At this time of year, and most other times of the year, lets be honest, we are faced with a million challenges for our time. And generally speaking the first thing to go is our workouts and our health. We take our bodies for granted and tend to ignore their needs. I've put together a quick and no-equipment needed workout. All you need is your two feet, your heartbeat and 30 mins.

 

Start with a quick Warm-up:

Do 10 Reps to Each Side

 

1. Side Step Squat - Starting in a neutral standing position take 2 steps to the Right, Squat down and touch the floor, return to standing and repeat to the Left. 

2. Standing Torso Twist - Standing tall with strong posture and arms extended out to the side (like a T) use your core muscles to twist to the right so that your hips stay forward facing and your shoulders come as parallel to the side as possible. Come to center and Repeat other side.

3. Rag Doll to Arm Circles - Start at standing, hinge at the hips and fold torso over; let arms and hands extend to the floor. Slowly come to standing by stacking the vertebrae one at a time and bring your arms over head in a big Arc allowing the arc to continue all the way back until your arms end at your sides. 

 

The Workout

 

Lower Body:

1. Basic Squats - With arms extended straight out from your body or bent bringing hands behind ears (this helps keep good alignement in your upper body) send your hips back allowing the body to bend. With this backward moving direction let the knees bend naturally and bring your thighs to parallel with the floor. Pressing through the heals and bringing the power from your glutes (your butt) come back up to standing and finish with a squeeze and subtle pressing of the hips forward. Repeat 30 times.

 

2. Quick Squats - Repeat the above sequence but do 30 reps as quickly as possible while maintaining good form. Knees shoudln't go past the toes, tailbone stays tucked and your torso isn't sagging or collapsing. Squats are a killer lower body activity but if you maintain bodily integrity they also work the core. This will burn and thats OK!

 

3. Around the World Lunges - This sequence is in 4 parts. Repeat full sequence 15 times.

a) Forward Lunge - Start at standing, good strong posture. Take one BIG step forward, striking heal first and then drop your hips straight down. Knee stays behind the toes, shin stays perpendicular to the floor, torso stats upright and maintains good posture. Back leg is straight and strong. Power off the front heal and return to standing. Repeat Left Side.

b) Right Side Lunge - Take a BIG step to the Right making sure that foot stays aligned ahead (toes aren't pointint right or left). Keep Left leg straight and send hips back to bend the right leg so that it is parallel with the floor. Power off the right foot and return to standing. 

c) Reverse Lunge - Take a BIG step backwards allowing your right foot to land on the toes. Drop hips straight down until front leg is bent and parallel to floor. initiate the return to standing with right toes but use the left leg to pull to you back up to standing. Repeat Left Side.

d) Left Side Lunge - Same as right side, reversed.

 

Upper Body

 

1. Good Old Fashioned Push Ups. Do these traditional style (hands and feet only) or feel free to do modified pushups. If it's still too hard start against the wall and work towards the floor. Hands planted just outside of but in line with shoulders, keep strong posture through shoulder girdle and core. Maintain a straight line with body from shoulders through hips to feet (or knees) and descend until upper arms are parallel to the floor. NO CHEATING. Push back up to start. Repeat as many as you can with good form, take a break of 1 min and repeat 4 times.

 

2. Twisting Plank - Starting in full pushup position, hands planted and feet set just wider than shoulder width pick up your right hand, twist through core and squeeze your right back muscles so that your right arm is pointing straight up to the ceiling. Return to plank and repeat on Left side. Repeat 20 times.

 

3. Mountain Climbers - One last one in plank position. With hands planted and strong alignment. Begin by driving your right knee towards your chest. Quickly return to start and drive the left knee in towards chest, return to start - this is one repetition. Repeat 20 times. 

 

4. Swimmermans - Laying on your stomach toes pointed towards back wall and arms extended towards front wall, contract your back muscles and bring your shoulders, arms, legs and feet off the floor. maintaining this position, pull your elbows down and towards your sides, really squeeze at the bottom, engaging your Lats and squeezing your shoulder blades together, release arms to start. Repeat 20 times.

 

CORE

 

1. Penguins - Start laying on your back, low back pressed into floor, knees bent and feet flat, arms extended along sides reaching for feet. Curl your shoulders up off the mat and begin reaching for the right ankle, squeezing the right obliques, return to neutral and reach for the left ankle. Repeat 20 times (both sides)

 

2. Toe Touches -laying on your back bring your legs up so they are pointing straight up and feet are flexed as though you are standing on the ceiling. Reach your hands towards your laces, crunching through the upper abs to reach further up. Repeat 20 times.