Once every week from now until the New Year, I'm going to send out a 45-minute get-your-butt-in-gear workout that you can do regardless of where you are for this holiday season. All of these workouts will be short, full-body exercises that need minimal equipment. They're geared toward every fitness level, from beginner to advanced. They'll combine cardiovascular and strength components.
The workout below will work mostly your glutes, thighs, abs, shoulders and back.
Get a bottle of water, grab a sweatshirt or light jacket (if you're not a gym) and get ready to go. Each of the three cycles below gets more challenging, so don't go start too aggressive!
Warm Up
Take 5 minutes to warm up. This can be done however you'd like. The easiest thing to do is to head outside and take a slow, easy jog down the street or around the block. If you're inside and have a treadmill, jump on and start moving.
Take 5 minutes to warm up. This can be done however you'd like. The easiest thing to do is to head outside and take a slow, easy jog down the street or around the block. If you're inside and have a treadmill, jump on and start moving.
Workout Cycle 1:
45 Body Weight Squats
Stand with your legs hip-width apart. Place your hands on your hips, or cross your arms over to the opposite shoulder (I like to do this as it forces me to stand straighter). Start your squats and keep them going at a pace of one squat every two seconds.
Stand with your legs hip-width apart. Place your hands on your hips, or cross your arms over to the opposite shoulder (I like to do this as it forces me to stand straighter). Start your squats and keep them going at a pace of one squat every two seconds.
30 Body Weight Alternating Lunges
Go right into it with no rest after the squats. Keep your hands on your hips, pull your shoulders back and step out into your lunges - alternating legs. Extend your leg out far enough that your knee doesn't go over your toes. Drop the knee of the leg that's behind you a few inches from the ground.
Go right into it with no rest after the squats. Keep your hands on your hips, pull your shoulders back and step out into your lunges - alternating legs. Extend your leg out far enough that your knee doesn't go over your toes. Drop the knee of the leg that's behind you a few inches from the ground.
30-Second Wall Squat
Find a bare wall and lean against it with your feet hip-width apart and about 16 inches out from the wall. Drop your hips down to the point that it looks like you're sitting in a chair. Don't let your knees collapse in. Again, your knees should not be over your toes, so adjust your feet if needed.
Find a bare wall and lean against it with your feet hip-width apart and about 16 inches out from the wall. Drop your hips down to the point that it looks like you're sitting in a chair. Don't let your knees collapse in. Again, your knees should not be over your toes, so adjust your feet if needed.
30-Second Straight Arm Plank
Drop down to your hands and knees. Keep your arms straight and just under your shoulders. Come up onto your toes, legs should be straight. Pull your belly button into your spine, and keep your back as straight as possible.
Drop down to your hands and knees. Keep your arms straight and just under your shoulders. Come up onto your toes, legs should be straight. Pull your belly button into your spine, and keep your back as straight as possible.
10-Minute Jog/Run
In this first cycle, keep the run on the easy side of moderate. On a scale of 1 to 10, this should be about a five.
Rest
Two minutes. Drink a little water. Wipe off the sweat and get ready to go again. You've got two more cycles. Each a little more challenging.
Workout Cycle 2:
75 Body Weight Squats
46 Body Weight Alternating Lunges
Keep it even with 46, 23 on each side, alternating.
Keep it even with 46, 23 on each side, alternating.
45-Second Wall Squat
45-Second Straight Arm Plank
Belly button in.
7-Minute Run
This run is shorter and harder. Go right into your run from the plank, and bring your effort level to about 7 on a scale of 1 to 10.
Belly button in.
7-Minute Run
This run is shorter and harder. Go right into your run from the plank, and bring your effort level to about 7 on a scale of 1 to 10.
Rest
Two minutes.Â
Workout Cycle 2:
105 Body Weight Squats
60 Body Weight Alternating Lunges
Keep it even with 46, 23 on each side, alternating.
Keep it even with 46, 23 on each side, alternating.
60-Second Wall Squat
60-Second Straight Arm Plank
span>Belly button in.
5-Minute Run
Go for it. This is the last cycle. Bring your effort level up to about an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10.
5-Minute Run
Go for it. This is the last cycle. Bring your effort level up to about an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10.
Rest
Two minutes.
Let me know how you do!
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