It's workout Wednesday! If you don't know me that well, then let me fill you in! I LOVE bodyweight exercises! Sure, lifting is fun too. But I genuinely enjoy being able to get in a hardcore workout with using minimal or no equipment. A lot of my circuits and workouts that I create are based on solely bodyweight exercises. Here is an awesome 3 exercise circuit created to start getting you ready for summer! This workout will work your glutes, hamstrings, chest, abdominals, shoulders and core. I've included a modify or intensify series in this version! So choose which version is right for you, and give it a try!
Perform 20 rep's of each exercise and repeat the circuit 2 - 3 times through.
JUMP OVERS
(15 reps: 2 toe taps, one on each side = 1 rep)
Brace yourself with your hands on something sturdy like a bench or chair. Put both toes together and explode up lifting your legs from one side to the other. Put something midline as a target to jump over.
Modify: To make this move less intense, you can hop one leg to one side at a time. This will minimize the impact and also only require you to lift one leg at a time during the jump.
Intensify: Pick up the pace and use a higher object in the center to jump over.
LUNGE WITH REAR RAISE + KICK
(15 repetitions: lunge with rear raise + kick = 1 rep)
Lower yourself into a lunge position (with your knee protected behind the toe and keeping your weight in your heel). From the low lunge position, explode up and shift your weight all to your front supporting leg. As you shift your weight, lift your back leg and squeeze your glute for the rear raise. Lower back into a lunge position. Then, lift the back leg into a front kick. Repeat this exercise on the same leg for 15 reps. (Lunge with rear raise + lungs with kick = 1 rep, not 2....no cheating! ;) )
Modify: To make this move less intense, you can eliminate the full kick and simply tap your toe to the ground or do a knee raise instead. This will help you to re-stabilize before your next lunge.
Intensify: Hold a weight at chest level and add a switch lunge after your kick. Good Luck!
Army Roll Hybrid
(15 repetitions)
With your feet planted, chest high and chin away from your chest lift your shoulders off the ground to perform a "crunch" or half sit-up. Then extend your feet and roll your body onto your stomach. Place your hands at chest level and lift your body off of the ground. Lower your body back to the ground and roll yourself back to the starting position.
Modify: To make this move less intense you can use your hands to assist you with the roll over. Then, when performing the body lift, keep your knees on the ground and lift yourself up.
Intensify: Stretch your arms overhead when performing your full sit-up. Keep your arms extended overhead when rolling (do not use your hands to help you roll). Then, at the top of your body lift extend an opposite hand and opposite leg. Lower yourself back to the ground and perform a second lift right away extending the opposite arm and leg.