My Memorial Day workout this year will be done outside to celebrate the sun and warm weather. This routine is done using just your body weight. You need enough open space so you can jump, squat and lie down without hitting into anything.
Start with exercise 1 for 1 rep, then do exercise 2 for 2 reps and go back to exercise 1 for 1 rep, then exercise 3 for 3 reps, then 3 for 3, 2 for 2, 1 for 1 and so on! These are the exercises I chose:
- Squat
An oldie but goodie. I’ve talked about this one quite a bit. Just remember that The knee should always follow the toe. Have your toes slightly pointed out in order to track the knee properly.
2. Pistols aka one legged squat
Stand holding your arms straight out in front of your body and raise your right leg off the floor. Push your hips back and lower your body as far as you can. Pause, then push your body back to the starting position. Stand near a chair just in case you loose your balance.
3. Triceps press up
Start with legs extended, toes on the floor or on your knees, hands on the floor with arms extended underneath shoulders. Place your hands together with your index fingers touching and your thumbs touching.
Slowly bend elbows and lower body to floor with the chest almost touching the hands. Remain in proper alignment with abdominals held in tight. Exhale on exertion. Repeat for 8 times. Progress to 3 sets of 8 times.
4. Jumping lunges
Center your right foot, with your knee aligned over your toes. Bend slightly forward with your back straight and your bottom sticking out a little. Take a breath, push against the floor and jump up and switch legs, landing with your left foot centered and your right foot in the behind the left. Rest for a beat and then jump again and switch legs.
5. V-sit ups
Sit with your feet lifted off the floor, knees bent into your chest, hands clasped behind your head. Lean back and extend both legs straight out, touching your back to the floor but keeping your head and shoulders off the ground. Sit back up and return to your start position. That's one rep. Repeat as many times as you can in a row for one minute.
Be sure to brace your abs during this entire move and try not to use momentum to come up and down. If it’s too tough to do with the legs extended, keep your knees bent as you lower and sit up.
6. Push ups
Push Ups are effective. You are lifting and lowering your body weight and by using proper form—stomach pulled in toward your back, hands in line with your shoulders—this move becomes a full body exercise that goes beyond your chest to work your abs, shoulders, and upper back.
7. Jumping squats
Stand with your feet slightly apart with your knees aligned over your toes. Bend from the hips to lower your rear until you are in a full squat, keeping your back straight. Keep your knees aligned; don't let them fall open. Push down with your heels and explode up into the air. Don't let your knees hyper extend; keep them slightly bent. Go right back into a full squat when you land and repeat. Do no more than one set of five repetitions because you do not want to work to fatigue with this exercise.
8. Supermans
If you want a flat, sexy stomach, shift your focus away from your core every once in a while and train your lower back. Lay flat on your stomach with your arms extended in front of you in the shape of the letter X. Lift both your arms and legs at the same time, as if you were flying, and contract the lower back. Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on how "super" you're feeling
9. Burpee
By combining squat thrusts with a return to standing in between each rep, the burpee is the ultimate full-body exercise. Just one seemingly simple movement challenges the muscles in your chest, arms, thighs, hamstrings, and abs. And because you're using your full body when doing burpees, it's one of the best exercises to burn fat.
Make your burpees more challenging by adding in a push up before the squat thrust and/or a tuck jump when you come back up to your feet.
10. Mountain climbers
Not sure why this one is called a Mountain Climber. No one climbs a mountain in this position. It’s more like a sprinter getting ready to take off from her block. Still, there's no denying the power of this exercise that challenges your shoulders and quads and elevates your heart rate. Assume the sprinter starting position—hands on the ground, rear up in the air and one leg bent toward your chest. Alternate which leg is forward, only touching your front toe to the ground before quickly switching sides.
Tip: Put your timer/watch on the ground between your hands, because you won't be able to look at your wrist or up at a clock without breaking your rhythm.
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