By: Lindsay Dunlap

Mar 09, 2009

I’m thrilled with America’s obsession with the First Couple’s fitness level. We need all the fitness motivation we can get. But all fitness tips should be taken with caution. Everyone is different; one workout can be great for one person but terrible for another.

Michelle Obama recently told People magazine that she does squat thrusts with her trainer.

What’s a squat thrust? Squat, put your hands on the floor, “thrust” your legs out behind you, do a push-up, jump your feet back toward your hands, then jump up and start all over.

Sound tough? It is.

Squat thrusts can be an excellent cardio-sculpting move for the entire body, but I would absolutely NOT recommend them to workout beginners. A newbie will be able to do maybe two squat thrusts before he or she a) is exhausted, b) hurts his or her wrists, c) strains his or her back. Not very encouraging options, huh?

My recommendation is to try a few more moderate exercises first.

1) Perform some basic squats, keeping your hips back and your knees behind your toes. If it feels okay, squat low enough to tap the floor with one hand, in between your feet. If you experience pain, keep your squats shallow. Three sets of 15-20 squats is good.

2) Practice a basic ab plank: facedown on the floor, core contracted, balancing on only your forearms and toes. Hold it for as long as you can maintain the position. Thirty seconds is good, and 60 seconds is great!

3) Try some push-ups, keeping your core strong, back straight, and hips up. Don’t worry if you can’t bend your arms down more than an inch. The small movement is still highly beneficial, and with practice, you will improve before you know it! Two sets of 10-15 push-ups is excellent.

4) Perform mountain climbers: With hands placed a little further than shoulder width apart on the floor, legs behind you, run in place, using large strides. Work up to two sets of at least one minute each.

Once you can perform all four of these exercises with relative ease, you’re ready to squat thrust!

You can always modify the squat thrust, though, depending on how you’re feeling. You can try it without the push-up (thrust your legs out, but never bend your arms to bring your body closer to the floor). You can also walk your legs in and out instead of “thrusting” them.

With any exercise or any individual workout, always listen to and respect your body. It will tell you what’s right for you. And please always remember to BREATHE! Especially during exercises as tough as squat thrusts. Holding your breath will only zap your energy and give you a headache.