Monday January 3rd 2011            Day1

Tuesday January 4th 2011            Day2

Wednesday January 5th 2011       Day3

Thursday January 6th 2011          Day4

Friday January 7th 2011               Day5

Saturday and Sunday – Your days to get creative and pick some things you have learnt this week and put them into action. Have a blessed weekend.

Monday January 10th 2011         Day6

Tuesday January 11th 2011          Day7

Wednesday January 12th 2011   Day8

Thursday January 13th 2011       Day9

Friday January 14th 2011

Saturday and Sunday – Your days to get creative and pick some things you have learnt this week and put them into action. Have a blessed weekend.

Monday January 17th 2011         Day10

Tuesday January 18th 2011         Day11

Wednesday January 19th 2011   Day12

Thursday January 20th 2011      Day13

Friday January 21st 2011             Day14

Saturday and Sunday – Your days to get creative and pick some things you have learnt this week and put them into action. Have a blessed weekend. Are you ready for your final week ????

This week is about simply picking 5 of your favorite days and repeating them this week – however look back at your notes for each of the days you have chosen and see where you can improve them in any way. Get out of your comfort zone and try beating your times, taking less rests, increase weight or repetitions. Making meditations longer, being strict with food challenges.

This week is all about seeing improvements and gaining more confidence with workouts that you are now familiar with.

Have fun with this last week of challenge – January is almost over and you have already accomplished so much.

Love to you all  -  Joey

Joey’s January Fitness Challenge

My January program isn’t about losing weight, but more about learning to
focus on making healthy choices each day which by the end of the month
should become habits. My daily challenges are designed
to keep you active and conscious of making better food choices.
I would love you to join me for my 20 challenges over the next 30-days
This isn’t a weight loss program, although you will lose weight during the next 30 days. In fact, I encourage you not to weigh yourself throughout this entire process. As I want you to focus on the journey, not the destination. Here’s how it works:

Every week day I will be sending an email detailing your challenges for the day. That’s 20 challenges for the new years 1st month. These challenges will include:

An Active Challenge – these challenges will require you to be more active throughout the day with a variety of ideas.
An Exercise Challenge – these challenges offer more structured cardio and strength routines. You’ll have many choices for your workout, but always feel free to do your own routine if you like.
A Flexibility Challenge – these challenges will help you increase your flexibility with stretching, yoga type exercises.
A Nutrition Challenge – these challenges vary and will help you become more aware of your own eating habits (this isn’t a diet)
A Mind/Body Challenge – here you’ll find a number of challenges that help you relax, regroup and enjoy some quiet moments throughout the day.

Each email will also include a checklist which you can fill out at the end of each day.
Not all challenges will work for you. Always feel free to substitute or create your own challenges. Each checklist contains blanks where you can enter your own personal goals and accomplishments.
If you’re ready to join me, simply sign up and get ready for your first of the 20 Fitness Challenges. First email goes out the day of January 2nd and you should start your 1st challenge on the morning of Monday January 3rd 2011.

Send your email to joeyrubino@gmail.com

in the Subject Line type : Joey’s 30 Day Challenge

In the email include :
Name,
Gender,
Age,
Date of Birth,
Country you are from.

Here’s to a great 2011 !!
Much Love to you all Joey :0)

If you don’t live in the U.S. and can’t get hold of this months issue of Seventeen Magazine click on the link below.

Seventeen Magazine

The balancing stick pose, or Tuladandasana, is the seventh posture in the sequence for Bikram Yoga. It is believed to increase your circulation while unclogging the arteries of the body and preventing cardiac troubles in the future. The balancing stick pose is a great posture to strengthen the legs and relieve stress from the spine. Much like other Bikram postures, the balancing stick can be integrated into almost any yoga practice.

Its like a natural human tug of war – stretching and reaching simultaneously. Both knees are locked and the elbows are with the ears. The focus is four feet in front.

• Stretches the entire length of the spine
• Exercises pancreas, liver, spleen and nervous systems
• Reduces symptoms of asthma
• Perfects control and balance
• Improve physical, psychological, and mental strength
• Strengthens the heart muscle
• Strengthens and firms arms, hips, abdomen, buttocks and upper thighs
• Stretches capacity of the lungs
• Corrects poor posture
• Helps tennis elbow and varicose veins
  Instructions

  Things You’ll Need:

  • Yoga mat
  • Loose, comfortable clothing

  1. Stand on the mat with your feet together, making sure that your big toes are touching and your heels are somewhat spread apart. Evenly balance your weight through your thighs, your calves, your ankles, and down to your feet.
  2. Firm your thighs as you turn them inward. At the same time, lengthen your spine from your neck down to your tailbone, keeping your back straight, yet relaxed.
  3. Roll your shoulders back slightly as you lift your ribcage, keeping your sternum perpendicular to the floor, until your chest is open. Make sure that when you lift your ribcage that it is just a lift, not a push forward with a lift.
  4. Bring your arms down to your sides, keeping them loose and relaxed.
  5. Straighten your neck, balancing your head evenly between your shoulders, until your chin is parallel with the floor. Find a spot on the wall directly across from you where you can naturally focus your gaze, yet still keeping it soft.
  6. Raise your arms over your head and interlace the fingers of your hands. Release your index fingers and point them to the sky as you press your palms together.
  7. Bring your right foot forward about 3 feet and plant it firmly on the mat.
  8. Shift your weight to your right foot as you lift your left foot off the mat, pointing your toes as this foot leaves the floor.
  9. Bend your upper body forward, initiating this movement from your hips, as you continue to raise your left leg up and out. At the same time, straighten your right leg up into your hip as the rest of your body levels off until it is parallel with the floor. You should be able to draw a straight line from the tips of your index fingers to the big toe of your left foot.
  10. Adjust your head, tilting your neck up slightly so your gaze is not fixed straight down. Now soften your gaze and look through the floor.
  11. Stretch your body in opposite directions, imagining someone is pulling you in one direction at your left foot and the other direction from your hands.
  12. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Come out of it and repeat Steps 6 through 11 for the other side of your body.

Your piriformis muscle attaches from your hip to your sacrum (base of your back). Therefore, when your piriformis muscle is tight, it can pull on your sacrum, which then pulls on your lower back, placing additional strain on it. Your piriformis is a deep muscle in your buttock region. Therefore, it can literally be a big pain in the butt! Try these piriformis exercises to see if you can find relief.

There are several different ways you can stretch the piriformis. You can try both ways and see which position you can feel a better stretch.

Piriformis Stretch #1 Lower Trunk Rotation

Lay on your back.

Bend one knee up to your chest.

With the opposite hand, pull your knee across your body until a stretch is felt in your buttock.

Hold 20-30 seconds, repeat 3 times twice daily. Repeat on the other side.

Discontinue if pain increases and stays worse longer than 1-2 hours. If your pain increases into your thigh or lower leg, discontinue this stretch and consult your health care professional.

Stretch #2 Figure Four

Lay on your back.

Cross left ankle over on the right knee.

Bend the right knee up to the chest by putting your hands behind your right thigh until a stretch is felt in the left buttock.

Sometimes this is too strong of a stretch and crossing your ankle on to your knee is all you can tolerate at the time. You may also have difficulty reaching your thigh to pull up your leg. If this is the case, us a towel and hook it around your right thigh to help you pull up your leg.

Hold 20-30 seconds, repeat 3 times twice daily. Repeat on the other side.

Discontinue if pain increases and stays worse longer than 1-2 hours. If your pain increases into your thigh or lower leg, discontinue this stretch and consult your health care professional.

Here is a list of some of the benefits of stretching…

Increases mobility in muscles, joints and tendons as well as improve posture.
When mobility is limited in certain areas of the body, it causes the body to be unbalanced and more susceptible to injuries.

Helps prevent injuries such as muscle strains.
A strong, flexible muscle resists stress better than a stiff, inflexible muscle.

Reduces muscle tension and help the body feel more relaxed, reduces muscular fatigue.
Stress can cause muscles to tense up. Tight and tense muscles are more easily injured. All muscles get tired after continuously working for a period of time. Even taking a short break to stretch allows the muscle to regenerate and increase bloodflow.

Increases productivity at home and work.
When you feel good, you can get a lot more accomplished whether at home or work!!

Improves you athletic performance
When you are flexible, your muscles are able to work at their optimum positions.

Helps you FEEL GOOD!