What a bar can do for your body

Not that kind of bar ... a body bar!
All it takes is a little imagination and you really do have an entire workout right at your fingertips. Right now you might pick one up and do some biceps curls or overhead presses, but trainer Angie Gallagher says you shouldn't stop there.

"People probably aren't as intimidated by this as some other things in the gym, but probably surprised about everything they can do with it. It's a very versatile piece of equipment, it has even distribution of weight, it doesn't have weights on the ends to slip off, it's also padded." Those are all great resons to grab this simple exercise tool and get moving. Leave it to Angie to take traditional moves and add a little something unexpected. Instead of standard squats, we add a hop to get the heart pumping. She does the same thing with an overhead press - this time adding a big charleston kick. "Excellent!" she says with a grin, "and again, the heart rate is up big time because your whole body's engaged"

The next two moves also incorporate both arms and legs. We do plie' squats with an overhead triceps press and curtsy lunges with a lateral raise. "I am a big fan of compound moves because most of us are time pressed. This way you hit multiple muscle groups so you get a lot done in a short amount of time and getting your heart rate up as well."

Angie's list of ideas is endless. She shows inner and outer thigh exercises, standing hamstrings and even ab drills with the bar. "It's a versatile piece of equipment...doesn't take up a lot of room and it's not that expensive so you could add it to your home."

The body bar comes in a wide range of weights and you can find it at sporting goods stores, discount stores and online.
You can find Angie at www.fitnesswithangie.net

EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com