2020 Sports + Fitness

Time Out New York
March 9-16, 2009

BEST OF NEW YORK:
Guy-Friendly Gym Class
Core Fusion Sport

Most men associate exercise classes with eighties-style choreography done in full makeup or worse (pelvic tilts!). But this hour of intense core training is like a cardio-sculpt class on steroids. Each exercise engages multiple body parts while simultaneously spiking your heart rate. After a sequence of jump-backs, squats, and twists - all using a wobbly "core" ball to add intensity - laying on the mat to attack legs and glutes with a resistance band almost feels like a respite.

The Middle Age Cometh
Style.com
February 9, 2009

The midriff, I am sorry to report, is in. The thought occurred to me again as I perused Prada's Spring 2009 lookbook the other day, just as it had occurred to me back in September, when I watched bra tops and bandeaux cross the runways at Michael Kors and Alexander Wang. Back then, I put the idea out of mind -- winter's pudge-concealing clothes had just arrived in stores, and who wants to embark on a program of low carbs and crunches when the holidays are around the corner? But the Spring deliveries are upon us now, and I must admit that Prada's cropped tops have a certain brazen appeal. Perhaps lean times call for a lean and hungry look? Or maybe less fabric = lower prices? Wishful thinking, I know. I'll leave aside those questions, because the matter that must be addressed is: How does one flatten abs, and fast? According to Elisabeth Halfpapp, co-creator of Exhale's Core Fusion class (and the teacher featured on Exhale's new series of workout DVDs), the trick to tummy toning lies in tilting your pelvis. "If you only do one thing, do a 30-second isometric hold on the floor, with your knees bent and your back long and rounded," she explained as she demonstrated the Pilates-inspired move. (See the image here.) "You have to make sure that pelvis is tucked under," Halfpapp adds. "Otherwise, you'll wind up cheating the move. And the tilted pelvis digs the exercise deep into your core." Halfpapp insists that a few sets of these each day will do more for your core than numberless crunches. (Though it goes without saying that eating right and adding a few other exercises into your weekly routine will help out, too.) If you can't spare time for toning up, there is one other option: Pretend you never noticed that the bare midriff isn't having a moment, and wait for fall.

Fast-Track Your Way To A Movie-Star Body
Womens World
February 16, 2009

How do celebrities like Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz and Tea Leoni quickly get their bodies in camera-ready shape? They hit up Exhale Spa's Core Fusion fitness classes. "They like to come in a couple weeks before a photo shoot or movie filming to make their bodies look better," says Fred DeVito, co-creator of the Exhale Core Fusion Body Sculpt DVDs. These body-toners will do the same for you!

Upper-body-toning side plank: Lie on your right side with your elbow directly under your shoulder and your hips and legs stacked. With your right arm and your feet facing forward, life your body up, balancing it on your bottom arm and the side of your right foot. Make sure your body creates a straight line. Too challenging? Bend your left knew and plant your foot in front of your right thigh. Hold for 30 seconds; switch sides.

Lower-Body firming hinge position: Kneel with your keens wider than hips, feet pointed and firmly planed on the floor. Pull in your abs and extend your arms in front of your shoulders. Slowly lean back by pressing your pelvis up and lower your shoulders closer to the floor. Create a straight line from knees to shoulders. The farther back you hinge, the more challenging the exercise. Slowly return to the upright position. Repeat 10 times.

Westchester Magazine, February 2008

Fitness in No Time
By Melissa F. Pheterson; Photography by John Rizzo

Want to fast-forward through your fitness routine? We asked four local personal trainers for three moves that deliver results in just 20 minutes. Here’s how to tone, stretch, and strengthen in the space of a sitcom—without commercials!

Debbie Frank, Owner and Instructor

debbie frank exercise studio                                                                                                                
larchmont, ny 10538
www.debbiefreank.com
(914-833-3059)

❝These moves promote the stability that creates core strength. They also let you slow down to achieve a mind-body connection.❞

	1. Forearm plank This exercise strengthens the upper body, and offers bonus core toning. With forearms pressed into the floor and fingers spread, align ears, shoulders, hips, and knees into a sideways plank. Beginners can rest on their thighs. Make an effort to keep your pelvis tucked, which protects the back from arching. Focus on your breath, exhaling to engage your abdomen. Hold for as long as possible, building up to two minutes. Afterwards, sink back into your heels, with knees bent and feet close together, arms extended, to enjoy a deep stretch.
	2. Hinge A classic “hold-the-position” exercise, the hinge sculpts and strengthens the thigh muscles. Kneel on mat or carpet with knees wider than hips and feet close together, pressing shins against floor. Tuck in pelvis; engage abdomen to avoid arching back. Arrange upper body in plank position. Press hips forward and straighten arms, hinging back and forth from knees. Hold a one-to-two-inch hinge for two to three minutes to engage, sculpt, and stretch thigh muscles.
	3. Curl This bracing motion improves balance and strength, reducing lower back tension. Sitting on floor, lean back onto forearms with feet hip-width apart and parallel, elbows slightly in back of shoulders with palms facing upward. Keep lower back pressed against floor. Tuck pelvis under pulled-in abdominals. Detach elbows from floor and reach toward outer thighs; grip beneath crease of knee to form a “c-curve.” Hold elbows high and wide, with shoulders drawn back. Keep chin lifted. Release hands from legs and hold for 30 seconds. Roll up to a seated position, placing hands on outer thighs. Roll back one vertebra at a time until back rests fully on ground. Hug knees into chest and gently rock side to side for a lower-back massage. Return to starting position on forearms and repeat for three minutes.