Here's a list of some of the exercises I do that don't require a gym membership or any fancy gym equipment. I will do a separate blog post dedicated to Ab exercises because there is just so many :)
Squats:
- Place your feet
shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. Extend your hands straight out in front
of you to help keep your balance.
- Sit back and down like
you're sitting into an imaginary chair.
- Lower down so your
thighs are as parallel to the floor as possible.
- Keep your body tight,
and push through your heels to bring yourself back to the starting position.
Targets: Glutes,
Thighs, Hamstrings, Calf Muscles
Lunges:
- Stand with your feet
shoulder's width apart, spine long and straight, shoulders back, gaze forward.
- Step forward with one
leg into a wide stance (about one leg's distance between feet) while
maintaining spine alignment.
- Lower your hips until
both knees are bent at approximately a 90 degree angle. Your front knee should
not extend over your ankle, and your back knee should hover above the ground.
Keep your weight in your heels as you push back up to starting position.
Targets: Glutes, Core,
Back, Thighs, Hamstrings, Calf Muscles
Side Lunge:
- Stand with feet shoulder width apart.
- Step your right leg out to the side about a strides width apart.
- Lean onto the right leg, bending at the hip, until your right thigh is parallel to the floor.
- Push yourself back to the starting position.
- Repeat on the left leg.
Targets: Glutes, Guads, Hamstrings, Calves, Obliques
Hip Raises:
- Lie faceup on the
floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
- Raise your body so
your body forms a straight line from shoulder to your knees
- Pause for 5 seconds in
this position and lower the body back to the starting position.
Targets: Glutes,
Hamstrings, Back
Mountain Climber:
- Begin in the push-up
position.
- Bring the right knee
towards the chest, resting the foot on the ground.
- Jump to switch feet
from right to left.
Targets: Abs, Legs,
Core, Arms
Press-Ups:
- Lie face down on the
floor, with feet together.
- Place your hands on
the floor, shoulders width apart.
- Raise your body up on
the hands and toes until elbows are nearly straight, and then lower to a point
where the elbow is at a right angle
- One “up and down” is one push-up repetition.
Targets: Chest, Arms,Core
Plank:
- Get your body into the
traditional press-up pose
- Lower your body onto your forearms
- Hold the position here, holding your bodyweight as a resistance.
- Keep holding the
position until your body drops to the floor.
Targets: Arms, Core
Plank-Ups:
- Start in the plank position.
- On the right side of your body, raise up onto your right palm.
- Follow by doing the same on the left side so you are in full press-up position.
- Drop back down on the right side and do the same on the left side so you are back in the plank position.
Targets: Lower Back, Chest, Shoulders, Arms
Tricep Dips:
(ok this one involves
a chair but that doesn’t count as fancy equipment :P )
- Sit on a bench or
chair and slide your butt forward off the chair so your supporting the weight
of your body on your hands.
- Lower your body towards the
ground until the elbows are at a 90 degree angle.
- Push your body up to
the starting position and repeat.
- Start with your legs
bent at 90 degrees, feet flat on the ground. Extend your legs as you get
stronger at “dipping”.
Targets: Triceps,
Bingo-Wings, Shoulders,Chest
Burpees:
- Stand up straight.
- Get into a squat
position with your hands on the floor in front of you.
- Kick your feet back
into a push up position and lower body to the floor.
- Return your feet back
to the squat position as fast as possible.
- Immediately jump up
into air.
Targets: Whole Body
Workout
Give these a try :) Try doing three sets of as many of the exercises as you can manage with as many repetitions as is possible for you. Give yourself a 30sec (max. 1min.) break between each set. Add in some ab work and enjoy! :)
I try to do 45mins of resistance training followed by 15mins of cardio.
I couldn't do every exercise on the list when I started so just keep going and you will eventually build up enough strength to complete everything on the list :)
Check out youtube videos on any of the exercises you want to see in action!
Catherine xx
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