I wanted to offer a great strength training workout that involved little equipment and time to my busy readers! Perform the exercises back to back, moving through them with as few breaks in between as possible.
20 Balance Lunges, each leg: Stand with one foot up on a chair and the other far enough ahead that when you lunge, your front knee does not pass over your toes. Balance, keep your shoulders back, chest open, stay tall in your upper body. Hold dumbbells if you'd like to add weight. Go slow and move with control, lunging up and down (not forward and back) while keeping your abs tight.
20 Push Ups: Nothing fancy, just make sure you start from your toes and stay off your knees for as long as possible. Exhale on the way up!
20 Single Leg Squat, each leg: Stand and balance on one leg, the other leg straight in front of you off the floor. Bend the knee of the supporting leg, pushing your hips back and sitting as low as you can, then pushing through the heel to stand back up. Stay on one leg for all reps, then switch.
20 Swimmers Reach: Lying on your stomach with your arms reaching out in front of you off the floor, gazing down at the floor instead of out, and with your lower body relaxed. Pull your elbows back, bending your arms as though you want to touch your elbows together behind your back, and lift your chest up off the floor, then return back to start. Exhale as you pull, inhale as you reach forward.
20 Plie Squat Jumps: Stand with your feet out wide, toes and knees pointing out. Bend your knees and lower your body straight down as low as you can, while keeping your shoulders over your hips and upper body tall with perfect posture. As you come up, jump your feet together and reach your arms up. Jump your feet back out wide, bending your knees into your squat as you land.
20 Pike Push Ups: Place your hands on the ground, keep your legs straight so you're in an upside-down "V" shape. Bend and straighten your elbows, exhaling as you push away from the floor. Keep your hips up night and high, you may want to stay on the balls of your feet if you have tight hamstrings.
20 Curtsey Lunges: Just like royalty! Step one leg back and to the side of your other leg, bend your knees, and stand back up to perform the same thing on the other side. Add a bicep curl if you have weights and want some extra upper body work!
20 Tricep Dips: Sit on a chair with your hands on either side of you. Straighten your legs and scoot your bum off the chair so you're being supported by your hands and your heels. Bend your elbows, lowering straight down (back close to the chair, not away) and then straighten them all the way back up.
20 Single Leg Bridge, each leg: Lay on your back with one leg up on a chair, knee bent, and the other leg straight up in the air. You should have a 90 degree bend in the knee of the supporting leg. Pushing through the leg on the chair, lift your hips up as high as you can, squeezing your glutes. Lower your hips back down, but before you actually reach the ground, lift back up. Perform all reps on one side before switching.
20 Sit-Ups: You know the drill! Knees bent, feet on the floor. Lower until the middle of your back touches the floor (not your shoulders) and then come all the way back up.
Once you've completed all the exercises, if you still have time (and energy) go for another round!!
Let me know how you do!
