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The Daily Check-In 10.13

What does strength mean to you?
MOVE

Core move: plank row

This variation not only works your abs, but your back as well, meaning it’s a posture perfector. Matt Ortel uses it in his Core Conditioning: Ab Crusher class on Variis. To try it, put your hands on dumbbells directly under your shoulders, pull one weight back next to your rib, and alternate sides for 30 seconds. If you must, lower down to your knees but keep the weights in motion says Ortel. And resist the twist. “That’s the goal, keeping those hips perfectly square to the floor.”
This variation not only works your abs, but your back as well, meaning it’s a posture perfector. Matt Ortel uses it in his Core Conditioning: Ab Crusher class on Variis. To try it, put your hands on dumbbells directly under your shoulders, pull one weight back next to your rib, and alternate sides for 30 seconds. If you must, lower down to your knees but keep the weights in motion says Ortel. And resist the twist. “That’s the goal, keeping those hips perfectly square to the floor.”

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EAT

Sip cloudy cider.

The popular fall drink is also a boon for your health: research shows that apple cider may protect against heart disease and promote good bacteria in your gut. Unlike regular juice, cider is made with whole apples (including the skin and seeds), meaning it has more fiber, according to Isabel Maples, a Washington, D.C.-based registered dietitian. Look for the cloudy version, she says, which has higher levels of antioxidants thanks to the remaining sediment.

DE-STRESS

Install a pull-up bar.

Putting one up in your doorway is a simple way to increase “incidental exercise,” or any activity outside of your planned workouts, says Adrian Gaskin, a Tier 3+ trainer at West Georgia Street in Vancouver.

While pull-ups and chin-ups are great (you can challenge yourself to do a certain number any time you enter the room), simply hanging from the bar is worthwhile too, says Gaskin. “It’s good for your shoulder health because you’re stretching and strengthening at the same time—just make sure to keep your abs engaged and squeeze the bar tightly.” Do it for 10 seconds to start, and slowly add time.

CONNECT

Meta-communicate.

“This is a communication about communication and it can be really beneficial for your relationship,” says Laurie Mintz, Ph.D., professor at the University of Florida and author of Becoming Cliterate.

For example, if you want your partner to be more attentive, you could say: “I’m a little nervous to talk to you about this but I really love you and our relationship and want to make it better. I’d like to spend more time just the two of us without our phones around. What do you think?”

Metacommunications can also happen in the middle of a conversation: “I think we’re getting a little angry at each other and I don’t want to. Can we reset?”

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