Most people have only minimal equipment for an at-home workout, so this is a workout that is bodyweight, with the option too add weight in the form of canned goods, bottles of cleaner or detergent, and the odd mop or broom handle.
The idea is to keep workouts simple and quick enough for most people to make time for. Scale it up with progressions for more advanced exercisers, or keep it the same if you like where you're at right now.
Workout #1
Warm-up
- 1 min. knee touches
- stand tall keeping your abs tight
- raise one leg up and touch both hands to the thigh, knee, or shin
- you can add a squeeze to the shin touch to make it a little more of a stretch
- 1 min walking jacks
- stand tall with arms at sides
- step leg to the side and raise both arms overhead
- step back to starting position
- repeat on other side
- 1 min hip circles
- stand with feet hip width apart, hands on the hips
- draw a circle in one direction with your hips
- at the halfway point, switch directions
- 1 min knee circles
- feet together, bend hips and knees slightly
- draw a circle in one direction with your knees
- at the halfway point, switch directions
- 1 min shoulder shrugs
- stand tall with shoulders down the back
- draw shoulders up, down and back
- imagine ou are drawing circles with your shoulders
Foundational Movements
- 40 sec squats
- air squat - raise your arms to shoulder height as you sit your hips back and bend the knees
- ear tickler squat - fingertips behind the ear as you squat
- overhead squats - hold a broom or mop handle overhead with as you squat
- 20 sec recovery
- 40 sec bent reverse fly
- hinge at the hips, chest out
- arms in front of you, arms straight, thumbs out
- add canned goods here if you want more resistance
- bring arms out to the sides, framing the face
- 20 sec recovery
- 40 sec 1-leg RDL
- hinge at the hip 1 leg out behind, touch the knee
- increase range of motion to progress
- add weight to progress
- 20 sec recovery
- 40 sec plank to down dog
- Start in a plank position, hands under shoulders, feet or knees on the floor, belly tight
- raise hips up and back, make the shape of a capital A
- return to plank position
- add a push-up to progress
Stretches
- Be sure to stretch all major muscle groups, but especially these:
- chest
- hip flexor
- hamstring
Workout #2
Warm-up
- 1 min. gate swing
- stand tall keeping your abs tight
- raise one knee up and bring it out to the side
- reverse what you just did
- repeat and then switch halfway through
- 1 min hip abduction
- stand tall with arms at sides, balancing on left foot
- raise right leg out to the side, leading with the heel
- lower the leg and return to single-leg balance
- keep going and halfway through, repeat on other side
- 1 min hip extension
- balancing on left foot, lean forward a little bit and brace your abs
- raise right leg behind you, leading with the heel
- lower the leg and return to single-leg balance
- keep going and halfway through, repeat on other side
- 1 min arm circles
- circle the arms one direction
- halfway through, switch
- 1 min arm swings
- stand tall with shoulders down the back
- open arms wide and squeeze shoulder blades together
- cross the arms over each other in front of you and see if you can bring your fingers to the back of your opposite arm
- open back up and repeat
- speed up if you need more
Foundational Movements
- 40 sec good morning
- good morning - first two fingers on the hip crease, push your hips behind you, let your knees bend a little
- ear tickler good morning - fingertips behind the ear as you hinge
- split stance - take 1 leg forward and 1 leg back, keeping the knees (mostly) straight
- 20 sec recovery
- 40 sec Lunges
- increase range of motion to progress
- add weight to progress
- add a lunge matrix to progress (reverse lunge to side lunge, etc.)
- add plyo to progress
- 20 sec recovery
- 40 sec rotational plank
- Start in a plank position, hands under shoulders, feet or knees on the floor, belly tight
- rotate body to the side, raise arm up, look down at the base hand
- return to starting position
- repeat on the other side
- 20 sec recovery
- 40 sec bent cobra
- stand tall and hinge at the hips, pushing them behind you
- keep your chest out and shoulders back
- arms hang in front of you, elbows straight, palms facing toward you
- bring your arms back behind you, rotating externally, squeeze shoulder blades together
- return arms and repeat
Stretches
- Be sure to stretch all major muscle groups, but especially these:
- lats
- quads
- groin stretch
