The Petite Advantage Diet (28 page)

With this piece of equipment, all you need is a door. And you can move it to different locations in your house as well. If you have to keep your eye on the kids or move to another part of your home for privacy or sunlight, you can just bring it along. You can even attach it to your back door when the sun is out. Sunlight is extremely important to your circadian rhythm (your sleep/wake cycle) and to your energy levels. Besides, it just feels good to exercise outside in the fresh air.

There are three components to this exercise program that are specifically designed for Petites:

Dynamic Warm-Up.
In the past, many people wasted their time on a useless piece of cardiovascular equipment to warm up, pounding their joints and causing a horrible jarring motion throughout their bodies. They also generally started hunched over, so the first thing they told their minds and bodies was to round their shoulders forward and jut out their heads. That is exactly what you are
not
going to do with this plan. Right from the start, you are going to
prepare
your body for the exercise and immediately tell it: “We are going to pull everything back in a kind, gentle, and effective manner.” In this way, once you move into the more intense portion of the program, your body is ready for the activity.

Core.
For a Petite, the key to that sexy hourglass figure that feels great both in and out of clothes is your core. It should be proportionate and look exactly like a woman’s figure should look. By reducing your whole core–front, back,
and
sides–you get that tight midsection that I’m sure you thought was out of your reach. We’ll go through these core exercises right after the dynamic warm-up, as I really want you to use every available bit of energy to hit them hard and effectively. Clearly, your energy levels will be at their peak right after your warm-up, as your available fuel (glucose) is ready to give you power. By hitting your core early and hard, you will work the most important part of your program. You will be working your core throughout this program, however. These are just the exercises that are the most specific.

The Full-Body Strength-Training Program.
These are the exercises that fire up your entire body. You will notice that, frequently, your whole body is working at once. In that way, you stimulate the maximum amount of muscle fiber (which is what you tear and then repair and regrow) in the minimum amount of time. Remember, exercise is stress. You want to minimize the stress, but derive the optimum benefits.

Many of the exercises that follow are familiar. You will be performing many variations on exercises you already know–squats, lunges, push-ups, back rows, and planks. But with the Gravity Straps, you can make them that much more effective and fun.

How to Attach the Gravity Straps

The Gravity Straps come with two individual straps. Each strap needs to be attached to the top of your door, and then you close the door securely. Have no fear, as the weighted back side of the Gravity Straps keeps it firmly in place. You may need to adjust the straps for some of the exercises and I will make notes when that will be necessary.

For all exercises, perform 10 repetitions, unless instructed otherwise, to the speed indicated.

Dynamic Warm-Up

  1.
Overhead V Squat

a. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart, shoulders back, and abs tucked.

b. With one strap in each hand, palms facing forward, place your arms over your head as if you are creating the letter V.

c. Make sure the tension is very taut when your arms are up.

d. Slowly start to lower down into a squat until your hamstrings, the backs of your legs, are parallel to the floor.

e. Remember that you are moving slowly to a three count, so it is one one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand on the way down, pause for a beat, then the same speed as you return.

f. Inhale on the way down, exhale on the way up.

g. Make sure to pull in your abdominals at all times.

h. Tension should be in your back, shoulders, and core.

2.
Hip Extension to Y Shoulder Raise

a. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart, shoulders back, and abs tucked.

b. With one strap in each hand, palms facing down, lean back, hinging at your hip.

c. Make sure that the tension is very taut when your arms are extended.

d. Slowly start to lift your body up, keeping the legs straight, which is very different from your first exercise, arms over your head as if you are creating the letter v.

e. In this instance, you are moving slightly faster than your first exercise. Perform a two count, so it is one one thousand, two one thousand, on the way up, no pause, then the same speed as you return.

f. Inhale on the way down, exhale on the way up.

g. Make sure to pull in your abdominals at all times.

h. Feel the stretch in your arms, back, glutes, and legs in the lowering phase, then feel the tension in those same muscles as you pull yourself up.

NOTE: As I mentioned in the earlier text, I just love exercises for Petites that lengthen then strengthen your muscles. Repeat that in your head as you are performing many of these exercises: “Lengthen then strengthen” to create that long, lean visual we all admire and aspire to possess.

Progression

a. To begin, stand on the left leg with the left knee slightly bent, as pictured.

b. Extend the right leg with your heel digging into the floor.

c. Then, lift up, as you did when on both legs, but this time, only use the right leg as the left leg will lift up and extend straight out in front of you, as pictured.

d. Perform the first 5 reps on the right leg, then switch to the left.

This is a tough movement, so don’t be surprised if you can only perform a few on each leg, then finish out the set on both legs.

3.
Lateral Squats

a. Start with your feet wide, toes slightly turned out, shoulders back, and abs tucked.

b. Extend your arms straight out in front of you with your hands in each individual strap, palms down.

c. Make sure that the tension is very taut when your arms are extended.

d. Slowly start to side lunge over to your right side, hold for one count, then move slowly over to the left side.

e. This exercise moves to a two count, so it is one one thousand, two one thousand on the way to the right, no pause, then the same speed as you shift to the left.

f. Inhale on the way to the right, exhale on the way to the left

g. Make sure to pull in your abdominals at all times and don’t let your shoulders round forward. Fight to keep them back, as that is a big part of this movement.

h. Don’t be surprised if you feel this in your back, arms, core, and legs. This movement is firing up a lot of muscles at the same time, but remember, that’s your goal, as intensity sheds

Progression

a. Assume the exact same position, but hold both straps in one hand.

b. Start with the right hand, and perform 5 reps (one complete rep is going from the right to the left and back), then switch to the left hand for the remaining five.

You will find that you have to fight that much harder to maintain proper posture and positioning (say “proper, posture, positioning” really fast 10 times!).

You will also experience more challenge to your core, which will help to give you that hourglass figure.

4.
Squat to Row