<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"We couldn't be more proud of the U.S. Women's Gymnastics team (Go [Gabby](/fitness/blogs/freshfitnesstips/2012/08/gabby-douglas-we-love-your-smile)! Go [Aly](/fitness/blogs/freshfitnesstips/2012/08/americas-tweetheart-aly-raisman)! Go [Jordyn](/fitness/blogs/freshfitnesstips/2012/07/jordyn-wieber-interview-olympics-2012)!), and we can't wait to watch them sweep up more medals in this week's individual events (Congrats to McKayla Maroney for winning silver yesterday on vault!). That's why we're loving *[Slimnastics](http://www.amazon.com/The-Slimnastics-Workout-No-Equipment-Plyometrics/dp/1466497300/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1340583944&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=slimnastics)*, a new workout book and DVD by New York City-based fitness instructor, personal trainer and former cheerleader Nicole Glor. The 30-minute routine combines yoga, cardio and gymnastics to chisel your arms, boost your booty, cut up your core and strengthen and straighten your back, Glor says.\\n\\nGlor designed a shortened version of the routine just for SELF readers, complete with modifications for different fitness levels. Add these three moves to your regular cardio workout three times a week to feel lighter, leaner and more limber -- quite the winning combination!\\n\\n  \\n[#image: /photos/57d8d330d3276fe232948135]||||||__Figure 8__  \\n*This move builds core strength, focus, and upper-body strength.*\\n\\n__Bronze level:__ Start in seated position with the left leg extended in front of you on the floor while the right knee is bent. Taking the right ankle in your right hand, place it into the crook of our left elbow and link the hands together. Your foot will be near your left shoulder, and your knee will be near your right. This pose is called \\\"cradle the baby\\\" because it looks as if your shin is a baby in your arms. Sit up tall and hug the leg in to open and stretch the right glute and outer thigh. Hold for three deep breaths.\\n\\n__Silver level:__ Next, take the right ankle out of the left arm. Lean forward and link the underside of the right knee over your right shoulder. Bend your right elbow and place both hands on the floor. Bend the left leg and link the right ankle underneath the left ankle.\\n\\n__Gold level:__ If this is comfortable, lean forward keeping elbows bent and fingers facing forward, shift the weight into your hands, lift your glutes off the floor, and push your legs out to the right, almost straightening them completely (above). Your right arm will remain between the two legs. Finally, tilt your head and look at your feet, hovering above the earth, feeling strong and capable of anything!\\n\\nHold for three breaths. To come out of the pose, simply shift the weight back into the glutes and sit on the floor. Bend the knees and unhook the ankles. \\\"Wring out\\\" your wrists by circling them clockwise and counterclockwise before repeating the move on the other side.\\n\\n [#image: /photos/57d8d33024fe9dae328332f4]||||||[#image: /photos/57d8d331d3276fe232948137]||||||__Walking Wheel__  \\n*This is a fun upper-back strengthener, heart-opener and backbend. Walk up to a wall and step two feet or so away, turning so your back faces the wall. Slightly bend your back and reach the arms overhead to touch the wall.*\\n\\n__Bronze level:__ Bend your back and look overhead, reaching the hands towards the wall and this time pressing your palms into it (top). Keep the feet hip-width apart with knees slightly bent and core tight.\\n\\n__Silver level:__ Slowly begin to walk your hands down the wall as far as is comfortable or coming all the way to the floor into wheel pose with your hands on the floor and fingers facing your heels. Trainer's tip: Push hard against the wall because gravity will be pulling you down and you need to support yourself until you can reach the floor.\\n\\n__Gold level:__ Once in the wheel position with arms and legs straightening into the arch formation, start bending the elbows (bottom) to just barely tap the head to the floor and then straighten the arms again. That is one push-up. Work up to doing fifteen at a time and always counter-stretch between sets.\\n\\nThen climb back up: Get back into wheel, or if you stopped half way down, press the hands firmly back into the wall and walk yourself back up to standing. As a counter-stretch, take a forward bend and reach towards your shins or the floor. Hold for two long breaths.\\n\\n [#image: /photos/57d8d33246d0cb351c8c6aa1]||||||[#image: /photos/57d8d333d3276fe232948138]||||||[#image: /photos/57d8d33346d0cb351c8c6aa2]||||||__Cardio Interval: X Split Jumps__  \\n*Stepping off the mat sets the scene for fat burning and flexibility moves like X and split jumps.*\\n\\n__Bronze level:__ With your legs hip-width, sit back into a squat with knees aligned over the ankles (top).\\n\\n__Silver level:__  Perform three squats in fast succession counting one, two, three. Count an \\\"and\\\" beat, jump into the air using your leg muscles and punch the hands to the sky (in a X position (middle)) and land on four. Repeat. One (squat/stand), two (squat/stand), three (squat/stand), and jump, four (land).\\n\\n__Gold level:__ Turn the X into a toe-touch split: Jump high into the air with arms extended overhead and legs long, like an exclamation point. Rebound on the floor and then sweep the arms in front of you for momentum. At the same time, jump and lift both legs out to the sides into a split (bottom) and reach your hands for your heels.\\n\\n*Learn more about Nikki at [NikkiFitness.com](http://NikkiFitness.com), and follow her on Twitter [@NikkiFitness](http://twitter.com/nikkifitness).*\\n\\nRelated Links:  \\n[Olympians You Don't Want to Miss](/fitness/2012/07/olympic-hopefuls-slideshow)  \\n[Tasty Snacks for Your Olympics Party](/fooddiet/2012/08/olympics-party-food)  \\n[Simple Steps to Cellulite-Free Skin](/beauty/2012/04/cellulite-free-skin-slideshow)--  \\nFor daily fitness tips follow SELF on [Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/selfmagazine) and [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/selfmagazine).\\n\\nGet SELF on your [iPad](http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id421088847) and [Kindle Fire](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0063M1C6U)!"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.self.com/story/inspired-by-gymnastics-slimnastics-workout>