Anyone have any idea of the benefits or upping sets and reps with out using weights?

Start with a warm up for 12 minutes with some easy cardio. Then the mag gives details for 5 different moves. The first is a Overhead triceps extension with a resistance band (3-5 sets of 10 to 16 reps). The next is a Pike on the ball, which looks like a plank on a ball with a hip lift as you roll the ball towards you chest, like a hinge (6-12 reps, 3-5 sets). Then there's a medicine ball shuffle, which is basically holding the medicine ball to your left side, throwing it to a partner, shuffling to your right, and catching the ball (thrown from the partner) on your ride side so you are twisting and workout your core (3-5 sets of 9 to 15 reps). Second to last we have a tuck and crunch which is a Pilates bridge (knees bent, feet on floor now lift hips), lower booty, put right leg straight up in the air while left knee is still bend with foot on the floor, put your hands behind your head curl up and crunch to your right knee. Lower leg and repeat with left leg straight up. That was one rep. Do 3-5 sets of 12-18 reps. Lastly, is the front cross squat. This move sounds more like a lunge to me. Start in squat position, step right foot out -6 inches to the right, then cross left leg behind and do a lunge. Step left foot out and cross right behind and lunge again for one rep. So 3-5 sets of 12-18 reps.

There you have it. If you can do it by my descriptions you're a pro! If not check out the magazine. :) Until Friday, stay fit!

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