Target Your Legs And Core In This Go-Anywhere Workout
If you’re anything like everyone else, your body could use a little toning up. It’s pretty common to have a little extra jiggle in your trouble areas, but you don’t want to spend your entire day carving out your abs, and you’re getting bored with squats. This workout below can be done almost anywhere, and the moves incorporate functional movements with exercises that require balance. This works more muscles at one time.
Side Lunge to Curtsy Squat
Stand with your feet apart. Lunge to the side with your left leg, bending it 90 degrees while keeping your right leg straight. Push off with your left leg, bringing it behind the right. Place your left foot down to the other side of your right foot, bending both knees in a curtsy squat.
Woodchop
Maybe you’ve never wanted to be a lumberjack, but doing the woodchop move works the same abdominal muscles as a crunch. Stand with your feet apart, holding a weight in front of you. Squat as you bring the weight down beside your right knee. Straighten your legs and twist your body to the left, raising the weight above you and straightening your right leg.
Single-Leg Touch
Balance on your left leg, bending your right leg so that your right foot rests next to your left knee. Hold a weight in your right hand. Bend forward so that your back is parallel to the floor and your right hand dangles straight down, touching the weight to the floor. Slowly stand up straight again without setting down your right foot.
Sumo Squat Series
Stand with your feet very wide, toes pointing out. Squat until your thighs are as parallel to the floor as possible. Slowly stand up straight, squeezing your glutes and inner thighs. Complete 10 repetitions of the basic sumo squat. Then, squat down again, lifting the heel of your right foot. Stay down and pulse slightly up and down 10 times. Shift your weight to the other side, and repeat the motion.
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Elbow Plank with Alternate Arm Reach
Get in a plank position with your elbows directly under your shoulders. Keeping your body in a straight line and shifting your weight as little as possible, lift one arm, extending it in front of you. Set that arm down so that you’re resting on the elbow again, and repeat the motion with the other arm.
Crunchy Frog
Sit up with your knees bent and your feet a few inches from the ground, balancing on your tailbone. Extend your feet out in front of you, keeping them off the ground, and extend your arms straight out. Curl your body back into a tuck position, and repeat the exercise.
Half Banana
Lie flat on your back with your arms pointing toward the sky. Crunch up with your torso. At the same time, lift one leg, keeping it straight. Reach for that leg with your arms extended. Return to the original position.
Donkey Kick Pulses Series
Get on your hands and knees. For the first series, kick your foot up toward the ceiling, keeping your knee at a 90-degree angle. Pulse your foot 30 times, concentrating on contracting your glutes to create the subtle motion. For the second series, extend your bent leg to the side, and pulse it up 30 times.
Pilates Swimming
Lie on your stomach with your arms and legs extended. Lift your head and shoulders, and kick your legs while you alternate pulsing each arm up and down.
