A: The basics are always best. Here are five exercises that you can do in a circuit to get shockingly fast full-body results without any fancy equipment.
1. Y-squats
Perform a normal body weight squat with your arms held up in a Y-position. Brace your abs and keep spine in a neutral position as you bend your legs and lower yourself so that your thighs are parallel to the floor. This also works the muscles of your upper back and helps counter-act the negative effects of sitting at a computer all day.
2. Push-ups
Keep the abs braced and body in a straight line from toes to shoulders. Place the hands on the floor slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower yourself down until you are two inches off the ground. Push through your chest, shoulders and triceps to return to the start position. Keep your body in a straight line at all times.
3. Split squats
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Step forward with your right leg, taking a slightly larger than normal step. Press the front of your left foot into the ground and use it to help keep your balance. The left knee should also be bent. Contract your glutes, brace your abs and keep your spine in a neutral position. Lower your body until your right thigh is parallel to the ground. Keep your upper body upright and your lower back flat. Push up to the upright position, but don’t step back. Stay in a split-squat stance; perform all reps for one leg and then switch.
4. Mountain climbers
Start in a pushup position, brace your abs and slowly bring one knee towards your chest. Touch the toe to the ground and then return your foot to the start position. Alternate sides. Keep your abs braced and your hips low. Do not let your hips sag or rotate.
5. Reverse lunges
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and take a large step backward with your right leg. Contract your glutes, brace your abs and keep your spine in a neutral position. Bend both knees and lower yourself into a regular lunge position so that your left thigh is parallel to the floor. Bring right leg back to start position and switch legs. These require less balance than forward lunges but also work the glutes and hamstrings more than forward lunges.
Do 8-12 repetitions per exercise. Don't rest between exercises. Go through the circuit up to three times, resting one minute after each circuit. For a once-a-month challenge, do each exercise to failure in your final round through the circuit.
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ANSWERED BY:
Craig Ballantyne is the owner of TurbulenceTraining.com, a website devoted to helping women get more fat loss results in less workout time with a variety of free weight and body weight exercises. Visit the site to get your free report on the "Dark Side of Cardio" and more. |
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