O1xygenAustralianJulyAugust2015_

A

GOT THE

NO-BENCH

BLUES?

NO WORRIES, LADIES:the

exercises that use a bench

can also be done by placing

your hands, feet or butt on the

ground instead. For example,

with the “bench bunny,” get

into a push-up position and

hop your legs back and forth

over an invisible object.

bench jump

WHAT TO DO: 20 reps

HOW TO: Face a sturdy bench or large

box (the exercise, not cardboard,

variety), and bend your knees slightly

in preparation. Lower into a squat,

then extend your legs explosively to

thrust your body into the air [A].Land

softly on top of the bench, bending

your knees and sinking into another

squat [B]. (Swinging your arms in front

may help you gain momentum and

maintain balance.) Hop or step off to

return to the start, and repeat.

tip:

Beginners can take small

breaks during their sets –

but try to keep them

to no more than a few

seconds.

B

This move can place

strain on your

rotator cuffs. To

help counteract

this, only lower to

the point where

your upper arms

come parallel to

the ground.

tip:

3.

one-legged

triceps dip

WHAT TO DO:10 reps (each side)

HOW TO: Sit on a bench and grasp

the edge on either side of your glutes.

Straighten your arms and shift your weight

forward to bring your hips in front of the

bench, then raise one leg parallel to the

ground in front of you. Bend your arms to

lower towards the ground. When you’ve

lowered as far as you can, extend your

arms to return to the start. Finish your set,

then switch legs and repeat.

92 | JULY/AUG 2015 | oxygenmag.com.au