Turbo-charge your plank - exercise for abs

It may be cold and dark outside but it is the new year, so I know many  of you are thinking about getting fit and healthy as a new year's resolution. 

Christmas is a time to indulge so now I am ready to get back to eating clean and exercising. 


One area that I really want to work on this year is my stomach.One of the best forms of ab exercise is certainly the plank but here are three easy ways to ramp up your plank…

Elbows in

In the normal plank position, try to force your elbows towards your feet. Just this simple move will squeeze the abs more, working them harder in the same amount of time. Hold for 30sec, building this time up.

like a normal plank...but more intense 

The health benefits of an Epsom salt bath

With the cold weather setting in and the stress of Christmas, you'll be forgiven if you have a few aches and pains in your muscles. Along with regularly using my foam roller (I blogged about my love of this recently) I also try to treat my aches to a a very vigorous deep tissue massage (I went to Achilles in Fulham FYI, which is great). Jerry, my masseuse therapist, always suggests that I have a long soak in an epsom salt bath.

epsom salts don't bubble so add a little bubble bath!

I have heard about this before (thanks to my dad actually) but I didn’t realise how many health benefits there were from epsom salts. I must admit too, after a long soak I felt so much better, my aches and pains practically gone!

my tub of Epsom salts

Firstly though, what re Epsom salts?

Epsom salt is not actually a salt but a naturally occurring pure mineral compound of magnesium and sulphate.

Here are some of the health benefits of using Epsom salts...

Health benefit one: restore magnesium levels

Magnesium actually plays an important role in the body including reducing inflammation, helping to prevent artery hardening and helping muscles and nerve functions. Most of us do not have high enough magnesium levels and as the body easily absorbs magnesium through the skin, an Epsom salt bath is an easy way to boost your levels.

Health benefit two: eases stress and relaxes the body

We all know stress is bad for us and I am guessing it is something you would welcome into your life like you would a swarm of wasps at a picnic. Stress drains the body of magnesium and increases levels of adrenaline. The magnesium in Epsom salts help to produce serotonin, a mood-enhancing chemical within the brain, helping to produce a feeling of calm and relaxation. When dissolved in warm water, the Epsom salt is absorbed through the skin and replenishes the level of magnesium in the body.

The trigger point foam muscle roller

If you are a fan of exercise, then you'll know the importance of a good post workout stretch to sooth your muscles and aid recovery. You may also have heard the importance of massages, or heard how professional football teams are treated to a post game rub down. But it you're not on £150,000 a year then you might not be able to afford a massage after every workout like they do! Fear not though, invest in this...

my Trigger Point roller 

... a Trigger Point grid foam roller! 

This hard, hollow tube is specifically designed to mimic a deep tissue massage, to help work out the knots and niggles in your muscles after a good sweat on. My sport of choice is kick boxing, and after an hour and half of and trying not to get hit, you can feel it in your muscles! A role on this after always sorts me right out! 

the grid design 

The Boy first introduced this to me a few months ago and I haven't looked back since! I love it. Well, it is a kind of love hate relationship though as it bloody hurts when you use it!