Off Duty, Military Health and Fitness - Marine Corps Times

Three-point slim-down plan

To lose those holiday pounds, pro trainer Joe Carini recommends this three-month, three-exercise program to blast the fat.

Do these three exercises three to five days a week for three months, and you’ll soon be shedding pounds and toning up.

Hindu squats

These are squats on steroids, getting the whole body in motion. Here’s how they roll:

• Feet shoulder-width apart, arms out in front of you, palms facing down.

• As you draw your hands back toward your body, make a fist like you’re holding a barbell.

• Descend into a squat, moving hands down and back behind your waist.

• As you come up out of squat, raise arms up and back out in front of you, opening your fist.

• Repeat.

It should all be one fluid motion, with the hands moving in a circle like you’re turning two wheels on either side of you.

Goals: Start out with three sets of 15 reps. By the second month, shoot for 50-100 reps per set and by the third month 150 reps a set.

Calf raise

• Hang your heels off the edge of a step, curb, phone book — whatever.

• Rise up onto the balls of your feet.

• Slowly drop your heels as low as they can go.

• Repeat.

Goals: Start out with three sets of 15-20 reps on both feet. By the second month, do one leg at a time. By third month, build up to 25-30 reps per leg, per set.

If you’re not feeling a big burn in your calves, do more reps.

Step-ups

• One leg up two or three stair steps.

• Drop back down again.

• Repeat same leg.

Goals: Work up to three sets of 50 reps per leg.